Introducing Maia Elicia

Born at 3am on Saturday 24th April, weighing in at 3230g, a little under 7lbs, is the beautiful, dark, hungry and cute Maia Elicia.

Señor Barnes

El Conde de Cabalitto, Señor Barnes.

Entry on Iain and Bex's visit next, but Señor Barnes more than deserves his own space. Owner, inspiration behind and charming front man of La Epoca, Señor Barnes offers the best shave in Buenos Aires. An afficionado of the cut throat razor, in the best possible way, his barberia hides in the oft unvisited but hidden gem of a barrio, Caballito.

The barbers is as much museum as it is barbers; the half of the barbers you can't see in this photo serves as a cafe, where the coffee is strong, the beer is cold and the wine is spine tinglingly awful; exactly as it should be. From the tiny piano in the back, every Friday evning, a tango show is put on for free anyone passing by and interested.

For 40$, about 11$US, you get the full shave which I swear is as close as I've been to a Zen Moment. You feel half way between the complete gentleman and the complete playboy. The wives were loving it.

The shave took about 20-25 minutes, all in. Long enough to sink into nirvana, and only a few seconds short of enough time for Señor Barnes to steal our wives.

Recommended, and warned.

Leah, Jardín

Each day, from 9.30 till 12-30, the noisiest one in the house goes to jardín, kinder, which is conveniently 10 metres from our front door. After her love affair with her previous jardín, San Benildo and her beloved Nancy, it was always going to be tricky for Construir to meet the warm, creative, groovesome standards we'd come to expect.

Well, little need to worry in Argie kinders. Leah skips out of school each day, strokes her teacher lovingly on the cheek, tells her she loves her, says ciao and proceeds to act out, sing and retell everything that has happened since morning time. A little in English, a little in Spanish, a lot in a whole new language which is kinda hope catches on, otherwise we've got some work to do.

At less than 100 quid a month, it's beyond a bargain; particularly as the original plan was 930 - 1230, but after a brief chat with Katie, they said it was fine for Leah to stay and have lunch and a siesta there too. Extra costs for the extra 2 hours? Six pesos. One British pound. Vamos.

Like her dad, the main focus of her school day is break time, when they have coffee and cake. Well, leche and a tita, milk and a biscuit. First thing we get told when she gets home? When, how, how many and what type of biscuits she had. Quite right too.

Romi, the teacher, gets a mention at least every few minutes in the afternoon, and usually gets a good night too. Her classmates are listed endless all afternoon and evening. A different bunch to my kindergarden in Girvan, all of whom were called John, I think, even the girls. Leah lists Pedro, Sofia, Lucas, Wenchi, Lorenzo - or rather Lolo - , Santi, Avril, Violeta, Carolina...

... all of whom celebrated Leah's birthday last week, as she'd 'missed' her birthday during the holidays, which provided her a wonderful opporuntity to be bossy, telling them all where to sit, how to sit, what to eat, when to eat it and how to present her with her present.

Photos above. Enjoy.