While driving, I have been practicing my Spanish and Jen says to me, "boy I wish I wrote down all the stupid stuff you said since we got married, I would have a huge book!" Oh, thanks Jen. We both have decided to take Spanish lessons when we get home and I want to take piano lessons again but do not want to learn to read music, just to play cool songs, like Billy or Elton did. Jen says, "great, so you can play your chill, light FM music on the piano instead of playing it on the stereo?" We are going to be in the car for 6 hours so we have to talk about something. Car is making some funny noises and showing a code 24 which concerns me a bit but as long as we don't roll this bitch we are good. The 7 Lakes drive brings you to 7 remote lakes in the Andes, Patagonia and is a full day. At the fork in the road, we summoned the invisible swordsman and found the singing bush and pushed on. (Three Amigos) At lake 6, Dad says, "OK, well lets go back." "Seriously Dad, let's finish this day," and we do. Every time we stop at an overlook to see one of the lakes, Mom points out to Jen where the pot holes are so we don't hit them. Dad and I had beers at lunch so I am off the hook. After my afternoon siesta, which has become a daily occurrence, I hear my dad, who I thought was sleeping, sitting on back seat, passenger side yell "go now!"--this is an alert for Jen to pass the car in front of us over a double yellow line. For my dad, this is a 14 lake drive because on the way back he says, "look at this lake" (same one we saw on way in). Jen is a great tour guide, except she cursed twice and we did not see any animals. There is some kind of Chorizo Pig or Deer that is 20cm tall and I really want to see one. I love looking over at Jen and seeing here drinking her Coca Lite in a 2 liter bottle (She is a thirsty girl). I couldn't get into the dinner place I wanted, but found a place close which was great until they started setting up a heavy metal live band right next to us. If you could have seen mom and dad's face, it painted quite a picture.
Ok, so apparently, they build huge ski towns but not near the mountains? It looks like Switzerland here but weird that the ski town is 1 hour from the mountains. Today, we are shopping until noon, airport to BA for our last night in Argentina. Dad and I shop alike for wine but I have been looking for shoes that are different and he literally called me a girl to the shop owner. He said, "you shop like a girl." The best is when we are in a shop an he walks in and says in English (with Spanish accent), "I am the translator." The faces on the shop clerks are classic. Walking with him is like walking with Mr. Magoo, if you remember that show.
Got to the airport with no issues but had to have the rental car checked out and it is an extensive procedure which was good because Jen could spend time finding out where Dad lost his passport! Found it. I am going to hold all passports from now on. We had a nice talk with an Argentine girl named Lucia on the plane and she filled in the blanks on a lot of our questions. They do have #METOO and its called, well I couldn't understand what she said because she whispered it to me. We learned all about Mate and realized, we could have been smoking it the whole time, go figure.
Back to the Savoy which has been great for us and our porter is awesome and we have our own room and a shit ton of luggage (see pic). Just in time for Champions League and watching Real Madrid fall (sorry Javi). Did you ever see the movie, Rainman? Remember when they had to find The People's Court for Dustin Hoffman to watch?
Tonight we had the "Argentine Experience" and it was. We learned how to make an empanada, order meat in Spanish, drink Mate, yell at people, etc. Probably should have done this day ONE, but live and learn. They wined the crap out of us but started hard, with white. Dad (who did not quite understand what we were doing there) said to the waiter, "how many empanadas do I have to make in order to get a Malbec?" They killed us all with the top off method of wine pouring, so you cannot even track how many glasses you drink. I had about 1000 sips and mom and dad had enough to sleep all night long. We sat next to a Columbian and Mexican couple but Jen did not have the courage to ask them the hard question. Its our last night anyway.
In AM, free time and plan to check out at noon, walk to cemetery to see Evita (Eva Perrone), back for Champions soccer game at 5 (which we had to pre arrange to watch at Savoy Bar), drinks, airport in huge car to fit all our crap and a little shopping. Woke up and did our last day of Carb loading (eggs here are so wet). Now is where the title comes in. Dad told us the story of why he left Argentina in 1948. He was working as a postal carrier and on pay day, they took one day of his pay (involuntarily) and said it was for the Evita Foundation, per executive order. Dad said to himself, "I have to get out of this country." Mom did not even know this story. Jen and I wanted to steal the fresh flowers off her extravagant grave site as payback. We didn't, but one more day here and we could have. I found out what type of Grave I wanted and I contracted JMT construction to build for me (sorry Wendy, you and Ark may be in the shadows, lol). The Cemetery was like nothing we had ever seen. I tried to get everyone a nice gift but it always makes me feel like, hey, here is a shirt that says Argentina to remind you of the awesome trip of a lifetime I took while you were working. Back to Savoy and really enjoying the protests. This one looked like a St. Patricks Day Parade. We did see the biggest tree (Literally and laterally) I have ever seen. In hotel, watching PSG V Man U and then off to Airport. It was 95 today.
GOOD NEWS: We finally found the GD paper, last day!
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