So I just realied that somewhere in the span of things I have lost about a week's worth of reality here in the blog. I mean, we go from the World Percusion Festival straight to the Subte Jazz Fest. Now, you don't know this (well, you do now) but there was about a week's worth of time in between those 2 events. So, I can manipulate your understanding of reality and I can change time without even thinking about it. Maybe my narcissistic view of myself as a god aren't too terribly far off? :-)
To wane philosophical for a moment we are all gods within our own individual sphere's of influence. Whether you believe in Free-will or Pre-determination I hope that we can agree that none of us knows the future. With that in mind we have the ability to directly effect our Present by our actions. I can choose to smile at the person next to me and change what may have otherwise happened (or not happened) between us. Just an observation...
So, with respect to here and time, it's more like I forgot that Helena was taking pictures with the little camera too. That and the fact that not everything is worthy of discussion. (I know you hang on my every word but I won't subject you to the mundane details like showers and cereal for breakfast.)
So, feel free to revel in today's eye-candy and commentary...
First, random pictures of me taking pictures. I am on the ground taking a vertical shot, not taking a mid-day nap.
We decided to have a picnic in the park one evening. Food is actually quite affordable here in Baires. Bottle of wine ~$5, Cheese ~$2, Baguette ~$1.50, Chorizo (sausage) ~$3. So a nice meal for about $10 American.
They have a bridge here in Baires that Helena refers to as "phallic." I think of it more as a woman doing leg lifts. *Shrug* You decide...
Duncan: FYI - This is the proper form to be used with a punching bag. Also note the glee in her eyes as she mercilessly attacks this innocent umbrella...
Ok, by now you have also notice the little red and blue thingies. They are actually called "Squishy Bowls/Cups" by Guyot Designs. I have to say that they are my vote to replace the Red and Blue SOLO cups we have all used in our drunken adventures at one time or another. Perfect size, no random flavor changes, easily clean up, and they don't break or crack when you drop them! That and they SQUISH! To any size so they fit in any purse, bag, or backpack that you happen to be carrying your illicit goods around in. That and they're a little less conspicuous when you're out drinking in public... Not that that is a worry in Baires! :-)
We still yet have not had an opportunity to visit La Boca, where the majority of the city's Tango culture is located. But we did happen by some street performers while we were cruising Florida Av.
Random shots of me. Again, courtesy of Helena.
The area near the Docks heading to Puerto Madero...
Now there is another traditional food that I think you need to be wary of if you have any heart or cholesterol issues: Chorie-Pan. It's exactly what it states: Chorizo and Bread (Chorizo being sausage. And not the super-spicy mexican stuff. Most Argentines don't like spicy foods.) But very like the state fair they let you put whatever the heck you can imagine on it: chimmichurri, onions, salsa, cucumbers, tomatos, mayonaise, catsup, mustard, and one thing they really like are those little Pik-Nik fried potato french fry thingies. Go figure. Either way it was exceptionally tasty!
"Mafalda" (the plastic chick on the bench with us) is one of the national comic characters here.You can actually see comic strips of her in the Subte. Turns out last time she was here, Helena spent an entire day trying to find this spot. We just happened on it by accident.
Can't really tell here but this is another percussion group that we happened upon as they were practicing one evening...
And finally... Can you believe that this whole city goes crazy over the coming of Spring? Count downs all over the news for months before, signs all over shop windows, and a huge party downtown. It's essentially a national holiday as the kids don't even go to school. And all for a few leaves and blossoms on the trees...
Remember Kids: Plaigiarism is a punishable crime. Just ask any college student. So give credit where credit is due... Thanks for the pictures Helena!
Jumpn2nsanity
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Subte
For those of you that haven't figured it out yet the "Subte" is Baries' subway system. It consists of a number of different lines that allow you to get around the city with a modicum of ease. Well, just like NYC's subway, there are of course adverts all over the walls down there. Well, one that we saw was for a Jazz Festival to be held in the Subte stations. Gratis? (free?) Let's go!
Well, first thing is that the only stations that were big enough to hold such a thing happened to be on the exact opposite side of the city. If you look at the map below, we are currently staying on the purple line (Linea E) near the Boedo station. The concerts were on the North end of the green line (Linea D).
