Shared Illusions

As in feet. My dogs were tired today! I don’t know how much we are walking, but it’s a lot. As much as when we were on the caminho? On some days, for sure. And since I have a new phone and have not downloaded a pedometer app, we will continue to wonder. Checking  google maps I see that from our apartment to La Boca neighborhood, today’s destination, is 1.8 miles. Given that we never go straight to our destination or back, I’d say we walked at least 6 miles. Maybe more. We did have that misguided walk down the road to the stadium, from which we were directed to retrace our steps as walking through it to get to our destination was not an option. Sigh.

Below are some photos from La Boca – specifically from the restaurant we went to for our first Argentine al carbon meat experience, called Parriallada.The sell: It smelled so good! The location was off street, away from the super touristy area. It was quiet.

The reality: The meat was so-so. The quiet didn’t last long as a drum corps elected to descend upon a park about half a block away and regale visitors with non-stop carnival beats. Still: It is a pretty place and the price, while more than other options, was still not bad.

The Eco Park was open when we went by around 6 pm. Third time’s a charm, as they say. Closing time is 7, but we figured we better not pass it by. Lots of families and couples were there walking and biking. Down by the Rio de la Plata, a ribbon of tree lined parkway was balmy and host to many more people. Just as we arrived and I went to take a seat on a bench a guard came over to say, “No. No se suede sentarse. Es el horario.” Man! She was rounding up folks and shepharding them out.

As we all streamed out, walking along the wide path, I had an image of refugees walking. I imagined being tired and not being able to stop, as happened to the Jews. Then tonight I saw a post by a friend who is traveling in Columbia. She did see refugees walking – leaving Venezuela. I had a deep sense of gratefulness for the goodness in my life.

I’m having tech difficulties – photos not uploading tonight. I’m calling it quits for the day.

May you ride life’s up and downs and they not ride you.

January 20. My computer is cooperating this morning, so I’ve added another few photos. We saw our first street tango performance. It was a good one! Charlie was able to upload a video of these two. Do check it out. There were others at restaurants in La Boca, but they didn’t have the room these two did and were obscured by patrons.

President Macri apparantly has some policies that are not endearing him to many. Inflation is up. That’s about all I know of the situation. Something else to research.

Paula

PS Charlie also has some great photos. The phone app makes it much easier to upload photos. Maybe there is an easier way on the Mac, but I don’t yet know it.