Random Thoughts

We are all interconnected and nothing proves it more than this full-circle episode that closed this week.

• Jo Carol, a real estate broker in Panama, introduced us to the apartment that is now our home.  At the time Jo Carol was dating Mario.  Jo Carol also introduced us to Lali, her close friend and musician/artist, and to Doug and Melinda, expats like us.

• At a guitar festival in Washington DC in 2008, Jon heard Maria Luisa, a professional guitarist from Buenos Aires, perform.

• When we came here, Jon contacted Maria Luisa about lessons.  We met and quickly discovered that Lali is one of her good friends, and Maria Luisa also knows  Jo Carol.  In fact, Maria Luisa had just visited them in Panama the month before we came to Argentina.  And the final connection was that Maria Lusia's brother was the director of the symphony in Eugene, Oregon, in the late 90s

•  Stay with us now......

• Last week we stopped in an art gallery in Buenos Aires.  When we mentioned Panama, the son of the gallery owner went to his computer to show us a picture of his friend, the Panamanian ambassador to Argentina.  The ambassador is Jo Carol's friend, Mario.  When we met Mario for lunch, we learned that he had stayed in Las Vegas with our friends, Doug and Melinda.

• Lali had introduced us to the fantastic Argentine guitarist, Luis Salinas, and we have heard him perform three times in Panama. Last night we went with Maria Luisa and her husband plus friends Dave and Jamye to hear Salinas in Buenos Aires.  And Maria Luisa has known Salinas for a long time.  The picture is of Gretchen, Salinas, Maria Lusia and her husband, George.

Other thoughts about Argentina this week:

No one comes to Buenos Aires on their way to somewhere.  Buenos Aires is the same distance from the Equator as is Los Angeles (both at 34 degrees latitude). Cape Town, South Africa, is essentially at the same latitude as BA (Cape Town is at 33 degrees).

It doesn't look or feel like a Latin country, except in language.  In Argentina, the native population died from disease and the conquistadors.  An English friend of ours said Buenos Aires is more European than Europe.  With all the migration from the Africa and Asia, Europe is a truly multi-racial society.  When you walk down the street here, everyone looks like a native European -- Italians, Germans, Russians (ignoring the Asian tourists).  Black slaves were brought to Brazil to harvest sugar cane.  Argentina has no such industry, and there was no economic reason to bring African slaves here.  So the black population is relatively small.  Yes, there's a slight similarity to Paris in the age and style of some of the buildings..  But the greatest similarity to Europe is in the racial types of the population of Argentina.

Portenos love dogs.  And while at work, they hire dog walkers.  Regularly you see packs dogs, all leashed up and off to the park with their "walker".

We are surprised to see on downtown sidewalks many waiters carrying a tray with one or two porcelain cups with saucers. Coffee delivery (not in paper cups) from the corner bar to the building doorman or office worker is common.

Everyone smokes.  I learned that cigarettes are US$1.15 per pack.  Kids, old folks-- they all smoke.

Jay-walking is completely accepted.  Crossing against the light with a policeman standing on the corner is routine.  But watch out when crossing with the light.  Cars that also have the light and are turning into the crosswalk, may try to brush you while they roar past.

Very aggressive drivers, particularly taxis.  Everyone whizzes around with inches to spare.  We've only seen one fender bender, but opportunities abound.  They do use turn signals when they make a turn in front of another lane (ie on a one-way street turning left from the right lane).

Apparently monopolies are bought and sold by the government, both above and under the table.  There is immense wealth in Argentina.  Jon has visited two golf country clubs which match anything in the US.  But 1/3 of the people live in poverty.


Like the US, there seems to be little "centrist" politics.  Either you're far left and call everyone comrade, or you wear an army uniform and do what's necessary (torture, killing, disappearances) to maintain order.

The memory of the repressive military dictatorship in the 80s is still very vivid. Between 1976 and 1983 more than 30,000 Argentinians disappeared as a result of the dictatorship's oppression.  To the left is a memorial in a sidewalk in San Telmo to three militants who "disappeared". Many were simply flown out in the Atlantic and dropped.

Mothers of the "desaparecidos", wearing white head scarves, still gather every Thursday at 3:30 pm in front of the Presidential Palace, protesting the lack of progress in discovering what happened to so many.  The country first gave immunity to those who committed crimes during the so-called "Dirty War", then repealed the law and are now bringing former government and military leaders to trial.  The Kirchner government (Mr. and Mrs.) have opened more than 700 criminal cases, seeking justice for the "desaparecidos"



















The current government wants to make sure that Argentina lives on Argentine products.  For example, imported cheese in the stores is very rare.  Yes, they have cheeses with all the French names, such as Camembert and Brie.  But all are made here.

So no free trade and high tariffs on foreign products.  The cost of peanut butter is killing us.  Last week the Chinese announced that in retaliation for tariffs on Chinese products, Argentine soy oil would be banned in China.  Argentina has basically a rural farming economy and soy oil is the #1 export and China the #1 market.  Isolation keeps some jobs at home, but certainly causes serious problems in the long run.









Starting before kindergarten, all Argentinians learn that the Malvinas/Falkland Islands belong  to Argentina.  It's the same as California being part of the US.  The Brits who live there are ignored, and there's no interest in trying to find some common ground for building a relationship.  The memorial in the city center to the 300+ Argentines who died in the 1982 war with the UK is guarded 24 hours, like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington.

The school children all wear smocks, instead of uniforms.  They all look like they are ready for art class.  Don't you love the tie that is sewn to the shirt?

Freddo is one of the brands of ice cream stores that cover the city.  The photo is of the delivery "motos" outside one of the stores.  Home delivery of ice cream.  A novel idea! (Did we mention that we bought a scale for our apartment?)

Restaurants:  Two great discoveries this week.  One Very Italian and the other Very French.  Amici Miei, Defensa 1072 (in San Telmo and recommended by Martha) and Bardalaise, Libertad  (Recoleta)