Today is December 10th, the day after my birthday. Now that the dust is settled, and that I have procured a usb reader for my camera´s memory card, I am fully operational and ready to update you on what´s been happening . . .
I arrived in Buenos Aires at 7am on December 3rd after a 10 hour flight. I was all ready to find a cab and drive into the heart of Buenos Aires to the home of my wonderful host family (more on them soon), when I was greeted much to my surprise by Carlos Burre, a Baba Lover from La Plata, a town roughly 45 minutes away from the airport - by cab - as Carlos doesn´t own a car. I was put in touch with Carlos and my host family by Gabriel Nunez, a new friend of mine who I had the good fortune to meet while he and his wife were staying on the Center in Myrtle Beach back in October. Gabriel´s father is from Argentina, and Gabriel has family here. Carlos, in the true spirit of love and community, came to the airport to simply escort me to the house. In other words, he took a cab, so he could take a cab with me, only to take a train, a cab, a bus and another cab home later that morning. Can you say overwhelmed with warmth and love??? Hello, who does that? I don´t see any hands out there, and you likely wouldn´t see mine either. For Carlos now, I will essentially do anything. As we drove into the city, we talked and joked warmly of people we knew in common, love for Meher Baba, the city of Buenos Aires, and trips to India. What a gift to get connected with others in the world! Carlos, a million times more fluent in English than I in Spanish was kind enough to oblige me in my native tongue.After a 30 minute car ride, we arrived at the house more or less in the heart of a bustling Buenos Aires. Paula, my host, came out to greet me with a smile and the customary kiss on the right cheek. With men and women, you always, and I mean always, greet and say goodbye in this way - loved ones and new aquaintences alike. If you come, remember, move left and pucker up! Paula lives with her three children Joia (18), Javier (17) and Camila (15). Paula, originally from Buenos Aires, lived in the US for years prior to moving back to Buenos Aires with her husband at the time and children´s father Eduardo. She is a professional story teller who travels near and far reciting stories for audiences of all kinds - the first one I have ever met. After some initial introductions to Joia, Javier, Camila and Delia, the family helper, Paula showed me my guest bed, and I sacked out for a well deserved nap.
Buenos Aires is a grand city, truly. All of what I had heard about European style and flair in South America is true. I feel elements of San Francisco, New York and London all rolled into one. Even the Spanish sounds Italian to my untrained ears. With Paula gone for work 4 of my first 5 days, and the kids all busy with their studies, I was lucky enough to connect with 
some couchsurfing.com friends to help aquaint me to the city. Amy, from the US but living in BA for the past year, was immensely amenable to me, for which I´m very grateful. I hopped on the subway Thursday night and met her and her friend Tracy for dinner, and then later on to drinks and pool. Tracy is from England which allowed me to feel an instant familial tie given that my folks are Brits too. Basically that meant I took license to tease in a way in which you might not a new aquaintance. In good British fashion, she didn´t bat an eye and fired right back. Tracy and Amy filled me in on their experiences of living in BA, like the crazy drivers who yield to no one, the locals´ prices and the prices all others are charged, where to take tango classes and the like. I love the internet. You can show up literally anywhere in the world and make a willing friend and get plugged right in.
some couchsurfing.com friends to help aquaint me to the city. Amy, from the US but living in BA for the past year, was immensely amenable to me, for which I´m very grateful. I hopped on the subway Thursday night and met her and her friend Tracy for dinner, and then later on to drinks and pool. Tracy is from England which allowed me to feel an instant familial tie given that my folks are Brits too. Basically that meant I took license to tease in a way in which you might not a new aquaintance. In good British fashion, she didn´t bat an eye and fired right back. Tracy and Amy filled me in on their experiences of living in BA, like the crazy drivers who yield to no one, the locals´ prices and the prices all others are charged, where to take tango classes and the like. I love the internet. You can show up literally anywhere in the world and make a willing friend and get plugged right in.
