Dwindling Community

Katie and I agree that one of the best things about living here is that you have a genuine little community. Without trying to sound twee, you have your little bakers, butchers and grocers and you spend ages doing your shopping and it's all lovely and hello and how are you. This community extends far and wide - essentially anyone you've ever bought anything from (flower shop, barbers etc) remembers who you are and says hello.

We had this little community until a couple of weeks ago. Key word is 'had'. It's dwindling, for a number of apparantly unconnected reasons. So this, essentially, is the toll of places we can no longer show our faces. Person responsible in brackets. See if you can work out the pattern:

1. The doctor's. (Katie)
We can't go there anymore (which is a freakin tragedy if only becaue they have a Dr Gambacorta, which translates to Dr Short Prawn). No, we can't, because Katie shut her own head in the door.

She was asked to 'come in' to the room, and then she was asked to 'close the door behind you', which she did, forgetting to remove her own head from the doorway first.

And I refuse to go there through association. What a mong.

2. The panaderia. (Katie)
No real fault of ours, but they think we're Mexican. Katie didn't contradict them at the time, and now it's too late and she discusses how life is different here (than en la ciudad de mejico) and how her breathren are mostly working in the States.

3. Bonafide: The Coffee and Chocolate Shop. (Katie)
This was hilarious. First and last visit. This shop is awesome, like something form a Roald Dahl novel. Katie wanders in, chatting away in Spanish as she comments on the wonderous array of chocolates available. 'Oh, this is wonderful... (Turning towards the woman at the till) How on earth do you work in a place like this without eating everyth...? Ah!'

The woman was a monster. And, staring back at Katie, replied:
'I do.'

Agonising pause.

'That is why I am so fat.' (Pictured above)

So, best shop in Argentina now also off the list, but I reckon it's almost worth it. It's the weekend now, so doubtless I can update you on another one soon.