Here we are at the Buquebus in Buenos Aires (Buquebus = boat bus)
On the fast boat, getting ready to push off for Colonia.
Here's a similar boat to the one we were on
We stayed at the Don Antonio Posada and when we were shown our room both of our jaws dropped. The bed was a KING! And the shower...OMG - it had so much pressure. I stood in there for many, many minutes. Another slice of heaven.
Our cab driver spoke excellent English so he told us about a couple of really good places to eat and also offered to take us on a tour of the area. We didn't end up taking him up on his offer of the tour, but we did check out the few stops he told us about. Colonia is small so we grabbed our little map and set out on foot to see what there was to see.
The town is situated on a peninsula and it is very picturesque.
An old lighthouse
On stairs in lighthouse - it was SO hot and humid. The breeze at the top was unbelievably awesome!
View from top of lighthouse
Self portrait on top of lighthouse
Coming down the stairs in the lighthouse...if Tre was on his knees he still would have to duck.
After we explored a bit, we went back to the hotel and jumped in the pool to cool down and relax before dinner (is all we did was eat? - LOL!) We took the suggestion of our cab driver and found a romantic spot for dinner. The food was yummy and there was a guy playing the saxophone and singing. It was a very nice evening. I could have sat there for hours, but we wanted to take a walk up the main drag and get some ice cream.
Outside the door to our room
Shot of the hotel from our room (the pool is behind the palm on the right)
Happy couple (with entertainer)
When we were out walking around after dinner (after we snapped up some ice cream) we sat on a bench in a park and watched the kids go back and forth on their scooters. Earlier in the day we couldn't help but notice all of the old cars (we didn't see much of that in Buenos Aires, so it was kind of interesting) and there was even one out cruising the drag with the scooters.
Old car out "dragging main" with the youngsters
I couldn't resist taking the next two pictures.
current employer...
future employer...
We'd been meaning to take a picture of our apartment key and just happened to remember while in Colonia, so we thought we'd take one of the room key, too. All of the keys we came in contact with are very old looking. No key cards here - ha!
Apartment key (left) and room key (right)
In the morning (uhhh, at noon I mean), we walked up to a scooter shop and rented some scooters for the day. I didn't have my driver's license with me (it was in Buenos Aires), so I had to go to some official government looking place with the lady of the scooter shop to get a license for the day. Too funny.
We zipped around all over the "island". It's not really an island, but it kind of feels like one. We had so much fun!
What a blast!
Cobblestone streets of Colonia
A shot of the street our hotel was on. This is a pretty typical street in Colonia. Big trees for shade...just beautiful.
I haven't talked about this yet, but there is a drink in South America...well at least it's in Argentina and Uruguay, called Mate (Mah-tay). It's like a tea or coffee, only it is very bitter. Charlotte drinks it constantly, as do most of the people down here. You have a metal cup and a metal straw and you dump the Mate (dry grass looking stuff) in the cup and then pour hot water on it and the metal straw has a kind of filter on the bottom so you don't suck up the "grass". Neither Tre or I cared for the flavor much, but it's very popular. Typically you see people with their cup in hand and thermos of hot water under their arm. They carry the extra mate in tall skinny tupperware looking containers with a pour spout, that way then can have their favorite hot drink any time they want it...which brings me to the next picture.
A vending machine of hot water solely for Mate.
I liked the little tuft that this bird had on the back of it's head (unfortunately I don't know what they are).
One of the many beaches in Colonia
A small museum outside of Colonia where a guy and his wife have collected 1000's of key chains, perfume bottles, pencils, ash trays, soda cans, pins, calling cards and much more. They hold several Guinness World Records.
The next two pictures are especially for my friend Kristi (she collects pencils, but I am pretty sure her count is no where near 8,345)
1 of about 5 cases of pencils
Most of the soda bottles are still glass (including this refreshing Coca Cola Light)
Restaurant we found off the beaten path. I had to convince Tre to be adventurous and try it and it turned out to be so, SO good.
The old bull ring (they no longer have bull fights)
Another shot of old cars...still can't believe how many there were in this little town.
Goodbye Colonia...a shot of the lighthouse from the boat
On our boat ride back, there was a fantastic lightening show in the distance and everyone's hair was standing straight up. (that's not dangerous, right? - ha!)
Almost "home" - Buenos Aires skyline. This is the new part of town, Puerto Madero and looks very modern, similar to any big city in the United States and quite different than the rest of Buenos Aires.
Jen, love your hair!!
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