Feliz Navidad 2010

BA's obelisk as Christmas tree

All is calm, all is quiet . . . finally! Last week was hectic in Buenos Aires, as inhabitants wrapped up business and school activities and prepared to head to the beach or the mountains for summer vacations. Traffic is now down to a minimum; the constant horn-honking piles of cars, trucks, and motorcycles backed up for blocks is gone and in its place is heavenly peace and quiet. "Muy tranqui," as the porteños say.

Much of the activity in the streets seems to have revolved around the wine business. Wine deliveries to the wine stores, wine purchases at the wine stores, wine deliveries from the wine stores. We experienced this first hand at our favorite wine store right around the corner from our apartment: la Cava de Vittorio Enoteca, where Kurt had been helping our friend Eduardo Molteno cope with the holiday rush. Lots of physical as well as mental exercise: running up and down the stairs to fill orders, packing up gift boxes and bags, making deliveries both in our neighborhood and further afield (in rush hour traffic and worse), and assisting English-speaking tourists with their wine selections. And all this in record heat of 33 to 34 degrees celsius. 

On the terrace for the fireworks:
Stella, Curt, Linda, Kurt, Caron
(photo by Eduardo!)

Eduardo and his wife Stella joined us for Christmas Eve dinner at the rental apartment, along with our good-natured guests Curtis and Caron Seebaldt, the latter a classmate of Kurt's from Balboa High in the Panama Canal Zone back in the days.

We grilled a few kilos of great steaks and sausages and Eduardo served up some of his excellent wares, including one of our favorites, the delicious tannat-malbec spumante from Familia Perulan, a small bodega from Mendoza. Feliz fiesta indeed!

Linda's Medical Emergency

Nur für Krankenwagen

One of the things we really like about where we live is the proximity of just about everything we need. We walk to our grocery stores, fruit and vegetable stands, subway station, gym, shoe repair and pedicure shops, barber, bank. Early on the morning of Thursday, November 4, we even walked - albeit slowly and with several pauses - to the nearest emergency room, located about 4 blocks away at Hospital Alemán.

Linda had awakened hours before with what she thought was stomach pain that grew steadily more severe. Finally we agreed that the situation required medical attention and headed to the emergency room, where Linda was whisked right away into an exam room. There blood samples were drawn, an IV with pain killer hooked up, and an exam conducted by the very capable and personable physican on duty - Dr. Alejandro Fabian Irastorza - assisted by two eager young residents. Something was wrong with her liver. A consult with a team of surgeons was ordered, as were an ultrasound and a CT scan, all conducted promptly and efficiently. Meanwhile, with each order, Kurt was given a receipt and directed to the cashier's office. A real pay-as-you-go system for those without applicable insurance.

Eight hours later, with pain and nausea conquered, Linda was allowed to leave, but with a strict diet of no medications and only crackers, white rice and pasta, the latter of which, Dr. Irastorza said, could be flavored with a little olive oil. (Surprising how good that is!) Follow-up blood samples were conducted the next day and again three days later. Levels of bilirubin and other indicators of liver functions that had been off the chart were falling dramatically to normal levels. In the meantime, it became clear that the probable culprit was a medication that Linda had been taking for several years and that evidently had accumulated to toxic levels in her liver. That element was dispensed with and she's now long since back to a regular diet. Subsequent tests have confirmed the source and - more importantly - the resolution of the problem.

some of our "facturas"

We have no idea of what all the diagnostic procedures and professional consultations and analyses would have cost in the States. One friend has suggested at least $15,000 for the emergency room alone. Our total bill worked out to just about $1,500 USD, under the threshold for filing an out-of-network claim with our US insurer.

Feriado

Entrance to Barrio Chino

 December 8 in Argentina - as in most if not all of Latin America plus Spain - is a holiday. The Immaculate Conception of Mary. Occurring as it did on a Wednesday this year, the feriado makes for interesting vacation plans. Some folks connected to the past weekend, others to the next weekend, using the "puente" (bridge) concept we learned about decades ago in Mexico City. We applaud those who do both.

