Bulletins From BA #21

Bulletins From BA #21

11 febrero 2014

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Ecuador”

Air travel within South America is seriously expensive and that has unavoidably curtailed the number of Anne’s official trips I can afford to tag along on. But since she was scheduled to travel to Ecuador and this might be my only shot, we decided to spend the money.

It was so worth it.

Día Uno - Having arrived round midnight at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport after a long flight from Buenos Aires, we checked into our hotel and promptly crashed. Fortunately, we had a free day before A.J. got down to bidness, so we spent a few hours shlepping around the Old Town area. The high point of the day (not withstanding an Afro-Ecuadorian busker effortlessly juggling seven balls at a traffic stop) was La Compañia, an exercise in gold-leafed ecclesiastical extravagance. We then had a fine lunch at a family-run-hole-in-the-wall, before returning to the hotel in time to watch the Super Bowl. Which was unexpectedly staggering.

[Topographical Sidebar - BA is at sea level. Quito is at an elevation of 2800 m (9350 ft). Welcome to the Andes, where breathing is not always autonomic.]

Día Dos - We arose at 04:00 (That’s right, 4 AM - forget that whole “glamourous Foreign Service lifestyle” nonsense.) to meet with the Director of the Embassy Quito IRC (Information Resource Center) and catch a plane to the small city of Loja. At the airport, pandemonium was the order of the day. Seems that Tungurahua volcano had inconveniently erupted, necessitating the cancellation of a boatload of flights. But we did finally make ours, and arrived at Ciudad de Catamayo Airport where we were picked up and whisked across the mountains to Loja.

Since Loja is not a major tourist destination, tagging along with Anne seemed to be the more entertaining option. After meeting with the muy amable couple who operate the local BNC (BiNational Center), it was time for almuerzo (lunch) at Mama Lola Restaurante, a terrific place serving local Ecuadorian food. We especially enjoyed the horchata, a drink made from flowers. Our gracious hosts then took us to a shop where we acquired copious quantities of bocadillo, a delicious candy made from sugar cane.

[Numismatic Sidebar - The U.S. greenback is also the official currency of Ecuador, although Ecuadorians use $1 coins and .50 pieces extensively. The $1 bill is, thankfully in my opinion, a rarity.]

Our final stop in Loja was the American Corner located at UTLP (La Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja), a lovely campus located on a hillside overlooking the town. I enjoyed sitting in the shade, luxuriating in the gentle breeze, and casually observing the impossibly young estudiantes.

Continuará en Bulletins From BA #22.

Gracias.

Bulletins From BA #20

Bulletins From BA #20

22 diciembre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

[Housekeeping Note: Those of you who are new to this mailing list can catch up on previous postings at www.rodgerfrench.blogspot.com.ar.]

                                     

A.J. and I are halfway through our official tour of duty in Buenos Aires, an appropriate time to comment on some things I like about the place and other things, not so much. So, at the risk of redundancy, here are a few quotidian items for your consideration.

Sí - Nuestro Apartamento

We are muy afortunados to have scored a swell apartment. Though not humongous, it is capacious enough to comfortably accommodate us and occasional out-of-towners. All the mechanicals work and the landlady, portero (superintendent), and security guards are muy amable and look out for us. The barrio, Palermo Chico, is one of the safest and most convenient neighborhoods in the city and our balcony overlooks Avenida del Libertador, a 10-lane boulevard lined with large trees and many public parks.

Since the Embassy and all our basic shopping needs are within walking distance, we haven’t needed a car and the attendant headaches. And, we have no green space to mow, trim, rake, groom, or generally waste our time with. (To paraphrase Mary Randolph Carter: “A well tended lawn is the sign of a misspent life.” We do have a plant. We call it “Fred.”)

[Also worth noting… we live one block from an heladería that regularly features 2-for-1 kilos of unreasonably sublime ice cream.]

No - Inflación

Though not as dire as during the depression of 1998-2002, inflation is still a major problem in Argentina. For us, it is particularly noticeable compared to inflation in the United States, which has been at historic lows for years.

