Twentyfour hours in Buenos Aires, enough to get ‘homesick’
for the city again, and not enough to dance at more than one Milonga.
Buenos Aires had recovered from torrential rains a few days
ago, the subways were running and most of the traffic lights were in working
order again. With that, atrocious traffic conditions had returned as well.
The ‘dolar blue’ has now reached 11.30 pesos to a dollar,
whereas the ‘dolar verte’ – the official rate – hovers around 6.80 pesos to a
dollar. I visited my trusted ‘consultorio’ and exchanged money to be armed for
various taxi rides and a fee for the Milonga, to round up my SUBE card access
to public transport. Comes in handy, even for a 24 hour visit.
Off to the Milonga of El Obelisco, where I was welcomed like
a long lost family member, and I danced tango to my heart’s content with all my
tried and true tango buddies for almost 5 hours.
Back at the ship, we were treated to an evening performance
by the Navarro Family, whose business is arranged by an US expatriate, who
manages the family’s show performances and sings along with songs, and counts
out the rhythm of the zamba, chamame, milonga and tango.
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| Afternoon Milonga, the rain held a few people off from attending, but the regular dancers were around.... |
Not quite the authentic folkloric nor Tango experience, but
hugely appreciated by the mostly US audience, as announcements were in English.
The repertoire stuck to well recognized pieces such as the Cumparsita and The
Condor. Costumes represented the Gaucho gear – without the obligatory knife
stuck in their belts. Security would have frowned upon bringing ‘weapons’
aboard. Andean music – pan pipes and miniature guitars – prevailed. Chacarera, the most widespread and popular
folkloric singing and dancing was
surprisingly absent.
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| Family Navarro doing the Zamba |
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| A version of Argentine Tango |
The youngest family members 1 2/ and 3 years old appeared
with their parents and grandparents to the ooohh and aahhh of the audiences,
mostly grandparents themselves, and added immensely to the cute -factor.
The patriarch of solid proportions and his wife danced a Chamame,
after which the whole family bowed to a standing ovation of a full house in the
‘Showroom at Sea’.
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| Grandma and Grandpa dancing Chamame |
Today – we are leaving Buenos Aires around midday – all
board by 11.30 a.m. when the city usually opens its eyes. No sense even
venturing off the ship, as all but the most obscure ‘kioskos’ and a couple of
coffee shops would be open for business before 11:30 a.m.
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| The Star and youngest member of the family cast.... |
Buenos Aires put on the Thunder Stormy Good Bye for us, and we left an hour late due to a couple of passengers not quite making the all aboard dead
line....
Off to Rio de Janeiro, just in time for Valentine’s Day…
