Thanks to our babysitters/grandparents, Marlene and Bob, Jenny and I were able to have a night away to celebrate her birthday -- We chilled at this boutique hotel in Palermo Hollywood called Home -- all about Minimalism and room service. Happy Birthday Jenny! 

Marcus enjoying the midday heat under the shade of the Ombu tree, indigenous to Argentina and a source of national pride. If Liam went missing for a half hour or so, I inevitably found him in the branches of this tree. This is at the Estancia del Ombu in the Pampas. 

Here is an image of an old hunched over gaucho -- the famous Argentine cowboy -- who took all of us on a carriage ride through the grounds of the estate. He also led us on a long horseback ride the next day, with Liam on the horse by the gaucho's side. Bob Bailey saddled up for the first time in his life at the spry age of 76. Kudos to Bob! 

Jenny and Marcus before our big midday feast at the Estancia del Ombu. You start smelling the slow cooked beef at 9 am and start salivating by 9:01 am. 

Liam and Marcus getting their yayas out at Estancia del Ombu in the Pampas in Argentina. We spent two nights at this oasis a couple hours out of Buenos Aires, where we ate mucho carne, road horses and did alot of swimming. 

Liam sniffed out this parrot from a gaseosa (coke) vendor at a park in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires. Of course, he wasted no time asking the nice lady "Puedo tocar?" -- Can I touch?  

A walking tour of the Palermo Hollywood barrio in Buenos Aires revealed some beautiful murals, along with too much regular old graffiti. 

This image is taken of Recoleta Cemetary from atop a ladder used to reach the upper tiers of the less exclusive tombs, where they are stacked on top of eachother. I was six tiers high and only just above the grand mausoleums below. Of course, we visited Evita's resting place here...along with the throngs. 

The famed Recoleta cemetary...a veritable who's who of Argentine Presidents, Generals and Authors. It is a city unto itself...with mausoleums nearly the size of the studios in the modern apartment building in the background. 

Another guest entry by Liam. He captured this Tegu Lizard, a two foot beauty with flickering tongue, in the Ecological Preserve in Buenos Aires...an area that nature reclaimed after having received the rubble from buildings torn down during urban renewal. 

Having procured a babysitter, Jenny, Marlene, Bob and I visited the LatinAmerican Museum of Buenos Aires today -- saw some Rivera, Kahlo and Botero, and a host of other Latin artists that I had never heard of (though Jenny probably had). We also saw an exhibit of some freaky German artists entitled "Fluxus", which inspired me to take some wacky photography, as is shown here...from inside the museum. 

I'm quite excited about Liam's apparent new love of soccer. Today, after we raced the three blocks to the park, we played for an hour straight in this playground in the Plaza Allemania (Buenos Aires). 

At Buenos Aires's most famous cafe, Cafe Tortoni, this old timer captured an elegance of days gone by, unmoved by the spaghetti strap wearing youngster nearby. We assume that he has been a daily customer since the days of Juan and Evita Peron. 

This is a city scene from Buenos Aires on the corner of Avenida Mayo and Avenida 9 de Julio, the world's biggest street (16 lanes). Lovely beaux arts architecture grace this area, though some of it in a desperate need of rehab. 

Enjoying a moment of repose in the Jardin Japones, right near our apartment in Buenos Aires...on New Year's eve. We enjoyed a nice dinner at home with Marlene and Bob Bailey, with some Argentine Malbec and bubbly. Happy 2007...Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Here is Marcus, very happy to be with his maternal grandparents, Marlene and Bob Bailey. We enjoyed a lovely New Year's day picnic in one of the beautiful parks in Buenos Aires...the temperatures topped 90 F today.