We’ve been attending and throwing a good number of parties already here in Cordoba.   We are trying to keep up with a slightly younger and much more energetic set, and so far failing miserably.  Last night’s party was held in honor of the 40th birthday of a new friend Fernando Muro thrown by his wife Miki.  The party started at 11 pm, and we arrived fashionably late at  midnight.  Needless to say, Robert’s head is aching this afternoon and he is in need of a nap.  You can get a taste of things here.

We’ve been attending and throwing a good number of parties already here in Cordoba.   We are trying to keep up with a slightly younger and much more energetic set, and so far failing miserably.  Last night’s party was held in honor of the 40th birthday of a new friend Fernando Muro thrown by his wife Miki.  The party started at 11 pm, and we arrived fashionably late at  midnight.  Needless to say, Robert’s head is aching this afternoon and he is in need of a nap.  You can get a taste of things here.

Robert has learned, much to his dismay, that there exists no cilantro in the whole of Argentina.  They just don’t eat it here.  So, he’s going to import some seeds and become the cilantro king.  Once they’re hooked, he’ll be the only supplier  . . .  (insert ominous laugh).

Robert has learned, much to his dismay, that there exists no cilantro in the whole of Argentina.  They just don’t eat it here.  So, he’s going to import some seeds and become the cilantro king.  Once they’re hooked, he’ll be the only supplier  . . .  (insert ominous laugh).

We finally moved into a house that we like and where we hope to stay for a while.  A two bedroom job with a nice patio and a swimming pool.  Even a view!

You can see some more photos here: 

We finally moved into a house that we like and where we hope to stay for a while.  A two bedroom job with a nice patio and a swimming pool.  Even a view!

You can see some more photos here: 

We are settling down into the trenches here in Cordoba.  This is Robert’s second week of work and Mira is doing a great job nailing down all the lifestyle necessities.  Here’s a summary of what has been going on.

1.  Victory.  The victory of the week came early when Mira was able to return a pack-and-play to Walmart from whence it came.  This would be a non-issue in the US, but apparently getting your money back from any store in Argentina is like retrieving radio waves from the center of a black hole.  But, she did it.  After much examination by the WalMart staff to ensure that the pack and play “didn’t work” she walked out of the store with cash.  According to our baby sitter, it was a miracle.

2.  Lunch. Bob had sweetbreads one day for lunch.  Which, his Argentine colleagues are convinced, remain undigested in the body for 8 months.  It smells a little bit like the ol’ “don’t swallow your gum because it will sit in your stomach” myth popular until about the 5th grade.  Bob told his colleagues that he would keep them updated.

3.  School.  It looks like Rory will start at pre-school early next week. Mira has been busy collecting uniforms, art supplies and other assorted things needed before he starts.

4.  Fencing.  The controversy of the week is the fence that needs to go around the swimming pool of the house we will rent.  Every day we get a different story about how much it will cost.  A fence is important, but we are hesitant to pay a lot of money for something that will be torn out when we leave the house.

5.  Car.  After we move into a house, a car will come soon.  Latest thought is a double cab pick up so we can explore the wilderness with children and bicycles securely in place.  But Robert wants a jalopy.

6.  Weather.  The first part of the week started off nice and cool given the weekend thunderstorms.  But today it was incredibly humid and we are waiting for another storm.  According to the locals, this month will go back and forth between cool and hot, eventually the tempertures will fall of in early April.  Not soon enough for Robert.

7.  Cell Phones.  We got cell phones, so send us an email and we’ll give you the numbers which you can call with Skype at low cost.  We’d love to hear from you.

8.  Parties.  We think that we’ve been invited to two parties.  The first is a birthday party of the wife of Matias.  It starts at 10:30 tomorrow night!  Matias was kind enough to say that if we can’t find a babysitter, we can just bring the kids!

9.  Wine.  Every night Mira and Bob enjoy a bottle of wine before going to bed.  Separately.

10.  It just started raining.

We are settling down into the trenches here in Cordoba.  This is Robert’s second week of work and Mira is doing a great job nailing down all the lifestyle necessities.  Here’s a summary of what has been going on.

1.  Victory.  The victory of the week came early when Mira was able to return a pack-and-play to Walmart from whence it came.  This would be a non-issue in the US, but apparently getting your money back from any store in Argentina is like retrieving radio waves from the center of a black hole.  But, she did it.  After much examination by the WalMart staff to ensure that the pack and play “didn’t work” she walked out of the store with cash.  According to our baby sitter, it was a miracle.

2.  Lunch. Bob had sweetbreads one day for lunch.  Which, his Argentine colleagues are convinced, remain undigested in the body for 8 months.  It smells a little bit like the ol’ “don’t swallow your gum because it will sit in your stomach” myth popular until about the 5th grade.  Bob told his colleagues that he would keep them updated.

3.  School.  It looks like Rory will start at pre-school early next week. Mira has been busy collecting uniforms, art supplies and other assorted things needed before he starts.

4.  Fencing.  The controversy of the week is the fence that needs to go around the swimming pool of the house we will rent.  Every day we get a different story about how much it will cost.  A fence is important, but we are hesitant to pay a lot of money for something that will be torn out when we leave the house.

5.  Car.  After we move into a house, a car will come soon.  Latest thought is a double cab pick up so we can explore the wilderness with children and bicycles securely in place.  But Robert wants a jalopy.

6.  Weather.  The first part of the week started off nice and cool given the weekend thunderstorms.  But today it was incredibly humid and we are waiting for another storm.  According to the locals, this month will go back and forth between cool and hot, eventually the tempertures will fall of in early April.  Not soon enough for Robert.

7.  Cell Phones.  We got cell phones, so send us an email and we’ll give you the numbers which you can call with Skype at low cost.  We’d love to hear from you.

8.  Parties.  We think that we’ve been invited to two parties.  The first is a birthday party of the wife of Matias.  It starts at 10:30 tomorrow night!  Matias was kind enough to say that if we can’t find a babysitter, we can just bring the kids!

9.  Wine.  Every night Mira and Bob enjoy a bottle of wine before going to bed.  Separately.

10.  It just started raining.

Finally we got a chance to escape the limited parts of Cordoba we’ve been in during the last week. We borrowed a car and drove to the nearby Sierras Chicas mountains where there are a bunch of vacation towns. We drove all around the region on Saturday, stopping for lunch and at various playgrounds where Rory made friends with kids. We stayed in a very cool small town named La Cumbre. Sort of a Healdsburg set in the foothills. The weather out there was a little more pleasant than Cordoba proper because the humidity drops off. Crystal blue skies, mountain scenery, etc.  Today there was a big mountain bike race.  We sat at a cafe this morning, drinking coffee and eating croissants in sun.  Very nice.  We even met a couple from Pennsylvania who spend 6 months a year in La Cumbre.  He spends his time flying glider airplanes and she, apparently, spends her time getting dental work done.  I stopped listening after I heard “nine implants and three root canals.”  Ouch.

On the way home from the mountains we did what any god-loving family would do, we stopped at the WalMart and bought $250 worth of stuff.  We got a new pack and play, a potty seat, diapers, and lots of pasta and toothpaste.  Very soothing.

You can see some photos here.