Buenos Aires Mark II

I am back in Buenos Aires and I am slowly easing back into it's ways; taking a coffee and a medialuna in one of my favourite cafés in the neighbourhood: El Torre de Paris. It is a proper old fashioned BA café; the terribly polite waiters whirl cortados to the regular crowd who come to catch up with the days news. The decor is elegant and bright; wood panelling, mirrors and lots of shining silver. However I can't help but think Carlos Gardel's music would suit the place far better than Phil Collins.

I returned to BA about two weeks ago after some three months on the road. Left for Chile in early January, from Chile to Peru (meeting Pamela in Peru), Peru to Ecuador and then we free fell all the way back through Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina. An amazing trip, incredible places, cultures, history, people, wonders; a whirlwind tour of Latin America. There still remains so much more to see! Another time...




My return to Bs As has made me realise that I really enjoy living here and that it is a great city. It has it's ups and it's downs but every city does. There is so much going on here, so much culture, life, productivity, style etc. All right most Portenos place themselves on a pedestal and are obsessed by their appearance but pinch of salt n all that. I have moved barrios from the trendy, leafy streets of Palermo to the noisy, community-less streets of the centre; I now live just a few blocks from the famous Obelisco and the widest avenue in the world: 9 de Julio. However, it does mean I am within walking distance of university, Recoleta, San Telmo, Puerto Madero, Abasto and served by a huge number of buses and Subtes. Equally I am paying half the price of my former place.

I have a chip on my shoulder: it goes a little something like this: it is well known and accepted that a fair number of foreigners come to Bs As to enjoy themselves (their dollars/pounds/euros stretch further here), thus some locals feel justified to charge them for their comparative wealth, renting rooms in dollars at comparatively (in Buenos Aires) extortionate prices, these people begin to make large amounts of money (at times in dollars), the foreigners don't complain (it is still cheaper than "back home") and the exploitation continues. It could be argued, yes foreigners have more money, it is only fair to charge them more, and I would be in facour of it if were doing any good for your average Argentine, but all it does is make the people who rent these places richer and richer. My flats monthly rent was around $3000 (my room was $480 a month!), there is no way this was just covering the costs. My new flat is 800pesos ($240) a month...and it is more well kept. Palermo and Recoleta are the places to beware of.



In other news, school is back and life is back. Last night a jazzzzz concert in someones house converted into a bar then a prog rock parrrty, though not sure if the two can go together? I enrolled in a Brazilian Portuguese class, the accent is soo much better than in Portugal (woo!) also planning to take some sort of electronic music course at a school of electronic music (yes, tis unbelievable: a school dedicated to electronic music: nothing more nothing less!) Lastly I have decided I am going to get on that graffiti shit and get snap-map-happy. Discovered google maps now offers some sort of user made maps, i.e. customised with photos, notes: whatever!

The hidden wonders of Buenos Aires

have lived in Palermo, BA for four months now but it continues to surprise me every time I head out of my apartment and wander the streets for a few hours. I enjoy wandering the streets, it is the best way to discover things, armed with my camera, the city is my oyster stuffed full of little gems, amusing concoctions and photo opportunities such as these two tree related incidents:

A tree inside a paint shop...

The chaos caused by a fallen tree on Guruchaga, Argentines love to stand and stare.

Or this Holy ceramic tile shop and this fine "vinatge" car:

Over the past two years I have grown an interest for capturing street art from across the world. After two trips to Spain and Portugal, I cam back with a pictural collection of some really cool pieces of art that were found down darkened alleys, high up on busy shopping streets, hidden away by your feet, bright colourful, unavoidable monsters or whole houses decorated in a very unique style.

