Ciudanza 2014

Hi guys,

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend one of the many free festivals offered by the city of Bs.As. throughout the year. One of my students is always sending me useful tips on free activities coming up in the city, and this one caught my eye.

I love the chicken costume

My interest was captured by the name, Ciudanza, which is a combination of the words city and dance, and after a little research I had made up my mind to go. The dance festival took place in several parks near my house on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of last weekend. I chose Sunday as the most suitable day and, not knowing what to expect but excited to see some dance performances, I invited a few friends to tag along.




The festival was in Parque Bartolome Mitre, which is where I used to go read several times a week when I lived in Recoleta. Now I only pass by the park when I go for runs, but it is one of my favorite parksy areas in the city because of its location on a hill, which commands a view of the parks and the distant riverfront. I've found it to be a wonderful place to sit with friends and dig for meaning. But last Sunday there was no digging involved, only dancing, at least that's what it was called.

The butcher eyes the chicken

I enjoyed the performance. On an entertainment level I would rate it a 9 out of 10, but it was quite avant garde, and perhaps individuals accustomed to more traditional dance styles would have questioned the authenticity of the use of the term "dance."



We watched two performances. In the first the dancers wore only skin colored bras and underwear, even the men, which they had covered with leaves. There was no musical cadence, only the dancers movements and the noise of the cars and dogs barking. What surprised me most was the silence, how the park was more full with people than I had ever seen it, but it was also the quietest I'd seen the park. The dance culminated in an orgiastic fruit eating frenzy as all the dancers became an interlocked and sensual mass, feeding each other apples, bananas, oranges and other fruity delicacies.

Pillow fight!

The second dance, of which I took some photos, was equally bizarre and enjoyable. The dancers were all dressed in an array of strange costumes, including a chicken outfit, an angel, the virgin Mary, a wrestler, superman, and a girl who wore underwear but no bra. They were directed by a group of three speakers, each in turn interjecting their own personal narrative to the mix. At one point an American folksy love ballad was played as all the dancers lay in the grass and pretended to make love with an individual lover.


The festival was fun, free, and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Check out more free cultural activities and festivals here at the Buenos Aires festivals page.

I love how the Greek guy speaks to the dancers in this section of the dance. He addresses all of them, says a few words to them, and then says te amo (I love you) to each!

Notorious

Hey folks,

A blur of busy weeks lie behind me and the time continues to fly by at a break-neck. I suppose that's a necessary accompaniment to the rush of city life. Since time is of the essence I'd like to devote a few moments to discussing an event I attended last weekend.

When most people think of Buenos Aires they think of tango, of dancers clad in red and black, cutting graceful angles across the dance floor. But I doubt many people, even Porteños, would think twice about jazz music, let alone know a single jazz musician. Truthfully, jazz isn't popular in Buenos Aires, but there are a few quality venues that offer alternatives to the barrage of touristic tango venues and cumbia dancehalls noticeably present throughout the city.

Much like jazz itself, the scene here is more subdued, out of the eye of the general public so-to-speak. I am no expert on jazz, my only experience of it being when I had a musical roommate in college who listened to the stuff. I love the music but have found I lack the musical background and context with which to fully appreciate it.

However for anyone looking to have a relaxing evening, with lively, energetic music, to watch musicians completely in touch with their emotions, then a trip to Notorious could be a wonderful and fun way to spend an evening with friends. 

I went with some friends to a midnight jam session last Friday. The place is a bit pricey but a $30 peso entrance fee can be put toward the purchase of drinks and food. The venue is also quite nice, with a dark, jazzy style, great accoustics, and amazingly talented artists. 

Since I have very little exposure to the world of jazz I was immediately taken up with the way in which the artists twisted and contorted their faces in deep, concentrated connections with their emotions. The jam session was a deeply positive experience and one I would recommend to anyone searching for an alternative and more contemplative nightlife scene.

Cheers,

Kyle 

Summertime in Jardin Botanico

The Botanical Gardens in Palermo is one of my favorite haunts. Especially in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. It's one of those places where you can almost feel as though you've escaped the city, except of course the roar of traffic never quite disappears.

