Check out pictures from Spring Break in Brazil!
Click on the link to the pictures on the right side of the page!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Last Few Days
After leaving Dad at the airport, I took the bus back to
Thursday I slept in later, checked out of the apartment, and then had lunch with
Friday I had class in the morning, then continued working on classes for next semester. Then I talked to some friends at home before I went to lunch with Nell. After lunch I talked to Blaire and a few other friends then sat in the sun for a little and read. I came back took a nap, and had dinner with Patricia. After dinner I met up with Jane, Nell, and Elise to go to a house party of an Argentine that Jane and Nell had met in
Saturday I slept in late and read in bed for a while. I got up, went to lunch, checked some email, and then made my way to the park to sit outside in the beautiful weather and read. Later in the afternoon I did some research for travel plans….and then got myself ready for going out. Elise, Alex, Sarah, Lauren, and I met up for Mexican food at a restaurant in
Sunday I slept in, read in bed, and then made my way to lunch at a café with wireless access. I am eating here and doing some online work with Elise, before we go over to Alex’s apartment to watch a polo match on TV. Life is good.
Dad's Visit
Thursday I met him at the airport, took a cab back to the city, and moved into our apartment for the week. We left for lunch at went to Café Tortoni, a really old classic café in
Saturday we took a bus to
Sunday we started the day at a bakery called
Monday we had to wake up early to catch our 8.15am bus back to
Tuesday we made the trip up to
Wednesday we slept in a little, and Dad finished packing. For lunch we went to Classica y Moderna Libros, then to
Back to School - At least for 3 days...
The next three days I was swamped with school work since I was taking the next week off while my father was visiting. I finished a paper due the next week and handed it in early. I finally finished all my work Wednesday night and was excited for Dad to come in Thursday morning.
Spring Break- BUZIOS BRAZIL!!!!
Once we arrived, we found our luggage did not make it to our direct flight, and that our luggage had arrived in
We decided on a restaurant on the main street in town that had a little eating deck onto the beach. After a fresh fish and a drink, I was feeling much better, and was enjoying the view onto the beautiful water. After lunch we all walked around the town and explored the area a little. Later in the afternoon we took a nap, since our overnight flight had made us all very tired. After sleeping a little, we felt much better, but were not too hungry. We walked into town and found a crepe restaurant and had dinner there. It was perfect, since a light but sweet dinner hit the spot. After dinner we headed to bed early and decided to start our adventures the next day.
The next morning Kate and my luggage arrived at the hotel, although Elise was still missing hers. The included breakfast at the hotel was grand: coffee, tea, a fresh bread basket, fresh jam, and a plate of fresh sweet fruit. We walked into town and bought some towels and sandals before getting a water taxi to take us to a beach for the day. We arrived to Tortaruga beach shortly thereafter and set up camp in some chairs under umbrellas that belonged to one of the many restaurant/bars that populated the beachside. The chairs were a service to customers, and buying one drink at the restaurant paid for the use of the chairs. We spent the entire day on the beach-swimming, sunbathing, walking along the coast. At the beach, there were guys walking up and down the beach trying to sell stuff. Anything you could want while lying at the beach was available: towels, hats, and blankets. On top of that, there was a good selection of food: fresh corn, fresh oysters, and ice cream. For lunch we ordered a shrimp dish from the restaurant. By 5pm, we were ready to leave, and the water taxi came to pick us up. I was definitely red from the day in the sun, but little did I know that I would burn from only one day in the sun. I bought some aloe vera on the way home from the beach. After a little nap in the early evening, we went out to dinner at a Thai food restaurant. After dinner we checked out Mix Bar, a little bar on the beach with live music. We stationed ourselves on a table on the sand, and danced the night away to the live samba music. On the way home we stopped for ice cream, at a self serve ice creamery. It was glorious.
The next day we woke up a little earlier and decided to take a boat tour of the area. We boarded the catamaran boat around noon after some shopping in the morning and took off. The boat tour included going to a few beaches, snorkeling, and drinks on the boat. I ended up befriending some of the other people on the boat, and had a great afternoon. After the boat we headed over to a local burger shop for lunch. In the afternoon we took a nice relaxed walk to a beach on the other side of the peninsula. After getting back after dark I read and relaxed a little while the girls did some shopping. For dinner we went out to a Sushi restaurant. It was amazing, since the fish was so fresh. After dinner, we went to Mix Bar again, but on the way there, Alex and Elise made friends with some locals in one of the shops, and after they got off work, we met up with them to go out to another bar. This bar was filled with mostly locals and had a samba show going on. After a samba show, they opened up the whole place for dancing, and it was a lot of fun. After this bar closed at two, we all went to a hip-hop club that was open. A little later we retired back to the hotel with some new friends and a fun night.
