SA Sunday: Ashley, I don´t think we´re in Buenos Aires anymore...

Taken from the Mirador (viewing point) that we think we found in Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina. We´re still not sure we found the right place, but the view was great and it was really windy!

How many of you didn´t belive that I would post today? I didn´t. Please excuse any typos or strange letters, I have a line growing behind me to use the computer. I wanted to share some photos of the beginning of our trip! For more photos check out my Flickr page. They don´t have titles or descriptions yet because the internet out here is pretty slow. Also, I hope you like my outfit, because I only have two!



In Humahuaca we stayed in a WONDERFUL adobe Hostel called Posada El Sol that we highly recommend. Here´s the view from our bedroom door. Homey, right?



It´s the desert! It´s blistering during the day and freezing at night. Look! Cacti! Cactus? We were hiking to the "ruins" in Tilcara, Jujuy, Argentina.



This was taken from a view point at the Hill of Seven Colors. It was incredible! Purmamarca, Jujuy, Argentina.



On our way up to visit the Salinas Grandes. It was SO HIGH. I´ll find out how high soon!



At the Salinas Grandes. That´s all salt! I couldn´t see, so I look like a dork.

I have to run now, becauase the line is huge. Click through an image to get to a few more photos. I promise m,ore news soon!!

I don't need a passport to walk on this earth...

This song is called Hello Bonjour and is available on Michael Franti and Spearhead's album Yell Fire!

I think Michael Franti says it all. I'm leaving really really early tomorrow. I'm so sad to say goodbye to my new friends, but excited to make new ones! Ceci and my Argentine "Banana FoFana" family threw me a "surprise" party (the surprise had to be aborted when I made plans to go out this evening! As for Banana FoFana, I'll explain that another time!). I'm putting (parts of) Michael's lyrics below so you can read through them. I'm not packed, and I'm leaving in about 7 hours. I'm sorry this is late!

This video was filmed in Ireland. Pay special attention to 0:09 - 0:13. That blue and yellow flag? Boca Juniors, baby! Argentine soccer...what what!

___

I don't need a passport
To walk on this earth,
Anywhere I go cause I was made of this earth
Im born of this earth,
I breath of this earth,
And even with the pain I believe in this earth, So
I wake Up every mornin and Im steppin on the floor,
I wake up every mornin and Im stepping out the door
I got faith in the sky,
Faith in the one,
Faith in the people rockin underneath the sun
Cause every bit of land is a holy land and
Every drop of water is a holy water and
Every single child is a son or a daughter of the one Earth mama and the one Earth papa, So
Don't tell a man that he can't come here cause he got brown eyes and a wavy kind of hair, And
Don't tell a woman that she can't go there because she prays a little different to a God up there
You say you're a Christian
Cause God made you
You say you're a Muslim
Cause god made you
You say you're a Hindu and the next man a Jew
Then we all kill each other
Cause God told us to NAH!

-Hello, hello!
-Bonjour, bonjour!
-Hola, hola!
-Konnichiwa, konnichiwa wa!

....complete lyrics available ::here::

___

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SA Sunday: Packing up, moving out

Packing up, moving out, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

I was going to show you a photo of my packed backpack for our trip, but all of my laundry is still wet, so my bag isn't packed. It's causing me a good deal of stress. Instead I'm going to spend the afternoon reading through some travel guides and packing up my suitcases to put in storage!

I've decided that I can't bear to leave my second BsAs hoop behind. It's my Project Spectrum hoop and it's perfect. I've doubled it up and hopefully it will travel home safely in my suitcase. Cross your fingers for me!

We are in the midst of refining our travel plans, and I have to admit I'm feeling some anxiety. I just feel like we don't have enough time! Maybe I set my heart on accomplishing too much. We're off bright and early Tuesday morning, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to take a deep breath and just let things roll forward. We'll get to what we get to, I suppose. It's going to fly by so fast! I'll try and keep you updated as things change!

