The last few days have held all sorts of new adventures here in the south...

I reluctantly wrapped up my time in Paraguay by spending some epic last days with friends, going out with Riki and Anja, hanging out at the janz house, even going to the school to help wrap grad presents that Riki had to distribute.
Anthony arrived to join the adventures for a wee bit before Christmas, so Riki welcomed him to Asuncion by taking us to a churresqueria, a brazilian-style buffet where servers frequent your table with skewers of freshly barbequed meat. Very manly.
We got home late and laden with food, only to awake at 4:30am to leave for the world-famous Iguacu falls, picking up friends Mark and Fransisco on the way. The trip took us a little longer then usual as we had to pass through a village that was the destination for an annual pilgrimage people take to pay off their sins, or to settle a deal they've made with the Big Guy. This involves mass amounts of pedestrian traffic on the highway, and a town absolutely congested with weary pilgrims getting their consciences cleared for the coming year- an interesting sight, to say the least. Fransisco must've been thinking about this when we left him in the car sleeping while we bought groceries, and Riki received a text in the supermarket from him saying "the rapture has happened, and i've been left behind...". Fransisco didn't seem too worried though, as we headed back to the car to find him engrossed in his video game.
It was a thrill to cross the border, not just because it meant we were entering Brazil, but also because we were there illegally. How risque...! We headed to the falls after our picnic lunch and proceeded to enjoy the falls (obviously), and all their surrounding jungle, complete with large wandering lizards who nearly licked my ankle with their flickering tongues, odd-looking little creatures (lemurs perhaps?) with a raccoon tail and almost piglike snout, and beautiful butterflies. The Brazilian side of the falls has a beautiful walk along the falls, which ends in a platform where you can stand right on top of the rushing water as it falls probably 20 or so metres beneath you. Being in the middle of the water's power, getting soaked in the mists rising from the furious movement, makes a person feel alive!
After enjoying the falls, we thought we'd make good time home, until the car broke down in Ciudad del Este. But help arrives from unexpected places (cheers, God) and it turned out that Riki's cousin who lived near was a mechanic and he came down to help us out of our tight spot. i love the feeling of being looked after no matter where I end up in the world...
Yesterday and today was spent in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires. It's a very european city, with pedestrian streets and gorgeous old architecture. At night, the buildings are lit up and the streets come alive with live music and evening markets. We even managed to find some political all-female reggae tunes and protests on our wanderings.
This evening brings us to the airport in Lima, where we wait on a looong layover for a flight to Cuzco, Peru, the point where we embark on our trek to Machu Picchu. The adventures continue...
In the midst of all these new thrills, sad news from home weighs on my heart. My mom's mom, the amazing and wonderful lady Irene Block, has been wrestling cancer for a few years but has recently taken a turn for the worse, and is in palliative care at the hospital. No one can know exactly how much time she has left, but the doctors say it's a matter of days. If you believe in prayer, perhaps even if you don't, please take a minute to send up a word for her and my grandpa.
When asked about my brother and I out of the country at such a crucial time, she informed my mom that rather than coming home, she wanted us to remember us as a grandma who encouraged her grandkids to pursue their dreams and passions. This is only one example of what makes her such a remarkable woman...
So Grandma, this trip to Peru is dedicated to you, and when I reach Machu Picchu it will be in honour of the many things you have taught me, the least of which being to live abundantly and pursue dreams. I love you.