I'll See Your Good Airs and Raise You an Iguazu Falls

The Obilisco--Buenos Aires' signature landmark


The last couple of days have been absolutely insane. Despite not having done anything in the prior three weeks of being here, I was determined to cram as much as I could into my final four or so days: a tango show, drinking mate (a tea beverage...), drinking wine, eating more steak, watching the Boca Juniors play a soccer game at Bonbonera, checking out the horse races, going to a concert (again), wandering around Palermo (its like the equivalent of Belltown in Seattle) one last time, visiting Recoleta cemetery, and so much more. Just as is the case with any major metropolis, there is too much to do here. Did I get all of the above accomplished? No, not by a longshot, but here is what I did do...


On Saturday morning I woke up a little earlier than usual to meet my buddy Ryan at the airport. I told him I'd be there a little after his scheduled arrival, and thanks to South American efficiency, I was about an hour and a half early (it takes sooooo long to get your luggage in Buenos Aires--I can't even imagine what customs would be like). After a few interesting events we finally got out into the open airs, snagged a cab and headed downtown to grab some empanadas and do a whole lot of nothing. Rest, of course, was necessary, as we had a huge steak dinner ahead of us. I would say that the normal consists of salad, a huge steak weighing something like a pound, a piece of chorizo sausage, some mashed potatoes, beer or maybe wine, and of course water. After dinner, you snag some ice cream with the other porteños and then you call it a night... after a couple of drinks at any fine and busy establishment.


A Steak Meal at Desnivel

Sunday is always much more mild here--with the exception of a few things. Sundays always start with one of the cities markets, usually San Telmo. I've been about three times now, and you can always find something absolutely amazing there. Though, I never buy anything. The market itself really only takes about 45 minutes to stroll through, but there are always street performers, tango shows, old gramophones (I want one so bad. There is this one in Husky colors that is calling my name), old school Barbie polaroid cameras, and even older school antique cameras from the 1890s. Ryan and I wandered around, ran into my buddy Ben from New Zealand, took pictures and pondered what to do for the afternoon.


Feria Artesenal de San Telmo

Sundays also typically feature all of the futbol games you could ever desire. I was lucky enough to wait it out and go to see a Boca Juniors game at La Bonbonera, or the Chocolate Box--their stadium in La Boca. The Boca Juniors team is widely regarded at the most historic not only in Argentina but also in all of South America. The neighborhood of La Boca turns completely blue and yellow on weekends. I was able to snag some tickets and see the Boca Juniors take on and destroy the Argentino Juniors... We went to the stadium on a standard school bus, because I booked through a tour company--which also happened to be one of the cheaper ones. They were pretty bad. The bus ride took forever, because the driver tried to drive through, instead of around, the San Telmo Street Fair, which left only 10 minutes to eat the worse pizza of my life. I then got to game and found out that the whole group of us had to smash into the bleacher seating like cattle, as opposed to having assigned seats like we were told we would have. After the awful pizza and probably not enough water, I felt a little woosy and thought I was going to hurl. I got out of the crowd, obtained some much needed fresh air and thought about why in the hell I didn't just buy my own ticket and get my own transport to the game instead of paying some ridiculous price for it. The game started though, and all was quickly forgotten... The stadium was unbelieveable. I can safely say that I have never ever experienced something so electrifying as La Bonbonera on gameday. And, as was expected, the Boca Juniors put on a show scoring four goals in a route of their opponents...

I was pretty worried that I wouldn't be able to get ahold of my friends Maria and Agustín again before I left Buenos Aires. Fortunately, they emailed me back and told me to come find them at the Konex. No big deal, except that I really wanted to go check out the horse races in Argentina... I let it go, adjusted the ol plans, and set out towards Recoleta Cemetery.

The cemetery is almost set out in a gridlike fashion, with almost--or maybe more than--a thousand graves of Argentina's elite. You can walk around for hours scoping the incredibly gaudí statues and artwork that adorn each of the graves...


Eva Peron's grave at Cementario Recoleta

Later on, we busted a move back to the hostel and got ready to go right back out again for yet another drum and bass concert... I met up with Agustín and Maria, their friends, and a couple of other people I have met through my adventures and felt really great about being able to introduce one of my friends from home to somebody who doesn't speak with a British accent. The concert ended after about a percussion filled hour, and we fought through the crowd to find somewhere to eat. Only, we didn't and ended up at some party instead. That pretty much sums up life in Buenos Aires...


Back at the Konex again...

On Tuesday, well, I collapsed. I got rid of all grand designs for things to do and went to see American Gangster instead, before going to an Asado--traditional Argentine BBQ--at Agustín's house. We drank wine, ate Cow Gland, blood sausage, more chorizo, and philosophised over the differences in classic rock during the 60s and 70s. It was a great final night in Buenos Aires, and a great reminder of the fact that we do really have friends from all over the world, even if we don't know it yet. All you have to do is find them, which can happen in the most random of places.

As a side note: It has been awesome to see someone from home. I think it has helped me think about the ways that I have changed and the ways in which I will never change... Moreso, it's just been great to see one of my close friends adjust to all of these new things. Maybe its because it provides me with perspective on how I adjusted at the beginning. Then again, maybe not.

