A Few Days Before Departure...

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Hello friends & family:
This is my first attempt at setting up a blog, but I have so much to say and comment on in my normal everyday life, that I felt compelled to do a blog on our upcoming very exciting trip... to visit Kathy & Frank Baxter (that's United States Ambassador Frank)in Uruguay.

Bill & I leave on Thursday for Montevideo (the capital) where the Embassay is... stay tuned! ps: In the map, Uruguay is the small brown country on the bottom right...about the size of Wyoming.

xo Cindy

Day One - Arrival in Uruguay!!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Friends & Family:

OK I have given up on the blog. The internet capabilities here in Uruguay are a little slow, and actually our blackberries do not work, so I have torn out the wire Kathy Baxter uses for her computer and plugged it into my laptop! Tony from our office has gallantly offered to take my emails, and magically transfer them to my Blog, so now you can read my emails, and then later when you are lolling about with time on your hands, you can go back and read the whole Blog or share the whole Blog with your intellectually curious friends & family!!

Upon arriving at the airport, we were met by a representative from the US Embassay and thus were VIP'd right through customs and were soon on our way to The Residence, where Kathy & Frank reside. The Residence is a two storied "Federal style building that replicates the White House", and was built in 1938. Behind huge wrought iron gates, there is a a circular driveway approaching the home. The interior was just newly painted in lovely soft pastel colors. One enters into a grand foyer, and there are many rooms shooting off the main reception area. I was struck by the paintings, and Kathy explained that she & Frank chose each of them through the ART in Embassies Program. This program has over 3,500 pieces of original works of art by US citizens, and are displayed in over 180 US Embassy residences. Kathy & Frank decided that their paintings would showcase contemporary California artists, and as a result many are quite large and very colorful. The grounds of the residence have a large swimming pool and big barbeque area, and a separate building with a big pool table & game room. The Residence has been home to 22 U.S. Ambassadors...including the Baxters!


After some freshening up, Bill and I took a tour of the capital city Montevideo with an English speaking guide, thank God, as most people here do not seem to speak Spanish AND English. I quickly discovered my 8 years of spanish classes proved to be totally useless beyond an occasional Hola & Adios. Note, after a few days Bill got to thinking he was fluent in spanish, however when I overheard him ask the driver "Ahhh.... cuantos pe-po-lees live in Montevideo??" I told him to zip it up! But I digress...

Montevideo is a lovely city with beautiful beaches and sunny, breezy weather. One stop we made on the tour was of Ambassador Frank handing out McDonalds BIG MACS for a charity thing - more on that later but suffice it to say the country of Uruguay is known for their beef... there are 4 times as many cattle as people... there are approximately 3.5 million people in Uruguay so you do the math! Later that evening we went out with the Baxters and some friends of theirs to a wonderful upscale & chic restaurant - dinner was scheduled to begin around 9pm - Billy's bed time! We did not fall asleep in our soup.

Has been a lovely trip so far, except for when we were on the airplane and Bill got all huffy and mad at me for howling at an episode of THE OFFICE (where Steve Carrell burns his foot on the George Foreman grill). Other than that, we are having a great time. Kathy Baxter had some college girlfriends of hers visiting at the same time as us - one of them lives in Santa Monica and is a script manager for Desperate Housewives.

OK gotta go - we are staying in the "Eisenhower Room" where all good Republicans reside... there are photos on the wall of President Eisenhower and Maime's visit in 1960! The view from our bedroom window is of the Opus Dei Catholic girls school next door. It brought back to mind the fact that Bill took his fresh faced Midwestern Methodist fiance (me!) to Opus Dei for Pre Cana in NYC some 22 years ago. I am telling the absolute truth! Stay tuned...

Breaking News: Big Macs from the BIG MAC!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Breaking News:
I had to return to something we did the first day - as I previously mentioned Bill and I took a tour of Montevideo, the capital city. That afternoon we visited the local McDonald's where there was a huge crowd lined up at the counter and out the door! On that day, McDonald's was hosting a city-wide fundraiser for the children's hospital, and if you bought a BIG MAC (and we bought 3), they would donate a portion of the proceeds to the hospital. The "hook" was that FAMOUS celebrities would be handing out the burgers... and in this photo, you will see who CLEARLY is the most famous celebrity of Uruguay !!!! xoxo

Day Two - Off to Punta del Este

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Friends & Family:

Today Kathy & Frank took the day off from their many ambassadorial duties, and played tour-guide for Bill & I. We headed off from The Residence (that has such a nice ring to it) to the coastal town of Punta del Este, which is about 2 hours east of Montevideo along the coast.