After wandering around Buenos Aires I discovered there is some excellent street art to be found here too just on the street and I am not talking "te amo Juan" but art en la calle. I was thinking it would really interesting to for someone to integrate GPS with digital cameras, streamlining the Flickr techno revoltion of photography with place. For examples it would be ace to digitally map the locations of pieces of street art and create almost virtual tours where the city is a gallery and the streets its walls. However, this would take away the joy of just stumbling across street art, I love walking down a street and spotting on a corner a mural, or a stencil, something different which has effort but no artist, no preconcpetions just an image on a street corner. Who knows, I beleive Flickr has an application to map your photos manually so I think I am going to do this for what I have so far of BA so if anyone is living in BA and reading this, or indeed, if anyone is interested in street art, check out my Flick folder: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lowflyingowl/sets/72157605918614351/

Super Furry Animal

Also check out Kuildoosh (in my links section) a fine worldy site for all things street art.

The Country and The City

November is a lovely month in Buenos Aires, full of sunshine, blue skies, green leaves and agreeable temperatures. On Wednesday I went to watch Scotland vs Argentina in a wee bar, only a friendly game but it was Maradonna's first game in charge and football is practically religious here! (see church of Maradonna.) Couldn't decide who to support, I am English, Argentina's natural enemy, Scotland's perhaps more natural enemy, but I lived in Glasgow for two years and now I am living in Buenos Aires! Por Favor! I went for bonnie Scotland (the underdog factor threw it - turns out it was a deserved title), they lost 1-0 and the match was dull made moreso by the porrón de Quilmes and the sunshine. The most exciting moment was a heated argument between two Argentines and a door, of which the argentine came off worse (punching a door!?)


I will remember November for A Tale of Two Cities or The Country and the City, (literary blogging.) Escaped to a little town south of the city called Tandil, tranquility, hills, lakes, dusty streets and buses with change! Oh and a very odd obsession with excercise, joggers everywhere, even the local parks were replaced by workout stations, bizarre but quite nice to sit and stuff your face with comida rica while someone stumbles past covered in sweat and panting. Yum? It was relieving to escape the rumblin' tumblin' city life but also a good contrast to return and dive into Creamfields, there aint no Creamfields in Tandil. 10 hours of music, splendiferous DJs, crowds of enthusiastic (mostly over-enthusiastic....) party goers and a very fragile Sunday spent in bed. Well worth it sooo a little review?

VS

Bajofondo Tango Club - Electronic Tango live beats, bandoleon, double bass and passionate singing oh and an appearance by the singer from Soda Stereo (que sé yo?!) they went wild...

Hernan Cattaneo (un pocito) - BA's biggest techno export, now living in Europe, sounded good but we were a little preoccupied...

Apparat - Excellente, probably my highlight, lots of interesting beats, not down the line techno, of course all technologicalied up, apple, controllers, vj, etc. Played out Way Out, an absolute tuune! Me at the front, alone for the most, dancing myself into a whirlwind, m m ch m m ch m m ch. Also ended with Let Your Love Go and morphed into some big ole fashioned bass and 140bpm style dubstep which seemed to push the soundsystem to it's limits and the BA crowd to its dancing limits. "Como bailamos?!" Heavy :)

Simian Mobile Disco - Main stage, the two UK electro geeks brough their whole station of twiddles, wires and lights to the stage, running around tweaking, nodding and lauching sounds. Crowd not really deep into it but I thought they were spot on. Hustler and It's The Beat were big but best moment was I Believe...that is a TUNE and check the remix by Joker. Yum?

Booka Shade - German veterans were not as expected. I had heard In White Rooms courtesy of Ellen Alien on her The Other Side of Berlin album (recommended!) and Charlotte remixed by Dubfire which is pure fire but their live show was amusing. yer man on the left had an electric drum kit and mic and was seemingly there to get the crowd going. "You all know this one!" "Buenos Aiiiiiiiiires lets goooooooooooo!" T'other standind in a boxed in electronic hub with buttons, mac n so on. Very strange but the crowd was got going and let go, dancing away. In White Rooms was spectacular! Managed to find Chris, a Venezuelan guy I had met in Portugal through CouchSurfing but was living in Montevideo, Uruguay and visiting BA for Creamfields, no small feat in a crowd of 100,000 people! Ended up as me, Pamela and Chris for the rest even though we had arrived as like 15 people...

