Carlos Gardel y Margarita

I fully intended to keep this blog up by uploading pics and writing a little blurb each day on my time here in Buenos Aires but I guess I've busier than anticipated. I've also used the time that I thought I would write on siestas and usually when I awake, I get out and find dinner. Not quite dinner time here so I thought I'd catch up on some details. Since I last wrote, I've done 3 amazing classes. First with the incredibly talented (and muy guapo) Hugo Daniel on basic tango technique then with a woman named Gabriella who is a specialist in a technique called milonga con traispie (milonga rhythm with 'tripping'-). A bit hard to explain this one but it's not easy but amazing to learn and do. The following night, Di organised a class for all the Australian women to have a class with Aurora who is great at correcting posture and showing you the basics in tango which are a lot harder than one would imagine. I was all over the shop but towards the end started getting a bit better. I've booked a one on one class with her this coming Monday and I know it will be worth every peso. Also on Tuesday in the afternoon, I was in Centro wandering around and there were buskers doing street tango. I had my shoes with me as I was going to a class and they asked if I did tango. I said 'si' and he got me up for a spin. It was hard to swivel in my street shoes (should have put my jazz sneakers on at least) but it was a lot of fun and a good laugh. I have photos to remind me. Yesterday, I taxied it over to Chacarita Cemetary to see the final resting places of some of my favourite tango muscians; Carlos Gardel, Osvaldo Pugliese, Carlos Di Sarli and Anibal Troilo. Lots of great and cheesy pics especially with Gardel who always had a cigarette between his fingers. I bought a packet of ciggies and a lighter just so I could do this as well! My bus/tour guide chico took me around specially and took all my photos. I wasn't going to stand up on the tomb but he was pointing and saying 'arriba!' (up) so up I got. Glad I did because it made for better pics. We went to a gay milonga after dinner last night and the dancing between the men was sensational. I had one horrible dance with a tourist who was in one of my classes the other day. Shocking- felt like I was back in Melbourne being shoved around. What is it with guys who don't understand the simplicity of the social dance? Why must they try every single step and manouvre they've learned in one dance? Mucho frustrado. I had a quiet-ish one today and caught up with Ralph and Sabrina in the afternoon. We went to La Poesia for coffee and media lunas first and then we walked to Centro to check out the free tango stuff at Harrods. Gretaflora shoes had a stall there and I bought a beautiful green pair for 250 pesos which is nothing- Gretaflora can be a bit expensive normally and their shoes are gorgeous. I have now purchased 5 pairs of shoes! That's actually modest compared to Sabrina who is up to 12 and still going! Tonight I am having a class with Graciella Gonzalez which will be a dream come true. Dianne has told me about her for ages and how amazing her technique is, especially with women. What hooked me was an ad I saw in one of the free tango magazines someone brought home with them. Most tango teachers do standard tango poses in full dress. Her ad was a picture of her sitting on a bench with her cat. She was wearing fluffy slippers and smoking a ciggie. I saw that and said 'she's for me!'. That unpretentious picture spoke volumes to me. Let's hope I do okay and benefit from her knowledge. I will find it hard to leave this little pocket of Buenos Aires that I've come to know and love in such a short time. I've been to the restaurant downstairs so often they greet me at the door with kisses and joy. They call me part of their family. I will miss them all so much. I'm still here and will be for another five days so I'll enjoy every moment and just go hard core with everything I love about this place.