Bye bye wonderful flat of mine...

    Time to leave, bag packed seam to be overweight warning again on that one.. and still.. I have put 5trousers extra in my travel wardrobe... wearing my heaviest shoes etc etc...
will miss my 180degree view of Buenos Aires I have lived with during my three weeks here.. but will come back again, soon, to this very apartment and to this very neighborhood... and yes, I have seen glimpses of Raoul..when he visited BA... hope to cross him again.. somewhere

As there is people.. friends that will follow you through life.. I think there is such places as well.. places you will visit and revisit.. and they will age with you and follow you through life and its always a bit like coming home.. when passing...Paris been like that for me..
Molay Bousselham in Morocco.. and I have a feeling Buenos Aires will end up as such a place as well.. lets see
... Final

and Geraldine...

.. cant resist.. from a movie.. "Assassination tango" .. by Robert Duval ..
First because its been one of the songs turning EVEEERY day in my classes - Una Emocion by Ricardo Tanturi... but second.. because its again.. Geraldine Rojas

Geraldine.. my Geraldine...

.. so to end with a video.. from a place here in BA that I have learned to like during my stay, an open, generous and welcoming Milonga for all levels of tango lovers... all ages.. all nationalities...The video is taken in 2006 with a performance by Carlos Gavito, a teacher, a dancer, a true milonguero and here together with Geraldine Rojas another of the dancers I admire...
For me this short film, reflects in so many way what tango and the tango community gives to me.. pleasure, joy..excitement, sensuality, respect and curiosity, energy, astonishment... and it can truly drive you crazy as well.. because its so bloody difficult sometimes.. but its still, a feeling, being danced.. that you give to another human being.. being for a short moment in an embraze.. with you

    Had last tango class with Nora....friday
So a bit melancholic I left.. even if there is always a moment when its time to move on.. even with tango lessons... But its been a privilege, these daily classes, because its been so much more than just tango steps. Inbetween all these thousands of small corrections on my tango ....their is another exchange.. since when you are in the hands of someone that love to teach it will not just stay to tango.. we have chatted on argentinian politics, the culture, the food.. and on our lives in general...and a lot of laughter.. and not only on behalf of my steps..
   I have tried open classes in for example La Virtua, DNI etc.. but its not comparable with being able to have a teacher for yourself... and on plus a follower at your service.
   I have been teached lets say the tango milonga/tango salon.. not so much emphasis on creative moves.. more on walk, posture, bodycontrol.. and then some ochos, and then turns in all ways possible.. and in the end you understands how to combine everything in an easy way...  I can just recommend for anyone coming to BA.. or if Nora is abroad to join her classes..I hope I have improved.. I think so...her last comment to me was "when you came you floated.. now you have presence and a direction.."
You can find her contactinfo on - http://www.noraschvartz.com.ar/tango_en.php

Last day in BA

   Last day spent in a way that wasnt planned, at least I didnt know before coming here... 25mayo is the national holiday, celebrating first of all the day in which the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata was overthrown and replaced by the First Assembly; one of the turning points in Argentine independence... but its so much more today.
   I havent thought on it... but if anyone should have asked me when coming here, what mood I would have expected the argentinians to be in... considering how their history looks like the last 20years and on top several economic crises.. I would had said ... that I supposed to meet people being a bit in a negative mood... but its not what I have met.
  The argentinians are very proud of their country and never hesitates to be the ambassadors of their native country... I have found a people with a very high intellectual, culturel spirit.. and a booming creative side. ... even if still financial problems (the "blue rate", the inofficiell exchange rate between argentinian pesos and US dollars went up yesterday again).. and you feel since still a low presents of international brands/stores.. that their is a problem on the trade/commercial side.. but still you feel a strong self confidence when you talk to people... and its probably the two last presidents having done a very good job.
  I spent the day around Plaza Mayo today to take a look on the celebrations.. they expect around 2million people coming down today to listen to Cristina Kirchner.. her previous husband was president before her and the one decided to come back on the amnestia having been given to the military for the crimes commited.

