MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

TO ALL OUR DEAR FRIENDS IN ENGLAND WE WISH YOU OUR BEST WISHES FOR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN THE NEW YEAR.



WITH LOVE FROM NANCY, DAVID, RORY, ALICE, WILLIAM AND JAMES

HER NAME IS RIO........

Just look where we are!! One of the moments when we wish all our dear friends were with us to share this experience.

The name Rio de Janiero is a bit of a misnomer as this city isn't on a river at all but on a bay.










With Christ the Redeemer over us !


Alice donning one of the many costumes on made for the Carnival.

David was worryingly enthusiastic about trying on all the fantastic and fabulous costumes...a habit adopted during his Widow Twanky days I should think!!

With Copacabana Ipanema and Leblon beaches in the background.

MOSQUITO BUFFET!!

The Pantanal in the south west of Brazil is the land of caimens and cowboys. We were visiting in the wet season especially good for bird veiwing and spotting mammals with their young. Also a very good season for mosquitoes! Choosing the lesser of 2 evils, sweltering in buttoned up longsleeve shirts and tucking our trouser legs in our socks...or getting bitten, we choose the former and ventured out ot see all the wonderful wildlife this region has to offer.

Sceptics might think this picture of the caimen is photo-shopped but he kept obligingly still while we captured this butterfly with a deathwish fluttering around his nose and mouth!

Besides eco tourism, cattle ranching is the other major industry of this area of the Pantanal. With no shortage of hides, the cowboys spend there time making everything from leather from saddles and chaps to braided belts and braclets.

James learning to handle a lasso and lariet!

Another wierd and wonderful creature, the Carpyvara, the largest rodent in the world and is best described as a guinea pig the size of a sheep! We also saw many pairs of blue Macaws, ibises, parakeets, and black vultures.

A magnificent Pantanal sunset.


He may look stuffed but this was a friendly neighbourhool lesser anteater, a really cute creature unless you are an ant that is!

FALLING FOR IGUASSU

Judging by the sound and the humidity in the air as we stepped off our transfer van , we knew we must be close to the famous Iguazzu Falls . The roar of the water crashing down over the basalt ridge could be heard for miles!



Located in the far north eastern tip of Argentina, the Iguazzu river divides Argentina and Brazil before it splits into many channels and islands. It then plunges over the basalt ridge in a series of dramatic falls, and swirling cauldrons of spray streching over 3 kilometres.



The most dramatic is the Devils Throat where we all enjoyed a refreshing spray to help us cool down.



Here is Rory on the Argentinian side at the Devils Throat where you can view the falls from the top.











On the Brazilian side, the walkways take you right out to the centre of the Devils Throat where you can really appreciate the force of the water and the spray it throws up.

The most exciting excursion was the boat trip up the river to the bottom of the falls. Having donned swimming costumes for this outing the driver didn't dissappoint taking us right up and into the mist of the falls getting us all thoroughly and refreshingly soaking wet! The boat ride through the rapids wasn't bad either!

BEAUTIFUL BUENOS AIRES

When one thinks of Buenos Aires, two things usually spring to mind: polo and tango.
During our stay in this most European of South American cities, we were invited to the Hurlingham Club to find out what polo is all about. The Hurlingham Club is located in a part of Buenos Aires originally settled by British expats. You would be forgiven for thinking you were transported to the home counties when you entered the gates of the club. Set in beautiful parkland, the club offers an 18 hole golf course, cricket pitches, rugby field, polo grounds, grass and clay tennis courts, stables for children's ponies, swimming pools and a stately brick and stone built club house with oak panelled dining room!

Afterwards we were invited to return to Palermo to watch the semi final of the Argentina Polo Open, the Wimbeldon of the polo world. It was an exciting and close match and the sport now has 6 more fans and 5 exponents!

































David, Rory, Alice and James returned to the club the following day to try out the game. They all did really well and were fascinated by the process of having their own polo mallets made as a souvenir of day.













We also toured the Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, birthplace of the Tango. This area is noted for the colourful tin houses and the street dancers performing the tango. Unfortunately David and I weren't in Buenos Aires long enough to become proficient dancers as that would require us to apply for immigration.

It is also the area of the famous Boca football team where Maradonna started his career.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES!!!

OUR BOY IS 5 YEARS OLD!!! JAMES SPENT HIS BIRTHDAY AT RIO QUILLEN IN ARGENTINA. FIRST THING IN THE MORNING HE DONNED THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAT WHICH LISA EYRE GAVE ME ON MY BIRTHDAY IN JUNE. WE CARRY IT WITH US AND THE PERSON WHOSE NEXT BIRTHDAY IT IS HAS THE DUBIOUS HONOUR OF HAVING TO PACK IT IN THERE LUGGAGE!





Rory, Alice and William made some wonderful birthday cards and Mum finally reclaimed half of here luggage where she had been carrying birthday presents since Ushuaia!

Tamara, our hostess and Maria the cook made sure James had all his favourites on the menu and baked a very large chocolate cake to celebrate!

R & R AT RIO QUILLEN

Rest and relaxation were the order of the week during our stay at Rio Quillen. After a 5 hour drive from Bariloche Airport in eastern Patagonia, we finally arrived in the dark at this wonderful lodge. The view that welcomed us the next morning was breathtaking.

With the entire lodge to ourselves, we felt very relaxed, and the garden was soon littered with footballs, tennis rackets and rugby balls.

The week was spent boating and horseback riding.

Chile was just on the other side of the mountains and the Lanin Volcano seen from the lake was part of the necklace of volcanoes which encirle Pucon where we stayed in October.

Our hosts, Tamara and Fedrico guided us to the most spectaculatr spots where we enjoyed picnics on the beaches on the riverbanks. The Alice, Wiliam and James had a marellous time paddling like beavers in the pools and making dams.