Don´t cry for me Argentina...
I never expected to be so sad to leave Buenos Aires; the experience I had there the last four days were so wonderful I actually had tears in my eyes headed to the airport last night. I don´t really know how to explain what made it so different and special this time, it was just perfect and I suppose I should be glad to end on such a high note as I head off on a entirely new adventure. It sounds silly to say that the weather made a difference, but the city seemed so much more RELAXED, it wasn´t ever gorgeous and sunny but it also wasn´t sweltering hot either. I also realized that I had made a lot of really good friends in the city and it was so exciting and yet sad to see them again, realize the depth of friendship that had been formed and then leave so suddenly.
We never did make it to the Babasonicos concert on Friday as it was sold out. Instead went to Osaka for a final night of excellent drinks and sushi and visiting with friends, trying to convince them to visit in Cusco. On Saturday I had a lovely touristy day visiting Teatro Colon where we took an extended tour of the entire opera house and even the costume shops which are located underneath an excavated area of Avenida de Mayo- one of the largest boulevards in the world. As luck would have it, I never managed to see a show at Colon and on Saturday they were in final dress rehearsals for an opening of a new opera. So, several from the tour group snuck off the tour (myself included) as it reached the end and we went into a gorgeous box in the theater and watched the dress rehearsal it was amazing, the accoustics and sound were just perfect and the decor is mindblowing. Truly a unique experience.
After Teatro Colon we headed to La Boca for a tour of the infamous Boca Juniors soccer stadium where I got that much closer to understanding the insanity of soccer in South America. Watching grown adults marvel over the locker room and toilets once used by Diego Maradonna was one of the most hysterical things I have ever seen. And these aren´t exactly the posh luxury locker rooms of the US, we are talking one open room, one open shower room and thats about it. Hysterical.
After Boca it was time for a nap and then headed out to SouthFest- me with 8 Peruvians, how funny is that in the middle of Buenos Aires? The festival was fantastic, great music and Deep Dish brought the house down (all 50,000 people!) when they opened with Blue Monday by New Order. It was just fantastic and ended far too early. Among the motley crew of friends (some visiting from Lima) was Rafael a dead on David Bowie look-alike who kept getting stopped because apparently he is the equivalent of the Naked Chef in South America and girls kept freaking out that it was really him--Ën serio?? It was pretty damn funny.
Leaving the party we walked about a million blocks and I headed back to the hotel at the lovely hour of 8:30 am because no one could find a cab and it was truly a wonderful way to say goodbye to BUenos Aires...as the sun was coming up, walking through the Plaza de Mayo, passing the Pink Palace and the Evita balcony, seeing it in all its dirt, pollution and glory. It truly is a beautiful city, charming in its grand old style, late hours and mishmash of old and new. I will miss it and only hope to make it back someday. And part of that longing to go back is of course to see friends, new and old again (and of course, Tiesto, the cutest puppy ever!)
Today I am in Lima and tomorrow head off on my 20 hour bus ride to Cusco, ready to set up house- I´m a little anxious but can´t wait, I just want to be there already!!
We never did make it to the Babasonicos concert on Friday as it was sold out. Instead went to Osaka for a final night of excellent drinks and sushi and visiting with friends, trying to convince them to visit in Cusco. On Saturday I had a lovely touristy day visiting Teatro Colon where we took an extended tour of the entire opera house and even the costume shops which are located underneath an excavated area of Avenida de Mayo- one of the largest boulevards in the world. As luck would have it, I never managed to see a show at Colon and on Saturday they were in final dress rehearsals for an opening of a new opera. So, several from the tour group snuck off the tour (myself included) as it reached the end and we went into a gorgeous box in the theater and watched the dress rehearsal it was amazing, the accoustics and sound were just perfect and the decor is mindblowing. Truly a unique experience.
After Teatro Colon we headed to La Boca for a tour of the infamous Boca Juniors soccer stadium where I got that much closer to understanding the insanity of soccer in South America. Watching grown adults marvel over the locker room and toilets once used by Diego Maradonna was one of the most hysterical things I have ever seen. And these aren´t exactly the posh luxury locker rooms of the US, we are talking one open room, one open shower room and thats about it. Hysterical.
After Boca it was time for a nap and then headed out to SouthFest- me with 8 Peruvians, how funny is that in the middle of Buenos Aires? The festival was fantastic, great music and Deep Dish brought the house down (all 50,000 people!) when they opened with Blue Monday by New Order. It was just fantastic and ended far too early. Among the motley crew of friends (some visiting from Lima) was Rafael a dead on David Bowie look-alike who kept getting stopped because apparently he is the equivalent of the Naked Chef in South America and girls kept freaking out that it was really him--Ën serio?? It was pretty damn funny.
Leaving the party we walked about a million blocks and I headed back to the hotel at the lovely hour of 8:30 am because no one could find a cab and it was truly a wonderful way to say goodbye to BUenos Aires...as the sun was coming up, walking through the Plaza de Mayo, passing the Pink Palace and the Evita balcony, seeing it in all its dirt, pollution and glory. It truly is a beautiful city, charming in its grand old style, late hours and mishmash of old and new. I will miss it and only hope to make it back someday. And part of that longing to go back is of course to see friends, new and old again (and of course, Tiesto, the cutest puppy ever!)
Today I am in Lima and tomorrow head off on my 20 hour bus ride to Cusco, ready to set up house- I´m a little anxious but can´t wait, I just want to be there already!!
posted by WanderLust at 5/08/2006 02:50:00 PM
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