superfacilmente

It HAS been a while since I have kept up with La Bomba de Tiempo.

They seem to have been doing some nice things in the warmer weather

In addition, they began and updated a Myspace Account, which I hope everyone will check out. Definitely a good group to go see on a Monday night. And Konex is a fantastically weird space.

People in Argentina seem to be obsessed with the end of the world. Since coming back here, there have been no less than five or so references to the subject. Perhaps it has something to do with their close location to Antarctica, which in this author’s mind certainly seems closer to the end of the world than the North Pole, or maybe it’s just the sound. After all El Fin Del Mundo has a fine ring to it. Among the many places that have put themselves into the end of the world camp are a hostel, a now-closed bar, and even a winery El Postales del Fin Del Mundo or literally “Postcards from the End of the World” which is Patagonia and I guess at least makes the most sense due to it’s proximity.

Yesterday, I indulged myself in one of the few extremely tourist activities in Buenos Aires merely because it is one of my favorite things to do here. I attended the Feria de Plaza Dorrego, what must be a 10 or so square block fair that happens on Sunday right next to door to me practically. The streets are closed off and vendors pawn their wares to the tourists who want mostly antiques, I imagine, but I love the rare Rico Tipo and Mafalda comics. I even bought a translation of some obscure superhero comic written and drawn by Frank Miller (Sin City) and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) called Give Me Liberty, though the owner seemed less interested in them and more interested in telling me he was a fan of Captain America and Superman

Of course two days ago I would like to think that my excursion into the Reserva Ecología along the ocean and marshlands of Buenos Aires was anything but for tourists. There was something wonderful about the bicycle vendors who were more than willing to take Kira’s Wisconsin driver’s license over my US passport and like the fair it was still the more Tourist-centric things that I enjoyed like men carrying homemade empanadas on their head and an all drum marching band marching along the boardwalk. The reserve itself though was devoid of Tourists and I suppose that made me happy and I remarked to Kira, with the caveat that it was of course stereotyping that Porteños seem to be a very elegant people. The remark came after I saw what I assumed to be one older resident of the city who had parked and was now lying on his bike along the green coast composing a letter by hand. It’s simply something I don’t see in New York.

Speaking of New York, I met two native New Yorkers who were passing through Buenos Aires for a few days before returning to the Upper West and East side. Aside from sharing stories about Koronet’s, we spoke a bit about the city and the infallibility of guide books. They hated guide books and said they only used them to find the places they would not go to. They knew that if a restaurant was featured in a guide book, it would be a tourist trap, but would have a hostel near it. So they would head down there to stay at that hostel. The comment somewhat offended my sensibilities as perhaps for better or worse I have thus far been a devotee to the Buenos Aires Timeout Guide for restaurants, if nothing else.

One of the two (they were a couple) could speak impeccable Spanish and had found out about a fun gay club they were going to dance in that night called Amerika and their plan was to do a classic Porteño Friday night and stay up till dawn with a cup of joe.

Kira and I have yet to get close to the 4 or 5am night. It’s hard for someone who instinctively has woken up at least by 8 most days. Two nights ago we made it to 2:30 in San Telmo with a late dinner at a local Parilla and then going to a god local bar in San Telmo next to one of the larger music venues there called Mitos. San Telmo at night is a weird place. It is easy to find music in almost every bar, but each band plays mostly American covers. We got to hear straight covers of songs like “Roll over Beethoven” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and yet everyone was singing along. It wasn’t so bad.

So who knows what to think of my early nights and tourists sights in Buenos Aires. I certainly am a tourist, but one who on more than one occasion has stated his disapproval and mixed feelings on the subject (see Foxmaniacs 3). But maybe here at the End of the World none of that stuff matters and these silly little neuroses of mine will be lost forever.

Y yo sé. Necesito escribir más de español. Pero esta entrada es muy grande y deseo escribir más entradas que están pocas. La lengua es muy dificil pero yo trato. Y hay cosas buenas para personas que compreden castellano. Un ejemplo es un empanada que baila y me gustan las empanadas en la tienda también