Punta del Este is known as an upscale vacation spot (frequented by celebrities such as the singer Ashanti) due to its "vibrant night life & beautiful wide beaches". Over 100 hotels and same number of restaurants make this a hopping place during the summer time... their December - February. In the other months, such as this one (November) it is downright empty! We traveled by van, driven by Frank's driver and accompanied by his bodyguard! The van is a specially built vehicle with windows that DO NOT open... this way when we stopped at toll gates, the driver couldn't roll down the window to pay the toll "in case someone threw a bomb in". But ironically, the way he had to pay the toll was to open the door! Go figure!

Just before arriving at Punta del Este we stopped at what is a HUGE museum/home/art studio/and just basically the #1 "must see" in Uruguay - CasaPueblo, the home of the most famous Uruguayan artist and sculpture Carlos Paez Vilaro - Out of the middle of no where appears this gigantic series of structures that look like a cross between Arabian nights and something on the island of Corsica! Set right along the beach, this "spontaneous construction" took over 36 years to build - all by local artisans and workers just "going with the flow"! I could go on & on about Vilaro, but suffice it to say he was a friend of Picasso, lived with Albert Schweitzer in an African leprosy colony, has 6 kids by various "relationships" (one of whom was lost in the plane that went down in the Andes in 1972 and whom he found 3 months later having survived by eating the flesh of his dead colleagues), and is 84 and still making art (and romance we're told!). In fact, after 911, Vilaro created a huge painting that Kathy Baxter will be presenting to the NYC Fire Department, in NYC next month.

After touring this magnificent "living sculpture" of a building, we drove through the city of Punta del Este. It was a COLD COLD windy day, not a beach day at all, and no one was really outside. We stopped by the marina where usually there are hundreds of Sea Lions scampering about eating the leftovers from the fishermen, but since the ocean was so rough the boats had not ventured out this day (missed photo-op).

Here's an interesting tid-bit: In Montevideo & Punta del Este the beaches line not the ocean but a huge river called Rio de la Plata, and Frank showed us the location where the river turns into the ocean, but you'd never think by the vastness of the water that it all isn't an ocean. The water was quite muddy in color, and Bill estimated the waves on this windy day at being over 5 feet. (we didn't see any surfers!) Kathy & Frank both remarked they had never seen the waves so huge.

Then on we went to the home of some friends of the Baxter's, where we partook in a traditional Uruguayian Asada, which is a barbeque. This meal takes a long time to prepare, as the host first makes the coals out of logs, then moves the coals under the special area of the grill to cook the many different types of meat (steak, chicken, sausage, and even lots of innards!) all the while shifting the grill so that some of the food is cooking and some of the food is just staying warm. No woosey gas grill (or even manly man Weber grill) for these folks!

After a very full dinner, we sauntered lazily back to our van to settle in for the 2 hour ride back to The Residence, feeling safe enough to doze off since we had our (well, Frank's) bodyguard watching over us! Stay tuned for tomorrow!

Day Three - Touring Montevideo

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Friends & Family:

The morning started out early for Bill, as he & Frank ran in what they thought was a 10K through the streets of Montevideo. As they neared the end, Bill realized it was only an 8.5K...which was fine with him! Bill ran alongside a friend of Frank's whose government job is replacing lost & stolen Visa's & Passports - ironically this fella told Bill that yesterday he had HIS passport stolen !!! Frank ran separately (and ahead) with his bodyguard (naturally). In the meantime, I was doing my own "work-out" by the backyard swimming pool with my needlepoint.

After lunch, Kathy was good enough to take Bill and I on an extended tour of Montevideo, and first stop was a HUGE HUGE street Flea Market held every Sunday, called Feria d Tristan Narvaja. See the photo of all the live animals (finches, chicken, roosters, mice, parrots, bunnies...) in cages for sale. Believe it or not, I did not buy a thing, but I could easily have gotten a few of the bright orange finches if I could have figured out how to get them home. Chirp Chirp...

Bill was anxious to attend church, so we went to the local Catholic Cathedral only to find it closed on Sunday! While 47% of Uruguayans are Roman Catholic, this country is "South America's most secular country, where there is no official religion and in which church and state are separate."

On another note, the info I brought up from the internet keeps remarking that "Uruguay is the least corrupt country in Latin America - along with Chile." Something else of note is that Uruguay became the first Latin American country (and second in all of the Americas after Canada) to recognize same-sex civil unions at the national level.

Anyway... back to our tour. So after attempting to attend Mass on Sunday, we went to the mall! At the mall (which looks like any upscale mall - which was completely decorated for Christmas with a huge tree & Santa area!), the place was packed neck & neck with people - apparently on Sunday, the mall is the place to be, and whole extended families come to spend the day. The young people cruise the aisles and scope each other out, the parents sit and drink cappuccinos, while the old people grab all the benches and lounge chairs in the center and settle in for the day, watching the crowds push through. Maybe it's the tourists who do the shopping (I did my part).