Sí - Tango

Tango is not hard to come by más o menos anywhere in the world. But in Buenos Aires, it is permeating: Tango radio, Tango TV, Tango theatre, Tango festivals, Tango turistas, Tango buskers… Tango is everywhere. And, at the risk of lapsing into fluent cliché, Tango really does get to the heart of this city.

No - Comida

It pains me to say this, but the food is Buenos Aires is, well, boring. Not bad, just aburrido. Porteños like what they like and are not particularly adventurous in their dining habits. (In most cafés and restaurants, the only seasoning you find on the table is salt. Period.) There are exceptions, of course, notably lomo (beef tenderloin), chimichuri sauce, and the aforementioned helado (ice cream).

Sí - Taxis

Buenos Aires has a very good public transit system, but we really like being able to hail a taxi at any time. As gringos, we’ve been exploited now and then; but, in general, our experiences with the local taxistas have been positive. I have had many interesting conversations and more than a few downright enjoyable wild rides.

No - La Embajada de E.E.U.U.

The people who work at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires are great, but the building itself is ugly, overcrowded, and unhealthy. And, since Argentina is generally considered a less than high-priority post, we make the best of it.

Sí - Perros

There are few things as entertaining as watching a paseador de perros (dog walker) with a boatload of leashed dogs headed to the park to do their doggie bidness. We especially enjoy the breed-specific packs (e.g., beagles, miniature poodles, labs). Also noted: In eighteen months of walking the streets of Buenos Aires, I have stepped in caca de perro exactly never. It is one of my proudest accomplishments.

Anne and I are now looking forward to our second expat Christmas in BA. So, in the spirit of the season and in consideration of the illusory “War on Christmas” currently being waged on the battlefields of some small caliber minds back home, permit me to proffer a possibly helpful suggestion. When someone wishes you a “(positive adjective followed by specific occasion),” the appropriate response is simplicity itself: “Thanks. And the same to you.”

“Gracias. Igualmente.”

¡ Saludos del Solsticio, Felices Fiestas, Feliz Navidad y un Próspero Año Nuevo!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #19

Bulletins From BA #19

16 noviembre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Cachi-Cafayate”

A.J. and I were keen to return to Salta Province in northwest Argentina, having visited briefly during the triumphant BNC Tour (Bulletin #14). So when my best friend from high school and his lovely wife (W&E) decided to visit Argentina for the first time, we determined that a return to Salta would be just the ticket.

With the invaluable assistance of Ricardo, our go-to tour operator, we booked a car and driver to shlep us around a circuit that began in Salta and proceeded west to Cachi, south to Cafayate, and finally north back to Salta: 6 days/5 nights. It was a great trip. Cue the highlight reel.

Altitude - Varied from Salta (1187 m/3894 ft.) to Piedra del Molino (3347 m/10,980 ft., where we saw Andean condors at close range. At the higher altitudes, I had to occasionally remind myself to actually, you know, breathe. But the use of coca leaves really did make a difference.

Ruta 40 - The longest road in Argentina, running 5140 km/3194 mi., parallel to las montañas de los Andes. In many places, the road is paved; where we travelled, not so much. We found ourselves mostly on dirt surfaces, often wide enough for only one vehicle. (Our reliable driver helpfully informed us that the biggest hazard we faced was the possibility of encountering a reckless Israeli tourist in a rented 4x4.)

Scenery - Looks much like areas of the American West, and is fraught with spectacular geological formations with colorful names such as Los Castillos (The Castles), Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), and Quebrada de las Flechas (Gorge of the Arrows). We also saw muchos cactus in bloom, especially in the Parque Nacional Los Cardones.

Commerce - Local artisanos set up shop along the way, selling all manner of goods, much of which is of very high quality. Particularly memorable was a side trip to Seclantás to visit the familia Guzmán compound. The Guzmáns are renowned weavers, specializing in cubrecamas (bedspreads), chales (shawls), and ponchos (ponchos), including a magnificent red numero made expressly for el Papa (Pope) Francisco. We saw the photos; he looked good in it.

