Lots of Tango and Learning more about Afrocultlure in Argentina

It’s cooler, not cool, but cooler this week.
At least the humidity is down,so the air isn't “creamy”…


The week seemed to fly by this week because...
We took 3 Tango classes this week and had a wonderful conversation with the director(s) of Movimiento Afrocultural with Jairo Velez as the interpreter and guide.

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Movimiento Afrocultural

http://movimientoafrocultural.blogspot.com/

Movimiento Afrocutural is a cultural center that promotes
Afroculture in Argentina to
the community and youth of Buenos Aires.




Jairo and John preparing



Javier Martinez, Director of Movimiento Afrocultural
Hugo de Armas in background

Diego Bonga Martinez, Co-director and brother of Javier

Jairo interpreting for John

John learned a lot of valuable background information from Javier, Diego and Hugo regarding the cultural and political workings of the Afroculture in Argentina.
Hopefully, Jairo and John will have another opportunity to do this again with them.


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Tango this week. . . 

Tuesday nite at Flor de Milanga with Lucia Y Gerry

http://luciaygerrytango.wordpress.com/

Friday nite at Aires Tanguero with Gloria y Eduardo

(Cultura Tanguera has changed it's name and management)

Gloria and Eduardo demonstrating the "cross"

Practicing
one of the couples in the class
that are most helpful to us



Rodrigo and John
My favorite paartners



Sunday - Movimiento Afrocultural with Lucia y Gerry



Jerry watching so he can advise...

Practica gratis after the class





















So ends another adventurous week in Baires for S and J.

 

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Next week Cynthia arrives!!!

Week 17 - It's Another Hot, Humid Week



It’s still hot, humid and creamy…

So once again we stay in and work on our projects.
Here’s what we did this week. . .

My new finished work and representation of John’s work

Obazawa Seres: yet untitled

Obazawa Seres: yet untitled

Reference Books???

Juan Carlos, the first black South American we met here.
He was born in Brazil but has been in Argentina for 30 years.

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Computer crashes on Monday/redoing by Friday -

very frustrating waiting and then trying to retrive the work
and then reconnecting with wireless,

which by the way is still not working
(the wireless, that is - have to connect with a cable to ethernet)

Tango class, Cultura Tanguera on Friday nite.

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As a continuation of John’s work, on Sunday we go to participate in activities at Movimiento Afrocultura.

Movimiento Afrocultural
A center to promote and teach Afroculture in Argentina

There John makes an appointment to interview Javier who is the director of the organization, then we take a tango class and enjoy the Capoeira Angola performance after class.

Tango lesson with Lucia and Jerry...
Finally, we’ve found a native English speaking Tango teacher! Gerry is from Ireland and has been in BA for 10 years learning and teaching Tango – cant’ believe we’ve gotten this far with Tango without an English speaking teacher – we learned a lot in the hour and ½ lesson.










Capoeira Angola - Javier and Diego perform and teach





















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So ends another week of the hot, humid summer days of Buenos Aires…


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Next week: Tango on Tuesday and Friday evenings and the interview with Javier with Jairo as the interpreter.

It's Week 16??? I've lost count, I think...



Debi's gone home, it's hot and humid...


Debi has gone…
The weather has gotten HOT, not just hot, but humid hot… heavy, thick, creamy air. The air-conditioner is turned on most of the day and we stay in and go out only if necessary.


What to do…
John reads (research) and revises his writing, I set up my “studio” again.

But it’s John’s birthday on Friday, the 13th, so we venture out to buy him some tango shoes and go to Tango class. We planned to go out to dinner after class, but it’s still a hot and humid night so we retreat to our air-conditioned apartment... maybe tomorrow night.

Tired shoes on a hot humid night...

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The next day is a little better, but we are exhausted from the day before and doing our Saturday errands and we stay in to prepare for Sunday.

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Subte tunnel to the green line, Line D, to Palermo

Sunday, we venture out and go to Palermo via the subte to meet John’s research assistant from San Francisco State University who is doing his study abroad at the University of Belgrano. We meet Jairo Velez at Starbucks who turns out to be an earnest and charming young man who has already done some research work for John and has been trying to set up interviews for John – we are very impressed.



Starbucks Palermo, Av. Malabia



John and Jairo

 I, of course, go exploring the area while Jairo and John talk over how they can help each other out while we are still here in Baires.

Back on the subte for home, a nap and then the birthday dinner in Puerto Madero that evening.