  Have written about the street art before and its was amazed me the most being here, its really living with an art gallery around you.. and its this merge between history, politics and art.. for example you can see how Nestor Kirchners face traces is copied into a figure coming from the cartoon world (from a story telling about who people came from outer space to save the earth) and then taking it all into a piece of street art (picture in the middle).. and the streets is a living gallery.. I passed a street ten days ago.. and now today I passed again and suddenly there is this huge painting on the wall with a head and a panther (pic on left)...
  Would have loved to stay until 8 this evening and listen to Cristina Kirchner.. but needed to secure to get everything packed, and as well my spanish a bit poor.. tomorrow starts 36hours in company with British Airways..
   Finally.. passed my favorite bar .. Le Seddon, since I was in the neighborhood.. and finally a piece of meat on my plate...

Turning 50 in BA...

    So how does a day turning fifty in Bunes Aires looks like? .. first.. no one knows that Mr B has a birthday.. its cool..already
    Day started with class, why shouldnt it.. Nora and me we are now in our tango relation where she thinks I had have enough stuff to handle.. she is always politely asking me "is there anything I can show you how to do?".. and then if I answer... like "yes boleos".. the answer is " you already knows how to do them low.. you cant do high ones in a milonga then you kill people.. I cant take the responsability for you killing people.." or like today I answered on same question "yes please, volcadas.." and Nora answered "Robert you have just learned to walk, now you will go home and learn how to run by yourself.. then! you can come back and I will teach you how to fly.. but now, keep on walking..!".
  So my last days will be hardcore on posture, walk, pivot technique.. its like "Robert move your elbow 2cms".. "Robert, both feet shall touch the floor.." .. "Robert, close each time!!".. "Robert, keep the line"
     After class went to Neotango and bought 3pair of shoes.. shiny black, black suede and casual beige.. the bicolour ones will have to wait, tried a pair on but felt like the guy that bought the shoes and forgot about learning the tango... Then of to 4corazon.. bought "tango trousers".. 3pair.. true-casual-nolstagic-baggy ones.
  Now I feel that there is some smiles looking at the pictures, especially among the non tango community ones.. but I can assure you, its buying a lifestyle just as well as the Örgryte/Partille-Gant-Ralph Lauren one.. or the Nudie/Filippa K- vasastaden one...
     Then time for lunch so went to Tortoni, an old well kept french style cafe... lets say its not the food that its worth coming for.. more the environment.. so I think you get more out of it coming in the evenings when they have concerts.. around 20h.. jazz, flamenco, tango etc
   After that home and changing in order to have a practica at Salon Channing.. this time I wanted to do the experiment bringing along for two hours a taxi-tango-partner.. so a couple of days ago I passed the agency (can of course be done on-line).. and filled out some papers..  Shortly.. the equation is the following.. Her height +7cms vs my height +3ms should end equal my height -3-5ms.. then I crossed "english skills" etc etc... So at salon channing I had match with Louisa 26y, finishing sociology at university, born in US and raised in Argentina.. danced tango since she was young girl.. The idee was to have a practica in a real environment.. meaning dancing counter clockwise and not bumping into other couples.. with someone I havent danced with before.....

   Salon Channing, nice place but .. off tourist season.. in the middle of the afternoon.. it means that there was like 8 other couples.. and except Louisa.. I was clearly the youngest one!  felt a bit like having ended up in the old movie "Cocoon" if anyone remember that one... so this so called excersise was an easy task.. the other couples were quite "slow-movers-without-to-much-fuzz"..
   Nice anyway to have a chat.. in a language that you master a bit.. otherwise I start to be very skilled in using head,hands and feets to explain what I want... Normally it goes like this;
"ingles?.. no.. frances?.. no.. åkej".. and then like 5 to 10 minutes with different gestures in order for the other person to reply something in spanish.. and if you feel confident you answer "si si".. the best one I had two days ago, tried to explain that I was looking for glue in order to repare a pair of shoes.. took at least 15minutes..
   And now just back from La Virtua, where I went in the evening in order to just have the pleasure to watch other dance... in the qualification rounds infore the national championships in tango...
.. now sleep and tomorrow.. class again

A couple of hours in La Boca

   So big sun today so after class went to La Boca, one of the older parts of BA together with San Telmo... But more or less all the people I have talked to here in BA, people in the building and tango people has more or less adviced me not to go.. for two reasons, first safety and second its really a tourist trap... so if you dont think you absolutely need to see those colourful houses (which I did) .. so skip it. Everything I had been told was confirmed,  you cant move or look on something without having people around you that want to sell you something, an object, a seat in a resto, have your picture taken with a tango dancer etc etc..  "where are you from.. germany? .. norway?, denmark? sweden.. yeah.. Zlatan yeah!!!" ...x23... something like that.. You are moving in a space being like 300x300meters.. as soon as you go outside that area.. there is sitting group of youngsters.. just waiting on you.. But as long as you stay within the mainstreets its ok.. and keep an eye on your things.. I havent seen so many police officers per square meter so far as in La Boca.. within the mainstreets.. So I came in a cab, stayed for an hour and left in a cab..
 Couldnt resist, below picture as thanks for product sponsoring from Ellos sport team.. my blue light weight down jkt... my tango teacher wants one as well...

