She said I would recognize the area by the mannequin shop. I must not have heard the plural because Lavalle between Puerreydon and Jean Jaures consists mostly of stores that sell, or factories that manufacture mannequins...mannequins in all shapes, sizes, colors (even bright yellow and red), families of mannequins, plus pregnant mannequins. I realize as I walk the streets near Abasto, the true home of Carlos Gardel, el moroccho, or the father of the tango, that I too am at home. Three years ago when I stopped for a week in Buenos Aires on my travels I stayed just a few blocks away for a week with an Uruguayan couple. What brought me back there today was the desire to be sure I was covering the highlights of Buenos Aires for the group here on retreat.
I am now the guide so I go back to what someone new to Buenos Aires would want to see. Since returning from Ushuaia a week ago I had settled into my routine. I work, attend spanish and salsa classes, study, exercise, write, and make time for a growing number of friends. Life has a way of taking on a certain rythym akin to one's personality. Mine requires both stimulation as well as alone time. But I have responsibility this week for a group of women and the highlights of Buenos Aires are a priority some of which I haven't visited this time around.
So what are the highlights from my perspective? When arriving on an international flight it is likely that one's feet touch the soil of South America sometime mid-morning. Arrival in this city at this hour is perfect for a capuccino at la Biela, the place to see and be seen in Recoleta. And on a Saturday the market adjacent to the cemetary is in full swing. Of course, a taste of the tango is a must. Luckily, a fabulous espectaculo, Tango a Tierra, is at Borges Centro Cultural. A great introduction to the Argentine energy. Followed by dinner at Milion around 10:30PM seals the welcome package.
No rest for the weary.... Sunday it is San Telmo. The Sunday market is a must see and the street entertainers engaging. Eat at Petanque and read the Spanish-French menu salivating over the options. Enroute to home stop at Confiteri Ideal for the Sunday milonga to watch the locals tango. It is clear there are regulars who love this dance. If you are barrio hopping which is a must in Buenos Aires the best way is to sample a coffee along the way. By now you've sampled La Biela in Recoleta and maybe Todo Mundo in San Telmo.
Monday it is truly the tourist thing sauntering down Florida and walking to Puerto Madero. Though it is expensive and in all the guide books, lunch at Cabana Las Lilas tops the list. Vidal Buzzi, equal to Zagat in the states, touts this place as one of the best and says that its quality is on the rise. So don't miss it. Take your time, sip some wine with a fabulous lunch. Then next place to hang for awhile is Plaza de Mayo, next to the Casa Rosada, and take in the demonstration of the day. Wander through Monseratt, view the historic sites, enroute to Cafe Tortoni, a landmark, for an ice cream or coffee. Though not at the top of my list for coffee, the ambience takes you back in time. Finish the day with jazz at Clasica Moderna on Callao. This Monday night was special. I chatted with the drummer's mother who gave me her email and phone number so I could learn as soon as their CD was cut. Nothing like a mom to truly be on top of the promotion!
Today I am off duty and the group is discovering the best of Buenos Aires on their own. After all some of the best adventures are serendipitious and on our own!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Ahora hablaste...dijo Facundo!
Facundo, my favorite spinning instructor is back after almost 10 days. "Te extrania", (I missed you), I say. A donde estuviste? (Where where you?) "Al sur, Bariloche, Calafate, Ushuaia, " he says. "No me digas, cuando saliste de Ushuaia?" (You're kidding me, I say, when did you leave Ushuaia?) Anoche a las 9! Verdad, estuvimos en el aeropuerto al mismo tiempo! No way, we were in the airport together. (There were two planes leaving at the same time.) Ahora hablaste....Now you tell me he says. It is moments like these when I know that Buenos Aires is truly one of my homes! But before the memory of Ushuaia fades let me fill you in on the remaining hours at the end of the earth.
Waiting to board the Massimo to the Beagle Channel I see the Brits from Saturday. We are assigned different catamarans and there is a moment of sadness that we will not be traveling together. It is as if I am waving goodbye to dear friends of years. I am also observing the herd mentality. People hurry to line up and wait as if the position in line will secure something not available to those further back in line. I, on the other hand, prefer to just wait it out, board last, and take what remains. It all seems the same to me with far less hassle.
