All Things Sing in Buenos Aires

** Indicates a footnote ☺







Like the man who whistles to work, or waits at the bus-stop and starts singing a song in spanish because he doesn’t feel like holding it in, or the Monday nights at La Bamba de Tiempo where you are surrounded by a pure and passionate musical energy, and finally the birds that sing, not chirp, but literally sing a song at 5 in the morning….I have concluded that all things sing in Buenos Aires. **

This is the most creative, unique, artistic, city combined with a cultural sophistication. Granted, I do live in San Telmo, which is the home of all this. I love walking out on the streets and seeing random instruments just hanging out with their fellow musicians, and then you actually get used to seeing a piano in the street in preparation for a street show, or just a piano in the street for that matter...how great!

As fate would have it, I live with three other girls that share this passion and appreciation for this unique kingdom.
With the four of us, from all over the world, there is never a lack of…people that we meet, or a dull moment to be had.

“Ashley….ashley…..vamos vamos”
“Que paso?!?! Es 430 en la manana! “

(I will say this story in English, because well, its broken in Spanish….lets be honest)

“Ashley….wake up, lets go.” Says, Lisa, my tall, blonde, bold German roommate, with a twinkle in her eye and the knowledge that she knows just how to get me up and at ‘em.
“Ashley….te he he”, follows Marion. A girl from Paris in so many ways with her petite frame, exceptional style, calm sophistication, and pretty brown eyes but contradicted with her love for adventure and other culture outside her own.
“What the heck are you guys doing?”, I say as I lay in my moisture hot room and was fast asleep dreaming of hopefully nothing.

“Ashley….its five in the morning, the sun is about to rise and the light will be so beautiful up on Avenida 9th de Julio to take pictures!”

Are you kidding me, it’s almost five in the morning, I am asleep, this is insane, but wait….they are right!

VAMOS!

“Yay, Ashley….tu es mi mujer favorita!”

I come downstairs to see my other roommate, Flavia from Chile, still studying for her philosophy exam. She looks at me with knowing eyes, that our other two, who were out having fun, now got me out of bed…but as Flavia and I are, we just smiled at eachother in humor.

“I want to come so bad but I am not moving forward in my studies” says flavia, with her short doll-like hair barely rustled from a night of studying.

Another time Flavia.
Bueno.

We venture out to the night that is so familiar to everyone here in Buenos Aires. This city, or the country of Argentina for that matter, lives for the night. It is there center-point, where the colors become more vibrant than the natural day-light could reveal.

“Wow…look at the plaza!”, exclaims Lisa.

The Plaza we live on, usually swamped with artists, people drinking at the café’s, tango dancers, tourists, wondering eyes never to be forgotten here in Buenos Aires, with the exception of a group of guys sitting off the numerous drinks they may have consumed, was completely empty. No chairs out for the restaurants, no artists pondering there next vision…just a few hyper yellow blossoms floating to the ground from a few of the various tress that line the streets of Buenos Aires.











We just snapped to it and started taking pictures. Except for Lisa, who had her little camera stolen at a club here in Buenos Aires. But did this bother her? No….we were on an early morning adventure and these crowded streets had calmed to being ours. There is something so unique about walking in a chaotic city when the streets are almost bare. You feel humbled, mysterious, and at home. Because those streets are now yours…for a few minutes anyways.












First thing we did, was stop to talk to a women who came up to ask us a question. Well, they talked and I held my camera tight for my knowledge that walking these streets with such a toy is probably not the wisest decision. But what can you do?! Be scared to make every move because of the unknown? As we said goodbye to this woman, with her sad story ringing in our ears, we continued to walk in contemplation that travel and strangers bring. But then..









“Listen…listen” Says, Marion. “The bird!”

We stopped to take in her observation and became filled with wonder at what we were listening to. It was a bird that was singing her morning song. SINGING. There was a melody, a rhythm, a poetic composure of notes. Amazing….in the middle of the big city, a bird still finds a way to express herself through a harmonious song in hopes of contacting her family and bringing them comfort.

Vamos!

We must get to the grand avenue before the sun comes up!
Avenida 9th de Julio is the widest avenue in the world with a total of 110 meters across. Rather chaotic during the day but so calm in the dim of night.

“O Ashley….get a picture of the "Cartoneros".
You see cartoneros all over BA in late night and early morning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartoneros

And of course this led to Lisa talking to him for a while….I love it.














“O man….you guys!” I say…as my nose and stomach start to recognize the smell of fresh bread being made in the morning.
“We have to stop at the corner and get a postre o pan”
Bueno.
But lets go…hurry.

"Lisa...be careful" I yell in laughter to my roomate who runs to the man
in the truck offering her flowers. And she takes them in delight and he rolls along his way.
















Finally, we made it to the avenue.
People were starting to head to work, Marion ran off with her camera and I just took it all in. With two other girls who appreciated this as much as I did….We observed as the city woke, and people started their days and their lives in a normal manner so different than the travel life that all three of us were living.



























An observation I couldn’t help but overlook was the universal pull that McDonalds has. Here are people waiting at 530 AM for the McDonalds to open. I will say that the McDonalds here serves bread and coffee for breakfast as well as the traditional menu and I have heard that the meat is much better and less processed…but who knows. Que se yo!




























After the sun had come up, and my body started to remember that it was pulled out of bed, my roommates then wanted to go to the ecological reserve to see the skyline.
My eyes started to blur and I had to pass….


But it was just one adventure, of everyday being an adventure, and listing to the songs of Buenos Aires.







** In case this wasn’t known. The typical time to eat in Buenos Aires or Argentina, is dinner at 10-1030 pm. You sit and enjoy for a while and then the night actually starts about 2 am. Most of you know how lame I can be when it comes to this, but I can do it every once in a while. Especially with Lisa slapping me everytime I want to go in early.



More Pictures of nights in BA

http://picasaweb.google.com/barnes.ashley/AdventuresInBA#