We visited a few local Artisian stores which sold beautiful garments made from hand-dyed yarns. Tomorrow we spend one more day in Montevideo where we will be attending a lunch at The Residence with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and then scour the city for a leather jacket for Bill. xoxo :-)

Day Four - Out & About

Monday, November 17, 2008

Friends & Family:

Today was a beautiful day, which started with Bill and I going for a long
walk and getting lost, but it was wonderful to see all the sights of the lovely neighborhood surrounding The Residence. By the way, there is a LOT of graffiti here on all the buildings. Apparently it is not from gangs, but it is "political" tagging due to upcoming elections. Whatever - it's just terrible that some people deface the beautiful buildings & statues here - just as they do in the U.S. It was all I could do to not buy a bucket of paint!

After our walk Bill was interviewed by the local business newspaper inquiring on his thoughts of the markets ("not good"), and then he & Frank returned to The Residence where we were expecting a luncheon for over 50 of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - who is touring South America. If you can believe it, the pastor in charge called right before the lunch and cancelled!!! The Residence had prepared for a luncheon of 50 people and then it turns out, they didn't come! Bill, Frank, and I had a marvelous lunch none-the-less.

Soon there-after, Kathy returned from her Pilates class. Earlier in the morning she met with a TV station to discuss her upcoming debut on the morning show discussing & demonstrating (in Espanol mind you!) "How to prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey". Having alerted Kathy that in my 53 years of life I have yet to cook a turkey (and am proud of it!) and thus would be of no help to her on this topic, she assured me she would do fine on her own.

So off we went courtesy of Kathy and her driver, to the U.S. Embassy where we visited Frank at his huge & impressive office - the U.S. Embassy was designed by IM Pei, and is all concrete with a huge atrium inside. Lots of flags everywhere. If you are interested in reading more about the US Embassay in Uruguay (which includes many speeches & photos of Frank & Kathy!!) go to http://uruguay.usembassy.gov

Then Kathy took us to "the Ports" where all the container & cruise ships come in daily - the port industry in Uruguay is thriving. Adjacent to the ports is an area which is kind of similar to a NYC Soho, with all sorts of galleries, shops & restaurants sprouting up on the cobblestone streets in old warehouse buildings. I think in another year the place will really be hopping.

Then we went to a leather shop and Bill found a jacket made out of cow. (I passed on purchasing a pair of slippers made of rodent). Kathy and I went next door to a shop that sells amethyst (my birthstone) - see the photo I attached ... taller than the both of us! (Perhaps Bill stayed behind and is having it shipped home for my Christmas present??)

Tonight Frank hosted a reception at The Residence (everyone showed up!) full of government & business people and there was a round table discussion of thoughts on the global economy and financial crisis. No one was optimistic, except to say even in terrible times there are opportunities to make money if you keep your eyes & ears open. The most interesting speaker (other than Frank & Bill naturally) was an economist who was a graduate of.... Williams College! Now who would have predicted Bill would be meeting another EPH-man in Montevideo, Uruguay!

Early tomorrow morning we drive to Old Colonia del Sacramento (more on that later) and take a one hour super-ferry over to Buenos Aires for an overnight. Every single person who we've mentioned this little jaunt to has warned us "Do not wear any jewelry, take your wedding ring off, leave your watches at the Embassy for when you return". Bill and I are going over there with expectations of mass thievery and a Dickensonian atmosphere. Stay tuned.

Day Five- to Buenos Aires

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Hello Friends & Family:

I know you have been waiting eagerly for my next fa-logging.

Yesterday Bill and I left very early from Montevideo for the 2 hour drive heading west to the small town of Colonia, where we caught the BUQUEBUS for the 1 hour ride to Buenos Aires. The BUQUEBUS is actually a ferry and when you enter it, the atmosphere is all lights like in Las Vegas (the lights are to direct you to DUTY FREE...they caught MY attention). The seats on the ferry were like those in the First Class section of an airplane (oh those were the days...) There was a cafeteria on board with coffee that was really quite good. Since we had gotten up & out at 6:30am, I snoozed and Bill continued reading his new Warren Buffett 956 page "authorized" biography "THE SNOWBALL" (which he LOVES).

The city of Buenos Aires is sooo beautiful and cosmopolitan. WOW! A big city like NYC with busses, taxis everywhere, cars, bikes, and even subways. The city is full of energy, and the people are dressed so nicely. In the metropolitan area there are some 3 million people, and 10 million if you include the Outer BA. We walked all around and ended up (to Bill's delight) at Our Lady of Pilar Basilica, a small church built in 1732 with some Cloisters underground. It was in the neighborhood of Recoletta "the most aristocratic neighborhood of BA". Upstairs they have a museum with all kinds of religious artifacts, and Bill was happily strolling about as Gregorian Chants were playing on the music speakers.

