Que Calor!

I’ve done a lot these past few days. We found an apartment, so I don’t have to live out of a suitcase anymore! It’s beautiful, spacious, well-lit, very close to the obelisco and the Teatro Colon. There is a great balcony which overlooks a pedestrian street, so it’s very tranquil. The kitchen is small but complete, and we have air conditioning. Woohoo! The entire apartment is spotless, and the building is nice. We’re on the 2nd floor (for you U.S.Americans, that’s the 3rd floor), and if you go up to the top, the 10th floor, there is a beautiful view of everything from the rooftop. In one direction you can basically look right at the obelisco and all along that street, and in another direction, if you look between the buildings, you can see the river. Totally awesome.

Friday night we went to a nice milonga, Club Gricel. First, Mi Amor and I took his nieces (18 and 16) to have a drink, before sending them off to the disco. We had two of Mi Amor’s friends with us at the milonga, and I finally bit the bullet and spoke all the remedial Spanish I could muster up, peppered with lots of Italian. It all worked out and I think we understood each other.

The milonga itself was wonderful. First of all, I was excited to be in a city where you can show up at a milonga at 2:00am and have it still be completely full of people. Club Grisel has a really nice energy, very light… the music, beautiful. Everybody seemed to be having so much fun. Mi Amor told me that there are also the “famous” and “important” people who are “above” the others at this place (and probably with whom everybody wants to dance), but since I had no idea who to look for, I didn’t really care. I was there to dance, and dance I did. On a beautiful dance floor that got along very well with my NeoTango shoes.

The music - perfect. I did not hear one questionable tanda. In fact, the entire evening, just when Mi Amor and I were starting to relax, a song we liked would start playing and we’d look at each other and say, “we HAVE to dance to this one too.” He and I are dancing really well together these days! We’re a great couple on and off the dance floor. We sipped champagne, talked and laughed with our friends, and Mi Amor introduced me to an old milonguero friend of his - this guy was elderly but on his feet dancing most of the night, and being incredibly smooth with the ladies, and they loved it. I was amused. We stayed until about 5:30am. All in all, it was a magnificent time, full of exactly what I wanted - good music, champagne, friends, and a boyfriend to dance with. I am looking forward to returning to this milonga.

It’s been interesting, seeing this city. There are all kinds of contrasts - old and new, middle class and poor, yesterday’s Buenos Aires, today’s Buenos Aires. It’s a sensory overload at times but I’m in love with it. There are all these beautiful historical cafes and great streets with lots of shopping, and our neighborhood is great - full of all kinds of things to do, restaurants, shows, interesting architecture. But it’s also peppered with homeless people. Not two blocks from our apartment building, there is a couple with a small child who seem to be living on a mattress on the sidewalk. Mi Amor tells me it’s definitely worse since the crisis. I find this area in general pretty safe, but it’s a good idea to stay attentive to your surroundings.

Saturday night we took a walk to Recoleta after dinner. The cemetery looks beautiful at night and I am excited to come back during the day when it’s open. Recoleta is a neighborhood with a little more money, and it’s certainly chic. Lots of great looking bars and clubs, and very clean. We sat in a park for a while watching people and talking, before we made our way (in a cab) back home to spend our first night in our apartment.

I’ve decided to take Spanish lessons while I’m here - I think it will help me a great deal.