The Beagle Channel connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans is 180 kilometers long, 30-183 meters deep, and from 1 kilometer to 18 kilometers in width. The waters of the Channel are both Argentine and Chilean. Though Argentine vessels can sail through Chilean waters they are not permitted to stop. This would be considered illegal entry. We navigated to La Isla de Los Lobos and watched the cormorants mingling with the sea lions. Passing the light house at the furthest point of the world we made our way to Isla Martillo to see those cute penguins you just met.
The life span of these penguins is 10-11 years and during this time they make their home here in the summer and then head north toward Brazil in the winter looking for warmer waters. If you have seen "The March of the Penguins" you know the habits of these interesting creatures. The most interesting is their mating habits. They are monogomous, at least for the season. There are more females than males so the competition is steep. But once she has her catch he is hers and he is devoted. If they procduce an egg as soon as the time is right the responsibility of sitting on the egg goes to the male. There is a very intricate dance to facilitate this transfer. She then goes off to find food and is gone for several months. What an interesting contrast!
Waiting to board the Massimo to the Beagle Channel I see the Brits from Saturday. We are assigned different catamarans and there is a moment of sadness that we will not be traveling together. It is as if I am waving goodbye to dear friends of years. I am also observing the herd mentality. People hurry to line up and wait as if the position in line will secure something not available to those further back in line. I, on the other hand, prefer to just wait it out, board last, and take what remains. It all seems the same to me with far less hassle.
The Beagle Channel connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans is 180 kilometers long, 30-183 meters deep, and from 1 kilometer to 18 kilometers in width. The waters of the Channel are both Argentine and Chilean. Though Argentine vessels can sail through Chilean waters they are not permitted to stop. This would be considered illegal entry. We navigated to La Isla de Los Lobos and watched the cormorants mingling with the sea lions. Passing the light house at the furthest point of the world we made our way to Isla Martillo to see those cute penguins you just met.
The life span of these penguins is 10-11 years and during this time they make their home here in the summer and then head north toward Brazil in the winter looking for warmer waters. If you have seen "The March of the Penguins" you know the habits of these interesting creatures. The most interesting is their mating habits. They are monogomous, at least for the season. There are more females than males so the competition is steep. But once she has her catch he is hers and he is devoted. If they procduce an egg as soon as the time is right the responsibility of sitting on the egg goes to the male. There is a very intricate dance to facilitate this transfer. She then goes off to find food and is gone for several months. What an interesting contrast!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
El ritmo...
There is a rythym of being on the road that sets in for me around day 2. I have my bearings and some sense of the lay of the land. Yesterday was a great introduction because it was strenuous, fun, and filled with interesting people. Sipping wine at the end of the day while listening to music helped integrate the experience. Today I knew I wanted to start slow, take notes over morning coffee, study spanish, and contemplate the day ahead.
When booking today's tour on catamaran through the Beagle Channel I purposely chose later in the afternoon to leave the better part of the day free. I knew at some point I would want to see the glaciers. Though I have seen the glaciers of Patagonia in Chile it seemed important to do the same here in Argentina. With the threat of global warming one does not know how long the glaciers will be with us. Plus the chairlift to Glacier Martial is just 7 kilometers from the center of Ushuaia. This is a perfect distance for me to hike. I was also in need of some alone time.
Sometimes it strikes me as odd that I would crave alone time since after all I am traveling alone. But it is not that easy to be alone when traveling, at least not for me. There is something about not having a partner on the road that makes me more approachable. I appreciate this opportunity to meet people but I also know when it is time to retreat into solitude.
About an hour and a half into my uphill hike to the Glacier I began to wonder if it is truly just 7 kilometers from the center of town. The taxi drivers that pass and eye me as a potential fare began to look more interesting. But the walk was so beautiful and there truly were few people on the road. I did stop to take a picture and conversed with a man who had wandered away from his tour group. Very quickly we established that he is from Wisconsin. When he learned of my origins he introduced me to a reporter from one of the Chicago papers also on this tour that seemed fairly international in makeup. We chatted briefly before I continued on my way, reminded as the group returns to the bus why I choose to travel my way.