In any event,  the occasion is an opportunity to anticipate the "real" summer and holiday vacation times of late December, January, and half of February that are looming. For us, these times are the absolute best to be in the city: warm weather, blue skies, and much fewer people with whom to share the streets and the subway. And the jacarandas, of course, though past their November prime, still are gloriously lavender.

Jacarandas 2010

So this afternoon we decided to head to China Town, the very small barrio of about 4 square blocks located in the Belgrano area of town. The grocery stores there carry a good assortment of items hard to find in regular Argentine stores. We got wild rice, dried mushrooms of various types, American style freshly made oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies (go figure), and 4 cans of frijoles negros enteros imported from Mexico.

El Jefe

On the way back to the subway, we stopped at Big Mamma, a cafe attached to the Sarmiento Museum, for some liquid refreshments in the outdoor section. Next time we'll also get some food: Kurt is dying to try the Rueben that marched past our table to another guest. Linda's interested in the Salad Nicoise. Something for everyone.

Springtime in Mendoza

View from Catena Zapata bodega

A mid-November visit from Judy and Claes, Linda's sister and brother-in-law from Stockholm, was an excellent excuse to return to Mendoza Province for five days of bodega touring and wine tasting. Once again we stayed at Quinta Anabtawi just outside the small town of Lujan de Cuyo. Photos from the quinta here.

At the quinta, cherry, pear, apple, fig, almond and walnut trees plus rose, magnolia, and other flowering bushes testify to Mendoza's fertile soils and the transformative power of an irrigation system that brings snow melt from the Andes to a desert where rainfall averages less than six inches per year.

Great nose at Achaval Ferrer

 Of course, the trifecta of water, soil, and climate produces world-class wines, the underlying reason for our trip. Although Mendoza is home to literally hundreds of wineries, we concentrated on five bodegas.

Dining in style at Ruca Malen

Some were favorites from past visits - Carinae, Tempus Alba, and Ruca Malen, where we again enjoyed the 2.5 hour 5-course meal with wine pairings, complete with a wonderful view of the Andes to the west. Others - Achaval Ferrer and Catena Zapata - are now new friends. And with coaching from wine expert Claes, our wine tasting and appreciation skills are enhanced . . . though we still need to practice! More photos from the bodegas here.

Not quite to the summit!

We took a day off from bodega visits to head further into the Andes, to the base of Aconcagua. At 6,962 meters above sea level, this is the highest mountain in the world outside Asia. The name means "Stone Sentinal" in the indigenous Quechua. Our short hike on the visitors trail was enough to make Kurt vow to return for an overnight trek in the future. And more mountain photos here.

Egg production control at the quinta

Back at the quinta, down-time daylight hours were devoted to soaking up the sun, exploring the grounds, and - especially in Judy's case - encouraging egg production from resident hens Thelma and Louise. Not to mention visiting with Homero, canine director par excellence of pr and marketing. Evenings invariably featured new experiments on the parilla - all successful by both human and canine standards.

 

  Grill master at work & play

 Adios y hasta pronto

Censo 2010: We Count in Argentina

We arrived home yesterday after our wonderful trip to Fort Worth just in time to be counted in Argentina's decadal census, which took place today. Refusing to succumb to jet lag, Kurt made some speedy runs to our neighborhood grocery store, produce vendor, and bakery to replenish provisions: almost all businesses, including grocery stores and restaurants, were ordered shuttered until 8 pm on census day so that everyone in the country could be counted. The penalty for failure to comply: 5,000 Argentine pesos. The order also applied to public transportation, schools, events, just about everything except emergency facilities. For some reason, kiosks catering to the Argentine fondness for sweets also seemed to be immune to the penalty.

We woke this morning to a strange silence. No diesel-fume belching buses nor the near constant parade of yellow taxis roared down our street. Linda checked the scene from our dining room balcony: one older lady walking a small black dog. Nada mas.

Linda had to attend to the famous rental apartment, so Kurt stayed at home to wait for the censista. A nice young woman named Silvina, one of some 680,000 deployed across the nation, showed up at our apartment about 10:30 with the "short" 35-question version of the census (versus the 67-question list). How many people live in the apartment? What are our names? Where were we born? What level of education did we reach? How recently had we worked or studied? How many rooms in our apartment? They covered the 35 questions in about 4 minutes. As Kurt let Silvina out the front door, she gave him the typical Argentine beso to the cheek. Kurt loves that stuff.

