No, not ‘mate’ as in your Australian friend, ‘mah-tay’ as in the Argentinian tea. Everybody drinks it constantly here to the extent that water dispensers have hot water so you can top up your mate on the go. The Yerba Mate plant is a species of the holly genus and is a native
Buying wine is always a tricky exercise, especially when in a new country. Last night I had a very ordinary bucket of wine with my dinner (I only drank half of it) which did not make me happy. Today’s mission: acquire a decent bottle of wine. This I did, but twas with trepidation
This morning I found myself, an Australian in Argentina, drinking my morning coffee next to a French couple. It surprised me that I understood them and took me while to realise why – I’m used to hearing Spanish here and not understanding most of it. It then dawned on me that the funky
An afternoon spent learning to tango, then actually tangoing in a big old room in the centre of Buenos Aires, the home of tango. The old tango orchestras made beautiful music and the old recordings have a little crackle on the edge, which is quite charming. The music is endlessly fascinating, crisp, and
Buenos Aires has all the architecture of a city once rich, but she is now in decline. Thus buildings are still impressive but they’re tired and run down. The apartment I’m staying in would have once been stunning, but sadly no longer. It’s currently a share house (the other residents are four boys
I did the grown up thing and caught a taxi from the airport to my accommodation in Buenos Aires. It was worth the extra dollars for the ease and speed after a long haul flight, particularly because my driver, Martín, was so nice. He was happy for me to converse in my very
Walking through the international double doors in Melbourne Airport always makes me grin like a cheshire cat. Once you’re through there’s no going back – whatever you packed is it, whatever you forgot to organise at home has to take care of itself, and the adventure has begun. The cherry on the top, however, is
A packed suitcase holds many promises: adventure, rest, forgetfulness, and breaking free from the things that bind us.
Five weeks off work would make anyone happy, and I’m no exception. An adventure across the Pacific awaits with tango shoes and a foreign language. Sleeping in, dancing late, discovering a new city with its food, culture and songs, meeting people, having time to think, create, wonder and wander. See you Friday, Buenos Aires!
I was blown away by the music of Argentinian legend Astor Piazzolla at a concert in 2012 by French accordionist Richard Galliano. He was joined by the Piazzolla Forever Septet and it was an incredible concert, like a fire on stage. With all the depth and variety of the