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Florida bound

After living in Spain for most of this year, we have to return to the United States, specifically Delray Beach, Florida, because in these crazy times I sold my inherited condominium in a planned and gated community of 3000 people. 

Life in Florida

When my dad died in 2017, I was the trust administrator and after dispersing all his requests, I became the new owner of this 1200 sq ft ground floor corner unit on what appeared to be a non functioning green golf course that had a few small lakes. The only caveat to this gift was he asked me to keep it for 5 years and perhaps learn to enjoy and relax into the ways of Florida.

So as I had no need of the money or the space, I mentally agreed to his condition.

Starting that year I continued to rent out the condo seasonally to folks who were fleeing the cold and snow of the north. At first this was lucrative as taxes were not bad, nor insurance and the quarterly maintenance dues were all able to be paid by the four month rental income.

Changes

In 2018 things started to change as the hurricane season continued to not only grow in length but in intensity when the insurance rates were pretty much doubled and many insurers left Florida limiting the competition and the pricing. Insurance rates rose in 2020 approx 35%.

Then the rise of taxes went from reaching a new high 0.71 % which on a condo valued at $120,000 is about $ 2400 but it’s still one of the least expensive property taxes in the USA. Typical taxes in the USA are about 9% depending on location and service.

Next came the additional burden of maintenance of the 30 year old buildings as this was just prior to the collapse of the beachfront tower that had not been maintained for years in 2021.

New stricter rules have been implemented for all condominium buildings in general but especially those on the water, these rulings have led to a halt to such horrible and preventable destruction.

Hard number to scrunch

But the hardest number to crunch was the community HOA which had started out at approximately $ 5000 per year now in 2025 was $ 11000 per year which of course included a total do over of the aging club house and a few other upgrades.

In this community there are acres of lawn to maintain, extensive gardens, lots of outdoor pools and an indoor pool, a gymnasium, card rooms, billiards rooms, a fully functioning theatre and a ballroom!

Lots of stuff to enjoy if you like the gated community experience of living with people just like you. Plus like the security of knowing that people can only gain admittance with permission.

This part of Florida is totally a driving area as  everything is located in a strip mall, so a car is mandatory although there is a market within walking distance. I think in the years I have had this place I have seen an occasional person on a bicycle or even walking. As to public transportation it’s a step above nonexistent.

It was my father’s

n thinking about this place it’s always been about my father. He was a holocaust survivor who lived to the ripe old age of 94 dying from a genetic disease called Melia Dysplasia Syndrome that is prone to attack people over 70 years of age. This disease is an anemia based blood disease which in 2017 was not well known but now as this genetic mutation is on the 7th gene, and is now one of the most studied mutations.

But back to my Dad, he was an avid tennis player until he was 90. After he retired at 65, he devoted himself to his passion, playing tennis. He loved trash talking on the courts and was condominium champion quite a few times as evidenced by his trophy chest. He later in his life became a talented primitive watercolor painter. Many of his pieces hang in this Florida apartment. Their totally unsophisticated compositions are quite sweet in their own way.

My dad couldn’t stand foolish people or opinions he disagreed with and was happy to tell you so with his finger pointing technique aimed at your chest. Speaking English in a nuanced Polish accent, he could never say the word thumb properly as the “ th“ sound for non native speakers is very difficult to pronounce.

Language

This phenomena has to do with the shape of the mouth when speaking, as English involves the front of the mouth and using the tongue in the teeth and many other languages use the back of the and are much softer.

For me, Florida in my mind is a vast wasteland populated by former New Yorkers who are very rude and demanding folks. There are the Canadian snow birds too who are slightly kinder but this area of Florida is filled with folks from the Washington DC area all the way into Maine. These folks migrate to Florida for the warmth and the vision of sitting on the beach in 85 degree weather while their neighbors shovel the snow from the driveways and dig out their cars after being buried by the snow plow that did the streets at 5 am.

In getting to know myself I have discovered I an urban person who uses public transportation, taxis or electric motorcycles to get around town. As I prefer shopping for my groceries in small stores.

While this condo has been a great experience  for a month or so? It’s not really my type of life as the people you know are pretty much all from your peer group, mostly older retirees that are white. Their interests are playing golf, moaning about everything they think is wrong with everything and generally not very happy about anything.

They could be Republicans or Democrats, some are very active in politics while others are having fun as thespians and designers. While others work out daily at the gym and are incessant walkers as there are great trails in the property.

