I’ve been couch surfing in Buenos Aires for more than two weeks now, and have surfed with four great hosts. It’s been wonderful but I do miss having my own space. I start my journey down to Antarctica next Monday so I decided to splurge on a budget hotel in Retiro, close to leafy Plaza San Martin (which incidentally seems to attract smoochy couples and hippie sun worshipers alike).
At sunset, I caught this street performer as he prepared for a night’s work. The blank look is a tad scary.
My hotel room’s pretty basic, but has a sweet balcony that extends out over the street. It gets pretty noisy though as the buses run all night. Good thing I sleep like a log.
Esther, Adriana’s mother, made a short trip into Buenos Aires yesterday. I hung around to have a delicious home-cooked lunch and catch-up session. Poor Ivan, we had to interrupt his gaming session so Esther could see the photos I took of her last time.
Pedro and Ivan are two brothers at contradictory ends of the personality scale. It’s an interesting dynamic to photograph.
It’s tiring doing nothing… time for a nap.
Saw this professional dog walker as I was leaving. Buenos Aires is full of dog owners who are too busy to walk their pets.
Adriana introduced me to electronic tango in my first week in BA, and Tanghetto is probably the best know group on the scene. They played live at La Garufa Wednesday night, and entry was only P$20. The venue was packed out and the dancing was beyond awesome.
I’m going to invest in a pair of tango shoes so I can take classes in Sydney.
Here’s a video of another live Tanghetto gig, there was a similar tango performance on the night.
It was a beautiful cloudless day on Wednesday. I had been pining for some sun so I could take a day trip to Tigre, a holiday town a hour north of Buenos Aires City. Tigre sits on the edge of the Panará Delta, and is technically an island surrounded by a network of streams.
I caught the train from Retiro station and sat next to Cesar, a lovely gentleman on his way to play tennis in the suburbs. He spoke no English, but explained things in different ways until we hit upon a word I understood. Good thing Spanish is so close to English.
Cesar has been a pediatrician (médico, poco niño) for forty years (cuarenta año), has been married (matrimonio) for forty-five (cuarenta y cinco), to one wife only (uno esposa). One of his best friends (gran amigo) is Chinese (chino) and lives (vivir) in San Telmo. He told me not to spend the night (no noche) in Tigre, but to return (regreso) by six (seis). I explained via diagram that I was in Buenos Aires alone (solo) and will be going to Antarctica; he said I was brave (valiante).
Tigre was suitably touristy, complete with palm trees, manicured lawns, a giant McDonalds and even an amusement park. Yawn. The shadies were out and about too, so I decided (after an awesome sirloin) to catch a communter boat to Tres Boca, a watery neighbourhood on stilts.
In Tres Boca, similar to Buenos Aires City, it’s easy to find yourself in swanky country club territory in one moment, then shanty-town the next. The streams serve as streets, and every property has a dock and row boat.
I photographed my host Cosima on Tuesday at her tango class. The girl shines when she’s dancing, it’s wonderful to see such passion at work.
Also met up with lovely Virginia, a friend of a friend from home. She took me to Gibraltar in San Telmo, where I had my first Thai meal in a long time. Wasn’t great by Sydney standards, but was so satisfying nevertheless.
The storms in Buenos Aires were really peeving me off a few days ago, as they were keeping me housebound. It was impossible to go anywhere as the rains seemed to go in all directions, including bottom-up. The street had become mini rivers.
These were taken on Monday. I ventured out to explore the Recoleta barrio, but only made it around the block. I had an umbrella but in half an hour I was entirely soaked, even my hair was wet. I took a bland photo of the first oldish looking monument I came across and hightailed it back to the apartment.
I stopped for some groceries on the way back. Funny how in the span of ten minutes I managed to find two subjects with completely opposite reactions to my camera. One couldn’t shyer, and the other was Paris Hilton.
On Sunday night I experienced two very different worlds of Tango. I went to a community-run class with Adriana, where the levels run from beginners to lower intermediate. It’s common to see beginners practicing their seven-step basics solo in the corner. I practiced with Javier, who is the proud father of baby Manuel. He and Julietta were passing Manuel between them as they learned.