Another 15 minutes the entrance to the chairlift appeared. Shortly after spotting this in the distance I arrived, bought my ticket and embarqued. After the attendant and I exchanged a few words of greetings he said "suerte" as he sent me off in the chair. What is this "suerte" business... "good luck". I hadn't been thinking about needing luck but as my feet were dangling from the chair I began the interal dialogue..."I wonder if they check these daily. Have they had previous accidents. Am I carrying identification in case they have to contact next of kin." But I told myself to relax, there are many that make this trip daily.
The view of the town from the glacier was much more stupendous than the glacier itself and by the time I got there I was really more interested in finding a hot chocolate. The highlight was this very rich hot chocolate in the refugio. But an even more exciting find was Maximiliano. He was seated at the table adjacent to mine also sipping hot chocolate. He commented that it was "muy rico" and after a few minutes asked me to take his picture with his camera phone. One comment lead to another and soon the waiter asked him to sit at my table so he could have a free table for another customer.
Maximiliano is an Argentine electircal engineer from Rosario (Che Guevara's birthplace), working for the Navy in Ushuaia. He and his wife moved here a year ago and have subsequently decided that it is a nice place to visit but there is not enough happening for a long term stay. He wanted to practice his english and was quite good. He was pleased because he is self taught so he does not always have the opportunity to test his success. When the time came for me to head back to town for the tour he offered to drive. We hiked down the mountain together instead of riding the chair lift sharing our fear of heights along with conversation about life, the economy, dreams, etc. Mid-way down the mountainside Maximiliano says..."You look just like Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)". I can't tell you how many times I have heard this same statement. There have been instances in the middle of a therapy session when a client has said out of nowhere, "You remind me so much of Elaine on Seinfeld." How the connection is made has always been a puzzle to me but to have the same link made while hiking down the mountainside from Glacier Martial in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina just about put me over the edge. It gave me a vicarious sense of what it must be like to be a celebrity.
When booking today's tour on catamaran through the Beagle Channel I purposely chose later in the afternoon to leave the better part of the day free. I knew at some point I would want to see the glaciers. Though I have seen the glaciers of Patagonia in Chile it seemed important to do the same here in Argentina. With the threat of global warming one does not know how long the glaciers will be with us. Plus the chairlift to Glacier Martial is just 7 kilometers from the center of Ushuaia. This is a perfect distance for me to hike. I was also in need of some alone time.
Sometimes it strikes me as odd that I would crave alone time since after all I am traveling alone. But it is not that easy to be alone when traveling, at least not for me. There is something about not having a partner on the road that makes me more approachable. I appreciate this opportunity to meet people but I also know when it is time to retreat into solitude.
About an hour and a half into my uphill hike to the Glacier I began to wonder if it is truly just 7 kilometers from the center of town. The taxi drivers that pass and eye me as a potential fare began to look more interesting. But the walk was so beautiful and there truly were few people on the road. I did stop to take a picture and conversed with a man who had wandered away from his tour group. Very quickly we established that he is from Wisconsin. When he learned of my origins he introduced me to a reporter from one of the Chicago papers also on this tour that seemed fairly international in makeup. We chatted briefly before I continued on my way, reminded as the group returns to the bus why I choose to travel my way.
Another 15 minutes the entrance to the chairlift appeared. Shortly after spotting this in the distance I arrived, bought my ticket and embarqued. After the attendant and I exchanged a few words of greetings he said "suerte" as he sent me off in the chair. What is this "suerte" business... "good luck". I hadn't been thinking about needing luck but as my feet were dangling from the chair I began the interal dialogue..."I wonder if they check these daily. Have they had previous accidents. Am I carrying identification in case they have to contact next of kin." But I told myself to relax, there are many that make this trip daily.