Modeselektor - Only one half of the Berlin bass monsters. Saw them in Glasgow which was mental show, the two of them, bass, champagne and all those phat tunes. Phat is a very appropraite word for Modeslektor but at Creamfields there was a pretty small, quite reserved crowd and only one half, seemingly pissed, standing on the table spilling champagne and ocasionally pressing some buttons. Still, destroyed it somewhat and did a funny cameo of their new Bjork vs Anthony (Johnsons fame) tune. Got a bit much though at like 3am, 7 hours after arriving...so we left before the end for refreshments.

Gui Boratto - The end of the end of the night. At this stage lacking energy, despite the five super hi energy drinks (probably about the only person not using something "else" to keep going) Some strange sights at an electronic music night in BA, drug related no doubt...a thing where they all have some kind of cream and just rub it in their hands?! Ocassional touching of each others heads and backs, some kind of sensation thing. Que sé yo? So Gui...the man, a producer who I have loved since I started getting into electronic music. He was DJing with a Mac, abelton I presume? All very smooth but seemed very long and at times a little too cut up. Pity he was on last, would have appreciated it more in a fitter state but still his own tunes when dropped were wooo! To cap it off he had to play one song and he did. Beautiful Life, his anthem. Not a bad way to finish Creamfields, Beautiful Life, 6am, tent full of over-excited dancers after some 10 hours of dancing. Phew?



Uni is over, work is over. I am spending my days appreciating the city. A friend who just left told me I have to make the most of my time here and she was dam right. Viste che boludo! Trip to Tigres:



Museo Xul Solar (what a man!), San Telmo, Palermo...etc..etc...Off to some art galleries again soon. Made some good music progress, been producing tunes for a while here using crappy headphones and evenc rappier speakers which creak at the mere thought of SubBass. Made it a little difficult but the ideas just keep flowing and I even finished some tracks that I am, dare I say it, happy with?! Who knows...just have to master...mastering them and voila send it to the world! Here is one I call Phased and Confused (unmastered and @ 192kbps):

http://www.zshare.net/audio/51663705e582903b/

Move on

The sun has arrived in Buenos Aires! The weekend has been scorching, strange to associate hot, sunny weather with October, never mind the heat of summer with December? Christmas with blue skies and the chance of a tan? Lo que sea!

A rather strange statue of a bull but mira! blue skieees!

It has been a few weeks and indeed I am nearing the end of the semester, the end of work and the end of the house. It is the end of a mini era, part I of Buenos Aires is coming to a close. As is always the case, it has gone so quick, nearing November?! I remember the days of thinking and praying for the mystical opportunity of going to BA, "Yeh going to study in BA next year, touch wood!" Wood was touched and here I am! Currently planning, or thinking about planning, a big trip, November to March is holiday time! I will stay here in November, taking some little weekend jaunts away to various places but spending the time getting to know the city, which will be good. December off to Patagonia con los viejos and then the trip will continue solo up north to Bolivia, Peroo and Brazil, hopefully, need to start planning for seriousnessly.

I am currently considering my first escape from the city for a while, it is getting to me a little, brought up on t' country air n all that! I long for countryside and peaaaaaace! That is one thing about this city, it is a long way from escapism, not like glasgow a wee jaunt into the hills and fresh air. The buses, cars, heat and noise gets to you every now and again. Thinking la sierra de Córdoba..mountains! green! clean rivers! fresh air!



On another note, these past two weeks have seen me actually doing some uni work! Also been carrying on working like 18 hours a week so been a bit heavy. The argentine education system is a little different from what I am used to, or at least it is at USAL. Everything depends on the class and the teacher, deciding the way the course will be assessed and there are no real "official exams", as all the classes are quite small, all the exams just happen in the class hour. I had my first partial, like a mini exam, last Tuesday for History of Art. I thought it went terribly, for one, the whole class left after about half an hour, of a two hour class, and left me alone with the teacher halfway through the second question, feeling somewhat bemused and panicky. I asked the teacher and she just said, oh it is fine just continue until you are ready, we have plenty of time, so I continued, in a rushed manner, and scribbled what I knew down in no particular order. Turns out I got a 9/10?! I think she was being kind to me due to my englishness or maybe argentines are lazier than me?! Earlier in the day I found out my mark for the argentine literature course: 8/10. All good so far considering I only need a 4, not even sure if I need that, Glasgow didn't really do a job of informing me of what I had to do: bad idea!

