An inquisitive old fart with a camera
I don’t have an update, but in November the Chinese were to start building the world’s tallest building – in 90 days.
Meanwhile here in Uruguay, it’s unlikely this 3-house project near us will be finished within 90 days of the promised delivery date (November 2012). By then the summer will be over, and the rental market dead until the next season starts, 9 months later.
I know; doesn’t inspire too much right now. But the structure gets a little more solid every day.
I’m posting this now so I can link back to it later. It’s gonna be awesome 😉
When the British ran the circus, they made train lines everywhere.
In most cases now, you really don’t have to worry about trains.
You might have guessed that already.
New lettuce, and one cabbage plant, amidst very happy cilantro (growing with a top-dressing of seaweed). All volunteers, dug up from friends’ unworked garden that was very active garden last year.
Probably 98% of the coffee sold in super (and other) markets in Uruguay is ground and glaseado – meaning sugar added.
As far as I know, the only place to buy real coffee is Palacio del Cafe in Montevideo. They do not have a stunning selection, but they do have rather stunning packaging:
You can also get their coffee at Tienda Inglesa in Punta del Este (in the bakery section, natch). In that case, however, you’ll get more modern (say, post-1930) graphics.
Current cost UYP 355/kg = USD 7.45/lb.
When we went out for lunch with friends we hadn’t seen in a while, it occurred to none of us that it was Father’s Day – until we couldn’t get into the third restaurant, having made no reservations.
So we ended up at an empanada place: four adults and three kids. We found no lack of options, and noted with interest chicken with ketchup, corn with bacon (choclo con panceta), and one which appears to be potato chip and chocolate. We didn’t try it.
Nor did we stop at 14. The kids each got a pizza empanada (not impressed), and we got several dulce de leche/chocolate to go.
Most fascinating to me, was the answer to how do you know which is which, which was staring me in the face:
The Empanada Code.
“Uruguayan president Jose Mujica will send to Parliament a bill to liberate the production, trading and consumption of marihuana as part of a package of drastic measures to combat crime which he will discuss with security area cabinet minister before making them public.” Read more.
What? Instead of building a prison-industrial complex as in the land of the free, with not only the highest number, but the highest per-capita number of prisoners of any country in the world, largely based on the victimless crime of possessing a plant that grows naturally?
What if they end up acknowledging the health benefits of cannabis?
Could be a slippery slope into sanity.
My son’s friend proudly pulled off his cap to show me his new haircut yesterday…
…perfect camouflage for an ugly scar from a motorcycle accident.
Friends who live near where we’re buying land came into town to go to lunch with us at the wonderful Garní Armenian Restaurant in Solís, a 20 minute drive from here.
They are milking a neighbor’s cow while he’s settling affairs in Nevada, so they made butter and brought us some. Fabulous!
Can’t help but reflect that in certain parts of the ‘land of the free’ these days they might be thrown in jail for daring to make their own food — and give some to friends.