I'm back for yet another installment of "I Heart Argentina....parte tres". I'm your host, Vallazza-Raptor.
Though it's been almost two years since I've been back to Argentina, I remember many of its attributes quite fondly. (sigh...)
I forgot what number I was on in my last installment, but for times sake, I'll just continue with the #7.
7) Los Boliches
Los Boliches are what Argentines call their night clubs. I've only been to a few, but that's all I need to know. They also call their clubs "el disco" but I prefer "Los Boliches". The night life in Argentina doesn't get started until 2 a.m. or after. It saddens me that the U.S. is missing out on this type of nightlife because last call is usually at 1:30 a.m. in a place like Jacksonville. It's no wonder that most other people think American's are boring...we don't get the party started. Latinos, however, could party all the way until the sunrise! I know this for a fact because I did it many times in Costa Rica and in Argentina, but I also had the dubious pleasure of accompanying someone until the wee morning hours of daylight in a small beach town in Argentina called "Monte Hermoso".
As I was saying, while the club doesn't open until 2 a.m., but the real fun doesn't start until 3 or 4 in the morning. That's when the club starts hopping. You're there, packed with numerous amounts of people, almost to the point of claustrophobia, dancing...sweating...getting into close quarters with people you didn't know existed until five seconds ago. It's marvelous, really.
I went to several places in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, as well as the surrounding cities in December 2012. My friends took me to Monte Hermoso, a nice little beach town that has the fame of being the only city in Argentina where the beach has both a sunrise and sunset on the water. It's really a beautiful little town. In any case, they took me to a place called "El Pelícano" (The Pelican) at 1 a.m. and my friend, her husband and I all danced with one another until the place closed. However, I did end the night dancing with a beautiful man who ended up whisking me away to another club down the street until the sun rose...it was a great night...or morning... I shall call him Señor J. We ended up dancing all night, through the morning until he dropped me off at my friends beach house at 9 a.m.. We made out passionately like teenagers...it was pretty nice. ;) Not sure I want a repeat with him, but like I've mentioned before, I don't allow just ANYONE to make it past first base with me unless there's potential.
In the boliches, you dance to whatever music is popular in Argentina, which is typically cumbia villera, or whatever Argentine rock band is popular. There are some even American Top 40 hits that they play on the airwaves in Argentina. I quite enjoy cumbia of any sort, but I think cumbia villera now has a soft spot in my heart as well. My dad hates it. He prefers cumbia colombiana. What can I say? I like accordeon/bandoneon music and I'm nerdy that way.
The last time I went to Argentina in July 2013, I went to a Cuban boliche. Though I'm not Cuban, I do and have associated more with Cubans than I have my own background. Perhaps it's because my sister has been married to a Cuban for the last 24 years or so. I like Cuban food and I like their style of dancing to salsa and merengue. In any case, I heard about my fellow compadres having a Cuban restaurant in Argentina and that they played salsa, so naturally I had to go sample the food and dance to the music.
I felt like a celebrity once I arrived!
I requested a few merengues from the DJ. The lady stared at me, and asked, "De dónde eres?" (Where are you from, using the "tú"form.) I smiled and said I was from Florida. She immediately announced to the guys behind the bar that I was from Miami and that I had come to dance for the night. I was instantly plied with free mojitos and all the merengue and salsa I wanted, because when "you're from 'Miami', you're instantly Cuban"...Although I'm not Cuban and I'm actually from or live in Jacksonville. I lacked no dance partners at all that night. It was nice because I could dance without having to worry about being pawed upon. I just went to dance, and dance I did! I closed the restaurant down there as well at 6 a.m.. Truly a wonderful experience.
This is not to say that I am a party animal either in the States. I just simply like to dance. I enjoy music. I enjoy meeting people. I don't like close quarters. I sometimes get social anxiety if I feel there's too many people someplace.
If you go to Argentina, I recommend going at least once to the disco/boliche. They can be pretty fun. Though take some TP. The toilet paper is thin or sometimes non-existent in the bathrooms at the boliches.
I went with my friend's brother and his friends once and since I was the "Yanqui" I was also instant celebrity and given free drinks. The bartender thought I was pretty, but I was not interested. But he still kept the drinks coming! We stayed out until 7 a.m. that night. :)
8) El acento.
Oh, my goodness...the first time I ever heard any Argentine speak was through the speakers in my dad's Oldsmobile station wagon. I was 4 and listening to my father's recordings of tango as we drove around Kansas City. I noticed they spoke Spanish differently than what I was used to hearing. I had actually heard tangos for years, but never really noticed their accent until then. I asked my dad, "Porque hablan diferente?" Why do they speak funny?
"Porque son argentinos," he replied.
At four years old, I had no idea what Argentines were, nor that there was a country named Argentina. All I knew was that I liked the way they sang and that their tango was sexy. Of course, I didn't know what "sexy" meant either, but now as an adult, I recognize that I was turned on by Argentines from a very early age.