FO: Bariloche or Bust

Click your heels!, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

I can't believe I missed WIP Wednesday AND Fiber Friday. I've got so much to do for this trip. I hope this isn't an indication of my blogging to come over the next month. I promise to do my very best to keep you updated, but I refuse to miss an opportunity for a great experience, so I don't promise to stay in an blog when I could be out having a good time:) We'll see where the happy medium lies! I do promise pictures though.

Pattern: Two Toe-Up Socks on One Circular Needle by Kristin Bellehumeur
Size: Unmodified
Materials: 290 yds Fiesta Yarns Ballet in Misty Morning
Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm
Start Date: June 1, 2009
Finish Date: June 25, 2009
On Ravelry

I started these at the beginning of June in hopes that I would have them done by the time I left for my big trip (June 30!!) or at least by the time we got to Bariloche, AR (July 24!). Turns out I got them done way ahead of time! Go me! I didn't knit them very tall because I hate tall socks and I hate it when my socks scrunch down. They're high enough to be comfy with my hiking boots and give me a couple more inches of warmth. They're not my best work, but I'm glad they're done because I'm hoping to whip out one more pair before we arrive in Bariloche. It's going to be cold and we're going to be hiking. I haven't been able to find wool socks here to purchase, so I just have to make them myself.

I knit these with a 1x1 rib with a twisted purl. I like the effect, though they need blocking to even out. The heel is way to shallow do they stretch across the top of my foot in an unflattering way. It was my first shortrow heel, and I'm not sure how I like it. Next time I think I'll do an afterthought heel.

The pattern is great! The yarn is splitty and the colorway is awfully bland for me...but it's really soft. I'm on the fence about it. We'll see how it wears.

And if fate should break my stride, then I'll give you my Vincent to ride...

Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning from his album Rumor and Sigh

In the interest of full disclosure I loved this song for a long time with no clue that this was Richard Thompson's song*. The first time I heard this song was with my family when we saw Jim Henry perform it on stage with Tracy Grammer. He does a really great job, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. He's damn good on that guitar, and Tracy is stellar on harmony. (The video is down below.) A few months later I was driving home in a snowstorm at 5 in the morning and this song came on the radio. (Gotta love WKZE, they play weird music all day long, but in the early hours of the morning they play really great music. I actually enjoyed my early early morning drives...) In any case, I had to pull the car over because I was moved to tears. Every time I hear Thompson sing this song I cry. It always starts out ith goosebumps and I think I'm going to get by without crying, but the final verse in his incredible voice never fails.

*I also have to admit that I grew up listening to Fairport Convention, but had no idea that Richard Thompson was part of the group until a few months ago. I'm a really horrible music fan. This new addition to my blog has been really good for me in that regard.



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SA Sunday: Lechucita Vizcachera - Birdwatching

Lechucita Vizcachera, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

I spotted this Burrowing Owl while my friends and I were at a polo club outside the city of Buenos Aires. I couldn't believe how close it let me get!

I've just finished my birdwatching class at UCA, and I'm so pumped about how it went! I'm very sad to say goodbye to my professor and my classmates. We were a small, tight-knit group, and we had a lot of fun together. Yesterday we saw some incredibly cool birds, including a father and son pair of Rufescent Tiger-Herons, a whole mess of Monk Parakeets, a Golden-Breasted Woodpecker, and the silly looking Guira Cuckoo (Looks like he's got bad bedhead, right?).



This is a portion of my list of birds that I've identified from Argentina and the US. It's growing, hopefully forever! I'm very excited to take my book with me on my trip and see what else I can find! You can click the image to see it more clearly.

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Thinking of you...

Thinking of you..., originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

Hi Dad!

I had my friend take this photo for me in Mendoza, Argentina while we were touring the vineyards. I couldn't believe it when I saw the John Deere! I had to give it a hug. It made me think of home and of you. I love you! Happy Father's Day!