Dec-2018

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Season’s greetings from Amber and Gavin!

 

Flight We flew out to Buenos Aires on 1 Nov, and are due to come back on 7 Mar. We went business class, which was a bit better than premium economy, but not that much. Our secret is to take a Xanax muscle relaxant pill after dinner, and you drift off to sleep easily, and are not at all stiff the next morning. So a long flight is not a worry to us, as it can be to some people. However, if you are in economy with not enough room, it can be excruciating.

 

BA

BA is plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. There are plenty of new restaurants in San Telmo, and I can still get up 3 flights of stairs to the flat without too much bother (unless, of course, I have taken too much wine).

 

The English language newspaper BA Herald has ceased publication.

 

Prices are much higher. A meal with wine which was £15 for two will now be £30. OK if you can afford it, but not good for the other 90% of the population. Internet

 

One big difference for us compared to 10 years ago is the internet. It is now a bit more reliable, and we can get BBC, Netflix (The Crown), Wikepedia, etc., and even though I sit at home all day sometimes, I am never bored. However, kids, of course, should not be allowed to use it at all.

 

Noise

Argentines do like a big shout. There are big demonstrations every week at the Obelisco or the Plaza de Mayo, or your team has just won a football match, or you are rehearsing a candombe for carnival, or you are demonstrating for some civic improvement, or your school class is celebrating something or other. I guess twice a week we have some noisy manifestation on the street outside. Argentines never seem to mind extraneous noise, unlike in UK where it always seems to be frowned upon. In the Plaza Dorrego on a Sunday night, with the tango music being danced to at one side of the square, and at the same time a 25-strong raucous drum group on the other side of the square, nobody seems to mind.

 

Rio

We went to Rio at the end of November, Monday to Saturday. We were with Mercedes, and we stayed in a super hotel, Emiliano, on Copacabana up near the fort. Our room was on the 8th floor, with a balcony, looking out over the sea and beach. Great walking along the beachfront with bars, some with music, people spreading out stuff to sell on the walkway. Lots of people playing handball, but mostly middle aged men, and not many lithe young things in skimpy bikinis. The experts didn’t use their hands, just heads and feet and shoulders. It was great going along the front, right round to the far end. Views of Sugar Loaf, and occasional views of Corcovado. Mostly relaxed, hanging out, with regular caipirnhas. Mercedes spoke loudly to them in Spanish, and it seemed to work. No sign of Brazilian economic downturn. The prices were amazingly high, much higher than BA, and higher even than UK. It was a super holiday, just the right length.

 

Asado

We went to our friends Laura and Martin for an asado. Laura is quite a well-known art journalist, and plays tennis with Amber, and Martin works with historical literature archives. The asado was lovely and traditional, with all sorts of different meat served up bit by bit over several hours. Martin spent 6 months in London doing odd jobs as a youth. He became a Millwall football supporter. I was surprised, and asked why? rehearsing their chant, “Nobody likes us, we don’t care”, and he replied “Yes! They were the most similar to Argentine football fans!”
 

Finn

Finn, Amber’s grandson, did this painting for school, and I think it’s fantastic.

 

Hair

I had a severe haircut just before I left for Argentina. The problem is that barbers in BA seem to insist you make an appointment, and will not give you a haircut without an appointment even if they are not busy. So that puts me right off, and by the time I get back to UK my hair is too long. So I had a “Number 3”, which is shaving it all off to a length of 3mm. It was a shock - my hair hadn’t been so short since I was born! At least my skull was a reasonable shape which allayed me fears. Some even told me that I looked 10 years younger. As I write it is at about a “Number 11”, and I am quite used to it. Next, shall I go for a completely bald look? I don’t think so, even though I would probably look better than Geoff Bezos.

 

Wine

Here we are in December having lunch on the main shopping street, Florida. Look at the size of the wine glasses! And look at the size, elsewhere, of my milanesa (schnitzel) and chips! Xmas Unlike a few years ago, the odd father Xmas is now to be seen around BA. I’m afraid it will just get worse, so we’ll just have to appreciate it while we can.

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Corners

Argentine buildings on corners are deliberately chamfered on the ground floor to leave a clear space 6m wide. And (mostly) all pavements have ramps at the corners, but if they are too uneven I just go up the road in my buggy, no-one seems to mind. Flat For those of you who haven’t seen it.

 

Travel insurance

Forget it. The two times when we claimed, they rejected it. And it is all such a hassle. For the past 8 years we have had none, and saved a bomb. Local health services are quite adequate, and a lot cheaper (apart from USA). And you have to pay for all the industry overheads and marketing costs, and for all the growing number of fraudulent claims as well.

 

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