Another favorite small town/city

François and I arrived two days ago in Colonia, Uruguay via Buquebus (this is the ferry that crosses the Rio de la Plata and who happened to lose our luggage) from Buenos Aires. After over a week of traveling, this is my first post...that's what I get for traveling light and leaving my computer at home. I've just downloaded the first batch of pictures and don't even know how to retrieve them on Fran's computer :(

In brief, I arrived in Buenos Aires on December 17, left for Mendoza the 20th, was back in BA on Christmas Eve afternoon and celebrated ensemble with the Alabamians (Sarah Kate, Alice and Jay) and the Parisians (Fran and Rudy). Christmas day was spent mostly barefoot on the patio-drinking rosé, sunbathing and enjoying the occassional whiff of animal dung from our 13th floor apartment that overlooks the Buenos Aires zoo and botanical gardens (the apt. was lent to the Parisian boys by their Parisian friends who went back to Paris for the holidays...it's perfectly located with great wrap-around decks, fun decor- the gal who lives their deals street art- and a great ambiance.)

That about catches us up to today. We were in Colonia del Sacramento the past two days. Rough cobblestone streets, blooming vines, baby pink and blue sunsets and a day long go-cart/scooter excursion around the outskirts and beaches of town (Fran is a better driver than me despite the fact that I used to school peeps at The Track, Gulf Shores).

Tonight we are staying at the glorious Estancia Tierra Santa in Carmelo, Uruguay. We arrived this morning bright and early and Karen Vandergrift, proprietor of the estancia, picked us up and escorted us to this amazing piece of paradise. Horses, cows, sheep, creeks, pigs, dogs, exotic birds and plants and lush greenery...and she REALLY used her background in design and textiles to make this the most comfortable, classy, down-to-earth and romantic place I've ever experienced. We have just returned from a fabulous horse ride and are genuinely enjoying Karen's company. She spends half her time with her husband in San Francisco (she's American) and half her time at this fabulous ranch she founded in 2002. Mom- you would LOVE her style.

Colonia totally captivated me and I can't wait to go back. From what I've seen of South America, I think my family would enjoy it above everwhere else I've lived/traveled.

I still don't feel like I know Buenos Aires well enough to write about it except in the bits and pieces of experiences I've had. Mendoza (wine country) was wonderful-more to come on that. I'm sad to leave Uruguay- Colonia joins my exclusive little list of favorite small towns/cities:

Beaufort, South Carolina
Bruges, Belgium
Chantilly, France
Colonia, Uruguay (topping the list in my mind right now)

Fran is BEGGING for his computer...must go...à bientôt!