Still in Buenos Aires

Sunday we walked and walked and walked, we took the metro and a cab, hunted around for a casa de cambio to exchange some money, but it was sunday and a holiday weekend. I'm going to wait until Salta to get all the cool things on my list of cool things to get. We walked through a huge market of things probably made in Salta and Jujuy... saw some great music on every block, and stopped for pizza when the hunger pains struck. It was this day we saw many "stray" dogs, and many "stray" children, all digging through the piles of trash that are set out every night. I seem to project sadness into the eyes of the dogs, but it seems real in the eyes of the chilren. Camped in the corners of the subway, eyes up toward the travelers, the light is gone too soon, 4 years old and already his eyes show no hope. His mother digging through the trash w/ her baby. The beggars all seem to have something to sell here. I haven't had anyone ask for money w/o having something in their hand to sell. They will walk by, either a corner cafe or on the subway, drop off some stickers or a picture of jesus, then walk back to pick up your payment or their product. Less begging, more selling.
I'm only speculating, but I don't think people here have to go to driving school before they get a license. Mostly b/c people don't drive in the lines, don't stop at stop signs, don't stop at stop lights, don't turn their lights on at night, don't obey any speed limit (although I don't think there is one) and don't seem to be worried about the police. Example; walking home last night I was talking about this, I said what do the police do here? We were standing at a corner, 2 cops diagonal across from us, and a car drives right through the stop sign right next to them. He didn't appear to be speeding, but he definately didn't stop. Lauren said the signs are more like suggestions.
We went to the grocery store last night to make dinner at home. Beets and squash. You have to put all of your food in individual bags and get them priced by a special guy in the produce area. There is a whole isle of dulce de leche and only one type of salsa and it is imported. The coffee isle is full of mate'. Everything was going smooth until we got in line. There is a tv in line, i guess for when the lines are really long. Lauren says there is always a problem w/ the people in front of her in line w/ something. We made it through in no time until we realized we didnt get the price on the grapes so they had to call someone to come get the grapes and take them to the produce section to weigh and price them. I guess this was the most common problem in line w/ young foreigners not pricing their fruit. The check out lady seemed to be used to it and didn't roll her eyes or anything, unlike our server at the pizza place earlier... Lauren is pretty fluent so the eye rolling is mostly b/c of me, like when the server was telling me to move the book off the table or something and I just looked at her inquisitively. I don't think she liked her job.
This morning I got my hair cut at the request of the fashion police w/ whom I am housed. It was so fun! We stopped in a little barber shop, I sat down and got the sides and the back trimmed and my neck shaved w/ one of those razors that look like a switch blade. EHH. Deep breath. My head is still attached and I will only ever get my hair cut by barbers w/ switchblade razors. I loved it. We were on our way to the zoo to see the miniature ponies but today was easter or some holiday and Everybody was at the zoo. So we went for lunch and I had my first beef. This week I'm gonna have a burger AND a steak. Probably not on the same day, but I will let you know.

Buenos Aires

Here I am, in Buenos Aires. It is Sabado, I have been here tres dias. Thursday morning, after my 10 hour flight from Dallas arrived in Buenos Aires, I changed my clothes in the airplane bathroom, made it through customs, found a cab, chatted the whole way into the city, and met Lauren at a small cafe in Palermo Viejo for coffee. We chatted for a while, I let the city sink in un poquito, then we caught a cab to a bed and breakfast, Yira Yira, in Recoleta. This place was really sweet. Huge wrought iron door w/ a bronze buzzer, marble stairs and an antique iron elevator. Our room had glass french doors that opened into the living room and another set on to a balcony. The living room was in the center of 4 bedrooms and a courtyard, rows of arched brick lined the ceiling, it had definately been modernized, but just enough to save the integrity of the existing architecture. It was like something out of dwell. The past 2 mornings we found ourselves in the courtyard with new travelers from Spain, Argentina, Canada, and France. So this morning was especially exciting we were speaking French, Spanish, and English over bananas, coffee, toast, and apples w/ caramel, jam, butter, and mayonaise. Oh and fresh squeezed OJ every morning. Thursday we went to Parque Palermo, a botanical garden with, deep breath, the most amazing trees, trees with different kind of trees that grow in trees with roots hanging down like ropes, I guess the ones that Tarzan uses to get around the jungle.
Huge old trees, all different kinds, conifers, palms, oh and a little cactus area w/ huge cacti. This park is home to dozens, maybe hundreds of the sweetest ferel cats. Reminds me, machine was in my dream the other night.
Friday we walked and walked and walked, but not as much as Thursday. Yesterday we went to an Iglesia o Basilica y un cemeterio. Kind of touristy, but hey, why not. I have a great tour guide who knows all the "authenitic" places, I had to actually request to be a tourist this day. We had coffee and read, finally heading back to the b and b around 4:30pm. Around 5pm it started to pour. Lightning and thunder, mmm mmm mmm. We watched 'Into the Wild' w/ the other guests.
Later that night we went to a tablao, a place to get drinks, tapas, and watch live flamenco. Whoahohoho. Wow, this was amazing, the music, the singers, the dancers. Maybe its on youtube or something, I dont think I can describe it. It was very intense. We met up w/ some Americans we had met the previous night when we were out for dinner. They had been there two weeks and were looking for something cool, Lauren suggested the tablao. It was a good idea, no cover, small venue, agua con gas in the cool bottles where you have to press a lever to get the water to come out.
Today is Saturday. After we checked out of the B and B, we took a cab to Palermo Viejo, LPs neighborhood, got out at a corner cafe, sat outside and had a coffee. The serve cafe con leche in these tiny little cappucino cups with little sweets or toast. Its fun to get one, then walk a couple blocks, or a couple hours, and sit and have another.
Got to the apartment, dropped off the bags and got dressed for tango class. Lauren was actually going to take me to an intermediate class in only spanish. But I found out there was a beginner class starting a little after the intermediate class, so I watched a bit of hers, then went to the other class. It was me and 2 older men. The teachers were great, one was translating for me. I had a whole hour of class that was great, then when Lauren's class was done, she came in my class and I got to dance w/ her, only, when my instructor saw we were together, he quit giving me so much attention, got all wierd and confusing, and basically my lesson was over. He lost it and became a baby, we speculated he had had a crush on Lauren. But it was fun nonetheless.
After that. We saw 'No Country for Old Men' in the theater. I've seen it, and love it, it was Lauren's first time. We walked home and grabbed dinner on the way.
Buenas noches.