Boca football club

Argentina is mad about football. A number of Argentines are mad about Diego Maradona. A similarly high number are mad about Boca Juniors, the club where Maradona thrived. Should I have therefore been surprised that this fervor culminates at Boca's Bombonera stadium and its aptly named "Museum of Boca passion"? This is a rare case where the word 'passion' fails to properly convey the devotion to the club. From trophies of the team's many victories to old jerseys from the start of the 20th century, the museum has it all. But the highlight of the visit? A group of obnoxious Brazilian tourists, all decked out in a bright yellow national jersey with Pele's name on it, loudly taking pictures. It seems Argentine-Brazilian rivalry is equally legendary.



Museum of Boca passion.



Bombonera stadium.




Diego Maradona and a lovely afro, taken when he first joined the club.



This is priceless. "A name resonates throughout Africa: Mandela is liberated. In Asia, the Gulf War breaks out. Another name resonates throughout America: BOCA, the continental champion, who won the 'Recopa' and 'Clausura'." Just to put Mandela's freedom in context, you know.



Collection of football jerseys.

Lost in translation

In a Spanish/English restaurant menu: "Tarta del dia."

Which one would assume translates as 'pie of the day.'

Wrong.

"CAKE DAY", read the awesome menu's translation.

The writing is on the wall

"Celebrating 200 years of state crimes." (Argentina was founded in 1810).



"We're here to protect you."



"Uniforms deform men and make them go crazy."



"No to mandatory heterosexuality."



"If the earth shakes, no one will be able to save themselves."

Tango

Tango seems to be honoured every day in Buenos Aires, but according to this year's annual Tango Festival's slogan: "August is tango." Well, now we know. The event kicked off this week and offers classes for klutzy beginners (ahem, I may have a personal testimony coming soon) and displays of the best gliders in town. On Sunday night, I attended a powerful, mournful concert of tango music. Unfortunately, there was no dancing to gawk at, but the plain looking man in a suit (See below) was a wonderful singer.



"August is tango." Great drawing of Carlos Gardel, Argentina's most famous tango singer.



The scene on Sunday night.



Tango chords.

Vocabulario

NI LOCO/A-- Would you skydive? Will you vote for X presidential candidate? Are you wearing that tonight? "Ni loco/a," is a most appropriate, and possibly recommended, answer to all of these questions in Argentina. As you may have guessed thanks to Ricky Martin's hit, 'la vida loca,' the word means crazy. So not even crazy would I vote for X presidential candidate.

MANZANA-- Apple, as we learned in the first week of Spanish class. But also, cutely, the way to describe a neighborhood block.

The writing is on the wall

"I don't want your compliments, I want your respect."



"We have memory; we have future."



"Rural Society-- creator of poverty." Argentina's Rural Society, which groups large agriculture producers, has been criticized for hurting small farmers.




"Drink/ take conscience." ('Tomar' in Spanish means can mean both drink or take, so the original version is funnier).



"Love, light and truth."

Graffiti tour-- the city's top walls

A three-hour guided tour of Buenos' Aires best and brightest street art? I nearly fainted of excitement when I heard that such a gem existed. And I was not disapointed by the incredible creativity and spunk of the underground (or, better said, overwall) art scene plastered around Palermo neighborhood. I haven't been able to recall/find the names of each artist, so apologies for the lack of attribution. You'll just have to visit Argentina to find out.



A house painted by artist Gaulicho that is apparently up for sale. Hint.



Friendly giant and passenger.



Outside a new restaurant.



Compelling face, mix of genres.



Dog not painted.

Overheard in Buenos Aires

My poor neighbor, whose flat keeps getting flooded due to faulty pipes, being incredibly positive: "The water just keeps dripping from the ceiling... I'm pretending its holy water now, falling down to bless me."

Graffiti tour-- Urban pitfalls are my friends

Neither fences nor fuseboxes are barriers for street artists. To the contrary, I was amazed at how the artists are able to use urbanity to better their creations. A few exmaples:



Fishing on a street corner. Not sure about the comfort level, but this sweet piece is one of my favourites.



Gridlock.



Drawn tree mirrors real tree. Too cool.



Leopards and giraffes, oh my. But from the angle this picture is taken, they seem to be fenced-in zoo animals. Though of course, that's just faulty human viewpoint...



A rather rectangular robot.

Graffiti tour-- Let me spray a political statement

It's hard to understate how much Argentines love thrashing, praising or just merrily dissecting political life in their country. I was therefore a little surprised that the street art I saw wasn't fiercely opinionated. Granted, it's a little harder to convey a nuanced argument with a spray can (I think?). But here are a few of the themes that made it onto Palermo walls.



Poverty as a neighbor of this luxury store.



The anonymous prisoner.



Swines too need protection from their flu.



The 'Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo' are a group formed by women searching for their children disappeared during Argentina's military dictatorship. They cover their hair with scarves that often have the name of their child stitched on. These emblematic scarves are floating above a playground, seemingly still searching for their sons and daughters.

Overheard in Buenos Aires

Ukranian (yes, I was surprised too) taxi driver: "The first words I learned were 'manaña' and 'tranquilo'."

Manaña- Tomorrow.
Tranquilo- Calm; chill.

Graffiti tour-- The neon way of life

Colours are definitely not rationed on the streets of Buenos Aires.



Detail of Gaulicho's work.



Facade of artist's home. Yes, home.



Pink gallore.



Elephants cross the doorway.

Graffiti tour-- Argentine folklore revisited

Street art, for all its funky, futuristic vibes, hasn't entirely forgotten about Argentine icons.



Tango on the wall.



Gaucho and his horse... I mean, electric guitar.



Evita crowded in.

Rurality

Bleating sheep. Argentine cowboys prancing around straw-covered pens. A tractor exhibit. Stalls abundantly filled with everything from fine leather boots to smoked beef.
Welcome to 'La Rural', or the yearly Buenos Aires fair showing off all things agricultural from the beloved countryside. At first, it seemed quite bizarre to me that displays of steroid-stuffed cows would attract half of the capital city's often proudly posh inhabitants. But I definitely underestimated Argentina's infatuation with their legendary cow country. I had some qualms with the conditions of the penned-up animals, but absolutely none with the fantastic shopping opportunities and the many men prance around in traditional gaucho costumes.



Tending to the tender cows, in traditional costume, of course.


Celebrating rural music-- a typical peña band.



Let me know if you might like a souvenir saddle too.



The catwalk. I'm refraining from making poor puns.




A friendly gaucho in all his splendour.

Overheard in Buenos Aires

My gym teacher: "Yeah the training room was partially flooded yesterday."
Me: "Oh no... so classes were canceled and the gym was closed?"
Gym teacher, surprised: "No, why?"

Sun in the city

Which has been an unfortunately rare occurence due to the Southern Hemisphere's equally unfortunate winter. But this weekend,



Pretty ladies, walking down the street, enjoyed the sun.




Parisean-esque buildings lapped up the rays.



And cuddly couples did too.

Lost in translation

Me, for some reason failing dramatically at telling my friend about the bar I went to the night before: "Sabes donde fuiste ayer?"

Which means "do you know where you went yesterday?". She did.

The writing is on the wall

"Struggling is how the people progress."



"To distances not existing." (Please offer a better translation if you have one).



"And you, what do you do?"