'Cuse #1

Not too bad a weekend for the hometown-area lacrosse teams, well 1-3. Syracuse won the nationalchampionship, while LeMoyne and Cortland both lost in the finals.

I spent Sunday afternoon and most of Monday in New York City. A sunny day in the big city is quite a nice time.

I caught the end of the first quarter of the SU game in the ESPN Zone but after Hopkins scored a goal with 20 seconds to go, to go up 4-2, I thought they were in for a long afternoon, so i walked the streets of the big city.

A $10.75 train trip later, and I ended up back in Fairfield at a memorial day BBQ.

Good times.

BJM 5.27.08

reading list

just found and read Ivan-on-the-web: espn.com on google. 3 articles from his tour with football coaches to the exotic lands in the middle east. Ivan is such a good writer that he can usually transport me to different locations - without having to be wanded (my fate at airports).
Maybe somebody can move his latest article to slippery rock. any volunteers?

I would except that I'm leery about moving stuff - I managed to lose an entire folder, all my WTB email. I don't know how I did that or where it went. (sigh)

Have a good 3-day holiday, everybody. nsm

Open Cottage

John and Brendan went to Canada for 2 days and a night to open the cottage for the year.

Success?

Well, the toilet flushes, which, in anyone's book, means we had a successful opening.

At times, it was bit cold up there but there were moments of sunshine and beautiful blue skies.

Last night was quite clear and a (nearly) full moon hung in the sky. That made it great for looking at the stars but it also meant - cold air. Brrrr. I did not spend much time star gazing.

bjm 5.18.08

Partners in Health feature on 60 Mins...

fyi ... here's a link to the webpage of the "60 Minutes" tv program.
If you click on the May 4th episode, you'll be able to listen to (or download for laterlistening...) a program which includes a feature on Partners in Health and founder Paul Farmer.
Martin

Surprise visit

Friday night, Mom left the back door open. A visitor (Meg) snuck in and surprised her. While she was standing there with her mouth opened, the front doorbell ran. As she went to answer it, she realized it was Brendan!
Dad came home and was doubly surprised as well. Then Clare came in, and while trying to get her coat off, she felt some 'helping hands' around her. Thinking it was Dad, she gently suggested he let her finish the job. The hands were insistent, so she turned around to find: Brendan!
A fun dinner was had by all. Then the young folks and Brian left the house to find Meg's friend Tom. He was in Syracuse because he had a film in the festival.
But first, a stop at the airport. Maureen was flying in to see the folks and help Brian pack. As she waited for her luggage a man came up behind her and asked, "Twizzler?" She turned around to find: Brendan!
A fun weekend all around. Including a long lunch with Munjed who treated us to a wonderful meal and a nice haircut for Brendan from Mirvat.
Great weather and conversation. Wonderful to see everyone. Brendan still knows how to get that terrific photo with his tongue sticking out. It's a gift!

Love ya, Meg

UNH Horse Trials - spring 2008

Erin and 'Grace' competed Saturday and Sunday at UNH Durham. She captured a ribbon, finishing 8th among all women in her division!
Her fans (us) barely survived... our multiple layers of clothing (including rainpants) were no match for the rain, wind and 40 deg temps!
A day to remember! (That's Coach Robbie w/Erin and the ribbon!)

Interesting 'clean water' news

I just heard a very interesting story on the radio on the way home.
It focused on an invention ... a tricycle that can be used to hold unfiltered water and then filter the water while one pedals home...
The video of the invention is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao
You can also see it by clicking on the image, below.

I heard about it on a BBC radio program called Culture Shock. The
link to the show is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/culture_shock.shtml

I think Evan would find this of great interest.
The inventors are looking to test the invention out in some areas of the world: Africa and China were mentioned!

mm

And now we're back where we started

Here we go round again.
Day after day I get up and I say
I better do it again.

...With a little help from Ray Davies.

I am in Xela, Guatemala. I left Buenos Aires on Tuesday, spent two nights in Panama City and arrived here yesterday.

I will add more info later.

All for now

bjm 04.18.08

Going to Colombia? Yes and No?

The news that I would travel in Colombia may have been premature.

I called my airline today to confirm tomorrow´s flight.

Avianca: Depart BA at 0735, arrive Bogota 12:30.

Me: Great. Thanks.

Avianca: Depart Bogota 14:45, arrive Panama City 16:00

Me: What? I changed the date and the termination city.

Avianca: No. We have you booked to Panama City.

