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Thoughts on the new year, so far…

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.

Me showing a great Tango sign on Avienda de Mayo

Muy Calor

With the city reaching a record temp of 99 and a friend visiting me from Istanbul, the need for cooler weather and maybe being on the water was necessary.

As some of you might know, my photography is on Instagram (Instagram.com/ruth.offen) and maybe you are following me. Thank you! It was on Instagram that I found a travel outing that a group of people could share involving a boat ride, food and a musical experience. Wahooooo.

After a WhatsApp conservation in 2 languages over a few days with the company, we worked together and booked this experience…boat ride, fresh food and music all starting in a Tigre, a city about 45 minutes north of Buenos Aires.

Along the river

It wss a Sunday, and Tigre is a bit crazy as many folks try to escape the heat of the city and go to the River Parana which runs thru Tigre. Parking here is a challenge. Then walking the river to find dock 1, where we would take a fast boat ride from Tigre up the Rio Parana and into the Rio Delta…to have an amazing feast of locally grown food and then listen to a concert with the Bandeon.

As we started up the river the temperature dropped and the whining of the motor began. Passing houses on stilts, an occasional small riverside restaurant and many campgrounds and private retreats. Children and adults playing in the water. Lots of water activities.

30 minutes later we arrived. A house set back from the water about 5 feet off the ground, with its own dock. The picture completed with the added visual of two big old dogs and a cat.

House for the concert

Greeted by our host Flavia, we sat down at the dockside table to a feast of different foods with a lovely Rose.

And the most amazing salad with local tomatoes. Homemade empanadas, chicken, hummus, liver pate, and they made the mixture gluten free for me and vegetarian for  one of my friends.

After eating and drinking for awhile, we were all mellow and very blissful. This area is gorgeous with a sense of tranquility that is hard to find in the city. And quiet. Lots of bird calls

Then we were invited to the deck of the house for our concert with Ariel Hernandez an accomplished bandeonista. Ariel lived and toured for many years in Europe before reyurning to Argentina. Sharing an introduction about the bandeon’s musical history with us, he then played some beautiful classical and tango music for almost an hour.

Hours later, with our senses satiated, it was time to return…in fact as soon as possible as the river Delta experiences tidal change and the water was very low.

On the return trip to the dock in Tigre, time passed slowly as the river was shallow and the boat traveled carefully and slowly. The return trip took about an hour. We passed many people waiting for the larger taxi ferry boats.

Today as I wrote this, I was remembering this wonderful experience, I would recommend this outing to any music or food lover who might be curious to wander off the beaten path and onto the river.

Me with Ariel Hernandez up the Rio Parana Delta

For more information contact
http://www.bandoneonabordo.com

https://youtu.be/sVtJT15UP3I

Abrazo y Besos, Ruth

Traveling Tango

Contributor of Tango Experiences

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