The opening of the 6º Mundial de Baile de Tango (Sixth Tango Dance World Cup) in Buenos Aires was yesterday. The celebration took place at Harrods (Florida, 877), that was crowded of Tango lovers, people of all ages squeezing themselves around the area in front of the stage, in search of a better view where the show of Mora Godoy would happen.
The Tango Dance World Cup activities will happen from August 25 to 30: dance contest with more than 400 couples from different countries, free lessons of Tango for all the ages, seminars, interviews, fairs products, etc.
The Salon Tango Final will happen at Obras Stadium (Av. del Libertador, 7395) on August 30 at 8pm, where Atilio Stampone, Adriana Varela, Raúl Lavié and Gloria and Eduardo will dance. Also on this day a closing show will be coordinated by choreographers Alejandra Armenti and Daniel Juaréz. The Stage Tango Final will take place at Luna Park Stadium (Bouchard, 465) on September 1st at 7pm, when Mariano Mores and Miguel Ángel Zotto with Daiana Gúspero will perform, as well the dancers from IUNA Institute and choreographer Leonardo Cuello.
Mora Godoy’s show
Mora Godoy’s show
Yesterday’s opening show was very beautiful, although I could not see much thing. We arrived at the place one hour before, but we could not find a good place to see the stage. Hundreds of people were standing in our front, and we had to raise the cameras over the heads to photograph and to record. I only could watch the Tango show by the recording of my camera. It was a shame, many people who were there, old ladies and gentlemen who went to the place, could not obtain a good vision of the show as well.
The Harrods building in Buenos Aires is huge and even has a Theater. But this opening presentation took place on a small area with chairs surrounded by big wooden columns, as a ”VIP” area surrounded by ropes. All the people who was not VIP had to stand outside this surrounded area to the side of the columns. When a “no transparent” camera man inside this closed area was not in your front, you had to look through the empty spaces between the heads or to watch the Tango by the ”live transmission” from the LCDs of the several video cameras of the spectators who had to struggle with their arms up to record this pretty moment.
If you wish to see the Stage Tango Final on September 1st (7pm at Luna Park), I would suggest you to arrive 5 hours before to prevent major hassles.
For more information on all the programming of this week, please access the official website of the event.
Milonga on the opening of the Tango Dance World Cup
Where?
Harrods | Florida, 877
Estadio Obras | Av. del Libertador, 7395
Luna Park | Bouchard, 465 | Tel: +54 (11) 5279-5279
sepphora | 10:50 am | General | “0 Comments”
The III Encuentro Latinoamericano de Diseño (3rd Meeting of Latin American Design) happened on the days July 29th to August 1st, promoted by Universidad de Palermo of Buenos Aires. In these 4 days there were more than 350 conferences, seminaries and workshops related to Graphic Design, Product Design, Fashion Design, Photography, Motion Pictures, etc., totally free, on the two headquarters of the University. About 10.000 people, Design professionals and students of all Latin America came to Buenos Aires to witness the event.
Due to the great number of activities at the same time, it was necessary to choose which could be the most interesting to see. Some presentations were crowded, others did not have five spectators. The presentations I liked most were the one by Mario Eskenazi about visual identity, Basso Brovelli’s about Web Campaign and the one from Wunderman marketing agency of Argentina. There were presentations that I (with all the people that crowded the rooms) thought could be interesting, but they had not added me much thing. It seems that many speakers didn’t want to disclose all the ”tips for the success”, turning their presentations very superficial. Some speakers didn’t appear to their own presentation and until the last minute it was not informed to the people that were in line in front of the room that it would not have the presentation.
Mario Eskenazi presentation
In July 28th to 31st of 2009 this meeting will happen again in the Universidad de Palermo. I invite all designers to come and expand your contacts with all the countries of Latin America.
Where?
Universidad de Palermo | Facultad de Diseño y Comunicación | Mario Bravo, 1050 | Tel: +54 (11) 4964-4600 / 5199-4500
sepphora | 3:24 pm | Palermo | “0 Comments”
While the Olympic Games happen in Beijing, in Buenos Aires the Barrio Chino (Chinese Quarter or China Town) is in party. The street Arribeños, in the Belgrano neighborhood, is all decorated to celebrate the Olympics, with Chinese lamps crossing the street side to side and tents of souvenirs, clothes, objects of art and typical food. There is also a stage where we can see demonstrations of Chinese martial arts and dances. Thousands of people, Argentines, Chineses and tourists are visiting this quarter during these days to celebrate the Olympics and to have a bigger contact with this millenarian culture.