I didn't get to see the slow trot horse races featured on Anthony Bourdain, or even go to a commercialized big-time tango show production. Still, my time here has been amazing, and I've never been one to be about checklists (actually that isn't true, but people will and should always come first). As far as vacations go, I think I'm ready to take off for the next destination: Puerto Iguazu.

The Rising Sun

I can't claim to have seen it since I have been here in Buenos Aires. Maybe its the large steak dinners that I eat almost every night that are causing me to sleep so late, or maybe its the fact that I just don't eat until 9 or 10PM every day. Though, conventional wisdom would probably suggest its the fact that I stay up four to six hours after both.

Over the last two and a half weeks, the city has seriously grown on me. It is gorgeous (So gorgeous that you forgive the place for having dog droppings everywhere--I do mean everywhere too), full of history, and a vibrance unknown to any of the cities I have visited so far. I can't figure out if it is the overconsumption of bad-but-freshly brewed coffee, the constant consumption of dulce de leche, or unbelieveable amount of chain smoking (Does that even keep people up?). No matter, as the city is always hopping--day or night. But... I will tell you more when I have a chance to post some pictures...

The Flip of a Coin

So tonight is cooler than most have been since my arrival in Buenos Aires--now about 10 days removed. The clouds are sparse and the breeze is flickering through whatever vegetation that happens to be available. Its nice, especially in comparison to the blistering heat and humidity of the day time, and my shared habitation. Speaking of which, it has now been two months since I have seen a private room... I'm not really sure what that means with regards to my character, or patience, but I do think that its wearing slightly thin on me.

For the last 10 days, I have done nothing, with the exception of trying to lead a normal life. I've worked out, gone to the same coffee shop everyday, I've read books (I'm trying to understand why in the hell any high school student would be forced to read "The Grapes of Wrath," as only now do I begin to understand the story), I've window shopped, and I've gone out on the town with my hodge podge motley crew of English and Argentinian friends. I've planned and planned for the impending months ahead--actually only researched, trying my damndest to soul search and figure out what's next...

THE COIN FLIP

I met up with my buddy Matt at his swank abode and sat by the pool BSing about travel, what to do, and where to go. For the last few months this intense battle has been waged between going to Africa, or going to Asia... I was descriptively mulling my options over aloud to Matt, talking about both possibilities, and even thinking about whether I should come back through the North of South America and into Central America--thereby continuing to learn Spanish. Inevitably, I did what all born-to-be-Politicians do--the diplomatic thing--and flipped a coin. I had Matt call it. He did, and we eventually figured out that there is no heads on an Argentinian 25 centavo piece. After a brief clarification of what was what, I flipped again, and Africa had won the toss. This, was exactly how I figured out that I didn't really want to go to Africa anymore...

As soon as the coin landed on the numbers side (numbers and buildings), I kind of felt my stomach sink. I'm not entirely sure why, but I just knew that I didn't want to go. I had been in contact with an NGO in Africa about stopping by and trying to learn something for a month or so, but after having a long discussion with one of their reps, I was able to see that I wouldn't be of help in the long run, and I'm not sure how much I would take away from it myself... It reminded me of this discussion that I had with Ty--a guy on my Inca Trail trek--about how 10 weeks isn't going to be too incredibly powerful for any of the parties involved, unless of course, everything works out perfectly. Plus, though the resolution of conflict in Kenya seems to be impending... knock on wood... you just never know. It's a place that I really wanted to go too, which probably contributed to my desire to head elsewhere.

So where do I go next? I'm pretty sure its East.

SAN TELMO

I've been spending the last few days hustling back and forth between San Telmo--the Tango area of Buenos Aires--and Palermo--the rich and affluent area of BA. Most of this has been the result of having friends in different places, etc, but also because I'm restless. In the last week I've gone to the same steakhouse about 30 times (no joke). Its super cheap, the food is unbelieveable, and there is this guy who serves you there that looks like a distant relative of Andre the Giant. I jetted over to the Antiques market in Plaza Dorrego on Sunday--another thing that San Telmo is known for--and checked out all of the antique record players, as pictured below.

An old-school record player at the San Telmo Antique Market...

Sometime between then and now, I got drug out to one of the coolest concerts I've been to--a drum and bass night at Konex, an industrial ampitheatre featuring tons of weird sculptures. Mostly everybody was Porteño and a hippy. I dug it.


The Konex, site of a bass and drum concert...

A NOTE TO YOU...

A couple of days ago I found out that an aquaintance of mine, and a best friend of many of my friends, passed away. The guy was bright, ambitious, and a hell of a lot of fun--it only took me about 5 minutes to find out when I met him. I hate that its happened, and I hate that I can't be there for my friends--in a proximity sense. Maybe I couldn't have been anyway, but either way, it has helped in showing me how important this life really is. We all have things that we want to do in life, and we all have things that we think we have to do in life. Fact is, most of the people reading this don't even like there jobs, or aren't happy with their current state. Life really can end at any single moment, so change what you don't like and start turning over rocks to find what you do. Don't wait for time to pass. Instead, anticipate the moments to come, and take advantage of the opportunities you have. There are some people that don't ever get them, for one reason or another.

I can't be there, but I am here. You aren't here, but you are there. We are lucky to know that much.

Rest in Peace Fred.