From: Sherman Rootberg
Date: Feb 5, 2008 5:25 PM
Subject: 2/5/2008
2/5/2008
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, Day II
I forgot all about the game the other day. You know, that big football game thingy. For the first time in years it did come in over the satellite. It was on the big screen in the theater and on the TVs in the rooms. The version we got was without any commercials or commentary of any kind. The only voice we heard was when an official said something. When the long commercial breaks came, we got a very long view of the field. We did get the half time show.
Without the commentators telling what was going on, most of
these old farts didn’t have a clue. They didn’t even know who’s ball it was most of the time. By the half we were tired of listening to all the stupid remarks and we had gotten our fill of hotdogs and popcorn. We went up to the room to see the rest. Remember, it was three hours later here.
Shortly after the half, Bobbi conked or passed out or something. The score was 10 to 7 then. Not too long after I must have fallen asleep in a chair. When I finally woke I had to pee real bad and the
TV was blank. I think it was about four in the morning. I couldn’t get any information on the TV but thankfully the internet was working. I got the score and the details on line. I didn’t tell bobbi until morning. I told her that Washington won. It had been an upset. Don’t tell her that Washington didn’t play. She will just get mad at me.
Most of the day today we pretty much just ate and sat around. Last night was terrible. There were beeps just outside our
windows from trucks and other equipment backing up. The best was at about 4:30 this morning for about forty five minutes. They moved this huge crane by the ship and all the while sirens were blaring just outside our windows.
This harbor is so overcrowded with containers, junk, trucks, excavating equipment, and all the other equipment, the buses cannot find a way in or out quite often. If I never spend a night her again, it will be far too soon.
At about 4:30 this afternoon we boarded a bus for an event provided by Regent for just the round trippers. Many, if not most of these things have been disasters over the years. This one was not.
We went by some of the same areas we saw yesterday, on the way to an old restored house in the oldest part of the city. On the way we were given misdirection or you might call it, made up history.
There are no original blacks in Argentina even though there were thousands of black slaves. We are told it is because Argentina passed a law not permitting slavery. The government still bought slaves at 100 units of their money and sold them to Chile at 900 units of that money. The local slave owners made tunnels under the houses and this is where they hid their slaves. A typhoid fever epidemic started killing people but they couldn’t get doctor care for their slaves because they were hiding them and were not supposed to have them. And that is why every last one of them 
died.
Is the word fool tattooed on my forehead. Who could believe this crap they are dishing out. When the diseases came, mostly from their lack of sanitation, they killed the slaves because it must have come from them. The ones they didn’t slaughter were used for cannon fodder in their wars and fighting. The Spanish are well known for their racism.
Anyhow, we were taken to this old restored house in this old neighborhood. While it was not their highest class area it is what we might call a reclaimed part of the city. There were lots of cutesy bars, restaurants, and stores. The narrow streets looked very European.
The old restored house we were taken into had been bought to be used as a restaurant and parking. When they started to renovate it they came across these old tunnels with cisterns, cesspools, and all kinds of artifacts. They redid most of the building with concrete foundations and supports but left as much of the old brick as possible and redid much more with these original bricks. It had been a huge house for a rich family. It was very interesting.
After going through the top floor and the tunnels under the house we were treated to entertainment. First there was a man with marionettes, next a magician, and last but of course not least, Tango Dancers. They had several bars and many servers walking around. They had tables filled with many different kinds of appetizers and they kept bringing out more and more. Wherever you looked there were girls with trays of food. They would look insulted if you didn’t take what they were carrying. You know how I hate to insult young girls carrying food. I didn’t do a whole lot of insulting. Finally I was so stuffed I had to leave before I exploded. Most of their stuff was very good. They had really greasy empanadas. I must have eaten a whole tray of those. I think I liked the Chilean Variety better. They were a little spicier and had a different and thinner crust, but all of the meat ones are good.
Surprise, surprise. Our cruise director showed up. He even stood there for awhile with a forced smile saying nothing to anyone. What a personality. I wouldn’t hire him for a greeter at a funeral home. The old captain left and we have a new one. At least that’s what they told us. He did not show nor has he made his presence known anywhere. The hotel manager was there among others. He was very outgoing.
We did enjoy this one and it was very well done. Everyone went out of their way to make sure we were happy.