Are you active?

Most folks are living a sedentary lifestyle and are very content with that.


I prefer to be active, walking and dancing tango and exercising in my house.

Living in Valencia we met Rosie who works at Remax and decided to market the condo for me. She discovered a connection to a realtor in Delray Beach too and was able to sell the apartment for me.

Happiness is…

This sale will close in the middle of December and I am so happy to be able to enjoy the condo and the new owner is very happy for the condo.

H

We to live in Barcelona continuing living the lives that we choose with urban living, walking the city, shopping for fresh food at local markets and of course continuing to dance dance tango and enjoying living life with my partner.

So you want to dance in the milongas in Barcelona

In Barcelona, tango is a bit different from what it is in Buenos Aires; here too there is a passion for tango, a passion for connection  but everything is not as impassioned.

Outside of Argentina, that passion for the dance and lifestyle is reduced to recreation, whereas in Buenos Aires, tango —the dance and the milongas—has a different intensity. Lots of enthusiasm and energy.

The city of Barcelona has an excellent public transportation system, which allows you to go out dancing late and most nights take a night bus or taxi back home. The night buses run from 10.30 pm until 5.30 am.

It may well be possible to go tango dancing almost every night in Barcelona.

Dance all night

On Tuesday night, there is Milonga Mia. A small but well-attended event, both by locals and visitors.

The room is an ample club space with lovely wooden floors. On either side of the main long wall, couches are placed, along with a few chairs. The most important thing to remember is that the couch or chair is not yours for the entire evening. It’s possible to keep, but it will require some rearranging and sitting.

Dancers range on age

The dancers range in age from the early twenties to the late eighties, and, as usual, there are more women than men. Some dancers feel their tango is superior to others, while others are trying out some new step they learned in a class.

On the whole, the room is friendly and cabeceos can go both ways here.


The DJs usually play a full assortment of traditional tango, and the resident DJ, Eddy, is not only a good DJ but also a beautiful dancer.


Milonga Mia
Time:9:00 PM to midnight
http://www.instagram.com/milongamia/
Bruniquer Street, 45 – Joanic
+34 655 151 194 – lamilonga.mia@gmail.com

There is a Milonga on Wednesday called The Messy, but we have never attended, so we have no information.

Time: 9pm to midnight 

C Olivera 55

Always possible more

On Thursday, there is Casa Valencia. This milonga has been in existence for approximately 20 years, and the organizer is Antonia Barrera. It is located on the 2nd floor, accessible by stairs or elevator, in a beautiful old club complete with a bar.

When you first exit the elevator, you step into the open hall area, which features tables and a bar. Then, as you hear the music and walk into the Milonga, you are greeted by Antonia herself or a member of her family. An abrazo, a bit of conversation, and after paying your admission. A table is reserved for you. Another if not.

The DJs here are usually excellent, hailing from not only Barcelona but also Spain and Europe in general.  Depending on the DJ, the music can be varied. As we’ve been attending this milonga for a while, we are known, and the act of giving and receiving abrazos is a welcoming gesture. It almost feels like we are back at a milonga in Buenos Aires. Almost.

As to the dancing, again the range of embrazos is quite extensive, from open to closed, as per usual, tangueros are listening to the music while some are dancing to the beats of the music that only they can hear.  On most nights, there is a performance by a maestro couple visiting from out of the area. Sometimes these are excellent, and sometimes meh! Like most exhibitions.

What is different

What sets Casa Valencia apart from the rest of the milongas in Barcelona is that it attracts a crowd that is typically a bit younger, perhaps more international in scope, and has been in operation for over 20 years.

However, we are always happy to see old friends and dance with new ones, creating a very friendly experience for both new and seasoned dancers.


The room has large round tables, which create a good atmosphere for not only dancing but also chatting up. It’s at this milonga that we have met new friends from different countries.

Time: 10:00 PM to 1:30 AM
http://www.antoniatango.com
Casa Valencia – C/ Córcega 335, main – Diagonal
+34 934 234 817 –info@antoniatango.com

On Fridays, there is another milonga run by a couple originally from Argentina, Graciela and Osvaldo Tango. Their milonga is on Friday nights, starting at 10:00 p.m. The space is a small, club-like area that they decorate for the season, with small chairs and tables scattered against the walls. This space is well-attended by both locals and visitors, so a reservation is definitely recommended.