Just getting over a small bout of what is presumed to be rubella, a poxy chicken like thing which includes a rash, temperature, aching joints and comes with a complementary cold, which is the only remaining sign, oh and the itching of non existent rash, "it's all in your head!" That may be the case but it still itches and feels satisfying to itch, I likened it to smoking before, I know it is bad but I can't help it and it feels better afterwards (itching of course...!) Managed to miss two exams, Portuguese, but hopefully can rearrange them. It also resulted in the second fund boost for the argentine private health system from the Robin Perkins illness foundation. A total of nearly $400pesos, nearly £80, pfft. bluddy german hospital.

While the world seems to fall deeper and deeper into a pit of financial uncertainty each and every day, Argentina is also feeling the heat and doesn't seem to be doing itself any favours. I have discovered that people do not like Kirchner II, she is unpopular on a lot of fronts, well, that is the impression I have so far. A quick survery: my boss thinks she is generally bad for the future of the country and the whole region, the man who cut my hair said he didn't know anyone who admitted having voted for her and people were fed up, christ, even her vice president voted against her! Not exactly a vote of confidence. Her latest move which has riled investors and economists, was the nationalisation of private pension funds, a move to free up capital for the govt. I am no economist but a "private source" (Jason) told me that private pension funds are key to keeping an economy going by attracting investment, Kristina says the govt needs the money more and the investment funds were just a money drain in light of the worldwide crisis. It is being seen as an obvious way of raising capital for the govt, which is seriously lacking, in order to help pay off some of it's quite moutnainous debts to the world. The stock prices fell by 9% in light of the move but some people seem to be saying it might be a good thing in the long run, allowing for state pension funds alongside an optional private pension fund which workers could opt in or out of, similar to what Brazil has. Brazil is numero uno in economy round these parts, a big player for the future so I hear :)


Now if economy isn't your thing, I apologise but it seems we can't avoid it these days. Watched a nice simple, quite amusing little BBC video on the whole crisis yesterday, kind of a crisis for dummies: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7688308.stm. The end of the weekend, the beginning of the weekbegninning :(

A Day in the Life

This blog post was called a day in the life but it is turning into a life in a day.

I am in the middle of a thunderstorm. Rain, humidity, thunder and lightening. Music from penguins or proud robots or something is spluttering out of the old samsung "beatbox," it really is like an old school, hike it onto your shoulder and parade around the streets piece of kit, blasting out some public enemy. just had a strange encounter with a dutch girl in the corridor. Friend of roy, new flatmate, roy isn't here, she is going to wander around for half an hour and come back...ok..its raining.


Well, this will be a collection of memories from the past few weeks in BA, I do not remember the time or the inspiration or indeed the place. though it may be mentioned. They catalogue, kind of like a broken up diary, some moments in the past month or so. It is October. Time fliess.

Part I: Spring and Snow
It is snowing, it is spring. Though autumn may be arriving in the northern hemisphere it is attempting to make an appearance here, the leaves are scattering from the trees and falling like snow onto the street. It is pretty and inspired a song.

As a certain family member mentioned to me yesterday this blog seems to mention food quite a lot. It seems to be that I am either eating or thinking about eating or remembering something I ate while I am writing. So today's food is Italian; I ate a pizza and dank a coffee. Am sat in the pizza place with Pamela and we are being very anti-social, abusing the free internet (three hours and counting!) It has been a while since the last "real" update so here I will try again. ) Time is passing like clouds on a very windy day(!), if I am not careful I will miss my birthday. (chanson)

Part II - Maté

"I am in neeof a maté, it's 8pm on a wednesday night. My head is filled with figures, GDPs, UNHWIs, AuM, FDI, IFC...."

