Day Three -- A Tree Hugger?

The walk to the botanical gardens in itself was a treat, and yes, it is early spring. There is the certain 'nip' still in the shade, but once you get into the sunshine it warms the soul. The gardens are across from the zoo, families with little ones are everywhere, the excitement is palpable. I'm on a tree hunt. Driving in I could tell there were alien trees to my little tree library, so I was on a mission to find them, and yes, they were everywhere! And if you ask Al and Melanie, I touched every one of them. Not sure that is fair, but probably is. African, Chinese, Japanese, as well as the South-American ones, and the deciduous ones were fascinating. Spoinky, leathery, and down-right prickly leaves. We found some amazing tree trunks as well, and had to get photos with them. Not much was North-American, but when it was, I just laughed. Yes, they have spirea. Family joke inserted here. (Al hates spirea...)

The native, feral cats of the gardens and amused us as well. It's a real problem in BA that people abandon their cats at the gardens, there are so many everywhere, and signs requesting 'please do not abandon los gatos!' And as promised, the palo borracho with Al showing off. Initially I got confused with who was who... The trees just beginning to flower -- I ask M to please come back in a couple of weeks to take photos -- it's going to be spectacular. And then we happen onto a bird of paradise blooming. How can this be? (my mind cannot understand) A couple mystery vines also coming to life. I wish I had my plant book. (it is 600 pages so I cannot carry it -- not a practical idea). So remarkable. Again I ask for M to come back to take photos. She nods and sighs. She's been my daughter forever and knows how to placate me, although she's got enough of my blood in her that I KNOW she's jazzed as well!

Lunch at Plaza Serrano, people watching, and our first foray of shopping. It had to be shoe shopping, in the tiniest of shops, with at least 100 women in the shop. Good grief. Shoe shopping in English can be confusing, but in Argentine Spanish, watching your purse carefully (that now weighs 150 kilos) and 'please may I try this in fuchsia in the next size up'... Are we kidding? Al was wise and just continued his people watching outside the store. It was fun tho!! I now understand why M hesitates to go shopping. It's not as easy as it could be!

Back to the flat for mi siesta necesario and a creative dinner in. We hit the bakery, cheese shop, and opened a bottle of Malbec. Insert a sigh of contentment that cannot be replicated. Ever. M (being M) had prepared the flat with some delicious salami, chunked turkey, sliced jamon... The Fontina here is a hard cheese -- but delicious in it's own right. Thick rinds, but definitely worth the effort. In the dessert category Al won this time. No idea what he got, but with the grated dark chocolate on top of the whipped cream, well. There you have it. And I managed to be up after midnight! The life of a porteño!