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Published: February 8th 2009
The apartment
With David staying in touch with the racing news in AusWell, we finally made it to Buenos Aires. It's about a month after we originally intended, but that was always a plan in sand anyway. We have an apartment here in an area known as Palermo Hollywood, part of the trendy Palermo Viejo in northern Buenos Aires (not too old, not too pristine, with lots of restaurants and groovy shops).
We've got down to the business of "living". The apartment is great, and we've enjoyed "moving in". We have joined a "gimnasio" around the corner that's very retro in itself: no air-conditioning, older style machines, people who wear full tracksuits to work out in the middle of summer - it's entertainment and a work out in one! I love it. And it's cheap!
I have started spanish classes again. I am working on turning all the 'advanced' grammar in my head into actual conversation - my current conversation skills being barely better than a tourist and worse than most 5 year old 'hispanohablantes' (spanish speakers). I am struggling with the
completely different accent here, not to mention significant differences in vocabulary. I didn't realise just how different it was from the 'Spanish' accent (not
that there is only one of those either) I was taught and the Madrid accent I am used to. There is some fun in that too though, and hey, what doesn't kill you ....
With less travel on the horizon, I have been shopping for the first time in 'I don't know how long' (excluding necessary, boring hiking stuff) and am two dresses, two pairs of shoes and a hairdryer better for the experience ... so far. Half of you won't understand this I know. I can hear the other half empathising with my glee!!!!
For the other half, I, on the other hand, visited the main racetrack in BA which is actually in Palermo, only 15 minutes walk from here. Dirt track racing, but a nice set up there with 14 races on the card, even wearing me out. Won a few pesos so can't complain, even if the absence of bookmakers and beer made it a little less interesting than home. We've explored a little of Palermo Viejo and nearby suburb Las Canitas, by ourselves and also with Michael Harris (another ex-LEKer), who happened to be coming through on holidays. We discovered a few new
bars and clubs with Mike, not that I could find them again, returning home as the sun came up, and suffering somewhat when we eventually woke up. However, Michael and David backed up the day after with a long (Monday) lunch in Las Canitas
(the main benefit of being on a long holiday). I joined them after class, and we stayed on through dinner as well, until Michael had to catch his plane back to Aus.
We still have lots to explore, but we also have time. Ed and Trace (yet more ex-LEKers) join us for the best part of this week, so we'll do some more exploring with them.
So, now we're pretty much up to date ... until next time, chao*.
*Yes this is Italian (with spanish spelling), not truly spanish but there's a big italian influence here and it seems to be the common farewell!
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Avocado
Avocado
hola chicos
hey anna and david, love the blogs and love reminiscing about buenos aires. I know paraguay street too, nice area! hope you enjoy - are you studying at my school too?? disfute mi ciudad favorita!! hasta luego, beges xx