Me: Grrrrr!

So, when I changed my flight last month, there was a bit of miscommuncation. He said/she said. The bad news is, she got to say it on the computer, too. Tomorrow, i may be flying straight through to Pananma. We will see.

If I was traveling lighter, like my brother might do, I would not be checking any bags and I could just step off the plane in Bogota. That is not me.

I was told I could change the destination to Bogota, however, they would have to cancel the ticket I have on the full flight and then re-issue a new one - with the possibility that in the time it takes to canel and re-issue, I may lose the seat that I already had because the flight is full. Plus there´d be a charge to change ticket and destination.

Why does fate play these cruel tricks on me and only me???????????????

Okay, maybe not just me and only me.

I will take this change in plans and see what comes of it. Maybe I will change the date and desitination and stay in Argentina. Maybe I will be able to check my bags to Bogota and then walk off the plane. Maybe I will fly to Panama City and make my way through Central America earlier than planned.

Time will tell.

bjm 04.14.08

Last Days in Buenos Aires

and Argentina.

And I am trying to do some of the things that I have not done and see some of the sites I had not yet seen.

Now done: The zoo.

I spent most of a chilly autumn the weather has changed to `normal` for this time of year, which means cold temps)afternoon at the zoo in Buenos Aires. (I hate to say it, but I do not know if it is the national zoo or the Buenos Aires zoo.)

I had a good time hanging out with some beings who often had less sense than I.

The zoo is much like other zoos, animals on display behind cages, except that if you could reach it (leaning as far across the railing as you could) you could pet it or could feed it. Sometimes you did not have to lean across the railings as some animals roamed freely about the zoo. And every so often, you would come across one or two of the thousands of wild housecats that roam this city.

Aside from those things, it is just like any other zoo.

One complaint I have is the lack of signage. There was one animal,it appeared to be part kangaroo, part rabbit, part hare and maybe part cat. These creatures were all over the zoo and did not pay much mind as you walked near them. They were no big fans of the animal food I tried to feed them - unlike the little monkey-like animals (some of whom appeared to be quite excited to get the food) and the muskrats who showed great respect when you had some food bits to share.

FYI, the Ugly Duckling of your childhood books resides in the Buenos Aires zoo, along with his ugly family.

Here is my day:




Do You Know Me?

(Note: having picture posting issues. To be attached later)

Brian is 21

There once was a lad named Brian
Who, at 21, was tryin´
A beer, his ¨first¨
told it`d quench the thirst
one sip, he knew his aunt was lyin´

Chchchchanges.....

Not.

It is Wednesday and I am still in Buenos Aires. I had thought about taking a side trip for a few days, during my last week in Argentina, but I took a vote and...1-0 voted to stay here.

I ran into the Mendoza Swedes yesterday. There is a birthday in the group on Thursday. I may spend some of my last days here wandering the city during the day and hanging out with some Swedes during the evening.

On Sunday, or Monday, Gareth and Lynsey - of the UK, of Miguel de Cervantes School of Spanish and of Salta, Arg. - will be in Buenos Aires to catch their flight out early next week. My last night in BA and Argentina will be spent with some good people I met along the way.

bjm 04.09.08

Let them eat Meat

That may be the tag line at most of the Argentine all-you-can-eat restaurants. (There are a few that only serve veggies. They may have a different tag line.)

Mendoza may have been a perfect place to have that Argentine steak I had promised myself. The thought was to have some steak in Buenos Aires with a friend of a friend. However, that friend of a friend is a bit ill at the moment, so I will not be meeting her.

While in Mendoza last week, hanging out with some crazy Swedes




a Dane and an Aussie chica, we went to one of the buffet restaurants where, for only $8, you can eat more than you would ever want to. These are not family`s Sizzler. We all seemed to leave the place well satisfied.







I do not know where or when I will have that Argentine steak. I have a week to figure out where to sit down at the table.


bjm 04.07.08

Back In BA, Again

I arrived in Buenos Aires late last week. Is this my final visit to BA? No se. I fly to Colombia on April 15 and I have not yet decided if I will spend my remaining Argentine days in BA, or if I will take a quick side trip.

I returned to BA a little earlier than planned due to a bank card issue. The issue, I needed a new one. Citibank was kind enough to send the new card to a bank in BA. I came back to pick up the card so I could continue to drain my bank account.

