Day Fifty-Four: New Friends

I feel more at home in BA.  It took 3 days, but now I’m beginning to feel situated here.  I checked the sites off of my list and now I can experience Buenos Aires the way I like to experience a place.  I’m a cultural tourist.

I sleep in and head down to the pool.  There are about 10 people here.  I start chatting with Victoria, she went to Georgetown to study foreign policy and now she is here working for a political campaign this year before going to Paris for her masters.

I meet Federica, Marine and Ana.  Ana is a member here.  Federica is from Milan and Marine is from France.  They are both students studying marketing here.  Ana buys some ingredients and we make guacamole.  They invite me to dinner later tonight.
Federica, Marine and Ana

The girls making guacamole and snacksEzequiel, Kike’s friend who I met last night, picks me and takes me for a drive around the city.  He is a musician.   He played the bass in his band, Mole, but his passion is playing the drums. 

Ezequiel is on the far leftI ask him to play his music for me.  I like it.  Click to listen.  He wrote all of the lyrics, which he translates for me. He uses a lot of metaphors.  El Bato is about a boat that capsizes and the only thing to do is swim.  He wants nothing but to survive.  It’s him or the sea.

Y el bote se volcó
en nuestro océano gris
No hay nada que decir, solo nadar.
Y todo terminó
y nadie pudo elegir
más que sobrevivir.
Soy yo o el mar

He has a background in classical music so he composed the arrangement as well.  He isn’t in the band anymore because his other job has taken up too much time, but its clear that his passion is music. 

Cups for Mate, an Argentinian drinkHe takes me to a little dessert place called Dulce where we have a delicious cake.

Cake at DulceWhen I get back to my hotel I decide to have a drink at the bar before heading to dinner.  I am talking Gus at the bar.   He plays the drums and is going to play here next Saturday.  He worked for Accenture but quit to follow his passion, music.  Maybe its just today and yesterday, but it seems like there are a lot of musicians in this city.

Parker, the owner of the clubhouse, comes by to say hello.  He is from New York.  I ask him how he ended up here.  “I came a few years ago on a trip and I loved it, so I came back.  When I was supposed to leave, it was mid-January in New York.  I decided to stay.”  He first stayed for four months and then another four.  Then he decided to do something, which is when he founded Oasis (see website, www.oasisba.com).  The company rents apartments in Bueno Aires, Sao Paulo, Florianopolis, Rio De Janiro, Colombia and Punta Del Este.  He decided to open his own property, which is the clubhouse. 

I meet Federica and Mary at La Cholas, where we have three massive steaks and a good bottle of Malbec for 179 pesos, about $44.  Apparently this kind of deal was once easy to find here, but now things have gotten more expensive at most places.  La Cholas is a gem.

Steak + wine = $15 per personThe girls tell me how rare it is to meet a nice girlfriend here.  “Argentine woman are all so beautiful, but they aren’t very friendly,” Federica explains.  “They want to be the best and they don’t want you around.”  I am reminded of the rude customs lady when I first got here.  I am happy to find such nice girls here.

Dinner at La CholasI quote Nacho (see post), “good energy attracts good energy.”  These girls have a great energy.  Marine is 21 and Federica is 26.  They don’t know what they want to do with their marketing degree.  I tell them to just meet as many people as possible and network.  I am not worried about them though.  They are beautiful, outgoing and intelligent girls.  They shouldn’t have a problem.

Marine and FedericaWe come back to the house where it is last call.  I say goodbye to Emily.  She is leaving tomorrow for Thailand for a holiday with her family.  I’ll miss her.    See more pictures.

Comments

[ali]

las cholas is the beeest! if you want a really cheap and unique meal check out cafe eros (it's on the list i gave you). it's both a restaurant and soccer club - right up your alley. hope you're eating your steak jugoso y con huevos! enjoy xox