Nothing but a number

Yes, it was my birthday yesterday!  And, little known fact, I've been compulsively lying about my age now for about 2.5 months.  It all started in Cuenca and it just sort of happened.  I haven't lied so much about this since I was in college and using Audra's fake ID. In Ecuador, I told a lot of people that I was 27.  Feeling emboldened by their belief in this, I went down to 26 in Buenos Aires.  Who wants to be 29 when you're hanging around with a bunch of college kids and recent graduates?  Plus, in Spanish you say "I have X years" so if I say I have 26, that is true.  26 and then some!  :) So anyway, it's been kind of amusing to get birthday wishes for all of the ages I am and am not.

I decided to spend my twenty tenth birthday in Uraguay.  Woke up early and headed for the Buquebus terminal, whre I took a ferry to Colonia, a UNESCO World Hertige Site in Uraguay about one hour on the fast boat from Buenos Aires.

Just as I have been surprised by other modes of transport here, it wasn't like a "ferry."  It was like a little cruise ship with stores and restaurants and a bar and it was really very nice!  Going through immigration in Uraguay was a lot easier than going over the border into Chile. Really fast and efficient.

Colonia was so cute - picturesque really and truly with the cobbled streets and colonial architecture and just a very pleasant place to pass the day.  They rent golf carts, mopeds, and dunebuggies for you to get around the town but I just walked, it was so beautiful out.

I had the local specialty for lunch: chivito al pan, a very strange combination of steak, ham and a fried egg on bread.  Funny to think that a mere 6 months ago I was trying to be macrobiotic and now I have eaten more meat than ever before in my life.  I am dying for some sushi though, as this is the longest stretch in the history of my life without eating it.  Oh, tekka don, I am dreaming of you!!

And today is my last day in Argentina.  In South America.  I fly back to the states tonight and arrive in Philly tomorrow late morning.  I can't believe so much time has passed and all I've seen, things I've experienced, people I met and places I've been.  It has been a truly fantastic trip... and the adventure only continues back in New York!  Who knows where I will end up from here, but I am looking forward to seeing what's next... and looking forward to coming home too - I've missed everybody.  I have to go out and run errands now for the trip back, but if I have time later I'll upload all remaining photos.

Also, I think I'm going to keep up the blog at least for a couple of weeks.  Family bonanza time starts on Friday when my dad, stepmom, stepsis, sister and sister in law come to NY for a long weekend.  Then on to Lake Winnipesauki (sp?) in NH with my mom, stepdad, sister, sister in law, stepsister and stepbrother.  I'm sure they are all looking forward to getting some action on the blog!  Anyway, more to come a little later if possible.  Otherwise, I'll see you all on the other side!