After mask-making in Art today, the boys' Art teacher (an ex-pat who is home schooling her daughter, and with whom we sometimes trade days) continued the Chinese New Year theme by leading a money-burning ceremony (fake, don't worry!) for the dead.  

The boys decided to burn their stack of 100s for "Great Grandpa, Jasper, Spencer and our Grandma Carola"!

Afterwards, we went to Barrio Chinois in Belgrano, only to be told by a laughing local that the actual festivities don't take place until tomorrow night! ;-P  

The kids enjoyed looking in all the shops anyway, and after a popsicle, we headed home.  Will come back for the fireworks and celebrations tomorrow night...

Preceeding a trip to the local grocery store (during which, amusingly, we found ourselves in the midst of a "back to school" sale, it being Feb and end of summer down here, after all!), the boys attended their first birthday party! 

We were invited to go ice skating at a nearby indoor rink.

It was our first experience with skating in a city that is currently battling 32-degree-C weather... and it was FUN!

The first thing we did after opening presents was rent ice skates -- their only option for rentals was figure skates, though we did see a young boy on hockey skates (probably his own, gauging by how well he flitted across the ice).  Then it was on to the "rink", a small, pock-marked surface of artificial ice, which was periodically cleared by a fellow with a little scoop.  (No zamboni here!) 

As we skated, we had to be careful to avoid the puddles formed from the roof dripping in certain areas, and be cautious, too, of the divets and bumps on the surface of the rink. Further complications arose due to the general dullness of the blades of the ice skates. It was kind of a nice way to level the playing field, though, for all the skaters: The combination of factors really slowed down the whole skating experience, and the boys quite enjoyed themselves.

The music was fun and not too loud, and there were disco lights to skate to -- the boys actually really liked it: "It's good, 'cause it's not too crowded, Mom!", not to mention that basically everyone there was as lousy at skating as they were, tee hee!

After a spot of ice skating, it was on to the main event:  BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!   The boys and the birthday girl got themselves sugared up, after which they ran around and played silly games on the second floor of the restaurant -- it was mid afternoon, so nice and empty. (Argentines typically don't "party" until much later at night.)

The parents, meanwhile, got to enjoy some "adult" time... interesting stories were shared of travel to other places in South America, and healthcare and other politics were discussed; boring topics for the kids. :)

During the fall, I relied heavily on a large, cumbersome paper map to get around the city. Buenos Aires Map and Walks offers an excellent alternative, and this time around, I am taking advantage!

Although this app offers some pre-set walking tours, my main interest was the ability to have all of Buenos Aires in the palm of my hand at any given time for free-navigation. I decided to load this app on both my Smart Phone and the boys' iPads, in order to do some authentic mapping exercises as part of our Social Studies program.

I was very impressed with this app's capabilities and versatility.  First of all, the maze of one-way streets that is a hallmark of BsAs navigation is clearly marked on the map.  Secondly, you can zoom in and out and move around quite easily on the map.   Perhaps most importantly, you don't need to be online to use the map!

The boys both quickly found our apartment and marked it as a set location that could be used as a starting or ending point for later "custom tours".

For those new to the city, Buenos Aires Map and Walks offers a starting point for tourist attractions.  Users can select from a pre-set list of walking tours covering everything from "Children" to "Art and Culture" to "Gay Attractions".   Although not comprehensive (We would have added the science ctre, the Natural Science Museum and the Cebra toy shop on Scalabrini Ortiz to the children's attractions, for example!), the tours offer a nice intro to the city.  Each stop on the tour is marked on the map, and if you click on one of the sights, a photo with a detailed description of the sight pops up.  (Users can also add their own photos, and even "stamp" the site once they have visited it.) Tours range from 2 - 4 hours.

Subway lines and other transportation are also marked on the map, which make it a particularly handy tool to use if living in the city for longer periods of time.

I will confess that I did not find this app particularly intuitive, but I believe this is actually a testimony to its strength rather than a weakness -- I think this app is not some cheap, simple game/toy, but rather, a powerful tool to help one navigate the city in depth.

The boys and I will be spending more time to familiarize ourselves with Buenos Aires Map and Walks, and I would not hesitate to reccommend this app or others by GPS My City.

After yesterday's look at the Librarian of Basra, we visited these websites:

Then we went to check out a children's library here in BsAs, in Belgrano... unfortunately, it appears to be closed indefinitely!

BUT... a parks worker at the nearby playground.... 

...directed us to another library, not three blocks away, which did not have a children's sections, but which did have a helpful librarian who gave us a map to some other libraries in the city that DO have children's sections.

The field trip continues....

Having packed the passports necessary for successful admission to the clinic, or ER, we set off on our journey fairly early by argentinean standards, and arrived at the Hospital de Clinicas just before 10:30 am. 

The place was already bustling with activity.  

Happily, the "urgencia" guard recognized us from yesterday, and ushered us into reception. The receptionist also remembered us (a definite advantage of traveling with "los gemelos rubios"!), and immediately began copying down our passport info onto his list. 

Our paperwork complete, we were directed to a large hall with a small waiting area comprised of several rows of hard, wooden benches. Mercifully, it was a little cooler than yesterday, and so the wait--while somewhat lengthy--was not altogether unpleasant. We had brought some word work activities and the boys' math books with us, as well as the chapter books they are currently reading, so we found an empty bench and settled in for a morning of "home school a-la-hospital"! 

 Every now and again an intern would come out into the hall and call a family name, and some folks would leave the hard wooden benches and follow the good doctor into the bowels of the hospital. 

Eventually it was our turn. Well, sort of our turn. They called Alex into paediatrics, where a doctor had a quick look at his foot, pronounced the problem due to his shoes, and wrote us a script for dermatology, second floor. 