In the afternoon, we hooked up with Lorenzo, our pretend dog from across the street, for a reunion walk after our 5-week absence. Usually our "walks" entail heading to a nearby cafe, where the humans have a copita de vino while Lolo chews on a rawhide bone. Alas, nothing was open. Poor Lorenzo was puzzled. We've promised to make it up to him this weekend.

Sadly, Censo 2010 will be remembered for the passing early this morning of former president Nestor Kirchner. Although we have different opinions about his political tactics, we agree on the fact that he and his wife - current president Cristina Fernandez - have done much to bring to justice those guilty of violating the human rights of tens of thousands of people during the "Guerra Sucia" of the 1970s.

For the curious: a Q&A on Censo 2010.

Water: Blog Action Day 2010

Today is Blog Action Day and this year's topic is water. It's hard to think of a subject that is more crucial to life. Yet, as organizers note, almost a billion people on the planet lack access to clean, safe drinking water. That’s one in every eight people.

"Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation."

Furhermore, according to the United States Fund of UNICEF, about 4,500 children worldwide die each day from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation facilities. Over 90% of deaths from diarrhea caused by unsafe water and sanitation occur in chidlren under 5 years of age. "The poor are especially hard hit. An infant born in sub-Saharan Africa is 520 times more likely to die from disease than a child born in Europe or the United States."

What can you do? An easy first step is to support the UN's work to supply clean, safe drinking water to the world's poorest populations by signing this petition.

Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition »

¡Felicidades Joey y Lauren!

Los novios se casaron el 25 de septiembre en Fort Worth, Texas.

It was a wonderful wedding, followed by a fun reception, full of happiness and joy. We parents of the groom are ecstatic.

The newlyweds just returned late last night from their honeymoon in the Bahamas, and today returned to their home in Tyler.

More candid photos of the Adkins and Fernandez families and the attendants here.

Photos of the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner here.

Suited to a T

First item on the agenda upon returning to Buenos Aires from Spain: getting Kurt fitted for a suit at "Sastreria Fabio," the tailor around the corner from our apartment. Fabio, a spry gentleman who looks at least a decade younger than his 70 years, learned how to create made-to-measure suits and handle other tailoring chores in his native Naples, Italy, where he apprenticed before immigrating to Argentina.

Fabio explained that when he turned 13 his father gave him two options to roaming the streets with his friends: continuing his schooling or learning a trade. He apprenticed with a tailor for four years, earning knowledge and the occasional monetary tip from his mentor when his capabilities expanded. Lamentablemente, he says, he has had no luck recruiting his own apprentice to carry on the trade.

Kurt was measured for the suit on August 9. For the jacket, a two-button front, three functioning buttons on the sleeves, and two side vents. For the pants, two coin pockets and no cuffs. European style sensibilities prevailed; Fabio dismissed the American predilection for center vents, for example, on the grounds that they rumple too easily.

The first fitting (above right) was August 24. Second fitting was September 1. We picked up the finished suit today (left).  ¡Muy elegante! And just in time for the wedding of favorite son Joey to adorable Lauren on September 25.

Barcelona the Beautiful: A Fitting End to Our 2010 Tour of Spain

We left Haro on July 23, heading east to Barcelona for the final five nights of our tour of Spain. Our drive took us through numerous wind farms, with turbines whirling as far as the eye could see. They reminded us of the storks we had to leave behind in Haro.

We made an unscheduled stop at Lleida, prompted by an article favorite daughter Belén had spotted in the day's edition of El País. Citing fire concerns, the city council had ordered a mosque (actually a garage converted into a prayer hall) closed. The city had earlier prohibited the wearing of full veils in public. Check out Belén's article on the controversy here.

Once in Barcelona, we were able to navigate fairly easily to the Eixample neighborhood, where we had rented a two-bedroom apartment full of Modernista architectural charm but also plagued by a few problems with the hot water heater. Fortunately, another apartment became available . . .

