The last two weeks of August flew by.
After saying goodbye to my American friends and skiing the magnificent, white Andes Mountains, I realized my last month here in Buenos Aires would not be enough time to experience ALL the city has to offer…..but being a go-getter and overachiever, I am going to try!!!!
I found out the last opera in Teatro Colon during my stay was the first day back at work after the holiday weekend….Teatro Colon is one of the top 5 Opera houses in the world. It was renovated for the Bicentenniel and now daily tours are not given. The only way to see the inside of this grand theatre is to BUY a ticket for a show. I can’t believe my luck! I scored a standing ticket on the 4th floor balcony (I think there are 9 floors or more). Opera Manon was in French with Spanish subtitles. Great cultural experience….don’t think I will ever go to an opera again. Check- did that.
Muchas Gracias to “Tango Festival y Mundial” for my very first Tango lesson. I went to the beginner’s class one evening after work and Instructor Juan noticed how fast I picked up the basic 8 step. He pulled me aside for a private lesson, and with my dance background I learned some awesome, seductive Tango footwork in less than an hour. A TV station was there, too, filming the event and they asked me to dance in the background with Juan while they interviewed some people. Then some photographers took staged pictures of our Tango stance….I absolutely felt like a Tango professional with all this attention!
During the week, I explored the neighborhood of Puerto Madero, which has recently been reconstructed by the government to transform the area into a nicer, more upscale neighborhood- top notch, expensive restaurants, wide sidewalks following the river and “Puente de la Mujer” (Women’s Bridge), which represents the position of tango partners, how culturally appropriate. I also gave the new German group a tour of the antique town, San Telmo. Literally, it is filled with antique shops and impressive, old convents, as well as some great torta/panaderia/confiteria stores.
On Friday we had a welcoming lunch for the Germans, and in my 7 hour work day, 5 hours was spent eating!!!! It was “La Parrilla” style and we made choripan (sausage) and lomo (steak) sandwiches with various chimichurri sauces. I wonder what my boss in the USA thinks about these 5 -hour Friday lunches with staff bonding, paid and on the clock?
I was invited back by Juan for another Tango lesson and photoshoot. This time I wore black heels, a flowy tango skirt, red lipstick and I braided my hair. (I’m sure this was on my secret to-do-list….become a Tango Diva!) I arrived early to watch some tango couples just dancing milonga (tango club style) and it’s actually quite boring. The movements are slow and small, and you have to keep your body stiff as a board. I much rather the flashy, sexy style of salsa, merengue and bachata….sharp turns, shimmie the shoulders and shake the hips! Not to mention, lively music! But I enjoyed the three hours…..learning more advanced footwork and photographers taking close-ups of my feet and face. I wish I had some non-professional pics of my own, but I didn’t bring any personal items since there was nowhere to keep a purse and you can’t dance with one.
Super excited I got a ticket to see some of the Tango Semi-Finals!!!!! I stayed for 3 hours before a half day at work. It was stage-style so the couples were allowed to kick it up 1,000 notches and do flips. This is the kind of the Tango that is impressive and is well-known around the world for being the Argentine “thing”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnTNK51HMg0
(Side Note: Tango actually began near La Boca area in the whorehouses. While the men waited for the limited number of mistresses, this style of dancing began as entertainment. The music was a mix of cultures as the musicians were from all over Europe. It was first frowned upon as low class style of dancing, but when it gained popularity in Europe it became more socially acceptable in Buenos Aires.)
A new German intern also arrived this week, Julia. The city welcomed her with a subte strike, but at least it was announced in the newspaper that morning. After work we walked to the new movie theatre in Puerto Madero and saw “Mi Villano Favorita” (My Favorite Villan) in Spanish for $4.50 and I took her to Juana M for some world- class $9 filet mignon! I could eat at this place every week! We also checked out ALL the parks of Recoleta (which is the scenary that gave Buenos Aires the name “Paris of the South” with its wide avenues, plazas, statues and parks). There were a lot of exercising groups with their mats & weights, running obstacle courses and doing tae-bo. I probably need to do the same because we discovered dulce de leche ice cream with brownie chunks at Freddo....and the service lady asked me if I wanted dulce de leche salsa on top. Death by dulce de leche!
This week I also checked off the remaining parts of the city that I had yet to explore….Palermo Chico (some parks), Retiro (business and financial district with impressive sky rise buildings) and Facultad de Medicina (subte stop on way home with massive well-known university buildings).
By the end of August I felt peaceful. I know the city without a map and I can give a tour, with detailed history background, to any tourist or friend visiting. I have also accomplished every cultural activity on my list. Now I can just coast through the rest of my stay enjoying cafes, restaurants, theatres and evening walks for the 7th time through the same plaza….like a Buenos Aires resident, not a tourist.
No comments:
Post a Comment