Vuelta del Paraguayo

We spent the next couple of days removing the thick layer of power left from the three fire extinguishers we used to get the fire out. Since everything was a mess, I was totally ready to take out the sander and sand down the cabinets. We had been planning to brighten up the camper by painting the cabinets white and replacing the flooring and wallpaper. But starting a remodel project in the wake of fire was way more than Sam could process at the moment, so we focused on cleaning up the mess on hand..

We used a small hand broom and dustpan which seemed better than the vacuum at keeping the dust from going airborne. We then wiped everything down with dry cloths to collect remaining residue and again with a cleaning solution. After washing everything down we took the upholstery and bedding to be laundered.

On Thursday afternoon we met Mauro for ice cream which was a really nice break from thinking about the camper stuff. The last time we were in Santa Fe he ordered the most delicious ice cream from a local shop and I had been craving it while we were away. Of the four flavors he ordered my favorites where dulce de leche and vanilla with dulce de leche swirl.

Here in Argentina dulce de leche, which is like caramel, and alfajores (which contain dulce de leche :) are like culinary ambassadors. They meet you at the airport when you arrive and you see them everywhere you go. I actually first had alfajores in Chile. My friend Soledad bought us some when she heard we were on our way to Argentina. It might be the primacy bias, but I honestly prefer the ones that were made in Chile to the ones I’ve had here, but I am enjoying dulce de leche.

The highlight of our visit with Mauro this time came after the ice cream when we got to feed baby pumas! That’s right, pumas!!! Mauro is a veterinarian and works with the animal wildlife rescue team here in Argentina. Just the day before four newborn pumas had been delivered to him at his office. Unfortunately, the mother had been killed and her cubs needed special care to stay alive. They weren’t old enough to be taken to a sanctuary so Mauro would care for them for them for about a month until they could be transferred.

We were both giddy with excitement. Mauro helped to open their little mouths so we could bottle feed them. They were so cute and cuddly, but they were only still long enough to eat. When they finished we had a hard time keeping them from crawling all over us. You could tell they missed their mama, they seemed to be searching for her. They made loud squawking noises that sounded more like birds than baby cats.

After they were done eating Mauro massaged them to help them excrete waste like their mother would have. After all four cubs had been taken care of they were placed back in their small crate with a large hot water bottle wrapped in soft fur to help comfort them. It was awesome to watch the way Mauro cared for these cute little orphaned cubs with so much passion and skill.

He’s keeping them at home in his apartment where he and his partner Mariana can make sure they get all of the attention they need. It was such a joy to be able to help out a little. What a privilege to have had this rare opportunity.Read more