We fell in the love with the neighborhood. Incredible architecture (photos here) was all around us, thanks to Gaudi and his peers. We were reminded of Buenos Aires, but with a thorough steam cleaning and some expansion of sidewalks and streets. We were close to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia (photos here), whose trademark spires we could see from our window, and to the Barcelona city park, or, as it's called in Catalan, "parc de la ciutadella." (Park photos here.) This gem of a green space also houses the Catalan parliament (photos here).

Unlike the Basque language, Catalan is a romance language and similar enough to Spanish that we could understand at least the written version. Try your hand at deciphering this important billboard. Twenty extra points for naming the event it celebrates!

We walked and walked and walked and walked some more. A memorable excursion was our long walk down La Rambla (which quickly became NOT our favorite part of the city) to the port and then over to the Barceloneta neighborhood and the beach. Photos of the port here; photos of the beach here.

And, of course, we made plenty of excursions to restaurants. Our favorite was de Tapa Madre, where we spent one evening catching up with Kurt's niece Sofia and her boyfriend William, who happened to be enjoying their own memorable vacation in Spain before starting college. (Politico Buck Dean also stopped by the table, trying to round up a few votes, but this wasn't a "lock and load" crowd.) In addition to great dishes, de Tapa Madre serves Blanc Pescador, our favorite Spanish white wine and a product of Catalunya. Just a little fizzy, thanks to a short second fermentation. You gotta try it.

El Pais Vasco, or What Do Kurt and St. Ignatius Loyola Have in Common?

Halfway through our stay in Haro, favorite daughter Belén finally recovered from the nasty bug that tagged along with her from London, and all three of us made a day trip to the Basque Country, up higher in the hills and toward the coast, where the fog and cool temperatures set a different mood that complemented the Euskara (Basque) language on highway directions and street signs.

Our first stop was Azpeitia, an incredibly picturesque little burg that was the birthplace of Kurt's great-great-grandmother on his mother's mother's side. Doña Vicenta Azpiazu was the paternal grandmother of Belén Arocena (mother of Kurt's mom Jeanette and namesake of favorite daughter).

Upon our arrival in Azpeitia, we quickly realized that the town was perhaps better known as the birthplace of San Ignatius of Loyola, whose remains are interred in the small yet elegant cathedral built around his family home. Ignatius experienced his famous conversion here as well as he recovered from life-threatening battle wounds. He went on to  establish the Society of Jesus to serve as an army of God. Not surprisingly, Ignatius is the patron saint of soldiers.

The cathedral and its grounds (photos here) are like a mini-Vatican, a jurisdiction unto itself. Directions to the town (photos here) right across the street are provided just in case. There we had a great meal in Kirkuri, a restaurant with no menus: the waitress recites the litany of options, starting with the appetizer, then progressing to main course, and culminating with dessert. Self-serve wine also provided. Total cost: 12 euros per person.

Well provisioned, we headed off to Guernica, ancient capital of the Basques and the target of a devastating bombing attack by German aircraft at the behest of Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Following Franco's death many years later, the Basque Country regained some of its autonomy, including use of the Basque language. Many still call for complete autonomy, as demonstrated by this highway overpass sign. It's hard to argue with them. Photos of Guernica here.

La Rioja Part II: Holy Moley!

Haro is located on one of the major routes of the Camino de Santiago, which wends its way another 600 kilometers to the Basilica of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. Walking through and around Haro one finds all sorts of signage directing pilgrims along their way, most incorporating some variant on the seashell, a symbol of St. James/Santiago.

Nearby is the town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, named for its favorite son, who in the 10th century built bridges, roadways, and a hospital to help travelers on the road to Santiago. The cathedral in Santo Domingo contains the remains of the saint, along with a coop full of live chickens, honoring Dominic's most famous miracle.

The story is that a young man was wrongfully hanged for a crime he did not commit. When his parents went to remove his body from the gallows, they found he was still alive. They rushed to the local authority, disrupting his lunch of roasted chicken. "Your son," he assured the parents, "is no more alive than this chicken," at which the bird rose up from the plate and began crowing. 

Santo Domingo - for all you engineers out there - is the patron saint of roads, bridges, and water projects. Just in case you need a little help. . . . 

