Siesta Fiesta

I have now been in Buenos Aires for over a week, and so far so good.  Feeling a bit like a country bumpkin, the city streets, towering buildings, constant ruckus, thousands of people, invisible horizon are a bit foreign to me. Missoula is the biggest "city" I have ever lived in. And to be honest, I was scared.  In preparation of living in BA, I was told that people are mean--that it's a dog eat dog world on the city streets. This is somewhat true.  Unlike Missoula, if cars stopped every time someone wanted to cross the street, the cars would never move.  Though somehow, there is an elegant flow to the city.  The taxis dance around the collectivos (public busses), who miraculously avoid hitting the people waltzing across the street.  Through the chaos, there is serenity that can not be explained.

I have also begun my classes! I am taking a spanish literature class, which seems like it is going to be more like a philosophy class.  On the first day, my professor said, "aqui esta una mesa, pero que es la esencia de la mesa?" (Here is a table, but what is the essence of the table)...this should be a fairly interesting class to decipher in spanish!

Drinking mate and listening to great music while reading Jorge Luis Borges...

Along with school, there are a bajillion other things to do in this city! I went to a futbol game--Boca vs. San Lorenzo.  I have never experienced anything like this before.  In the US, I am not a sports person. I could honestly care less about who wins the Super Bowl, or the Stanley Cup or any other sports award for the matter..but when watching this futbol game, something sparked in me--and I cared.  I wanted San Lorenzo to WIN.  The crowd around me was filled with so much passion towards San Lorenzo you could practically feel the intensity in the air. This is not just a team, this is their lives. Watching the crowd was more interesting then watching the game.  The immense love these people had for their team was inspiring. 

Sitting in the sun and humidity for 6 hours.  This is how they cooled down the crowds--a power hose.  They also do not sell water in the stadium, a health hazard if you ask me.  Someone in our group fainted from heat stroke, and we had to give her coca cola. 

The crazy crazy crowds!

At the end of the game, they rolled down the San Lorenzo flag, it covered an entire section of the stands.

Almost every fan had tattoo's like this--expressing their love for San Lorenzo!

After the killer humidity/sun, the moon decided to show his face

We also went to a theatre, turned book store.  A very beautiful book store--three full stories. We spent a couple of hours wandering through, trying to test our spanish knowledge in the pre-teen section, slowly moving up to best sellers, and ending with an incredible photography book of Hielo (ice).  The tetons were featured three times!

I also went to La Boca, another barrio in Buenos Aires. It was the first port of Buenos Aires, and because of this, the european influence is very strong.  It is also known for its brightly colored buildings, painted this way because of the immigrants who settled along Riachuelo (the river that runs through La Boca) splashed left over paint from the boats onto the metal sidings of their houses.

Overall, I am in love with this city. The people I have met, the late dinners, dancing all night, watching the sun rise...I am even beginning to enjoy the humidity.  I am now off to the Recoleta artisan market--live music, mate, and amazing artisan crafts!

Besos,

J