Last Post...

Sob.

Marco is packing. I am sniffling morosely into the keyboard.

We leave tonight at midnight (or possibly tomorrow morning 2am, who knows. We're flying Aerolineas Argentinas, after all...)

our last stroll along Defensa for the Sunday San Telmo Feria

sob

one last lunch of chorizo, morcilla, provalone, rinones, bife de lomo, bife de chorizo and ensalada at the local parilla, Desnivel

sob

one last cd purchase from a street Orquestra Tipica

sob

hasta luego

sob

chao chao

Today's wonderings

you absolutely must have an icecream sundae at El Vesuvio


delivery bicycles are absolutely everywhere


arquitect alert: most edificios in Baires proudly display the names of the architect, builder, and sometimes the engineer


but not this one.


Can anyone tell me what the symbol of the two arms holding a stick with a red beanie on it means? it's absolutely everywhere

in the Cathedral


on the waterworks building


at the Plaza Asturia restaurant

Reasons to love San Telmo, Part Two.

There used to be trams here. They left these tracks here, just in case.


you can go antique shopping at night


or pick up some fresh fruit and veg


or bread and deli goods at the Mercado


maybe some feral pasta?

Things you absolutely can't photograph

Tango classes.

Gabriel and Julietta from Tangocool are my absolutely favourite teachers.
Sometimes Gabriel looks alarmingly like Mr Bean.

Absolutely everyone must go to one Wednesday afternoon class with Eduardo Saucedo at Confiteria Ideal. Sadly he has upgraded his hairdo from magnificent mullet to something more sedate, but three hours of his muy effervescent high camp passion is a must. And Ideal is divine.

Mosquitos. I think I've donated about a litre of blood to these little portenas...I feel faint...quick, pass me a medialuna slathered with dulce de leche...

Milongas.

Absolutely everyone must go to one matinee (afternoon) milonga, or viejoteca as Marco and I call them. It's nice to know there will still be somewhere to go out to when you're 90.

Smells.
In rare moments, in the mornings, the diesel fumes lift and the delicious scent of woodsmoke from parillas (charcoal grills) firing up for the day mingle with the sugary doughy perfume of baking medialunas (pastelerias/confiterias bake all day).

Noise.
Consistent and insistent.

Linaea A

The first subte line (underground train) still runs the original timber trains. It feels like being inside a live animal as they stretch and flex organically as they rattle along.

Poverty.
It's still a really really really tough life for many here.

Shopping

Today we went shoe shopping.

Jill, here are your shoes



Jo, these are your shoes



of course Marco already bought some



here are mine

moo.

Exclusive - Argentinians in High Places

Porteno Oddservations

you can buy almost anything on subte (underground train) platforms


primary school children are dressed like hospital interns


Portenos like:


talking


eating


reading.