I have returned :)

Helo one and all I am back from a loverly 2 weeks in argentina and I have done so much.

The trip was organised by the school and was a trip designed to help those of us on the trip with our learning of spanish. Of coarse we did more than just lessons. infact we did so much that I will have to show only a few pictures of the trip so here they come...

Dut first my middle name is james and because that is what my friends call me I got the name santi on the trip santi being short for santiago which is james in spanish.

So the group became known as santi y chicas james and girls because I was the only boy apart from my father who acted as the male teacher on the trip. He is a teacher and came mainly because of his experiance he notably co-lead the first european school trip to south korea.... Sorry onto the pics!

Auckland international airport waiting to depart

flying over south america

welcome to argentina

the wheels on the bus...

the art factory hostel a haven for the artistical traveler

like the person or people who did this

the streets of Buenas Aires at night

my first meal in Argentina

one of the walls in my room at the hostle

Some other students relaxing at the art factory

breakfast. The closest people are on the left my German spanish teacher and on the right my father

more students relaxing in the hamachs. When will I get a turn?

BA's Big monument

UP! I liked that movie

the theater

now we come to the rich's haunting ground literaly

Look at all those mausoliams

BA's cathedral

BA's old town-city hall

the pink house

the cathedral from the outside

the pampas

welcome to San Antonio de Areco. Where we met our  host families for a week and our argentine spanish teacher

O dear they found a pool

there are so many stray dogs. However they are so well behaved

at work during the siesta

my host families pool

the BBQ. this thing is an assado grill it makes the beast steak in the world 

the house I stayed in

pretty house, no?

The towns church

on the left "Pato my argentine shanish teacher and on the right my German, New Zealand , spanish teacher.

Ok Look at this I wanted to buy this suit of Armour. I did not have enough money though. Could you imagine the look on immigrations face if you walked through the metal detector wearing that :-P

inside the shop

All shuch interesting weapons

ooh shiney

plaza principal. Main square

the church again

one of my more artistic photos

this is mate (Not the girl, rather what she is drinking) it is the most doggdey looking  of all drinks in the world. Some would also say most revolting I love it but I know it is an aquired taste

purple grass?

more pretty houses

yours truley. enjoying the shade during a break between lessons.

and when siesta came the girls came to my place to enjoy the pool

we did special things each day for one day we did horse ridding

they got excited

and their off. It was my first time horse ridding and I loved it. Notice how we held the reigns in one hand. That is the Gaucho way, the gaucho's are Argentina's cowboys. Oh dear my father is trying to teach students during the holidays :-P

I wasn't at the front all the time just alot of it as this photo shows

I'm in the lead

now I'm not

my horse and I

Ok here come some sunset shots

another

and another 

and another

simon Pato's cat

oh dear.

yes simon we saw you

more of what we did between lessons

my host family. They were really kind and took great care of me

Oh no I have to think

just another fancy photo. Tacken  from within pato's house

on our third to last day in san antonio. we were shown the sights

the museum. San antonio de areaco is the setting for the book Don Segundo Sombra which is about the Gaucho

here is a gaucho

here is a german gaucho

funny comment- one of the girls said "why can't I have Easter eggs like that for christmas?" :-P

more of the chicas

Chookee Pato's dog

here is more but the 2 here we see a student with her host mum.

second to last day at the estancia ombu. A ombu is a very large type of shrub native to the pampas

more horse ridding this time on a Gaucho saddle which is more similar to a armchair than a saddle

Oscar the Gaucho. He may be old but as you will see he can still ride

the bond between man and horse is great

and later more ridding

oscar on horse back

the other horse I road that day

then came the emotional monet where our week in san antonio came to an end

back in BA about to fly out to iguasu

bye bye BA

the rio de la plata is the widest river in the world. Wider than the english channel

welcome to tropical iguasu which is actualy south of the tropics but still tropical

another hostel

This T-shirt may be about new zealand but you can't get it in NZ.

tres fronteras. Foreground-this side of the river argentina. right Brazil left paraguay

sunset

day one of our trip to the iguasu falls

this thing is to help monkies cross the road

more falls

and some bigger ones

and more

and more

and don't look down

our group in the tropical heat and humudity

I went ahead and was followed by the girls

and more waterfalls

same one differest angle

more waterfalls

and back to town for dinner

day 2 of our trip to the falls

a tookan in the wild an awsome experiance :-D

la garganta del diablo. the devils throught the most famous falls in iguasu

and there was a thunder storm just to add to the amount of water in the air

ok don't look down or jump

out wet and winded group

not my hat

later we went to an animal rehab centre. here is some capuchine monkeys.

and a caman

all too soon we had to leave iguasu. Here is a monument to...

la guera de las malvinas or the falklands war. My home country certainly seemed  like a evil nation after I went and saw Argentina

back in BA in the art hostel. My new room

more art work

we went to the grand theater

another flashy photo

which suited this flashy building

wow

wow

wow

wow

wow. hang on what?

I still won't get a chance to go in the hamache

now that looks cool

I don't get this sign?

these 2 look not so tough as funny

all to soon we were packing up to return home

but first we went ot BA's oldest cafe

but the plane was waiting

so we boarded

and before you knew it helo NZ

I Hope you like this post it is totaly off topic for this site but hey this was a once in a life time experiance. But I guess I had better start thinking about school it will start in a few days... So my enthusiasum and work rate for models will slow but hey. Better eduction= better degree's= better paid job= more adventure's

:-D I have jet lagg :-D why am I putting in happy faces?