En viernes de la tarde yo fui el Ballet Contemporaneo con Silvia del Teatro San Martin. Que bárbaro...truly. It only cost 5 pesos ($2.20) and was world class. They performed three short pieces 'Excusas para el Dolor', 'Bolero' and 'Journey'. Bolero was particularly good and directed by Mauricio Wainrot who is fairly well-known.
Before the show we had the obligatory coffee and lenteja for lunch. I dont think it is possible to have a bad lenteja.
Un bueno cosa el Gobierno here does is support the Arts in a grande way. Hay mucho teatros y Porteños are bueno theatre goers. Along Avenida Corrientes there is a theatre in each cuadra almost, a veces dos - one on either side del Avenida. Fantastico!
Monday 30 June 2008
Garrapiñadas y Matambre
Alejandro and I had a day of eating and drinking coffee today (Sabado). I took him to the Gallego Bar in Palermo. The photo below is of some street art along Honduras Calle just along from the Gallego Bar. Yum! Tried new food - Garrapiñadas are sweet peanuts that have been roasted and covered in the most delicious sweet coating. You can get almonds like it as well. Mmmm very delish. We went to Plaza Francia to get some last minute gifts for family and he bought me a sandwich for lunch which is called matambre - a cold meat. The word matambre means to "kill the hunger", which it certainly did...it was mas grande! The photo is of Alejandro at the stand buying the garrapiñadas.
On Saturday night, we went to Chinatown - so many Chinese restaurants in three blocks. Chinese food is the same the world over - I had roast pork fried rice - when it came out, honestly there was so much and only 12 pesos (about (NZD$5). Eating out here is very inexpensive. I think I have probably only cooked twice - why would I cook when there is so much delicious food to try. My favourite food was locro - a traditional soup, but now Lenteja (lentil based kind of stew) has become my favourite. It is 'que lindo'. It has a little meat (very tender beef), vegetables and the lentils all mixed together with a sauce that I cant describe. I will have to learn how to make it.
Monday 16 June 2008
Caminando en el Parque
Today was a public holiday in Buenos Aires. I decided to take the opportunity and go for a walk without the hustle and bustle - it was amazing to see almost the whole of Buenos Aires closed down for the day. I walked to 9 de Julio, the wideset avenue in el mundo - takes three light crossing to get across, and then on to el torre de los Ingleses and Plaza San Martin. Plaza San Martin is an enormous plaza and everywhere there were people sitting and enjoying the sunshine - many Argentine lovers locked in a romantic clinch, dogs laying in the warmest spots they could find, a man entertaining himself and a small crowd by balancing and bouncing a ball all over his body for about 20 mins without dropping it (honestly!), people reading - I wish I'd taken my book to read as well. The plaza boasts the biggest tree I have ever seen - I will go back with my camera and take a photo so you can see it too...it had special stands made to support the branches that had spread so very far....well you can see not even half of the tree, but it gives a good idea of the size of it. I imagine it is a haven for homeless people to sleep because it has many nooks and crannies to shelter in. The Monumento a los Heroes de la Guerra de las Malvinas stands in Plaza San Martin. It is a simple black slab that is inscribed with the names of all the soldiers who fell during the conflict. It is permanently guarded by two guards from the navy, army and air force on a rotational basis and has an eternal flame that symbolises Argentinas persistent claim over the islands. Interestingly, after the 1982 conflict there was talk of demolishing the tower but instead it was officially renamed Torre Monumental. There are still alot of strong feelings among the Argentine folk, young and old, about the Malvinas.
Sunday 15 June 2008
Political Situation
The political situation here is fairly dire and has been gearing up for the two and a half months that I have been here. The road blocks continue with protesters preventing traffic from passing, there is also a fuel strike today.
The caserrolas were out again yesterday around where I live from about 3pm in Buenos Aires, and they carried on into the night outside the Presidential residence. I couldnt believe what I was seeing on the TV up near Gualegaychu - the police were armed in riot gear and there was a tank that advanced towards protesters pushing them back. They arrested and dragged off some of the protesters. It will be interesting to see what is ultimately going to happen. The President has now apparently stated that the increased taxes will be used for the poor but nobody believes her - what were they going to be used for before is the question?