The next day we made a nice long walk to a beach far away. When we got there an hour later, the beach was empty. Literally, we were the only ones on the beach for as far as we could see. We spent the morning relaxing and sunbathing at this beach, then walked across the island to another beach for lunch. After lunch we walked to the main road, and took a shuttle back to our hotel. From the hotel we walked north to the other side of peninsula to watch the sunset from a cute little beach. After an amazing sunset over the water, we returned to the hotel and realized there was a sauna that we could use. Afterwards, I went out on a search to find Nell and Jane, two friends that arrived that day in Buzios, but we had no way of contacting them since our cell phones didn’t work. I somehow stalked them down by asking at their hotel and searching some restaurants. We all went out for some drinks before dinner, and then said goodbye to Nell and Jane since they were very tired from traveling. We continued to a great fresh fish restaurant, and then had ice cream on the way back to the hotel.The next day we took a full day tour from Buzios to two other beach towns near by. The bus from Buzios to Arrial de Cabo was about 45 minutes. When we arrived we boarded a boat and set off for a great afternoon abroad. We went to the first beach to snorkel and enjoy the beautifully blue clear water. Then we sailed past a grotto. The tour guide told us they had a surprise for us, and a crew member jumped into the water and came back out with fresh oysters he had harvested from the side of the grotto walls. He shucked them right for us in front of our faces and we each enjoyed one. The next stop was a little beach that had a hill, which you could rent snowboards for. Elise and I rented snowboards and enjoyed trying to snowboard down a hill of sand. The boat went back to the dock, and from there we went to lunch at a great buffet place. After lunch we checked out a few different beaches by bus, and then stopped at a shopping area for swimsuits. We got back to our hotel later that afternoon, and relaxed in the sauna until it was time for dinner. We met up with Nell and Jane for a nice fancy fish dinner. After dinner we went to ice cream, and then I went out for a drink with Jell, Nell, and Elise at the House of Rock and Roll bar.
The next day I did not go out with Alex, Kate, and Elise, and instead met up with Nell and Jane in the morning to spend the day with them. We attempted to rent a buggy beach car, but after a half hour, we realized none of us knew how to drive a stick shift well enough to actually use the car. After we worked out returning the car, we took the taxi shuttle to a beach for the afternoon. That beach was a perfect mix of quiet beach and popular hang out. The restaurant we had chairs at had a lice acoustic guitarist playing music all afternoon. We walked to another beach to watch the sunset, then parted ways to relax before dinner. That night for the last dinner in Buzios we went to a little romantic fish restaurant. After a great meal, we went to Mix Bar to enjoy the music and drink on the beach, then headed to bed.Sunday morning we had to wake up and be ready for the bus to the airport at 6am. Once we got to the airport we were lucky and were able to change to a direct flight, and also make sure our luggage made it there with us. We got to
Monday, October 8, 2007
Update
I will have my spring break update from Buzios, Brazil up in a few days. I have a full plate of work at the moment, so will be delayed updating the blog.
Please forgive me and check back soon.
Please forgive me and check back soon.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Sunday - Off for vacation
Today I have been getting everything ready for my upcoming vacation to Buzios, Brazil.
I will be gone for a week, so don't expect any updates until I get back.
Buzios is a beach resort town two hours north of Rio. It is a peninsula that offers over 20 different exotic beaches. The main street is safe and hold some of the best seafood in the world, along with a thriving night life.
I will make sure to take tons of pictures and bring back good stories for all of you.
So have a good week, because I surely will!
I will be gone for a week, so don't expect any updates until I get back.
Buzios is a beach resort town two hours north of Rio. It is a peninsula that offers over 20 different exotic beaches. The main street is safe and hold some of the best seafood in the world, along with a thriving night life.
I will make sure to take tons of pictures and bring back good stories for all of you.
So have a good week, because I surely will!
Saturday - Spring is amazing!
Saturday again started with sleeping late and reading in bed until my stomach told me it was lunch time. I met up with my girls for lunch at a nice panini cafe. We sat outside and the weather was fantastic. Afterwards, I walked over to a park by Recoleta Cemetary and found a nice hill where many groups of people at set up little picnics. I laid down using my jacket as a pillow and read there in the sun for a few hours. A group of high school kids were next to me playing guitar and singing, and a couple was on the other side. It was nice to be outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.
I walked over to a locutorio, checked some email and made some calls.
By the time I got home, showered, and cleaned my room, it was almost dinner time, and I met up with Kate to walk to the restaurant which we had reservations for. Doshi, is one of the finest sushi places in Buenos Aires. The meal ended up being absolutely fantastic.
Afterwards, the girls treated themselves to ice cream, but I didn't have any more room in my stomach for desert. We made the nice walk home, and by the time I got back to my room it was already 1am.
I feel asleep very easily, excited about the days ahead.
I walked over to a locutorio, checked some email and made some calls.
By the time I got home, showered, and cleaned my room, it was almost dinner time, and I met up with Kate to walk to the restaurant which we had reservations for. Doshi, is one of the finest sushi places in Buenos Aires. The meal ended up being absolutely fantastic.
Afterwards, the girls treated themselves to ice cream, but I didn't have any more room in my stomach for desert. We made the nice walk home, and by the time I got back to my room it was already 1am.
I feel asleep very easily, excited about the days ahead.
Friday - Beautiful Weather! Spring is here!
Friday started off with conversation class in the morning. Afterwards, Kate and Elise met up with me to walk over to California Burrito Company, a local copy of Chipotle which was started by two American guys. It was not as good, but it came really close, and I loved it.
After lunch, and a little more computer time, I set out with Elise to find a bookstore, since I needed to get a new book for my trip, now that I finished the one i had already bought.
We found a good bookstore, with a good section for English books. I ended up getting three to be sure I would have something to read for the entire of my vacation.
Afterwards, we walked over the Plaza San Martin, one of my favorite spots in the city, and laid in the grass and read for a little. It was peaceful. I started one of the new book I had bought.
I walked home for dinner, and then choose to stay in and enjoy Almost Famous and the 8 Mile on TV. What a night.
After lunch, and a little more computer time, I set out with Elise to find a bookstore, since I needed to get a new book for my trip, now that I finished the one i had already bought.
We found a good bookstore, with a good section for English books. I ended up getting three to be sure I would have something to read for the entire of my vacation.
Afterwards, we walked over the Plaza San Martin, one of my favorite spots in the city, and laid in the grass and read for a little. It was peaceful. I started one of the new book I had bought.
I walked home for dinner, and then choose to stay in and enjoy Almost Famous and the 8 Mile on TV. What a night.
