In Buenos Aires real tango you can dance only on roofs

From Uruguayan border to Buenos (or more to his suburbs because around Aires like a mushrooms grown a lot of small cities) I went in quick time with two drivers. But motorcycle driver shamelessly made a pass on me so I also shamelessly hit him by helmet to give a sign to stop.

Moreno is a town where I went with second amazing couple. Locals asked me what I’m doing here and what plans do I have. When they are hearing that I want camp here they said me: “Better no. After sunset it’s a strange place”. So I waited in train station watch waves of peoples and waited when sun will come down. I waited for scenes like from Rio, but instead fire fighting and drugs I met only some kids on skateboards. Boring! And that’s how generally with that security is here. People don’t travel a lot so they can’t compare situation. And only knowledge about country they have only from TV. So they are thinking that world is a kingdom of evil.

In Buenos I found place to stay in Joako from Ecuador (he’s preparing best coffee and best guitar concerts ever!) and after came also Kamila, she live in Germany but have family from Chile and Brazil. And in that international team we butchered Buenos on parts. So how is here?

Safely. It’s probably most safety city on that side of Big Water which I found.

Clean and organized. Even to much as for my expectation for South America 🙂

Modernly. And once again even too much. Architecturally I liked more Montevideo (even Argentinians said that Montevideo is as Buenos but more rustic). Here forest of glasses houses but even in the middle of them you can find some pearls.

Cultured. Oh so much! After Paraguayan and Uruguayan desert here is like in botanic garden. One from street juggler said me that underground scene is even bigger that this what is happening in sun light. And is happening here a lot! Marches and rallies. Art galleries, institutes, public talks, and ideas and thoughts are flying on the streets. Extremely cheap cinemas, theaters and music halls are full of people. And even you don’t need to go there because streets are swelling from good music. So much good bands on streets that man is not walking here but permanently dancing. One situation: I’m sitting on main square around 11pm and suddenly I’m hearing very loud music. Louder and louder. And I’m thinking what a idiot have so big speakers in car. And than I see car with platform on which is… rock band! 5 persons, lights, fumes. And they are playing incredible music! For everybody and for nobody. But even they have a perfect spots you can’t find good street art. Something different than in Rio. There was a lot of stret art a little music. Here a lot of music and a little of street art. If someone is looking for south America art Rio is the best for that!

Tourist. A lot of great possibilities to spend free time. You want to have a small walk? You can go to amazing harbor. You want go to park? Natural Reserve in the middle of city! Monuments? A lot of churches and palaces. Restaurants, bars, cafes. Flea markets. One from the biggest which I saw in my life is every Sunday in San Telmo. Few streets fulfilled by artistic things. I met there a lot of artist. One from them gave me even gift – map of South America. Now I will never lost 😀

And tango of course. Absolutely everywhere. In front of restaurants, in markets, on streets. Spontaneously (I saw when one couple started to dance because someone in home played tango) and organized (there are squares where every week people are dancing tango. 11 dicember is a National Day of Tango. You can only imagine how streets looked like). But real tango is dancing far away from nosey eyes of tourists. Joakin is taking me to neighbor where are dancing Argentinian. It’s after midnight, I’m thinking that is too late but he’s saying that probably everything is just starting. We are walking cross empty streets and passing next houses. Suddenly we are hearing music from one of the windows above. Joakin is ringing to simple door how is a lot here. “Yes?”. “We for milonga”. Doors are opening and we are going upstairs on last floor. There is waiting for us Penelope and huge cat Juan which is laying on table. We are passing them and going out on small patio. On one part small quarter-back to dance, on other empty space. There we are welcome by stars and around 50 people drowned in low light of few lamps. They are drinking wine which they can buy from box in the corner. They are mixing in fumes of Tabaco and marihuana. Pulled by music we are going to dance part. Smoky light, one working fan and 5 persons in band who are working with bellows of accordions and string of guitars, and one singers with low vibrating voice. White shirts and black dresses are rotating in dance, you can hear rustle of shuffle shoes on wooden floor. Heat of warm bodies is everywhere. Face to face, closed eyes. Style, elegance, simplicity. Tango.

In that kind of places people dance real tango. Without decorations and billboards in front of which tells “Here is dancing sadness and nostalgia”. You need to know to which doors you need to knock. Because real tango is a little bit mistress knowledge. But same places, partly illegal, you can find here a lot. After catastrophe which had place here few years ago government controlled places where is dancing tango and mostly they closed it. But owners and those who love tango didn’t care a lot about that ad they moved to attics and to private homes. And whole that situation added mistress and flavor to tango.

Buenos is a real European city on other side of Big Water. A little bit deformed, a little bit waved but generally is like a mirror reflection of Europe. I spend there almost week, from theater, through concert to beer on harbor. Nice time, wonderful peoples BUT I think that isn’t place for me. Too modern. But that culture… but you can’t have everything. Or you are live in Wroclove in Poland 🙂