BOCA Juniors, one of the two major soccer teams in Buenos Aires, has its home in the poor barrio of Boca in the south of the city, and Rio de Plata team (RIVER) carrying a subtitle of 'los Millionarios' obviously has its home in a wealthier neighbourhood, Barrio Norte near Recoleta and Palermo.
It goes without saying, that they are arc enemies, Portenas are born with DNA and Genes, that either turn them into a fanatical follower of one or the other team. Whenever those two teams play each other, war is declared in the city, and it is not safe to wear anything that resembles the team colours of one or the other team.
The 'final', i.e. Superclassico, was held in Mendoza this past 'Finde' - Argentinian for Fin de Semana, or weekend. Only four trouble makers were detained pre-game, and are spending game time behind bars, for causing major disturbances during ticket sales a couple of days ahead. Line ups for tickets stretched for miles, police in riot gear and mounted on horseback kept access to the 'boleterias', ticket windows, strictly under control.
These ticket windows are made to withstand riot attacks. They are small one foot square holes in a thick wall, barred of course, and at about 1.70 height - small people cannot even look inside. Money and tickets are exchanged through these little 'slots', like openings for guns in a bunker.
And now: the Big Pelota (fight) is over, Boca not only won by her one and only goal of the game, but the fans are making sure, that River 'feels the pain of defeat'. At game's end, Boca fans brought out wreaths, waved black flags, lit thousands of candles inside the stadium....River is dead, at least until next year's Superclassico'. Fears of past game violence, especially after fans clobbered another fan of opposing team whilst he was laying in a hospital bed, recovering from yet another fan war.
Ah, for the Beautiful Game:
Two chickens dressed in River team colours, armed with guns: How could River ever dream of intimidating the Great Boca Juniors... they could not even frighten a grown up chicken!
Only one goal (one should have to listen at least once, when the crowd breaks out in a long drawn out shout of GOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!) scored by Monche, and co-celebrated by Blandt....
A Boca player (in blue and yellow) and a River Player (in red diagonal stripe) in mid-game...
The only line ups that out-do the length and duration of Soccer Game ticket line ups, are right now the SUBE (Public transport) pass queues. No fan violence either, nor riot police. They are all over town, several blocks long, people standing in heat and lately rain, waiting up between 5-10 hours, to apply for the little card, which I managed to obtain without any trouble beginning of December. The onslaught of applicants is now so massive, that during the first day the line ups were several blocks long. And the limited application offices closed at 4 p.m. - the SUBE employees decided to quit and go home leaving hundreds of applicants standing empty handed after their long hours of waiting.
The queues continue and multiply, and now there are little 'temporary offices' with laptop equipped tables under 'SUBE' umbrellas in the most odd places, in large SUBE buses parked on Plaza de Mayo, in 'El Shopping' malls with little SUBE outlets, to meet the overwhelming demand. The lines are just as long there as before, but at least now the 'offices' are open until 8 p.m. People look as if they won the lottery, once they walk off with their newly aquired SUBE pass.
Why the sudden drive and rush for these - rather convenient - passes?
The Government advised, that bus fares and commuter train fares (which will accept these re-loadable SUBE passes) are rising on the 1. Feb for anyone using cash instead of one of those electronic passes. By how much the price goes up, is still a well kept government secret - one day before implementation!
But subway fares just rose 117% and people fear that buses and trains may copy-cat the rise. 13 million people in Buenos Aires, most of them riding public transport, a challenge...even issuing 200.000 passes a day, it will keep the temporary offices busy for a while.
Interesting, how a 'democratic' government can decree such actions without public participation....surprise surprise!!!
Not knowing, what financial hit passengers may face tomorrow, everyone is out trying to get this electronic pass before the mystery of the price increase is unveiled.
On a more entertaining note...Cosquin, a town in the Province of Cordoba, is about to close this season's National Festival of Folcloric music and dancing.
Palavecino, Soledad, and Los Nocheros being just three the most famous and beloved musicians of the many performers gracing the open air stage.
The music is fabulous, gets right into ones bones and even ones soul. These people can sing and play and dance....
Los Nocheros, true to their name, started their gig at 2 a.m. on day nine, with the entire Plaza of Cosquin still filled to the last corner with wide awake aficionados - grandmas, parents, teenagers, babies - the works.
If anyone wants to get an idea of the atmosphere of the place, just click on the link below. Not only gives the home page an idea of the history of the festival backed by a couple of songs, but there are videos of the performances held this year....Am going there next year should I be around for it...
And Cristina, La Presidenta, is back at work. Trying to change the Constitution, so she can be re-elected for a third term. Hmmmm....precursers for another little dictatorship in the offing? Local politicians, both in the opposition (which is more decorative than effective) and some 'kirchneristas' are agreed that Cristina Kirchner is the most powerful individual on the scene, as well as the most powerful President in this country - ever.
Inflation at 30%, country suffering economic troubles, unemployment sky high, infrastructure falling to bits, agriculture devastated after killing draughts, and government coffers practically empty, nebulous deals and strategies re Malvinas (Falklands), Mining etc etc.... may one soon cry again, Argentina??? Well - I hope not...
