kansas polo

Saturday was a low-key day. I spent most of it in my apartment, even though it was beautiful out. I had to stay at home while my apartment is being worked on. My morning rollerblading plans fell through so I headed over to the 'shoem-bo' to do some grocery shopping in anticipation for my first visitor.

it's such a huge store, it's so easy to lose focus. It was also difficult because I was on a time restraint; I needed to be back at the apartment to let the painter in.

(photo below: colorful thermoses. most argentines own one to carry around hot water for their mate)
(photo below: alfajores aisle)
(photo below: cuban cigars at the grocery store. a fat or large cigar cost 10 pesos ($2.60)
(photo below: cuban rum. something we can't get in the u.s. this is the 'original' bacardi rum. when u.s. assets were seized in cuba, the person who started bacardi left the island to start bacardi.)
(photo below: dulce de leche liquor)
182 pesos later (this is not a normal bill for me) and I was finished. The 'big' ticket items were 3 bottles of wine (11, 11 & 7 pesos), a liter of Heineken beer (5 pesos)...and a HUGE splurge was on sliced Turkey lunch meat (20 pesos!!!) (Here in Argentina wine is cheaper than turkey lunch meat). I also bought some salad stuff, a block of cheese and other small things. There was also an 8 peso charge for delivery.

(photo below: my living-room)

(photo below: grocery delivery within 2 hours of the purchase. 8 pesos)

(photo below: just some of my purchases)

Today: Sunday
The weather was amazing today. It was sunny with clear skies and low in humidity. At noon I met some friends for lunch. They were so kind to treat me to an amazing lunch at 'Kansas'. I read about 'Kansas' in one of my travel books. I thought it would have had some wagon wheels as decor and peanut shells on the floor.....it was nothing like that.

The restaurant was very nice, situated next to the horserace track and it was very busy. All the menu items were given English names but there were Spanish explanations. The waiter also told us his name and returned to the table several times to ask how we were (so American, so American). As my friends and I know, you should not have expectations but some how we did when we ordered "guacamole and chips". What was served was a spoonful sized scoop of guacamole and 4 eggroll looking wraps. Nevertheless it was good...but where were the promised chips? Lost in translation I guess.
Lunch was really amazing...and so was the dessert. Afterward we took a walk and explored a new area.

(photo below: car for sale with water jug on top)
(photo below: the name of this convenience store is "Open 25 Hs!". It was closed. Maybe we were there on the 26th hour of the day?)
When we started to head back I spotted horses lined up inside the Polo field. To our excited surprise there was a Polo match taking place. We walked around to the entrance to get more info....and it was free!! We sat at the Polo match for about an hour trying to figure out the game. It was really amazing to watch. The skill it must take to gallop on a house while swinging a mallet to hit a small white ball on the ground and not collide into another player.

(photo below: polo horses standing in the shade waiting to be put in the game)
(photo below: after coming off the field they get a bath)(photo below: the polo fields are across the street from the horserace track)(photo below: the polo field)