Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sweat, Passion & Wine - A night in Buenos Aires

At 10:30, the square you had walked into was fairly deserted. Just a few people setting up fold-up chairs and umbrellas, turning the square into an extended version of their restaurants. Wide leaved trees rimmed the raised cobble stoned square, as did the beautiful and ornate colonial architecture that seemingly never ends in Buenos Aires. It was quiet, hot and nothing adherently special.

The day time walk into the micro center proved to be somewhat similar – besides the long walking boulevard, many shops and even restaurants were barely operational. Men in suits scurried along, while women window shopped the expensive stores that line the business sector and Avenida Florida. Many people were scattered in the occasional squares you came across, simply napping or enjoying a helado. It was hot, sweaty, and kind of unimpressing; The food options seemingly boring.

You consider staying in this night to make your own meal, as to save money. But no, you really want to try this famous Argentine steak. The moment you step out of the iron gated doors into Buenos Aires after dusk, you notice a change; People are out walking their dogs, lining up at popular restaurants, collecting at doorsteps to talk about the day. They even populate that nearly deserted square. Buskers are abundant, and absolutely amazing; you have never heard better, consistent street performances anywhere else in the world.

After dinner, you find yourself back at the square where you had started the day. The fold-out chairs are nearly full, crowded around an amplifier and simplified drum set. As you wait for the music to start, The Spaniard, The Swiss girl and you enjoy a jug of Sangria. The night progresses into a warm, perfectly cliché Buenos Aires experience. Beautifully played guitar notes scream into the night air, as people dance amongst the square. Sexually charged tango performances are to follow while children juggle for money, and friends laugh over vino and beer. It is a good night.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Buenos. I'm Tired

Red eyed with wickedly curly locks, a backpack and slightly stinky attire is how I rolled into my abode for the night. I just spent a not-so-agonizing twenty hours flying from Calgary to Toronto to Santiago and finally landing in Buenos Aires. I wish I had been more cognitive for the bus ride from the airport to the city center. Between head nods however, the city looked amazing. And huge. It’s exactly as everyone told me it would be, a cross between any European city and any Latin one.

The slums next to the highway have more brick and mortar than a lot of the Latin places I’ve been, but they also have more tin roofs than any European one I’ve seen either. What I noticed first was the well maintained green spaces along the highway – park spaces even. No litter. The traffic was what I expected, although the tree lined boulevards weren’t necessarily.
I have been greeted with thunder and torrential rain. And a cheap bottle of wine, like $2 kinda cheap …. And yep, I just tasted it …. It tastes like what I would imagine $2 wine to taste like. Light. Sugary. Acidic…. In need of brandy and juice.

For now.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Piercing Portraits

Here are a few samples from a new series I've been working on:

Glacier Fresh

A short hike to these turquoise lakes in the Kananaskis

Deceivingly inviting

A Few Reasons

From my new house in Calgary it is exactly 80.1km west to the Rocky Mountains, 134km east to the desert, and 334km to Glacier National Park in Montana. There are 6 ski resorts all within 4 hours of my home. I pay 4% gst, and never have to pay 12% tax on anything. My car insurance is half that of what it was in BC, along with my monthly mandatory health insurance. Dogs are allowed on transit, and the C-train is free in the city center. This city gets the most sunshine out of the year than any other city in Canada and has the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America. Some people were asking why I would move here....