So the trip up there was about an hour, even by Subte. Much quicker than walking all the way there... (though it is something stupid that I have been known to do in the States.) But a nice enough ride for a Sunday. Just to warn you... If you haven't ridden a subway line during rush hour in a large city it is a very different experience than one you may have ever had before. People joke about it being packed in like sardines. I think I would much prefer to be the sardine, at least they are packed in an organized manner and don't have to worry about coming up for air every-so-often. And then, if you are on the wrong side of the car for the station you want you are totally out of luck!
But I made it to the first station with no troubles and my only worries being for the low clearance in the doorways. To my dismay the group happened to be on the other side of the turnstiles and I had a sneaking suspicion that it would be the same in the other stations. I'm a cheap bastard and I didn't want to have to pay to get back on at each station and off again, but we'll worry about that later...
I was both excited and slightly disappointed when I saw the first group.
Turns out it was the Jazz Ensemble from a local school. Not quite what I had in mind for a night of jazz, but then again, this being my own roots I had to stay and listen. Yeah, they weren't top notch and they might not even have warranted a notch of any kind... but you've got to start somewhere! And it brought back some memories of my past Jazz bands and almost choked (emotion or gagging, I don't know) when they played "Stardust", probably the first jazz ensemble piece I ever played (and very complex chordally, so likely not too good of a choice in some instances.) Great exposure for the kids and a great way for them to get started soloing.
Now, back to my cheapness... It was about 15 minutes till the next show started at the next Subte station. I wasn't going to pay $1,20 to see each so I decided to walk to the next. :-) It was a beautiful afternoon out and so I actually enjoyed myself. The more I think about it, the more every place I've gone in the world looks the same. This little sidewalk cafe reminded me of downtown Hickory, would have fit in well in Phoenix if there were misters up, definitely saw some in NYC, and you can probably find the same thing in Paris, London, and Rome (not that I've been there, but if it's elsewhere, you can prolly find them there too.) Of course someone would have a conniption about the Budweiser sign if it was in the US.
Turns out that the distance between Subte stations isn't that far. Granted, not as quick as riding, but nothing to argue about unless you're in a rush. I was more pumped for the second group when I saw them. Guitar, String Bass, Drum set, and vocalist; more like what I was expecting to hear! Well... I wsa actually more let down by this group than I was by the kids. Yes, jazz involves playing many standards that came out of America, but the biggest thing you need to know is how to sing and play in tune. Go ahead and get the words wrong, I understand that English is not your first language, and just like music is universal, tuning should be universal too. In their defense though, the drummer and guitarist were both actually decent players, but they all just didn't click together.Thankfully you can't hear how bad they are in this picture.
Disheartened with my experience so far and the night halfway over I made my way to the next station, which just happened to be the station I was at previously to see the kids play. I was immediately intrigued as I saw the kids' instructor sitting behind a Drum set. The guy to his right (stage right) was sitting on his amp and uncasing a nice looking guiar and the 3rd guy had his string bass out and tuning it (a good sign already!) No music stands, no sheet music (like the previous group), I couldn't help but remember every Sunday night at the Taproom in Hickory where my percussion professor had (still has, actually) a standing jazz gig. And I was not disappointed when they started playing! Finally, this was what I had come to hear! They played a number of recognizeable standards and probably some that either weren't standards or I just didn't know them. Solos all around and even trading 4's... *sigh* Now, not that I am a guitarist (though that is the next instrument I need to learn) but the guy was quite talented in my opinion. Flashy, but not over the top, didn't repeat any licks ad naseum, and was quite lyrical with his lines. And the drummer was quite good too, using his instrument as a voice instead of like a trash can. The bassist could have used some work as he looked like he was new to the trio, but he was able to keep up and hold his own. In this instance, the pictures don't do the music justice. :-)
They made the experience worthwhile and I was hesitant to ruin the evening on the chance that the next group would be like the second, I was getting tired, and it was nearing 19:00 in a foreign city quite a long ways from where I was staying. But I decided that I would give the next group a chance. If they didn't pass muster then I could head home with no qualms.
I walked down the stairs into the station and saw a group of people already sitting there waiting for the start. What I saw was 4 kids maybe in their early 20's with an electric keyboard, 6-string bass, drum set, and percussion (congas, timbales, cowbell). From what I could tell this could go either way. Either they would be pretentious and I could go home, or they would be half good and worth listening to.