It’s still warm, but we want to walk a little, so we take the subte to Plaza de Mayo and walk to Puerto Madero from there. We had planned to go to the Gaucho restaurant, but it didn’t have any ac, so we crossed the Puente de la Mujer to Puerto Cristal for a lovely dinner with a view of the docks and Puerto Madero.

Puente de la Mujer at night

Window Table to view the docks and Puerto Madero

John's goat



My lamb



 

The walk back to Plaza de Mayo was lovely …

Casa Rosada all lit up for the evening

A nice way to end a hot miserable week and beginning of a new year for John.

Week 16???

It's Monday and my computer crashed yesterday, so I won't be doing the blog this week until my computer is fixed, programs downloaded, files from backup disk reloaded, etc.

It may be days...

Lost the Windows 7.  If it can't be retrieved from the hard drive, I will have to get the Windows 7 in Spanish!!!

Aye, Dios!!!

Debi's here - a week of touring Baires

Debi arrives on Sunday and on Monday we begin the touring...

Ready to go...

It's Monday, we take the City Bus Tour.

Headphones on and ready for photo taking...

Casa Rosada

Av 9 de Julio, "The Widest Street in the World"

The Congreso Dome

The Bombadero Estadio

 The bridges - old and new - La Boca

We get off the tour bus in La Boca for lunch and the sights.

Tango, La Boca Style

Tango, Debi Style

Toast for the first day in Baires

Back on the bus to see
the rest of Buenos Aires

Empanadas and cerveza

Puerto Madera

Hipodromo in Palermo

The Kavanagh Edificio

Happy Touriets on the bus

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Sally and Alejandro have returned to Buenos Aires for a few more days - we meet them at their hotel and agree to meet for a private Tango lesson at Studio Severine at 3:00 pm on Tuesday.

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Tuesday morning, Debi and I walk to Plaza de Mayo
and then stop at Cafe Tortoni for lunch

Plaza de Mayo

Cafe Tortoni

Cafe Tortoni

After a nice lunch at Cafe Tortoni,

we then meet Sally and Alex for Tango at Studio Severine

At the front of Severine's Studio

Up the stairs to the studio

Tango Sally

Berteauxs still working at Tango

Showing Alex what to do...

Sally and Alex ask about a Tango Show - Severine suggests a place for a group lesson and a Milongo (Tango dance club)

Porteno y Bailarin, Av. Riobamba

Demonstration by the teachers

Doing pretty well...

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On Wednesday, it's Evita Day.

Museo Evita
A lovely tribute to the controversial woman

Cementerio de la Recoleta

The crypt of Evita's Family
Eva Duarte Peron is here

Then to Alvear Palace for lunch.
A very fancy place - High Tea demands "elegant dress" and $60.00 USD!

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Thursday – Av Lavalle, Av Florida and Galeria Pacifico (for Freddo ice cream),

then in the evening, the Borolo Palacio.

Frescos of the Galeria Pacifico

The skylights of the Galeria

Another tour of the Borolo Palacio!

Tickets to another era

Praying for ascencion



The View of Congreso Plaza
from Borolo Palacio "Heaven"

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Friday - The Opera House, Teatro Colon

In the evening, Puerto Madera and dessert

Tearto Colon - Opera House

Inside lobby entrance

Golden Hall

It's Friday, we check to see if there's a Tango lesson with Gloria and Eduardo...

No lesson, so we practice and have drinks
at Cultura Tanguera

We don't want to waste a Friday evening, so we taxi to Puerto Madera



Puente de las Mujeres at Night
Stunning!





Strolling across the bridge...





Flan with a little dulce de la leche
at the Gaucho Restaurant







Happy after flan and drinks



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Saturday, we go back to Av Florida and the Galeria for some shopping.

Then walk to Plaza de Mayo to take

the Subte, line A (the first subway line built 100 years ago) back home.

The Galeria Pacifico, Av Florida entrance

100 year old subway train - great ambiance

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It's Sunday!

The day for the Feria de San Telmo and Av Defensa



Av Defensa, the fair goes for miles



Antiques at the Plaza Dorrego





Back at Rosa de los Vientos
for tapas and cerveza



It's Deb's last evening, so we go to the rooftop for final skyline photos...

We make it to the rooftop

Moon over Our Buenos Aires

 

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Monday, January 9, 2012

Debi's last day

We enjoyed showing her the Buenos Aires we have discovered and with Debi, we discovered a few new places of interest. 

I hope she had a "Big Adventure" to add to "S & J's Big Adventure(s)"

Debi and the Obelisco
Looks like she enjoyed her Baires Adventure