So this isn't going to be a very long post, but I had to write and just say today was one of those perfectly relaxing and great days. I got up early and had breakfast upstairs while reading out on the deck, when up comes the french guy (who's sleeping in the bunk below me) came up to say hello. He went out hard last night but said he's a very light sleeper, so he didn't sleep much and is now chain smoking and talking with me. He didn't eat any of the breakfast, so after a while of talking he asks if I want to go grab a cappuccino. Of course, if you're dead tired and don't eat breakfast (and you're chain smoking), the next best thing is a strong shot of cappuccino, right? Classic. I don't remember his name but he's from Paris and traveling by himself for a few weeks before heading back to Paris. Apparently he was traveling with his fiancé at first, but then she went to her home in Asuncion, which is in Paraguay. When I asked him how they met he tells me that they met online and talked for about 5 months before meeting. They meet the first time - have sex - and she gets pregnant. HEY-YO! Better yet, this frenchman is catholic and doesn't believe in abortion, so he's now engaged to this girl and they're having a baby. She's only five weeks pregnant and french-guy hasn't even told his mom, and the whole time I'm hearing this I'm just laughing inside. It was one of those conversations where I do a lot of listening, but this time I was more than happy to keep listening. It just kept getting better and better. Anyway, we get back to the hostel from coffee and I give my mom a call on Skype to wish her a happy birthday. I sent her flowers as well, and I was happy to hear that they arrived and she loved them. There's nothing better in this life than making my mom feel beautiful and loved. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be with her today but I'm glad I got to speak with her.
After speaking with my mom I grabbed my things and walked over to the Malba (Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires) to meet a friend of my stepmother. Her name is Clara and she is married to a man who worked for my stepmother's ranch. Unfortunately Clara's husband suffers from Parkinson's disease, and is not doing so well anymore. So we meet at the restaurant to the Malba and Clara is there with her stepdaughter, Adeline. Clara is in her early 60's and I think Adeline is in her mid 40's. Both Clara and Adeline are very classic-looking Argentinian women: dark hair and dark eyes - could almost pass for Italian or Greece, and both very stylish and beautiful. They greet me warmly and I grab a lemonade because I was near-running to make it to them on time. Just as we are about to start drinking, in walks a friend of Clara's who is completely animated and hilarious - full of energy and very artsy. I forget her name, which I feel horrible about, but she is very warm and excited to show me around the Malba (which she knows incredibly well). We get to know one another at the lunch table and then Clara leaves us and me, Adeline, and art-woman (? - feel bad but that's her name for now) head into the museum. There is a ton of modern art in this museum, which I love, and art-woman's details on each painting and each artist are unreal, so I'm loving every minute. We walk and talk and walk for at least a few hours, and at the end art-woman agrees to pick me up and bring me to another museum across town tomorrow at 11am - YES. I love this woman, which makes it more embarrassing that I don't know her name. Once I find out tomorrow I will let you know, because she is great. I leave the museum full of happiness and culture, and I took a TON of pictures but somehow they are not on my camera right now, which bums me out but I'll take more tomorrow.
After leaving the museum I walk back to Recoleta, which is my favorite neighborhood. I'm meeting two of Clara's nieces, Riti and Vero. They have instructed me to go to the only bar in Recoleta that doesn't have a sign out front, so I ask a few people in the neighborhood about the bar and one has to look it up on the internet but I get there a few minutes before they arrive. I order a pina collada and within a few minutes the girls arrive. They both work in the neighborhood and are coming from work - Riti at a private equity firm and Vero is in project management at a drug company (clinical trials, etc). I have to say it was fantastic to speak with locals about Buenos Aires and about Argentina and just hang out. The hostel environment is fun but I really like getting involved in the culture and the local life, so this was great for me. Both girls are very smart and engaging, and we talked about family, travel, Argentinian politics, and many other things. After a few drinks they both had to be on their way, but they showed me a new iPhone app that will direct me to any bus, train, or subway to get from one spot to another - all I have to do is type in my start and end locations. Sounds simple but it's a great thing to have here, so I'm excited to have it in my phone. Riti walks me to my actual bus stop and I take my first bus in Buenos Aires. No, I don't have an exciting bus-story, but I felt more like a local and it was nice to get home super quick.
So that's it - I really wish I had pictures from today because the art was fantastic - modern and interesting and weird and great. Regardless I will have more pics tomorrow! Gonna go to bed in a few minutes here because I'm meeting art-woman at 11am, but I'm passing out full of happiness and excited about seeing more art tomorrow. This is what it's all about for me.
Sleep well, loved ones.
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