Buenos Aires is on Fire!

Please restrain from calling the fire department, the city is not really burning, but its true that this place is HOT! (You have my permission to slap me if I ever get that cheesy again.) Buenos Aires is a ginormous city, though it still maintains a welcoming, comfortable feel. Known as the "Paris of the Americas", this city is filled with nice neighborhoods and European-style architecture, and there is no lack of things to do.

Buenos Aires has got a lifestyle all of its own, and they are on a completely different clock from the rest of us. To illustrate, here is an excerpt from a conversation I had last night with my hostel "roommate":
Roommate: "So, have you eaten yet tonight?"
Me: "Yes," I replied simply, though in my mind I´m thinking, ´Of course I´ve eaten, its 12:30am!´.
Roommate: "Alright, well I´m going out to eat now, I´ll see you later."
Me, thinking: ´As long as "see you later" means tomorrow morning and not later tonight, then yes, I´ll see you later.´

It is the culture here to take a siesta (nap) in the afternoon, eat a very late dinner (sometimes around 11:00pm), and THEN go out for the night. Also, this is not just reserved for weekends, it is like this here every night of the week. By now I´m probably really dating myself, because a few years ago I could have pulled all-nighters no problem, but now midnight is simply past my bedtime. Call me an old lady, I don´t mind. Though, it is a little embarrasing running into people in the hostel and having them ask, "What was the matter? Why didn´t you go out last night?" "Uh, I was sick". Luckily, this excuse was actually very true. I´ve had a bad cold since I got back from Uruguay, and its obvious to anyone who speaks to me, as I completely lost my voice. I sounded like a smoker of 25 years or more two days ago, and yesterday my voice disappeared completely. The good news is, I´m back with Amanda and Jeff! They took a different route to Buenos Aires, and were able to help me around since I couldn´t speak and I don´t know sign language. I also met a really cool girl named Gen in Uruguay, so the four of us were able to hang out together in the city.

Now to specifics. I had the good fortune of being able to attend a soccer (fútbol) game in Buenos Aires. Soccer here is not just a sport, it is a very important part of their culture, and they take it very seriously. Not only did I attend a soccer game, but it happened to be the quarter finals vs. Paraguay for the championship of South America. I got my ticket through a tour company at the hostel, and ended up in row 9, front and center! Argentinian soccer is known for its crazy and dedicated fans. (Think Red Sox vs. Yankees at Fenway) The energy in the stadium was intense, and the crowds never stopped singing, chanting, or waving their flags throughout the entire game, even when the other team scored! There were streamers and drums and confetti at every turn. The game was not as climactic as I´d hoped for, it unfortunately ended in a tie, 2-2. (Haven´t they heard of overtime? What is with these people!) I took a short video with my camera of the cheering fans, here is the link, I´ve never done video before so hopefully this works (you may need to give it a couple of minutes to load before you view it): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS52m-FHHv8

Another cultural experience unique to Argentina, and Buenos Aires in particular, is the Tango. It is a very seductive, passionate dance, and is amazing to watch. Besides the tango dancers you sometimes find in the city streets, we wanted a true tango experience, so we made reservations at the oldest and most traditional tango club in town, Café Tortoni, to see a real tango show. With our table front and center (thanks Gen), I ate my chocolate mousse cake and enjoyed watching the live musicians, singers, of course dancers do what they do best. I´ve now headed north and have landed in Iguazú, known for some of the most spectacular water falls on the planet. These are my last few days in Argentina! Before I go, here are a few more comments:

NOTES ABOUT MATE:

A key component to life in Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil is the Yerba Mate (pronounced mah-tay). When I was in Peru and Bolivia, "mate" simply referred to herbal tea. Here, however, "mate" is very specific to "yerba mate", a type of tea which is very strong and bitter, and contains caffeine. This tea is very much a part of daily life and culture these countries (similar to our coffee in the states). Everywhere you look, people are walking around with their mate cup and a thermous full of hot water to refill their beverage.

Drinking this tea is done in a very specific way. Mate cups are most commonly made from hollowed out gourds (gourd = mate in Spanish), and sometimes wood or metal. Loose tea is packed into the cup up to the rim, and the water is then poured into the cup. They drink through a metal straw (a bombilla) which contains a filter at the end (a great idea for herbal tea in general! I bought some...). Each cup is only a few sip-fulls, then the cup is refilled. When drinking mate in a social setting, the cup is filled with the tea and hot water and passed to the first person who drinks the whole thing. When they have finished, the cup is refilled and passed clockwise to the next person, who drinks it all and continues the process. I haven´t experienced this yet myself, I´m not crazy about the tea, but I hope to try it sometime.

Everywhere you look in Argentina and especially Uruguay, people are walking around with their mate cup in one hand and thermous in the other. There are even special bags made of leather which hold the thermous and cup so you can carry it like a purse. You can´t actually buy mate in restaurants, this drink is a homebound custom. Its an interesting and unique part of their culture.