  Spent a day after class in bookstores trying to find some photobooks... Anyway, there is bookstores and then there is Bookstores with a capital B... Found one just outside my door.. I have for sure passed it several times.. just a small door and two even smaller windows.. Eterna Cadencia..But when on the inside.. its like a paradise lost.. books and books. (ok mostly in spanish, but I dont care in that moment), a resto, lounge corners with a sofa.. a rooftop where you can sit... yes! because you are supposed to read a bit in your book before buying it... had my lunch there, a bean thing..something... then went to next place..

   Libros del Paseje...same type of place.. had my coffee and a cho.. well you know my weaknesses by now.. So yes, Why not move into a bookstore.. you dont need an appartment with places like this.. you will come around 9 in the morning.. have your breakfast.. read a bit, then some work (yes free wifi!).. have lunch, take your siesta outside or in the sofa with a book or newspaper over your face.. move on to a coffe at the next place.. work a bit more.. if you get stuck, then take a nice artbook or something to relax a bit.. then, I have understood there exist this merge between a bookstore and a wineshop as well, you can taste argentinian wines while you is strolling around between potential books to buy.. then its 20h so time to join your friends in a resto.. after midnight the clubs or milongas for me.. and then you can start all over again.. its just the shower I havent solved yet.. but it will come..

.. took a cool relaxed sunday.. had practica in the morning with my follower.. then walked around a bit in soho.. Palermo Soho.. but grey skies, skiped Boca will have to catch back in the week.. Went to a tapas/coffee place - Manuela Malasana.. probably a very good tapas place, nevertheless I went for two desserts, made my day.. and learned that Manuela Malasana existed in real life, she was a 15year old seamstress  (which explained why sewing machines everywhere, anyway it worked, was what catched my attention) in Madrid beginning 19th century.. she went out in the streets to fight Napoleons troops, was prisoned and finally executed on the grounds that she had been carrying a weapon - a pair of scissors....
...And have finally figured out how to get it a bit warmer in the apartment since the airconditioning is not up to performance.. if I turn on all spots in all rooms and then on top puts on the oven and leaves the door on the front open for lets say one hour.. then I get a decent temperature here... finished "the great gatsby" now Im ready to get disapointed by the movie..
...And promised myself to come back to BA at least once a year from now on..that one was easy

   In a from time to time rainy BA.. it was perfect to take a guided tour with Grafittimundo.. in the Barrios of BA. During three hours you are guided in the streets where some of the most interesting artists is working.. with staff that know very well their subject ant the artists. Street Art or Grafitti difficult to say, one fusions with the other... Anyway, the street art in BA goes far back, started long before the Hip Hop/Grafitti culture in US.. its forbidden to paint on the walls, but still not, with the acceptance of the owner of the walls/builings its ok... and their is now link between vandalism and grafitti in BA, the opposite, people are very proud over their artists.. JAZ, NERF, POEMA etc.. and famous bars or restaurants will have their walls or a wall in front of their location tagged.
   The art is never random, their is always a message or a story behind.. the only time it stopped more or less was during the military years.. then during the financial crises in the ninties started the street art that we can see today as a reaction against the very depressing one grown from the bad years.
Can highly recommend this tour, the staff guiding were tremendous, took us around in a mini van between the streets and barrios...

.. My Hank Moody mood...

... Yesterday tired of listning to "maybe tomorrow" on my pending question downstairs since a week about when the washing machine will be repared.. so took my trash hink and washed by hand since completely out of stock when it comes to underwear and casual whities... so for a day I switched my casual me to my good old black "hank moody mood look".. Tomorrow first tango free day since I came here.. frankly Its been to much of it.. so tomorrow I signed up for a grafitti tour in town that will end in Boca ... looking forward

... freezing cold.. BA went into winter over a night.. still same old blue  sky with big sun.. but cold as hell.. everyone took out their chunky knitted headwear...

