Termine Una Tanda en La Milonga de la Vida...

When I said how sad I was that my time here is coming to an end, a tanguero friend tried to comfort me, saying:

Es como las tandas de tango en las milongas.... termina una tanda y al rato empieza otra...termina una etapa y empieza otra...pero siempre hay que empezarla con renovadas energías.

(It is similar to dance sets in tango: one set finishes and in a short while another one starts...one stage in life comes to and end and another one starts....but one always has to begin it with renewed energies.)

Very wise advice....

Brings the message home that 'La Vida es una Milonga' (Life is a Tango Dance) and sometimes it seems, that the parallel universe of the tango world here, is like a mirror of the real world outside.

 

On  a less 'serious note' last weekend's milonga at Club Gricel completed the trio of complications one may encounter at a milonga: a few weeks ago, it rained through the ceiling and we had to dance around strategically placed water buckets; at another dance the lights went out for a while, and we danced in the dark (music kept playing). This time around, the DJ did not turn up - no music for almost 2 hours. Good opportunity to chat with people with whom one dances dozens of tangos and hardly exchanges more than a few mundane sentences. No one left, a few took to the outside to indulge in various packs of cigarettes, the rest of us took the 'we survived the tango silence' photo. Julia Pugliese organized a replacement DJ, and once he turned up playing a couple of triumphant Cumparsitas to get things going, the place filled up in minutes. A bailar a bailar, que la vida se va...

 

Where is the Music????

A little side trip to the cafeteria of the Teatro Colon offers a visual treat. Alicia Besada is exhibiting a collection of her oil paintings, most of them depicting ballerinas of classical ballet. However, there is one nod to Argentinian Tango with this painting of dancing under the full moon (how I would have liked to experience that!)

Painting of a Ballerina of Classical Ballet

I liked her portraits more than the ballerinas, she has a wonderful talent to capture what her subjects appear to feel

Alicia Besada's painting 'Y el amor se fue' (And Love went away), which captures the pain and sadness of finding oneself alone - again.

Cooler now, only 30 degrees, and the Confiteria Ideal is almost bearable. I had already changed into my 'clonkers' and missed out on the obligatory Chacarera...

Confiteria Ideal, such a classic place - one just wishes, management would spend a few dollar to invest in some strategically placed ventilation fans - the place is a furnace.

I regret missing this event at La Rural, the historic exhibition grounds of Buenos Aires, where Criollo Horses, accompanied by boina wearing gauchos, offer experiences of 'The Country visiting the City'...and the doggie show makes sure that the 'cute' factor is covered.

Definitely Fall in the air.....

...but a sea of roses in El Rosedal, a beautiful park in walking distance of my apartment, still blooms in abundance.

This lady sits amidst all these beautiful roses; she looks as if she has just taken of her tango shoes after several hours of dancing.

There are quite anumber of birds living in the extensive park..here is one of them taking a quick drink at a 'people fountain'.

Forecast - Rain.....Reality - Sunshine

Pergola in El Rosedal, the Rosegarden

He almost seems to be ready to emerge from his stone background, and join the strollers in the park...

Selva Tropical - Tropical Forest in Palermo, El Rosedal

Still blooming and shedding pink rain....

El Rosedal, part of a much larger park system adjoin the rose garden. All of them are said to make for the 'Lungs of the City'

Andalusian Garden within El Rosedal. Beautifully tiled fountains (not functioning), benches, walls and stairs. Some of the tile work has survived the unfortunately commom vandalism, which appears to not only consist of graffiti in the city - but extends as far as robbing bronze grave plaques from the local cemeteries (including iconic Recoleta)

Each tile is uniquely hand painted with little scenes of daily life in Andalucia

As always, the City provides entertainment gratis - and a 'rockeo' band was playing on the closed roads of the Park. I don't know how the resident birds felt, but the loudspeakers played at a volume which makes your bones vibrate a mile off!!

My amigos y amigas de 'Folklorico' in Los Cardones. I made so many wonderful friends (like the people here on the stage) by joining classes with Carol Retamoso, a professional dancer and recreational painter of the Province of Salta. Watching their performance at Los Cardones this last Friday, convinced me to continue to learn more about this rich cultural part of Argentina's music and dance. Why not dance Zamba, Chacarera, Gatito, Escondido, Bailecito and some of the many dances which are the dancing bread and butter of all the Argentinians outside of the City of Buenos Aires.
Of course the whole thing does not start until close to midnight, and then one hangs around for the various folkloric bands, who play until the early hours of the morning.

One more day....and one more milonga! Then comes the loooong flight home.

La Ultima Semana.....

Last week of Summer down here in Buenos Aires, and at the same time it is the last week of my stay.

Between paseos in the city, tango, and the last few concerts - a typical week full of experiences! 