Chinese lamps on the street
Chinese man preparing a typical food in one of the street tents
Chinese girl in front of a gift shop
The Chinese community of Buenos Aires is composed of about 60.000 immigrants, some of them we can see spread in the kioscos and markets of the city. However, they are congregated in its bigger part at the Barrio Chino.
Stage at the end of the street with a Tai Chi Chuan demonstration
On the stage we could witness a Wushu demonstration, that means ”martial art” in Chinese. It is a sport of exhibition and contact derived from the traditional Chinese martial arts. Today it is one of the most popular sports inside China, practiced by the young and old alike. Its emphasis has shifted from combat to performance, and it is practiced for its method of achieving heath, self-defense skills, mental discipline, recreational pursuit and competition. It is similar to Kung Fu, however Kung Fu remains as the traditional fighting practice and Wushu has become an athletic and aesthetic performance and competitive sport. The beauty and fluidity of the movements that sometimes resemble to a dance had impressed me.
The two photos below were taken during the presentation of the Club Argentino de Wushu (Club Villa Malcolm, Av. Córdoba 5064 - Capital Federal).
Wushu demonstration
Wushu demonstration
When we were leaving, we saw a woman between some tents holding posters and brochures alerting for the other side of China. I leave here one link and another one with information on Human Rights in China and the Olympics.
Where?
Arribeños Street and Juramento Avenue
sepphora | 6:47 pm | Belgrano | “1 Comment”
The Jardín Japonés (Japanese Garden) is located next to the Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Woods), as an extension of this green area inside the city of Buenos Aires. With almost 2 hectares, there are 150 species of plants, many of them brought from Japan, and a lake full of colorful carps. We can see other animals such as ducks, herons, different birds and fat Japanese (or sleepy) cats, all living in harmony and peace.
Sight of the lake with the arched bridge
It was created in 1967 by the Japanese community that lived in Buenos Aires and donated to the city by the Association of the Japanese Immigrants in 1979, as a gratitude symbol. In 1977, the landscaper Yasuo Inomata and the engineer Isakari redesigned the garden in the “Zen” style, as a traditional Japanese garden. An artificial lake, some bridges and islands, a cascade, a dry garden and a space for meditation were created. The most known bridge is an arched red bridge that leads to the Gods Island. Other attractions are a Monument to the Japanese Immigrant, homage to the founding community, and the Campanile of the Worldwide Peace, which bell is ringed every year on the celebration of the International Day of Peace.
Cascade
Campanile of the Worldwide Peace
In the Garden there is an arboretum where bonsais are sold along with some species of Japanese plants. There are also a house of tea, a restaurant and a library.
In its official website we can access the cultural and educative schedule and see if it is happening some exposition or activity, always tied with the Japanese culture. These days, during the winter vacations in Argentina, there are several activities for children as lessons of origami and film projection of Japanese animations.
The Japanese Garden is open every day, from 10am to 6pm.
Hungry carps
Heron in the lake
Where?
At the intersection of the Figueroa Alcorta and Casares Avenues | Tel: +54 (11) 4804-4922 / 4804-9141
sepphora | 9:30 am | Palermo | “0 Comments”
Last week a couple of friends from Brazil came to visit us and somewhere in a conversation they asked us if we would like to go to the Casino. We never had interest to go there, but we thought it could be amusing if we earned something.
The Casino Puerto Madero is inside two boats imported from New Orleans. It is a “floating casino” over the River La Plata waters, a way to be “inside the law”: the casino is placed in national territory, not Buenosairean, since by the Law 538 the private exploration of games of chance in the city of Buenos Aires is forbidden. In 1999 only one boat was inaugurated, the Estrella de la Fortuna, with 4 floors and 700 slot-machines, 130 gaming tables as roulettes and cards, bars and a restaurant called Sobreaguas.