At the end of the class, the teacher asked the best couples to step into the middle and show everyone what they have learnt.
I then met with my new hosts, Charles and Cosima, who have a pad in swanky Recoleta, and a very comfy couch. They’re from America and Germany respectively, but are both in Buenos Aires to learn Spanish and tango intensively.
They took me to a milonga at La Loca, and it was incredible. This is where the tango teachers and competitive professionals from all over the world gather. One wouldn’t step out onto the floor unless one was very very good. Lucky for me, there was a special performance. I didn’t think tango was a acrobatic dance, but all the lifts and holds convinced me otherwise.
The crowd then relocated to dimly-lit La Viruta, where the dancing will continue until sunrise at least.
I met Pablo a few days ago in San Telmo. He runs a convenience store a block from Chris’s place, and I was trying to get change for a P$100 note. He couldn’t help me, but we started a vigorous gesticulating chat anyway. Pablo is a practicing tai-chi master, knows Chinese calligraphy, and teaches on the weekends.
Saturday morning saw me waking early with Fixie, Adriana’s cat, and making my way across town to Pablo’s class. Despite being half an hour late (I still haven’t gotten a handle on how long public transport takes), I was welcomed much more warmly than I expected. Seemed like Pablo had visited my website and told everyone about me already. I love it when my subjects are excited about getting their photos taken, means there’s already a good energy about, and makes less work on my part. I got some good shots and it was all hugs and kisses as we parted. What a lovely group of people.
I had lomo (sirloin steak) with Roquefort sauce for lunch, it was the cheesiest meat I’ve ever had. Great at first, but way too heavy towards the end. It took me close to two hours to get back to Adriana’s after, mainly because it started pouring, and semi-because I took the first transfer in the opposite direction
When the rains finally stopped, Adriana and I took a late night drive to a local ice-creamery. Argentines run on a very late schedule - the place was packed at 2am! Even children and mothers with prams were out full force.
It’s been bucketing down the in Buenos Aires last few days, causing flash floods and evacuation of more than 2000 people across the province. In some barrios (neighbourhoods) the electricity was cut for safety, which meant no subte (subway) services or street lights. People wade through chest high water, vehicles including ambulances have been submerged, and a new business of boat rentals to access the streets have popped up overnight. Argentines are so resourceful.
I’m lucky as Adriana’s building rests on high ground, but my activities have been somewhat limited in the last few days, as everytime I venture out I inevitably get soaked. Public transport is a nightmare in this weather, as bondis (buses) are either packed or delayed, and the subte service could be cut with no notice. Taxis are burning a hole in my pocket.
Friday was the first day of rain. I wanted to cook a nice Chinese lunch for the gang, so made a trip to BA’s tiny Chinatown for some very very overpriced stock. The bondi driver was nice on the way back. There are no photos of the finished meal here, as I’m a terrible cook and is a shame to my ancestry. I managed to ruin fried rice.
Then the rains came, so I spent the afternoon nana-napping and staring out the window. Was very relaxing.
San Telmo’s cobbled streets are crammed full of artisan stalls and antique shops. There are piles and piles of goodies to treasure hunt in, and every doorway seems to lead to a new maze of shops.
My camera has been snapping overtime, so I’ll let the photos do the talking
This is Chris, an eloquent young man from Portland, and my gracious host for the past two nights. Didn’t see much of him as my sleeping pattern is pretty much the reverse of his. I’ve been invited back to Adriana’s for tonight, as Chris’s water heater is broken. I’m a hot shower kind of girl. Oh, and that’s the view from the apartment window :/, I guess that’s the price you pay for such a central pad.
P.S. I got pick-pocketed today Guess I was asking for it, walking around with my backpack on my back like a silly tourist. They took my wallet, which had about P$150 (AU$50), a cute photo of my little sister, and some receipts. I had my bank cards in a separate pocket, thank goodness.
Guess I was asking for it, walking around with my backpack on my back like a silly tourist. They took my wallet, which had about P$150 (AU$50), a cute photo of my little sister, and some receipts. I had my bank cards in a separate pocket, thank goodness.