The pianist and bass player started in... not perfect, but then again they were in tune, kept time, and the music was interesting. Then the drumer and percussionist started in with some simple back rhythm. Quite enjoyable! So I stayed around for a second tune. And a third, and a fourth. They had some really interesting ideas (musically) and some nice arrangements. More to the point though, they clicked together and seemed to be having fun! I definitely had to give them credit for doing their homework! But it really made my night when they broke into an excellent arrangement of "St Thomas" and the percusionist finally broke out of his shell and showed that he was not there just for show! Rock on with your bad self!
So, while it started off kind of slow, the evening turned out to be quite enjoyable! It just goes to show: always leave your expectations at the door.
Remember kids: 1+1 = 2, unless it's cars then you've got yourself an accident.
Jumpn2nsanity
Well, first thing is that the only stations that were big enough to hold such a thing happened to be on the exact opposite side of the city. If you look at the map below, we are currently staying on the purple line (Linea E) near the Boedo station. The concerts were on the North end of the green line (Linea D).
So the trip up there was about an hour, even by Subte. Much quicker than walking all the way there... (though it is something stupid that I have been known to do in the States.) But a nice enough ride for a Sunday. Just to warn you... If you haven't ridden a subway line during rush hour in a large city it is a very different experience than one you may have ever had before. People joke about it being packed in like sardines. I think I would much prefer to be the sardine, at least they are packed in an organized manner and don't have to worry about coming up for air every-so-often. And then, if you are on the wrong side of the car for the station you want you are totally out of luck!
But I made it to the first station with no troubles and my only worries being for the low clearance in the doorways. To my dismay the group happened to be on the other side of the turnstiles and I had a sneaking suspicion that it would be the same in the other stations. I'm a cheap bastard and I didn't want to have to pay to get back on at each station and off again, but we'll worry about that later...
I was both excited and slightly disappointed when I saw the first group.
Turns out it was the Jazz Ensemble from a local school. Not quite what I had in mind for a night of jazz, but then again, this being my own roots I had to stay and listen. Yeah, they weren't top notch and they might not even have warranted a notch of any kind... but you've got to start somewhere! And it brought back some memories of my past Jazz bands and almost choked (emotion or gagging, I don't know) when they played "Stardust", probably the first jazz ensemble piece I ever played (and very complex chordally, so likely not too good of a choice in some instances.) Great exposure for the kids and a great way for them to get started soloing.
Now, back to my cheapness... It was about 15 minutes till the next show started at the next Subte station. I wasn't going to pay $1,20 to see each so I decided to walk to the next. :-) It was a beautiful afternoon out and so I actually enjoyed myself. The more I think about it, the more every place I've gone in the world looks the same. This little sidewalk cafe reminded me of downtown Hickory, would have fit in well in Phoenix if there were misters up, definitely saw some in NYC, and you can probably find the same thing in Paris, London, and Rome (not that I've been there, but if it's elsewhere, you can prolly find them there too.) Of course someone would have a conniption about the Budweiser sign if it was in the US.
Turns out that the distance between Subte stations isn't that far. Granted, not as quick as riding, but nothing to argue about unless you're in a rush. I was more pumped for the second group when I saw them. Guitar, String Bass, Drum set, and vocalist; more like what I was expecting to hear! Well... I wsa actually more let down by this group than I was by the kids. Yes, jazz involves playing many standards that came out of America, but the biggest thing you need to know is how to sing and play in tune. Go ahead and get the words wrong, I understand that English is not your first language, and just like music is universal, tuning should be universal too. In their defense though, the drummer and guitarist were both actually decent players, but they all just didn't click together.Thankfully you can't hear how bad they are in this picture.