In 2006 another boat called Princess was brought alongside as an ampliation of the casino: another 4 floors full of slot-machines and gaming tables, everything very well designed to seduce people with its blinking lights and to get the maximum of their money.
As my first time in a casino, I found everything very stupid. In first place, it is forbidden to enter the casino with cameras, so I only have these two external photos that are not of the best ones, I recognize. Secondly, there is a law in the city of Buenos Aires forbidding smoking in closed places, restaurants, etc. This is not respected on the casino, but since it is on “national territory” … Another thing, all the slot-machines are electronic, what make them extremely easy to be programmed to give any result but the winner one. We lost 20 pesos in these machines at an incredible speed. Thanks God we are self-controlled and this was our only bet in all the casino.
At the roulettes and card games floor many people lost innumerable chips, lots of stressed people, it was easy to notice their gambling addiction by their body language. We were there for one hour and in this time I only saw the roulettes tables earning much money and the slot-machines drinking the money as it was water in the desert.
It seems completely illogical to exist a place always crowded where the people are willing to lose their money. The most illogical is someone to find this amusing. It really didn’t please me and I don’t recommend this place. But if you still have some curiosity, you can visit the casino’s official website.
I encourage you to read the previous posts in this blog, certainty there are lots of other interesting destinations to go here in Buenos Aires.
Taxis in front of the casino
Where?
Elvira Rawson de Dellephiane s/n | Darsena Sur | Tel: +54 (11) 4363-3100
sepphora | 12:06 pm | Puerto Madero | “3 Comments”
El Rosedal is a rose garden in the middle of Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Woods). It has an area of 34000 m² where the roses are distributed according to the color harmony and contrast. More than 12000 roses blossom there every spring, in a profusion of colors and aromas. There are 1.189 species of roses catalogued in alphanumerically order; amongst them new species are represented as well as gorgeous and exotic units.
El Rosedal was created in the year of 1914, when the Dirección General de Paseos Públicos of Buenos Aires decided to be necessary to create a stroll as an exponent of good taste and culture and at the same time could represent the progress of the city.
It has two accesses, one of them a wooden white bridge over one of the lakes of the park, built in 1914 by the engineer Benito Carrasco. The Greek architecture of the bridge is decorated with plants and flowers. El Rosedal has other attractions: El Jardín de los poetas (The Poet’s Garden), decorated with busts of important writers of different countries; El Patio Andaluz, built in 1929 and offered as a gift from Sevilla to Buenos Aires; La Glorieta, an elegant gallery of Greek style at one side of the lake, covered by climbing plants and roses, with mosaic floor and staircases distributed systematically by the way, reaching a sculpture called Ofrenda Floral a Sarmiento, by Emile Peynot.
El Rosedal is open for public visitation everyday but Mondays:
- Summer: 8am to 8pm
- Winter: 9am to 6pm
More information here (in Spanish).
Access bridge of the Rosedal
Where?
Parque Tres de Febrero - Bosques de Palermo | Av. Adolfo Berro between Av. Sarmiento and Av. Casares | Tel: +54 (11) 4800-1135
sepphora | 12:34 pm | Palermo | “0 Comments”
Perito Moreno Glacier on the Peninsula of Magallanes
On the very next days the Perito Moreno Glacier will rupture, a phenomenon that has been happening each time sooner due to the global warming and for the first time, since 1917, will happen during the winter.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the many glaciers existing on the South of Argentina. One year ago, in June 2007, we had the chance to travel to the small city of El Calafate, the nearest city to this glacier, and we could take this pictures. Unfortunately, no photograph can be compared to the impact of seeing it live, and be impressed by the beauty, the huge dimensions and the dinamic, unique and live nature.
Perito Moreno Glacier borns at the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, a huge extension of continental ice formed on the South of the Andes mountain range, on the border of Argentina and Chile. It has 25 km lenght since its origin, from where it advances slowly to the East and reaches the Canal de los Témpanos (Icebergs Channel) of Lago Argentino (Argentine Lake). There the glacier stretches out over the Brazo Sur (Southern Arm) with 5 km width and 60 meters high. It is inside a protection area called Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Glaciers National Park), among other 300 glaciers.