Thursday - Let the relaxation begin
After sleeping late, I continued to read my new book in bed until lunch time. I met up with Elise for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant that I had wanted to try for some time. At that point, i was 380 pages into my book, and 20 away from the end. By the end of the day....in 24 hours, I had finished the 400 page book. I love that feeling.
Lunch was great. I had been craving some Asian food, and this fit the bill. We started with some small pork dumplings, moved the chicken low-mien and pork fried rice, and then ended with some tea. What more can you ask for?
I walked with Elise to IES to sit and play on the computers for a while. After talking to some friends and just going through emails, I noticed that it was already 7.30pm. I walked home and took a long relaxing shower.
This was the beginning of my spring break. My exams were over, and I had freedom to relax and reflect.
After dinner I went out to JOBS, a bar not to far away from where I live. Its a giant hall with picnic style tables all over, and a few dartboards and pooltables. Its a cool place to go and hang out with friends. They also have a game room, and I saw a number of tables picking up games to play while they drank and hung out. A few tables were even playing the classics: Jenga and Sorry!
When the group decided to move to the next venue, I went home, since I knew I had to wake up early and make it to class the next morning.
I walked home and fell right asleep.
Lunch was great. I had been craving some Asian food, and this fit the bill. We started with some small pork dumplings, moved the chicken low-mien and pork fried rice, and then ended with some tea. What more can you ask for?
I walked with Elise to IES to sit and play on the computers for a while. After talking to some friends and just going through emails, I noticed that it was already 7.30pm. I walked home and took a long relaxing shower.
This was the beginning of my spring break. My exams were over, and I had freedom to relax and reflect.
After dinner I went out to JOBS, a bar not to far away from where I live. Its a giant hall with picnic style tables all over, and a few dartboards and pooltables. Its a cool place to go and hang out with friends. They also have a game room, and I saw a number of tables picking up games to play while they drank and hung out. A few tables were even playing the classics: Jenga and Sorry!
When the group decided to move to the next venue, I went home, since I knew I had to wake up early and make it to class the next morning.
I walked home and fell right asleep.
Wednesday - Test Day
I started the day off at 9am with my first exam. My Spanish language exam was the one I was most prepared for and excited to take. I wanted to show how much I had learned and how my Spanish has improved. It ended up being relatively easy, and on the same material that I spent a significant amount of time studying.
Later in the day I had my exam for Latin American history. This exam was very fair, and only consisted of three open ended questions. I wrote a few pages, and felt that I had covered all of the topics I needed to discuss and handed it in and left early.
Feeling great and finished with exams....I wandered the city for a little and enjoyed the sense of freedom. I wandered into a bookstore once I realized that I didn't have a book for my upcoming vacation. I have been able to really read a lot of good books here, but have finished all of the books I brought for the semester.
I found the new James Patterson book, and bought it right there, telling myself that I would save it for the beach and not start it now.
Later that night after dinner, I couldn't find anyone to go out and celebrate with me since they still had exams, and I decided to just stay in a relax. I picked up the book, compromised my own promise, and decided to start it before my trip.....
I feel asleep sometime later that night a good chunk into the book.
Later in the day I had my exam for Latin American history. This exam was very fair, and only consisted of three open ended questions. I wrote a few pages, and felt that I had covered all of the topics I needed to discuss and handed it in and left early.
Feeling great and finished with exams....I wandered the city for a little and enjoyed the sense of freedom. I wandered into a bookstore once I realized that I didn't have a book for my upcoming vacation. I have been able to really read a lot of good books here, but have finished all of the books I brought for the semester.
I found the new James Patterson book, and bought it right there, telling myself that I would save it for the beach and not start it now.
Later that night after dinner, I couldn't find anyone to go out and celebrate with me since they still had exams, and I decided to just stay in a relax. I picked up the book, compromised my own promise, and decided to start it before my trip.....
I feel asleep sometime later that night a good chunk into the book.
Monday and Tuesday - Studying for Midterms
Monday and Tuesday felt liked school. I had homework and studying to do, and it got a little hectic. Strangely, this crazy feeling was nice, since this semester has been so lax.
I spend a significant amount of time reading material for exams and reveiwing notes for Spanish class. I wanted to put a lot of effort into my Spanish exam, since I knew that the more effort I put into the exam, the better my daily Spanish will get.
The two days went by very fast, and it amazed me how productive I can be. It had been a while since I had to apply myself in school, and it felt good.
Not much else to talk about, since I was mainly just studying and going to class.
I spend a significant amount of time reading material for exams and reveiwing notes for Spanish class. I wanted to put a lot of effort into my Spanish exam, since I knew that the more effort I put into the exam, the better my daily Spanish will get.
The two days went by very fast, and it amazed me how productive I can be. It had been a while since I had to apply myself in school, and it felt good.
Not much else to talk about, since I was mainly just studying and going to class.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday - Homework Day
I wasn’t able to go to The Alamo and watch the football games since I had a lot of work to do. This upcoming week is midterms, so I guess its ok to start getting serious with school work.
I met up with Kate around 3pm, and we went to a café with a quiet upstairs sitting area with Wi-Fi internet. We ended up eating and working all day there, and it was great. I had a take home mid term exam paper for my culture class that I had to finish. We worked from 3 till about 7.30, and then took a dinner break. I ordered a steak, since I felt I was in the mood for some red meat. I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular since it was just a café, but it was actually excellent. That’s why I love this country. For 20 pesos (6 dollars) I get a great steak, just as good at one in an American steakhouse, at a random café.