The following night Amy invited me to join her for game night with her friends Ariel (a Porteño - one native to Buenos Aires), Grace (an American English teacher now since departed, back to the US) and Stephanie (another American, living with family in BA for the time). We played Settlers of Katan (Ariel´s favorite), rat screw and of course, Uno! Wonderfully enjoyable. The following day (Saturday) Amy and I went north about 45 minutes by train to Tigre, then hopped on a water taxi going up the river delta to a municapal camping spot where the local BA couchsurfing 
community had organized a weekend camping trip. Off the dock we greated about 100 couchsurfers from BA and around the world. North Carolina, Rio de La Plata, Germany, England, Columbia and California are a few places that immediately come to mind represented. Because Amy had work to do that weekend, and neither she or I had camping gear, we decided to stay for just the day. I swam, ate, drank, flirted, conversed, played hacky sack and sun bathed. Too bad, huh! I know, it´s really been a struggle.
The next day, Sunday, I did literally nothing. Just caught up on email and rested. It has been getting hot here in Buenos Aires, so a quiet day was welcomed. Monday was my day to be a tourist, so I hopped the subway - Linea B -and headed downtown to walk around and snap some pics. Transportation in Buenos Aires is impressively efficient and easy. The subway trains run every 5 - 10 minutes, trains run every 5-10 minutes, the buses run every 10-15 (at least during the day) and there is always a cab to be hailed. Busses and subways are 90 centavos a ride, less than 30 cents US. By far the best deal on anything in town. I toured around for a couple of hours, but I´ll let the photos speak for themselves. I did cave in and eat Burger King for lunch, which is on every corner, along with McDonalds, in the downtown tourist area BA. The taste was notably improved in the beef, as I was told it would be, but not enough to write home about. I guess that was just a contradiction, wasn´t it.
Moving on, after my afternoon tour I hopped Linea C to meet another couchsur
fing friend for helado (ice cream), Romi. Romi, another Porteño, is an absolute jewel. Her heart is the size of Argentina and she wears it on her sleeve. She greeted me not with just the customary kiss, but a warm and welcoming hug. Very intuitive, spiritual, warm, kind and goodnatured, she spoke brightly and openly of her spiritual journey, her love and profession of photography, and her heartache of missing her partner in Peru. She was eager to learn about Meher Baba, and to discuss the spritual books she has been reading. Every now and then you meet someone from whom so much deep love is pouring that you can´t help but be moved to tears. Romi is one of those people. With any luck we shall commune again before I depart. Regardless, one brief encounter has ensured more to come, in this country or the next. Check out her work at http://www.romilove.com.ar/.
fing friend for helado (ice cream), Romi. Romi, another Porteño, is an absolute jewel. Her heart is the size of Argentina and she wears it on her sleeve. She greeted me not with just the customary kiss, but a warm and welcoming hug. Very intuitive, spiritual, warm, kind and goodnatured, she spoke brightly and openly of her spiritual journey, her love and profession of photography, and her heartache of missing her partner in Peru. She was eager to learn about Meher Baba, and to discuss the spritual books she has been reading. Every now and then you meet someone from whom so much deep love is pouring that you can´t help but be moved to tears. Romi is one of those people. With any luck we shall commune again before I depart. Regardless, one brief encounter has ensured more to come, in this country or the next. Check out her work at http://www.romilove.com.ar/.During my days at the house I have had the delightful pleasure of getting know and befriend the family. Joia is warm and sweet. Speaking in way better English than she´ll ever give herself credit for, she has shared about her family life, her job, her schooling and intentions to become a doctor one day. No doubt she will do it. Javier is energetic and deep, with a keen eye for world and local issues. An aspiring and accomplished musician (saxophone) in his own right, he was more than enthused to practice English with me, as I was about practicing my Spanish with him. He bestowed me with the honor of being the absolute first person outside the classroom to have a full conversation in English with him. Way to go Javier! And Camila. Camila is just delightful. Always smiling and laughing, always on the phone (of course), always coming and going. It took us a while to find time to connect, but once we did over lunch yesterday, she broke out her best English and I my worst (and only) Spanish as we talked about school, and her trips with her family. She showed me pictures of Patagonia, which only made me salivate even more. Don´t think I´m going to get there this trip, but that´s what return trips are for! And of course Martin, Joia´s boyfriend of the past 4 years. Martin is a bright, even keeled guy who speaks impeccable English with virtually no accent. It´s almost eerie. He has an abiding love for rock of the 70´s and 90´s, and somehow finds time to play music while working full time and taking classes at night. We joke and speak of world events and US politics. He´s undoubtedly an indespensible addition to the family.
