Cinco...A short vacation.

This past week, we took a little vacation from school and just relaxed. Our first stop was the city of Salto, about a nine-hour drive from Punta del Este. It was a long, rainy drive through the countryside, filled with cattle and horses.

Salto is known for its many thermal hot springs, which seemed like a great idea when we booked it. Turns out, the hot springs are more like lively water parks for families with kids. So we skipped the festivities and spent our time enjoying the thermal hot tubs at our hotel instead. There were plenty of cute shops to stroll through, and I even treated myself to a Pancho that totally surpassed the glory of a hot dog at a Rockies game in the second inning!

After a few days of lounging, we packed up and drove to Colonia del Sacramento, where we spent three nights. We stayed in a boutique hotel right in the heart of Old Town. It was so much fun wandering the old cobblestone streets, admiring the beautiful architecture, and popping into the little tiendas. The whole place has a very European feel—it almost made us forget where we were!

We did have some stressful business hanging over us, like being called to the chalkboard in fourth grade. We both had to take an oral Zoom exam to determine our Spanish level placement for school. Unfortunately, Sarah couldn’t connect, so she’ll have to take it in person on the first day. Feeling like first graders again is pretty humbling!

It was a short but sweet stay in Colonia. Then we boarded the ferry to cross the bay to Buenos Aires, where our next school awaits. As we sat down in our seats, I turned to Sarah and said, “Put on your sea belt.” She looked at me and said, “Are you serious?” It took her a moment to realize I was joking!

Our new digs are very nice and (thankfully) scorpion-free, but we’re no longer in Larkspur. Buenos Aires is a serious-sized city that never sleeps. Living right in the heart of it for a month is going to be interesting. Standing on our balcony feels like we’re in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Rear Window—you can peer into all your neighbors’ windows, and they can peer right back!

Dios lo bendiga!

Scott y Sarita