By about 9.30pm we had all finished our work, and decided to reward ourselves, we would go catch a movie to end the weekend on an upbeat note. Kate and I bought tickets to see the Bourne Ultimatum. It was in English with Spanish subtitles. The movie was great, but I would have been very lost if I had to read and watch the action at the same time. I walked home and passed out since I was tired. A good weekend all in all. A busy week ahead.
I met up with Kate around 3pm, and we went to a café with a quiet upstairs sitting area with Wi-Fi internet. We ended up eating and working all day there, and it was great. I had a take home mid term exam paper for my culture class that I had to finish. We worked from 3 till about 7.30, and then took a dinner break. I ordered a steak, since I felt I was in the mood for some red meat. I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular since it was just a café, but it was actually excellent. That’s why I love this country. For 20 pesos (6 dollars) I get a great steak, just as good at one in an American steakhouse, at a random café.
By about 9.30pm we had all finished our work, and decided to reward ourselves, we would go catch a movie to end the weekend on an upbeat note. Kate and I bought tickets to see the Bourne Ultimatum. It was in English with Spanish subtitles. The movie was great, but I would have been very lost if I had to read and watch the action at the same time. I walked home and passed out since I was tired. A good weekend all in all. A busy week ahead.
Friday and Saturday - Yom Kippur
Friday I did not have class in the morning since it was Dia del Estudiante and the Primero Dia de Primavera. That being the case, all schools were off, but most adults still worked. I worked on my take-home midterm paper for Spanish Culture class that was due Monday for most of the afternoon. I went out for a lunch and read some homework while I was out. I talked to my mother for a little, and before I knew it, it was already 3.45pm. My Brazilian visa was ready from 4-5, so I decided to go pick it up quickly before I was meeting Zoe, Sara, and Sarah for our last meal before Yom Kippur at 5. I arrived at the Brazilian consulate at 4, waited online till 4.30 without anyone helping the line. At that point, I realized that I had to leave and get home to get ready for Kol Nidre. I took a cab home, hopped in the shower, and got ready as fast as I could. I showed up at Zoe’s to an almost fully prepared meal for the four of us. Some fresh bought pasta and some other torts were a great last supper. After dinner Zoe and I went off to temple at the Chabad, while the two Sara’s went to the reform temple I went to on Rosh Hashana.
Zoe and I arrived a little early for the service, and found some good seats. Since this was a religious synagogue, I sat downstairs on the main floor and she sat upstairs in the women’s section. When we arrived, the only ones already in temple were very religious black hats with beards, and I felt a little out of place. I didn’t have time to shave and clean up my own beard, but I actually felt that it might have been a good choice given the extensive beards that these good Jews were sporting.
Once more people arrived; the congregation seemed to be a good mix. People were in suits, jeans, and every other thing. Its funny since the Jews in Argentina are mostly decedents from the same people American Jews are, how similar the two groups look. The service was nice, but a little long. I felt like I knew many of the prayers and the tunes that they were sung. I don’t think that I could always go to this kind of service, but there is something nice and nostalgic about your religion when you participate very similarly with the religious when they try and be as similar to the people in the bible. IN short, it’s comforting to think that this grouping of men with hats and beards singing is the same thing that happened 1,000 years ago. I understood a good amount of the rabbi’s sermon, and it was about not making excuses and being inspired to become more religious.
After 3 hours, I was happy Kol Nidre services were over. They were serious, but still fun, since the rabbi had a great personality and a great energy about him. On the walk home, Zoe and I decided we liked it, but we would try a new temple for the next day. I tried falling asleep even though I was already feeling hungry.
Saturday - I met up with Zoe in the morning and we walked over to the new temple, the only conservative congregation I could find online. We arrived and were interrogated by the security outside. It is strange for foreigners to come, and since security is so high after the bombings at the Israeli Embassy in the 90’s, they question all non-members. After we passed the quick questioning, we entered and only found standing room in the balcony.
The service was nice, and we got seats when some people left right before Yisskor. I enjoyed this temple, but still didn’t feel like home. I don’t think Ill ever find somewhere that feels the same as the Temple I grew up in.
After services I went home and laid in bed while watching some episodes of The Office on my computer. I then took a quick hour nap, and read and did some homework. We went 24.5 hours, and broke around 6pm. We ended up just going to a great café/restaurant very near where we live. It was great. We all ate sooo much. After dinner, around 8.20pm, which is very very early in Argentine standards, we decided to break up and meet up later again to go out.
I went with Sara and Zoe to Sara’s homestay to hangout and watch a movie. She lived in an amazingly giant and beautiful apartment, and it was nice to see it. We watched Saved!, and then started to drink and chill before we met up with everyone else.
Around 12.30am, we met up to go out to a club. We split two cabs, and got there and went inside. It ended being a cool place, and after some drinking and dancing, we left around 3.45am. It was a fun night, but felt like a really long day.
I got home and was not looking forward to all the work that was ahead of me on Sunday.
Zoe and I arrived a little early for the service, and found some good seats. Since this was a religious synagogue, I sat downstairs on the main floor and she sat upstairs in the women’s section. When we arrived, the only ones already in temple were very religious black hats with beards, and I felt a little out of place. I didn’t have time to shave and clean up my own beard, but I actually felt that it might have been a good choice given the extensive beards that these good Jews were sporting.
Once more people arrived; the congregation seemed to be a good mix. People were in suits, jeans, and every other thing. Its funny since the Jews in Argentina are mostly decedents from the same people American Jews are, how similar the two groups look. The service was nice, but a little long. I felt like I knew many of the prayers and the tunes that they were sung. I don’t think that I could always go to this kind of service, but there is something nice and nostalgic about your religion when you participate very similarly with the religious when they try and be as similar to the people in the bible. IN short, it’s comforting to think that this grouping of men with hats and beards singing is the same thing that happened 1,000 years ago. I understood a good amount of the rabbi’s sermon, and it was about not making excuses and being inspired to become more religious.
