Toilet Seat UP!!!!!!!

Well,...it has been quite some time since the last entry. The most recent posted pictures are from Villa Angostura in Patagonia. Since this time,...I have been in Buenos Aires,...up to San Rafeal for 3 days,...then back to Buenos Aires.

So then,...in BA, I stayed With Joe and Stella. There house in Victoria (region) is outside of the Capital by about 40mins drive. For soccer,...or futbol fans,...they´d be happy to know that their home is also 2 blocks from Tigre Stadium. On a particular nice, warm, summer´s evening, a futbol match was on in full force and the chanting could be heard all the way to the house.

For about 10 days, mas o menos,...I lived out in Victoria. Joe and I spent an afternoon at his Club Nautico playing a round of Golf. It was there that I taught Joe a thing or two about the game of Golf! Jaja... In Argentina,...they don´t use golf carts,...meaning minature cars. They walk. In Argentina,...they don´t stack those minature carts full of beer and attempt to play golf either. They walk the whole course and diligently complete their putts without any gimmes either. Oh,...and mulligans,...nope.

It was actually quite nice to get back on the course. I was tired as hell for some reason,...but did muster enough energy to smack a few good shots. Thankfully, because my first 3 shots went either four feet to my left,...or in the lake. Finally crack a 3 iron about 180 yards Joe reckons. Not bad.

Stella has been busy teaching her Bridge lessons to her various students. After which in the evenings we usually sit together for dinner,...followed by lemon (loaf) cake (which Joe loves) and some futbol on TV. They also have two dogs, Ringo and Colitta. Ringo is the only dog in AR that can burp. Yes, burp. Colitta is famous for darting around the house as she is a wound up whippit. Colitta and I actually bonded quite strongly,...strange considering I discovered I was allergic,....but the other night,....from hearing my footsteps about 1/2 a block away,...Stella noticed she ran up to the window waiting for my arrival.

On another night, we join some of Stella and Joe´s friends at another country (yacht club) in San Isidro. Their clubs our here are quite swank btw. We had a very nice dinner,...and typically Argentinian style,...had dinner til 1am. It´s no wonder Im tired for golf!!

Joe and Stella have been busy setting me up with girls. Joe told one gal at work that I was a Canadian learning Spanish and that it might be a good idea that we practice together. Hehehe....pretty sharp guy hey. Ah,...then Stella last night called another gal: ¨Noel,...this is not a set up,...but you and Ryan should really get together for a movie and dinner.¨ It´s really great in this country!

I have taken a flat in Palermo chico which is within 2 major avenues in BA. It´s a very chic area,...about 20 blocks from the most chic area of Recoleta. There are, like in New York City,-....fancy hotels, clothing shops,...and old ladies with big dark sunglasses, shiny shoes,...and little dogs. The architecture is amazing and rather similar to 5th ave,....park ave. in New York.

Right next door to my flat is a laundry joint-check. Across the street, internet-check. Restaurants everywear-check. Malba and Metropolitan Museams 1.5blocks away,-check. It´s really quite nice. Oh, and parks too.

Spanish classes have gone as follows. (and everyone knows how much i love studying!!) First 3 classes kinda breezed bye. Yesterday,...really suffered, thought of quitting, or at least (politely) firing my teacher,...then today,...had a really great lesson. So spirits are high. Should be able to order dinner by next Wednesday! ha!

15 more days in the big city. This Sunday,...Easter at Joe and Stella´s,...cooking a big lamb on the Asado. Then,...well we´ll see.

Ciao

Oh! almost forgot,...the title of this email: TOILET SEAT UP. Well then,...lets just say the most amazing thing happened today. The gal that is teaching me spanish asked if she could use my washroom. Ok I replied. End of story right??! Nope. But it does get better. When she left at the end of the lesson it was my turn to use the bathroom. What I noticed was the most amazing thing a lady has ever done. She obviously went pee and put the seat down for herself. BUT,...and this is a huge BUT!! She then put the seat back up. That is the first time in the history of people going ¨pee¨that ive seen this occur. Guys,...im talking to us here. I mean we usually have to go back in their,...lift the seat allllllllll the way back up,...then go pee. Not this time,...not with this girl. I´d have married her on the spot,...but that would a). require running down the street to fetch her. b). she married a french 2 weeks ago,...and c). well there´s just too many fish in this Argentine sea that it may be tricky to ever make up ones mind on a chica! Girls,...lift the seat!!!