Disheartened with my experience so far and the night halfway over I made my way to the next station, which just happened to be the station I was at previously to see the kids play. I was immediately intrigued as I saw the kids' instructor sitting behind a Drum set. The guy to his right (stage right) was sitting on his amp and uncasing a nice looking guiar and the 3rd guy had his string bass out and tuning it (a good sign already!) No music stands, no sheet music (like the previous group), I couldn't help but remember every Sunday night at the Taproom in Hickory where my percussion professor had (still has, actually) a standing jazz gig. And I was not disappointed when they started playing! Finally, this was what I had come to hear! They played a number of recognizeable standards and probably some that either weren't standards or I just didn't know them. Solos all around and even trading 4's... *sigh* Now, not that I am a guitarist (though that is the next instrument I need to learn) but the guy was quite talented in my opinion. Flashy, but not over the top, didn't repeat any licks ad naseum, and was quite lyrical with his lines. And the drummer was quite good too, using his instrument as a voice instead of like a trash can. The bassist could have used some work as he looked like he was new to the trio, but he was able to keep up and hold his own. In this instance, the pictures don't do the music justice. :-)
They made the experience worthwhile and I was hesitant to ruin the evening on the chance that the next group would be like the second, I was getting tired, and it was nearing 19:00 in a foreign city quite a long ways from where I was staying. But I decided that I would give the next group a chance. If they didn't pass muster then I could head home with no qualms.
I walked down the stairs into the station and saw a group of people already sitting there waiting for the start. What I saw was 4 kids maybe in their early 20's with an electric keyboard, 6-string bass, drum set, and percussion (congas, timbales, cowbell). From what I could tell this could go either way. Either they would be pretentious and I could go home, or they would be half good and worth listening to.
The pianist and bass player started in... not perfect, but then again they were in tune, kept time, and the music was interesting. Then the drumer and percussionist started in with some simple back rhythm. Quite enjoyable! So I stayed around for a second tune. And a third, and a fourth. They had some really interesting ideas (musically) and some nice arrangements. More to the point though, they clicked together and seemed to be having fun! I definitely had to give them credit for doing their homework! But it really made my night when they broke into an excellent arrangement of "St Thomas" and the percusionist finally broke out of his shell and showed that he was not there just for show! Rock on with your bad self!
So, while it started off kind of slow, the evening turned out to be quite enjoyable! It just goes to show: always leave your expectations at the door.
Remember kids: 1+1 = 2, unless it's cars then you've got yourself an accident.
Jumpn2nsanity
Sunday, September 26, 2010
World Percussion Festival
Upon my arrival in Baires, one of the first things that Helena mentions to me is the "World Percussion Festival" to be held in Quilmes. Well, that's a no brainer for me! Let's go!
We first met up with a couple of Helena's Brazilian friends and took the bus ride out to the town of Quilmes.
Like every other festival in Baires we figured it would be held in the park so we went and grabbed a couple of bottles of beer, some snacks, and headed out. I was able to find a snack that I hadn't seen since my childhood (actually, since Amanda went to Germany a couple of years ago and sent me one back): A KinderEgg! Milk chocolate and white chocolate (very tasty!) wrapped around a plastic egg with the world's dumbest little toys inside. Ours was a little, see-through, plastic ghost with a teeny-tiny dice inside of it. No clue what the point of it is but we have determined that it must be Lacan's "Fantasma."
After sitting in the part for a while we realized that there was no festival going on. Turns out that since this was the one park in town and it was quite small that the festival was actually being held in the Library basement. Go Figure.
The first group we saw was playing Cajón, an Afro-Peruvian instrument that is basically a box which is sat upon and played with the hands.
Next was a Capoeira group. Many may be aware of his as a style of fighting (thanks to video games and Hollywood) but it is actually a mixture of martial arts, dance, and music that originated in Brasil. The instruments consist of some of the more traditional such as the pandeiro (tambourine) and atabaque (drums and congas) but also include the berimbau which looks like a bow with a gourd attached to it. The string is struck with a stick and pitch is altered using the finger (similar to a guitar or violin.) The music is then what drives the rhthym of the dance or fight...
The next group was an Argentine drum line which consisted of the traditional Bombo Leguero (similar to our bass drum), congas, and timbales.
Finally was a Murga group. These originate from the Carnival festivals of Brazil and consist of bass brums with little high-hat cymbals on top and snare drums. But they usually also include a dance group as weel. And you can tell that one of the girls in this group was really getting into the action...
By the end of this group it was almost 10pm and we had been stuck in this basement with pounding drums for about 4 hours. Supposedly there was one more group but our ears just couldn't take much more. Besides, the Subte stops running at 10:30 on the weekends so we had to make like a baby and head out.
