It's been 19 years since I left my home-country Argentina and moved to Israel. And every year, mostly, I come back to see my friends and family, this time it took me a while longer to get here (see all previous posts). After a whole year on the road, in precarious conditions, busy planning the next step and the coming meal; it's time to lay back, relax, and let the family take over and spoil us a bit.
This is an uncommon arrangement, where you live an independent and mostly unencumbered life for most of the year, and then for a couple of weeks you deep-submerge yourself in the day-to-day life of all your relatives and friends: coordinating school-hours, baby naps, crazy working hours, gossips, and family events. Sometimes even all of them simultaneously.
It's a short time to spend with many loved ones. It might be crazy, erratic, and sometimes overwhelming, but that's the best we can make out of the situation. And I love them all so much that I wouldn't miss this yearly event for anything in the world. I'm lucky to have two places in this world to call Home.
Best friends are those you may not meet for years and keep the conversation as if you saw them last week. I'm lucky to have many of those still in Argentina, and I love catching up with them and seeing them as full-ass-grown-up parents.
My City
Buenos Aires is as massive and chaotic as a city can be, and hence its charm. Many times referred as the Paris of the Southern Hemisphere, I find it a more of a mix of Madrid, Manhattan and a favela in Rio: sometimes glamorous, sometimes dangerous, but always fun.
We've spent three weeks in the city that never sleeps (because they have lunch at 11pm) and we had a blast! The culture, food, and parties never stop and that's what we came for. After a whole year in quiet and homo-erratic Asia and Australia, it was time to indulge ourselves with some good nightlife.
The places I'll never get tired of visiting each time and again: a stroll in Puerto Madero, an early drink in San Telmo, fruit market in the Tigre Delta, dining and partying in Plaza Serrano, and of course window-shopping in Galería Pacifico and Florida St. And of course there's something new to discover in this megalopolis, this time was de dashing cultural center CCK, built inside the wholly refurbished central mail palace.
Ushuaia: The end of the world
When we made the math, we were horrified! Ceci and I know each other for 34 years, and when I told her we were planning to visit Ushuaia she was right on-board, with Noe and the two-all-heart additions.
We got to Ushuaia with my mother and Alberto, to endeavor the miraculous nature of Patagonia and the most southern point in the world (except for Antartica of course). The city itself is nothing to write home about (or on a blog for the purpose), but Ushuaia is set just between some of the most amazing natural views to be found: Imposing mountains, hanging glaciers and an endless ocean. If you're in the neighborhood, you can't miss this place.
Even Alberto had his first trek after 70 years and loved it.
La Feliz (The happy one)
Long gone are the days of glamour and aristocracies in the coastal city of Mar Del Plata, just 400 km from Buenos Aires, but in March, after the masses are gone, a beautiful city by the beach is left. We took a short break from the megapolis to enjoy some quietness, good food, and some time by the beach.
Not a must, but if you're in need of beach-time and still want to enjoy the city vibe, this is your place.
Until the next time!
A Year Off Life 