Sunday 3rd May

Today is Evelina's birthday. I finally figure that's what the party is for! So glad I found out so I can get her something. Would be embarrassing to turn up with nothing. We have a slow start, then head off to do some shopping. I have a few ideas. We stop at a small department store. It opens into the street from the home decor section. We see a few things we like, but we keep going. You never know what you might find. We stop in a few book stores, but it appears greeting cards do not exists here. Interesting. What do ppl write their messages on/in?? We look around the mall but it's pretty tricky. We get a small something, eat some ice cream and then head back to the department store. I was going to buy fresh flowers, but there are some lovely plastic flowers, so we get some of them and a large beautiful hour-glass with red sand. Malcolm also chooses some chocolates to leave at the apartment for Matias.
We head back and I shower, do some final cleaning and pack up. Then back towards the shops to catch the minibus to Adrogue where Evelina will pick us up. It's a bit of a mission figuring which bus as the man doesn't speak English, but we get there. At one set of lights there is a man spinning and balancing a ball and a few things on a unicycle. He drops his ball and has to get down. We arrive, wait by a park; and it's cold! Ppl line up for the bus. Very orderly- we don't realise, but where we are waiting is part of the line. We figure it out once the bus comes. It's kind of funny. We are wiser before the next bus! Evelina and Matias pick us up and we go to where she is having her party- in a gated, guarded communities' shared/general area that can be booked out. Eve's sisters boyfriend owns a section here. It's a large room with table and chairs and kitchen attached. There is a pool outside. It is very cold, only about 8-9 °C. It's a pizza party. We meet family and friends. It seems the norm is meet and greet with a kiss/hug combo that is used for each greeting and leaving! Evelina's brother had surprised her with a performer/show. It looks like everyone enjoys: it's loud and in Spanish!
It's after midnight when we get into bed.