Back in BA

And we're back! Its Julia and Josh! From the blog of course. It’s been almost a year since our last post and I have the greatest fortune to be blogging once again from South America! We made our return today and it was slightly epic. We left Newark at 1:30 pm yesterday and three flights later we landed in still dark Buenos Aires. The flights were mostly eventless except for when a woman behind us stopped breathing in the middle of the night. Somehow the crew and her son got her breathing again and everyone went back to sleep but for a few minutes there I thought that I was sitting next to a dead person.
And while all of our flights departed and arrived on time, we had the misfortune of ending up in a taxi with a driver who did not believe the address he had been given could possibly be right. After driving around Buenos Aires for an hour, some conferencing with a co-worker and our instance that this address does exist we ended up at Ulises' apartment just in time to wake him. Manzi, of course, greeted us with some barking and some pee and I didn't know who to say hi to first!! Manzi has a haircut now and looks adorable. She sort of has this mullet thing going. Its amazing.

She's still one sassy bitch

Josh in the taxi on the way into Buenos Aires in the first light of the day

Uli, Josh and Manzi in Uli and Gus' kitchen

It really is amazing to be back here. At first I felt as though nothing had changed. Political graffiti urged passerbies to vote for Christina in the upcoming election. People honked at the toll booths if they waited longer than a minute, demanding their free toll (it’s actually a rule that they have to let people by without paying if they have to wait longer than a minute in line at the toll). Street sweepers swept dirty water in the early dawn light, and people waited in long lines for buses and whatever else people wait in line for here. But throughout the day I have noticed many changes. One of the most exciting is the addition of bike lanes throughout the city and a transmilenio type bus line that has its own lane (like a trolley but a bus). Another is Nick's long hair and that he has a girlfriend now (already love her and talked to her for a lengthy time about food), and of course Uli's amazing apartment that looks over a soccer field and has an amazing porch with a parilla to boot! Everyone has moved on and grown up since Cochabamba, and the people that I have seen so far seem to be doing very well.

Josh and Uli on the train platform on our way to Palermo

Taking the bus to Costanera with Nick, his girlfriend Flor and a visiting friend and walking to El Rey for a Bondiola felt as natural as breathing. Sitting in the sun on a bench overlooking Puerto Madero with Josh afterwards felt just like the many times we had done that same thing when we lived in San Telmo. But Uli reminded me many times today that I am a tourist and that I can't forget to watch my bag! We had an amazing dinner at La Brigada with a large group of old friends and again it felt as if we had never left. Then there were two great differences. One: we took a taxi home (instead of a bus) and two: I remembered that in eleven days I wouldn’t be able to see these people again until maybe our wedding. I had a sad moment where I thought about how much I love these people and wish I could see them every day and then I decided that there is no point in being sad. I obviously just need to enjoy this trip to the maximo. Josh also made me make a speech announcing our engagement to everyone. We made a big cheers and I warned everyone that they better start saving their plata because I really want them all to be there.

Serious chow down at La Brigada

Already this trip is bitter sweet but more than anything it feels really good to be back. Being in San Telmo tonight was amazing since I have felt San Telmo pulling at me since I’ve been here. Calling me home. I can’t wait to see what this city holds for us tomorrow. Our adventures as half tourists will surely not dissappoint!