After 3 hours, I was happy Kol Nidre services were over. They were serious, but still fun, since the rabbi had a great personality and a great energy about him. On the walk home, Zoe and I decided we liked it, but we would try a new temple for the next day. I tried falling asleep even though I was already feeling hungry.
Saturday - I met up with Zoe in the morning and we walked over to the new temple, the only conservative congregation I could find online. We arrived and were interrogated by the security outside. It is strange for foreigners to come, and since security is so high after the bombings at the Israeli Embassy in the 90’s, they question all non-members. After we passed the quick questioning, we entered and only found standing room in the balcony.
The service was nice, and we got seats when some people left right before Yisskor. I enjoyed this temple, but still didn’t feel like home. I don’t think Ill ever find somewhere that feels the same as the Temple I grew up in.
After services I went home and laid in bed while watching some episodes of The Office on my computer. I then took a quick hour nap, and read and did some homework. We went 24.5 hours, and broke around 6pm. We ended up just going to a great café/restaurant very near where we live. It was great. We all ate sooo much. After dinner, around 8.20pm, which is very very early in Argentine standards, we decided to break up and meet up later again to go out.
I went with Sara and Zoe to Sara’s homestay to hangout and watch a movie. She lived in an amazingly giant and beautiful apartment, and it was nice to see it. We watched Saved!, and then started to drink and chill before we met up with everyone else.
Around 12.30am, we met up to go out to a club. We split two cabs, and got there and went inside. It ended being a cool place, and after some drinking and dancing, we left around 3.45am. It was a fun night, but felt like a really long day.
I got home and was not looking forward to all the work that was ahead of me on Sunday.
Thursday - Tango Dancing Club
Thursday I slept in since I was tired from going out all night on Wednesday. My internet had come back, so I was really happy to sleep late, read in bed, and then surf the web for a few hours. I talked to some friends, which was also nice.
After getting a little homework done during the day, I made plans after dinner to go out with Kate to a Milonga, or a dance bar to go and dance tango. Both of us had an assignment for culture class to go and write about our experience. Her assignment also included asking questions and conducting interviews.
We got the address and got out of the cab. We thought we were at the wrong place. There was no sign outside the door, just looked like an abandoned warehouse door. The only signal was the number address on the door. We walked in, and followed the light upstairs and walked into a giant space of a room. We paid the 15 pesos cover charge and were brought to a table at the back of the place. When we got there, only 3 or 4 couples were dancing. These clubs are not for professionals, but just people who like to dance tango. Although there were a lot of couples, there were a good amount of groups of single men and women who come to ask each other to dance. My favorite person was this single old man sitting by himself at the table next to us. When we got there we figured he just liked watching the dance. But half way into the night, he went over, asked one of the youngest best looking girls, and danced with her for most of the night. Tango isn’t about your looks or age, it has a much deeper purer root.
The room was dimly lit and had chairs and tables made out of broken material. I was sitting on a broken office chair, with just the single metal support beam as my back rest. Kate sat on a chair which was supported by a broken crate placed underneath the cushion. Local artwork and some other random stuff were hanging from the walls. This was a real tango experience. The women at the door and the waiter seemed confused that we foreigners even found the place or knew where to go.
After a little while, the music lowered and some professional dancers put on a show for us. They were great, and showcased a few different styles of tango. Even those who danced tango themselves seemed to be very impressed. A little while after the show we left and called it a night. It was a great experience and one not many tourists really get to have.
After getting a little homework done during the day, I made plans after dinner to go out with Kate to a Milonga, or a dance bar to go and dance tango. Both of us had an assignment for culture class to go and write about our experience. Her assignment also included asking questions and conducting interviews.
We got the address and got out of the cab. We thought we were at the wrong place. There was no sign outside the door, just looked like an abandoned warehouse door. The only signal was the number address on the door. We walked in, and followed the light upstairs and walked into a giant space of a room. We paid the 15 pesos cover charge and were brought to a table at the back of the place. When we got there, only 3 or 4 couples were dancing. These clubs are not for professionals, but just people who like to dance tango. Although there were a lot of couples, there were a good amount of groups of single men and women who come to ask each other to dance. My favorite person was this single old man sitting by himself at the table next to us. When we got there we figured he just liked watching the dance. But half way into the night, he went over, asked one of the youngest best looking girls, and danced with her for most of the night. Tango isn’t about your looks or age, it has a much deeper purer root.
The room was dimly lit and had chairs and tables made out of broken material. I was sitting on a broken office chair, with just the single metal support beam as my back rest. Kate sat on a chair which was supported by a broken crate placed underneath the cushion. Local artwork and some other random stuff were hanging from the walls. This was a real tango experience. The women at the door and the waiter seemed confused that we foreigners even found the place or knew where to go.
After a little while, the music lowered and some professional dancers put on a show for us. They were great, and showcased a few different styles of tango. Even those who danced tango themselves seemed to be very impressed. A little while after the show we left and called it a night. It was a great experience and one not many tourists really get to have.
Wednesday - BOCA JUNIORS SOCCER GAME!
I had class early in the morning, followed by class in the afternoon. After class in the afternoon I walked over to the IES Center with Elise. We had a great conversation about our favorite foods from home and our favorite memories of restaurants from our home town. After a while on a computer chillen and surfing the web, we went down to the corner for a seat outside in the beautiful weather for a café. During our little café session, I received a text from my host brother asking if I would like to go to the Boca Juniors soccer game that night. I immediately canceled my plans to go to ceramics class and told him I was down. I have been working to get to a game the whole time, and this was a great opportunity. This game, vs. Sao Paulo, was the Round of 16 in the South American Cup….a tournament for all the teams in Latin America to compete and see who is best.