And a slightly different

This milonga definitely has its fans and supporters, as Osvaldo liked to consider himself not only the house DJ but also a singer of tango, which is also the sweetest of genres. However, it may take some time to develop an appreciation for it.

Sometimes, at these milongas, the dancing can be somewhat haphazard, as the floor is small and many people want to dance, with a variety of different tango styles.

We have attended many times and enjoyed ourselves, but often left early as the space can get chaotic later in the evening, and perhaps people are thrilled as it is Friday night.

Milonga La Yumba

Time: 9:30 PM to 1 AM

89 Calabria Street

+34 626 10 74 15


On Saturday, there is Milonga De Emotión, held at the old club that is entered by walking down a flight of stairs.  Once situated in the tango club, you noticed a bar to one side, and the dance floor is a medium-sized rectangular space with wooden floors.

And around the room

Scattered around the room are tables and chairs, creating a comfortable space to sit or dance. There is a DJ booth in the back of the room, and the DJs usually play classic old Tango. The space is run by Liliana Tolomei and Santiago Leon, lovely and warm people and tango maestros. Santiago is very generous with his dancing  and will usually dance with newcomers, as is Liliana. Many classes are held in the space too.

n this smaller space, we have danced many a night, enjoying the amiable nature of the space and the dancers. The dancers here are usually very good, both enjoying the floor and the music.

MMolonga De Emotio

Time: 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Gran via de les corts catalanes 432 – Rocafort
+34 671 094 986 – http://www.emocion-tango.com lilianatolomei@emocion-tango.com

On Sunday, there is a wonderful milonga called the El Living. It is run by an Argentine man, Martin. The milonga is located in the penthouse of a residential apartment building where the elevators are the size of freight cars. The space is intimate, and the milonga seems to be very friendly and open.

The space is decorated with old vinyl records on the walls and there are sofas, tables and chairs scattered around the room.

In our experience, this milonga is one of the friendliest in Barcelona, which I think is partly due to its obscure location. You almost feel like you’re sharing a secret when you arrive there.

The DJ is usually local playing many classic tangos and the dancing is fun and open. Here things are a little more carefree than in other molingas creating a very pleasant environment where both sexes cabeco.


We had fun here not only for the danceling, but we also met friends from other places at this milonga.

Milonga El Living
Time: 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.  C/ Pallars 65-71 4th penthouse

The familiarity of tango

Another aspect of the small tango world that I love. Talk to someone new for 5 minutes and I’m sure there’s common person or place with that person after all tango is a small international world.

Link

Milongas | BCN

Inspirational Barcelona

Crossing Carrer Avenida de Diagonal

Yes, we did it.

We ended our time living in Valencia.
Why?
There are myriad reasons, but most importantly, Barcelona is a city that is continually moving. It’s not a sleepy little village; it’s a city with many moving parts.

Nevertheless, there are many explanations, including a greater diversity of neighborhoods and an easier international airport for travel. Primarily, we have a couple of people we know and enjoy here. In the past, it was challenging to keep up with friends, as it was harder to track their dynamic movements. Living in Barcelona, it’s a city that’s easily accessible.

Now that the leaves are starting to fall into the streets, it’s the middle of October, and the weather is just beginning to cool down. During the day, the sun shines incessantly, and in the evening, the cooler, damper weather begins.

Cooler weather!

Recently, another devastating rainstorm struck just outside Valencia, possibly a result of climate change. We’re glad we weren’t living there to face the massive rainstorm that arose. Last year, we lived near Barrio Gothic, which is the intersection of the old city and the marina. A pretty sweet neighborhood, except that there are a lot of people who want to visit the area.

Open-air mall

Worldwide tourism is a double-edged sword; it cloys its way to the top of a city’s newness and exploits what is old and established. Yes, that’s totally understandable about the protests and trying to keep things local.

It’s a challenging balancing act, balancing the need to generate revenue to cover service costs for residents and visitors while also staging or creating new experiences for the community and its visitors.

It is a fantastic act, but when done correctly, a thing of beauty.

We lived here before.

Last year, when we lived in the neighborhood called Reina Christina, it was a roughly 3-block square area composed of totally renovated buildings that were being repurposed as short-term tourist apartments. I thought that’s great, as this is an expensive process to renovate old buildings and bring them up to current living codes; at least there is a financial incentive that should be helpful.

Street-side cafe

This year, we are increasingly aware of Barcelona’s aptitude as a city, with its rich history, culture, and food, presenting a unique urban village.

