A Sunday

• I think Jake's really on to something with this whole relaxing weekend thing...we really didn't do much this weekend, and it was wonderful!  Lots of sleep, lounging, eating, movie watching...realizing that life will not always be like this, we better enjoy it now!
• last night went to River Plate vs. Huracan futbol game with a friend
• we had been warned a bit about what to expect...crowds, rowdy fans, no booze sold in the stadium, etc.  so we weren't too surprised to go through three sets of security, only one of which checking bags and doing pat downs

• above you can see men to the left, women (and their purses) to the right.  Female security guards were in charge of checking the women...probably a good idea

• final check before entering the stadium

• the stadium is nothing fancy...a lot of concrete and barbed wire.  our seats were decent, we were fully covered by the overhang which was good with those rain clouds hovering...
• I wouldn't recommend using the bathrooms here as they look worse than what one might see in a prison...and BYOTP

• game on! not a lot of action in the first half...

• ...but some excitement in the second with TWO goals and TWO red cards, allowing the home team to come out with a victory!  HOORAY! no rioting in the streets

• the above video gives you an idea of the chanting fans

• we made the amateur move to leave our seats with about a minute left to "beat the crowd" well, we ended up joining the crowd as the opposing team's fans were escorted from the stadium by security guards while the rest of us had to wait

• this is us waiting...the guys to our left were smoking marijuana, which made for an interesting 30+ minute wait....standing like sardines...hoping to not get trampled.  great first futbol experience!
• the stadium is located very close to Chinatown, so we headed there after to grab some noodles and beer and wait for the buses to become less crowded

• today we overslept and missed church, ate french toast for breakfast, did a little cleaning then walked around the neighborhood in search of a cafe to do some reading and schoolwork (finally off my antibiotic = coffee back in my life!)
• Found a super cute place on the corner of Cabello and the zoo, Flor de un Dia...vintagey/organicy type of place.  And you should check out these lattes:

report cards and HUGE mug of latte!

like the antiquey plates

• biggest mugs seen yet in this city! (although did not come with complimentary water and cookie...)
• while sitting and planning, a couple of women walked by and were kind of standing around our table behind me.  My school bag containing my freshly refilled wallet and new camera, was hanging on the back of my chair (*keep in mind I ALWAYS keep my purse around my arm and on my lap when at restaurants especially in touristy areas because we have been warned! but this neighborhood was so quiet and there really weren't many people out...and it was "safely" between me and the wall...I thought it would be fine)
• ANYWAY...I felt the bag brush my arm, I turned around, and one of the ladies was holding my bag, I took it back from her, she said something in Spanish, then casually walked away.
• I looked at Jake...he looked back...and I said, "That was weird...I think she was trying to steal my bag."  Jake didn't hear what she said...and we watched them slowly walk away...was very confused, thinking at first she was trying to take our table or something...? I don't know...all very strange
• my bag is safe and sound...moral of the story: ALWAYS BE EN GARDE!