.. long time no see.. interesting experience living on 15th floor.. the fire alarm, even if a false one.. but surely new record in packing my most important stuff in a couple of minutes.. did forget my tango shoes.. must improve next time...

   So first week of tango is over and second has started...
In the classes with Nora it was a lot of posture, balance and walking.. walking in the three lines, learning to walk in squares mostly out from or walking up to the cross.. and then ochos...and ocho cortado.. Nora is from the more traditional milonguero school.
   Then I decided to test another place for privare lessons.. in fact to dance MORE..Tango piola, placed a couple of blocks from my appartment. Runned by Christian (in the picture) and a friend of him. So after having danced two songs for him ... it became "walking" with Christian as well.. and with him the 4lines, two on each side.. and he put emphasis on being able to cut the walk, "rethink-change of mind" according to what space you have on the floor  in the milonga.. .. Its interesting with two different teachers.. Nora more the classic school.. Christian more Nuevo tango even if Im just doing basics with him right now..
   And then, with Christian... my follower, the lovely Rocio.. I have never understood guys around me explaing how marvelous it is to drive a Porche or a Ferrari (maybe because I have never done..) but when I met Rocio.. I understood!.. notwenty something and has danced tango in more then ten years.. and in my hands.. at least for an hour .. a couple of times every week...
Christian travels to Europe from time to time for classes group or private.. you can find his webpage on - http://www.tangopiola.com/

So I just say dogs equal dogshit... Once in a time, like twenty years ago during my years in Paris I became very skilled in avoiding stepping into it... I can say I have lost the touch.. trying to navigate following suns position in the sky and street signs three meter above the ground.. doesnt really help...
apparently 30tons of dogshit is dropped on Buenos Aires streets every day...

  Tuesday became a day to see some art... so after morning class with Nora I went back home.. took 2h on rooftop with a sun as company.. yes I know, its awful, full autumn and 20degrees with a big sun.. After that up to avenue Libertador and first out was the Museum of Decorative Arts... in terms of collections it was a bit poor but the building was stunning.. and then.. a really nice statue in the entrance... Normally Im the type of guy that always skip the greek part in museums thinking a bit "have you seen one have seen them all".. but this one.. well love at first sight.. but to heavy to carry so I had to leave her behind... Then off to Museum Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.. which really was nice.. good selections of 19th and 20th century paintings and sculptures.. and the interior was really nice, each room with walls in a certain colour, adjusted to the paintings and sculptures.. one of the nicest ones I have seen ... and then ..love again, this time a three meter painting by Jean Constant -Empress Theodora Seated on Her Throne... could consider to buy..
Tuesday a good day to visit museums in Buenos Aires.. free entreance

   A Sunday passed in San Telmo.. discovered the convenience with taxi in BA.. 30min in a cab cost more or less the same price as just jumping into one in Sweden.. so after class with Christian I took a car down to Plaza Dorrego…Sunday market, antiques.. antiques…crowdy... Pasaje la defense.. Im sure it was one of the first shopping gallerias, Mercado San Telmo a flea market under roof, and what a roof.. bars, cafes dating start century and more or less untouched.. Gibraltar bar, Bar Sedon where I had lunch, Dorrego Café.. and of course tango.. I hanged around until 20h when Milonga del Indio started.. on plaza Dorrego, carpets/dance floor rolled out on a part of the square and while people started to dance they increased the dance floor with more carpets and scotch…

...Milonga del Indio.. Plaza Dorrega..San Telmo... appx 22.00 h.. realtime..plus time to upload...Mcdonalds wifi a la bonheur..

Raoul my friend...

   Once I attended a class with the two wonderful teachers that had the pleasure to introduce Mr Beckerman into the world of tango… Mikael & Linnea…they had this exercise, in order for us to forget about thinking to much on left-right-left..1,2,3-4… we picked a paper with a kind of “alter-ego” that we should make an interpretation of when dancing in order "not to think to much"... it could be “Italian opera singer” or “first class seducer”… From that exercise, with a friend we started to build on an alter-ego that we named “Raoul”..(a bit disappointing it was to discover the name was French.. but we kept it, just pronounce it! And you understand why!) ..first in order to define a potential guy to date for my friend.. but as well we brought him into our office life.. asking ourselves in front of a situation “what would Raoul have done?”