I went home to see my host brother and thank him for the invite to the game. He then told me that he might not be able to come, that something had come up. I would still go with his friends, but he was a question mark. He told me to have a friend ready if needed just in case my host brother couldn’t attend. Sure enough, an hour later and 30 minutes before we had to leave, Santiago called me and told me he couldn’t come. So I called Nell and told her to leave right away to meet me on the corner in 25 minutes.
Nell and I met up with Jeronimo, Santiago’s friend who also works with him and the rest of my host family. Jeronimo is really nice, and I had met him once before. From there we took the Subte a few stops to meet the fourth, Marcelo, a friend of Jeronimo. After we met Marcelo near the obelisk, we took a cab to La Boca neighborhood about 5 blocks from the stadium. Since there are so many fans and such poor game day planning, streets any closer just get backed up and shut down.
We walked down closer to the stadium. The whole time we had been speaking in Spanish, and then Marcelo said something to us in English. Nell and I were stunned, but found out the both Jeronimo and Marcelo speak great English. For the rest of the night, we spoke only in Spanish, unless I couldn’t figure out how to say something, or they said something too complex for me to understand…it was a perfect situation.
We arrived at the bottom of the stadium, got frisked by security, and went to the little grilling place next to the entrance. We got these huge churipans, which were amazing. They are local chorizo, or sausage, grilled and then cut in half and put into a sandwich with French baguette bread. So good. We then entered the stadium and started our long trek up the stairs to the upper level.
The tickets we used to get in belonged to Santiago and a bunch of his friends. This team doesn’t really sell single game tickets. Only season tickets are available. You receive a card for the season that acts as a pass into the stadium. It is not a problem to borrow someone else’s card to get into any game. I believe we were assigned to a section, but didn’t have specific seats. We sat on the first row of the upper level, only one section away from the crazy fan section. This section is just general admission with no assignments. It is nuts. They are crazy and never stop singing the many different fight songs of the team. There is even a band of fans with drums and trombones and a few other instruments.
The stadium was great. Big enough to fit a ton of people, but small enough where every single person gets a great view of the field. This game was at a strange time since it was not the normal league that the team plays in, so the stadium was not full. Since they don’t sell single game tickets, there is no way to know when it will sell out or not.
The game was really fun. They ended up winning 2-1, but the other team scored with only 2 minutes left. It was a great experience and I was very very thankful for the opportunity.
After the game we walked for about 20 minutes away from the stadium to get away from the crowds and find an empty taxi. Nell and I took the taxi to Jobs, a bar not to far from my house. Some kids from GW were there, and supposively some other kids from GW that were traveling were also there. I figured it would be a fun time. I walked in, and who do I see? Ryan Smith and Lindsey Toner. I went to high school with Ryan Smith, and Lindsey Toner is friends with my roommates. Its just such a small world.
We stayed at this bar until it closed, and then as a group we all went to Sahara, an upscale bar in Recoleta Village by the cemetery. At night they have fun music. This place was so much fun. It reminded me a lot of the places I go out to in DC, since it was a restaurant that became a bar at night: meaning it had some small tables, a big bar, and a dance floor, but was not a club. We partied and danced away until they kicked us out around 5.20am. I walked home to my house, since it was only 3 blocks away.
Overall, it was an amazing night. I was expecting to go to ceramics class, come home, and go to bed early…..but the way it turned out was so much better.
I went home to see my host brother and thank him for the invite to the game. He then told me that he might not be able to come, that something had come up. I would still go with his friends, but he was a question mark. He told me to have a friend ready if needed just in case my host brother couldn’t attend. Sure enough, an hour later and 30 minutes before we had to leave, Santiago called me and told me he couldn’t come. So I called Nell and told her to leave right away to meet me on the corner in 25 minutes.
Nell and I met up with Jeronimo, Santiago’s friend who also works with him and the rest of my host family. Jeronimo is really nice, and I had met him once before. From there we took the Subte a few stops to meet the fourth, Marcelo, a friend of Jeronimo. After we met Marcelo near the obelisk, we took a cab to La Boca neighborhood about 5 blocks from the stadium. Since there are so many fans and such poor game day planning, streets any closer just get backed up and shut down.
We walked down closer to the stadium. The whole time we had been speaking in Spanish, and then Marcelo said something to us in English. Nell and I were stunned, but found out the both Jeronimo and Marcelo speak great English. For the rest of the night, we spoke only in Spanish, unless I couldn’t figure out how to say something, or they said something too complex for me to understand…it was a perfect situation.
We arrived at the bottom of the stadium, got frisked by security, and went to the little grilling place next to the entrance. We got these huge churipans, which were amazing. They are local chorizo, or sausage, grilled and then cut in half and put into a sandwich with French baguette bread. So good. We then entered the stadium and started our long trek up the stairs to the upper level.
The tickets we used to get in belonged to Santiago and a bunch of his friends. This team doesn’t really sell single game tickets. Only season tickets are available. You receive a card for the season that acts as a pass into the stadium. It is not a problem to borrow someone else’s card to get into any game. I believe we were assigned to a section, but didn’t have specific seats. We sat on the first row of the upper level, only one section away from the crazy fan section. This section is just general admission with no assignments. It is nuts. They are crazy and never stop singing the many different fight songs of the team. There is even a band of fans with drums and trombones and a few other instruments.
The stadium was great. Big enough to fit a ton of people, but small enough where every single person gets a great view of the field. This game was at a strange time since it was not the normal league that the team plays in, so the stadium was not full. Since they don’t sell single game tickets, there is no way to know when it will sell out or not.
