Dancing with Princesses

阿根廷長途巴士之旅 - Iguazu上篇

雖聞說omnibus 網頁全英文之餘，車票價格與Retiro omnibus站一樣，我身邊的格價專家絶不會放過任何慳得就慳的可能性，終於，我們去了四次Retiro omnibus站...


第一次，到了巴士售票樓層，發現那𥚃大到有點似迷宮。定眼再看，原來櫃位各區以東西南北來劃分。從Retiro為起點，有各式各樣的巴士公司前往阿根廷，甚至南美的各個地區、城市，應有盡有。


我們在直接前往巴西Rio de Janeiro、或是先到Iguazu瀑布，還是難以取捨，便先問價錢。一般單程前往阿根廷那邊的Puerto Iguazu是Ar$450-550;而單程前往Rio則是Ar$600-825。


以有限西語，續間訪尋之下，終於找到一家巴西公司Pluma價格最低，到Rio只是Ar$580，而巴西那邊的Foz de Iguazu才Ar$350！我們決定回去再surf下有冇再平啲！


上網睇完一餐，發覺佢已係最平，又怱發奇想，那巴士會停Foz 再去Rio，不知可否買Rio車飛，在Iguazu溜幾天？笫二天又再去踫運氣。


一筆大交易，拿著信用咭和護照出發去。


我們比手劃腳，解釋了我們的企圖，售票小姐居然說沒問題，並只須Ar$550！但他們只收現金！問好週日的辦公時間後，（他們週日竟辦公！）只有明天請早。


第三天，車票終於到手！我們更巡視了一篇在哪裡照行李和登車。


同時，我們一直在嘗試couch surfing,寄了request給幾乎所有的iguazu區及Rio的CS會員。在99%的被拒，終於得到了一個住在距離Foz de Iguazu一小時車程的家庭收留；在Rio亦有一位女生讓我們借宿幾天（感恩！）又那女生之前會離家，比我們計劃的遅了一天，只好將離開Foz de Iguazu的時間退一天，那玩盡阿根廷及巴西兩邊瀑布公園之餘，又可了解一下本地人的生活。


又回到巴士售站，還在擔心往Rio的巴士只是一、三、五，只推遅一天成嗎？或許，由巴西Iguazu往Rio的班次比較頻密，不用加錢 ，順利完成！


終於，到了離開Buenos Aires 的日子，我背著肯定有30kg的backpack再在前面加了個小背囊，行3個block去坐巴士，呼吸開始有點困難；大暴龍則氣定神閒跟在我後面，不久便超越了。


巴士6：30pm開出，車票上建議5pm到達。我們5：30pm才到，過X-ray，再到巴士公司櫃檯check-in也算順利。只到登車樓層再過X-ray 入閳，等15分鐘前上車。


我們的巴士票比較cheap，坐椅並非flat bed，但尚算闊落，cushion厚厚的，又可伸腳，18小時，尚可接受。


司機有兩個，會輪更駕駛，開車時司機艙更會關上門。


開車前，機長走在路口打了個招呼，宣佈最重要的事項：厠所在車尾但不能開大！（心想，開出又可以點呢？幸好，這𥚃不是大陸，這邊的人雖會亂拋垃圾，但對讓座、上廁所、放飛劍等尚有一定程度的公德心。）


車子準時開出，往公路進發。八點，天色漸暗，開飯！

沒有太大的期望，便𣎴感失望。由司機派飯盒，有半份芝士三明治、半份加了火腿（大暴龍全份只有芝士）、一個肉肶，一塊甜到喊嘅Dulce de Leche餅（送mate fit哂）、仲有一塊有一點果占在中央好甜好奶味嘅餅,同冇得俾你㨂嘅冰凍可樂一罐 - 當然可揀唔飲。（隔咗幾粒鐘又開始肚餓，想起先前餐餐fiesta, 仲好想食lomo同bife de chorizo...)