Nevertheless, whenever I have a free afternoon I try to make my way up there for an hour or so. The effect nature can have on your state of mind is wonderfully remarkable. Nature seems to restore a calm, anxiety free existence, and the mix of beautiful, trees, plants, and flowers, with neoclassical sculpture, is the perfect soother after a long week.

I had planned on doing some writing in the garden, yet several minutes after I sat down the bloodthirsty mosquito swarms zeroed in on my location and I was forced to keep moving. This gave me a chance to take some photos. I know I've posted about the gardens before, but I feel they deserve extra posts now and then because of the special place they hold for me.

After milling about the park for an hour I went to meet a few friends, Noe and Ann, at Lattente, where we enjoyed cappucinos and later walked through Palermo, and I was given all the information I'll ever need to know about pin-up dresses and corsets. I guess I had always just assumed a dress was a dress, but apparently I was horribly mistaken.

It seems I was also almost mugged. After dropping Ann off at her apartment Noe and I walked to the bus stop to catch 152 back into our part of town. While waiting, a rather unseemingly guy walked up and asked me for change. I told him I didn't have any, which I don't think was actually true. I just didn't want to go rifling around in my pockets with my iPhone and $100 peso notes. It seemed wiser for me to stay away from the pockets. Well, he kept talking to me and I couldn't fully understand what he said so I just kept repeating that I didn't have any change. Well, eventually he just walked to the edge of Santa Fe and stood there awkwardly while I stood at the stop with Noe. Finally a few more people walked up to the stop and they became his next targets for spare change.

As the guy's attention was focused on other people, we decided to move to a different bus stop. As we walked away Noe told me that the guy had threatened to punch me if I didn't give him change. As I worked this through in my mind it seemed that from his point of view an act of force would be the most powerful coercive weapon, yet from my point of view it only complicated the situation and made me feel much less generous with my spare change.

I guess I am thankful nothing did happen, not only for him but because too often it seems violence is used by individuals at all levels of power to maintain and ensure control of a given situation. When one violent act is committed successfully, the situation can be perpetuated, as the perpetrator see's the previous successes and expects more to come.

I won't say I averted the violent act, because I didn't, but I can say that because I wasn't assaulted, because one less act of violence was committed, the world is just a little bit brighter.

Cheers

A visit from Tuck

It is always exciting to have visitors come to town. Partly because I don't get to see friends from home or abroad very often, and partly because I enjoy showing friends this wonderful city, sharing everything BA has to offer, experientially speaking.

The other day was one of those rare occasions when my mom's colleagues, Andy and Gina, came to town on business for the Tuck school. Since it was Andy's first time visiting the city in six or seven years I offered to show him around. 

We planned on meeting yesterday at 4pm, after my classes finished, giving us two hours to walk around the city center and take a coffee at the local cafe whose menu I translated. We also had a brief opportunity to jump in the pool at his hotel, an exciting escape from the summer heat! 

Later that evening I attended the Tuck cocktail for alumni and prospective students. It was held in the Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires, a recently developed neighborhood filled with renovated warehouses and port facilities now transformed into upscale business offices, beautiful high rise apartments, and fancy restaurants. We arrived early and I gladly helped organize the preparations and how the food would be distributed, drinks, etc... 

Me, Gina, and Andy attending the Tuck function

In other news, last weekend was busy with both the super bowl and Chinese new year. To accomodate the festivities I decided to visit China town, Barrio Chino, located in Belgrano, with my friend Luis. Unfortunately we didn't plan the day effectively and we arrived 2.5 hours late for a Chinese new year party which started at 8pm, I think the hosts forgave us though... hopefully : )

I enjoyed my first ever trip to Chinatown. It was small (only 3 blocks), but Belgrano is a beautiful neighborhood and I enjoyed capturing images of the street with my camera. 

On Sunday I attended a super bowl party in Palermo. There was a good mix of Americans, Argentinos, Europeans and folks from many other nationalities. The group was fun, eclectic, and, aside from the Americans, knew almost nothing about the game. I enjoyed explaining it though. 