Los Niños de Llullaillaco - Five hundred years ago, three Incan children journeyed to the 22,000 ft. summit of a volcano near what is now the Chilean border. From The New York Times:

“The children were sacrificed as part of a religious ritual, known as capacocha. They walked hundreds of miles to and from ceremonies in Cuzco and were then taken to the summit of Llullaillaco (yoo-yeye-YAH-co), given chicha (maize beer), and, once they were asleep, placed in underground niches, where they froze to death. Only beautiful, healthy, physically perfect children were sacrificed, and it was an honor to be chosen. According to Inca beliefs, the children did not die, but joined their ancestors and watched over their villages from the mountaintops like angels.”

Their mummified remains are on display and their haunting story is told at the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña (MAAM) in Salta. One wonders what the Incan gods make of that.

Los Niños de Autobús Tourístico - We found ourselves on the same tourist route as a group of about a dozen very nice 5^th graders and their chaperones. Turns out that one of the muchachos had won a logo design contest for a Salta tourism campaign, “Una Sonrisa para un Turista” (“A Smile for a Tourist”). As a reward, he and his whole class were treated to una gran excursión. Muy cool.

For us, this was the last major Argentine aventura until 2014. But W&E will be staying on for another week, all the better to explore Buenos Aires. Anne and I also have plans for a modest Thanksgiving that includes neither turkey nor “Black Friday.”

¡Adelante!

Rodger

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Bulletins From BA #18

Bulletins From BA #18

21 octubre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Like any great city, Buenos Aires offers innumerable opportunities to hear live music. And although we don’t make the same effort to get out and listen as we once did (age and gravity do take their toll), from time to time A.J. and I flag a taxi and venture forth, usually to some interesting older theatre with horrible seats, to better inform our cultural outlook. Here are two examples for your consideration.

I - “Tango en Concierto”

Orquesta Nacional de Música Argentina “Juan de Dios Filiberto”

(www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_Dios_Filiberto_National_Orchestra_of_Argentine_Music)

From the program notes (my translation): “In 1932, the composer Juan de Dios Filiberto founded the ‘Orquesta Porteña’ which in 1948, under the high patronage to the arts made ​​by the government of General Juan Domingo Peron, passed into the orbit of the National State.

Today Orquesta Nacional de Música Argentina ‘Juan de Dios Filiberto’ continues with its mission: to ‘develop, prioritize and promote music in all its Argentine manifestations with the goal to increase and form a national consciousness among the people’.”

I heard about this concert via Facebook from Sergio Rivas, an Argentine contrabass player with whom a friend of mine (with whom I use to play) has studied tango. The program included three selections by the orquesta, a “Trípitico para Contrabajo y Orquesta” con Solista Sergio Rivas, and several pieces featuring Trio (Martinez) 2+ Lifschitz. (Flute, guitar, bass, drums.)

It was a great program. Sergio is a wonderful bassist, the Trio is simply terrific, and the Orquesta… well, this was my first opportunity to listen to a group of más o menos 40 excellent musicians play tango. It was a wicked impressive experience. And, as is customary, the audience of porteños did not hesitate to make their enthusiasm known.

II - “Treemonisha” de Scott Joplin (Estreno en Argentina)

OID Opera (www.oidopera.com.ar)

I have in my musical back pocket several Ragtime compositions by Scott Joplin. Each is a small jewel and I am grateful that they translate so well from the original piano scores to the accordion. Joplin is a justifiably esteemed composer who passed, at the age of 49, much too soon.

That said, I must admit that I know next to nothing about “Treemonisha” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treemonisha), Joplin’s grand operatic work, which was never properly produced during his lifetime. So, props to OID Opera for giving it a go and premiering it in Argentina. My experience of the evening was, unfortunately, less than satisfactory.

The major problem was that the 19-piece orchestra had serious intonation issues that could not readily be ignored. The singers were good, although the balance with the orchestra was hit-or-miss. The libretto, sung in English, was largely unintelligible, a not unexpected state of affairs in operatic productions. There were supertitles, of course. En español. Oh well, what can you do?

