Just Another Week (Week 10) in Baires



In San Telmo looking at watches

John is looking for a watch.  He found an antique watch he liked in San Telmo, but thought he should check out new watches on the street near our apartment, sooooo...

We walk the street Libertad – from Corrientes to De Mayo, it’s nothing but jewelry stores, mostly watches. John buys a watch – a nice looking Casio.  Now we won’t have to be stopping people on the street or asking sales people, policemen, cashiers, passersby,  “Que hora es?”

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We practiced our tango at Cultura Tanguera...

Tango lesson at Cultura Tanguera

On Wednesday while practicing at Cultura Tanguera, we converse with one of the teachers, Severine, who tells us about a Tango concert in a theatre in La Boca – a local event.  She tells us the # of the bus, where to catch it and where to get off.  I realize that is why we haven’t taken the buses here – we don’t know where to catch what bus that goes to wherever.  (Trying to figure out using the collectivos (buses) - that’s another story in itself to be covered some other time.)

So, anyway, that evening we take the bus to La Boca – Teatro Verdi.  It’s an old theatre with no signage on the street, so you have to know where to look, thank you again, Severine, for your instruction. The concert is held every first Wednesday of the month – musicians of Tango in the area – it’s attended by the locals in the neighborhood – young and old – casual and dressy.  Beer, wine, soft drinks and food (pizzetas and empanadas) at local prices, very affordable.

It was a wonderful evening and a pleasure to meet Serverine, a couple of her friends and one of her private students here from Germany on his "Tango Vacation". I didn’t take my camera, so I found the above photos on the net.  These photos pretty much capture the feel of this place - I couldn't have done better myself.

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The rest of the week is pretty uneventful – it is hot and humid – rain is predicted, but never comes to relieve the humidity. 

Saturday, there is a rally of some sort in the Plaza de Mayo and the Plaza Congreso - Fiesta Patria Popular.  Helicopters, speeches we can hear from our balcony, streets blocked off – we stay home and listen to the business of Politics going in a couple of blocks away.

We wait for Sunday, because Severine has told us Tango week will be starting in the Plaza de Mayo – there will be music and dancing in the plaza and on Av de Mayo. So we take our Sunday walk towards Plaza de Mayo – there is no Tango, no dancing, no music only the workers dismantling the stage frames of the day before.  John and I watch this for a while and then take a detour to Puerto Madera to enjoy the cool breezes off the dock canals and the lovely skyline of the port.

Nobody tangoing here...

Puerto Madera
The skyline and breezes off the dock canals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So ends another week in Baires – not too exciting, but no disappointments either.  A good week for relaxing in our apartment and the discovery of some local events.