Hello, My Dear Readers (thanks to Bridgerton, yes this show on Netflix is binge worthy -2 seasons)
So sorry for not writing sooner, but unfortunately was not able to as I have been sick for the last month.
First Omnicron though I tested negative, that turned into a flu with chills and fever which then became a case of pneumonia. Or st least physical felt like it.
Whew got so tired of being sick. But yes did binge on a lot of shows, but really who remembers.
Learned the pleasure of home made recipes for a cough. Hot tea from fresh ginger, garlic anise and honey. Learned to love the smell of menthal chest rub, and the power of a warm shower not only to refresh the body but for its ability to help heal the body.
As I reclaim my life, slowly, am so happy to start seeing friends and to begin taking walks the streets of Buenos Aires again.
Will got to a couple of Milongas this week, and see if the body remembers how to dance. (Was able to practice a few times this past month, but hmmm my strength is still pretty weak, so have to work on building up endurance.)
Meanwhile am posting a couple of video links that I have come across that are both on different aspects of Tango.
Both are wonderful, experiential in nature and very enjoyable.
The first is from my friends at Tango Guapo and it shows the vitality of our Tango community in Buenos Aires.
The second link is from a Danish filmaker, Joergen Erik Assentoft who lives here in Buenos Aires and loves Tango and it’s stories.
Me, a mysterious friend and organizer, Julia Doynel
Dancing in Buenos Aires continues to expand as I recently counted 24 Milongas on Hoy Milonga today. They are all over the city from Palermo to Recoleta, San Telmo to San Nicholas, Villa Crespo to Flores.
14th Aniversario of Sueno Portenyo Costume Party
I live in Barrio Norte and like to take the bus to my Milongas (the fare is 20 peso) and then take a cab home at night. So I dance at El Beso on Riobamba, Nuevo Chique on San Jose, Sueno Portenyo on Balcarce, Club Marabu on Maipu, occasionally straying to Salon Canning on Raul Scalabrini Ortiz or Nuevo Gricel on Rioja, La Nacional on Adolfo Asino.
Keep thinking I need to change the milongas I attend but always come to the same conclusion. I like the places I dance. Usually, I know the organizer and a lot of the dancers as been dancing here since the Milongas re-opened in September 2021 after being closed for almost 2 years.
In Buenos Aires when you are a known person, your reserved seat is repeatedly available or the front row table. This means people know where to expect to see you. This will usually lead to more cabeceos and possibly more dancing, but not always.
Remember January and February are peak summer months here, so a lot of local people go to the beach for month.
The void of Portenyos (locals) at the Milongas is taken up by foreign visitors wanting to escape those cold northern winters. Tables are always reserved, and usually filled with many dancers especially if there is a good orchestra.
Then there is the floor, dancers from a variety of countries can be exhilarating. With dancers in close embrace, and others in open embrace. Heels and elbows can fly on the floor. As the night progresses the floor becomes more crowded. There is more unintentional bumping into others. Experiencing another’s elbow in your back is not pleasant. Getting your feet stepped on by another dancer, does hurt. Looking at that person, apologies are murmured or looks are exchanged. All is good. We continue to dance wearing masks, but do rotate partners.
Remembering that here in Buenos Aires we are dancing, dancing, dancing. Many locations around the world are still not dancing. So all is good.
Tango has returned to this city almost with the passion of the past. Tangeros dance the night away oblivious to all but the person they share an embrace with.
Many Milongas start at 8 or 9 continuing until 3 or so in the morning with the performing orchestra taking the stage at 1 or 1.30.
A bit different from the afternoon Milongas starting at 2 or 3 and most orchestra will start playing at 5 and end at 6pm. Dancing will finish at 8 or 10.
Posted here are a couple of videos from dancing at some of these clubs .
Hoping to embrace you soon and enjoy your visit to the home of Tango.
Now at the end of January after a week of 90 plus degree heat and then another week of continual rain, the days are cooler. Still in the evening the humidity returns and air conditioning is a must to get to sleep.
In my personal life what a crazy couple of weeks it has been!!! A dear friend from Turkey who I have not seen for 4 years is visiting me, so am having a fabulous time.
We have been dancing, eating, drinking, walking and shopping for days. Am loving some chica time. It’s been 2 years since I have had a friend visit me.
Birsen and me
Introducing her to the world of tango and the Milongas clubs in Buenos Aires is exciting and very different for her as she started dancing tango about 3 months ago.
And one of my fondest memories is of another friend introducing me to the world of Tango in Buenos Aires. How awesome and overwhelming it was. Can’t believe that was 5 years ago!
Dancing at la Nacional
We have danced in the afternoon and evening milongas and for a couple nights did back to back late night milongas. Dancing in San Telmo, Monserrat, Boeda and Balavanera.
Have introduced her to the world of asado (barbecue), with the meats ranging from sweet breads, tripe, cabezon, chicken and lots of different types of carne (beef) served en mass on a little hot barbecue stand.
As I like my food to the spicier side, have discovered a few restaurants that satisfy that need and do take my friends to these restaurants, one in particular is always fabulous. Sintesis…it is a fusion of Thai and Vietnamese served as Tapas. Yum yum.
Dancing, dancing, dancing
More dancing, more drinking wine, more walking, more public transportation.
More, more more. But always mask wearing while dancing and on the buses or in taxis, walking the streets and continually cleaning hands with alchohol.
Dinner at Trade Bar
My friend visiting from Turkey ended up catching omnicron 10 days after arriving in Argentina. The day before her scheduled return flight to Istanbul on Saturday, she tested positive.
Immediately we canceled all a dinner that night and dancing.
In making arrangements for my test. the following day, I called other friends to inform them of her positive results. It was interesting to listen to the different reactions which ranged from choosing to test to others not.
My friend was in bed with three days feeling like she had been hit by a truck. With a small fever initially, a headache but lots of mucus and coughing. Three days of almost continual sleeping and very little food.
Then on the 4th day still tired but she started to feel almost human. No temperature. Still bit of a hack.
With my corvid testing kit.
And on day 7, doing a home corvid testing kit, she was negative. Wahoo.
The airline she was returning to Turkey on rebooked her on the same saturday flight two weeks later.
Tango en Sueno Portenyo
So she gets a do-over on a lost week and a bonus week for getting corvid.
As with all things, especially now in these uncertain and unsettling times, it is neccesary to see the silver lining in all.
Enjoying the live music of Alexis Lovotti at la Boca Boca.
So now we get to do more…. Dancing, eating, drinking, walking this amazing city that I call home.