   So who is Raoul? Born in BA, raised by a mother working as house keeper in a bordel, 5 sisters that all were sent to a catholic school.. so Raoul was early used to the company of women, and of course introduced into the world of tango... left early home and started to travel in the world… Raoul has been around, Raoul has seen things… No one really knows what Raoul is working with, he is always busy.. but at the same time he always has time, time for his friends, time for pleasure, time for joy.. he always manage in his special way to make people feel at ease in his company.. when you look at Raoul you always has this feeling that he has understood something we all have missed.. maybe because he early understood the importance to live the life you want to, not the life you think you should...  Anyway.. I have heard Raoul is back in BA.. maybe I will meet him…

Today took a walk after Tango lesson with Christian at Tango Piola (will tell more about that later on..) up to a fabulous monument - The Monumento de los Españoles...a long story, first stone placed 1910.. then finally it was in place 1927.. also known as the Monumento a La Carta Magna y las Cuatro Regiones Argentinas (Monument of the Magna Carta and the Four Argentine Regions).. The fabolous statue is the largest and one of the most beautiful monuments in the city... It is located in Palermo on the intersection of Av. Libertador and Av. Sarmiento.. then I took av libertador down towards Recoleta.. passed the musee art decoratifs (will do that one on tuesday)..in order to visit the famous cementary at Recoleta.. the most stunning cementary I have ever seen... could have passed a full day there

.. So 4th class... Well Nora has decided that this week will be about mastering the walk and clean away "bad habits".. so it was walking in front, walking on front of feets, walking on right side, walking on left side up to the cross... walking...walking
And then the message of today... "Robert, tango is about playing games, tease.. we are all catholics.. erotica.. was something going on in obscure hotels.. thats why we invented the tango, so men and women could play games openly in social situations.. so play with her.."
Well I wanted to say that right now Im quite busy just playing with myself.. but realized what that could have sounded like.. so kept that thought for myself...
its not easy.. the tango

.. Just back from Buenos Aires "Gallery Nights".. once, twice every month in different parts of the city. Its what it sounds like, art galleries being open after work hours.. and you walk inbetween them. Its like the art-tour in south of sweden in österlen "konstrundan".. but here they have taken it to the next level.. these events being sponsored by Chandon .. so it means free champagne on every place.. I did 8galleries in Bario Norte.. Im keeping the number of glaces I had for my self.. There is a really interesting art scene booming in Buenos Aires.. interesting. Met a woman organizing walking art tours in town in order to see all the interesting grafitti.. signed up for one next saturday...

By the way, photos by Adriana Groisman... "Tango"... will find that book...

After tango class today I went up to Santa Fe avenue since I wanted to take a look on a bookstore you can find in all the Buenos Aires guides.. El Ateneo, being an old theater converted into a big bookstore... deception, big one... the concept as such if you think on it is geniuos.. but execution in this case poor. They could have done so much more branding on it... in fact just a normal argentinian bookstore, quality of the books is poor.. and just spanish.. I came with an idee to find a photo book by Adriana Groisman on tango.. but selection of books so poor at this place so just gave up. Went to find an ATM cash machine that can give you more then 1000pesos (you have to google those, once one is found the news is spread).. and then bumped into Farinelli, a wonderful place, gave myself a treat with a cho,,strawberry thing.. then of to my streets and Nicaragua in order to eat, tried Oui Oui but no outdoor tables free so went to Pani.. a place a bit "Frou frou".. women, mostly 20-30y, comes two by two and sit around small tables and chats.. had a lovely salad saumon, avocado, strawberries, nuts thing.. and as in many places in this lovely country you can have freshly made lemon lemonade.. brings back memories....

...One thing is bugging me a bit.. spent 3years in military learning to navigate on the ground by help of the suns position in the sky.. and it has served me perfectly.. now, suddenly the sun is moving in the "wrong" direction.. and it has taken me to lets say unexpected neighbourhoods....

