"3 de Julio, 2010"

So this morning I woke to a quiet, seemingly empty house. I assumed Anna was at the gym and Sofi and Franco at friends' houses or still asleep. But still my fresh hot espresso was waiting. I really gotta be careful, my teeth are getting stained from all this hospitality! But I donned my jersey, grabbed my face paint and was off. My buddy Teddy and I met at Cinema for brunch to watch the game. The nerves were unbearable and the game... well like the rest of the prideful Argentinos I still don't wanna talk about it!

It's such a beautiful day today! And I finally have an afternoon of my own! No classes, no consulting amongst the group. I decided to go for a walk and let one of the perritos calleros (street dogs) be my guide. Just me and this skinny little ragamuffin strolling through the parks of Belgrano, wafting through the essence of a late Argentine afternoon. I'm sitting on an aged dusty wooden bench on a cobblestone path watching las aires buenas drift calmly over the surface of a gran lago, making ripples in the refelctions of the trees and clouds. People watching here is better than paying for a movie or live sports game! And a boy on a biycle just rode by me and tossed me a piropo, for which I returned a smile. I keep forgetting those are more than just polite, they're invitations! But when he circled around to charlar (chat), he was entirely cordial. We talked about what I was studying and that he likes Brazil and how sad that both of our futbol teams lost. I held a full conversation with a complete stranger who told me he doesn't speak a word of English! I love that I'm able to do that, but I also love that people do that in general!
I really wish I'd brought my camera right now! Because the sun is getting lower and casting this gorgeous golden edge around a checkerboard of clouds and silhouetting the trees' branches while highlighting the shimmer of the wet cobblestones. My perrito callero is back! This must be his turf! And there's a pair of giant grey geese cruising through the lake together. I hear planes taking off, the hum of surrounding traffic, bicycle bells, distant shouts from little futbol jugadores, and giggles and screams from children in every direction! There's sticks being thrown, dogs barking, athletes running. A couple perritos just jumped in the lake and are now play fighting while their owners awkwardly try to separate them. There's a pair of little boys in Adida's sportswear strutting (I kid you not!) up and down the path in front of me while their parents sit and read. The air is perfect. Soft and cool, but comfortable, restful, replenishing. I am so content. This is the first time I feel at one with the city. I trust it. I am at ease in it, as are all the people moving around me.
OK this is too cute not to document! The Adidas boys have gotten bored with dad's attempts to teach them fishing and are now throwing peanuts at the fat grey geese and squeeling with excitement! The boys, not the geese! They can't be more than 4 or 6 but you can already see the confident suave porteno aura settling on them. What a thing to be born here! The yseem to move so convictedly through everyday life with the dmug knowledge of ages of beauty in their back pocket. This place is nothing like I expected. its not wild and spicy. Its smooth and sophisticated and a little tragic, but in a very haughty way. What is it that brought me here? I mean I know why I chose here, but somedays I wonder how was I so drawn to a place with such assurance but without knowing a thing of what I would find here? There has to be some grand surprise tucked inside a secret tango milonga or stuffed inside an empanada somewhere waiting for me!