Hospital de Niños

Directly across the street from our apartment is a Children's Hospital. It's been nice knowing it's so convenient, although we hoped we'd never need to use it.

Last week we ended up using it.  Not for anything major.  Paul developed a sore spot on his neck that we thought, at first, was just a moisture and chafing problem.  But it continued to worsen and spread to a rash all over his torso.  At a church activity some friends saw his neck and went right to the drugstore and back to buy us some diaper rash cream (which of course, we already had, but the thought was nice).  We gave it several days, kept it as clean and dry as we could, tried the ointment, but it still persisted. It was the type of thing I would have called my pediatrician about, but not taken him to the hospital for.

But after a couple weeks of no improvement and not knowing what else to do, Bryan headed across the street with Paul.  He got a waiting number, came back home for dinner, then headed back over.  Two health care providers looked at Paul, prescribed a steroid cream, and sent them on their way.  And it's free public health care here, so it was all free of charge.  Bryan headed to the pharmacy and came home with the cream, and a couple days later the rash was practically gone.

We still don't know what caused the problem.  I'm just thankful I can nuzzle my baby's soft neck again.

Our barrio (neighborhood)

Join us for a walk around our barrio (neighborhood).

Our 5 story apartment building.  We're on the ground floor.

The main entrance to the building, and the cafe that shares the ground floor with us.

To the left... a private school.  We could hear the children having fun outside in their courtyard during their recess time.  And about once a week they must have had a music class.  I think I could hear a tuba or some loud instrument.  Right now it is winter break, so there is maintenance construction going on (including the front sidewalk).

To the right... another apartment building.  And next to that... the Crocodilo: the night club where Bryan and I spend our evenings after we put the kids to bed.  Ha!  Just kidding.  It must be a pretty tame one, because we didn't even realize that's what it was until a few weeks after we got here and we were walking home late at night and saw it open.

Across the street... a children's hospital.  More on that later.

Around the corner...our lavanderia.  About once a week, Bryan drops off a duffle bag of laundry on his way to work and picks it up on his way home.  Washed, dried, and folded. 

Also around the corner...one of the produce stands we shop at. This stand is on the way home from Bryan's work. One block the other direction -- close to the supermercado -- is another produce stand where we get things that the supermercado was missing.

One block away... the panaderia where we get our breakfast pastries.  A block the other direction from our house is a different panaderia -- we go there to get dinner bread because it tastes better and the owner is really friendly.  Pretty much all of the neighborhood shop owners know us by now.

Three blocks away... "our park."

There certainly are some perks to living in the city -- convenience being one of them.  If only we could talk our Brentwood neighbors the Lasley's into opening a panaderia with fresh bread every morning, convince Theresa to do our laundry each week for $7, and have Paul pick up our garbage from the front porch every night.

la Boca

We visited the neighborhood of Buenos Aires known as "La Boca" today.  Very colorful and touristy.  At the request of Ashley, we ate lunch at a restaurant that had some tango and folk dancers performing right in front of us. 

 Colby's colorful outfit blends right in.

We stopped at a park and Paul did a face plant in the sand. 

Winter Holiday

Right now it is vacaciones de invierno, or winter holiday, for all the schools in Buenos Aires.  They all have the last two weeks of July off.  Which means there are a lot more kids out and about, and a lot more kid-oriented activities.

For example, on Tuesday we went to a children's science museum.  It was a great museum, and would have been a great experience if
a) we didn't have to wait in line just to get in
b) we understood more Spanish and could read all the instructions
c) it wasn't jam packed with people
d) I didn't have a big double stroller to maneuver through all the people
e) my 1 and 3 year old kids wanted to do what my 7 and 9 year old kids wanted to do and vice versa.

As it was, it was a little stressful and frustrating.  And yet, the kids still had fun overall.  They probably had the most fun in the light/mirrors/lenses/reflection/refraction/etc room, playing with this full length mirror.

Speaking of lenses, these pictures made me realize how dirty Sienna's camera lens is!

Then today, while visiting a mall, we stumbled upon a supervised play area only open during the winter vacation.  It was completely free, with a Lego table, drawing table, dress-up clothes, face-painting, etc.  No line, no crowds, happy kids, happy Mom.

 

A mall courtyard playground provided another good hour plus of entertainment.

The wheels on the bus...

I am not as intimidated by riding the buses around here anymore, although I still prefer to walk if possible.  I've learned a few things over the weeks.  Such as...

1.  There's always room for more
Last week we waited for a half hour for bus 99 to take us to meet some friends at a park.  Finally we saw our bus approach, only to pass on by.  Too full I suppose.  Another one was 10 minutes later, and it too was quite packed.  As it approached the bus stop the driver pointed quite obviously to me and the kids and motioned backwards.  I assumed he was telling us to get in through the back door, which was kind of unusual.  So I helped the kids up (Sienna with the stroller, me with Paul), and with my free hand on the pole pulled myself forward to squish everyone on enough for the door to close.

