eGlobal Education

Jacaranda flooding Buenos Aires
with lavender

Buenos Aires, en route to Antarctica

Don and I arrived in Buenos Aires this morning on our way to Ushuaia tomorrow to board the Silver Explorer and begin our 17 day trip to Antarctica, the Falklands (or, since I'm in Argentina, the Malvinas), South Georgia Island and Elephant Island. 

As great fans of Ernest Shackleton, we're very excited about seeing these latter two islands.  Elephant Island is where he left his crew after a frightening crossing of open ocean in small lifeboats following the crushing of the Endurance by the ice.  South Georgia is where Shackleton and some of his men landed after an even more harrowing crossing of 800 miles of open sea in hopes of getting help to rescue the rest of the crew.  If you haven't read about Shackleton's voyage, it is an amazing adventure story of great leadership and courage.

Jacaranda in bloom, Palermo,
Buenos Aires

We spent the afternoon walking through the beautiful parks in the Palermo section of Buenos Aires, where the jacaranda are in full bloom, filling the sky with lavender.  The famous rose garden is also brimming with white, red, yellow, and pink roses.  This is perfect spring weather, bright blue sky and sunshine, paradise for the dog walkers who populate this area surrounded by 7 or 8 dogs all attached to the same leash.  I kept thinking how our newly acquired yellow lab, Polo, refugee from the Dumb Friends League, would wreak havoc with this system as he is unmannerly and headstrong.

U.S. Ambassador's residence,
Buenos Aires

Our walk took us by the wonderful palace that is the residence of the United States ambassador.  Last spring, we were able to visit the residence with a group of friends to meet with senior officers from our Embassy, always a highlight of our trips.