The view of the town from the glacier was much more stupendous than the glacier itself and by the time I got there I was really more interested in finding a hot chocolate. The highlight was this very rich hot chocolate in the refugio. But an even more exciting find was Maximiliano. He was seated at the table adjacent to mine also sipping hot chocolate. He commented that it was "muy rico" and after a few minutes asked me to take his picture with his camera phone. One comment lead to another and soon the waiter asked him to sit at my table so he could have a free table for another customer.
Maximiliano is an Argentine electircal engineer from Rosario (Che Guevara's birthplace), working for the Navy in Ushuaia. He and his wife moved here a year ago and have subsequently decided that it is a nice place to visit but there is not enough happening for a long term stay. He wanted to practice his english and was quite good. He was pleased because he is self taught so he does not always have the opportunity to test his success. When the time came for me to head back to town for the tour he offered to drive. We hiked down the mountain together instead of riding the chair lift sharing our fear of heights along with conversation about life, the economy, dreams, etc. Mid-way down the mountainside Maximiliano says..."You look just like Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)". I can't tell you how many times I have heard this same statement. There have been instances in the middle of a therapy session when a client has said out of nowhere, "You remind me so much of Elaine on Seinfeld." How the connection is made has always been a puzzle to me but to have the same link made while hiking down the mountainside from Glacier Martial in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina just about put me over the edge. It gave me a vicarious sense of what it must be like to be a celebrity.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Day 2----Tierra Del Fuego
Three Brits from London, three Argentines from Buenos Aires, 1 North American from Chicago/St. Joseph together for a day with two Argentine guides from Ushuaia at the end of the earth equals raucous laughter. After 8 hours of hiking and canoeing another more important language transcended any verbal communication----the language of connection.
I generally tell others to trust their gut or more properly referred to as intuition. And I try ever so hard to listen to that inner voice. For the most part I do but there are diversions or detours along the path due to hopes, wishes and dangerous desires.....you know or "viste" as the Argentines would say. But back to the point, yesterday when I arrived in Ushuaia I was on a quest to get my bearings and to check out what the end of the earth had to offer. Since this was a whim and poorly planned I had only a very cursory understanding of what to see. Wandering in town I stopped at a tour agency to check out possibilities. As the conversation progressed at the agency I began to envision big buses and lots of people acting like cattle. My sense was that this was not going to work for me. I tend to hyperventilate in the herd. But I wasn't sure what else might be available on such short notice. I continued wandering and found a small agency with one man at a desk surrounded by beautiful pictures of incredible terrain. We talked. I promised to return and after an hour of reviewing my options over lunch I kept my promise.
I signed up for a full day in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, four hours trekking, lunch, followed by a canoe trip from Lago Roca to the river that leads to the end of the earth. Listening to my inner voice on this one proved right. The group was great, so many stories of people connecting from different lands. The hike was challenging. Lunch was good. And the canoe trip was both incredible as well as hysterical. The insturctions alone were worth the price of the trip.
As I write this I am sitting in Ramos Generales el Almacen sipping wine while listening to a guitarist and flautist. This was another find while roaming the streets after the tour. It is 10:30PM and still light. Just as I get used to this it will be time to head northe to Buenos Aires.
I generally tell others to trust their gut or more properly referred to as intuition. And I try ever so hard to listen to that inner voice. For the most part I do but there are diversions or detours along the path due to hopes, wishes and dangerous desires.....you know or "viste" as the Argentines would say. But back to the point, yesterday when I arrived in Ushuaia I was on a quest to get my bearings and to check out what the end of the earth had to offer. Since this was a whim and poorly planned I had only a very cursory understanding of what to see. Wandering in town I stopped at a tour agency to check out possibilities. As the conversation progressed at the agency I began to envision big buses and lots of people acting like cattle. My sense was that this was not going to work for me. I tend to hyperventilate in the herd. But I wasn't sure what else might be available on such short notice. I continued wandering and found a small agency with one man at a desk surrounded by beautiful pictures of incredible terrain. We talked. I promised to return and after an hour of reviewing my options over lunch I kept my promise.
I signed up for a full day in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, four hours trekking, lunch, followed by a canoe trip from Lago Roca to the river that leads to the end of the earth. Listening to my inner voice on this one proved right. The group was great, so many stories of people connecting from different lands. The hike was challenging. Lunch was good. And the canoe trip was both incredible as well as hysterical. The insturctions alone were worth the price of the trip.