食完冇人會收tray,只有一位似乎係熱心巿民嘅，用番派tray嘅膠袋收自己屋企人d嘢，再好心收多幾行！


車行至11點多，到了一家有嘢賣、有嘢食、有厠所去，但除了一家油站，眼見之處四野無人嘅地方，停了半小時。


又肚餓，食碗燒鵝瀨都唔錯。發下夢先...

Back to tango again y class y practica

A good thing about staying in Palermo is that it is so near to tango classes, milonga, practica and all related shopping.


There is a tango school only few blocks away, DNI Tango. DNI is a school by Dana with very systematic teaching and instructor training. New teachers get trained by observing classes of more experienced teachers. They can sustain by leading one on one practica costing less than private class, but as they are experienced dancers, for us, they are good enough to give feedback and advise. We took a group class and the practica featuring Gaby and his partner. In the practica I tried to review what I learnt in group classes so far. Either I forgot, especially for AyA class, or I was stuck in putting what I drew on paper to my body. Feeling frustrated about the time and money spent on that, I lost mood in taking more classes. (M: Dancing is about body memory, which takes time. Instead of using your brain, just let your body move repetitively with some new steps until the movement becomes part of you...I'm not a good dancer, as I'm lazy! :P )


Going to Pablo and Noelia's practica was an enjoyment. It was a bar on a first floor of Independencia and Columbus. The owner of the dance place, full of titles on floor and wall, has a pair of adorable twin boys with blonde curly hair running around with full energy. Costing only 20 peso each, the class and practica also served pies, cakes and Mate. We finally tasted mate here. Everyone shared the cup and drank from the same straw, that is common here. Mate served here tastes less spicy than those I had in HK, and more soothing.


Back to the classes.


I'm learning to be more aware about the chest movement and my partner's comfort, and being more conscious of relaxing my spine which affect my axis. Still having a lot of problems remembering steps sequences, through body and brain. Drawing steps down doesn't work because it can't describe intention and leading. So far I haven't felt much comfort dancing here except once in la galeria.


More work to be done...

New home, Tigre again, and la fiesta del lomo

Thanks to Anne, Carrie and Eva, who let us couch surf at their apartment for a week before going to Iguazu and Brazil.


We are comfortable there and more importantly we can keep cooking daily.


With the prelude of soy sauce chicken, dumplings and sweet and sour ribs (by Nathalie) for the ladies, Gaby, Eva and Fernando in celebrating Lunar New Year before we moved in, we are turing every meal to a fiesta at the house during our stay. Good food is best to share! I'm glad to feed the ladies well.


The groceries in the area of Palermo is 10-20% more expensive than San Telmo but the pavement is in better condition. So Maria needs less attention on walking. (M: so Adley need less attention over the dog's poo!)


We visited Tigre again for the art museum. With bad luck, we missed again because it was closed for maintainence for two weeks from Feb 1. We still felt fine to have one afternoon of fresher air and less bustle than Buenos Aires. There is also free boat trip organized by the government on that day (Friday) but it needs prior booking by email or phone. We also found a free concert by an old bandoneónist, Dion Saluzzi, playing with a band in that beautiful museum on feb 10, but we shall be gone by then.


We rushed back to buy lomo in BsAs, it was not easy to find meat shop with good price in the Palermo area. We walked over ten blocks and finally went back to the meat store with red wall near the apartment. We got lomo costing 46 peso per kg.


We finally went home at 8pm. Cooking of beef won't take long, but a little tricky for seven persons with different favorite level of meat done. With consideration that the lomo was brought out from the chilled room and in thick cut, I browned them on a pan, then thrown all into the oven. They turned out to be medium to medium done, with some juice spilled out but the meat was still tender. I also used the beef juice as sauce for a large tray of tomato spaghetti. All food was gone, everyone was extremely full and fulfilling! But actually, I don't think we would mind just another piece of lomo. It's so tender, meaty and its rich aroma was completed with the Mendoza Malbec selected by Eva and Nathelie.


Es bueno lomo! Es bueno vino!

