Spring flamed alive in
Buenos Aires. Jacarana trees surrounding the rose garden
and all down Avenida 9 de Julio were much anticipated and magnificent.
We've continued with interesting Public Affairs activities and fun Senior Missionary ones.
The most significant one was being invited to the Casa Rosada for the
swearing in of two new cabinet members, Minister of Security María Cecilia
Rodríguez and Minister of Anti-drugs Father Juan Carlos Molina by President Cristina
Kirchner. The best part of that was the pre-ceremony entertainment of John’s
rendition of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song “Bad Moon Arising” for the
soccer fans at the back of the room. How did that come about? you ask. It seems
the music to that song is used by several soccer teams’ fans for one of their
chants and they did not know it was the music to a ‘famous’ song. Now they
know, recorded it on their phones, had him sing it for two or three other
groups at the back of the room, and gave Argentine hugs to the Yankee
missionary outside after the ceremony. I’m surprised they didn’t have him sing
it for President Kirshner when she came in. We do our part for Church Public
Affairs.
Here’s the link for those of you born in the last couple of decades.
We continued our gathering with representatives of other religions at
such events as the Annual Prayer Breakfast and Day of Religious Liberty where
we again met with the Undersecretary of Religion and Culture Ambassador Juan
Laureano Fabian Landaburu. I still can barely believe we are doing these
activities with these people. Through this and efforts by many others the
Church is more readily recognized and accepted as a Christian force for good,
which is our goal.
“I never expected to see this in my lifetime.” John’s remark when we
received this photo of our missionaries and Catholic Nuns in a San Juan
Christmas choir from our Multi-stake Director of Public Affairs there. When he
was here in ’64-’66, other religions vehemently preached against any contact
with our Church. I believe it’s a ‘Bright Sun Arising’, not a “Bad Moon.”
Last week we all went to the Temple and did endowments for Spallino ancestors. How
awesome. We knew almost everyone in the session and all the names we had were
related so there was a very warm spirit present. The name I had was the mother
of the name John had so I was his Mom. Very cool.
Sprinkled in with our official activities are our off duty ones with
other senior missionary couples. We spent the day at Estancia Don Silvano, http://donsilvano.com/dia_campo.html, a dude ranch, where we went horseback riding,
toured the ranch in a wagon, slid on the zip line, ate a delicious barbeque
where we were entertained by guitars, singers, gaucho and tango dancers, and
the Malambo with boleadores.
We'll need a vehicle when we get home. I hope John picks the truck over the
tractor.
Here’s a sample of the Malambo from youtube, though not the one we saw.
To see more photos of the Estancia go to http://mommamayo.blogspot.com.ar/ Hermana Mayo's photos of the horse training skills are especially good. She takes and posts many photos of our activities; feel free to look through her blog.
In addition there were horse races, horse training demonstration - a horse whisperer, and
ring hooking. The ring hooking might not look like much here but later they
used 1 foot long sticks and one inch diameter rings. Quite impressive.
Now we come to the vacation. Seriously, a vacation during a mission, who
ever heard of such a thing! We and Garry and Joan Boyle spent 9 days touring Puerto
Mádryn by Trelew, Calafate in the Andies, and Ushuaia southern most city in the
world. Soooooo beautiful, and COOL –
particularly significant since it was 98 temperature and humidity in Buenos Aires while we were gone and when we came back! We
visited penguins, whales, sea lions, dolphins, guanaco, icebergs, and glaciers; and we ate lots of
fish and even King Crab – yum! It was restful and did I mention COOL?
First Puerto Mádryn
Boat trips, whales, sea lions, guanaco,
penguin nurseries, and black and white dolphins.
Marvelous bonuses: BEACH, triple hotdogs, and San Lorenzo fans celebrating winning this season’s soccer
championship.
Second, Calafate
Glaciers, icebergs, glaciers, icebergs,
glaciers, and glacier bar.
Glacier Perito Moreno, north face. Displaced water from pieces calving
Our Routes: Calafate – center far right; all the white on the left is
ice cap and glaciers.
Go west of the road from Calafate then north to Pto.
Bandera, embark.
Sail on the dotted line to Glaciers Uppsala, Onelli,
Spegazzini.
in the Canal de los Tempanos to the north side of Glacier Perito Moreno.
Next
day go west on same road then south and west to Puerto Bajo de las Sombras.
Sail
on the little dotted line to the south side of Glacier Perito Moreno.
Yes, that is a piece of iceberg we are holding.
I
want to see the
instant replay of the shaping of this rock formation.
Next I must mention our flight from Calafate to
Ushuaia. It was postponed, which gave us time to visit the Glacier Museum
with its Glacier Bar. There were few people at our gate when we arrived at the
airport, five actually. As we boarded we were told we would be seated in first
class.
Much to our surprise we five were the only ones
on the 170 passenger Boeing 737. The head flight attendant instructed, “You all know
how to fasten you seat belts, right? And you know the safety procedures and
where the nearest emergency exit is, correct? Okay, we’re good to go.” Any
other passengers for our flight had taken one about a half hour before us,
leaving us and an Italian. For the first time ever, we wished the flight was
longer. Sweet ride!
Last, The End of the World Ushuaia
The
End of the World? is this where the Pirates of the Caribbean go?
Ushuaia attractions: green valleys, train ride,
sea lions, penguin nurseries, giant geese, wind, tasty King Crab, warmer than
Calafate.
I did not expect the End of the World to be lush
green with mild temperatures.
Sailed the Beagle Channel. If you head due east
from Ushuaia, the next city (or town) you'll hit is Ushuaia, for you'll find
nothing but the Southern Ocean as you travel right around the world.
Magellanic Penguin
nursery
Gentoo Penguins and three
visiting King Penguins
 |
| This guy, not so happy, so controlling |
Look at those happy, smiling faces I bet
these Magellanic Penguins have happy feet too.
You are here.
Guess which way the wind blows.
Animals come mighty large at the End of the
World as evidenced by the King Crab on the roof of this restaurant and this
3500 foot tall Upland Goose overlooking the Marshall Mountain Range.
Marine in many senses of the word.
End of journey. Relaxed, refreshed, cooled.
Returned to record heat and humidity in
sweltering Buenos Aires.
17 neighborhoods without power and water for two weeks is appalling. Our
neighborhood and the office have had power the whole time – we are grateful!
The Carlson’s had all of over to their
apartment for soup and homemade bread on Christmas Eve, 26 in all. Senior
Missionaries added salads and desserts. We did a Buenos Aires version of the 12 Days of
Christmas and watched short Christmas videos. Lovely evening. We got together
in various small groups for Christmas dinner the next day. All of us talked to
family. A great day. Enjoy the Sister Missionaries Christmas wish to our
friends and families . . .
The city exploded with fireworks both on Christmas
Eve and New Year’s Eve. Argentines know how to party. Our New Year celebration
with the other senior couples included an asado with potluck salads and
desserts, a movie, and a white elephant gift exchange – the highlight of which
was a pacifier with a note that read, “When you feel like you just have to go
home, suck it up.” I love these missionaries! We walked the empty streets of
Buenos Aires today, everything is closed. Very eerie. We’re capping our New
Year’s day with the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl games.
Have a wonderful, safe, happy, successful 2014.
We love all of you.
“And God
created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters
brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his
kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:21
