Labyrinth
30 May 2005 (Monday) – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Despite the weather report of 8-15ºC temperature today, the sky was cloudless and blue and the day looked wonderful. Quite unlike the rainy day of yesterday.
I had no idea what I would do today. In fact, I had no idea what I would do over the next few days in Buenos Aires. I just figured that somehow I would find something to amuse myself with. Well, today just looked like a great day to wander around the city centre to reacquaint myself with Buenos Aires.
Claudia’s apartment is about 30 mins by colectivo to the centre. But, hey, let’s just walk there. I trotted along Av. Cordoba, popping into the odd grocery and fruit stores until the perpendicular street names started looking familiar to me.
Junin! Hey, Junin 500+ was where I studied Spanish for 2 months about 2.5 years ago! I skipped down 4 blocks to check out the school. Hmmm… it had moved 3 more blocks further down. Oh well, not quite the same anymore. But looking around me, I felt quite happy as I started to recognise this familiar area with the many textile stores.
I passed by Ayacucho, Riobamba, Callao and when I came upon Rodriguez Peña, I actually remembered a great asado place at Rodriguez Peña 600+ and decided to see if the restaurant was still there. Yes, it was and the asado was still as superb as before… yum yum… but at a higher price than 2.5 years ago.
Indeed, Claudia had mentioned last night that prices for things were starting to climb these few years, but unfortunately not their salaries. However, she admitted that overall, things were much, much better than before. Many more people have jobs now and seem to have better confidence for the future. Well, the plane from South Africa to Buenos Aires was probably half-filled with Argentines. So, I must say things must be going great now.
As I made sudden turns here and there, dashed across this and that street depending on which one had the ‘little yellowish-white walking man’ on (traffic lights in Buenos Aires do not usually have the ‘little green walking man’) and zig-zagged down the various streets and avenues – Viamonte, Montevideo, Paraguay, Parana, Santa Fe, Talcahuano, etc… it reminded me a little of a Jorge Luis Borges story “The Garden of Forking Paths” (or any of his limitless, infinity stories) at the endless possibilities, almost like a labyrinth, of heading to the city centre.
And so, again, I pondered upon my sudden decision to leave my job and take the path of heading to South America. Yes, I am still, NOW, still somewhat getting used to this idea and I am ALREADY in Argentina! I made the decision, I know. I bought the ticket, I know. And I boarded the plane 2 nights ago, that’s for sure. Now, standing here and feeling all NORMAL about things when I am halfway across the world, surrounded by people who look, speak and think differently from me, living in the opposite time-zone from my body-clock. Yep, I feel normal. I feel happy, yes, but normal. I am not feeling overwhelmed, if you know what I mean. I feel that this is just another path that I happened to take and so, let’s see where it heads. What is going on with me, you ask? I am still figuring things out in my head. Well, considering my whole bodyclock is out-of-whack, I am still on the sensory mode of my trip now. No philosophical musings as yet, haha.
Finally, I reached Calle Florida. Previously, I had mentioned that Buenos Aires is a booklover’s paradise. Now I know one of the reasons why I came back. I flew halfway across the world to browse at books I do not know how to read. I was ecstatic as I popped in and out of 4 or 5 bookstores consecutively. You cannot imagine the number of bookstores in this city! And each time I popped myself into one, there were always many other serious browsers – young and old – some making inquiries, others with several books clasped preciously in their hands. Books are very much part of their culture. 2 years ago, I headed straight to the English sections, if any. This time round, I fingered at some of these Spanish books rather seriously. In El Ateneo, one of the most beautiful bookstores here in Calle Florida, I took a couple of books and sat in the corner to read. Hmmm… I was not doing so badly. Perhaps, I would buy some later.
I recognised an elderly tango guy in front of C&A Department Store. This was ‘his spot’ 2 years ago as well. The lady looked familiar, but somewhat different. She seemed to have slapped on some weight. Oh well, so have I, so shut up. I still did not enjoy the performance from this couple, so I moved on. Later, at the junction of Calles Florida and Lavalle, I spotted another tango street performance. Yes, this other tango guy is the same one as the excellent dancer I liked 2 years ago. But the fish-net-stockings-clad, scarlet lipsticked ladies (he has 2 now) are definitely different. The other one had moved on.
Ah, Buenos Aires… some things have changed, some have remained the same. My favourite parrillada (barbecued beef place) is still here. My favourite heladeria (ice-cream parlour) is gone. Well, nothing is permanent. Everything needs to move on and close a chapter in order to begin another one. Here I am, beginning a new chapter. And just like the falling leaves from the trees around the city, they have to wither in autumn in order to grow again come spring. Sounds like my job situation.
Tags: 01) Imagining Argentina, Buenos Aires
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