El Tango en Buenos Aires

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Nicky: In the dimly-lit, brick-walled basement of a 19th century cafe (which over the years has been visited by diplomats, ministers and celebrities) three couples; accompanied by a singer, a pianist, a violinst, a celloist and an accordian player, perform nightly, for locals and tourists alike, the Argentine tango. The music is provactive, loud and passionate and the dances doubly so. The costumes depict the tale of the dance from its birth among the prostitues and their customers on the streets of Buenos Aires through the 1930s and 40s to the modern, yet traditional, black and red attire. The audience is seated on small round tables and drink strong Argentine red wine and cocktails. If it was still the 1920s and not against the law to smoke indoors the air would hang thick with cigarette fumes!! The show is performed in Spanish, if you can understand it I think at times it is funny, if you do not it just sounds exotic and bewildering. The dancers are excellent, moving so fast, performing kicks, flicks and lunges, using chairs and even the walls as props. During a break in the tango show two gauchos (cowboys) perform a breathtaking show using drums covered in cow hide and strings with balls on the end, whirling them in all directions around themselves beating time on the floor, the walls and pillars in the basement until their blur almost disappears. I adored the whole hour and half show. It was incredible to watch the dancers and hard to imagine how much practice goes into learning those steps!

Neil:
Well i can´t really add anymore to that - I have to admit to really enjoying the Tango night.

Buenos Aires has been a really great city - far beyond my expectations. We arrived late in the evening and checked into our hostel, which turned out to be one of the best hostels we have stayed in ...ever. Clean, tidy, quiet, central location, really helpful and friendly staff. Not descriptions you´d usually associate with a central city hostel. (Telmo Tango Hostel, in Sal Telmo)

Our first day was spent walking around the central streets getting our bearings and taking in all of the amazing buildings and architecture. The first stop was Casa Rosada, the pink government building where Eva Peron (Evita) made her famous speech from the balcony in the 1940s.

We also looked in on Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes - a classical art gallery containing Monnet and other famous artists that i should probably know.

We also looked in on Eva Perons grave - set in a cemetry like nothing i´ve seen before. I think its where the rich people of BA RIP because each family has a shrine or tomb like building, the size of a small house and there are loads of them so it feels like your walking through a minature city.

Next Stop RIO!

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Comments

[Fi]

Dancers!
The dancers look amazing - i love the pics - they look like they are out of Moulin Rouge!! x

[Barrie Stone]

BA Tango
Hi Guys Isn`t the tango evening Fantastic. The movement and speed and precision defies believe. The cementary is like nothing we have ever seen in terms of "statue" BA is certainly a wonderfull city and we couldn`t get over the width of the main roads. One boulevard we crossed messured out over 75metres. take care and enjoy your remaining vacation. Love Barrie and Diane