Eat, Tango, Study

Tuesday

After agreeing to meet at 9:30 a.m., one of us was at the Hotel Restaurant at the proper time (I am rather sarcastic, but I pride myself on my ability to be on time).  We talked about the places we would like to go, and after 2 hours, we decided where to go.  We decided that we would like to explore the Boca area.  We walked around taking pictures everywhere we went.

After piling into a taxis, we eventually arrived at the Boca.  We walked around taking pictures of murals and wondered why there was a mural of the volunteer firefighters putting out a fire.  I surmised that there must have been a big fire.  I took a picture of a statue dedicated to the volunteer firefighters.  They really appreciate their firefighters.  I wonder whether or not any of them were women.

We eventually arrived at the Museo Quinquela Martin.  The artwork of Argentinian artists was in the museum.  The included paintings, sculpture, and even the decorative pieces that are placed on the front of ships.

One of the most moving paintings looked like a father who is dying and includes the wife crying and a child playing on the floor.  The painting was very large, at least 20 feet high, and the colors were dark shades of black, brown, and dreary whites.  The painting depicted the deep sorrow that was felt by the future widow of the dying man and little child playing peacefully with a toy seemingly unaware that the father is dying.

Later in the day, we went to the Botica de Angel.  This is one of the most unusual places that I have ever visited.  It seemed like one room led to another room, which was somehow inside another room.

There was artwork everywhere, on the walls, on the ceiling, and even the toilets had works of art painted on the inside of the bowls!  A picture of Shakespeare was painted on the bowl of one toilet.

The astrological signs of the zodiac were painted on a wall.  When our guide answered our questions at the end while we were enjoying cups of coffee, he said that Angel asked everyone, "What is your sign? (referring to astrological sign of the zodiac).  Angel was born on Sept. 5th, and he was a Virgo. He also died on September 5th.

My father, Ray Hayes, was born on Sept. 5, 1932.  He was also a Virgo and an astrologer.  I think he would be very happy that I am having this wonderful opportunity to see Argentina and Buenos Aires.  My dad passed away on March 25, 2002.  He has been gone 12 years, and I miss him every day.  I know that he would be proud of the accomplishments that I have made in college and keeping my GPA so high at UNM.  My dad loved music and opera.  He took me to many operas at San Diego Opera in Southern California.  My dad played violin in his high school orchestra.  I have a deep appreciation of the skill it takes to play a musical instrument.  I used to play guitar, and I love to sing. I really loved hearing the great singers at the tango show a few nights earlier.

Now, returning to the artwork at the Botica de Angel.  There was one room painted yellow, and this room was dedicated to coffee and the drinking of coffee.  The coffee in Argentina is made the way I like it, very strong!  In the coffee room, there were tables with coffee cups and a coffee pot.  I took many pictures of the room because I love coffee!  Every morning in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I drink three cups of coffee so that I can function.  The coffee is so good in Argentina that I do not have to drink so many cups to get the same effect!  Muy bien!

In Argentina, there was a time when brothels were legal.  I am embarrassed to say that I also took a picture of the rather racy painting at the Botica de Angel that would have looked good on the wall of one of the Argentinian brothels because one of the women in the picture was half-naked.  I also have a rather fuzzy picture of Shakespeare that was painted on the inside of a toilet bowl.  Even the bathrooms in this place are decorated well!  Statues of people were in the showers, and they were dressed in clothing.  I suppose they represent the people who might take a bath or shower (except for the clothes).

We all viewed a film about Carlos Grandel.  He died in a plane crash.  He was a very famous writer of tango lyrics.  His funeral was huge!  The were thousands of people crying about his death.  I tell my husband, Pat, that when I die that thousands of people will mourn my death.  I would also like to be buried like Eva Peron!  Pat laughs at me when I tell him this!