Letter from Dad
Re: Buenos Aires
OK, where to begin???
Let's start with the cabs - there are one million of them, the white lines
on the road are obviously make work projects, since no one pays the
slightest attention to them - stop signs have not been invented yet, and the
preferred modus operandi when coming to an intersection is to play
aggressive chicken.
On many days when there is not too much wind, Buenos Aires , (Beautifull Air) is a total misnomer since the
air one inhales on the busy streets (and they're ALL busy) is a cloud of
diesel exhaust.
All the women have model's figures, yet there is a restaurant/caf‚ usually
full of people eating and caf‚ing in them.
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. BUSTLE, BUSTLE, BUSTLE...are the roads and sidewalks, yet
at the caf‚'s the whole scene slows right down and people will sit over a
tiny cup of coffee for 2 to 3 hours.
There are literally thousands of shops, all of them specialising in one
thing...like fruit or dry breads, art etc. etc. And everything is done
with style - people dress well, the waiters wait with elegance, the food and
beverages are all served with style and grace. It's a fairly pricey place
to hang out.
Alana's pad is very nice, and in a nice part of town.
Highway driving border's on total insanity - I find it quite a dichotomy
that the same people who will spend 2 hours having a quarter of a cup of
coffee, want to go 100 km's in under 20 minutes and are totally prepared to
risk their lives in this objective.
Very few people here know any English at all.
Oh yeah, driving back from the car rental place, in the swarm of cabs and
buses, I had the honour of a bus driver giving me the bird out of his window
- all fingers squeezed together sort of pointing up and bent at the wrist.
(Like - Whats a matta fo you!!! )EH!)
The dogs are as well mannered as their owners.
Most of the food has been superb in my estimation.
We went to a beach about 350 k's south of here last weekend called Pinamar
and stayed in a lovely little hotel just up from the beach. The beach is
quite wide and at the back of it are beach restaurants and caf‚s who supply
all the deck chairs and etc. FOR FREE...and hope that you will patronise
their establishment.
In no restaurant, caf‚ or stores are you ever pressured, in fact almost the
opposite is true, you must seek out their assistance. VERY CIVILIZED in my
opinion.
Although I have never been to Europe I would guess this city is very much
like Paris. Nothing here seems dangerous that I can tell - I see very
little begging or hustling of any kind. It seems quite safe, even though
there are almost no police and the ones there are seem to be very laid back
and relaxed.
Later, Russell
OK here's more....
Back to cars, a favourite subject of mine - almost no cars here are the same
as in Canada - even the common ones, like Cherokee's, are turbos and
diesels. Almost all of the cabs are Peugeot's, most cabs are small and lots
are diesels. Diesel is .55 cents a litre and regular $1.05.and that is
equivalent to Yankee dollars remember. Tolls on the 350 km. Drive were
about 20 pesos each way.
1 peso = 1 Yankee dollar
In the city at night all the cabs drive with very dulled down headlights - a
nice touch I think. Horns and flashing hi beams are a large part of
driving. Hazards are used for double and triple parking. Girl drivers are
quite capable of parallel parking a stick shift in a spot with no more than
6 inches extra space.
On the tree-lined streets - all of them are lined with 5 to 15 story
buildings - the first level houses all the little shops. The rest of the
floors are apartments with little balconies over the street. This heavy
density, and it is everywhere, creates a wonderful never-ending flow of
pedestrians and cars.
It is quite fashionable for young and old couples to walk arm in arm, or
with arms draped around each other -even daughters and fathers or mothers
and grandmothers. Open displays of young couples embracing is quite
frequent. It's so catchy I even put my arm around Milda and gave her a BIG
KISS.
The architecture is beautiful with grand entrances and huge brass knockers
on 15 foot high carved doors. The caf‚s are wonderful - you can sit outside
with your little cup of java and watch the world go by for hours. Inside
the chatter can get very loud as all the couples and three and foursomes get
to intercoursing with one another.
When I think of more I'll put it down......
Today Milda and I, after a beautiful breakfast in a caf‚ took a cab to a 150
year old Japanese garden situated amidst all the intense hustle and bustle
of 5 to 10 lane one ways with roundabouts you float into this Sheng Fui Park
of total calm where the carps, ducks and birds come to you to be
fed...another complete respite from the freneticisim.
And, oh yes, Alana has been wonderful, not only as an itinerary guide, but
as an interpreter, while putting in 11 and 12 hour days at work. (emphasis
added by editor)
P.S. Did I mention the proliferation of super model women? Milda informs
me that they are balanced by the beautiful men.
Russell
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Este mensaje es confidencial. Puede contener informacion amparada
por el secreto profesional. Si usted ha recibido este e-mail por error,
por favor comuniquenoslo inmediatamente via e-mail y tenga la
amabilidad de eliminarlo de su sistema; no debera copiar el mensaje
ni divulgar su contenido a ninguna persona. Muchas gracias.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- |