Now we are back and I am not happy. We ate so much we can’t move. Bobbi is walking around the cabin belching. I am doing far worse things. Dinner was out of the question. We are hoping to keep from passing out before the Bon Voyage party out on deck at about 9:30 tonight.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, Day II
I forgot all about the game the other day. You know, that big football game thingy. For the first time in years it did come in over the satellite. It was on the big screen in the theater and on the TVs in the rooms. The version we got was without any commercials or commentary of any kind. The only voice we heard was when an official said something. When the long commercial breaks came, we got a very long view of the field. We did get the half time show.Without the commentators telling what was going on, most of
these old farts didn’t have a clue. They didn’t even know who’s ball it was most of the time. By the half we were tired of listening to all the stupid remarks and we had gotten our fill of hotdogs and popcorn. We went up to the room to see the rest. Remember, it was three hours later here.Shortly after the half, Bobbi conked or passed out or something. The score was 10 to 7 then. Not too long after I must have fallen asleep in a chair. When I finally woke I had to pee real bad and the
TV was blank. I think it was about four in the morning. I couldn’t get any information on the TV but thankfully the internet was working. I got the score and the details on line. I didn’t tell bobbi until morning. I told her that Washington won. It had been an upset. Don’t tell her that Washington didn’t play. She will just get mad at me.Most of the day today we pretty much just ate and sat around. Last night was terrible. There were beeps just outside our
windows from trucks and other equipment backing up. The best was at about 4:30 this morning for about forty five minutes. They moved this huge crane by the ship and all the while sirens were blaring just outside our windows.This harbor is so overcrowded with containers, junk, trucks, excavating equipment, and all the other equipment, the buses cannot find a way in or out quite often. If I never spend a night her again, it will be far too soon.
At about 4:30 this afternoon we boarded a bus for an event provided by Regent for just the round trippers. Many, if not most of these things have been disasters over the years. This one was not.
We went by some of the same areas we saw yesterday, on the way to an old restored house in the oldest part of the city. On the way we were given misdirection or you might call it, made up history.
There are no original blacks in Argentina even though there were thousands of black slaves. We are told it is because Argentina passed a law not permitting slavery. The government still bought slaves at 100 units of their money and sold them to Chile at 900 units of that money. The local slave owners made tunnels under the houses and this is where they hid their slaves. A typhoid fever epidemic started killing people but they couldn’t get doctor care for their slaves because they were hiding them and were not supposed to have them. And that is why every last one of them died.Is the word fool tattooed on my forehead. Who could believe this crap they are dishing out. When the diseases came, mostly from their lack of sanitation, they killed the slaves because it must have come from them. The ones they didn’t slaughter were used for cannon fodder in their wars and fighting. The Spanish are well known for their racism.
Anyhow, we were taken to this old restored house in this old neighborhood. While it was not their highest class area it is what we might call a reclaimed part of the city. There were lots of cutesy bars, restaurants, and stores. The narrow streets looked very European.The old restored house we were taken into had been bought to be used as a restaurant and parking. When they started to renovate it they came across these old tunnels with cisterns, cesspools, and all kinds of artifacts. They redid most of the building with concrete foundations and supports but left as much of the old brick as possible and redid much more with these original bricks. It had been a huge house for a rich family. It was very interesting.
After going through the top floor and the tunnels under the house we were treated to entertainment. First there was a man with marionettes, next a magician, and last but of course not least, Tango Dancers. They had several bars and many servers walking around. They had tables filled with many different kinds of appetizers and they kept bringing out more and more. Wherever you looked there were girls with trays of food. They would look insulted if you didn’t take what they were carrying. You know how I hate to insult young girls carrying food. I didn’t do a whole lot of insulting. Finally I was so stuffed I had to leave before I exploded. Most of their stuff was very good. They had really greasy empanadas. I must have eaten a whole tray of those. I think I liked the Chilean Variety better. They were a little spicier and had a different and thinner crust, but all of the meat ones are good.
Surprise, surprise. Our cruise director showed up. He even stood there for awhile with a forced smile saying nothing to anyone. What a personality. I wouldn’t hire him for a greeter at a funeral home. The old captain left and we have a new one. At least that’s what they told us. He did not show nor has he made his presence known anywhere. The hotel manager was there among others. He was very outgoing.
We did enjoy this one and it was very well done. Everyone went out of their way to make sure we were happy.
Now we are back and I am not happy. We ate so much we can’t move. Bobbi is walking around the cabin belching. I am doing far worse things. Dinner was out of the question. We are hoping to keep from passing out before the Bon Voyage party out on deck at about 9:30 tonight.
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