But first it was back to the waiting area for us, to await my name call.

That wait was not long at all, and I was soon looked after by the young Alejo, who suggested an antibiotic-resistant bacterial bladder infection. 

He ordered a urine culture and wrote a script for yet another type of antibiotics (I've had three kinds in the last month!), and sent me in my way. 

After the obligatory pee in the cup, we wandered the dark hallways to find the "bacteriologica" drop off--it took us a while to remember that the "first" floor is actually the second here in Argentina! 

Once there, we were told that I was required to pay for the test--down the hall to a booth, off to the cashier, on another floor, back to the booths.... It all seemed a little overwhelming, and it sounded like the payment was just for a printout of the results, which I didn't feel I needed, since the amicable Alejo had indicated I should come back to see him early Monday morning, and he would take a peek in the lab... So I elected to skip the payment. For now. (I kept the paperwork, just in case.)

Then we embarked on the hunt for Dermologica, to get Alex sorted out. That dept was located on the "entre piso", or floor between floors--the mezzanine. 

At first, they insisted they don't deal with children; that we should go to paediatrics. I, however, insisted they see us, brandishing my urgencia-pelaediatrician-issued referral to their dept in the air. The fellow behind the counter finally succumbed, and offered us a lat Feb time slot. We gratefully accepted the appt, and headed off in search of a farmetica, to pick up my antibiotics. Then it was back to the subte for the crowded, sweaty ride home. 

As accurately reported in many places online, the public hospitals in Buenos Aires are run down physically. Peeling paint, chips out of walls, water damage and aging equipment are not uncommon, as testified to in my photos here. But access to care is free for all who want it (many Argentines and expats prefer to avail themselves of the still-reasonably priced medical care in the far more beautiful private clinics sprinkled throughout the city), and the doctors seem no less knowledgeable or caring here than they do in Canada. The hospital was well staffed, and the wait was not super long. 

For those who were following our blog in the fall, you'll know that Tuesday afternoons are scheduled for field trips/family outings. Today our big plan was to go to the clinic, to have Alex's wart and my increasing abdominal discomfort checked out… not very exciting, but a necessary outing.

Might of been helpful if we had remembered to bring our passports! Argh, back we'll go tomorrow morning (oh, the felixbility of home schooling)!

No matter, a ride on the subway in Buenos Aires is never dull… We were treated to jugglers, both a classical and an electric guitarist, and some flautists, people selling gum and pens, and later, on Florida Street, a troupe of three incredible break dancers. The dancers entertained the masses until the police came and chased them away. 

Enroute, we visited two toy stores in the quest for a specific gift for a birthday party the boys have been invited to (found it in the second shop), and stopped to enjoy a street cellist playing Bach's cello suites. For our usual Tuesday night dinner, we found ourselves at a reasonably priced pasta house on Scalabrini, that actually opens before 9 PM!   (And they had wifi -- yay!)

We also saw the usual share of homeless folk; this time a mother and baby in the subway tugged at Alex's heartstrings, so that he spontaneously gave her his last 50 pesos. 

And of course there was ice cream, delicious and excellent ice cream! So, all in all, not such a bad afternoon.

Well, well, well.... who would have thunk it -- after more than THREE months, including a visit home to Canada, lo and behold, a package arrived today from Daddy!  

Trevor had sent this package, containing Hallowe'en cards, iTunes gift cards and two t-shirts, at the beginning of October 2013 from Canada.  Today, January 27, 2014, the package finally arrived! The boys were wildly excited, and eagerly unwrapped their little parcel.

Ironically, the postal worker arrived with the package at precisely the same time that our friend -- whom we hadn't seen for 6 weeks -- arrived for home schooling, so there was double excitment!

DURING

• Read the first page - Use Google Earth or a globe to find out where Iraq is; look online for photos of the pre-war library
  
• Read up to "war" -- make predictions about what might happen next
  
• What are "Matters of the Spirit"?
  
• Why is it a problem fro Alia and the library that war has arrived?
  
• While reading, make a list of characteristics of Alia on sticky notes or chart paper
  

AFTER 
Grand Conversation:

• Why do you think the books are so important to Alia?
  
• Why might the governor have refused to help save the books?
  
• Alia "takes matters into her own hands".  Tell about a time you have taken matters into your own hands.
  
• What words would you use to describe Alia's character?  Why?
• In your opinion, is Alia a "hero"?  Why or why not?

Other:

• go online to find photos of the destroyed library
  
• research the follow up -- has the library since been rebuilt?
  
• visit a local or bigger library in the community; consider preparing interview questions for the librarian
  

After the Science Ctr, we wandered over to check out some more big trees. 

The Mate culture is raging in summer, with couples and small groups everywhere drinking mate, smoking, playing their guitars...  many brought their dogs -- we even saw a pair of well behaved beagles!!!  (Oxymoron, I know!)

The boys insisted on climbing a number of trees, while I tried to find a balance between being a safe and catious parent on the one hand, and fostering freedom and independence on the other.  

To get a sense of the size of these beasts, look at the boys climbing through the roots in one of the photos below...

After multiple attempts to get to the Science Ctr, and an equal number of distractions such as grocery shopping and the need for ice cream and some down time, we finally made it there this afternoon.

It was fun to be back in Recoletta; the first thing we did was visit our favourite tree, a 200-year-old magestic piece of wood under which people play, rest, chat and dance.

While waiting for the Science Ctr to open, we wandered the terrace, where we had not yet been, and had a neat view of this part of the city...

And then, it was on to the Science Ctr, which is translated from Spanish, "Forbidden NOT to Touch Museum"!  The boys enjoyed revisiting some of their favourite exhibits from the last time we went with some Argie friends, and also spent a little more time on some of the exhibits they didn't get to last time.

(click photos to enlarge)