I went to the Copa Libertadores match between Argentinos Juniors and Fluminese from Brazil last night.  It was at the Maradona Stadium (named after the famous Diego Maradona).  My first live football match and it was quite an experience!!! The event was arranged by the Spanish Language School I am attending and included kids (14 & 15 year old’s') from San Francisco on a spring break excursion.

The stadium holds about 25 000 people, but it was not to capacity last night.  It is intimate and you sit close to the pitch.  Not that any one can get on the pitch, because it has a high fence with bob wire on top around it.  This is for security and for very good reasons.  The Argentinean’s are passionate about their football and in the bus on our way to the stadium our guide warned us not to support or say anything that might indicate that we support Brazil, because not adhering to this will definitely result in a fight!!!  This silenced a couple of the kids who are Brazilian supporters.  He also mentioned that matches between Argentina and Brazil almost always ends in a fight!!!

The club’s history is proudly displayed in the museum and we had loads of time to laze through the photos, and display of old shirts from all the past famous players.  The Brazilian supporters arrived early and was singing and playing their drums when we arrived.  We sat opposite the Brazilian supporters.

The kick off was at 21h50 and as the Argentinean players came onto the pitch their fans welcome them by through paper streams onto the pitch, setting off  fire works and unveiling of a club flag spanning the with of the stand behind one of the goal posts. Apparently unveiling a flag have sparked a competition between countries and teams to determine who can unveil the biggest flag.  These flags actually span across the length and width of one stand in the stadium, it is held over the head of the fans and then rolled back from one end to the other!!! It really looks impressive!!!!!

The match itself was very exciting with Brazil scoring the first goal within the first 30 min of the game.  Their attack was very good and they looked more skilled to me.  I am not a football fan and know absolutely nothing about the game, but even I could see that the referee was biased towards Brazil.  This fueled Argentinean supporters tempers and the energy level in the stadium raised a couple of degrees during the first half.  The score was 2 – 2 at half time, but Brazil went on to score another 2 goals during the second half and much to the Argentina goal keeper’s frustration.  The last goal was as a result of a penalty given from a very suspect decision from the referee, which upset the goal keeper so much that he went into a free for all fighting match at the end of the game.

We definitely got value for our money, because the event on the pitch  carried into the streets!  The crowds are very well controlled in the stadium and the Brazilian supporters were allowed out of the stadium first.  We left the stadium through a special exit lined by security. While the bus was leaving the stadium, the kids spotted a fight in the street and was hanging out the windows to see what was happening, laughing and pointing!!!  They forgot all about the warnings given by our tour guide at the start of the trip!!!!

This was so the wrong thing to do!!!!  The Argentinean supporters did not like this, thinking we were Brazilian supporters they attacked the bus. The bus driver reacted fast and turned into a side street, accelerating to get away from the crowds, but when we turned into the main street a couple of blocks later, the bus was hit by stones again.  Luckily the bus had shatterproof windows and nobody was hurt!!!  A very eventful evening indeed and I got the football experience!!!!

Today I visited Comme il Faut, the best known ladies tango shoe shop in Tango circles.   I was advised to speak or at least try to speak Spanish when I visit this shop to ensure good service.  This shop do not have a show room and they do not display their shoes in any catalogue, window or in shop.  Which makes it fairly difficult if you do not know what style or colour you want.  I would have liked really pretty girly shoes, but as you can imagine this description does not really indicate what I want, so I went for the more conservative option and asked for black combined with other colours.  The lady that served me was realy helpful and went back to the store room a couple of time before we got the height of the heal, the style around the toes and the colour right.

Needless to say you pay a price for good shoes and I am sure for the name.  It was only when I got home and practiced with the shoes, that I realised they are worth every penny!!!!

I could not understand what the lady said to me, but she underst00d me and used her initiative to get me an amazing pair of tango shoes and for the service I received, it was worth practicing my Spanish.

I will still shop for my pretty girly shoes, but it will have to be at another tango shoe shops!!!!

I am taking Tango classes at  Escuela Argentina de Tango.  This school employs some of the best teachers in Buenos Aires and has a wide range of teachers. The school is based in the Centro Cultural Borges located in Galerias Pacifico, close to Esquina San Martin.

A lot of tourists attend this school and might have a reputation as a school for tourists, but I have met people from Argentina at some of the classes.  Attending this school gave me access to a wide range of top teachers in one location. It meant I could concentrate on dancing rather than finding top teachers and where they teach in Buenos Aires.  It makes life a lot easier for me.  Last week I danced with different teachers everyday and still have not completed the list of teachers who teach at the school.