The game was really fun. They ended up winning 2-1, but the other team scored with only 2 minutes left. It was a great experience and I was very very thankful for the opportunity.
After the game we walked for about 20 minutes away from the stadium to get away from the crowds and find an empty taxi. Nell and I took the taxi to Jobs, a bar not to far from my house. Some kids from GW were there, and supposively some other kids from GW that were traveling were also there. I figured it would be a fun time. I walked in, and who do I see? Ryan Smith and Lindsey Toner. I went to high school with Ryan Smith, and Lindsey Toner is friends with my roommates. Its just such a small world.
We stayed at this bar until it closed, and then as a group we all went to Sahara, an upscale bar in Recoleta Village by the cemetery. At night they have fun music. This place was so much fun. It reminded me a lot of the places I go out to in DC, since it was a restaurant that became a bar at night: meaning it had some small tables, a big bar, and a dance floor, but was not a club. We partied and danced away until they kicked us out around 5.20am. I walked home to my house, since it was only 3 blocks away.
Overall, it was an amazing night. I was expecting to go to ceramics class, come home, and go to bed early…..but the way it turned out was so much better.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Sorry for the late posts....here is my life
Sorry for the lack of posting. The Internet in my home has been down for almost two weeks and I am trying to fix it. If this continues, don´t expect daily updates as I was able to do before, since my access to Internet has been a little restricted. Ok, enough excuses....go ahead and read about my last week.
Tuesday and Wednesday were busy normal days....which worked out well since I needed to get back into my groove after Monday kicked my butt.
Thursday I had the day off...but still was productive.
Friday I had class early in the morning. My conversation class is really helpful since it is very small and all we do in converse for two hours. It just sucks that it has to be 9am on Friday morning. After class I met up with Elise and Kate to try and finish the application for our tourist visa for Brazil. The process was intense...they needed bank statements, pictures of us, and other formal stuff. Elise and Kate had their stuff correct, but I needed to fix a few things before they would grant me permission to get a visa. We went to lunch at Bengal...a restaurant that combined Italian and Indian cuisine. It was fantastic. So good, I was sooo full. Afterwards since I was full I went home, cuddled up with a book, and enjoyed the rest of my afternoon. After a good dinner with my host family, I met up with Nell and Sam at Temple Bar. They were running late, so I sat at the bar and asked the bartender for a recommendation with their homemade beers. He ended up giving me little samplers of 4 different types, and I was able to pick one that I actually liked. After Nell and Sam arrived we had a drink, they left for a club/lounge called The Living. This place was really cool, and I would have had a better time if I wasnt so tired. They had great 80´s music with the music videos projected on the wall. After almost falling asleep sitting and talking to my friends...I decided to call it a night, and hailed a cab home around 3.30am.
Saturday I slept in and finished my book. In the afternoon I finished a lot of homework and even starting studying for my midterms....that are creeping up next week. For dinner I went with Elise, Alex, and Kate to Casa Cruz. This hip chic and trendy restaurant was awesome. We sat on lounge couches for a little while and sipped on fine drinks before being seated. There we were given their great menu, and fresh bread accompanied with a warm buttery spread. I had a hard time trying to decide what I wanted to eat, since everything sounded so good. I choose the house special fish, since I had not had fish yet in Buenos Aires. It ended up being a white flaky fish, but was cooked perfectly tender and had plenty of flavor. Everyone´s dinner looked great and the atmosphere was delightful. After dinner I convinced the group to order a fondant (I would call it a souffle) with chocolate cake and ducle de leche in the middle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Lets just say it was gone in 20 seconds. Although it was pricey for local standards....one of the finest meals in BA can round out to only 40 dollars. We left Casa Cruz around 1.30am and headed out for an ATM. After walking three blocks looking, we hailed a cab and asked him to take us to the closest one he knew.
From there we left for Club Niceto to meet some friends. It ends up that a band was playing, and a techno DJ was opening for him. I thought this would be a really cool experience, so we went in. It was only around 2.15am so the place was a little empty. Empty since the night was still really young. The DJ got on, and rocked the house. Some of the other people in the group didn´t have such a great time, but I really appreciated the music. The band came on around 4am. They were really really weird, but I liked it. We stayed and rocked out until 5am. A group of us left the club, and decided to walk to the hot dog stand we knew close by. It tasted great. Its not a Gray´s Papaya, buts its a damn good hot dog. I ended up getting home around 5.40am. Good night.
Sunday I woke up and laid in bed reading for two hours. It felt good to just relax. A little later I went to The Alamo to watch some football. I ended up staying there for lunch and dinner, and enjoyed the bar atmosphere and football.
Monday I felt a little bad, partly since I had been out late watching the football games. I felt much better by the end of the day, and was able to get some homework done to make the day a little productive.
Tuesday I went to class in the morning, and then finalized my visa application. After class later that afternoon, I walked over to the IES Center and took advantage of the free internet for a few hours. I did some research for some classes and read up on my political news.
Wednesday, today, I went to class in the morning and then went out to lunch with Elise. After my later class, I find myself back at the IES Center on the computers. I am going to ceramics class tonight, which should be fun, and then coming back in time to meet some friends for dinner at Rubia and Negra, a restaurant with sushi and home brewed beer. Should be a good time.
Tuesday and Wednesday were busy normal days....which worked out well since I needed to get back into my groove after Monday kicked my butt.
Thursday I had the day off...but still was productive.
