Warm Buenos Aires

After a few days of orientation to this huge and busy city, we are finally having a quiet day today to get a few jobs done. I had been going to start this blog sooner but just havent had a chance to sit down for long enough to write anything meaningful.

We are well settled and spread out all over Neville's lovely modern apartment. In fact it looks as if we have been here for much longer than 5 days. Thankyou Neville.

As you are all probably aware, we have been to BA several times now - and all for the same sorts of reasons. Initially though, it was possibly more as a curiosity to see and feel the city that was giving us the music and the dance that we were growing to love so much. And after that, well Buenos Aires just gets into your head.  After the second visit you stop being surprised, or shocked, at the physical shabbiness of what was once a grand and beautiful city. The architecture is just fantastic and shabby comes with age. On the whole the people are very friendly and patient as we navigate our way around menus in Spanish - with me holding a small phrase book as a food translator discretely under the table. There is some English spoken but generally not a lot. I have found a few can understand Italian and can use that a little bit.

We have been dancing at several milongas so far. Firstly at Ideal on Friday night, It was a busy night there with a floor show on during the latter part of the evening. We arrived about midnight after a lovely meal at a little old restaurant a few blocks away called Bodega Campo, where we sat in front of windows which were folded all the way back to let in the lovely calm and fresh evening air. It was still about 25 degrees. The whole atmosphere was really lovely, as was the food, and we really had to drag ourselves away. I could have easily sat there for another hour with another glass of wine and just breathed in the essence of the city. However dancing was not going to wait for us so off we went.
The evening at Ideal was really great and a relaxed way to settle back into the difference of dancing in BA. It was a good night and we walked home the 5 blocks or so down Avenida Corrientes at 3am feeling very content. Tried to stop at a couple of places for a coffee but everyone was starting to close. I am sure we could have quite easily found somewhere open if we looked hard enough, but we werent that desperate so just went home. Its amazing how many people are out and about at that time.

On Saturday we went to El Arranque for the afternoon milonga 3-9pm. That was a very busy one with a very busy dance floor. We were amongst the younger minority there. We have been there on several other ocassions and the mix of dancers is very different each time. Afterwards to walked home - only 2 blocks - and showered and went out for dinner at 11. We were actually quite early! The restaurant didnt fill until after 12 and there were still people arriving for dinner when we left at 1am. We both had fantastic Argentinian steak and a huge salad and a bottle of cheap local wine. The wine was less than $10 NZ and extremely good.

On Sunday we took the subte to Belgrano for a look around that area. We hadnt been there before and its a very smart area of BA. There is a huge park there called Barrancas de Belgrano and on Sunday evenings a group called La Glorieta run a milonga inside the huge band rotunda. We didnt stay late enough to experience the milonga but we did see the venue and its gorgeous. The park has one of the biggest trees we have ever seen. There are several other whoppers around the city too, but this one was massive.

We headed back to our old haunt of San Telmo and more specifically back to our favourite corner pub called El Federal. One of the waiters from our last visit was working that day and he remembered us straight away. When we stayed in BA last year, this was our local and we went there most days for a drink or a meal. Gorgeous old original pub. Plus they serve a basket of roasted peanuts in their shell for you to de-shell and nibble while you have your drink. Its a fun thing to do.

Back to the apartment for showers and more dancing. This time we decided to go to La Nacional. We were going to go to El Beso but it was closed for some reason that night. But La Nacional was fantastic and we were so pleased we went there. The music was just the best of the best that we both love so much and we just danced and danced. We arrived fairly late at midnight, but the booklet said the milonga went until 3am - when in fact it was until 2am. However it was still a great night and we went home happy. An easy walk of a few blocks too.

Yesterday was Monday and it was 'all about shoes' day. We walked to Neo Tango but didnt find anything to take my fancy so headed off to Raquel. I just love this salon but our attendant was not Raquel this time. She was efficient but didnt have the personality of Raquel and didnt feel as happy with the visit. Raquel has a way of making the visit feel amazing. I did however buy one pair of lovely shoes. For those readers who have never been to 'Raquel' I feel I need to describe the salon.
Firstly we are in a normal street in San Telmo. Picture narrow footpath wide enough for 2 people with a lot of broken paving and graffiti and a fair amount of street rubbish. There a several enormous grand and ornate wooden doors opening onto the footpath. One of these doors is the destination we are seeking. A huge pair of wooden doors with a wee window in one of them covered in wrought iron bars. I ring the bell and our attentant's face appears in the bars and she unlocks the doors. Inside it is the most amazing salon. Chandeliers, polished wooden floors with beautiful rugs and comfortable antique suite to sit on. There is a large display of shoes on one wall. The attendant asks what you are looking for and then leaves through another large door and re-emerges with boxes of shoes to try on. As you discard some, she goes away and brings more, until there are no more in your size to bring. Its an amazing way to sell shoes and quite an experience if you have a very interactive saleswoman - like Raquel - who we didnt have this time :)

Last night more dancing at La Nacional but with different organisers. Another great night and we both danced with several others. Craig with a lady from Brazil who had travelled 3 hours to get to the milonga, and 2 local ladies. All spoke some English. I danced with a local and he was great, plus 2 visiting frenchmen. We stopped at the local corner pub for a bite to eat afterwards and were the last customers to leave at around 1.30am.

More dancing tonight and this time at El Beso