Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Terius
Artist: Mathieu Saura, a.k.a. Vincent Moon
I will be in Buenos Aires in 92 days.
My Lover will be there with me, and he will be showing me the Buenos Aires that he knows and loves. However, I will also be spending lots of time exploring and discovering on my own, with flickle camera in hand.
I am completely overwhelmed by the thought of this place, this country, this continent, this small point on the map of the world globe. I am not only excited about all the tango I’ll be dancing and listening to, but… It’s been so long since I’ve had the chance to explore a new city, that my arms and legs are turning into spaghetti, my mind to jell-o, jiggling around in delight…
I am making my baby-steps in learning about this city before my first trip, starting with reading about it by typing in “Argentina” and “Buenos Aires” into Wikipedia. (I know, sad… but I have to start somewhere, right?), and the TimeOut, Moon, and Wallpaper Guides to Buenos Aires.
I’ve been snuggled into my loveseat, to read the fantastic stories written by my beloved Tango Hours, lovely Psyche, and my favorite New Yorker duo Eva and Malena, and ofcourse, the writings of dear Sallycat, sassy Tina, and chère Cherie — porteñas who write and feel with such fiery spirit.
Also been trying to read TangoScopio’s blog with my (thus far) extremely limited castellano, but I gave up after about five posts, hehe.
The Buenos Aires Herald has been a daily morning read for the past couple of weeks… And today, I will search for a map of Buenos Aires, (and hopefully a subway and bus map), so I can pore over those thin wrinkly streets and triangular barrios and visit them in the imaginary hemispheres of my sleep.
I want to take regular Spanish lessons. And take tango group classes. And eat all the cups of dulce de leche icecream I want. And eat asado and alfahores every day. And take tango private lessons. And be in the milongas. And go shoe shopping. And go to the flea market for the mate. And go to the opera. And the bookstores. And have breakfast in the cafes. And go to the cinema, even though I won’t understand a thing. And wander around and get lost inside the real Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Terius…
36 days of chaotic bliss, enveloped, enfolded by my Lover’s warm, wet mouth, arms scented with cologne, wooden floors, sliding, echoing feet, the brash honking of unfamiliar automobiles, mornings heralded by unfamiliar birds, the fragrance of rain and moisture of an unfamiliar land, the inflections of gestures and tongues curled, interlocked in a more beautiful speech, streets that have witnessed different tragicomedies from the ones I am used to walk upon.
5 weeks.
2 full moons.
1 month, plus
1 week.
Not enough! :-D
By tomorrow, I will be in Buenos Aires in 91 days.
And the day after, in 90 days.
And the day after that, in 89 days……
What a compliment that you refer to us as porteñas :-) Thank you!
You will do all those things and more in Buenos Aires. I’m excited for you!
You’re going to be there in August? Great timing - the very lovely Pablo Inza is going to be back in town between tours, and giving group classes twice a week with the equally brilliant Eugenia Parrilla. Go if you possibly can, even if only once. And go to Tango Brujo and do some classes with my favourite tanguera Cecilia Garcia. And go to Practica X and watch the newest of the new, and hang out there till the end and see if, like me, you come home with a peculiar fondness for Tangomana (”Era la hija de, la hija de”).
I can’t help you with the traditional stuff, it’s not my bag, but let’s face it, with so many expert bloggers, you’re not going to be lost for advice!
tina! i hope you’d be there, when i go. :-( pretty please? :-D
dear psyche! thanks so much for the heads up. i adore eugenia parrilla, and pablo inza is brilliant. i have never heard of cecilia garcia, but i’ll be sure to go to tango brujo. practica X seems exciting to me, and it is definitely on my list. i love both the new stuff, and the traditional stuff — i can’t make up my mind on which i prefer, hehe.
Ceclilia Garcia is the girl I was raving about recently, and posted videos of, so you have seen her, even if you don’t remember the name!
omg, but ofcourse!! my eyes and heart were popping out towards the computer — she is DIVINE. i think tango brujo will be on the top of my list. i hope she’s there in august/september!!
La Nuit,
I wrote entries to my blog in November, 2007, during our incredible trip to BA. some of it might be interesting to you. In any case, you will love it.
E
elizabeth,
eee! that’s right around the time my blog haitus started, but i remember now! thanks for reminding me. now i am excited about more BsAs stories i can read in bed. i can’t enough of them. :-D