Archives mensuelles : novembre 2005

It seems to have been snowing far away over there in Switzerland. When that happens and I’m not around, it always makes me feel kind of jealous. On the other hand, I survive enjoying the heat and trying to avoid sunburns as Summer gets closer, the temperatures are nearly every day above 30 degrees Celsius.

I’ve just seen a couple of minutes ago the first Christmas decorations in shops. Walking by sweating in shorts and sandals gives me a funny impression…

One more week to enjoy before coming back to Winter.

Staying in a country supposedly eating as much meat as the United States does, I couldn’t resist posting such a title, not to say much more except that despite Argentines eating (virtually?) EVERY component of the cow (supposedly delicious, but I can’t), there is no Mad Cow disease around.

Should that be the case it would be a national disaster. I don’t know if it’s the pasture here in the Southern hemisphere (if it’s something else I don’t want to know), but as usual, gravity is enough for your knife to cut your steak.

My record here? Last Sunday: one asado (barbecue) at lunch time, and another one in the evening…

Well, things are going smoothly on this side of the world, I’m enjoying today a slightly cooler day (25 degrees) in opposition to the scorching days we’ve had and are going to have…

I don’t have much to say at the moment except that I’m continuing with classes and milongas, seeing dawn regularly at the end of the night whereas in Switzerland I never last that long when I go out.

For my third trip in the Southern hemisphere, I took time at last to look carefully in which direction the water evacuates from my “showertub” and I can confirm that it does so clockwise, in opposition to anticlockwise in the North… Amazing!

Although it was a known fact for me, it was really fun to have a close look at it. Something to do with Mr. Coriolis, I was told… That leaves me with the eternal question: in which direction does a bathtub empty itself on the Equator?

Yes, I know, there aren’t that many bathtubs in the tropics…

Here I am, back in Salta for a few days. I am having a great time doing close to nothing, talking with the lovely family I am staying with, going around the city, and… a tango lesson planned tonight!

Lots to say you might know already, this is another world compared to Buenos Aires, probably more similar to the rest of Latin America. I am learning about what generosity really means here, despite a modest income.

The city is thriving, with lots of challenges to be met, a population of 560’000 I was told, increasing by 45’000 every year. Tourism is literally booming, let’s hope for the best. I went to visit a brand new museum, concerning three 500 year old mummies discovered a few years ago at the summit of Llullaillaco (try to pronounce that!) Volcano. Very impressive.

The only down side is that of the three airlines that assured the link with Buenos Aires, one went bankrupt, the other went down for organised drug traffic and only remains Aerolineas Argentinas, with some consequences on prices. That’s Argentina!

Hopefully a new company will step in shortl, such as LAN Argentina, a spin-off from the Chilean national airline. That might hurt the national pride…

That’s all for now, back in Buenos Aires on Monday night.

Well, I’m back again upside down, but I’m not talking about me at the third person. Of course, talking about W having some fun just at the moment I’m coming to Buenos Aires. Oh I’m not nice there, he only takes one month holiday a year and the reste of the time he’s (supposed to be) working hard…

OK, it was cool, we disembarked in Ezeiza airport just beside Air Force 1 and 2 (2 for diversion?) but there are some negative points.

- Had to walk miles at the airport as half of it was shut down to traffic for security reasons, with armed guards all over. Had to do an extra circuit as I realised when I reached the taxi that I had forgotten my hand luggage at the ultimate customs office scan…

- Some people I won’´t name get a little worried, but no worries as A) I’m very careful and quick when I have to cross demonstrators (and try to avoid that adventure when I can), B) I tend to avoid McDonald’s most of the time anyway and C) W is rather in the seaside resort of Mar del Plata, which I didn’t enjoy much last time I came, so I’ve no immediate plan going there.

- The underground shut at 9 p.m. instead of 10. (Not that it matters, it shuts so early anyway!

Luckily his visit is only 4 days and I’ll outlive him here. When he takes his monthly holiday, he goes in some Texas hut I was told…