I have some exciting activities coming up. Including volunteer work for L.I.F.E tomorrow and volleyball on Saturday. 

Keep in touch

Quilmes, Lattente, Mundolingo, 9 de Julio

Hi folks,

I've been back in Buenos Aires for nearly a month and realized I haven't written a blog post in a very long time. I've been busily organizing my schedule, no easy feat when you give five students a number potential class times and they all choose the same one. Thus the organization has been a headache, but now all of that is wrapping up and I'm getting into the routine.

Amazingly, despite all the scheduling difficulties, a few power outages, and rising inflation, I have been extremely relaxed about everything. I haven't really felt stressed at all, which is perhaps because I tend to avoid stress as I would the plague. But I recall leaving Buenos Aires in November and, at that point, I was probably the most stressed I had ever been in my life. Which goes to show what a few home-cooked meals can do for one's health.

I've been participating in a number of social activities since my return. I joined a new gym, which I like much more than the old one because the people there are always very friendly to me and helpful.

I also sometimes will go with my roommate, Hernan, to visit his family in Quilmes, which works wonders for my Spanish as we usually will talk for hours. The last time we went by motorbike, a first, and very thrilling, experience for me. We even got frisked by the police at one point, though they were probably disappointed to find only the pancake mix and maple syrup, which I cooked up later (the temperature was of course 90 degrees).

Pancake making + 90 degrees

I can also say I've been served coffee by the national champion barrista of Buenos Aires for 2013. Lattente, a cafe in Palermo, has hands-down the highest quality Colombian coffee you will find in Buenos Aires. It's located in Palermo and is worth a visit for anyone with a sophisticated coffee palate, or who enjoys sitting outside along a quiet street, talking for hours with friends and sipping on a coffee, iced or hot, both are excellent here.

I also began going to Mundolingo. It is a program similar to Spanglish but the difference is you don't have to pay $50 pesos to get in. All you need to do is show up and choose the flags of the various languages you speak (I take the American and Argentinian flags).

Spanglish is great because it is done speed-dating style where you speak for 5 minutes in Spanish and 5 minutes in English. While at Mundolingo you have no formal structure, which means it can be easier for expats to not practice Spanish and just speak in English the entire time.

Church on Belgrano y Defensa

Last Sunday was beautiful, and my friend Simon invited me to go out to enjoy the day and have a coffee. We walked along the iconic 9 de Julio avenue, which I live on now, and we found a quintessential Buenos Aires cafe to stop in and have something to eat. While we were there a car drove by us with no one inside. We acted quickly, realizing that the break was probably not active and the car was free rolling down the road. After stopping the car and stuffing some newspaper under the tire the car stayed in one place, but only meters from the intersection.

Strange is the life down south... round 2

It would seem I've adjusted well to my new surroundings. The apartment I'm sharing with my friend Hernan is both spacious and lofty. Yes, it is quite tall. It reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, the way the doors just go up, and up, and up. I wonder how the light bulbs get changed...

My room and window.

A view of the living/dining room and the
 kitchen beyond. Notice the doors.

While standing in line waiting for my flight down south I met a woman who was visiting Argentina for the first time with her father and some friends. We chatted for a little while and I gave her some advice on things to do and places to visit. That was pretty much the extent of it.

Well, I happened to go for a run the other day, and while I was doing exercises in the park by Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, this same woman happened to be walking by, and she saw me and we got to chatting again. We finally got around to names but, due to a disability that I share with probably most people in the world, I am usually unable to remember a person's name until the 2nd or 3rd encounter. I excuse myself from this lapse. Names aren't important anyway, good, solid, soulfoul connections are.

The park was a much more conducive environment for conversation than was the crowded airport so we hit it off quite well, and I was able to give advice on the must dos for a tourist while in good old Bue. Here's the list I gave her in no specific order.

One of many striking tombs in the cemetery.

1. Visit the Cemeterio de la Recoleta. The ornate and beautifully decorated tombs cover a square block and are amazing to experience. A great place for photographers and explorers to get lost. Best of all it's free!