Below are some links to read a bit about what is going on here. Has any of it made the news in Aotearoa?
Un muy lindo bolsa de un muy lindo hombre
Today I went down to the Recoleta Market (again) to look for a bag. After about an hour I came across a very interesting stall and a lovely man helped me...also shared his red wine with me I might add. He deserved my business after sharing his wine with me-I never would have thought I would be standing at a stall trying to decide which bag to buy and sharing a glass of wine with the stall owner - only here in Argentina I think! Anyway I bought a very useful purple bag that ties around the waist - a bit like a sporran - come to think of it, thats probably why I liked it. Anyway here are a couple of pictures of me doing the tango - well posing at least! Chris and I spent a a few days together and visited La Boca, San Telmo, the Gallego Bar .........we have many pictures of us sitting at cafes and eating delicious food. I think my shape may be changing.
Thursday 5 June 2008
Un Caballero Encantador
No its not Antonio ladies...and mmmm I have to admit he may surpass Antonio. Such a caballero and so very chivalrous...its very nice I have to say. Que lindo! If you want to know more you'll have to ask me by posting a comment. Maybe next time you look there will be a photo.
Tuesday 3 June 2008
Pots and Pans
Argentinians take to the streets banging their pots and pans together … or as the case was last night from their balconies … to show their disapproval of the government's economic policies. The pot is called cacerola (looks remarkably like casserole) and the action of the beating of the pot is called cacerolazo.
Back in 2001 Argentina was facing a massive financial crisis. Having defaulted on a loan to the International Monetary Fund, tens of thousands of la gente lost their hard earned savings when the peso was devalued, and countless more lost their livelihoods. The banging of empty pots and pans is the way that the ‘normal’ Argentinian is able to express from their casa the fear of either (a) having no food or (b) the cost of living being so high in comparison with salaries and that food is very expensive.
I'm not sure how far back in Argentinian history this form of protest goes, but I think it started well before 2001. I have to do a lot more reading and talk to more people about this subject but this is how I understand it at the moment - The debate is between the farmers (el campo) and the Government – the Government is attempting to raise export taxes. The problem is that many of the farmers are smaller holding farmers and they can not afford such a hike in taxes, while on the other hand many of the farmers are fairly affluent landowners who own land and also live in Buenos Aires or elsewhere, and who probably can afford the taxes. I suppose it’s a bit like being stuck between a rock and a hard place…how do you create the necessary balance while maintaining fairness in democracy. Is this where the ‘survival of the fittest’ notion applies? I will continue to find out more about this because it is very interesting.
Alejandro, if you are reading this post it would be good if you left a comment telling what you know and your opinion about the whole 'el campo' debate would be interesting.
Back in 2001 Argentina was facing a massive financial crisis. Having defaulted on a loan to the International Monetary Fund, tens of thousands of la gente lost their hard earned savings when the peso was devalued, and countless more lost their livelihoods. The banging of empty pots and pans is the way that the ‘normal’ Argentinian is able to express from their casa the fear of either (a) having no food or (b) the cost of living being so high in comparison with salaries and that food is very expensive.
I'm not sure how far back in Argentinian history this form of protest goes, but I think it started well before 2001. I have to do a lot more reading and talk to more people about this subject but this is how I understand it at the moment - The debate is between the farmers (el campo) and the Government – the Government is attempting to raise export taxes. The problem is that many of the farmers are smaller holding farmers and they can not afford such a hike in taxes, while on the other hand many of the farmers are fairly affluent landowners who own land and also live in Buenos Aires or elsewhere, and who probably can afford the taxes. I suppose it’s a bit like being stuck between a rock and a hard place…how do you create the necessary balance while maintaining fairness in democracy. Is this where the ‘survival of the fittest’ notion applies? I will continue to find out more about this because it is very interesting.
Alejandro, if you are reading this post it would be good if you left a comment telling what you know and your opinion about the whole 'el campo' debate would be interesting.
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