Remember kids: Don't wear white after Labor Day.
Jumpn2nsanity
We first met up with a couple of Helena's Brazilian friends and took the bus ride out to the town of Quilmes.
Like every other festival in Baires we figured it would be held in the park so we went and grabbed a couple of bottles of beer, some snacks, and headed out. I was able to find a snack that I hadn't seen since my childhood (actually, since Amanda went to Germany a couple of years ago and sent me one back): A KinderEgg! Milk chocolate and white chocolate (very tasty!) wrapped around a plastic egg with the world's dumbest little toys inside. Ours was a little, see-through, plastic ghost with a teeny-tiny dice inside of it. No clue what the point of it is but we have determined that it must be Lacan's "Fantasma."
After sitting in the part for a while we realized that there was no festival going on. Turns out that since this was the one park in town and it was quite small that the festival was actually being held in the Library basement. Go Figure.
The first group we saw was playing Cajón, an Afro-Peruvian instrument that is basically a box which is sat upon and played with the hands.
Next was a Capoeira group. Many may be aware of his as a style of fighting (thanks to video games and Hollywood) but it is actually a mixture of martial arts, dance, and music that originated in Brasil. The instruments consist of some of the more traditional such as the pandeiro (tambourine) and atabaque (drums and congas) but also include the berimbau which looks like a bow with a gourd attached to it. The string is struck with a stick and pitch is altered using the finger (similar to a guitar or violin.) The music is then what drives the rhthym of the dance or fight...
The next group was an Argentine drum line which consisted of the traditional Bombo Leguero (similar to our bass drum), congas, and timbales.
Finally was a Murga group. These originate from the Carnival festivals of Brazil and consist of bass brums with little high-hat cymbals on top and snare drums. But they usually also include a dance group as weel. And you can tell that one of the girls in this group was really getting into the action...
By the end of this group it was almost 10pm and we had been stuck in this basement with pounding drums for about 4 hours. Supposedly there was one more group but our ears just couldn't take much more. Besides, the Subte stops running at 10:30 on the weekends so we had to make like a baby and head out.
Remember kids: Don't wear white after Labor Day.
Jumpn2nsanity
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Cruising Baires
Ok... So I finally get to my own stuff again. Hope that you all haven't missed me too much (or too little. I do have a bit of an ego...)
It's hard to believe but I almost got into an argument with Helena last night about how long I've been here already (I must accede, I would have lost the argument even if I was right.) But it's only been a week and a half! It seems like it must have been 2-3 weeks already with as much as we have been doing and as good as (I feel) that my Spanish has been coming along. But then again I was getting frustrated that I have not been able to fluently converse with some of Helena´s friends and realized it hasn't been that long.
Anywho... Pictures.
So, the first thing that is usually on my mind here is food: what are we getting, when are we getting it, and why is it not in my belly right now? So last Friday we headed off to Palermo to start our day. A very cooll part of town and one of the oldest.
We immediately headed for a place and when I saw it I couldn't help but crack up like a fool! "Kentucky Pizza!"
"Kentucky Chicken" I could understand, but Pizza? Well, we were not actually looking for pizza (as I ate myself sick of it the last few weeks in the states. Delivery rocks when you don't have a mode of transport!) but it looked so good that I had to add it to my list of things to try at a later date.
What we had actually come for were empenadas. From left to right: Rocquefort with cream sauce, Cut Beef, Ham and Cheese, and Shredded Chicken. Oh. My. Yum. I really had to hold myself back so that Helena wouldn't lose a hand.
See? All hands accounted for!
Well, we had stopped to eat in the Botanical Gardens and it was a beautiful day so we cruised around a bit.
No, I'm not that big of a pervert, it just so happened that EVERY single statue (except for one) happened to be of a naked woman. *shrug*
"Um, hello? I just left Arizona?" Too funny, but I guess cacti would be exotic to them...
And of course the one statue that wasn't a chick in the buff...
After that we left the park and started cruising elsewhere. Porteño Tip #14: There are animals everywhere, especially stray dogs. They just lie out in the street or walk up to your table as you are eating lunch looking for a snack. They are so prevalent that they are nearly invisible to the natives. And for those of you that don't really know me: I despise pigeons and even worsee than then are old ladies who feed them. FEED THEM! Ugh! Unless you are throwing out handfulls of dried rice I don't want to ssee it... ugh.
