Tennis a la Argentina....

Davis Cup

We had the good luck to be in town when a Davis Cup "Tie" was being played between England (old tennis and political rivals), and Argentina...(proud sports fans). We had great seats, the taxi driver got lost 3 times trying to find the stadium, I got totally sunburnt -fun day! - We witnessed underdog England win their first match , on the final day, when technically, Argentina had already advanced with their first 3 wins, but it was a rowdy Argentine crowd (see video) with a handful of us cheering on the brits, including some British duchess of sorts...maybe if Regina & I had put on dresses, and fancy hats like Wimbleton, we could've gotten V.I.P. seats too :)

Sacred Taxi

I just got back from Malba, (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires). The taxi driver, who would have been a Nascar prodigy, darted in and out of the 14 lane avenida traffic, laying on the horn and tailing within inches anyone who was in his way. When he stopped, as I handed the cash to him, he crossed himself, whether to thank God we didn't crash, to pray my money wasn't counterfeit, or for his soccer team to win, I'm not sure, but I was happy to hit the sidewalk!

Malba was very contemporary, in architecture, and the works it held. Aside from seeing a Frida Kahlo self portrait (think unibrow and surrealist parrot), and Diego Rivera, there was a temporary exhibit of the late Argentine artist Oscar Bony who had been in exile in Milan for years. He did a series of works called "de memoria", mixed media of photographs, superimposed glass, and bullet holes.
A lot of socio-political commentary on Argentina's and the artists past, exploring violence, suicide and death in a fascinating series of self portraits .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T45AJbSaKOA

Happy Chinese New Year!

Bubble Tea in B.A.

I never expected to find myself in a Chinese grocery in the middle of the Chinese New Year celebration in Palermo with a bouncing dragon coming through the door! The streets were jammed packed as were the woks full of sizzling oil and frying spring rolls. Nadia and Regina had their fill of bubble tea, as we watched the festivities that seemed to consist mainly of people cramming the streets and food into their mouths...oh yeah, and that dragon.

Buenos Aires

I'm sitting in the terrace bistro by the pool, barely remembering how cold -30 c. can be, wishing all my frozen friends were here with me. The Cariboo seems far far away...
I bought the best tango shoes ever today, not toooo high, all leather, and comfortable! (all my women friends will appreciate the miracle of a comfy high heel). Then I had my first private tango lesson , after a few group ones at the "Confiteria Ideal", a wonderfully historic tango hall (http://confiteriaideal.com/). Dancing with 'Luis' was worth the price of the class alone, not to mention the excellent teaching from Valeria. It's such an elegant, interpretive dance...I'll be practicing everyday just to master the basics!
Buenos Aires is a city that gradually gets under you skin and into your heart. Everyday I get lost and turned around and discover new corners while I explore my way home. This is a city and culture that has never heard of 'take out' coffee, so you'll see waiters walking down the street with trays of espresso and water , and tiny hidden doors open onto the street from the back walls of restaurants, so the servers can go deliver elsewhere . The food and restaurants are abundant and cheap, and the wine & champagne...let's just say we're finding lots of reasons to celebrate.
We've been working our way through the best of the Lonely planets guide to Argentina ( an Xmas gift from my son David), and Nadia's birthday a few days ago was a hilarious excercise in opening champagne bottles!
There's an incredible antique fair in San Telmo every sunday, full of exquisite remnants of a bygone era., and the Recoleta Cemetary, haunted by feral cats, is renowned for incredible mausoleums and Eva Peron's grave. My feet are sore from walking & dancing, and my head tired from writing, so buenos noches a todos...

My sister is my heart.
She opens doors to rooms
I never knew were there,
Breaks through walls
I don't recall building.
She lights my darkest corners

My sister is my past.
In her I recognize myself,
A history only we share.
Filling up empty spaces
Healing the broken places

In Kevin's fields the poppies grow.....

My valley, when it's misty after the rain, smells equisite.

The Untameable Shrew

Morning in the valley, finds me sitting outside in my comfy overstuffed chair with springs sproinging . The doors to my barn are open on this fine day as I sip my espresso, Globe & mail in hand, reveling in the warmth of the sun...when I hear this funny squeaking...like an angry baby rubber duck being squeezed repeatedly. I know that Cali had been stalking something all morning , patiently guarding the door to the den .
Apparently whatever it was far from dead, possibly uninjured enough for me to save. I find Cali sprawled like a lioness surveying her domain swatting lazily at this 3 inch shrew. Then I watch in amazement as this woodland rodent refuses to run or freeze at Cali’s laconic swipes. In fact, the shrew charges angrily at the cat with those aggressive rubber ducky squeaks, scolding this goliath 50 times his size! Cali, confused, actually backs down, but the shrew keeps coming after her...-going for her paws. (I’m sure the bite of a shrew through her fur would be barely a tickle) . Every time Cali bats him away ( less play now, more self-defense and cat’s pride) he charges again...-brilliant! This one truly deserves a second chance! (though my friend Val who hates rodents might disagree).
Now I’m beginning to wonder if there’s such a thing as a rabid shrew, after witnessing such bizarre behavior. So I’m a bit reluctant to catch it barehanded. I use the newspaper to keep Cali off, and corner him on the stone steps, using a blanket to capture it (nothing smaller at hand). “O.K.”, the fiesty shrew says..”bring it on”. This little fuzzy thing is taking me on now, thumping and squeaking in the blanket, saying “let me at you!”.
I walk into the nearby woods hoping to find a place where he can find shelter, and when I shake him out of the blanket onto the ground, he runs directly at me! That’s it...run headlong and face the danger! I’m impressed and inspired by the fiestiness of this creature, and hope he survives to fight another day!

Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gusta a mi

To the girls in the S.S.R.R.S (what does it mean again?), I miss you, and the sauna is all echoey without you, oh well....-I can practice my yodelling for next time....
ciao bellas

Midnight

"One does not discover new lands without first consenting to loose sight of the shore for a long time"

-Andree Guide

...It's midnight, and I can't sleep, and the almost full moon is sparkling on the valley outside my window....
Christmas is long past ,and the drudgery of endless winter lies before me...
but it gives me time...for long thoughts and sleeps, good books and conversation, and Cali, who bites and scratches at my ankles and trailing ties, reminding me of life again.