That was how it was on the day it was, when I do not recall but obviously the maté didn't work, or the writing of those acronyms sent me to sleep. I think it was a particularly eyelid drooping night after a particularly figure filled day.

Global business is not my forte.

Part II - The Office

I am writing this from the office with another cup of tea, a plate with the crumbs remaining from the first cheese toasty of the day, it is raining outside and the garden looks particularly splendid, even the soaked stone figure, which I personally think is grotesque (I never liked those "classical" naked people made of stone, especially in your garden..purrlease!) While making the latest brew I got thinking that the brews here are just terrible. bad water, bad teabags, bad milk; bad. Yet, force of habit means I just keep on putting on that kettle and supping tea. I also got thinking...(edit: don't know what happened to the "thinking" part)

"How are you finding the Latin American high net worth market this year?"

"Hoy es no te has olvidando de algo?"

Insert picture of "delicious" gnocchi. An advert I glanced at for today: apparently it is gnocchi day. Don't know why, but a good reason to eat gnocchi, which I probably wont do, not having any gnocchi.

Part III - The End of the Day

It is the end of the day, I am sat on a speaker in the kitchen, outside it is dark and rainy inside all I can hear is clicks and Pamela laughing/expletives/singing, and a little French being spoken. This is life after work.


Part IV - The beginning of the weekend

So this is now, whever now is for you or for me but it is some kind of now, I guess it was all now. This blog is turning into some kind of free-jazz, all out Borges, free word association game. Soon I will just choose words from my day and arrange them in a random order to give you a general view, a sentiment, a sense of MY space and time.

Meanwhile in the real world it is October which means Novmeber is next which means this month is going to be a little manic. Lots of essays in Spanish, lots of "classes" and alongside work, my failed/dogged journalism attempts and my desire to write lots of music (i.e. spend hours staring at ableton and arranging sound waves,) it is going to be a busy few weeks. As with storms and their quiet aftermath I think November is going to be comparatively tranquilo. No more classes and a month without having to get up early (depending on whether I continue to work). Sigh of relief please. On that note; work.

I have now been working nearly a month, it has been really interesting, certainly learnt a lot about a lot and it has given me a new perspective on the world. I have experienced the accents accross South America from Bloivia to Colombia to Argentina....."

Now, for real: October 11

There ends the freeflow bloging. Here begins my today. I got paid last week and so today decided to splash out and take a wander into the heart of Palermo. An unwise idea for a recently paid young student willing to indulge and weak when tempted with pretty things. Luckily I didn't have to go far. I stumbled into an ace shop called rethink. Lots of really original and excellent clothing design, inspired by music and more. I bought two t-shirts and a jumper. All cool-as.

It is October and I am 22 on Tuesday. Billy Bragg

Mucho Mas Que Medialunas

There is a little café on Calle Thames, right around the corner from my flat, I can't remeber the name but it is very firendly spot: simple, old fashioned and brown. It does however sell rather excellent brownies and they even once sold me some pitta bread though they don't even sell pitta breads! On it's sign outside it has a slogan which reads "Mucho mas que medialunas" literally translated as "Much more than half-moons!" Medialunas being croissants (they are shaped like half moons.)

It made me smile to myself one morning on my way to work and continues to do so each and every day. I decided it should be enshrined in music. I have thrown some tracks together (I say thrown but I mean strenuously constructed!) in some sort of topographical musical fashion. It is a short-ish mix of new music, old music and reinterpreted music collected from around the globe (I counted 11 countries, inlcuding the 'featured' ones.) Alongside croissants I was also inspired by Zizek's urban soundz. Thanks Zizek.

It is in RAR stylee, with a tracklist and a nice picture :) If you cannot open RAR you need to get with the times and pay a visit here:

WinRar

So here it is: 11 countires in 45 minutes, 15 tracks, 61MB, today, joy of internet, you, me, listen, enjoy.