As we are doing things differently, the same can be said of our whereabouts. We rented a small apartment in the San Gervasi section of town.


Vast and varied, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi offers a mix of urban tapas bars, brand-name boutiques, and hillside nature walks at Vallvidrera Reservoir. A funicular railway ascends to Parque de Atracciones, with old-fashioned thrill rides and panoramic views on Mt. Tibidabo. Bellesguard is a medieval-style turreted mansion designed by Antoni Gaudí, and the modernist CosmoCaixa museum houses a planetarium and indoor rainforest.”

Vast and varied.

With this location, we are situated on a hilltop, offering a unique view of the city.

Look on the roof!

What’s so fantastic for us is that we are trying to transition to a more local lifestyle. We are looking to rent a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a balcony and hope to secure a lease for a minimum of three to four years.

We are hopeful about achieving our goal, as last year was the first time we attempted to relocate to Barcelona. I logged many hours looking and registered numerous conversions with landlords and agents.

This year, I plan to achieve my goal by returning to a philosophy I have used. But you will have to have me about that!

Cafe de Paris open kitchen

Another issue we have decided is that we will no longer do much flying in Europe unless the distances are crucial for travel. Now we will also need a garage to store a travel van.

Currently.

Our current one-bedroom apartment is located in an older section of town known as L’Eample. Here, you can find a wide range of trendy clothing stores, shoe stores, and bag stores, as well as my favorite, a diverse selection of both local and international restaurants.

The cafes in this part of the city are a bit more fantastic.  There’s the Flying Monkey just around the corner, serving straightforward food but presented robustly. Its coffee service is delivered in these beautiful, handmade mugs.
Another block away is Santa Gloria’s coffee, another local gem on Carrer Travasare de García.

Even though I have returned to drinking my Jasmine dragon tea, I still enjoy sitting outside and drinking decaffeinated coffee at a cafe.

Life in Spain, especially Barcelona, runs at a different pace. As I go through life, I find that I appreciate this feature more and more.

Allowing oneself to savor, enjoy, and sit with one’s partner is incredibly rewarding, as we discuss our Spanglish ways of what adventures we would like to undertake.

Last year.

Last year, we lived near the Gothic Quarter, and this year, we live in the section of town called L’Example.  This part of town is filled with designer clothing stores, shoe stores, medical and ethical establishments, and, of course, my favorite: the restaurants and bakeries.

Preparation of orders to go.

Around the corner, we have Thai, Mexican, Japanese, traditional Spanish, and a fantastic Cafe de Paris…where we make a reservation for lunch just before we go.

Unfortunately, the other day they were full, and we had to have lunch at a working-class restaurant that served the worst food I have had yet. We discussed why we wanted to share our food. The restaurant worker didn’t understand the concept of eating less.  After a while, I was exhausted from thinking about it and just paid for two portions. We will never return.


“St Gervasius dates back to 987 AD. This saint is known as the protector of people in need and an exemplar of virtue. Please guide us in times of doubt and difficulty. May you grant us the grace to remain faithful to the Gospel. Through your intercession, we ask for the strength to face the challenges of life and peace for our troubled hearts.” Fun folklore!

Home to many.

Once again, returning to the central theme of our travel adventures…tango.

Dance, dance, dance

In discovering the tango culture of Barcelona, we have discovered it’s possible to dance tango almost every night.

Yes, it’s possible to dance tango in a milonga in Barcelona on any night from Tuesday through Sunday.

Yes, we can dance.

We returned to this city because, yes, the tango is good. Lots of spaces with a continuous influx of both foreigners and locals.

In the past, we have chosen our tango events by throwing precaution to the wind. This year, we will be a bit more resolute, not just because of the tango but because it is a country we would like to know more about.

Which tango events in what countries? We have been discussing a road trip to Romania from Spain, possibly a return to Rovinj, Croatia, and exploring Slovenia as well, as all these places offer tango and are relatively affordable.

Adaptación

The exciting news is that we will adapt our travel styles as our bodies change. A recent revelation for me is. I can no longer sit on an airplane for 12 hours!!!

From our house to your house…Abrazo

However, I love road trips to different places, as they are fun and bring back the feeling of being on an adventure.

Links:

https://tangoenbarcelona.es/

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distrito_de_Sarri%C3%A1-Sahttps://tangoenbarcelona.es/

Walking the street
Venice in December 2024
Maybe it’s time!!!

Traveling Tango

Creator of Tango Experiences

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