Argentines keep a frenzied social calendar and survive on an unnatural lack of sleep. This weekend I tried my best to keep up. It all began in the VIP section of Madonna's Sticky and Sweet tour with our new friend Coli. My big brother Patrick met him on the Greek island of Ios 15 years ago and we immediately became great friends. Coli is the saxophonist in the popular Uruguayan band La Vela Puerca (www.velapuerca.com.uy) and is working as a translator for the Material Girl's tech team. She put on a serious show and I got goosebumps when she sang "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" with a massive blue-and-white-striped flag hanging behind her. The entertaining night turned into morning as we talked philosophy over beers in an outdoor plaza with Coli until 5:00 a.m. I didn't realize it was so late (er, early) as the square was packed with customers as the bars continued to serve 'til the sun came up.
After a quick nap, we dragged ourselves out of bed to hit the contemporary art museum MALBA, showcasing Latin American artists. My new favorite painter is the Mexican, Covarrubias. We ate a leisurely lunch in the garden and spent a few hours in front of the canvases. www.malba.org.ar
Late afternoon found us in the cheap seats at Campo de Palermo for the semi-final polo match of the Argentine Open, or "El Albierto." This is the final and most important tournament in the international polo circuit, as Argentines are the undisputed masters of the sport. La Dolfina beat Pilara (both Argentine teams made up of four players) 18-13 in eight 7-minute chukkers. Argentines do not stomp divots at halftime (there didn't seem to be a halftime) which was why I had really wanted to go in the first place. The crowd was strangely quiet during most of the game, giving only polite golf claps when either of the teams scored. I've fallen madly in love with Adolfo Cambioso, the captain of La Dolfina and you can see why here: www.ladolfina.com. After the event, we drank free champagne with the fancy crowd on exclusive side of the stadium and I waited in vain to congratulate Adolfo.
A progressive dinner followed in the upscale Palermo neighborhood with a new friend Peter: tennis star, ladies man and international man of mystery. We met him at the polo match and learned he mainly jets around the world practicing his eight languages. He left us to go to a private party at MALBA because I couldn't overcome yet another fat steak. How do these girls do it? Food coma and lack of sleep prevailed.
Sunday morning we strolled in La Boca, one of the oldest barrios of Buenos Aires, where the tango was born in brightly-painted brothels and taverns. This impoverished neighborhood is now a tourist trap, but we slipped into the elegant Fundacion PROA musuem to see an incredible Marcel Duchamp exhibit. www.proa.org
With only a few hours left in Buenos Aires, we finished our afternoon in San Telmo's famous and extensive outdoor Sunday Antique Market. The neighborhood becomes a pedestrian zone one day a week and street performers tango and vendors sell all sorts of fascinating things like tiny toy soldiers, copper watering cans, old photographs and these beautiful 100-year-old glass bottles that were used to dispense carbonation. I thought I really needed a few until I learned they each cost $100 and up.
Standing at the counter of a local asado joint, we dined on cheap and delicious chorizo and steak sandwiches. Afterwards I sank thankfully into my fully-reclining seat for the 13-hour overnight bus ride to Mendoza.
With a touch of pride, the portenos say "Buenos Aires, te mata" (Buenos Aires kills you). I am ready to be a country girl.
2 comments:
Hey Sarah! Sounds like B.A. was fantastic, but exhausting! Your pictures are fantastic and we can't believe that you've been gone almost two months! Hope you are loving Mendoza-we'll have to get some wine from there to have a toast to your adventures!
Things are good in Idaho-I'm going to make about 15 dozen oatmeal raisin cookies (since I don't like, I won't eat them all!)for a few holiday parties and cookie exchanges and we have a Christmas music concert to go to on Friday, which should be fun. Otherwise, just counting down the days until our 10 day vacation and looking forward to being in Minneapolis!
Big holiday hugs! Mary Ellen
Just checked in to see what you've been up to! BA sounded like a blast -- an exhausting one at that. Still sitting on the idea of heading back to Mexico -- or somewhere. I'm on Skype -- maybe we can schedule a call sometime soon to catch up? Feliz Navidad mi amiga!
Rena
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