  3day in class... Im now sure there must exist something like - the tango teachers manual...
1 and 2nd day.. "be supportive, smile, coach... ". 3day is then "give him the full treatment, no smile (at least the first 30minutes) black eyes, make him sweat"... joke apart..
  So I arrived, and so "reeepitiiionnnn"... which means - "do all the excercices we have already done and I will serve you the same corrections.. so 30minutes of what we can call an interupted staccato.. two steps "robert both feet on the ground".. one step more "robert cloose the step".. then my partner corrects my position of my elbows with a gentle smile, two more steps.. some words in spanished excanged.. yeah yeah I know! the chest not the belly.. After that excercise (I still have the feeling she gave up).. Nora let me dance one hole tune while observing me.. And after that came the lesson for today.
  "Now Robert listen!".. starting like that she immediately has my full attention..
"You men are all alike, I love you guys but with your moves you are all like small boys with a big box of new toys".. "you wants to play with them all at once".. "listen! Tango is like making love to a woman".. "Robert, you know how to make love to a woman, dont you if you excuse my metaphor..?" .. the effect of that question is even stronger since I need to confirm with a nod that of course I know before she continues.. here I start to feel like Im 15again...
"You dont start in bed with a hole lot of technical things.., or?" .. shaking my head, of course not !...."You start slowly, show her that you see her, feel her.. just walk,breath,  make her feel you, focus on her,walk, walk,  then slowly you can introduce some moves, let her use her imagination a bit, try to figure you out.. and then save your best moves for the last song, as in real life".. Your choice now Robert, do as you just did and be lucky if you will dance one song.. or do as I said and you will dance all 4.. and as well the women will come back because they will want to have that experience again and again... Your choice!"
After those words I promise, the remaining lesson went in slow motion...
And then, last 10 minutes, Nora disappears as usual with an excuse, my dance partner closes her eyes.. and I can dance two songs without being corrected.. and then you realize that.. yes .. you learn stuff..
.. In picture Nora is the shorter one all dressed in black

So, tried my google translate skills today in order to order organic-food-take-away from two blocks away. With 4 windows open on my laptop I thought it would be a piece of cake, ordering from the daily buffe... two drawbacks..
1. It was delivered to my door by a young boy, probably age 10-11.. anyway, something tells me that he didnt have a rational explanation why he´s not in school.. touches some values and made this good-for-the world (and me) action.. less fun
2. I am pretty sure that I ordered freshly pressed lemon lemonade, in spanish (at least what google is telling that Im speaking).. but I was delivered freshly pressed (or something) cocoa nut milk... 45pesos, healthy, directly to your door.. not bad

  Day2 in class..Of course repition from first day, then ocho cortados.. and ochos with pivot... think my Nora is very skilled.. It seams like the girl Im dancing with doesnt understand english (so they said, I still think its a trick), only so I cant manipulate her by saying what I will do next as a move.. When we dance she is dancing with eyes closed and sometimes she is saying something to Nora in spanish... Today that happened, I asked Nora what the girl said?

Nora - "she is saying that she cant feel your chest.. you are leading her with your belly"
Me - "and if I had a really big belly then she would only feel that anyway or?" (must challenge their logic!)
Nora - "if you had a belly, then you would be old, if you were old, then you have confidence, confidence good!... but you Robert, you are still young (bless her!), no belly, no confidence.. so you dont have any choice then to learn how to lead her with your chest..." .... I suppose there was a compliment somewhere along that comment..
   And then Pivot training.. meaning dancing with a 120cm stick in your arms.. so first you feel a bit punished, like your not good enough to dance with a human being, but then you understand, its so easy to grasp how you are moving your chest with that stick in your arms.. or not moving in my case... After that pivot training , warm up for the ochos.. meaning myself doing front and backward ochos along the floor, while two women is looking at me from a sofa and chatting inbetween them in spanish.. I can say - You dont feel that macho in those kind of situations!.. but its good I suppose.. makes you humble.
Finished of with two dances, and I think, I think, I had a compliment somewhere in that moment... Nora twice said "good for you Robert"..at least I hope it was...

   Green food! I was a bit scared before coming here that my strategy regarding a re-makeover of Mr Beckerman would be spoiled coming to the meat loving Argentina... but struck by surprise I may say... at least regarding Buenos Aires/Palermo... Just in my neigborhood especially in the corner of Bonpland/Goriti there is many choices, good food.. the lunch choice appx 50pesos.. So just had a lunch, in the sun, easy to get tables here right now, even if 20degrees and sun its considered locally being autumn.. so the natives in jackets and chunky knits.. me in white tshirt.. they inside.. me outside.. now go home for a lazy afternoon.. reading some files from work.. still in the sun... makes me believe even more in my retirement plans, me myself and I+online brand+laptop+sun+blue sky... no office, no staff except myself...  must discuss this with Raoul next time I will cross him.
   By the way, having a "bread problem".. cant find a decent one..first day when shopping in the supermarket couldnt find any bread at all.. so thought ok, latin country=bakery in the street.. so walking home passed several ones but they just had sweet breads and cakes etc.. entered a grocery store in front of my building.. asked a guy.. he proudly showed me to a small corner in the shop.. but only boring pre-sliced white bread.. asked him about "bakery-baked-bread"... he said he has been working there for three years.. havent seen any bakery around (like the one Im trying with my hands to explain about)... the hunt goes on..