As is typical in BA, most nights here have ended a bit late, 4-ish. This time, however, I have not been the last one to return to the room at the hostel. There is one guy in the room who has yet to go to bed before 6:00. Where he is partying, I do not know.

Yesterday, I went to the Recoleta cemetary with someone from the hostel (an Argentine) and a gringa friend of hers.

We, like everyone else visiting the cememtary, made our way to Evita´s resting spot.

Here are a few pics:



Many cats seem to have made the cemetary their home. I am not quite sure what they find special about this place with no grass. Possibly that it has no dogs.



It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon and we could not think of anything better to do than walk around the coolresting places of Argentina`s Who`s Who.



We ended the day, as you should end many Argentina days, with some great icecream.



bjm 04.07.08

First Night in Cafayate

After leaving the friends and discos of Salta, I was unsure what to expect in Cafayate. The town is a town, not a big city like Salta. There are many bodegas, which, in Argentine spanish, means wine cellar and not mom-n-pop grocery.

It can be a bit difficult to arrive to a new town and a new hostel. While looking for a hostel, I passed two women, who I took to be Argentine, walking with a couple, the guy having a Oregon t-shirt on. I passed close by to them as I headed to what I thought was a hostel but I did not talk to them. I thought about asking them for hostel info but I had my tourist info map, so was fine.

The hostel I headed to did not exist, so I made my way to a hostel that I had already passed. Although the hostel looked interesting, I did not go there first because I got an odd vibe from a guy outside the info center who told me about it.

The hostel, El Balcon, was my 3rd or 4th choice. When I got there, the Argentine women I had seen on the road minutes earlier were there, too, as were the couple with whom they had been walking.

The couple, American, were finishing their check-in process. Their charge was 210 pesos. They had 250. Since no one in this country seems to have change (coins or small bills), there was a bit of an issue. The hostel did not have 40 pesos change and the Americans did not have a 10 peso ($3+) note. I fronted them the 10 pesos, thinking they were staying in the hostel (wrong, they stayed in a sister hostel 5 blocks away). They assured me that I would get my money back.

During my check-in or while waiting to check in, I was conversing with the Argentines. They told me they were going to tour a cheese factory and invited me along.

I dumped my bags on my bed and joined the two Argentines and an American women they met in the hostel for a 20 minute tour of a cheese factory.

Fun facts I remember from the goat cheese factory: One type of goat gives 2 liters of milk a day and another type gives 1 liter, this factory pipes in classical music during the milking process to calm the goats. That is it. I know they told us more (in Spanish) but it is not in my brain.









After the cheese factory tour, we went to the bodega Vasija Secreta to see about a tour. We arrived a bit after 7:00 pm. After doing a bit of poking around the closed bodega, the Argentines knocked in the ¨Administracion¨ door. A man, who turned out to be the manager, opened the door. As expected, he told us that the winery was closed for the day.



The Argentines, who are studying food science in university, pestered him with a few questions. He answered those questions and more after that. After 10 minutes or so, he gave in and said ´let´s do a tour.´

This is all in Spanish but it is what I believe happened.

We had a very extensive tour. I am sure we were taken places that the general public does get to go. After more than 1 hour, we were taken through the public testing area, down a flight of stairs to a wine cellar. There, lining the walls, were hundreds of unlabeled...doing whatever bottles of wine do prior to be shipped out to stores.

He gave us two bottles. I am sure the bottles are not part of the company tour.

After the cellar, we are shown a private courtyard area where the manager lives. It is after 8:15 and I think the manager is looking like he wants the tour to end and for us to be on our way.

The next thing I know, the 4 of us (2 Argentines, the gringa and me) are heading back to town to go to the supermarket to buy dinner that we will cook at the winery. (The American, whose spanish is much better than mine, told me later that, for the most part, the Argentines invited themselves + us to the winery for dinner.)

80-ish pesos of food later (less than $30), we are back at the winery preparing a fine-looking meal of steak, chicken (for me) and salad. We don´t hve to buy wine as the host we will use one of the bottles given to us and the host will provide two more.

This would have been a great time to have the Argentine steak that I told myself I would have. However, I had already made plans to have that steak in BA with a friend of a friend of mine.

I am not sure what time dinner started but I do know that the evening ended after 1:00 a.m.

Prior to the steaks being done, a kayak-guide friend of the manager came over. He sat down to dinner with us. While talking, it was discovered that the Argentines knew his sister. Before we finished eating, the guide`s cousin and sister show up (below).



