Carnaval!

A random street in San Telmo.. my new favorite neighborhood

So Saturday night I ended up relaxing in Chinatown with Becca, we hung out in a pool hall and had a great time. It was really nice to stay closer to home instead of galavanting across town only to pay for overpriced beverages and cover charges. We played two games of pool and just enjoyed some Quilmes and good conversation, definitely a Saturday night well spent.

Tango at the San Telmo market

On Sunday, Becca and I went over to San Telmo, about a 40 minute bus ride from my neighborhood, where they are known for the markets. First we explored an indoor market that had an extremely antiquey feel- lots of secondhand stands and knick knacks from the early 1900's. I loved taking my time and absorbing the atmosphere, not feeling like I had to be in a hurry to get anywhere. All of the vendors were so nice, and many of them complimented our fluency in Spanish, which felt great! It's a great feeling to be able to communicate with people and actually be able to get your point across. I bought a few little things, souveniers, xmas gifts, stuff along those lines.. my friends and family are going to be happy campers when I come home :) After we conquered the indoor market, we met up with Kelly, Hilary and Coleman- three other people in my program. We continued to stroll through the outdoor market in the streets of San Telmo, where we stumbled upon a street band and a few tango performances. I love how important tango is to the culture here- it's such a sensual and romantic dance, it's always hard for me to stop watching. Speaking of, I have another tango and salsa lesson this Thursday, wahoo!

 Bumpin' at the parade

After walking around, we grabbed a couple empanadas and found a bar called La Puerta Roja- while it didn't have a sign, the indication that it existed was, in fact, its red door. We ended up being the only customers in it for a while, which was pretty cool. They had some great happy hour specials, so I got to try two Argentine beers on tap, and let me tell you- they were phenomenal! Usually I stick to the cheapest Argentine beer, Quilmes (it's similar to Budweiser), so it was nice to change it up a bit. We left and headed over to the parade, where it really looked like something out of a Missy Elliot music video. There were tons of kids dressed up in colorful, glittering outfits, doing crazy dance routines in the streets. On a nearby stage, local performers were jamming out and providing the soundtrack to the dancing and hollering paraders. It was a really authentic experience; we were obviously the only foreigners there, though I didn't feel like we stuck out too badly (maybe that's more my hopes talking here). The night definitely felt like a dream- the colors, laughter, music, food... perfect!

Yesterday I went to a theater-turned-bookstore with my roommate, Miguel and Becca. It was so beautiful- I loved that they saved the building and are using it for a practical reason! The only downside is that it had a Barnes and Noble vibe to it.. and it could have been kept in a more understated, authentic Argentine bookstore. Regardless, the building was gorgeous, and sitting in there for a few hours writing in my journal was definitely worth the trip across town. The stage was transformed into a small cafe- though I think a great addition would be to keep a small part of the stage for local performers to play in the background. I just can't get enough of the architectural details around here- the intricacy of the carvings in most buildings are breathtaking, I really wish that people still took architecture this seriously and were willing to put in the time and effort to turn a building into a work of art. After the book store we wandered around some random streets, and found our way back to the subway after devouring cheeseburgers and french fries. That's a dependable meal that never fails.

Bustin' moves in the parade

Last night, to celebrate the tail end of Carnaval, we went to a mask party at a place called The Roof- where it was literally on the roof of another restaurant. They had lots of specials, and it was a perfect party atmosphere! Luckily there were arbors and canvases that shielded us from the on-and-off rain, but luckily by the time we left the rain stopped. Around 3am we found ourselves at a boliche, where we danced for a few hours and had a great time! I wandered home just shy of the sunrise, which was nice because I didn't feel too wiped out today. I got some chinese food for lunch with the girls, and did more planning for spring break in Patagonia!!!! Ahhhh it's getting closer, and as I'm doing more research, I'm getting beyond excited. My birthday's going to be right in the middle of the trip- and to celebrate, I'll be camping with 6 of my best friends here nearby Fitz Roy and Laguna De Los Tres. (LOOK AT THIS: http://www.bikertony.org/PicsArgentina/PicsArgentinaFitzRoy/11last%20pic%20of%20Fitz%20Roy.jpg) Woohoooo!!!

Theatre turned bookstore.. it was beautiful!

This weekend our program is going to Iguazu Falls.. (http://www.buenosaires54.com/images/iguazu_foto_grande.jpg) can't wait!!!