Adjustment period

It will be a week tomorrow that I arrived in Ezeiza to start my stay for 4 months. I am to see if like in BsAs will agree with me. I am optimistic it will, I have this very small minor detail called " I do not speak spanish" problem. Not a problem really, I know some words and simple phrases but that is it.

This is like being in SURVIVORS or AMAZING RACE. I need to get to the end of the game and will have to wing it as I go along. I think I am in for a great adventure.

I want to have fun also in the process, the weather right now does not help though. It is cold.

I hope to do some fun stuff over the weekend.

You too have fun, OK?

Delete and backspace...

This morning I woke up and was itching to write on this post about the inefficiencies of some branches of the government and why they are making our lives more difficult and complicated - unnecessarily. But after I said that first line - I thought again and I said - NO! I will not give them the satisfaction of taking more space of MY BLOG than they deserve so I will speak about something else instead. But I got it off my chest - thanks for listening.

Today, another day in my life in Buenos Aires will promise to be a divalicious ( my word - please do not copy!!) day. I made coffee and I made myselg an omelette with longaniza ( BsAs brand). I diced them and then with a nice organic egg proceeded to make myself the omelette. I have this nice 6 inch omelette pan - works wonders! And then as it was cooking under very slow fire, I wanted a media luna, so I placed the stove top toaster over the flame and toasted one media luna, all the while my coffee was percolating. After I served the entire array of food on my plate I thought it would go well with a nice glass of water with a slice of lemon - D'LISH ( as in de-licious! - again please do not copy this as if your own!!)

I was working on assembling an array of samples for my "R" to pick up - work and business related so maybe I should bid you all adieu for now and then fix myself some lunch. It has to be something light for "R" will be here later in the day and we plan to have dinner together (nudge-nudge, wink wink), really just dinner - yeah right!

Later folks. Be good. HA HA HA! Maybe I should delete and backspace the last line - nah!

Distractions...

I am dying to tell you readers a secret..but in a week or so..I am sure I will be able to write about it. I just wanted to give you a preview why Argentina holds a special place in my heart. There that is all I can say about that at this time...meanwhile allow me to distract you...

Today I went to a portion of BsAs called Corrietes and Larea. A very busy place with bustling streets and people busy with business and public transportation that seems unending at times. It drizzled a little bit last night lasting all the way to 8:45 am this morning. But I was determined to go to Larea and look at some stuff in there. And I did , "R" took me and we made a productive morning of it. I got what I wanted and then some more... :-)

Then we decided to take the SUBTE from Pueyrredon back to F. Lacroze and then hail a taxi back to Palermo. The SUBTE was fun, as always, I entered the wrong way and a very nice Argentinian cop watching the passengers saw me make a mistake and he took us to the correct side of the subte and let me in on the side - nice guy - keeps my faith that there is hope yet for the males of Argentina. He was so nice and polite - I almost gave the guy a kiss for saving me a ticket. My porteno "R" was impressed and surprised as how the policeman was NICE. I will always think of that guy every time someone irritates me. I have met a very nice young man and he was all correct and proper.

Well after that pleasant experience, the SUBTE (red line) was packed with people at 11:45 am.
But after 3 minutes standing in the subway I was able to grab a seat and later, "R" was able to sit next to me. That line was busy, lots of people selling stuff. I am not used to a line like that since D Line (green) is more relaxed than the Red Line. Oh well...

Then we ended up at Chacarita (F. Lacroze stop) it was filthy dirty. Argh...I couldn't wait to cross the street and get into a taxi.

The cab driver was nice he was saying how nice the weather has been and looks forward to a nice weekend so people go out.

"R" and I ended buying lunch at COTO and eating it at home, now he is at the office working.
I am here at home reviewing what I got from Larea and admiring what I got. And what a positive day it was, overall.

Buenos Aires is a very aggravating place. It is nice and culturally enriching, various places to discover, but coming from a First World country, one tends to wish the streets were cleaner, lesser level of noise, side walk constantly maintained - but these cracked streets and dog dropping give Buenos Aires the distinction that it has, both positive and negative. The people here are good hearted in general, it is just sometimes bad things happen to good people. The frequency and "everyday occurence" of negativity numbs both visitors and locales of the shock when something untowards happens, and that is sad.

