Walking the streets of B A by day & Tango at night
Trip Start
Jan 28, 2008
1
8
28
Trip End
Feb 08, 2008
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Where I stayed
Avenida Guatemela 5830, Palermo-Hollywood
Avenida Quatemala 5830, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Friday, February 1, 2008
Despite the amputation of one leg and one Tim Cratchet crutch for the other ankle, I soldier on as a good Canadian attempting to be on behalf of our country what Evita was to hers! -courageous... (yeah, yeah... well, at least I have photos of not only what my knee did to the stupid sidewalk but ALSO what was done to my knee by nurse Ingrid!) The Cathedral is majestic, surreal, like a mirage simmering in the afternoon heat. One feels that they can shake their head and it will return to Italy from whence it may have come centuries ago; but it doesn't - it stays and strikes awe into its surroundings.
Avenida Florida
The General on a Horse is everywhere, but particularly at the Plaza de Mayo. Later we will reflect on ghost stories we have had related about the plaza and other historical stuff not usually heard by tourists. Ingrid is now fully integrated into all aspects of BA from the dirt to the riches, from the up heaved sidewalks to the 14 lane roadways! She has fallen in love with the history and architecture. Much more to come when access is more available. On Tuesday, we will be off to Uruguay - it is booked. We have post cards but have not yet figured out how to buy postage stamps or where. It is the Argentinian way to say why snailmail when we have email_...The blog, Friday, February 1, 2008 How easy it is to write today's date and not notice that time wise,three decades have gone by for me in such a wonderful fashion, and it feels, for me, like yesterday. It must be the same here in BA. There are parts where 2008 is inscribed in glowing commercial neon or shouted out at street level in hucksterism; and, there are other parts wearing unwashed clothes, coated with a crust and dirty with grime, hiding stories of 3-500 years. There most probably has been easily a century gone by with little change in urban makeup or culture, in the scheme of everything.
Today, we return to the city center and do some shopping for Ingrid, souvenirs - including bolas, the Argentinian equivalent of a lasso (in my days, I was sure this word had two oo's on the end!), for catching calves and horses, tossing the three balls attached by long hemp-twine to each other and then observing their power to wind themselves around simple objects such as moving legs and thus pulling the animal down to the ground.
First clothes bought for Ingrid
Handcuffs 'em it does! It is interesting to read of the origin of these as reportedly they were found with the Chinese and North American Eskimos adding more to the theories of mass migration of tribes across the great divide between Russia and Alaska that was once a land mass. This is one definition and review: The bola, or boleadora is a primitive hunting tool that was originally used by the Chinese, Eskimos and South American Indians. Bolas are a throwing device made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, designed to capture animals by entangling their appendages (legs, wings). They are most famously used by the South American gauchos. Gauchos use bolas to capture running cattle or game. Depending on the exact design, the thrower grasps the bolas either by one of the weights or in the nexus of the cords. He gives the balls momentum by swinging them and then he releases the bolas. The bola is usually used to entangle the animal's legs, but if thrown with enough force, they have been known to break bones. And thus ends my sermon on these kind of things.
Leather shopping is a pure delight, even if it is only to look and touch; however we could not be here without bringing back a handbag for one of us could we? So tossing a coin, Ingrid won and I'm out of luck for this trip. A beautiful big, red, bucket, sling bag (I think that is what is calling it). Anyway, according to her it is all the rage around the world today - so why not? Due to the Tango night tonight and my swelling ankle, we take a taxi home to counter the feel-good subway experience of this mornings transportation choice.
Our souvenir of Argentina hung on wall...
Arriving at home at 3:30 with a stock of new traveler's first aid kit replenishments we change bandages, sleep (I do - and no comments on that!) while Ingrid goes across the street for groceries and then we get ready for the evening.It is now tango time -
with fives and nines,
ready for wines, dines
great cultural times
from an auld lang syne
(no, I will not remove the 'e' given me Scottish 'eritage and all that!)
We arrive by taxi a wee early, but not much. 'Tis the first time I have been met by a valet crew whose job was to park our worries, our fears, concerns and days sweat or it tears. They are not there for autos! We are greeted in English and after taking all of our emotional baggage, they steer us into a foyer of beauty. We are inside Esquina Carlos Gardel the address is 3200 Carlos Gardel. The foyer is: men, women, hunks and babes; cleavage, curves, brylcream hair and chiseled features enough to remove any healthy woman's 'thunks of faithfulness'... As an aside, after making all these arrangements for Ingrid and noting her glances at the guys, I posed the following question to her:
"What in the world would you do without me in your life?" (or something to that effect)
Without so much as a moment of thought, or a blink of a coquettish eye, she replied:
"A widow"...