   Its a nice thing to travel like this... you walk a lot (maybe because you dont want to waste time explaining to bus drivers.. or simply because you have time..).. Yesterday I took an hour walk to see the outside milonga at La Glorieta and I had the pleasure passing through the Belgrano part of BA.. and since your alone you have time to see people.. stayed at La Glorieta for an hour, just watching people dance... Today I have done 20km of walking just to go to my tango lesson with Nora Schvartz, from there down to La Confiteria Ideal and passing by Santa Fe avenue back....
    So then, another walk started today, my first lesson with Nora... so I came there to her studio being an apartment converted into a dance studio by Nora, she was ready for me with another woman there that was to become my follower.. Nora asked me to do a tango for her.. 3minutes and then came ..."well I know that you like moves over there (in europe I suppose) but we will start with tango its what your are here for..".. Then we went through basic walk, posture, balance.. and in the end after 90minutes I was allowed to walk my partner up into the cross... " Robert, promise me NO MILONGA first week, I need a week to clean away some bad habits you have got used to..." 
Continue like that and I will not dare to enter even one milonga during my stay I thought in my head.. But I like her, my Nora, I have given her my confidence... my first day she left me with the words "Robert, this is not about performance, I know you, relax.. I have spent 50years teaching and I will manage with you as well.. relax, enjoy, your in Buenos Aires, you have a woman in your arms.. just listen to the music, its all you need to do, leave the rest to me..."

A sunday morning in BA.. country going into complete feel good spirit.. took a walk at 10 in the morning.. not a spirit anywhere.. some coffe shops open.. reastaurants starts to wake up around 2in the afternoon.. stone dead.. so I went to a close by flea market - El Mercado de las Pulgas...a 20minutes walk.. those moments when you regret that you have promised your maker to stop buying a lot of stuff.. and being with a all ready overweighted suitcase.. Anyhow, except all that, a paradise to buy old furnitures from start centuary, art deco, small stuff, lamps ..wonderful lamps.. whatever to pimp your home or cottage with.

Just waken up by cars honking and a memory of that the cabdriver tried to warn me by telling me that there should be a local football derby later on in the evening. So full of animations in the streets..Anyway, the first day was used to discover by foot my neigborhood "Palermo hollywood". It got its name during the mid-ninties when a lot of media people installed themselves here. Presently its more known for streets filled with reastaurants and cafes and the nightly club scene (unicornhuset, palermo brooks, kika..). Splitted by a railway you can by the street Honduras enter into whats called "Palemo soho" ita a newly fashionable area for fashion, design, more restaurants and cafes etc it feels more "alternative" with organic an veg food places, marketplaces in the street ets so a very young public in the streets. The traditional low houses have been converted into boutiques and bars creating a bohemian feeling that reminds me more of LA/Venice beach (off boardwalk) then LA/hollywood or NY/soho... but definitely a nice place to stay. Now more sleep...

                                   

Arrived... and now  checked in 15th floor humboldt/nicaragua Palermo.. Buenos Aires, everything looks as promised... so far so good...chatted with my neighboor, they serve breakfast for 30pesos on rooftop..can come convenieant....The only surprise was the 14h flight from London.. guess my head converted 4h time diff in another way... had to chat football with my cabdriver (boca junior fan) guess I have to work on that skill, couldnt add much to that discussion..now a shower... then  time to step out into the streets of my neighborhood.. fill up the refrigerator

So!... bag packed.. I managed to get the most out of the “22kg suitcase”.. Well.. for sure Im not done to be a backpacker… 4weeks of theoretical, irresistible.. needs.. squeezed into that bag… tomorrow its time.. just sent a mail to my tango teacher and recommended her to really enjoy her weekend before I will enter into her life…