As I write this I am sitting in Ramos Generales el Almacen sipping wine while listening to a guitarist and flautist. This was another find while roaming the streets after the tour. It is 10:30PM and still light. Just as I get used to this it will be time to head northe to Buenos Aires.
Good morning....Ushuaia!
Last night at 11, though cloudy, it was just then dusk. I forgot that at the ends of the earth the days are either very long or very short, moreso than in my neck of the woods, depending on the season. In Antartica this time of year the sun sets sometime around 11 and rises around 5. So I made sure the drapes were secured. If the sun was shining this morning I wanted to decide when I would see the light of day. Today it is a full day hike in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego and in canoe on Lago Roca. Tomorrow it will be the Canal Beagle, los penguinos y los lobos. My time is short at this end of the earth so I am focused on the highlights of the terrain and the history.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Travel Tales Enroute to Tierra Del Fuego....
Check In at Aerolineas Argentina....."May I carry this bag on board? I have some liquids." "Do you have a lot of liquids?" "No" "What are they?" "Oh shampoo, other hair products, medicine, that's all." "No problem." I am traveling light so I hoist my carry on over my shoulder along with my computer bag and wonder what will happen when I go through security.
The line is long but seems to be moving fairly quickly. I see that there are two agents, one male and one female, whom I think are prepared to check anyone who sets off the scanner. I put my bag with the liquids and my bag with the laptop on the conveyor belt. I do not remove my computer from the bag. I do not take off my shoes. I do not remove my belt or any of the metal jewelry. I do not strip to the bare minimum like I would stateside. I walk through the screening machine, set off the alarm, and the agent with the gun on his hip smiles while telling me to pass. Go figure!
Several months ago I flew from Zagreb and changed planes in Frankfort. Usually once cleared through security from the departing city there is no further security check while in transit. Not so in Frankfort where there were two. One which had a single conveyor belt for a herd of people and two agents "wanding" everyone since there was no body scanner. The contrast was striking.
The Plane to Ushuaia.....Once on board I notice that the other travelers are mostly European. Yes, there are a few Argentines but I hear the language of the Brits, Germans, and French much more than Spanish. While in line for the bathroom I smile at the woman behind me. She smiles and asks in French if there is paper in the bathroom. I continue smiling but establish that if we are going to converse it will have to be in English or Spanish. She then says "is paper?" in English and "wash hands?" I continue to smile as I respond "yes" to both questions. The truth be known I am thinking "You've got to be kidding. You think the Argentines don't use toilet paper or wash their hands? This is an airplane!"
Both instances made me chuckle.....
The line is long but seems to be moving fairly quickly. I see that there are two agents, one male and one female, whom I think are prepared to check anyone who sets off the scanner. I put my bag with the liquids and my bag with the laptop on the conveyor belt. I do not remove my computer from the bag. I do not take off my shoes. I do not remove my belt or any of the metal jewelry. I do not strip to the bare minimum like I would stateside. I walk through the screening machine, set off the alarm, and the agent with the gun on his hip smiles while telling me to pass. Go figure!
Several months ago I flew from Zagreb and changed planes in Frankfort. Usually once cleared through security from the departing city there is no further security check while in transit. Not so in Frankfort where there were two. One which had a single conveyor belt for a herd of people and two agents "wanding" everyone since there was no body scanner. The contrast was striking.
The Plane to Ushuaia.....Once on board I notice that the other travelers are mostly European. Yes, there are a few Argentines but I hear the language of the Brits, Germans, and French much more than Spanish. While in line for the bathroom I smile at the woman behind me. She smiles and asks in French if there is paper in the bathroom. I continue smiling but establish that if we are going to converse it will have to be in English or Spanish. She then says "is paper?" in English and "wash hands?" I continue to smile as I respond "yes" to both questions. The truth be known I am thinking "You've got to be kidding. You think the Argentines don't use toilet paper or wash their hands? This is an airplane!"
Both instances made me chuckle.....
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