the singapore river

The Singapore River, like many cosmopolitan rivers, is lined with fancy cafes, bars, and restaurants. Mid-day is not a popular time for boat tours, since it is so hot. The boat in this photo is only carrying half-a-dozen passengers.



This is Robertson Quay, sandwiched between the Vegas-like Clarke Quay (where I had my first Singapore Sling when I was 19 years old) and Boat Quay.

dried up

After 13 hours on the bus, I took another 2-hour trip to Tupungato, where I got stranded for the night after spending hours wandering and waiting in vain. It was an extremely frustrating experience. Phones weren't working, taxis weren't working, what a mess. It is also not a good idea to arrive in a small town during siesta time. Even the river in town didn't work.



It wasn't the 30th birthday I'd been hoping for. Instead of being on this beautiful Andean ranch under the stars, I spent the night in Tupungato, a town of about 37,500 people. When I went out for dinner at 10 pm, everyone in town seemed to be outside along the main commercial street, chilling or strolling or playing in the park. It was very beautiful. Everyone knew each other. I've never really been in a place like that.

And so, unexpectedly, my wish to spend my 30th birthday in a place I'd never heard of before was granted.

Tigre IV

Here are the municipal boats loading and unloading passengers at the main dock. Another vertical shot, oh my! I was shooting pretty much directly into the sun but I like the shadows you get as a result.



I like all the schoolkids getting off the boats. Boats are fascinating to someone like me from the midwest, where we actually did have a boat. It was a sailboat that was hoisted up in the garage for about twenty years until one day it mysteriously disappeared.

Tigre III

More on Tigre! I loved it. (Also, I have been sick---so no new photos.)

These are the municipal boats that you take from island to island in Tigre. When we got there we asked for a map to find our hotel, but (road) maps were hard to come by---and useless.



I love places with interesting transit.

house under glass

Yes, Papa! The glass house of Sarmiento is so strange. I thought it was some kind of architectural stunt. But it is simply the house of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, who was the president or Argentina from 1868-1874.

Tigre I

Where did I take the train on Tuesday? To Tigre! That's the Tigre Delta region, just about 25 miles from Buenos Aires. The train takes less than an hour from downtown and costs about a quarter. It is such a cool place, so different from the city. The region is made up of a network of connected rivers and such. You take boats to get around.

Hudson River Parkway