2. While there stop by the Feria Plaza Francia. A local artisanal market right ouside the cemetery entrance that offers a range of cultural items from ceramicware to jewelry, paintings to mate gourds and leatherware. A great place to buy a gift for a loved one or something special for yourself.
The feria is only open Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

3. Asado. Of course a trip to a local Parrilla is a must. Argentina has arguably some of the best beef in the world, and they pride themselves on preparing it well. One Parrilla I recommend is La Cabrera. It is rather high end, and the pricetag for a dinner for two would probably run you $400 pesos, but the experience is worth it.

Hernan's dad preparing the famous asado!

4. I also recommended visiting the Feria de San Telmo. This Feria is very similar to the one outside the cemetery. All it needs is to be scaled up about ten times. The Feria de San Telmo stretches along Calle Defensa and finishes at the Plaza Dorrego, another fun historical attraction. There you can not only purchase artisanal goods, you can also find yummy street food such as Choripan, or tango dancing in the plaza.

One of the many statues located in the botanical gardens

Other must hit spots are listed below, and all are FREE!
Botanical Gardens of Buenos Aires
National Museum of Fine Art
El Ateneo Theater turned bookstore (Avenidas Santa Fe y Callao)
Plaza de Mayo, the historical plaza at the heart of Buenos Aires.
The Ecological Reserve, a 360 hectare reserve and natural sanctuary located parallel to the Puerto Madero neighborhood.

Cheers y buen dia!

He llegado otro vez: I've arrived again... finally

Hey folks,

After a month and a half long furlough I have arrived once again to Buenos Aires, my second home. The trip, however, was far from smooth, though I took the bumps in the road with the rather casual, come what may, attitude for which I am known.

Perhaps I jinxed it. Everything went so efficiently in Boston, perhaps too efficiently. And I celebrated my good fortune by declaring to the world, via facebook status update, that so far everything was going to plan.

Well, I arrived in Houston only to discover that my flight to Buenos Aires had been canceled. I patiently waited for an hour in the customer service line, and when my turn came, the services people were much more helpful than I had thought. All the while I had been expecting I'd be sleeping in the airport, but when they gave me three free food vouchers and a hotel room I couldn't disagree.

I gobbled down a large froyo with blackberries and oreo bits (meal numero uno), and took the shuttle bus to my hotel. Aside from a freezing room, which eventually warmed up after I cranked up the heat, my experience at the hotel was A-standard.

FROYO!!!

I returned to the airport and by noon I was milling about Terminal E, exploring the duty free shops and watching planes take off.

Watching planes fly

I killed time for 9 or 10 hours until my flight was finally called and everyone began lining up to board.

This is where it gets interesting. We waited in line for about an hour to get our passports checked, and when it was my turn the United official gave me a peculiar look and asked if I had paid the reciprocity fee (a $300 dollar fee residents of both countries, USA and Argentina, must pay to enter the other). I said yes and showed her the ticket.

While I waited for her to double check its validity the flight crew arrived and I overheard them discussing a slight problem. There were two flights bound for Buenos Aires, and one was scheduled to take off an hour before the other. Furthermore one flight had almost no people on it. This is when they had the brilliant idea of combining the two flights into one (I say this with a hint of sarcasm).

We were thus transferred to gate E20, waited an hour, at which point they started giving us new tickets, which took another hour, then they transferred us back to E18.

My look of serious consternation after a 3 hour delay. Will I ever leave? I kept thinking.

We boarded the entire plane three and a half hours late and shut the doors in less than 20 minutes (I believe that's a world record. If we had been two minutes later the plane would not have had permission to take off as 1AM was the cutoff for flights).

The flight went without incident, except of course for the poor father in the row next to me trying to care for his infant son and toddler. Poor guy. I recall waking up to finding cereal spread across the floor, my shoes, my bag, and pretty much everything else I could see. Moral of the story, never fly with infants... ever!

I spent the first two days seeing the city and catching up with old friends.

The greenery of this building really stands out.

I love the contrast between the modern buildings and this gothic church, nestled in the heart of the city center.

On the to-do list: Find a supermarket near my new place. Begin lesson preparation. Find a good local gym. And of course have fun, it's summertime here!

Cheers