Fast forward to my early college years, beginning in 2001.
I was beginning to have more of an interest in my Hispanic backgrounds. I was taking a class called "Introduction to Latin America" at Johnson County Community College. I remember there being this beautiful man in my class that I liked staring at. I would get embarrassed whenever he caught me staring at him. Whenever he opened his mouth, he spoke English with the most beautiful accent. I finally brought up the courage to ask him where he was from one day before class as we waited out in the hallway.
"I am from Argentina," he said, with his beautiful accent emerging from that beautiful mouth.
I got shivers down my spine...and into my core...goosebumps emerged.
True, in 1996, I had seen "Evita" in the theatre as Madonna sang and danced her way onto the streets of Buenos Aires. There had been a kerfuffle amongst Argentines against the idea that Madonna was going to be playing one of their more revered historical characters. Having Madonna portray Eva Perón was like saying that Steppenwolf would be playing Mariachi music at the presidential inauguration for Clinton. I even did a report on Evita in 10th grade where I got a 100%. Woot woot.
Anyways...I digress...Back to the hot Argentine in my class...
When he spoke Spanish in class, I about melted. I had never heard anyone use "Vos" for "you". I had only grown up with "tú" or "Usted". As well as, "sos" for "you are" instead of "eres". It was all so mysterious. It was then that I discovered that not all Spanish speakers speak the same Spanish. I knew there were slight differences because my mom speaks Mexican Spanish and my dad Ecuadorean, but I never thought about the even bigger differences between the continents or even regions within one's country. I was only 18, so I didn't know.
I hungered to find more of these people!
For the above mentioned class, I elected to do a report on the tango. Who knew better information about the tango than my dad?! My grandfather knew a lot as he had lived with uncles in Buenos Aires in the 1920s. But my grandfather had passed away in 1997, so I couldn't ask him.
Papi had all sorts of tango songs which I promptly downloaded. I had grown up listening to many of the old tangos that were played on the airwaves in Buenos Aires back in the 1930s. Singers such as Carlos Gardel, Julio Sosa, Argentino Ledesma, etc...I knew a lot of those songs. Their accents and the lyrics made me melt! There's even a movie that is one of my favorites called "Tango, no me dejes nunca". I have watched that movie so many times over and over again. I love the music, dancing and the script. Beautiful.
One time, I was out with The Girlies - Toaster Oven and Squeak Rodriguez, when I was tapped on the shoulder by a very handsome man. He asked me to dance. So we did and I discovered that he was from Argentina because he winked at me and said, "Qué hermosa sos!".
I about died...
"Stop it! My underwear is melting!" I exclaimed. I told him that I loved his accent. He continued to say that I was beautiful. Alas...I was in a relationship at that time, so I wouldn't have done anything further but dance with him, but his accent was divine and dreamy.
The same thing can be said when I actually go to Argentina. I actually enjoy sitting in the café listening to the people talk with one another. It's like "People Watching" but more of "Listening". I love doing it.
"Hola ché! Cómo andas?" they say with sing-song quality.
"Bien, mi amor. Cuándo venís a la Argentina?" (Fine, my love. When are you coming to Argentina?) they'll ask.
"Cuándo vos quieras" (Whenever you want)
I developed a mini crush on some of the men in Argentina when I go visit simply because of the way they speak. One male friend in particular knows this and will just speak to me while I develop goosebumps on arms. He is such a tease...jerk... lol.
I've always said that I may end up with an Argentine just because I love the way they speak. Who knows if that will still be true?
9) La Plata
The name "Argentina" is actually derived from the Latin word, argentum, meaning "Silver". On the periodic table of elements, it has a symbol of "Ag". Silver is one of the most important metals in the world. In any case, the country Argentina got its name because of the myth and subsequent discovery of the mountains being made of silver. In fact, the most important river in Argentine economy, "Rio de la Plata", was thus named because when Argentina was first discovered by European discoverers, it looked like a ribbon of silver running through the countryside. I personally dislike the English translation of the river, 'River Plate'. I think of actual fine-bone China plates, not "plate" as in "silver plate". I prefer "Silver River".
Whatever...
The point I'm trying to make without having to digress through numerous historical facts is that Argentina's silver trade is lovely.
The first time I went to Argentina, I purchased a pair of simple silver hoop earrings. Alas, I lost one in the back seat of a car only last fall. The owner of the car found the earring, but has declined to return it to me unless I go back out and date him again. To which I say, "poo", cause that jazz isn't happening ever again. He was so boring...I digress yet again.
The silver is so abundant in Argentina. The silver smiths have done some tremendous work on their jewelry. I love all the pieces that I've garnered from the jewelry shops there, though I still want my earring back...
GRRR....
I'll just have to travel to Argentina once more to get another pair. :)
Just think! My friends will have fun with that fact. I'll get to go back and visit my fellow Argentines again soon. :)
