Boo Rain´!

So we didnt go to Carnaval last weekend. It was cloudy, overcast, and rainy the whole weekend up there, and, seeing as we´re staying at a campsite, we decided to call it off. We´re now going this weekend and should be leaving tomorrow around 3pm or so. So, once again, pictures will follow in due time.

Patrick

ps- Isma, are you from Buenos Aires or the USA?


Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Carnaval!!!

It´s just been confirmed, I´m heading to Argentina´s largest Carnaval celebration this weekend in Gualeguaychu!!!

I´m going with the cousin of a university friend of mine, and his five good friends. He invited me a long time back when we had a party at the house and he just came through on his offer. I´ll be heading to the WAY south suburbs tomorrow to stay at my friends house for two nights, and then her cousin, who lives in the same city, will come pick me up and we´re off!!!

Here are some pictures that I found on the internet.

Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Publicidades de Argentina

Ever since I arrived in Argentina, I´ve noticed that they have great commercials. Seldomly do you see a car commercial, the very type of commercial that pollutes US television. Commercials here are just genuinely good, well thought out, and perfectly executed. I´ve compiled a small sample of the commercials from Argentina that I like.

These first ones are from the Buenos Aires Film Festival. All of them have the punch line, "If it´s not for you, it´s not for you." You´ll see what I mean.

Commercial for the Buenos Aires Film Festival. Making a joke of the people who look too far into art or movies to seem sofisticated. The painting is supposed to be the "the saddest painting in the world" but the guy in the orange just doesn´t seem to find it that sad.



This one has three guys with moustaches talking about "what it´s like to have a moustache." The first guy says having a moustache is like lighting a torch, and they all agree. The second says its like grabbing a frisbee, and they all agree. The third guy says that, for him, it´s always been like the color blue. They all full-heartedly agree. The fourth guy says it´s like being a Viking warrior, galloping on his horse, with tempest wings. They all touch their moustaches, trying to feel something Viking-ish, and then they find out he has a fake moustache.



Amazing Budweiser commercial. Here is the exact script of what happens.

"A young man goes to the fridge for a beer and is surprised by a man in a cowboy outfit accompanied by a white horse. He introduces himself as the young man's imaginary friend from when he was a kid, and is disappointed that he has real friends now and no time for imaginary ones. The young man plays along and opens a pretend bottle for him, but the cowboy says that there is no such thing as imaginary beer, and opens and drinks a bottle of Budweiser from the fridge."




Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Asado at Eugenio´s

A couple days ago, Miguel, Eugenio´s cousin, returned from a month in Australia. To celebrate his return, and to also wish him off as he heads back to Mar del Plata, his city, we decided to have a get together. Instead of having it at our place, Eugenio´s parents are in Paris for awhile, so we decided to have it at his place.

About 12 people were there in total, Anabel and myself, along with friends of Pablo and Eugenio. The night was filled with amazing meat, as usual, lots of wine and fernet, and plenty of laughing. We started out with a great salad of greens, tomatoes and onions, followed by choripan, which is Argentine sausage, eaten on a little baguette. After that, the meat started flowing, lots and lots of it. The last food was something I´ve never had before, but was absolutely amazing. Red peppers, sliced in half and grilled. However, when you´re grilling them, you crack an egg and put it into the pepper half. They look like overeasy eggs inside the pepper and are amazing. Definitely going to make these when I get back.

As the night continued, we snacked on the leftovers and hung out around the dinner table for hour upon hour. This is the common asado. No one was itching to go out, or looking to get drunk. We all just happily sipped on our drinks and talked the whole night. On top of it all, Eugenio has a gorgeous 4th floor terrace at his place, which is nicely hidden away in the Almagro neighborhood. A clear sky and 70 degree temperatures accompanied us the entire evening.

Back in November, when I was apartment searching, I was really hoping to find a group of Porteños to live with, so I could spend my last three months perfecting my slang, drinking fernet and coke, and having tour guides of the city at my disposal. It appears I found exactly that.

Eugenio Monitoring the Meat

The Parrilla


Eugenio Cooking
The Group

Anabel and I



Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Playing Against Argentines

Yesterday I went to play soccer with my roommate Pablo and some of his friends from high school...today, I can´t walk.