To end this post on a high note...as I am finishing this entry, my neighbor across the way just stepped out into his balcony, followed by his "calico- like" colored boxer dog, he is wearing his maroon briefs, ONLY! In winter time - this guy does this - I guess to shock the rest of us - who live across him, 5 stories high off the street level. He is so funny - Distractions!

Noise

Well after getting my equilibrium back 2 days after arriving in BsAs, I have decided that this time around I will channel my ZEN to obliterate the noise so I can sleep soundly at night. I live on a HIP and HAPPENING street in Palermo. Lots of young ones roaming the street partying at night (and at times in daytime). I love this street, it is just that the BUS 64 passes by my front window every hour on the hour - at times several times an hour. But I have overcome that noise. I came back to BsAs thinking the noise will not prevail - I shall be above the noise - and so far I have had perfect 8 hours uninterrupted sleep since I got here. Mind over matter, does work, who would have thought..hmmmm.

Well, the last 2 days have been fun. Family here is well and I enjoy the company of the boys that I hang around with "R", "T" and yesterday Claudio joined us for dinner. He is such a sweet man. He is really a nice and true friend to my "R". I just love him for that. I love, love my "R"; but I luv Claudio as well. :-)

Yesterday night during dinner, I reckon "T's" english is much better than my meager, pitiful castellano. He speaks english much better than the scraps of spanish words that I use. I promise to improve my spanish this next several months. I am excited to learn it more but I am so chicken to speak it, and be afraid of sounding "silly" - well what can you expect but perfection or wanting perfection from me - Soy es La Diva, Ultima Diva!

Back to the Noise - I hear people and read about blogs where people make noise a priority to complain about. There is not much that will be done to diminish the degree of noise level that we are subjected to in BsAs. It is sadly part of the everyday life in BsAs, I hate it, please do not get me wrong, but if you learn or train yourself to tune it out, you can. I know, coz I did. It is just that when in the ZONE of tuning noise out, when the phone rings - you might not hear it.

... in Buenos Aires

I am officially on my first day in Buenos Aires (BsAs). I arrived yesterday after a surprisingly pleasant voyage via Delta 101. The passengers were all great ( I was fortunate to sit next to a gay guy - smelled very good, good manners, polite, ate nicely - and did not wear polyester, well groomed - and the crew were excellent.

That being said my trip started on a very high note. I arrived in a very cold Buenos Aires but the reception of my "R" and his ever so you-cannot-help but love brother "T" was warm. I am staying in Las Canitas. I love this place. In BsAs, this is the place to be, and be seen.

I remember unpacking and cleaning the condo; I remember taking a shower, having a nice Mundo Spaghetti's ravioli's verduras con varios quesos and then I remember taking a nice hot shower and then when my head hit the pillow I was out until 9:45am Sunday.

The trip was great, and most importantly I looked great when my "R" saw me, I am sporting a very short (in the back) but long in the front coiff. He likes my hair short and I like it long - thus this compromise haircut.

I will start blogging about my daily life in BsAs, and I am sure I will offend others - but honestly my dear, I don't give a ...you know the rest....

So tomorrow, log in and see what is up ahead....Ciao for now.

I'm baaack....

Hi, everyone. I am back from a business trip to Asia. It was an exhausting trip but it was educational and pleasurable at the same time. In the next few blogs I will delve into my personal accounts of this recent trip of mine.

I am just glad to be back in the loving welcome of my offspring and my "R". They picked me up at the airport after a 2 hour UNITED airline flight delay from San Francisco. The 2 boys of my life were there to welcome me home in the wee hours of Saturday (2:22am) morning. I just have to love them for loving me this much. They hugged and kissed me, after a 24 hour trip, I was tired but was happy to be on solid ground. It makes you treasure things and people more that you might otherwise feel complacent - after even a short absence.

I will rest for one more day and start blogging my trip. I have some anecdotes to tell and I hope I do not forget any of them. Sleep will help my memory, I 'm sure.

OK, well, I will sign off for now and in a day or so, I will tell you what I did for my summer trip to the Philippines.

Later.