Travel

Buenos Aires means Tango and Tango means Hot Shoes. We did tango right with lessons from experts and bought handmade shoes from a little shop around the corner from our dance studio. We started the day with a city tour led by Jessica, a young woman from New Jersey who's lived here for about five years.

After a week of eating great food, today we got a chance to help make South American recipes. Hugo from Malbec Symphony, a tour company in Mendoza, picked us up for the trip out to Familia Zuccardi. We were greeted by Natalia and given coffee to drink under the grape arbor. Gaston, our chef and instructor for the day met us at a table under the trees.

In travel as in life, being flexible makes things easier. This morning we arrived at Renacer Winery for a 10:00 tour and tasting only to be told we hadn't been expected. We had made our reservation with the owner who apparently hadn't communicated to the staff. After some negotiation we decided to return at 4:00 in the afternoon when the owner was there.

Mark said yesterday that we're on a winecation and he's right. We've soaked up a lot of great vino. And we had more on the schedule for today. Christian The Van Man picked us up at 9:00 this morning for a trip to the Casablanca Valley, just 45 minutes out of Santiago.

It pays to be in the right place at the right time and we were this morning. Up early for a walk, we headed for Cerro Santa Lucia, a hill in the middle of the city with great views. Looking for a gate in, we met a young woman who told us in excellent English that the park doesn't open until 9:00. She was a choreographer on her way to film a commercial and suggested we follow her in. We slipped through the gate with our native guide and left her with the film crew while we walked through the park and viewed the city from above.

Our trip to Sicily began on the east side of the island in Syracuse, a city with deep Greek roots. We visited the Greek theater and the Archimedes museum. The Romans built on and over the Greek ruins they found. Then came the Arabs and Normans. Sicily is a wonderful blend of cultures left behind and stunning mountain and seascapes. From Taormina we had close up views of Mt Etna and in Monreale we visited an 11th century church and cloisters.

We love winter weather, but it does add greater challenge to our ability to pack light. Summer clothes do tend to be lighter, but never fear.

Ever since my husband, Lynn, retired, he has talked about us sailing around the world. I've managed to put it off for a variety of reasons: I get seasick, it would take too long, I get seasick, it would cost too much. Oh, and did I mention that I get seasick?

Tucked under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, at 279 Water Street, is a small red brick building that has been sitting there since 1794. The oldest serving tavern in New York City, it's been a food and beer shop, a restaurant, a pirate bar and a brothel. It hasn't been a brothel for a while now. In 1979, a young couple purchased the building, remodeled the space and opened the Bridge Café.