Augusto Balizano did a class on Tango technique:  He could speak English and because we were only 4 people in the class it was conducted in English.  We started off by dancing with each other so that he could assess each person’s experience.  The rest of the class were then like a personal lesson and each person was given the time to dance with him and he corrected posture and technique.  He explained and demonstrated in a light almost humours way which makes learning easy.  He adjusts his style depending on the level of his students to make learning easier, rather than insisting on one style. He also runs practica sessions and milongas around Buenos Aires and shared his knowledge openly.  For some one who does not understand any Spanish he made me feel very welcome.

Lautaro Cancela did a class on  traditional and modern Tango:  He could speak English and focuses a lot on connection with the music, partner and floor.  He is very relaxed and gives full attention to the person he works with at the time.  We were only 4 people in the group and we all got individual attention.  He explains and demonstrates well and takes the time until you feel what he wants you to do.  He uses his relaxed personality to relax you and it is so much easier to feel what he demonstrates.

M. Angeles Rodriguez did a class on Musicality and Elegance.  She speaks a little English, but had somebody in the class who could interpret for her.  This was a bigger class, but she still took the time to dance with everyone and gave personal feed back.  She is very strict on posture and will correct your posture before and while you dance with her.  I felt with her I had to adjust immediately and when I could not do that she left me to practice with other people in the class. I felt more pressure to perform correctly in her class.  It might have been because I could not understand Spanish or that she just did not have the time in the class.  After the class I asked her if she do classes on ladies technique and her response was not at this school, but she also did not offer any information on where in Buenos Aires she teaches.  I do think she is a very good teacher, but not as approachable as some of the other teachers.

Hugo Daniel did a class on posture and balance for men and woman in Tango.  He is an excellent teacher and dancer.  He is very comfortable with the different rhythms of Tango and his Milonga and Vals is amazing.   His classes are very popular and much bigger than the others I attended.  He teaches in a very relaxed and open manor and still provides individual attention to every one in the class.  He gives his full attention to each student and takes time to watch every one and give personal feed back.  He starts his classes with exercises to set the focus for the class. His classes are popular and good dancers attend these classes and this makes it easier.  For me he teaches traditional tango with modern teaching methods. He teaches in the music and focus on connection with partner and floor.

Andres Cejas did a class on giros (turns).  He is a serious teacher, though very relaxed and teaches connection with partner and floor. I found he did not give as much attention to the music, but this could have been because we were a very small class and we were all struggling with the class. (This was Friday afternoon at 17h30).  Half way through the class he looked a bit frustrated.    He then changed his approach and gave us exercises to do while he concentrated on individuals.  This made a big difference.  He handled a difficult group of students very well!!!  Although I struggled with balance through this class I came away feeling I achieved something.

I came to Buenos Aires to experience Tango the way it was danced in the Golden Age in the years between 1935 and 1955. During this time the focus was on connection with your partner and music. For me the teachers who achieved this was Hugo Daniel, Lautaro Cancela and Andres Cejas.

Ana Maria is my host and it is her birthday today!!!!    She is having a dinner party and started to prepare for the party just after breakfast this morning.  By this afternoon the extra help arrived and was helping to prepare the food.  The first guests arrived at 17h00, dinner with the family started at 20h00 and they are still having a good time!!!

They are very friendly people and friends arrive at different times and leave when they want.    There is no set protocol other than you have to eat and drink something!!!   They do not seem to drink a lot of alcohol, although there was a very good wines, lots of water and soft drinks.  The desert was an amazing not very sweet tart!!!!  Will definitely ask for the recipe!!!

I rewarded myself with cheesecake today!!!!  I was waiting for me second tango class and instead of walking 2 blocks to the park I settled for the coffee shop at Centro Cultural Borges.  It was a massive piece of cake and delicious!!!!!!  My ear has finally adjusted to Spanish and I am at least recognising some words.  So much so that I was even prepared to do my homework in the coffee shop…..I am having a ball!!!!

It is my host Maria Sofia’s birthday tomorrow and she has invited me and the other student to dinner with her family.   So off shopping for a birthday present tomorrow!!!

Well, I was actually late for my Spanish lesson yesterday morning and had to surrender to the feeling!!!!  Breakthrough!!!  I also surrendered to the fact that learning Spanish takes time and I will have to do it at my pace and not the pace of the teacher.  I asked for assistance and bought CD’s to practice.  I had an amazing Tango class in the afternoon and balance was restored!!!!  Space opened in my head and I could learn some more Spanish last night!!!!  I feel so much lighter and getting up in the morning to practice some more Spanish is a lot easier!!!!!

Movement is such an amazing way to clear heaviness in the mind and body!!!  I am planning 2 tango classes today!!!!  Increasing the pace!!!