Friday I had class early in the morning. My conversation class is really helpful since it is very small and all we do in converse for two hours. It just sucks that it has to be 9am on Friday morning. After class I met up with Elise and Kate to try and finish the application for our tourist visa for Brazil. The process was intense...they needed bank statements, pictures of us, and other formal stuff. Elise and Kate had their stuff correct, but I needed to fix a few things before they would grant me permission to get a visa. We went to lunch at Bengal...a restaurant that combined Italian and Indian cuisine. It was fantastic. So good, I was sooo full. Afterwards since I was full I went home, cuddled up with a book, and enjoyed the rest of my afternoon. After a good dinner with my host family, I met up with Nell and Sam at Temple Bar. They were running late, so I sat at the bar and asked the bartender for a recommendation with their homemade beers. He ended up giving me little samplers of 4 different types, and I was able to pick one that I actually liked. After Nell and Sam arrived we had a drink, they left for a club/lounge called The Living. This place was really cool, and I would have had a better time if I wasnt so tired. They had great 80´s music with the music videos projected on the wall. After almost falling asleep sitting and talking to my friends...I decided to call it a night, and hailed a cab home around 3.30am.
Saturday I slept in and finished my book. In the afternoon I finished a lot of homework and even starting studying for my midterms....that are creeping up next week. For dinner I went with Elise, Alex, and Kate to Casa Cruz. This hip chic and trendy restaurant was awesome. We sat on lounge couches for a little while and sipped on fine drinks before being seated. There we were given their great menu, and fresh bread accompanied with a warm buttery spread. I had a hard time trying to decide what I wanted to eat, since everything sounded so good. I choose the house special fish, since I had not had fish yet in Buenos Aires. It ended up being a white flaky fish, but was cooked perfectly tender and had plenty of flavor. Everyone´s dinner looked great and the atmosphere was delightful. After dinner I convinced the group to order a fondant (I would call it a souffle) with chocolate cake and ducle de leche in the middle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Lets just say it was gone in 20 seconds. Although it was pricey for local standards....one of the finest meals in BA can round out to only 40 dollars. We left Casa Cruz around 1.30am and headed out for an ATM. After walking three blocks looking, we hailed a cab and asked him to take us to the closest one he knew.
From there we left for Club Niceto to meet some friends. It ends up that a band was playing, and a techno DJ was opening for him. I thought this would be a really cool experience, so we went in. It was only around 2.15am so the place was a little empty. Empty since the night was still really young. The DJ got on, and rocked the house. Some of the other people in the group didn´t have such a great time, but I really appreciated the music. The band came on around 4am. They were really really weird, but I liked it. We stayed and rocked out until 5am. A group of us left the club, and decided to walk to the hot dog stand we knew close by. It tasted great. Its not a Gray´s Papaya, buts its a damn good hot dog. I ended up getting home around 5.40am. Good night.
Sunday I woke up and laid in bed reading for two hours. It felt good to just relax. A little later I went to The Alamo to watch some football. I ended up staying there for lunch and dinner, and enjoyed the bar atmosphere and football.
Monday I felt a little bad, partly since I had been out late watching the football games. I felt much better by the end of the day, and was able to get some homework done to make the day a little productive.
Tuesday I went to class in the morning, and then finalized my visa application. After class later that afternoon, I walked over to the IES Center and took advantage of the free internet for a few hours. I did some research for some classes and read up on my political news.
Wednesday, today, I went to class in the morning and then went out to lunch with Elise. After my later class, I find myself back at the IES Center on the computers. I am going to ceramics class tonight, which should be fun, and then coming back in time to meet some friends for dinner at Rubia and Negra, a restaurant with sushi and home brewed beer. Should be a good time.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A very tired Monday
Sunday night was extremely hot, and my room had no air circulation. I slept with the windows wide open, but still had to wake up in the middle of the night to get something to drink I was sweating so badly. To make matters even worse, I had to wake up extremely early to go and apply for a student visa at the migrations office in downtown
I got home, had a quick conversation with my host mom, and I am sure I must have looked like crap, since she seemed worried that I wasn’t feeling good. I told her I just needed to sleep, which is exactly what I did. After waking up from my nap later in the afternoon, I felt like a human being again. I treated myself to a late lunch of cheese and crackers while watching re-runs of The Office on TV. I am looking forward to eating dinner later, and getting a good night sleep so I can start the rest of my normal week without problems. Oh vey.
Saturday and Sunday - Are you ready for some football?
I woke on the earlier side hoping to have another relaxing day. I watched some TV, got a lot of homework done, but my internet was not working for some reason. It was very frustrating since I have been used to internet access in my room. We made dinner reservations for a Thai restaurant at night, and it ended up being a group of 9 girls and me. We walked in, and the host/owner was an ex-pat, and was delighted to talk to us in English and ask where we were from. I had been craving some thai food, and although the food was good, it wasn’t very authentic thai. Still, my craving for Pad Thai and Chicken Sate was fulfilled so I was happy. From there, we all made our way over to the convention center for a wine tasting. For 25 pesos to get in, you got a glass and traveled around the giant hall to different wine stations representing around 100 different wine brands and bodegas. It was my first time really trying to distinguish wine from another, and I don’t think I really knew what I was looking for. After two hours, we were feeling great and had a new-found appreciation for wine tasters. We left around midnight and a bunch of us walked to a hot-dog vendor from some great superpanchos (the argentine word for hotdog). I ended up going home a little later, and was home relatively early, 3am.
Friday
After getting another good night sleep, I decided to spend the majority of the day reading, studying, and getting some other random stuff done that I had been pushing off. After dinner with my family I met up with Kate and we went out to Plaza Serrano. We got a table, and sat and talked over drinks when a group of girls came into the bar. One of them looked really familiar. It ended up being a friend of mine from GW in
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