20060729

Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre

Hi All,

For 2 months I am living in Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre, better know as Buenos Aires. People close to us are ofcourse following our blog, but I feel like contributing to this group today, so I'll tell a little about life overhere.

First of all it is cold today. Last month we were making fun of Holland. It was july 5th and that means it would have been Sinterklaas the next day. We were enjoying a (very good) espresso on a sunny terrace. Since last week however it feels more like winter. I might even have to wear my sweater soon!

Life here is relaxed. Not that people don't work long days, and not that it is paradise for the 80% that earns a 'normal' salary. The avarage university level office worker works 8 to 10 hours a day and earns $2000..4000 ($=pesos, U$S=dollars), wich is €500..1000. Prices are generally lower than in Europe, but it differs a lot per type of purchase. A taxi will set you back €5 at most (this is what you pay in Holland just to be allowed in!). A (very good) espresso costs €1. A jeans will cost between €20 and €50. A meal, finally, can be between €3 and €25, where the €3 meal is not necesarily less tastefull. This also brings me to the feeling of choice and freedom. Overhere there is a much broader range to choose from, it seems. And I feel free, ok, it might be because I don't understand half of what people are saying, but the fact that you can shop until 20:00 every day means your public life does not end at 18:00. In the luxurious shopping malls you can even shop until around 22:00. And to conclude this paragraph: thát is what makes it relaxed! I imagine that later this year, when it will be warm enough to walk without a jacket for 8 months or so, it will be even more relaxed.

And then ofcourse the tango. Well we haven' t been dancing that much. The first weeks we were very tired of all the new impressions and my job as IT manager is rather demanding too. Since a few weeks I decided to work a little less and enjoy al little more. After all that is why we came here in the first place! Before this decision we did go tot Fernando y Vilma every friday (if we were not tired, if we were not having a Dutch drink with collegues, if ...). And we went to la Glorieta (in the park nearby) and two other places. But if you are living here you don't feel like goinig out from 24:00 ' till 6:00 every Friday and Saturday. So we heard there was this place which has practica on weekdays during more achievable hours. A Practica, by the way, is viewed here as a dance evening which is simply less formal than a Milonga. As it turns out this is (one of) the place(s) where the 'new tango' is invented.