Down the road from Santo Domingo de la Calzada is the village of San Millán de la Cogolla, home of the Suso ("upper") and Yuso ("lower") monasteries. The former was founded in the 6th century and the latter 10 centuries later. The monasteries have been designated a UN World Heritage Site; the first written evidence of the Spanish language comes from Suso, where monks annotated Latin texts with the vernacular. 

More photos of Santo Domingo de la Calzada here. Photos of San Millán here.

La Rioja Part I: Storks & Wine and More Argentines

Favorite daughter Belén never made it to Nerja; her interview with Rattansi & Ridley plus other business matters had kept her in London until our last day in southern Spain. So as we left Nerja on the morning of July 16, we drove first to the nearby city of Málaga, where we picked her up at the airport before turning north toward La Rioja, considered by many to be the premier wine country of Spain. (Tho for us Argentine wine is still the best!)

We arrived in Haro about 9 pm, about an hour before sundown. We were pleasantly surprised by a cool mountain breeze that required us to pull out our sweaters. A nice - albeit shortlived - change from the heat of the south. Through HomeExchange, we had arranged to trade our rental apartment in Buenos Aires for a comfortable loft in Haro, in a building owned and operated by a Spaniard and his Argentine wife, Sandra. Another small world moment.

Haro is a delightful town, very manageable in size and full of picture-perfect architecture and landscapes. And the food is quite tasty, especially at our favorite restaurant Terete, specializing since 1877 in cordero asado (roasted lamb). Who knew roast lamb was so good? We also recommend the roasted chicken and the bean and chorizo soup. Alas, we never got around to trying out the desserts. 


Haro bills itself as the wine capital of the wine province, a claim that certainly seems fairly justified by the numerous bodegas around the town as well as the many wine and tapas bars in the center.

The most impressive venue we visited was Bodega López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, the third oldest bodega in the province and a real gem of facility, with eye-popping facilities, hand-hewn storage caverns underneath the production area, its own barrel-making workshop, and a delightful tasting room. More photos from this and other bodegas in the area here.

Also impressive were the storks that seemed to have built their huge nests on just about every chimney and steeple in the town. From our living room we could see - and hear - 4 pairs of storks, some still with offspring that showed up regularly at dinner time. Rather than singing or chirping, storks clatter their long beaks while making gutteral noises. Kurt mastered a very good imitation of the interesting sound that is produced. Stork watching became a ritual, as evidenced by this small sample of many many stork photos we took. And for those similarly smitten with these huge gawky miracles of flight, here's a fact sheet on their habits.

World Cup Madness & Family Reunion in Nerja

We arrived in Nerja, a short drive from Granada, just in time to watch the final game of the 2010 Copa Mundial and then celebrate Spain's first-ever championship with just about everyone in town. A few dejected Dutch fans (see below left) were the only exceptions to the jubilant crowds parading through the streets and - in some cases - fountains dressed in red and yellow and wrapped in and/or carrying the Spanish flag.

Lots of photos from that memorable evening. Days later we were still hearing spontaneous bursts of creativity from the bar down from our wonderful rental apartment (thanks Frans & Nuttee), as inspired Spaniards burst out with new songs commemorating the campeones del once de julio.

Nerja, located on the Costa del Sol, is an old town that caters more to tourists from other European countries, unlike than the newish resort of Oropesa del Mar, where almost everyone seemed to be Spanish. It is also the birthplace of Kurt's great-grandmother on his mother's side. Angustias Centurión, mother of his maternal grandfather, was born here in the 1880s, moving as an infant to Cuba, where her military father was stationed to help stifle rebellious initiatives. Angustias later immigrated with her husband to Tampa, Florida, where "El Boy" Fernández (Kurt's mother's father) was born. Meanwhile, the Centurión clan has continued to prosper in Nerja, and Kurt has many distant relatives there.

In our first trip to Nerja in 2000, we met three elderly nieces of Angustias and some of their children. Ten years later, the ladies had passed on, but we reconnected with Loli and Miguel, children of Dolores. Together, they still operate the "Bar Italica" in Plaza Cavana, near the Balcón de Europa. We also met Linda, another Centurión, born in England, whose grandfather was the eldest uncle of Loli and Miguel. Family photos here.