Next door was the Recoletta Cemetery (see photo) where Eva Peron is buried. The cemetery was pretty amazing - and a million kitties everywhere! After hitting a few upscale malls to peruse something special for the Simon YOUNG ladies, we headed back to the hotel. We had every intenion of attending a TANGO but seeing as it started at 10pm, and knowing my husband as I do, lights were out at 9pm. NEXT visit... TANGO for sure!

Day Six - Final Day in South America

Wednesday, November 19, 2008


Friends & Family: the falooging is coming to an end.

Today we head home on the 11pm flight out of Uruguay, going through customs in Miami at around 5:30am ...should arrive in LAX at around Noon tomorrow (Thursday).

SOOOO this morning we hopped out of bed (remember we are still in Buenos Aires)and got a hotel driver to take us to the neighborhood of La Boca. My tour book says the pedestrian street that starts the whole area off, Caminito, is "the most famous postcard of Buenos Aires". It is what used to be an old Italian neighborhood, and you can tell as there are many restaurants and bars wherever you go. The whole area with it's "highly colorful corrugated sheetcoated houses" are a photographer's dream. Unfortunately it was a little early to get the "perfect shot" as there were still shadows, but I did my best and took lots of shots with my ever co-ooperative model Billy. (Lulu is actually much more co-operative, but she was in Boston).

After taking the ever popular BUQUEBUS back to Old Colonia, Uruguay, we walked around
that lovely old town. The streets were all cobblestone, and no traffic but the occasional mule. Many small shops and many many restaurants and little hotels. Very pretty and really good food! We bought some hand made scarves and lots of postcards.

NOW ladies, the highlight of the trip was just approaching and I didn't even know it. We were caught totally by surprise, but on the drive back to Montevideo, we stopped in the middle of no-where-land to this man's home and adjacent building which was his MUSEUM. This little museum is surrounded by pastures full of cattle and not another house to be seen for miles & miles. The museum displays his collections of...stuff! He has been awarded several GUINESS Book of WORLD RECORDS - you would not believe it.

He showed us his two rooms of 10,530 PENCILS - that's the amount "as of today". In the next room, his collection of 29,000 keychains, 300 pencil sharpners, and hundreds of phone calling cards, and matchboxes....all displayed nicely behind glass cases. He said he just started collecting the pencils in 1955 (ie the year I was born). I asked him "why pencils?" and he said "why not?" Indeed! He says people mail him these items every day and have for years! I mean, who knew? He is COVETING pencils of any presidential election AFTER Jimmy Carter, and would die for an Obama pencil. Honestly, all the rest of the day and into the evening I could think of nothing else but "how am I going to get this man those pencils ???" Thoughts Ladies? ps: he mentioned his two closest pencil competitors live in Washington DC and Germany.

MORE LATER - have to go to dinner . See photo of CINDY at La Boca

Home Safe and Sound

Friday, November 21, 2008

Friends & Family:

This is the final entry of my first ever Blog. I hope you enjoyed
reading it (zzzzz...) as much as I enjoyed contributing to it!!

Our flight home was uneventful. You never realize how much you miss home until you leave it. Bill and I both missed the Starbucks coffee (over there it's SOOO strong, and the milk is like water - in fact the milk we used on our morning cereal comes from a box on a shelf!) We both missed reading the NY Times (not so much the LA Times, natch)...reading it online is just "not the same". On Kathy's desk she had the latest copy of the Palisades Post! Frank was totally on the mark when he said how friendly the Uruguayan people are - very nice and anxious to please. And true to form, whenever people asked where we were from and we replied, "Los Angeles", their eyes opened big and they said "OHHHHHH LA! Wow, California!" Our state continues to amaze.

Bill was happy to get home so I would stop asking him "OK how much is this in U.S. dollars?" I think he routinely inflated the price just to dissuade me from buying anything!! (not difficult with CNN blasting the news of the crashing stock market).

When we arrived at customs in Miami, as we dragged ourselves through the line up to the counter, the custom agent looked at our passport and as he stamped it said "Welcome to Disaster - we are in a recession you know...and it's only getting worse, way worse". Bill says "Oh - what do you think the stock market is going to do today?" It's gotten to the point where Bill is asking ANYONE for their thoughts on the market - hoping (praying!) for an uplifting response!! Alas, not from this guy!

It was a really fun trip, and we are so glad we made it. Many wonderful memories of fun times shared with our good friends Frank & Kathy Baxter, and our many new friends in Uruguay and Argentina. Truly we are blessed. xo Cindy