Wow, am I sore. Back in the day, circa 1997, I was really good at soccer. However, times have changed...especially when you´re playing against Argentines who grew up with a soccer ball at their feet. I did my best to attack the ball and keep up with the game, but any bystander would have definitely noticed the foreigner amongst the locals. After 60 minutes of running in 85 degree weather, on a breezeless day, on an astroturf field, my body hates me.


Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

New Neighborhood Journey

So I decided to go for a bike ride into a new neighborhood today, Saavedra. I´ve been looking at this park on my city map for a long time, and I´ve really wanted to go. Today was warm with a breeze, so I decided to pack up my mate, termo, some reading material, and a chicken sandwich, and I was off for some exploring. Here are some of the snapshots from my journey, in chronological order.


Here is the map of Capital Federal, Buenos Aires. I live inside the red circle and the parks that I wanted to visit are inside the blue circle.

The Colegiales Train Station
Old Men Playing Tejo, Bocce of Argentina
Very Nice Neighborhood

Same Neighborhood
Cruising on the Bike
Parque Saavedra
Cool Beetle
Church in Parque Saavedra
Train Station Belegrano "R"


Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Pinamar Weekend

Well, the past weekend in Pinamar was pretty great. Calvin and I set out at 9am, with six hours of Argentina prairie ahead of us. Good conversation and a couple mates later, we arrived. Neither Carlos nor Pablo had called us back, so we were kind of worried about our living situation. We arrived, called Pablo, he answered right away and told us that he didnt have credit to call us. They were waiting for us at their restuarant.

First night with the old roomates in a LONG time
We arrived at the restaurant, a very cool lounge bar that does dinner and music shows. We hung out for awhile, and then they had to get back to work. They gave us the keys and directions to their house, and told us to meet them on the beach later. Calvin and I took off on our walk, expecting to find their apartment situated in the ghettos of Pinamar...WRONG! They live in a beautiful 3rd floor apartment, with balcony and an ocean view. On top of if all, the restaurant they work for pays for everything. Thats the way it works in these resort towns; you come to work for them, and they hook you up with lodging...good lodging, not like Wisconsin Dells worker lodging.

Day view from their department

Sunset from their department

Well, to cut a long story short, Calvin and I lounged on the beach for four days and really enjoyed ourselves. Calvin turned 21 on Saturday night and we went big, as planned. A night out on the town with Pablo is always a good time. Carlos went south to party with his Mexican friend Radim for the night.

Calvin´s 21st birthday

On a sidenote, Speaking english in this city was the coolest thing in the world! We would talk down the main city street, just talking about whatever, and everyone, be it young girls, old men, families, etc, would crane their necks to see who was speaking english in Pinamar. After hearing english, they would slowly move themselves close to us until they were able to ask us where we were from. The people from Pinamar are definitely, without a doubt, the richest people in Argentina. So, of course, they love American culture, movies, attend bilingual schools, brag abouting going to Miami, what have you. Seeing as the OC, and The Hills are popular TV shows here, the young girls immediately attacked Calvin(from Cali) with questions. Calvin despises these shows and hates how they´ve tarnished the California reputation, which is exactly what we saw in the questions they asked him.

Calvin, the Cali boy, getting swamped. Classic scene throughout the weekend.

It was a unique feeling being in a city like Pinamar. I definitely didn´t belong in a place like that, seeing as it´s the Hamptons of Argentina. I, a young midwestern male, would NEVER be allowed into the Hamptons. I have neither money nor a famous last name. However, in Pinamar, being from the US is like being a Kennedy in New England. It was fun to be so popular for four days, but it definitely felt good to get back to regular BsAs. The attitude in Pinamar is what they call, Cheta. Super wealthy upper-class people who look down on the rest. It was a daily experience to hear rich northern-suburb kids talk smack about barrios in Buenos Aires that I feel have lots of character. Many of these kids despise coming into "the city" because its so dirty and hectic. It seems very very similiar to what my friends said about the relationship between the northern suburbs of New York City and the city itself.

Anyways, fun weekend, great to see Carlson and Pablo again. They are doing really well, enjoying the beach seven days a week with a great group of coworkers. All in all, I had fun.

Pier in front of the house during sunrise

Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina