is that all you've got, meyer?

Okay, so, I just wanted to announce publicly that yes, I am done with the entire Twilight saga. I am somewhat bewildered that I finished so quickly, but, considering the deep, passionate love affair I had with Edward, I guess that it isn't really that surprising...

slurp.

gulp.

I hate cats. Usually.

Okay, so, it´s true that I hate little domesticated felines that run around houses and break into tuna cans, but, I do not hate big cats. In fact, when I was little my favorite animal was a white tiger (for a long time, and, I saw one at the BA zoo for the first time in real life the other day). Anyway, we went to the Zoo Lujan here in Argentina and it was by far the coolest zoo I have been to. Not only could we feed almost all of the animals, but, we got to ride elephants and camels and go in cages with lions and tigers and...not bears. The zoo raises these big cats from birth and ¨domesticates¨them with little puppies. Ben (from LOST) would be very proud, because these normally large and scathing predators are raised thinking they are PUPPIES. Yeah. I guess that there is some sort of seriously twisted psychology stuff involved in that. But, on the other hand, it just teaches you how much influence your surroundings and upbringing can have.

One word: C-O-O-L!

Caved.

I have a terrible, horrible, confession. I'm sure most of you know that I am too proud and stubborn to get involved in utterly trendy books and movies. I have only read the first three Harry Potter books--long before anyone else knew they existed. Then the whole world caught on, and I decided that I wasn't interested in reading the rest of them. Partly because I have never really had enough time to lose an entire day to a book I might become a slave to since they really became popular, and partly becuase I am, well, stubborn.

Well, here in Argentina things have been a little different for me. I have time on my hands--an utterly beautiful and long-lost novelty. I can stroll around the block for fun, to look at houses if I want to. It's weird. Well the first days here were spent in Buenos Aires and I still wasn't really vacationing because I was prancing around the city trying to catch everything before I left for the suburb. Now I am in the suburb, and I should be bored but I'm not. Our first morning here I was checking my email and Becca sat Twilight next to me as she strolled into the kitchen. I huffed at her as she said, "One chapter won't kill you." How ironic those words turned out to be. I am in the hype, losing sleep and sanity over Bella, Edward, and Jacob (who I hate desperately)'s story. I like the first one the best (I am on number three. I started three days ago). I am in the midst of a huge trend. Knee-deep. And, though I would normally cower at the thought of such uncharacteristic behavior, I am proud to say that I have some free time, am doing some free reading, and am going out to the hammoc Hno. Spannaus bought in Paraguay yesterday to read some more. So shoot me.

(PS - While I do shudder at some of the more "technical" aspects of Meyer's writing, I have to give her props because I haven't been this absorbed in a story since I woke up sweating from nightmares involving me running around avoiding Raskalnikov while reading Crime and Punishment. My heart flutters, my stomach flops, and I get butterflies when Edward is around. That's enough for me).

encontre a mi corazon en argentina

So, I am going to post a few pictures (the uploading takes a while on this computer) and I am going to give hardly any explanation. Basically all you need to know is that these pictures are from Buenos Aires in general and the zoo there (which Tyler and Becca posted about, so you can read more about it there). Anyway, this place is magical. I could easily live here for ten or fifteen years as long as I got to eventually go home to my free country. Then again, maybe I could stay here forever if I could learn to speak better in vos...

I love this shot. No doctoring.

La familia Orquera. They were high school sweethearts, he waited for her on her mission. I love them.

Tango in downtown BA.

Outside the Orquera's apartment.

Apparently Tyler has been waiting his whole life to see a Tapir.

We bought animal food for 3 pesos or something and this monkey caught biscuits when we threw them at him.

This is the OCD apartment I was talking about. I'm in love.

Algunas Cosas...

Here are a few things that you might want to read about:

- I love Buenos Aires, I love the huge city, I love the ridiculously efficient Subte that runs throughout the city. I do not love that my spanish is apparently foreign here because I do not speak in "castellano" (which means that 'll' and 'y' are pronounced as 'j', also, everyone here speaks in 'vos', which is the form every spanish teacher I ever had skipped over because it is a form 'they only use in Argentina'). Curses. I'm getting the hang of it, but I am much better at Spanish than I appear.

- I love la familia Orquera, who we are staying with in the city. The wife is a designer and I'm obsessed with all the magazines and books I find all over the enormous apartment. Also, her apartment is immaculate and I guarantee she is OCD (and has a maid), so I am right at home.

- We went to the Argentine equivalent of Farmer's Market yesterday which was, to say the least, awesome. Becca got a beautiful ring to wear in lieu of her actual wedding ring (so it doesn't get stolen) and I got some fun leather flats with cool designs on them.

- We went to the Buenos Aires the other day for 15 pesos...that's 5 dollars...and we got to fead sea lions little anchovies. I don't know, I guess I just think the US zoos are pretty lame now.

- Last night after the farmer's market we were wandering around and went into this mall that is, esentially, a giant showplace for multiple interior designers. Um. Why don't we have those in the US?

- The Orquera's dog, Roco, stole my little travel pillow thing and tore it apart. He did so in the process of returning to his little den. Um. There were styrafoam (sp?) microbeads all over everything. Really funny but really sad. I felt dumb.

- Finally, I'm thinking of starting a petition in the US to incorporate foreign yogurts into the food pyramid. Turns out that the yogurt is tastier (mostly because they use hardly any preservatives) in every place BUT the US (Kefir, I still love you).

I am done with this post. Today we are going to the gardens and the Buenos Aires MOA. Can't wait!

PS - Pictures coming soon.