Seaside

Yesterday we travelled by bus three times without incident! We got a ride to the terminal then we took a bus to Punta del Este. It is supposed to be the point that the river is on the west side and the ocean is on the east side of the point. This is the ritzy area where they hire disk jockeys for parties and pay them $30,000 per night. Yes, I said thirty thousand U.S. don't know who told us that but that is my story and I am sticking to it. There is a man named Slim (who does not live up to his name) that owns most of the telecommunications in Latin America. We saw his mega, mega, mega yacht last spring break in La Paz. I guess he brings his large jet to Punta del Este for "the season".
Allen and I were not impressed with tis city. It is a big city full of condominium high rises. That's all we saw. In Montivideo there is a line of high rises, but right behind them it breaks into neighborhoods and restaurants and stores. We did not see any of that in Punta because it was all high rises. Of course we did find the marina...I guess Punta is just a place to go and "be seen". I saw...I was not seen. Punta del Este, been there, done that.
The last two days I have worn pants and socks. It has been stormy at night but cooler during the day too. Today is much nicer and I am sitting in the sun now in the courtyard of our ranch. It really is unbelievable. This ranch might just rate up there with Isla Holbox and Aitutaki. When I am here it feels like I am in another world, transported back in time. The trees, isolation and the buildings are incredible. Again, movie set type of unreal sensations, visual and audible (birds, horses and roosters).
When I got dressed this morning I noticed the pants are just a tad tighter...I am eating dulce de leche and bread for breakfast every morning and now we are not walking to school because out teacher comes to us at the estancia. Dulce de leche is like sweetened condensed milk turned one more step into a brown caramel delicacy. Yum! I think today I hit an all time low when I used my finger to clean out the serving bowl.
So...we decide it is time to walk. 1.5 miles down the road is a zoo. We walked to the zoo and through the exhibit. All museums here are free. We saw lots of birds, pumas, leopards, ant eater type things and Allens all time favorite the Nandu and the Capaburra..
After the zoo, we walked up a hill to visit the castle that was built by a man from France named PIria. He founded the town. Well after walking all the way up this long driveway we get to the doors and there are two government employees there to tell us that the museum was closed for renovations. It seems when one employee is enough there needs to be two. I myself would have posted a sign at the beginning of the long uphill drive, but that's just how I roll, not how Uruguay rolls. I guess I was just hot and cranky. The grounds were very pretty.
Martha came to do our lesson at three o'clock, but we turned our lesson into a shopping trip to the grocery store. We bought pan (bread). Tonight we are serving Allen's smoked salmon and cream cheese to Martha, Augustine and Señora Blanquita. Allen is cooking dinner with Charro tonight. They made an Uruguayan rendition of shepards pie. It was excellent! Mix and cook hamburger, onions, red peppers, raisins, garlic, green olives, salt, pepper and a spice called adobo.. After cooking these ingredients put it on top of a layer of mashed potatoes. Top with sliced hard boiled eggs then cover with another layer of mashed potatoes and top that with whipped eggs and shredded Parmesan cheese. Cook until the top is brown. You should see the kitchen in this house. Allen was in heaven. I hope to add a few pictures.
Everyone was duly impressed with the salmon and Allen's cooking. I am getting a complex. I don't cook, I don't smoke salmon, I don't fix things and I can't speak a word of Spanish...poor poor me. I do think the teachers are going to do an intervention and either make me learn or kick me out. Can I be kicked out of school??? I really need to apply myself but it is just too difficult with all the diversions. Food, sight seeing, people who are becoming friends, food...
One thing to top the day, we told you how much Uruguayans love their dogs...check out the picture of Calypso at the dining room table! The photo won't be posted until Allen gets the pictures uploaded, but check back. It will be worth it. Jaw dropping!