Living the real Argentine way!

Ana, in red, is the lady Ilive with. Her parents were Italian and this here is a traditional Italian/ Argentinian meal called Baña Cauda. It is a similar ritual to fondue, but it is made of Anchovies, lots of garlic and cream. The table is filled with all sorts of vegetables to dip into this delicious anchovy sauce. Very healthy if you ignore the cream bit. So she invited me to try this 'once in a while' winter ritual she has with alll her interesting actor, playwrites, architects, musician and tango teacher friends! (I managed to have my first tango lesson from Ana's tango teacher friend who actually did a degree in Tango studies at the university...)

Batu wants some too but cant reach.

And then Alejandro starts playing some lovely Argentinian folk music.

The sisters dance!

And then all the ladies get up for a dance. Afetr a few more classesof wine the men do too and they dance and sing and drink until 5am!

Another day I come downstairs and Batu is having a hair cut.

'How do I look?'

Buenos Aires Botanic garden and a few street scenes

These are a few photos of San Telmo on a quiet day, as the weather wasn't great and it was about to rain any moment. The lonely planet promised me it would be spring in August, which is meant to be nice and hot ... still waiting ...

A bit of Cowley Road style graffiti down in the back streets of San Telmo.

The city's botanic garden, nice for a little, slightly peaceful escape, although it is in the middle of two busy roads!

Bonsai tree exhibition, try and spot the camouflaged cat. The Botanic garden is absolutely full of cats, I'm not sure why, but it might have something to do with all the dogs on the streets.

Trip to Chile- Friday night reunion with great old school friends and new Buenos Aires friends in Santiago de Chile!

I've just got back from a wonderful trip to Chile where I met up with Alison, Kirsty and Ally's boyfriend Dave, who are travelling the world for a year and are currently on their South American leg of the journey. Nice and civilized glass of wine to start off and toast to our reunion ....

Joe and Richard, two friends I met from Buenos Aires who also happened to be in Chile pop in for a glass of wine ... We just couldn't resist when we walked past this crazy slide in the middle of the night. Just like old times. Maybe when we were 13 we didnt crash into eachother so much...

A bit of dancing in a downtown (not a gringo in sight apart from us) Reggae club. Me, and Ally's Kiwi (and Kirsty practising her spanish with the locals)

"Smile, we're dancing reggae in Santiago, woohoo"

Trip to Chile- Nursing a hangover in the city

Beautiful, crisp, sunny winter weather in Santiago. Casa Roja, the hostal where we we stayed. Santiago city scenes: two clowns. Photo exhibition in plaza.

Trip to Chile- Three cowgirls and two cowboys on a spectacular journey

We arrive at a traditional, humble ranch in the morning to go on a horse ride through the Andes with Cowboy Hector who is going to take us on an amazing route. He points up to this enormous mountain, touching the sky from I where I see it, and says 'thats where we're going to ride the horses' what??? He must be exaggerating, horses cant go up there. Or, better still, first time horse riders cant ride up to there... can they? Walnut and Almond trees on the ranch Cool boots Cowboy Hector.

I get my horse 'Shishabaya'. The horses are Chilean horses that have long hair and short legs.

We're off and Shishabaya is already lagging behind stopping at every possible bush in her reach to have a bite... I had to get the rebel horse. Cowboy Hector shouts back to me to take her by the reigns, not to let her take me... but she is very naughty!

As we trot towards the incredible, imposing Andes, Kirsty turns around and asks ' so where do we pick up the helmets?' errrrr

Going up ...

errrr its suddenly getting very steep and slightly scary on my stubborn, unpredictable, naughty Shishabaya ...

Ally doing an impression of the condor we had just seen soaring below.

Me and Kirsty, what more can you ask for, the pefect place to sit and chat ...

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