Also I tried all day to get my video of the previous day on this blog, to no avail. Sorry my readers has to endure the many emails as I tried to do this. Alas, I finally just posted it to FB, accepting that I just do not know how to do it, even if I follow instructions to a T. It is in these times, I miss my PC!
We left last night at 9:00 for our trip to "La Viruta" for dinner and another Tango lesson. We had reservations at 9:30 for dinner, followed by the lesson. We arrived to find a much busier Tango school than we witnessed the first time we were there. There were literally hundreds of dancers on the dance floor of this dark basement of a club, probably breaking any fire code in the US. We first watched a salsa lesson as we sat and ate our pizza. If you can image 200 people dancing in unison with 3 instructors in the front-it reassembled a "line dance" reminiscent of the 80s and 90's (maybe this is still in?). All in synch, the dancing pulsated the room and was exciting to watch. We were sitting directly in front of an instructor. Once again I got some great footage. Hopefully this YouTube link works:
La Viruta
After some very delicious pizza, we waited and waited until our Tango lesson started. It was fascinating to watch as locals practiced their salsa skills while we waited for our lesson to begin. Eventually, around 11:00, our Tango class began. Since we were veterans (we had one whole lesson previously), the instruction was familiar and had very elementary steps. It was totally in Spanish, no English speaking teachers this time. H and I managed to learn a bit of continuous steps. At certain points of the hour long class, we were suppose to "change partners". H and I did this a couple times. I danced with a couple of nice Portenas who took pity on the middle aged mujeras and I felt good about my newly acquired skills. H on the other hand, unbeknownst to even him, was busy being picked up by a rather "stout" young lady at the bar. H, clueless and lost looking as we changed partners, had a woman approach him and ask him to "dance with my friend" in Spanish. He did not know she wasn't part of the class. The new "dance partner" giggled alot and tried to converse with the poor clueless American. As soon as H figured out what was going on, he cut loose and ran to find me! I would be teasing him endlessly except for the fact I had my own "experience" as well. We were seated by the dance floor after the lesson. We hung around for awhile watching the locals showing off their amazing dance skills. Apparently this goes on all night as the "Milonga" reverberates until the wee hours of the morning. H went to the bathroom and in the sea of model looking Argentian men, there was a man gazing at me. I tried not to make eye contact, embarrassed that a man would be interested in dancing Tango with me. As his eyes met mine I knew he was going to ask..my heart was a flutter..then..it happened..he came over to our table and asked me to dance in Spanish. I said in my best Spanish No Tango, Por favor!" Was it important that he was maybe 80 years old and probably the oldest man in the room of hundreds of Portenas? Ha!! No! I think he may have been partially blind too!! Oh well, I like to think "I still got it". H and I laughed and laughed about our "experiences" of trying to be picked up in a local Tango Bar...something to share with the grandchildren. :)...we left at a fairly early 1:30 AM..such is life in the big exciting city!
La Viruta
After some very delicious pizza, we waited and waited until our Tango lesson started. It was fascinating to watch as locals practiced their salsa skills while we waited for our lesson to begin. Eventually, around 11:00, our Tango class began. Since we were veterans (we had one whole lesson previously), the instruction was familiar and had very elementary steps. It was totally in Spanish, no English speaking teachers this time. H and I managed to learn a bit of continuous steps. At certain points of the hour long class, we were suppose to "change partners". H and I did this a couple times. I danced with a couple of nice Portenas who took pity on the middle aged mujeras and I felt good about my newly acquired skills. H on the other hand, unbeknownst to even him, was busy being picked up by a rather "stout" young lady at the bar. H, clueless and lost looking as we changed partners, had a woman approach him and ask him to "dance with my friend" in Spanish. He did not know she wasn't part of the class. The new "dance partner" giggled alot and tried to converse with the poor clueless American. As soon as H figured out what was going on, he cut loose and ran to find me! I would be teasing him endlessly except for the fact I had my own "experience" as well. We were seated by the dance floor after the lesson. We hung around for awhile watching the locals showing off their amazing dance skills. Apparently this goes on all night as the "Milonga" reverberates until the wee hours of the morning. H went to the bathroom and in the sea of model looking Argentian men, there was a man gazing at me. I tried not to make eye contact, embarrassed that a man would be interested in dancing Tango with me. As his eyes met mine I knew he was going to ask..my heart was a flutter..then..it happened..he came over to our table and asked me to dance in Spanish. I said in my best Spanish No Tango, Por favor!" Was it important that he was maybe 80 years old and probably the oldest man in the room of hundreds of Portenas? Ha!! No! I think he may have been partially blind too!! Oh well, I like to think "I still got it". H and I laughed and laughed about our "experiences" of trying to be picked up in a local Tango Bar...something to share with the grandchildren. :)...we left at a fairly early 1:30 AM..such is life in the big exciting city!
The cab ride home was interesting. The jolly fellow who spoke very broken English, took us the "long way" home..this is not the first time this has happened since we got here. Apparently about 20% of taxi drivers here are dishonest. This is something we were warned about. Sometimes they give you counterfeit change as well, so it is recommended to only pay in small bills. This we have not experienced, but the whole "scenic trip home" has happened a few times, especially since we actually know how to get home from most local places now! Oh well, an annoying part of tourism in the big city..
This morning, we ran 7 miles in "the parks" we have learned to love here. It may be our last "long run" around the duck ponds. It amazes me we finally know how to get to these places with very little MAP consulting by now! This is just as we are getting ready to leave....it is a great feeling to get the sense of life here in Buenos Aires. We have gotten a little glimpse into living life here..this was our goal in staying a whole month in one place. I love getting to "live the daily life of a local" in a place outside the U.S. If I had to do over again I would have worked harder on my Spanish lessons, that is for sure!
Ahhh...time to eat again!
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