Happy Mother's Day!

Today is mother's day in Argentina. It is the third Sunday in October. Almost the same as in the U.S., which is the third Sunday in May. Both fall on the third Sunday of the first full month of spring. How are these things decided?

Hernan invited me to a movie last night. I forget what we were going to see, but when we arrived at the theater, they only had seats available in the front row. We passed. We crossed the street to another theater and got tickets for a movie called "Entre la vida y la muerte" - Between Life and Death - with Vigor Mortenson and Renee Zeilwiger (I have no idea how to spell either of their names and am too lazy to look). I think Vigor had been nominated for an Oscar for this.

I don't usually like Westerns, but this was good. It was very interesting in fact to see a portrayal of life out West during the early years of U.S. western expansion. We could have gone to see that Chihuaha movie and I would have been happy. I was just excited to be in a new part of town and seeing my first movie in Argentina.

We went to Belgrano, which is another part of the city that lies beyond Palermo. I had heard lots of good things about Belgrano and was considering it as a possible neighborhood for me next year.

As we arrived in the taxi, I could see that it was indeed a bustling neighborhood with all kinds of shops, ranging from fancy designer shops to mom and pop fruit stands. The sidewalks were crammed with people going to and fro and traffic stalled as we hit the commercial center of Belgrano.

After we got our tickets to the movie we had about an hour and a half to kill, so we walked to Chinatown. Chinatown in Belgrano is not like New York or S.F., it is much smaller, maybe 4 blocks long, but there are a few Chinese restaurants alongside the parillas, and a few Chinese supermarkets. I definitely want to go back durin the day, during the week, and explore a little.

We went to a place called Palitos (which is the word for chopsticks in Spanish). Hernan wanted to order rabbit. I've eaten rabbit once or twice in my life. I remember my grandmother made it once when I was very young. But as delicious as Hernan said it was, I didn't think I could get past the mental block I would have about eating a little bunny. I know cows and chickens can be cute too, but I'm used to eating them without thinking about it. So instead, we got the same dish with chicken.

The food was good, but the chicken dish, that came in a little caserole pot, was very salty. Hernan kept pouring the sauce over my food. I knew it wasn't good for me and tried my best to eat around the salt. Today will be a salt free day.

Last night we also sprung forward. So, after the movie our watches said 12:15 a.m., but we sprung forward to 1:15. We split a taxi home, first dropping Hernan off in Palermo and then I got off on Santa Fe.

It was a fun night. Hernan has been very good about initiating things with me and showing me different sides of Buenos Aires. Last night he even spoke Spanish with me. I feel strange speaking Spanish to him because his English is so good, but I appreciated his efforts.

Unfortunately, this Friday, the American couple he is dog sitting for return from from their trip and he will move back into his mother's house in the provinces. This means I won't get to see him as much. I really wish I could meet more people like Hernan, who have a lot of free time on their hands and know interesting places in the city to take me.

Today should be a very quiet day being mother's day and a Sunday. There is also a big soccer match between the Boca Juniors and River - two of the fiercest rivals among Buenos Aires soccer teams. I guess the game will be televised, which will mean there will be no men on the streets.

Larry sent me a link to an article in English about the lack of coins. Here is the link for anyone who wants to read more.