A few minutes later we realized there was another bus 99 right behind us.  I realized later that the bus driver was probably motioning backwards for me to wait for that bus, which was probably less crowded.  I feel kind of bad that I never paid for that ride, since we got off through the back door as well and there was never enough room to move to the front to pay.

2. People will almost always give up their seat for the lady with the stroller and 5 kids.
Even on the crowded bus 99, when we were packed like sardines, the sardines shifted and squirmed and wiggled around until the 6 of us were squished into two bus seats.  A kind lady sitting or standing behind me reached forward with a tissue to wipe Paul's runny nose, since my hands were pretty tied up holding us all in.

3.  Not all buses with the same number go to the same places.
On our way to the Temaikén Bioparque, we knew from the website that we were supposed to catch bus 60 from Plaza Italia.  Getting to Plaza Italia was an easy enough bus ride.  But then we learned that there are several bus 60s that go to different places.  What´s wrong with 60a, 60b, 60c... or just plain old different numbers??

We waved down one bus 60 to ask the driver.  He had us get on briefly to drive us half a block while he tried to explain where to get the right bus.  And he spoke way too fast.  Some people, when they realize we don't speak the language well, slow down, or say a few words and use a lot of hand gestures.  I really appreciate that.  This guy figured he'd talk twice as fast to get in twice as many words in the same amount of time, so we'd have a greater chance of catching a few of them.  Didn't work.

We got off and walked in the direction he pointed, and eventually bought some combined park ticket/bus pass from a salesman on the street who showed us where to go.  We probably paid a little more than if we figured it out on our own, but whatever, it got us there and back.

A "comfy bus" took us to Temaikén

4. Trust the bus driver
If you can understand him, that is.  When we boarded the bus to the temple we told the bus driver that's where we were headed, and moved to the back.  After we had been on the bus for a while, Bryan asked the people standing near him if they knew where the Mormon Temple was.  We assumed it would be visible from our route, but hadn't seen it yet.  They pointed behind us!  So we got off at the next stop, in the middle of who knows where.  The bus driver stayed there a few minutes as we walked towards the front door, and he kept repeating the word "falta" (which we later learned means 'stay') and indicating we should get back on.  So we did, and a little later we could see the Temple for ourselves and knew where to get off.  It was nice of the driver to wait a little and not leave the crazy gringos stranded.

Waiting at the bus stop in front of the temple (for about an hour)

5. Trust the nice lady with the cane.
On our way back from the temple the bus was crowded, but this time there were several older citizens who remained seated.  The lady in the front held out her hands to Bryan, and said that she would hold Paul.  I thought there was no way Paul would go to her.  But he did and started playing with her cane, banging it against the pole in front.  She played with him a while and as long as he couldn't see me he was fine.  And eventually she got him to sleep!  She ended up holding him for nearly an hour.  I was impressed.  

Paul doesn't look pleased in the picture, but in general he was.

6.  If the bus isn't crowded, the back is more fun.  At least the kids think so.

Buenos Aires Temple

Another two hour bus trip took us to the Buenos Aires temple.  Such a beautiful temple!  I guess it was closed recently for 3 years for some renovations and just rededicated last year.  We thought it would be a good Sunday afternoon activity, hoping that the grounds would be open like at many temples.  Unfortunately this was not the case, but the very friendly and talkative security guard let us go just inside the front gate for a couple pictures.

Temaikén

We've already visited the Buenos Aires zoo, which we thought was pretty neat, but we've heard from a few people that we really ought to visit Temaikén Bioparque.  So that´s where we headed on Saturday.  Including waiting and transfer times, it took about two hours of bus rides to get there. It´s a zoo, only with a much nicer setting and environment, both for people and animals.  It´s also a conservation and education place.

Temaikén did not disappoint.  We were impressed by some of the unique animals.  The aviary section was huge and was a major highlight for the bird-watching members of my family.  I, being more of a birder-supporter than an actual birder, was still wowed by all the colorful and amazing birds on display.  Particularly this friendly guy.  Although my ears were ringing for a while after he cawwwwed right in my ear. Well, it was either from that or from Dallin screaming right next to me, fearing for my life.

We loved the cheetahs.  There were 4 or 5 of them roaming around.  So sleek!

 

Colby wasn't too pleased with the toucan poop on his sleeve, but Bryan said he should keep it there as a souvenir. 

 Colby's favorite birds are the big predator types.  So he loved these big condors.

I know it seems kind of creepy, but the bat exhibit was really interesting.  They were quite large, and sometimes would stretch out their wings and refold them around their body.

 

It had a fun playground for the kids also.