Thanks

Mucho Mas Que Medialunas

FILE NAME: Mucho Mas Que Medialunas.rar

FILE SIZE: ~61.32 megabytes

P.S> I am writing a blog post, like a real blog post, without croissants or hip-hop (almost...) It will arrive soon. Watch that space, or this one or space in general it might appear there.

God and Hot-Dogs

On my many journeys on the buses of Buenos Aires (think I have settled on my favourite: 37, it is green, quick and there are lots of them so it is never really busy!) I have had my finest blog inspirations; musings that belong somewhere, here?

Two things that have brought to my attention by these unsuspecting Porteños are religion and Super Panchos. Super Panchos are basically hot-dogs which are sold in most little kioskos alongside cigarettes and chewing gum and religion is one of those funny little human inventions to make our dreary lives a little more exciting. Quite a juxtaposition Super Panchos and God, I will adress the question of their religious status later but for now I move on to the man himself, or rather his houses.

I only noticed this week just how common it is to see people crossing themselves in the street as they pass by a church. They also do it on the buses and many of the buses themselves have crosses or pictures of saints emblazoned on the doors. I have seen children, men in suits, ageing but refitted fashionistas, beggars all crossing themselves at every church, everyone is at it. This may not strike some people as odd but for me it stood out. It is something I had not experienced before, perhaps it is a common. It is a reminder that the modern, plastic, fashion obsessed, partying Argentina also has time for God.

Another God who apparently guides the way. Jah!

Now then, moving swiftly on, and segueying rather nicely from god to hot-dogs (God=dog backwards - chance?) Super Panchos. Super Panchos are just great! They cost $2.50(pesos), about 50p, they are quick, come with little crispy potato bits, sauces and are perfect for a quick lunch on the run between lectures or work (as I seem to be doing quite a lot at the moment.) There is of course the small risk of food poisoning but it is best to consider this as an exciting risk which makes them only more enticing! I have started to judge Super Panchos depending on pancho quality, quality of bread, crips, amount of sauce etc. Eating one may well be a little far from a religious experience but I remain hopeful that there exists the perfect Super Pancho, God only knows?(!)

Now that really is a super pancho, all the way from Boulder, California!

It just occured to me that there is another thing which has been getting my goat this past week (didn't know I had a goat until this went and took it away from me. I miss the goat I never had!) God dam monedas! Small change! Every day I desperately hunt out small change, eyeing up supermarkets, prices of fruit, chewing gum, everything just to make up the magical 90 centavos for the bus journey. It is almost forbidden to ask for change for notes in shops, a definite faux pas, so you have to be smarter. It is a battle between consumer and shop owner, each knowing the canny tricks and each trying to outsmart the oposition. Water priced at $2, sneakily hiking the price of a sandwhich up 20c so as to be able to give a note in change, pretending you don't have that 10 cents stuffed in your other pocket, "ai perdon no tengo nada". What I don't understand is why? Why don't the buses have a smart little card system, a monthly, yearly thing? Why doesn't the government create more coins (plastic ones would suffice! Though I fear I may have just demonstrated my ignorance in regards to world finance, its ok, not like I work in "the sector" or anything...) At times this country is ridiculous! Es una boludesa!

$1.50, that's one and a half bus journeys! Only 30c to go...

Anyhow, a few bits of news from this side of the ocean, or from the other side (depends which ocean and where you are???) I have a job, as a financial journalist's assistant (he also writes pieces on news etc in Argentina/LatAm) and before you jump to the conclusion that I am a money hungry, capitalist bastard, it is all quite interesting! Lots of new words (english and spanish!) and lots of phone conversations, oh and I will earn a bit of money which is nice. It does, however, mean I am working 18 hours a week and that I have to work from 9am Mon Tue and Thurs. Good experience though! The other bit of news is I am hopefully arranging something journalistically/musically related here...All a bit up in the air, have to wait and see.

Saw this sign and it made me laugh: like the brand name for a whisky from Skye.