And similar to NYC and other large cities, people are paid to walk your dog...
Had to get a picture of this gem
Helena wasn't so happy about posing for a couple of pictures for me, especially the Big, Scary Tree...
More interesting things...
Next we went by the planetarium (not inside, that's for a future date.)
This goose was so fat that all of his other goose buddies were making fun of him...
And kids all around the world play "Pato, pato, ganzo" (Duck, duck, goose)
Perhaps my new favorite saying: "Don't forget to be happy."
This statue in front of the Mounted Police headquarters actually had real hair on it!
Ok back to cruising... this time past the embassies...
Giant metal flower that open and closes with the sun. Helena is still trying to convince me that it is NOT a giant death-ray... (but you can't fool me!)
A view of the city and what traffic really looks like here as well as the skyline...
Coming into the National Cemetery...
It was really interesting to see structures from the early 1800's right alongside something that was built 2 years ago...
And the inside of some of these mausoleums were pretty cool too...
So, all in all a very fun day and lost of new things seen. Hope you enjoyed!
Don't forget to be happy.
Jumpn2nsanity
It's hard to believe but I almost got into an argument with Helena last night about how long I've been here already (I must accede, I would have lost the argument even if I was right.) But it's only been a week and a half! It seems like it must have been 2-3 weeks already with as much as we have been doing and as good as (I feel) that my Spanish has been coming along. But then again I was getting frustrated that I have not been able to fluently converse with some of Helena´s friends and realized it hasn't been that long.
Anywho... Pictures.
So, the first thing that is usually on my mind here is food: what are we getting, when are we getting it, and why is it not in my belly right now? So last Friday we headed off to Palermo to start our day. A very cooll part of town and one of the oldest.
We immediately headed for a place and when I saw it I couldn't help but crack up like a fool! "Kentucky Pizza!"
"Kentucky Chicken" I could understand, but Pizza? Well, we were not actually looking for pizza (as I ate myself sick of it the last few weeks in the states. Delivery rocks when you don't have a mode of transport!) but it looked so good that I had to add it to my list of things to try at a later date.
What we had actually come for were empenadas. From left to right: Rocquefort with cream sauce, Cut Beef, Ham and Cheese, and Shredded Chicken. Oh. My. Yum. I really had to hold myself back so that Helena wouldn't lose a hand.
See? All hands accounted for!
Well, we had stopped to eat in the Botanical Gardens and it was a beautiful day so we cruised around a bit.
No, I'm not that big of a pervert, it just so happened that EVERY single statue (except for one) happened to be of a naked woman. *shrug*
"Um, hello? I just left Arizona?" Too funny, but I guess cacti would be exotic to them...
And of course the one statue that wasn't a chick in the buff...
After that we left the park and started cruising elsewhere. Porteño Tip #14: There are animals everywhere, especially stray dogs. They just lie out in the street or walk up to your table as you are eating lunch looking for a snack. They are so prevalent that they are nearly invisible to the natives. And for those of you that don't really know me: I despise pigeons and even worsee than then are old ladies who feed them. FEED THEM! Ugh! Unless you are throwing out handfulls of dried rice I don't want to ssee it... ugh.
And similar to NYC and other large cities, people are paid to walk your dog...
Had to get a picture of this gem
Helena wasn't so happy about posing for a couple of pictures for me, especially the Big, Scary Tree...
More interesting things...
Next we went by the planetarium (not inside, that's for a future date.)
This goose was so fat that all of his other goose buddies were making fun of him...
And kids all around the world play "Pato, pato, ganzo" (Duck, duck, goose)
Perhaps my new favorite saying: "Don't forget to be happy."
This statue in front of the Mounted Police headquarters actually had real hair on it!
Ok back to cruising... this time past the embassies...
Giant metal flower that open and closes with the sun. Helena is still trying to convince me that it is NOT a giant death-ray... (but you can't fool me!)
A view of the city and what traffic really looks like here as well as the skyline...
Coming into the National Cemetery...
It was really interesting to see structures from the early 1800's right alongside something that was built 2 years ago...
And the inside of some of these mausoleums were pretty cool too...
