Wow, what an amazing couple of days. I went along to the tango lessons and the tango club on Wednesday night. I actually danced tango. I really did. I met Hilde (Norway) and was also joined by Sam and Georgina (UK). We had a great time. I was a little rigid to begin with but then when I got used to the steps I almost looked competent. A few damaged toes for my partners later put paid to that.
My favourite move, the half step.... check me out... We got to the tango club and it was a little empty but we were all just watching and learning at the beginning. I threatened Hilde with a dance but she sidestepped my advances with consumate ease...
The music changed to a little salsa and these three Argentinian girls on our table dragged everyone up to have a dance. I'm so glad I got up there. They taught me some Salsa steps and it was great fun.
I danced Salsa at a Tango club. The fact I actually danced is pretty impressive for me. I usually skulk around the outskirts of a bar or club when the dancing happens, looking a little like a spare prick at a wedding (sorry mum) but I had nothing to lose and really enjoyed it.
I then press ganged Georgina into dancing Tango with me. We found a quiet dark place to avoid embarrassment and went for it. It was great. Hilde then agreed to sacrifice her toes to my heavy steps and we danced Tango too.
To top it all off, I drank the local moonshine know as fermet or something like that and then Georgina and I danced a few steps of Tango on Avenides Corrientes so I can officially say that I have danced Tango on the streets of Buenos Aires. Amazing.
Thursday was always going to be good. I met Hilde for breakfast before my Spanish lesson to practice with her and then met Matias for an hour and a half's lesson. He invited me and some of the guys from the hostel to a bar called Tres Quartes by the Woman's Bridge (so called because it is in the shape of a woman leaning back with her leg in the air in a classic Tango pose.)
After Spanish lessons, I went to La Bombonera the home of Boca Juniors to see them play Tachira from Venezuela.
It has to be one of the most amazing experiences I've had. The fans are insane. I went with Thijs (Holland), Maya (Switzerland) and Gillian (Scotland) and we had a great time. Don't worry Jay, I bought you a fake Boca jersey. The score was 3-0 to Boca and we were right in the middle of the Boca fans so we were dancing and singing. I made loads of temporary Argentinian friends at the game. The kind of friends you make at these sort of sporting events where you hug, high five and dance together knowing you will never see each other again in your lives. Boca has a group of fans called the 12 as in the 12th Man. They come in to the stadium 5 mins before the game starts in a procession much like a military tattoo...
There is an empty space above the goal on one side of the ground and then it suddenly fills in a sea of blue and yellow (the Boca colours taken from the Swedish flag actually). They then sing and play music for the whole game. To cap that, I also met a Diego Maradona lookalike and got a pic...
In the evening, Thijs and I went to the bar to meet Matias and his brother Juan (who works at the hostel I'm staying in). Juan got us free food and a free beer. My room mates Clive and Bec (Australia) were also in the bar so we had a few more drinks and a dance.
Matias invited us to a house party so Thijs and I went there where I learnt to Merengue and Salsa.
I got home at 5am tired but very happy.
Tonight, I go to dinner with Georgina and Sam (UK) by the Woman's Bridge and then hopefully to a Salsa class and club. Can't wait.
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