Buenos dias, a night’s sleep always works for me.  Although I did ask the question why am I here before I went to bed.  My response is – to learn to live with presence and to be able to fine tune the quality of my attention in all I do. That is what tango is all about.  I quote from the book I am reading: “In Tango it is the dancer’s responsibility to give as pleasant an experience to their partner as possible and to avoid causing them pain at all costs!!  To achieve this the dancers make themselves open and vulnerable to their partner.  However martial arts share with Tango the need to be completely aware of where another person is at all times, because in one-to-one combat a person must be completely focused on where the other person is at all times and must constantly adapt his or her own movement to that reality.  Allowing focus to slip from the other person for an instant could result in defeat and possibly a great deal of pain.  Tango and matial arts are also based on natural movement, rather than the aesthetically pleasing modifications of natural movment that are the heart of performce dance.”  This reminds me of life and the skill I need in my relationships.

I draw a universal principal card every morning and yesterday’s card was: Non-judgement and forgiveness.

We have been taught to evaluate and judge virtually everything that we experience. However in universal terms, everything that occurs is just another event.  By judging something, it becomes for us the way we judge it and it stays that way until we release the judgement.  Judging anything or anyone as less than perfect blocks our ability to respond to the Essence of the person or thing and creates discomfort that can only be relieved through forgiveness.  Forgiveness is the willingness to release our judgements by feeling the perfection of what is, just the way it is.

Must admit there was a lot of judgement going on in the Tango class!!! no wonder I got lost!!!! oucccchhhhhh

Today’s universal card is:  Balance and adjustment

Everthing in the universe is created in a perfect state of rest or balance.  Our infinite Intelligence supports us to maintain our natural state of balance by means of a perfect response mechanism(our body), which is designed to make whatever adjustment may be required.   When we resist the adjustment offered by our Infinite Intelligence at any level, we experience discomfort.  As we acknowledge, accept and appreciate the discomfort, and feel the feelings we have around it, we allow the necessary adjustment to occur.  When we trust the adjustment offered, balance is restored effortlessly and we feel the peacefulness and joy that is our natural state.

A good follower in Tango needs good balance and great stillness!! These are also the qualities required for craniosacral therapy!!!!  and that is why I am here!!!  Thank you for allowing me the space to share this with such a wide audience rather than just my closest friends!!!!!!

I suppose it was bound to happen!!!  I am totally overwhelmed and tired.  Still have to do my Spanish home work and need to review what I did in class today!!!  Tango lesson was good, because it was in English and I could at least understand what I am suppose to do…

But I decided I need fresh air and walk home,  got totally lost and a journey that should have been 40 min took almost 2 hours!!!! Hopefully a good night’s rest will lift my spirit tonight!!!!

Hola! buenos dias, I stated to pack in my bed is filled with clothes!!!  but it is decision time.  Easy jet only allows 20 kg of luggage and I still want to buy things in Argentina, will have to reduce the pile on my bed by two thirds!!! This will have to wait until this afternoon, need to go to the bank first!!!

Also started to read “the meaning of  Tango” by Christine Denniston and is totally fascinated, but will share some of that tomorrow from Gatwick airport.  I have a long stop over and will have time to kill!!!!

Well I am still at Edinburgh airport, as the flight is delayed by 4 hours!!!  Just as well I did not rush to the airport this morning.  Had a breakfast on Easyjet…. they gave me a food voucher.  See it pays not to fly Rynair!!!  Some how my packing was not very successful and I was 1.2kg over weight, but lady at counter was in good mood or maybe it was due to the delay…  did not have to pay for the extra weight!!!  My flight to Madrid is at 17h00 still time to laze around the airport and then around Gatwick airport!!  Such fun visiting other countries!!!!

The rest of my journey went smooth, but no internet connection and I arrived this morning at 9h00 local time!!!  It is a clear morning and the views are spectacular!!!  Miles and miles of buildings with two water ways snaking through the buildings to meet the ocean.  There are 3 ships on the water between Argentina and Uraguay.  The realisation of how easy it will be to get lost in this city where I do not even speak the language brings a bit of fear and excitement.  These emotions are settled when the pilot executes a very smooth and gentle landing!!!  The friendliness and efficiency of the lady at the taxi company helps me to get out of the crowd at the airport!!  I have now settled into my room in Ricoletta and my host is a very friendly motherly woman who’s English is a lot better than my Spanish!!!  We went for a orientation walk to the supermarket.  The sun was out with a light cooling breeze.  My intention was to laze in the park after lunch but I was nacked,  and settled for a snooze..  It was a wise choice and I had a well deserved 3 hour sleep!!!! It is only 17h30 now and I am still waking up!!!!

It is Sunday evening and my second day is coming to an end.  Walked into the city this morning, looking for the Language School where I will spend my mornings for the rest of the month.  It was an easy walk and met two girls from England!!  They are on a 3 week walking holiday and left BA this afternoon. Walked back to Ricoleta and spent the rest of my afternoon at Plaza Alvear.  It has an amazing atmophere with craft market, various musicians playing music and performing artists entertaining the crowd.  It gave me time to catch a bit of sun!!!!