“Treemonisha” was meant to be performed by African-Americans, which is pretty tricky in Argentina, due to a severe scarcity of opera singers of African descent. So, members of the cast wore “conventional theatrical blackface,” à la Placido Domingo portraying Otello. The effect was discomfiting, particularly for those of us who are somewhat schooled on the history of blackface in America and its racist connotations.

[Sidebar: Can’t recall if I’ve recommended this before, but a rather thorough and strangely entertaining overview of blackface and minstrelsy is afforded in the film “Bamboozled,” directed by Spike Lee. Dude did his research.]

Finally, the venue, Teatro Empire (designed in Art Deco mode as a pretty cool hybrid of space ship and bee hive), was built in 1934. And still has THE ORIGINAL SEATS. From the moment we sat down, we experienced acute distress, a vexation that would have made it difficult to enjoy even a great performance, never mind a problematic one. Oh, bueno, ¿qué puedes hacer?

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #17

Bulletins From BA #17

09 octubre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

[Noted in Passing - Today is John Lennon’s 73^rd birthday.]

Unbelievably, it’s been two months since the last Bulletin. I would apologize for flagrant dereliction of duty as correspondent, but I simply haven’t had much to report, certainly nothing worth your precious reading time. But in the interests of inter-hemispheric communication and not being totally forgotten (“He’s still in Buenos Aires? Really?”), here goes.

It took long enough, but Anne and I finally made it to an actual milonga, a place where normal people go to dance tango and participate in its peculiar rituals. We had guests in from the States, so we took them to El Niño Bien, a venerable milonga held weekly in a local community center and recommended to us by our friends Cherie and Ruben, who are professional tango instructors. What really sealed the deal was the fact that the event started at 7:00 PM, not midnight, as is the norm.

As you might expect, it was an older crowd that packed the place and filled the capacious dance floor. A.J. and I demurred on actually dancing (I am fearless when it comes to playing tango on the accordion, but the dance is complex and intimidates the hell out of me.) and spent an absolutely lovely evening drinking champagne, chatting in imperfect español, and watching older tangueros in suave suits dance with well turned-out ladies in fabulous shoes. It was una noche excelente.

Speaking of excellent nights, this past weekend I was invited to perform a short set as part of the celebration for the 70^th Anniversary of ARICANA, the Binational Center (BNC) in Rosario, some 300km from Buenos Aires. As compensation, ARICANA agreed to pick up the tab for expenses. So, since shlepping an accordion on a bus is a burdensome proposition (at least), Anne and I contracted with Ricardo, our inestimable go-to tour operator, to hire a remise (private car) and driver (Javier), who took very good care of us. Our hotel was simple, satisfactory, and not far from the event.

The show consisted of myself, students from a local school of musical theatre (complete with tango as well as a delightfully cheesy version of “New York, New York”), and a local chorus that sang, among other things, Negro spirituals in dialect, complete with Spanish accent. (A brief pause while you consider that.)

[Critics Sidebar - The accordion player’s performance was “un gran éxito” (a great success), being described by various astute audience members as "romántico", "emocional" y "sentimental". In Argentina, these are words of high praise indeed.]

Following this epic production, the assemblage was fêted with drinks and a four-course dinner, making for an altogether wonderful soirée. It was an honor to have been included.

News Update - Some of you have inquired about the local effects of the current shutdown of the U.S. government. We are still up and running in Buenos Aires, but many Embassy functions and activities have been curtailed or strictly limited. For the moment, no one has been furloughed, but that will change, should this impasse continue. The shutdown is very bad news.

Culpability for this totally preventable debacle resides, false equivalencies aside, squarely with the GOP Congressional delegation. As a group, they covet power, but function only to impose their will, regardless of logic or consequence. Their sanctimonious disdain for governance, the job they were constitutionally elected to do, is matched only by their documentable incompetence.

Moreover, they are intellectually circumscribed and spiritually malicious. They proclaim their patriotism, but behave like terrorists holding our economy hostage, like bumptious vandals willing, indeed, eager to bring down our entire government. They bring discredit to the United States and I am profoundly embarrassed for my country.

Good luck (buena suerte) to us all.

[Noted in Passing - Today is Sean Lennon’s 38^th birthday.]

Rodger