Out of Humous: Buenos Aires

Grumpy teenagers, cultural events, enormous avenues, dogs in sweaters, pollution, street markets, slums, homeless children, the port, the local slang, the dance recognized as a world heritage, local pride, the subway, classic coffee shops, fashionable men and women, and a hundred people lining up politely for the bus - Buenos Aires is the beating heart of a large nation.

There is no way you can match up with the city. At the clubs, the night starts at 2 a.m. Sometimes you just skip sleeping altogether.

Theatres, street shows, "independent" subway performers, festivals and local events - the city never lets you rest. Even if you manage to put it all aside you can't ignore football fever. Boca vs. River - and to hell with the world.

One Saturday afternoon the street was closed to traffic, and on a recently assembles stage, the municipality treated the public to a free flamenco show, presenting live bands and passionately suffering dancers.

Like a middle aged woman who's neglected herself ever since she was a lovely teenager, the city has not maintained its physical appeal. The administrative compound projects the sense of importance and potency of an early 20th century European nation. There are also monuments, gardens and boulevards. However, I was taken by a saddening sense that the city (also as a reflection of the nation) did not live up to its full potential.

I tried some urban tourism. I liked the Ricoleta neighborhood and the Japanese Garden. The museum of fine art presents the works of prominent European and American artists, though naturally in a somehow limited manner. I found it nice in the context. The second floor offers a chance to see how Argentinean artists imitated European art through the years.

I went with my friend Carolina to the provincial town of Lujan. The surrounding urban environment makes the cathedral look like a crown jewel. In the cathedral it's rush hour with people lining up for confession and an enthusiastic crowd waiting for the end of the mass to come forward, as the clergymen sprays water at them. Some brought along their own water tanks to multiply the effect.

Tigre, another provincial town, is a stepping stone to the nice islands on the river delta, where, apart from summer houses, people live their daily lives using boats instead of cars and buses, in their canals and water routes.

La Plata, a city so carefully planned years ago as a regional capital, lost its distinctive geometrical overview to reckless construction. Still, the old natural history museum, the zoo and the public park with the artificial lake show the potential was there.

I have mixed feelings about zoos. It is sad to see the elephants, creatures captured by us and not the other way around due to evolution, aging in solitude, boredom and lack of movement. It was just as bad seeing an Argentinean father hit the iron bars of the Bengal tiger's cage just to have him open his eyes for a cell phone picture. The sign indicated the animal suffered torture at a circus which abused it.

Boca is a poor yet colorful neighborhood of Buenos Aires that offers three unattractive, brightly painted streets filled with tourist traps and souvenir shops. For me it was one big yawn. Should you stand yawning for too long, a girl with a red dress would put you in a tango position, gracefully lay her leg next to your ear and offer you a joint picture for 5 pesos. It might be worth it.

Tango

Tango is a real thing here, something random taxi drivers passionately and proficiently discuss in the middle of the night. I took classes in a decaying establishment called the Tango Academy in the city center. Beginners are welcome and will benefit from the colorful and friendly teaching of Lilliana, even if just to get a taste of tango. They teach you the classic style here. There are other styles too.

In the Armenian Cultural Center (of all places) hundreds of Argentineans of various ages come to learn, drink and dance into the next day. When the floor is crowded all move like geese. Give them a little space and you will enjoy a real show.

Classic Tango music is always melancholic. It's the abandoned, misfortunate drinking man singing through a heavy smokescreen (nowadays the regular street air adequately provides that effect). From a borderline indecent form of expression, tango became a popular music. Gotan Project and Bajofondo are among the better known contemporary developers of this style. The show of the latter was the closing show in an open concert for an Argentinean national holiday attended by 200,000 people. 

The still very admired Carlos Gardel is the eternal champion of Tango, even though he passed away almost three generations ago. His greatness is undisputed. Gardel's footprints are still engraved on the city's skin and his music still being played today, even to the waiting passengers at the subway stations.

Jews

Being part of a liberal and well integrated community, most Jews do not distinguish themselves by dress or accessories. Those I have met were very welcoming and happy to meet Israelis and share their Israeli experience, anything from a relative living in the holy land to their recollection of the day the State of Israel was born.

In the historic Jewish area some Jews still practice the old profession of garment trade. Seeing such elderly religious men in their ironed shirts, ties and Shleikes, with carefully trimmed white beards, standing at the entrance of their stores immediately clicked with the pre-WWII images from Eastern Europe.

The Jewish community has its own institutions and sports and cultural center. However, after the hideous 1994 terror attack against its headquarters they have been barricaded and continuously guarded. Normality and innocence were lost forever.

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Several people asked me if I speak Yiddish. I do not, unfortunately. I feel that way about all the languages I can't speak, however, I confess I feel worst about not speaking this one. My father's mother tongue is Yiddish, and I can't even order coffee in it. Any idea where I could learn it?