So, all in all a very fun day and lost of new things seen. Hope you enjoyed!
Don't forget to be happy.
Jumpn2nsanity
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Presenting: Mr & Mrs (W)Right
Ok... So when my friends Duncan and Anne finally decided to make their joint commiseration official and get married there was a lot of planning that had to go on. Thanfully, I didn't have to do any of it. Although now in retrospect I should have been retained as an outside consultant. :-) We had a blast and except for a couple of CLOSE calls everything seemed to go off without a problem! Everyone looked great, the weather was perfect, the kids behaved, the food super tasty, the alcohol flowing... what more could you ask for?! Oh... yeah... Pictures. Here are a few for you...
To see the rest go to: http://cid-9ee511bbcbf792bd.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Wedding%20pics
Blessed be those who get enough rest at night.
Jumpn2nsanity
To see the rest go to: http://cid-9ee511bbcbf792bd.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Wedding%20pics
Blessed be those who get enough rest at night.
Jumpn2nsanity
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Cruising town in Baires
My next bit of advice on travelling to Argentina: Make sure to check your cholesterol before coming here. The diet here consists of Steak. Nothing else, just steak. Ok, I may be exagerating, but not by much! It does deserve it's place though as some of the best in the world, and that is no joke.
After making it through customs on Wednesday we headed for home in a taxi. Next tip: don't drive here unless you have been practicing in downtown LA for the past decade. The roads seem like a free-for-all! I didn't notice any speed limit signs, merging consists of telepathically informing others as the turn signals on cars here don't seem to work, and I have seen a few stop lights but no stop signs (the brake shops must do good business here). Good thing though is that, aside from the buses, the largest vehicle on the road is a Ford F-100, and that is a bit rare. Lots of Citroens, Puegots, Chevys, and even more motorcycles, cooters, and mopeds. So, if you're hit, at least you won't die immediately. :-)
We started off the afternoon by going for a cruise downtown. Very reminiscent of New York City. A little bit dirtier in places (not that NYC can get much dirtier), lots of people, and stores, hawkers, and musicians all over the place.
Old Guy Playing Bandoneon
Vegetable Stand
Normal Looking Street (Anne, this one is for you. I'm trying to get more pictures of people, but I ended up with a butt. At least it's a start!)
Lunch Consists Of: A big ol' hunk of meat and beer. The salad was an accident and the salsa and chimichurri were for topping, but everything tasted AMAZINGLY great!
It's Not All Hustle and Bustle
So all in all a good start to my stay here!
Keep your nose clean,
Jumpn2nsanity
After making it through customs on Wednesday we headed for home in a taxi. Next tip: don't drive here unless you have been practicing in downtown LA for the past decade. The roads seem like a free-for-all! I didn't notice any speed limit signs, merging consists of telepathically informing others as the turn signals on cars here don't seem to work, and I have seen a few stop lights but no stop signs (the brake shops must do good business here). Good thing though is that, aside from the buses, the largest vehicle on the road is a Ford F-100, and that is a bit rare. Lots of Citroens, Puegots, Chevys, and even more motorcycles, cooters, and mopeds. So, if you're hit, at least you won't die immediately. :-)
We started off the afternoon by going for a cruise downtown. Very reminiscent of New York City. A little bit dirtier in places (not that NYC can get much dirtier), lots of people, and stores, hawkers, and musicians all over the place.
Old Guy Playing Bandoneon
Vegetable Stand
Normal Looking Street (Anne, this one is for you. I'm trying to get more pictures of people, but I ended up with a butt. At least it's a start!)
Lunch Consists Of: A big ol' hunk of meat and beer. The salad was an accident and the salsa and chimichurri were for topping, but everything tasted AMAZINGLY great!
It's Not All Hustle and Bustle
So all in all a good start to my stay here!
Keep your nose clean,
Jumpn2nsanity
Thursday, September 16, 2010
A few words on international travel
Ok, I am finally here in Baires! I know that everybody has been waiting for this day and not just me... (Makes me wonder, were you all just trying to get rid of me?) Well, first things first: if none of you have ever had the chance to use a Spanish keyboard, I would strongly suggest that you don´t even bother and definitely don't try and cram in a 3,000 word paper in the night before using one of these bad boys. Granted, it has all the same letters, but none of the punctuation is in the right place! And for those of you that don´t know, I have this obsessive/compulsive thing about correct punctuation... even when texting. So yeah, I´m starting the day off with a bit of stress...