The Comme il faut Episode

The Visit

My first visit to THE Comme il faut is sooooo pleasant and uplifting! Not only that their tango shoes are all so pretty, unique, elegant, stylish, modern, fancy and make your legs look so sexy with the maximum 9cm heels, nor is it compared to Manolo Blahnik of Tango footwear....it's the shopping experience that's simply unforgettable.


Walking into the elegant corridor of Arenales 1239, passing all designer's footwear, chic boutiques and galleries, then go up one level of Puerta 3, I pressed the doorbell with adrenaline rushing.


There was baby crying, am I at the wrong door!?


The door opened.


With uplifting jazz music, in English, creating an relaxing ambience, the place is spacious, and well lit, with 2 grandeur, almost 10 feet tall mirrors in fancy baroque golden frame on the wall and some sparsely scattered velvet lounge and armchairs place around the side, very minimal display of shoes and a bulletin board with pictures and graphic of shoes on the wall. Other than that, there was a wooden table, which is the cashier, one door leading to the baño and 2 others doors to the storeroom, with rows and rows of boxes in white.


There were few other women seated on each sofa, and one spare lounge at the far end. I was told to be seated. Adley followed.


A pathetic father was standing expressionlessly, with his back on the wall looking at a crawling baby (who screamed and cried occasionally or performed yoga to attract everyone attention), while his lovely wife happily trying the stacked boxes of beautiful dance shoes.


All ladies have an amazing pile of shoes in front of them.


I asked the sales lady, 'How should we begin? Should I read a catalogue?' She said, 'tell me your size and I'll bring it to you.'


I said siete, she then brought me a pair for trial. It's a bit lose, then she brought a 36.


Next, she asked, 'what color you prefer?'


'Something colorful.'


Then boxes after boxes of beautiful tango shoes were displayed in front of me, all lying on the floor saying 'Hola.'. Adley can't help saying, 'I'm jealous! How come ladies have all these fancy shoes!'


The sales lady looked at us smilingly and said 'Enjoy!'


This is definitely so enjoyable! I feel like a queen.


The CIF mode of shopping is 100 times pleasurable than spending 10 times or more money on Louis Vuitton even in Avenue des Champs-Élysées, where you are treated like trash - being asked to show your passport for checking previous shopping record to begin with, then you are screened and may be banned to shop, or you would be told that you are only allowed to buy a maximum of 2 items, or else our items will go out of stock because of you!

actually no photography is allowed

If I were flying back HK right after Buenos Aires, I would be buying pairs after pairs for different tango occasion, however, I still need to travel and a pair of pretty comfortable dance shoes for any occasion is all I need. Well, I told the sales lady she could take them away after a happy round of trial. While she close the cover of the boxes one by one, I felt butterflies in my stomach, seeing them out of my sight.


The amazing thing about their shoes is that they displayed completely different style for different customers at different visits ! Nothing is the same in that room! The sales lady told me because of different sizes, the style and stock varied. And they have new ones every week!


I will be coming again!


P.S.
Meeting the CIF queen - Prelude
Niño Bien got comme il faut shoes display and even a desert named after the brand. Then, I was dancing with an American guy at Niño Bien the other day and he told me that the lady there is the designer of Comme Il Faut, Alicia Muniz. All I can see is her beautiful golden heels. That was reminding me, I need to make a pilgrimage to CIF the very next day!

今天遇上土炮大龍鳳

下午，到Retiro Omnibus站問有關到Iguazu及巴西的巴士資料，以為可以碌咭，那知只收現金，沒帶夠錢，查詢了營業時間，只好明天請早。


想著逛逛火車站對面的小巿場，過那條八線行車的馬路時，我們在中央的安全島稍等片刻。我旁邊有個二十來歲男人向我說了幾句西話，同時我感到頸上滴了一滴液體，又在我緩慢地嘗試翻譯他在說啥的同時，忽然天上飄來一大堆白色黏黏的液體，整個安全島上的行人也中招！


沒有車，第一反應是向天望及立即逃跑！


過了馬路，我倆忙著互相檢查那弄到全頭、全身、褲子、背囊也是的白色槳糊物體是腐蝕性液體？（MK人的第一聯想）是油塗？是雀糞？好像有點似白膠漿！？卓謙拿出手帕讓我幫他抹，此時，中了招的男人和兩個中年女人也用紙巾互相幫忙，邊笑邊抺，還說我們一身都係，並將抹完的紙巾遞給我倆抹。我們停下抺身的同時，那幾個抹完自己身上污跡的本地女人七嘴八舌的圍著我們幫忙，之後又有個男的說對面公園有aqua。好一片樂也融融的溫馨場面。附近的途人也停步觀看......


