Back in BA for the last time 21st March 2011

Hola Everyone,

Sorry I have deserted you for the last week or two but it feels like I am on the homeward straight and life has just filled up. I did spend a few days in Rosario where Mabel was born. Lovely squares and islands. Very hot so took the boat across the river and sat on a beach for two of the days. Got bitten by a fish which was a novel experience - not a pirana! Chatted to two lovely women on the beach - all very friendly.

So now I am back in Buenos Aires and loving it. I feel very relaxed and have no desire to dash off and do everything. Especially as I did most of the tourist spots last time. It is lovely having Madeline and Gary in the next street. We hang out together and go to Milongas together and also do our own thing seperately. It works really well. I also have other friends through a contact of Penny who live in San Telmo too. The hostel is cavernous and wacky themed on La Boca the immigrant area of BA where life first began. Our dormitory has 5 people in it and there are 3 hard core. Me, Alex from Austria who is huge fun and Marta from Spain who may or may not be in love with the singer of a tango band called El Afronte. The other 2 beds had two lovely girls in them, one from Brasil, and 'the Little Sister' from Paris. When they were in the dorm too we just felt like this little family. But people come and go as is the way of hostels..........

I have been having some more spanish lessons - God I am hopeless - and have now given up in preference for tango lessons. I can't milonga till the early hours and then be coherent at a spanish lesson. Especially as it is a one to one. So have given up. I found Fabian, my tango teacher, through Merry, Gary and Madeline and took a chance on him. He is so exactly what I need at the moment. I am one lucky lass! He has huge integrity and focus.

I have already written this blog once and then stupidly managed to delete it - grrr!! This may be a slightly shorter version. I have enjoyed tangoing in BA this time - just more confident and relaxed and people ask me to dance - I am also not backward in cabaceoing guys which I think is great fun. I have spent time with Maite and her family which is always a delight. Ruth of Mango fame met her in BA and then I met her at the Mango and she invited me to stay with her. The whole family is a delight. I have also been to a football match in the Boca Stadium. Never been to a football match before so this seemed as good an opportunity as any. I have never heard so many insults thrown at the opposing team - especially when they won! They also have a live group playing throughout the match with accompanying singing by the fans. It wasn't a very spectacular match so I am still not a great fan of football!

Well Buenos Aires you have meant a lot of things to me ...........
Tango, fantastic lessons with Fabian, art galleries, wall paintings and graffitti, broken pavements, demonstrations, heat, the poor and the rubbish, colectivos and the subte, parks, shopping, the guys who sell the bracelets and jewellry on the streets, dogs and dog crap, street music, 9 de julio 14 track avenida and the obelisk, milongas and early mornings, delicious dances and not so delicious dances, wonderful people along the way, cafes, restaurants, squares, the hostel and my friends and so much more ...................

I intend to go to Uruguay for a few days next week as a half way house home. To catch up on some writing and think about my last few months and then it will be home to you all landing on 2nd April.

Thank you all for reading my blog - it has been great writing it for you.

Hasta luego con muchissimos abrazos fuerte y besos

Sal x