Tourist RPG: A blast from the past

I responded to the question about cultural significance. Although I have my reservations, I will respond to another question. Don't get any ideas; I don't want everyone thinking they can ask questions and expect answers. :P
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"Gabe, what kinds of cars do people drive down there?" The topic is: cars and locomotion. To answer the question, I invite you all to join me for the first annual time travel "Tour de Beatle". Copyright Brandon the man...don.

The increased presence of the beatle is often noted in the cities of South America. Please step this way. Please take note of our first specimen. Classic. A very shiny and well-kept eggshell white. And to the left, you may notice a cultural phenomenon written on the wall, "ARAGUA PUTO". Many soccer teams, laws, and politicians share this very common last name.

Whoa, here are my good buddies Brandon (a rotary scholar from Nebraska) and Vincent (a student from France). They noticed your legs are shaky from all the walking and they'd like to take us for a ride in this forest-green, sunlit beauty, but we won't fit.

I'm tired of walking as well, we must have walked...at least a block! Luckily, I lined up transport for us. Hop in che!

At your three o'clock, is a good sized auto, painted with a delicate periwinkle blue. (How about a pair of them shoes boss?)

On the left, a lemon lime finish, rims and all, absolutely fantastic.

In the very heart of the capital city, on the corner of historic city hall and the street 18 de Julio, we can see a tan model with a somewhat rust coloration. As we pass we see that the tapedeck and the Credence are still there.

Nearing the end of our journey, yes, it must end sometime, a nice silver and white.

I hope you all have enjoyed the Tour. I would like to apologize for the quality of the Tour as some of these specimens make wild and unexpected movements. It isn't safe to get too close. Whoa! Look out!

Case in point! Thanks for coming everyone, enjoy your day and be safe. =D You have gained 100 experience points! Congratulations, you have reached level 2! hp+10!

That's all well and good

That's all well and good I've been told but some have said to me..."Gabe, why don't you show some pictures of something with real cultural significance...uruguayan culture that is." 10-4 good buddy. Roger Dodger. Take this foto as the key to understanding Uruguay.



Although it is filled with herb, so sorry, it is not a bong :P It's mate! To drink mate, the following is necessary: el porongo (the old brown plant fashioned into a bowl sitting in the stand), la hierba (the green stuff), la terma, and agua caliente.

Mate has got a bit of caffeine in it and is oftentimes breakfast.



Here's a picture of my face after trying " 100% pure Brasilian herb". It's pretty bitter. But you get used to it and quickly become an addict.





What do you do once you become an addict?

The answer is join the club! Just about everybody drinks it. Uruguay sucks up mate like Utah lawns consume water. You can drink it just about anytime and anywhere. When it's too hot to drink near-boiling water, the solution is simple; just sit in front of a fan as you drink.

Due to mate's position in life as a necessity, it is acceptable in almost all social situations and places. It's not uncommon to see someone trying to carry their thermos, mate, a bag of groceries, shake someone's hand, and try to unlock their car door all at once. Take mate from the most informal of places, here a beach,

Beach, Florianapolis

To the most formal! Here, preparation for a presentation.

This foto has nothing to do with anything. I just uploaded by accident and haven't been able to delete it =-D

Gabe in widescreen

Gray skies are gonna clear up

Down here, winter is a knock out just like chess is in full swing.  It has been raining non-stop for the last three days with a wind that makes my poor old bones ache.  The river Plate beats relentlessly against the shore, taking with it the best of the beach.  Luckily I have a Gabriel tested and mother approved rainy day solution.  Here goes - 

1. I make a banana and date licuado to drink while I prepare dinner.

2. For dinner you will need a moderately priced receptacle (without donny's ashes) like one of the following.

 

The recipe turns out better if you carefully select a favorite cartoon character, i.e. Yogi Bear and his boy Boo Boo, or Droopy.  If you can find El Kabong, you are extraordinarily lucky and your dinner will be better than that of everyone else.  The directions get complicated from here so take careful note.

3.  Fill your moderately priced cartoon character receptacle with copious amounts of the best cereal ever to have crossed an entire continent for my consumption.

Props y beijos to la pretinha who carried my addiction to me halfway around the world.  And a shout out to my brother, alias El Guapo, who inspired me to put pepper in my huevos revueltos.

Workin hard now

We are now into our third week of chess lessons working towards a rook, knight, bishop, and pawn game. I asked for a group of 10 sixth graders. The first day I showed up and I received a group of 14...good for the interest shown and bad for the high number. The school is really on top of things. I had asked them as well to buy some chess sets and they bought enough for everybody! I wasn't expecting that. The good story comes the second day. Lucas, the kid that walks around punching and kicking people all the time was playing against Marcel, his less-violent counterpart who walks around insulting people and poking fun at everyone and everything. That was their idea :). In the middle of the class, all of a sudden these two stand up and start throwing punches! The other kids started to yell and run for the door to get one of the teachers and others jumped into the fray to separate them. I hopped over to the other side of the table and grabbed Lucas but Marcel tried to come in for more. I have a foto here which will give you guys an idea of what we were dealing with:

The other teachers rushed in, and we were able to separate the two contenders. Chess lessons are in full swing!