And still later, a Frenchman shows up. I had no idea what he was saying but he was making everyone laugh.

All-in-all, it was a great evening - even if I only understood 10% (optimistic) of what was said.

If I had laft Salta earlier, as I had planned, I would not have had this experience as I would not have run into the Argentines.

Sometimes plans not made are the best plans of all.

bjm 03.29.08

Should I Say or Should I Don´t Now

If I say there could be trouble.

If I don´t it may be double.

On the ride from Salta to Cafayate, the young girl in front of my got a bit antsy after 2+ hours in the small seats. For about the final 30 minutes of the ride, her father let her stand in the aisle.

Early on, Dad put his arm around her but after 5 minutes he just held on to one hand. I had thoughts of mentioning to the dad that if we stopped short, then his daughter would go flying through the windshield. Although I do not know spanish for ´windshield´ or ´through´ i think I may have been able to get the idea across.

In the end, I did not say anything. Reasons: language barrier and not my kid.

As it happens, we arrived to Cafayate without stopping short. The kid was fine and no ugly American butted in the business of an Argentine father.

bjm
03.29.08

On the road to Cafayate

After 5 nights in Salta, Argentina, I was able to break away from that town and continue my journey south. (I am on a counter-clockwise ciruit back to BA.) I had a 3 hour bus to Cafayate - wine country, Argentina.

The Mendoza area is truly the wine country of Argentina but Cafayate has its fair share.

The bus (actually a 20 seat van) ride was great. Soon after we left Salta, I thought I was transported to the southwest USA. The landscape reminded me of Arizona and New Mexico. I am sure the pros out there will look at the pics and tell me ¨Sorry, but those rocks, cacti and colors have nothing in common with the American southwest.¨ To my untrained eye, they´re a match.

You be the judge.

bjm 03.29.08

One Day in Bogota

In February, enroute to Argentina, I had a few hours to spend wandering around Bogota, Colombia. Although I am sure the city has a great deal of culture for one to see, I was taken by the buses.

Of the 10 or so pics I took that day, 7 were of buses. If I had one, what would my shrink say?

I will be back in Bogota in mid-April. At that time, I will see what else the city has to offer.

bjm 03.29.08

heading south

Hola mi familia,
Mike and I bought our tickets yesterday and so it is official, we are going to Malawi to visit Evan and Liz and all their friends. We're leaving from NYC on 9 July and coming back to these shores on 13 August. Flying to Johannesburg non-stop but I think it takes about 17 hours. We never did take a honeymoon, so we decided this will have to qualify! We think we'll do a week in northern Malawi with Evan, a week in Neno while he works, a week in Zambia with Evan and then a week on our own, perhaps in other parts of Zambia. Liz may join us for all or portions of this adventure, and her mom, who will be over there around the same time. We are counting on Evan to tell us when he needs to take a break from us.
I don't think there is anyway I can even imagine what it's going to be like, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to go.
I hope to get a camera in the near future, so we can post pictures of the journey. I don't think I'll be as funny as Brendan, and I hope I don't lose as much weight. BTW, I don't know what Brendan is doing in those discos, but when we chaperoned our Navajo students down to Mexico and they went to a disco, the lights went out, the bodies were as close as sardines, and by the end of the night all the girls from Ganado were engaged to smooth-talking guys. Mike had to pry them away. Whatever the scene is, it must be fun!
love,
cathie

Catching up in CT.

I am so proud of myself. Brendan told me for the millionth time how to post a comment and I am finally trying it out. We'll see. Not ready to post pictures yet. I think I broke my ankle so that I would be forced to be home for eight weeks and learn things I should have learned five years ago.

Anyway, the good news is that I got my staples out yesterday. The Dr. said it would 'pinch'. He lied and it hurt, but then it was fine. He took an x-ray and that was weird. We saw the gray, black, white shadows, light, etc. Then there was a plate and six screws right there. No getting around that. He told me that in four more weeks he will take the cast off and I am good to go. I'll have to do rehab, and unlike Amy Winehouse, I won't say "no, no, no."

My neighbors and friends have been great. They have dinners scheduled through April 10th, which is so kind. It has been an interesting ride.

Thanks for all your calls and thoughts and prayers. I haven't been asnwering the phone much until now, but I definitely feel like I turned the corner this week, so I am much better.

Sarah is going to her first high school dance this weekend. She asked a guy friend and their group is taking pictures at a friend's house, so that should be fun. Maybe i'll post a picture of it. Nah...