168

It was an early start for us today as we were out the door for 8:00 and off in search of the 'parada' for bus #168 that would take us into San Isidro. An hour later, through the concrete jungle that is Buenos Aires and finally out into the cute village of San Isidro, we met with Guille's cousin and his wife, Frederico and Felicitas.

By 10AM we were starting a yoga class which for me was a double whammie. I struggle with yoga in general and I struggled with the Spanish. I kept having to crane my neck and watch the others to know what to do although the instructor was pretty good about giving some directions in English. It was a good chance to push my own limits so I'm glad I did it.

And my reward was a delicious glass of fresh lemonade and an oatmeal raisin cookie at the 'Bike and Coffee' cafe followed shortly by lunch when Alejandra and Frederico and Felicitas' identical twin girls, Camila and Lara, joined us. We were eating, drinking, and laughing for a good couple of hours at this adorable cafe in an old train station.

They say kids laugh and smile hundreds of times more in a day than do adults. I believe it! All the grumpiness from the last few days just melted away this afternoon as the girls serenaded us with a song (about a dog and his fleas going around town on a bus!!!) over and over and OVER and giggling the whole time. I didn't know the words but I really responded to their incredibly contagious laughter and joined in too. What a gift!

Across the tracks from the cafe was an antique market which we checked out afterwards. Lots of cool things but no suitcase big enough for what I wanted to take back!!!

Afterwards Guille and I walked back to her cousin's house and checked out the town. Guille is toying with buying a place out there and I don't blame her. It is a whole other world from Buenos Aires where people are out running and cycling on the bike paths, there are lots of parks and green space AND...it's quiet! It has a good vibe and the lifestyle is very appealing.

When we got back to their house I noticed that the girls, initially shy with me, opened up and started talking to me a mile a minute. I did well to keep up with their rapid-fire-Spanish but it was tough. It was funny later when Guille told me they'd asked where I was from. She told them Canada and they said they thought I was from 'Disney' because they speak English at Disney. Adorable!

It was another hour on the 168 back to town and the three of us shuffled along the streets back to the apartment in a daze, tired from a full day in the sun and little sleep the night before. Still, it was the best day in a while and for that I'm grateful.