Paying for exercise is a novelty in Argentina. It seems weird not to have gyms in every neighbourhood, ads for exercise equipment and new member specials on billboards. I haven't even seen anyone jogging as we walk the neighbourhood. There is a spa across the street from our apartment that has a 'gym' room but it only has a very old exercise bike and a few weights. The lady who runs the place even told me (in spanish) that it's not very good. It's only recently that people started caring about that stuff - downtown there are apparently a few new gyms cropping up. If you have money to eat, you're doing well. If you have some extra money you wouldn't pay someone to help you exercise, you'd just walk a little more or eat a little less, or god forbid...love your new curves and buy your new booty some pants. Sure there are thin girls walking around but you can tell they are 'skinny fat' (those who are either naturally thin or starve themselves to be that but if you pressed your finger into their flesh it would sink instead of hit muscle.) Overall I get the impression that people are really just not concerned about their or others' dress size. Restaurants also don't cater to vegetarians or vegans or atkins dieters or anyone else who doesn't want meat and potatoes or pizza and pasta. Not that there aren't options to eat right, there are. It's just less about guilt and more about common sense. Portion sizes are smaller, there don't seem to be a lot of things deep fried or covered in cheese...Of course all menus are entirely in spanish and we have no idea what the hell we're ordering. So far we've been lucky.
Argentinians love their dogs and babies. Everywhere we go people coo over Carter. Waiters, housecleaning staff, the lady at the spa. I mean, I know he's THE cutest baby ever, but at home people who aren't related to him don't really care that much. Here everyone wants to touch his chubby cheeks or stroke his hand. At home I think people are underwhelmed due to the baby boom and north americans are just more reserved and standoffish than latin americans. As for dogs, they roam free here either with or without their masters. They aren't wild or strays, they're just given more freedom. People walk their dog by allowing it to wander in front of them as they walk down the street. Or they let it wander around outside their place of business or apartment and come home when it wants. There don't seem to be any problems with this and the dogs all seem so much better behaved than back home. Curious and cool.
Carter is just happy to be here. He spends a lot more time awake and the vast majority of that time he is either content or downright giggling. He doesn't ask for much - just a bottle now and then and some attention. Of course he does have a killer wardrobe, which helps. But he's sleeping in a suitcase right now and couldn't be happier. At the first place we stayed here he was in a creaky old crib that would NOT have passed safety inspections in Canada. The kid can teach me (and all of us) a lot about life.
Love him sleeping in a suitcase! Looks like the perfect bed to me!
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