當友善的途人四散，我倆才醒覺背囊的大小拉鏈也被打開！


幸好，沒帶單反相機；幸好，沒帶一大叠現金買車票；幸好，錢包放了在暗格；幸好，我倆身上並沒有任何貴重物品，一場大龍鳳，賊黨浪費了一堆不知名的液體、幾個臨記濕身的落力演出，我們幸保不失。（感恩主佑！）


其實，被一幫人圍住團團𨍭之際，我有一秒想過：又不是鳥糞、白白的不像太髒，回家洗個澡便沒事，又什麼好抹呢？另，這樣一片混亂的，會被偷嘢嗎？但不知為何，人人也在抹身，monkey see monkey do,就自然跟著做！並失去了所有警覺性。(｀_´)ゞ


自此，我倆醒覺了，只覺草木皆兵，見到人潮擠擁，也會打醒十二分精神。萬一，再遇以上情況，只有三十六着，走為上着！

An enjoyable Sunday with two adorable princesses

Pable and Noelia, our tango teachers, invited our Hong Kong friends to their vacation house outside the Buenos Aires city, and we followed.


It's a pity that it rains in the morning and as told, the house have more outdoor area than indoors, we are hesitated if we should still go. Our friend, Gaby, our tango teacher and his partner, Eve arrived to pick us up. Another friend of Pablo, who could have drive us decided not to go, with the 7 of us, we called an extra taxi.


Finally, with some delay, off we go.


After a month in the city, the closest to nature place we had been was Tigre, which was still a town and residential area. It was refreshing to see rows and rows of trees and green grass field.


After an hour drive, we arrived. There is a garden, a pool and 2 cute little twins waiting for us and of course, their lovely parent.




So glad to see the princesses Lucía and Ornella who can melt Pablo the father. They got his eyes (I think). There has been saying that daughters are the wife/girlfriend of the father's previous life. Pablo might be lucky enough to have two wives in previous life.

 

 As for Noelia, she is so fit after bearing the girls, even getting stronger on both arms for taking one on each. She said she was happy if we could take one of the girl back to Hong Kong as souvenir. Wow, then the lucky one will be the queen in Hong Kong.
 
 
We had parillas all afternoon, with wine, beer, good chat and three occasionally straying dogs.


 
We had some real mate for the first time, I mean we never did that in a party. The host, Noeila prepared some 90 degree Celsius hot water, drink first round, then offer to the first guest, who have to finish it and then return to the host, who prepare the next one and offer to the second guest! Everyone drink from the same cup and straw until you say thank you to the host. It's interesting and cozy!


We swim, dance and act as paparazzi with the little princesses, until they are unable to leave us without crying.

It was a wonderful Sunday, thanks to Pable and Noeila.


The weather was amazingly well when we got there and lucky we didn't stayed in the rainy Buenos Aires.

A trip to Tigre - we want a house like that!!!

After 2 hours of long bus trip on 60 (actually train only takes 1 hour), we came to Tigre. A town on a delta at the north of Buenos Aires. It was Tuesday when we got there, finding out that most museums open from Wednesday to Sunday. We just walked and tried some luck. The only good thing of taking a bus was to see the street on the way, then I found many sailing gear shops along the way. We walked to the quiet Puerto de Frutos, a market which should be more noisy on weekends, there we did the tourist thing by taking the sight-seeing boat around the delta to see how the locals live. They have houses near the river and a world of themselves. The river has road name that boats can go amongst different houses. There are also hostels and boutique hotels around costing a few hundred peso a night at least, but give a quiet island-like place for vacation.