Don't know why I include this little anecdote in a traveler's blog, but something tells me that she is at this moment a very relaxed traveler, quickly adjusted to her surroundings, and loving not only this city, but the vacation in full.
Windmill tower
That means a lot to me. Quick witted also this spouse of mine can be, as well as excellent company, great memory, lively conversationalist and... 'nuf said. As one of the first seated we not only have good seats, a photo-op with the tango dancer couple set up just for that purpose, but also an early start to dinner, which means not rushed, hot, with lights on and much attentive service. It also gives us the time to see the theater and take in its beauty and charm; the carvings, relief work, curtaining etc are extraordinary. The stage is center-front underpinning an enormous red silk/velvet curtain. All of this charm is deceptive in that the room is of course a commercial establishment meant to hold several hundred people on the floor and up in the balconies and loges.Soon, we are joined by a Chinese couple (from mainland China, not born in the Americas). The lady had taught Chinese in Santiago and the husband is employed in P.R. but both spoke little English - sort of the type like we English Canadian bureaucrats speak of our other language with our colleagues - enuff to get by on! But give them credit for trying and doing a bloody good job of it. Now, a British couple has arrived. She is telling us that she was recently widowed and 'teamed/bonded' in adventure and travel at age 72 with the gentleman accompanying her. They are on their way to Antarctica on a Russian ship. This was a bit of a coincidence as I had said in the first of my blogs, Ingrid's seat mate on the plane at Washington, DC was booked for the same ship.
Esquina Carlo Gardel - loge and balcony
So we tell them to say hello to him. The meal is excellent but as expected, a huge plate of Angus steaks, follows excellent hors d'oeuvres. Few patrons finish it all, and then comes a good dessert (choices) and of course wonderfully strong and tasty Argentinian espresso coffee. Before the show starts, we all agree amongst us that we probably could have shared one plate of meat instead of having four!The show commences and we are not disappointed. We succumb readily to the photo-op. purchase and also the DVD/CD story book of the show and its history. Tourists we are 100% - especially when it comes to preserving moments as I do when I blog. The photos attached to this blog give some representation but of course do not give any feel or emotion as justified by the show itself. We are very happy and glad we did not miss it. It is also a darn-sight cheaper than the Crazy Horse Saloon or Le Lido in Paris.
It is time to leave and the valet people are no longer there. There are queues of buses which, brought in some many tourists in 'packages'. Taking Ingrid by the hand, and knowing how I have done it on Broadway in New York, we walk behind the buses and up towards the oncoming traffic behind the theater and sure enough here come the taxis with vacant signs beckoning us. Once inside, we can see the rest of the taxis coming forth and all of the exiting patrons frozen at the door as if surrounded by circling vultures. There is probably one taxi for every dozen pillars of salt at that moment. We are happy to be so quickly in ours. Now, we think that the next 30 minutes will be just sitting back and recalling the show; not so! The driver takes us through the nightlife district, where we roll down our windows and let the warm evening air bring in the music and dancing from every doorway and square. The sounds are of merriment, laughter, clinking of glasses and exclamations of joy as one person turns a walk into a pirouette and becomes a dancer to the sounds either within him/her or without. The trip home takes about 20 minutes, but to us it seems like all night... and that is the memory we sleep on chez nous. Buenas Noches.
Comments
John Anderton is lost
Hi John,
I hope you are not confused anymore. I set up a few model pages before I left to make sure I knew how to use the site before I got into the internet cafeś and didnt have the same luxury of time and famliarity with keyboards etc. What happened is the date of entry of the first entries and those of the subsequent ones once we had entered Argentina, did not jibe. I have corrected all those now, I hope. If not, I will adjust as I go. Needless to say, our itinerary commencing Jan 28 is B.A., Iquazu Falls, Montevideo and then Santiago. We return on Feb 15th. That should help readers orient themselves.
Location, location,location
Thanks for setting me straight Graeme. It sounds as if you are having a great holiday. I am impressed with this Travel Blog. The pictures are excellent. Have you tried the 'magnificas papas fritas', the best french fries in the world? B.A. was noted for them in the 80s when I was there on business. In fact there was a restaurant called 'Las Magnificas Papas Fritas'. Is it still there?
Keep on tracking and stay safe.
John
Papa Fritas
Hi John, not only did we try the Papa Fritas but we had them served with a llama steak ! The food in this country is VERY impressive.