We needed Alta Gracia after the afternoon we had yesterday. The heavens opened up on us as we headed home from the food market. Water was shin deep in places as it rushed down the gutters and we were all totally soaked through by the time we got back to our hotel. Hence we spent a quiet afternoon with Paul and I lounging in our quarters while the boys watched Spanish cartoons in theirs. The food market was graphic with rows of whole pigs hanging outside butchers next to cafes where people were eating and drinking coffee as though it were perfectly normal to sit so close to a dead pig. Josh was morbidly fascinated though unimpressed when he was told that pigs are where we get bacon from. Our son may turn vegan. Anyway as I said we holed up in our hotel room until later that afternoon when the rain eventually went off and we ventured out for much needed fresh air and pizza. Today we woke to blue skies and magically the bus appeared at the station just as we wanted to catch it (this happened on our other excursion to El Volcan. It took about 40 minutes to arrive at Alta Gracia and when we did me and my camera went beserk snapping the Jesuit cathedral and picture perfect horse and carriage waiting outside it. Little girls were running around in their white communion dresses and a row of colourful market stalls completed the picture. The boys couldn´t wait to feed the ducks and geese at the nearby lake and luckily we had stashed left over croissant and rolls from brekky. I squeezed in my first spot of retail therapy by purchasing a small but colourful woven wall hanging. I have to go small because it is a mission carrying round what we already have let alone buying any of the gorgeous ceramics or ponchas. We bargained with the boys that they could have a play on the rocks by the lake if they were good boys when we carried on to visit Che Guevara´s house. They obliged and after a steep hike we arrived at Casa de Che´s. Paul and I took it in turns to wander round and look at all the photographic memorabilia while the boys played by a drain pipe. They were pretending to make long distance calls down it to their Nanas, very cute. I have seen that famous beret wearing photo of Che Guevara so many times that it was great to find out more about him and what he stood for. We caught the bus back without any drama and guess where we are heading for tea...Maccers!! x

Ps back from McDonalds and yet another healthy meal. Dan was a hit with some local girls who kept trying to get him to say hello in his accent to them. On the way there we passed by a market and managed to buy the Mama Mia DVD to watch one night when we are sick of reading our books. We also picked up another Dora the Explorer for the boys to watch on the bus to Santa Fe tomorrow. 5 and a half hours - a doddle.