Recycling has arrived in Palermo. That means, that instead of loose plastic bags filled with mixed garbage lining the sidewalks every night, we now have large garbage bins - at least in Palermo, whereas many of the outlying suburbs still do the 'toss out and wait' routine. Albeit, the bins are emptied ever night, 'cartoneros' (people who collect cardboard from these bins to sell to recyclers - thus making their living) still dumpster dive during the day and remove 'items of interest'. Some pull little carts, some use a horse drawn cart ta carry away their merchandise.

For the horse: Weekday....

 

....Sunday...
On Sundays, the garbage horses are cleaned up and pull carriages around Palermo, loaded with local and foreign tourist to take a little spin around the parks and streets of Palermo.

 

Meat store at the Corner - Antonito's. Palermo is 'developing', that means many of the historic buildings are torn down to make room for multi storied apartment buildings - slowly erasing the quaint village atmosphere of Palermo.

Still taking lessons...and hoping not to forget most of it before returning here next year...

Election Year in Argentina. The incumbent President is seen here communicating with her admirers from a gallery in the Casa Rosada....there are rumblings of discontent: weak economy, weaker dollar - or no dollars at all -, spectacular inflation, rising public debt, rising crime and violence in the streets and everywhere else, alleged corruption, social unrest, alleged cover ups and money launderings, disastrously failing infra structure, shortage or lack of consumer items (such as tampons and contact lenses) due to import restrictions, and somewhat shaky democratic values - and 'Nisman Gate' to top it all.
According to the government, things have been 'mejorando', getting better, since their assumption of power. Well, at least for the football fans that statement holds true: the Government spent fourteen times more money on 'Futbol Para Todos' (Soccer for Everyone) than on building schools. Well, I guess that's why their teams and players always finish up on top. The fan clubs (barras) are stronger as well, and barras bravas (fans from hell) keep killing each other off with astonishing regularity, with the odd police victim to round things out.

Summer Evening over Buenos Aires - how often have I crossed this widest boulevard just below El Obelico....
Despite all that appears negative, it is one of the few cities that deserves the overused term of 'vibrant' (which usually signifies utterly dull), there is an electricity to the City which cannot be explained or duplicated. Maybe the chaos and unpredictability of the city, combined with the supreme 'self esteem' of it's citizens make for the 'never a dull moment' atmosphere.
Question: How does and Argentinian commit suicide?
Answer: He climbs on top of his ego to throw himself into the abyss below him - to death.

A Guinness Record item in one of the suburbs of Buenos Aires - the largest outdoor mural in the world....

New Tango moves....

Jardin Botanico, still an oasis in the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires: birds sing, butterflies flutter, people snooze on benches in the shade of old trees.

Jardin Botanico - the little nymph still watches over her pond of water lilies

Last visit to the iconic Teatro Colon.
After waiting nearly two hours in blistering heat of 36 degrees centigrade, I was proud owner of a ticket to a Chamber Music Concert matinee.
Getting tickets - stand in line to await the scheduled opening of the 'boleteria' at 10:00. By 10:45 the boleteria was still closed for reasons unknown, and definitely unexplained. La 'cola' the waiting line had by now grown to stretch around three sides of the theatre, which is the size of a city block. All sweltering, all wondering, some complaining - but all staying put for the coveted tickets - gratis.

Performers Camerata Bariloche, a string orchestra with spinet.

On the program
Las Cuatro Estaciones (Four Seasons) by Antonio Vivaldi
Suite 'De Los Tiempos de Holberg' by Edvard Grieg

I t was worth every minute of the wait, and every drop of sweat shed onto the burning sidewalks: the Four Seasons were beautifully played, however, the Holberg Suite brought tears of emotion to ones eyes. What a privilege to hear these artists! An added pleasure: sharing this unforgettable emotional music with friends...

And so - the tortilla keeps turning until the end of this week, which will probably be filled to the last hurrah with memorable experiences.



 

Tango by The Sea...

Leave the still hot city behind to spend a breezy weekend at La Costa del Atlantico, in Valeria del Mar. Sounds like a great idea and a convenient reason to visit Argentina's vacation coast - after thousands and thousands of vacationing Portenos have returned to work, leaving the coast relatively quiet and access highways reasonably drivable.

 

 

The whole enchilada: transport to and from El Obelisco in Buenos Aires, hotel and meals, tango clases, a milonga in the beach town of Pinamar...all that for about 250 US dollars.

Ok, let's tango a la naturaleza - a little change from the milongas en el centro de Buenos Aires....

Argentinian travel schedules are somewhat flexible. Our 9:30 departure finally occurred an hour later after all the milongueros had leisurely and sleepily arrived at El terminal de Combis, which is a bus station practically underneath the Obelisco. Too much luggage for the mini bus luggage compartment, hence the little aisle of the bus was plugged with carry on bags. Off we went into BsAs traffic, with a first unexplained half hour stop in the midst of 9 Julio, the Grand Avenida of downtown. Reason: wait for someone to bring a couple of dozens bottles of water to the bus.

