Me in Argentina.

I'm back in the USA. Needless to say I am bummed and find more fault than ever with this place. There is new found inspiration in that to leave here one day. Also, as a result of travelling heavily for two weeks I have the feeling that I never, ever want to bear children.

Now Argentina:

So much to say. Not a touristy place at all. You kind of seek out what you want because its a huge metropolis. Much more European than what might come to mind when one thinks of Latin America. I.e., they don't eat tacos there.

It's a very traditional, Roman Catholic society everyone is married. The wedding rings are very modest gold bands. I didn't see a diamond the entire time. Every social class is present in the city and from the looks of it, there are just as many people in the handmade slums as there are in the high class, 5th Avenue areas. For the most part the middle class is much more highly educated as a whole than the average American middle class community. It's just obvious by the way they conduct themselves, react to foreigners, etc. During the week scarcely anyone is out, except for dinner which is eaten at about 10:30pm. Bars and clubs are open during the week at 11pm and on weekends don't open until 1:30am. There is a different however between what we view as a bar and what they view as a bar. Their version of a neighborhood bar has bright flourescent lighting and a lack of themed atmosphere. It's just a place to sit and have a drink and maybe some tapas, a cafe I guess but then there are an infinite variety of those as well. There are about two stools pulled up to the bar, seemingly for the wait staff and the rest of the patrons sit at little tables. There are other places, I guess they would be clubs, that are more like American bars with dim lighting and a bar you can sit at. The decorations are more intentional, instead of back lit, framed pictures of coffee and medialunas.

In sum, although there is more to say at a later time in probably a different forum, the great thing about vacation in a far away country in the Southern Hemisphere is the knowledge that while you're here in the US, looking around and seeing fundamental flaws in every crevice of society, there are entire populations doing things slightly differently, in a less flagrant way and doing just as well as we are, if not better.

**THIS JUST IN: I just heard the words, "dancin' and groovin' uttered loudly in the next room." It is official, I am back at work.

11 July 2005 - 7:42 AM

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