The Blaus - South America and Europe

January 5, Muy Caliente en BsAs

We are still exploring the city and getting to know the people we are staying with very well. They are a very interesting couple, and incredibly nice. We have been having geo-political conversations almost every day. It is interesting hearing what makes Latin Americans so generally unhappy with us Americans. I thought that a lot of it would have to do with Bush and our recent politics, and although that has definitely made things worse, people here resent Americans for being so environmentally unconscious, making all the poorer counrties deal with our emissions and garbage. They also blame the US for the drug trade that has crippled so many countries down here with violence. They see it as more American consumerism at the expense of their poorer neighbors to the South. We have also had a lot of time to talk to people about the economic collapse of Argentina in 2001. Back then, Buenos Aires was one of the most expensive cities in the world, now their money has devalued by a ratio of 3 to 1, and a lot of people lost all of their savings. Particularly the older people have been hardest hit. This country has seen so much turmoil and instability, that people here do not really beleive in their economic system. Even money in a bank is not secure. It is sad that they truly do not have that fundamental belief in their system that we have been blessed with thus far in our system. Anyway, talking to the people here you really understand how much they have been through, and even though they have struggled so much, they still have a healthy outlook and are just happy to be making it day to day. They do not think about tomorrow as much as we do in the States.

So, tonight we are going to see Tango at a local restaurant, I hope they do not expect participation from the audience. The day after next we are going to head across the bay to Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay to escape the heat, it is a little cooler there because the town sits on the water. The heat is getting harder to deal with. Now we understand why people escape to the beaches or to Patagonia during January. We have also mastered the bus and train system, and yesterday went to a pool in the rich suburb of San Isidro, where the homes put Atherton or Winnetka to shame. It was nice to stroll the shady streets and relax around a pool in the heat of the afternoon.

posted by The Blaus @ 4:51 PM