A museum showing local house

We got a little hassle when reading the notice board near the ferry pier, a rugged guy speaking English with us claimed that he was from Africa and was robbed, now owing a few peso to take a ferry out. In my opinion, if he could live in the delta house he was not that poor indeed. A desperate way is to swim there, I saw kids swimming in the murky water. Certainly he asked for money after asking for a lighter for his cigarette, a typical way of street nuisance. We just moved away.


Then we went into the casino and see how it was in latin america. We were like zoo animals as only locals were playing there and were not used to see Asian like us walking in. We took some time watching how they played roulette, got sweat when seeing them putting chips (minimal 5 peso, mostly 10) to buy all the numbers like they were not money at all. A bet would have been our use for a week. What a good way to see their pathological gambling behavior. They were so used to the stiff faces on themselves, a way to show no emotion to mask themselves up. I believe that such habit could be internalized, masking their emotion within, so as to suppress others.


Getting out of the casino, we passed a local electric train station with a booth named "Delta Safari". A day trip costs 350peso per person to have powerboat getting to far inside the delta for nature. Attractive but it was not our budget, although a pair of tango sneakers from Farbio would have cost that...It is all about what you value more.


Then we passed an amusement park with an all-you-can-play pass costing 120 peso (in great discount because of non-peak day). It was nearly 5pm so we passed again.

There are many local rowing clubs, but like Hong Kong they are clubs for those who can pay for club service more than the sport club itself.

We shall come back again, not because of the amusement park, nor the casino, but the beautiful Muse de Arte Tigre.and sail gear shops.

中國城一日遊

阿根庭年廿九即香港年初一，我哋去咗中國城跳舞。唔係夜總會，而係唐人街。呢度牌坊都叫中國城。附近公園有露天舞會，唔駛錢，當然要去啦。舞會八點先開始，我哋四點已經迫入中國城逛。因為農曆新年，好多遊客慕名而嚟睇華人過年，周圍迫得水洩不通。點知我哋做埋啲遊客嘢，如果唔係為咗買華貨，去外國入唐人街真係有啲憨居。好多人要試吃各式煎炸嘢，食好嘢嘅我哋緊係敬而遠之。 呢個時候華人超級市場變成大排長龍嘅博物館，遊客同當地無乜入過中國城嘅人對好多嘢好新奇。佢哋拿住奚錢專心硏究、又有個阿婆指住龍眼問我係乜，我用西文話fruto，佢好開心，我都好開心(因為可以講到)。


入超市買中菜食材係為準備香港探弋同學會嘅大食會。嘩！啲嘢好貴，半斤冬菇（不過都大嘅）賣成百港銀。啲蝦乾仲衰，只不過係蝦皮，成五十港銀一小包。為咗之後整蘿蔔糕，買咗幾個唔啱季節嘅白蘿蔔、十幾元一包(x2)粘米粉，用沙樂美乾腸當臘肉。仲貪得意買咗啲貝殼類嘅嘢，成12 peso一公斤，點知喺隔離超市仲大隻啲賣9 peso，唉...


買完嘢六點鐘，仲有時間，喺草地聽現場表演，攤喺度聽。草地雖然有啲濕，但也舒服。有探弋樂隊，當中有華人的手風琴手，亦有唱很好難嘅華人女歌手唱"月亮代表我的心"，唔知唱乜嘅人當然覺得佢好聽，聽鄧麗君大嘅我就覺得剌耳。鄧麗君係全球華人嘅diva一啲都無錯。


仲有非華人組成嘅阿根廷蔡李佛龍虎武師，奇怪嘅係呢度啲人見到舞龍就要走去摸，好似摸狗仔咁，其實個龍頭好似狗頭 (讀狼圖騰就知我講乜)，咁得意啲人想摸下，應該無乜吉祥意思。


等到八點，終於有舞跳，Maria好發市，好多佬請佢跳。我還可以，有一個女嘅同佢跳完兩隻歌就講mucha gracia 咁就走咗，打沈咗...之後都有個跳得好好嘅同我跳Pugliese,佢講咗一大堆西話我都聽唔明, 我估佢話好熱又或者喺附近音樂會好嘈掛。


