Arrived safely in Salvador....

Give a "hug"....

A church in Speke (based in its own cafe) gives people "hugs" (personally and prayerfully knitted scarfs wrapped in a clear bag) complete with a personal dedicated card from the knitter. They're (freely) given out to anyone deemed to be in need of a "hug". Know someone who is "down", bereaved, recently divorced or having a hard time? Give 'em a "hug"... Just imagine how many "hugs" our local knitters could produce.....!

CORDOBA - clever, cultured and cold....!

Travelling from the lush tropical rainforest of Iguazu to Argentina's second city, Cordoba, came as something of a shock! Firstly, there were all the usual trappings of a city - traffic, buildings, people, hustle and bustle. (The very comfortable but "simple" hotel was also a bit of a come down! Indeed, intermittent wifi has made sending blogs a challenge but, here we are...!) Although a travel cliche, Cordoba really is a fascinating mix of old and new... 17th century ecclesiastical buildings stand next to the latest shopping centres. CLEVER: Indeed, this city boasts a long established academic foundation: Manzana Jesuitica, Argentina's first university (so it claims!). The next door academic establishment, Colegio Nacional de Montserrat, with its baroque exterior walls, may be as old - it all depends on whether you consider the date building began or charters were established! Visiting the university's oldest library and being shown a 17th century bible...

Snakes, beavers and penguins...

Ushuaia boasts some vast areas of unspoilt national park and, having taken the ( very touristy!) "Fin del Mundo / End of the World" railway into the park, I began to explore the small section of the 630 square kilometre park open to the public.... Scenic hikes along the bays and rivers enables one to glimpse something of the prolific birdlife - condors, cormorants, gulls, terns, kelp geese, grebes and oystercatchers... ( I remembered our dear bird-watcher and past Church Warden, Dilwyn, as I peered out on the range of feathered creatures. He would have loved the display!) Our guide spoke of the fact that Tierra del Fuego, being an island, has no snakes - there weren't any in this part of Argentina and they were never introduced! Tramping through the course mix of shrubs and fallen logs, I can't say that I was disappointed to discover that I couldn't be bitten by any poisonous reptiles.....! The guide later spoke of some of the earlier settlers ( remember this...

Church - community links in UK, Brazil and Argentina

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