Ah, finally on the road again...past the old bridge across Riachuelo in Boca, the cradle of tango, and along miles and miles of 'villas' which is a nice word for slums, or what is called 'favelas' in Brazil. Finally La Pampa, flat and endless like the plains of Manitoba. Brown Herefords, black Angus cattle munch their way through savoury pampas grass to the asados, parillas and BBQs of Argentina and the world. Pink flamingos, black and white storks, and flocks and flocks of native birds keep them company. Horses graze among them, and the odd estancia proves that there is human live in them thar plains.

By now, our little group of passengers - all Argentinos/as - except for 'El Koreano' and 'La Canadiense' had settled in for the long drive to the coast. And it felt even longer than the six hours it took to get to Valeria del Mar, thanks to a 'talkative' mountain of a man with a loud and unpleasantly penetrating voice, who kept talking NON STOP for six straight hours - mostly tonterias, i.e. rubbish. El Koreano in the back of the bus could not believe this waterfall of words (mostly directed at the driver who had the misfortune to be seated closest to this annoyance), I sat a row behind THE VOICE and was near a mental breakdown by the time we arrived. A half hour stop at El Minotaur, a food and comfort station - as large as a shopping mall to accommodate the summer crowds - gave a little relief, at least from the noise. However, one needed Wellington boots to navigate the bathrooms; food trays were as sticky as if covered with crazy glue...I did not eat in the restaurant (THE VOICE had to have a BBQ steak which extended the half hour stop to a little more than an hour, with everyone seated in the bus waiting for the hungry man to eat his last bit of asado).

Finally el Mar, the sea, lined with dunes and backed by pine forests. Valeria del Mar is a smaller version of Pinamar, which actually means Pines by the Sea.

Valeria del Mar village centre...shoulder season tranquillity

The usual souvenirs..

Pines, and more pines....

As we were in for a tango weekend, classes started shortly after arrival. About forty-six tangueras and tangueros attended, mostly from 'La Provincia' with a few dancers from Buenos Aires, and one girl from Venezuela.

Evening Class in La Hosteria Sirena, our hotel

Hosteria Sirena

Saturday - Beach Day! At least for me, I skipped the beginner milonga class at mid day to explore Pinamar nearby (another beach resort, a little more urban than Valeria del Mar) and walk the wide sandy beach of Valeria del Mar.

Retirement in Pinamar

Part of a 'balneario', where beach goers can rent a canvas beach hut or an umbrella and chairs. Unused beach umbrellas serve as 'storage' for plastic garden chairs until someone wants to rent a set.

Carritos sell water and icecream - welcome sustenance on a hot sunny day

Family vacation on the beach of Valeria del Mar

Forgotten your swimsuit or pareo - no problem, one may just buy another one on the beach

The summer crowds are gone, one can almost feel alone..

Walking the hot sands, which for my bad knee was not a good idea. Walking on the shifting sands seem to activate every little bone chip in my left knee, a rather painful experience which cut my romantic 'paseos' on the beach to a minimum.

Honeymoon by the Sea

Preserving the Dunes...

Seeking a spot of shade amongst the dwarf pines on the Dunes

Beaches of the World....sand, sky, hardy vegetation...

No tango weekend - beach or otherwise - would be complete without a milonga. Valeria del Mar offers one twice a week. On Saturday evening we attended La Luna, a very small venue in Pinamar, where the men hung out at the bar, and the women sat on couches lining the walls - cabeceos worked just fine, whenever the men could tear their attention away from their 'refreshments'.

Filled to overflowing, the small milonga bar accommodated 46 'extras' from outside of town.

Edith and Victor, the organizers and tango teachers of this excursion, treated us all to a mini show.

Victor and Edith....

...dancing tango, milonga and vals

 



 

Back in the hotel at 2:00 in the morning, I had company of the winged kind

Last day...taking the obligatory group snap shot...

The morning after the night before

 

Tangueras lining up at the beach...

 

 

Scheduled departure....16:00 on Sunday afternoon. It took until six before we had everyone aboard the bus (luckily THE VOICE had left earlier by different means). A couple of ladies just did not want to leave, and kept everyone waiting again seated in the bus, until they finally decided to slip out of their bathing suits into 'travelling clothes'.

Final stop before leaving town to gas up - after waiting forever for the line up at the only open gas station for our turn. That's when the driver discovered that he had left his wallet with drivers license safely in the strong box at the hotel. De revuelta - back to the beginning.

 

Well - after another six hours we arrived at El Obelisco, tired out, and merely able to hail a taxi home.