背囊啲海鮮唔可以放太耐，舞會未完就搭巴士走，好多人走，好似工展會散場咁。

啲貝殼類嘅嘢好難攪，勁浸都好多沙，又沖又洗，煮到Maria死死下。


最後拜個年，祝身心康泰。

Pleasure in fruto dolce

After a breakfast with self-made egg tart and beer, we packed our sandwich as dinner and went to see Mission Impossible 4 in a cinema. There was discount on Wednesday costing only 19 peso each. With CITI bank credit card there was priority ticket line. The movie was exciting Hollywood, that's it. After sandwich on the bus we reached Villa Malcolm (club) for class by Alejandra y Adrian, they are my nuevo favorite. Glad to see Alejandra having a baby and she could still do boleo with a tummy, amazing. She is very friendly and patient in teaching us who are still new on the nuevo. The class was big with 20 pairs. Good to see them again since Barcelona. After the class we still enjoyed the milonga, crowded floor with better music. We are in the inner circle of table (because we reserved, using spanish to write email) and able to see the performance of another couple upfront. We were too tired after the class and milonga and we left at 2am, which was early by local standard.

 

The great Sube adventure

It may be easy for locals but we had such a hard time looking for somewhere selling the limited Sube card!!!


Unlike Hong Kong, not only that you got money, be able to find any railway stations and you can buy an octopus in any service counter- it's nothing like that!


To explain first, why we need coins (moneda) in the first place?


First, we are on budget and apart from the ride from airport, we haven't got on any taxi thereafter!


Bus ride is 24 hours here (compared to subway- Subte, operating 5am-11pm on Mon-Sat and 8am-10:30pm on Sundays and holidays.) and very convenience. But the problem is the coins!


Coins are precious in Buenos Aires!!! (According to lonely planet, to be like locals you have to treat coins like your treasures) In order to get on a bus, you need coins, and no note accepted. Despite Ar$2 note exist, you must save every coins to get on a Ar$1.1-1.7@ bus!


Read this! 'Spare change? There is none in Buenos Aires!'
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0%2C8599%2C1859249%2C00.html


Despite pleading, begging and asking for coins everywhere, and telling everyone 'no moneda por autobus' in order to urge some small changes with a sorrowful face (like Adley did to the waiter in Sunderland Club after milonga), we got a glimpse of the wonderful Sube smart card that people are using! And you need only one card for your group of friends in the same bus ride.

The next thing, we start searching crazily for one!



Okay, we've asked around, some online source said its available in underground station, we tried a couple of Subte station and train station, only to find that only recharge for the card available, but not for selling.

Do you think it is a post office ?

We asked someone using it and was told its only found in post office (Correos).

Then, we found the official website, explaining how useful it is! http://www.sube.gob.ar/que-es-el-sube-2/ and have all the 'where to get it' location listed! Fantastic!


We went to the listed location nearby, it's a kiosk cum post office but the lady told us its not available there and suggest us going to some bigger post offices. We found one, queued up for half an hour and was told its all sold out!


And then Adley found the other listed post office in our neighborhood, which was either sold out or unavailable. Then he discovered a temporary Sube booth in the Constitución Train station in rejoice (while I retreat back home to make lunch after searching around our neighborhood painfully for hours in despair), when he managed to get into the long line among the locals, took out his passport and have the form filled up, there was a fire in the station and everyone fled! The fire-engine had to come into the gate and the booth near the gate was dismantled (Well, this is south america). The discontented mop cursed and left.


With limited Spanish, Adley managed to learn that they will be back same time, same place next week! Next week, not tomorrow!

He was home for lunch. We searched on the official site again, and suddenly found a Sube car will be appearing in front of the Casa Rosada for some the days only! We dashed there after lunch and luckily get our limited edition Sube card.


We are proud to learn afterwards that not all local managed to get one as its sooooooo limited!


Now we kill one problem - not having enough coins to go around the city!