Anywho, so here are a couple of tips for those of you that have decided you want to follow me down here:
#1 - Get a storage locker. Selling all of your wordly posessions SUCKS! That and it makes cramming everything into the allowed number of bags difficult.
#2 - Make sure to take the same airline from your origination to your destination. I was told by a number of people I would have to pick up my bags in DC and then re-check them. Well, after sitting at the baggage carousel for a while I decided to ask the information people: "Oh no, you´re checked all the way through!"
#3 - Just go ahead and pay the extra $ for the upgraded Economy or Exit aisle seating. I, unfortunately, did not and got a window eat that somehow had a 'little extra' something in the way of a metal box underneath the seat in front of me. Thankfully I was next to this midget Japanese woman and was able to stretch my legs a bit over on her side.
#4 - Get the suitcase type bag for your luggage as opposed to the duffel bag/hiking pack type. You willl spend hours packing it just so and the inspections agents will inevitably want to see that thing on the very bottom of the bag. And no, they will not take the same care as you in repacking it, if they even repack at all...
#5 - Get the rolling cart for your bags. I don't care how tough and bad-ass you are, standing in line at customs with a coat on and your worldly posessions hanging from you (all 90+ lbs of it) gets heavy when you are standing in the line for Customs. Not to mention extremely hot in the middle of that herd of cattle.
And finally - Don't hesitate to hire a taxi! They'll take you right to your door as opposed to carting things around on the bus for multiple hours on end...
Don't forget to wash before eating...
Jumpn2nsanity
Anywho, so here are a couple of tips for those of you that have decided you want to follow me down here:
#1 - Get a storage locker. Selling all of your wordly posessions SUCKS! That and it makes cramming everything into the allowed number of bags difficult.
#2 - Make sure to take the same airline from your origination to your destination. I was told by a number of people I would have to pick up my bags in DC and then re-check them. Well, after sitting at the baggage carousel for a while I decided to ask the information people: "Oh no, you´re checked all the way through!"
#3 - Just go ahead and pay the extra $ for the upgraded Economy or Exit aisle seating. I, unfortunately, did not and got a window eat that somehow had a 'little extra' something in the way of a metal box underneath the seat in front of me. Thankfully I was next to this midget Japanese woman and was able to stretch my legs a bit over on her side.
#4 - Get the suitcase type bag for your luggage as opposed to the duffel bag/hiking pack type. You willl spend hours packing it just so and the inspections agents will inevitably want to see that thing on the very bottom of the bag. And no, they will not take the same care as you in repacking it, if they even repack at all...
#5 - Get the rolling cart for your bags. I don't care how tough and bad-ass you are, standing in line at customs with a coat on and your worldly posessions hanging from you (all 90+ lbs of it) gets heavy when you are standing in the line for Customs. Not to mention extremely hot in the middle of that herd of cattle.
And finally - Don't hesitate to hire a taxi! They'll take you right to your door as opposed to carting things around on the bus for multiple hours on end...
Don't forget to wash before eating...
Jumpn2nsanity
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Old Home, New Home, Red Home, Blue Home...
Just so you know for future refrence: House hunting, when you are nowhere near any of the houses you are looking at, is pretty hard. Thankfully the people I've been emailing speak English! (Well, they email in English at least...) We're looking at finding a place in the Palermo District of Buenos Aires because it's safe, near the Subte (subway), got lots of parks (for doggles), and is fairly cost effective. It also happens to be right near the Zoo, Botanical Gardens, and the River. Pretty much smack dab in the middle of everything. (Just my luck I'll get a job on the other side of the city.) Helena went and looked at the neighborhood and sent back a couple of shots...
Map showing where Palermo is situated...
Street view of some of the apartment buildings...
The Boulevard...
Neighborhood sights...
So hopefully the apartment is as nice as the neighborhood and fits the budget! Wish us luck!
Map showing where Palermo is situated...
Street view of some of the apartment buildings...
The Boulevard...
Neighborhood sights...
So hopefully the apartment is as nice as the neighborhood and fits the budget! Wish us luck!
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