Yesterday I took the opportunity to connect with yet another couchsurfing friend
, Esthee from Singapore, to take a tour of the cemetary in Recoleta (a BA neighborhood). Esthee, like me, is on sabbatical from a high pressure business position which had her traveling and living all over the world. She´s in BA to dance tango and learn Spanish. Esthee told me of her truly international life, and growing up in Singapore. With any luck, we shall be off to the falls of Iguazu sometime next week. A sharp and high energy gal, she took the reigns and guided our walking tour of the cemetary and the neigborhood. The cemetary is unlike any I´ve ever seen. The crypt vaults were all at least 10 feet high, lined up in rows side by side making the place a veritable village of the dead. They were ornately designed and sculptured with stone and bronze. The burial place of Eva Peron - Evita - one could get lost for hours just taking in the uniqueness and mystery this place holds.
, Esthee from Singapore, to take a tour of the cemetary in Recoleta (a BA neighborhood). Esthee, like me, is on sabbatical from a high pressure business position which had her traveling and living all over the world. She´s in BA to dance tango and learn Spanish. Esthee told me of her truly international life, and growing up in Singapore. With any luck, we shall be off to the falls of Iguazu sometime next week. A sharp and high energy gal, she took the reigns and guided our walking tour of the cemetary and the neigborhood. The cemetary is unlike any I´ve ever seen. The crypt vaults were all at least 10 feet high, lined up in rows side by side making the place a veritable village of the dead. They were ornately designed and sculptured with stone and bronze. The burial place of Eva Peron - Evita - one could get lost for hours just taking in the uniqueness and mystery this place holds. 
After our visit and stop for ice cream, which by the way is far superior to any available in the US, I headed back to the house, where my now adopted family (I haven´t officially to
ld them yet) were making preparations for my birthday Asado - Argentinian style BBQ. It has been said that Argentinians eat a balanced diet, meat on the left and meat on the right. When in Rome . . . The Asado was fantastic, with four different types of meat and sausage, bread, and salad. Martin slowly heated and stoked the coals as the seasoned meats were grilled to perfection. The taste was fantastic. After we applauded the chef, threatening rain forced us inside, where we ate and drank some more, and all ended up doubled over in laughter sharing anecdotal stories of egregious and risque errors of speach. Janey, they loved the "crusin for a bruisin" story. Now it´s legendary here too. Joia had surprisingly baked not one but two cakes for the celebration, and I ended up blowing out the birthday candle not once but three times as they all serenaded me with two Spanish birthday songs and our good ol´English classic. After the umpteenth time of asking from all parties "how do you say . . . ?" I jokingly remarked "so, cheese cake is not queso cako!" We all died laughing once again. I am overwhelmed writing of this account as I consider how much joy and love this family has shared with me. Truly, an unforgettable 33rd. 
Now we are all up to speed. This morning I came to La Plata for a visit with Carlos Burre. Not surprisingly, he took a bus to meet me downtown to escort me back, by bus, to his home. I shall return to BA this weekend, and then it´s off to Uruguay for a couple days and Iguzao for a few more. One more note. Because of how this blog is formatted and painfully, incredily slow upload times, I´m not going to post all of my photos here, but I will do so on Facebook. For those of you not yet on Facebook, you better get hip. It may just be worth the overload that comes with an account there.
Besos y Abrozos
Jonathan
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