Overfamiliar

The English football players are known throughout the world but the overuse of their first names by Argentine commentators (along with the excessive rolling of the letter "r") is a constant source of mirth: Wayne, David, Frrrrrankie - goooooooool. Gooooool por Ingleterrrrrrrra...

Las Islas Malvinas

It is not difficult to notice references to the war of 27 years ago: there are monuments, maps and references and at the border crossing where we came (back) in after Torres del Paine, there was a bloody great sign proclaiming the providence of the islands. I have been expecting that first discussion on the subject and it occurred last night at the home of one of Jun´s teachers. We were invited for a barbecue, which the weather prevented, but made do with beer, pizza, dancing and karaoke instead. In addition, I spoke more Spanish than I had to this point: the five young men present decided that they wanted to know my opinions on all manner of things and unlike our PM - coincidentally on the same day - I was happy to do what the UN says and discuss the issue.

My basic argument was twofold: though I do not care who has soveregnity over the Falkland Islands, the Argentine claim is not based in history or international law (the French, Brits and Spanish named, renamed and colonised them before Argentina even existed as an independent country) but more importantly, any decision about their "possession" should be decided by the people who live there rather than by a war. I also explained how the war had made Thatcher much more popular and allowed her to wreak the havoc on my country which ensued.
As well as asking whether I knew anyone who had died in the war (the south of the country seems to have sent the most soldiers to their deaths), the youngest of the boys opined that he cared not much for the Malvinas but that he was more concerned about the Argentine claim on Antarctica (the British Antarctic Territory overlaps with Argentine and Chilean claims on the continent).

Schadenfreude

There are upsides to the ongoing economic crisis: consumption is down in the richest countries, capital will be regulated, China is calling for an international reseve currency to replace the dollar, to name a few. However, it is the outrage directed against the greedy former “Masters of the Universe” which drew a laugh from me this morning.

Stray Cats

We haven`t agreed a name for our latest acquisition yet, but he has been washed, given milk and cat food, fed good quality red meat (hope it doesn`t give cats cancer too) and seems to have adopted our cabaña as a home.

Update: we chose "Van Gogh" in homage to his damaged ears and the Spanish band we are listening to.

Propiedad Privada

Bariloche´s lake (Nahuel Huapi) has "beaches" but as we found out Sunday, access is not always that easy. We walked for more than two kilometres before finding a road that led to a track between two large properties which was an unmarked route to the lake.
Though I was fuming at the time, when we walked a few km further on the road we saw signs of resistance to this, including a meeting that had taken place the previous day, citing the Argentine Constitution.
It does not seem a uniquely Argentine problem if our experience outside Santiago, Chile is anything to judge by. Sometimes we in Britain don`t realise how successful our efforts have been (New Labour defended the right to roam (just not for Iraqis)).

Cervezas Artesanales

I have been able to try beer from five different local breweries here in Bariloche and there are a few I have yet to partake of. Had Yeska in bottles from the supermarket, have been to the Antares bar and tried small glasses of each of their 8 beers (mine´s the Imperial Stout), tried a Diuka stout in a "natural comida" restaurant visited the Linea Sur microbrewery last night and popped into the Blest cevezeria today, though Jun suffered from her (less than) half a frambuesa.

Meanwhile, WFC conceded another after-hours penalty at Cardiff on Wednesday and went down 2-1 but got a point at Ipswich yesterday in a goalless draw. Still 16th, which I´ll drink to.

90 + 7

In our recent season in the Premiership, Watford conceded the latest goal of the entire season (96th minute) in their away game at Bolton to lose the match. Today, the ref has gone a minute better and Sheffield Wednesday have equalised at the Vic three minutes from the ton. What with the phantom goal against Reading, surely the Horns have a claim to be the unluckiest side in the land?
The younger Watford Boy - and doubtless thousands others - saw it differently. His text, which was as succinct as ever, in its entirety: "2-2 ref not fit 2 ref". Anyway, Derby lost 4-2 so we moved up a place in the table on goal difference. It`s not all bad...

Two more steps...

No text from the younger Watford Boy to let me know last night so I checked the BBC today to see we had got another three home points in our relegation clash with Forest. Tanas Priskin and Grzegorz Rasiak again did the business and, unlike last season, it is the home record this year that is so much better than the teams around us. 2-1 and another place up in the table.

Two steps forward...

Joss texted me to let me know the Horns had triumphed at the Valley. After Don Cowie had got his second goal for WFC, Charlton scored twice to be ahead at the break but second half goals from Grzegorz Rasiak and Tamas Priskin must give us confidence for the home game against Notts Forest.

Bariloche

Yesterday we went looking for a short-term let (33 days) in Bariloche, in Argentina´s Lake District, where Jun will take formal Spanish lessons and I will study less formally (at first at least). We found a beautiful little place with a view of the lake (Lago Nahuel Huapi) and are paying the equivalent of half of a hotel´s price. The town (of 100,000 or so) is managable and we went to a cool bar last night called "The Map Room", with loads of framed maps (go figure) on the wall. It was an eclectic selection that deserves further perusal. There are also a healthy number of microbreweries in town that merit taste-testing. Finally, I hope to do some paragliding if the cost is not prohibitive.
On England´s south coast, Watford lost 2-1 at Plymouth (Tommy Smith scored again) and despite their recent run, will drop back to nineteenth as Argyle and Nottingham Forest rise above them (though each has played two more games). We go to bottom club Charlton on Saturday (who lost at home to Doncaster today, how times have changed) and host Forest a week today. Seems there is plenty of opportunity for teams to save themselves, though the Addicks seem doomed, nine points off second-bottom and eleven from safety.