We also got in some serious beach time, along with the usual culinary adventures. Our best find was Jaipur's Indian restaurant, a short walk from the apartment. Jaipur's serves a special wine - named Balti - blended to complement various categories of spicy Indian foods. In the small world department, the blend of chenin and chardonnay we selected comes from Mendoza, Argentina. When we get back home, we're going to track it down. The Argentine connection continues.

We're Out of Argentina, but Argentina Isn't Out of Us

The evening of July 5th, we headed north to escape the coming Argentine winter. About 36 hours and many many valuable Continental miles later, we landed in Barcelona, Spain, where we picked up a rental car and started off for a 3-week vacation in the sun.

Our first stop - fortuitous, since it was the only one not planned in advance - was Oropesa del Mar, along Spain's eastern Costa Azahar, about a 3-4 hour drive south of Barcelona.

The Marina D'Or resort complex there was a wonderful place to get some beach time after the long trip from Buenos Aires and then watch Spain beat Germany to advance to the final game of the World Cup. In the ensuing jubilation we gained lots of little-while friends and learned some valuable chants and songs, such as "Soy español, español, español; soy español, español, español." This easy to remember and quite manageable ditty came in handy the night of July 11, a date now forever etched into the hearts of españoles everywhere. But more on that in a later posting. More photos from Oropesa here.

Next stop: the Alhambra in Granada. Ever since her first visit in 2000 to this grand complex of mainly Moorish architecture and landscaping with Reyes Católicos overlays, Linda had wanted to stay on the grounds for a few nights. The Hotel América, an economical alternative to the Parador next door, more than adequately served the purpose. We had purchased tickets in advance for a day-time visit of the gardens and post-Moorish structures and a wonderful night-time tour of the Nasrid Palaces, built in the 14th century. Photos of the grounds here; photos from the night tour of the palaces here.

What we didn't know was that the 59th annual music and dance festival also was going on. Featured performers the days we were there included Rodolfo Mederos, famed Argentine bandoneon player whom we have heard twice in Buenos Aires, and Daniel Barenboim, Israeli-Argentine pianist and conductor, whom we will see directing the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (coincidentally based in Sevilla in southern Spain) at the Teatro Colon in August.

But the biggest surprise was running into Argentine president Cristina Fernández (no relation), stopping by briefly on her way home from an official visit to China. We knew something was afoot when we saw a security detail (obvious from the earplugs) casing the restaurant of the Parador, accompanied by officials using such typically Argentine phrases as "chau chau" and "besitos." We returned after dinner time for a glass of wine and, despite security attempts to block us, were able to snag a photo of the presidenta without her trademark heavy make-up and wearing eyeglasses. Even presidentas suffer jetlag.

Music & Human Beings

Last week our destinies connected with those of some wonderful people from very different backgrounds, all thanks to our daughter Belén, and we are now part of a larger effort to bring to Buenos Aires UNESCO Artist for World Peace Marcel Khalifé. Marcel learned to play the oud growing up in Lebanon and has composed numerous lyrical and orchestral works incorporating both Arabic and western instruments. His compositions have been performed around the world, in such venues as the Kennedy Center, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, La Scala, and more.

Mustafa Habib, Marcel's manager based in Houston, had graciously given Belén permission to use one of Marcel's compositions for the promotional video of her book Coffee with Hezbollah. When we learned that Mustafa was trying to arrange a Latin American tour showcasing Marcel's new symphonic works, we volunteered to help out however we could in Buenos Aires. Shortly thereafter we attended a program in the National Library put on by the Argentine - Arab community celebrating Palestine culture, with a special focus on poet Mahmoud Darwish, many of whose poems Marcel has put to music. At the reception following the program, we approached a young man who had accompanied with the oud a recitation of a Darwish poem. Thus we met the Attar family, five generations of Argentine Lebanese who speak Arabic as well as Spanish and English and who promote Lebanese and Arabic culture through a variety of organizations. Immediately, the Attars signed up to lend their considerable good will, talents, and resources to bring Marcel and his work to Argentina.

Mustafa flew to Buenos Aires last week for a whirlwind of meetings with community leaders and embassy and city officials organized by Daniel Attar. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and the planning is continuing for a 2011 concert in Buenos Aires. We tagged along for several of these meetings as well as quite a few social occasions, including watching Argentina beat Mexico in the World Cup at the Attar house.

We have been impressed not only with the talents and graciousness of the Attar family but also their genuine respect for all human beings. To commandeer a favorite saying of Daniel, we thank our God for our new friends. (Above right, Mustafa and Daniel at the Attar house; above left, meeting with the Buenos Aires Cultural Office.) More photos here.

¡Gol Gol Gol Gol!

Argentina came pretty close to a complete stop this morning as the national team played its second game in the World Cup, beating South Korea 4-1 and taking the lead in Group B with 2 solid wins. Offices and shops opened late; schools adhered to normal start time, but devoted the first 90 minutes of the day to the televised broadcast of the game. The word is this decision was made to prevent the heavy absenteeism that occured during the 2006 World Cup.

Although the spontaneous post-game marches to the Obelisk have not yet reached traffic-stopping volumes, futbol fever is already at epidemic levels. The Argentine public television system is broadcasting all the games of the national team and many of the other matches, as well, and the huge Plaza San Martin has been turned into "Fan Park," where multitudes gather to watch the games on a giant screen. Light blue and white - the colors of the Argentine flag and the national team - appear on everything, and Maradona and Messi are the favorite topics of conversation.

We've got our own little Messi figurine - free with the purchase of a 4-pack of Energizer batteries - watching over our World Cup schedule. Eyes on the prize. ¡Vamos Argentina!

A Day of Gilt

Last Sunday we made our second trip to the newly reopened Teatro Colon, this time for the monthly free concert at 11 am. Kurt got to the opera house in time to snag two first-come, first-served tickets in the 18th row of the ''platea,'' which usually go for around $125 USD. The Camerata Bariloche played pieces by Rossini, Albinoni, Suk, and Fernando Hasaj, a violinist and the group's musical director, who died unexpectedly in his early 50s shortly before the performance. The program was dedicated to him.

Everything about the renovation of the theater makes you feel good, from the new red velvet on the comfortable seats to the old world curtains framing the entrances to the balconies. Everything shines, especially the music. We have always heard that the higher you sit the better the sound. But we found the acoustics at orchestra level to be as superb as in the galeria. Luciano Pavarotti reportedly said that the acoustics at the Teatro Colon were so good that every mistake could be heard. On Sunday we understood what he meant. Toward the end of a program a piece of sheet music slid off a stand. Hitting the floor it made as much noise as the snare drum used in the piece.

Afterwards we headed across Avenida 9 de Julio to Palacio Español, one of our favorite "special occasion" restaurants and a fitting follow-up to the Teatro Colon excursion, since it was founded in the same year (1908). Like the Teatro, the Palacio shines in both form and in function. Following an appetizer of garlic soup, we shared a huge paella, fit for a king. And after such a day of gilt, we indeed felt like royalty.

"Estado Sionista, Vos Sos El Terrorista"

Friday evening we walked from Congreso down Avenida 5 de Mayo to the Israeli Embassy in Argentina.

We walked with a few thousand other people in protest of the murder of 9 activists aboard the lead ship of the Freedom Flotilla, attacked in international waters by Israeli commandos on May 31 as they attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip, themselves victims of an Israeli blockade that violates both international law and all standards of human decency.

"Estado sionista, vos sos el terrorista." ("Zionist state, YOU are the terrorist.")

A Night at the Opera

Last night we attended the first public performance held in the newly renovated Teatro Colon, regarded as one of the top opera houses and classical music venues in the world for its superlative acoustics. The grand reopening caps almost four years of work on the theatre, which first opened its doors in 1908.

The photo on the right shows the view from our seats, up in the "galeria,'' right below "paraiso," where the cheapest tickets (some less than $1 USD) buy you a place to stand with the best sound in the house.

On the stage below us unfolded the story of La bohème, by Giacomo Puccini. Coincidentally, on June 16, 1896, Buenos Aires was the site of the first performance of this opera outside of Italy. Click here to listen to Anna Netrebko sing Musetta's aria in Act II.

We've already bought our tickets for performances by Yo-Yo Ma on June 11 and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, playing Beethoven's 9th Symphony on August 25. We'll be sitting one level down, in the "tertulia." Our tickets for these performances cost $10 each. Casi regalado.