The Perito Moreno Glacier has a speed of displacement up to 2 meters a day. When it reaches the Península de Magallanes, it forms a natural dam of the Brazo Rico waters from Lago Argentino and with the ice melting, the water level can rise by up to 30 meters. This way, the glacier’s walls are pressured and a tunnel for the water escape is formed, allowing the water to be drained to the other side of this ice barrier. Due to the water erosion, the tunnel opening is increased until the superior arch ruptures, creating a spectacle that happens from time to time.
Due to its advance and compression movement, the glacier generally allows to its visitors the possibility of seeing several “small” ruptures in all its extension, during all the year, leaving the lake in its front, full of icebergs of pure water. The Lago Argentino, in its totality, is formed by melted glacier waters and its color is blue turquoise.
Perito Moreno and Peninsula of Magallanes seen from Canal de los Témpanos
Perito Moreno’s “ice tongues” seen from Canal de los Témpanos
Video showing a “small” rupture of the Perito Moreno Glacier.
Where?
Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, 78 km from El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina
sepphora | 3:39 pm | Outside Buenos Aires | “1 Comment”
In Buenos Aires downtown, at Calle Florida 165, we can find Galeria Güemes (Güemes Gallery - the first gallery of Buenos Aires), among several others at the same street. Its entrance is blended among the great diversity of shops at the street. But once inside, the indifference changes.
Organic ornamentation
The Galería Güemes was the first skyscraper of Buenos Aires, with 14 floors and 87 meters high. The architecture is Art Nouveau style, projected by Francisco Gianotti, an Italian architect who came to Buenos Aires in 1909. The gallery was ordered in 1913 and finished in 1915. Gianotti explored the last techniques of construction to the maximum, what allowed him to dare volumetrically and spatially, as well as resources and decorative techniques where all the corners had received design styles and great amount of details, making its interior richly decorated.
One of the recovered domes
In 2005 it had been through a major restoration. Its glass domes were reconstructed since they had been covered by concrete in the end of the 20s, what gave back the natural illumination and ventilation. The Italian marbles and ornamental rocks were also cleaned after years receiving varnish layers and the bronze sculptures and pieces were polished.
The gallery is a multi-functional building, an urban microcosm where about 25.000 people pass by daily . Currently in its interior we find many stores, cinemas, restaurants and traditional bars. In the subsoil, where before there was a cabaret, there is the Piazzolla Tango Complex , with theater, coffee and museum.
It was declared Architectural Patrimony of the city of Buenos Aires and a place of cultural interest, being the expression of an architecture inspired by the great world-wide galleries of that time. You can access here its official website (in Spanish).
Bas-relief and sculpture above one of the elevators
Entrance of one of the four buildings of the gallery
Where?
Florida 165, San Martín 170 | Tel: +54 (11) 4331-3041
sepphora | 4:46 pm | San Nicolás | “0 Comments”
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This post is to inform that we are not in Argentina and due to this the blog has not been updated. We will return to Buenos Aires only on July, when I intend to write here more often. How we say in Spanish: “Disculpe las molestias” …
Unfortunately from where we are is a little hard to focus on Buenos Aires. We are in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of Namib Desert… 
As this blog is about Buenos Aires, if I start writing about Namibia the subject will change just a bit… What makes me stop right now…
As we will only come back to Bs As in 30 days, I am already dying to see my cats that stayed there, I’m missing the city, the people, the need to communicate in Spanish, the cold winter!!!…
So… see you on July!
sepphora | 10:49 am | Outside Argentina | “0 Comments”
The Planetario Galileu Galilei (Galileu Galilei Planetary) of Buenos Aires is located at the Parque Tres de Febrero, more known as Bosques de Palermo.
The construction of its Futurist architecture started in 1962 and was directed by the Argentinean architect Enrique Jan. Its shape represents the planet Saturn silhouette, besides it also reminds a big UFO with the mission of taking away all its visitors to discovery journeys into space.
The building has 5 stages being the last one a room of 20-meter diameter with 360 reclinable chairs for the dome’s observation, which is internally covered by aluminum plates and works as a big screen. On it we can see projected the Moon, the Sun, the visible planets and 8900 stars, constellations and nebulas.
On the first floor there is a museum where we can see exposed a Moon rock brought to Earth by the Apollo XI Mission, a gift given by the president of USA Richard Nixon. There are also three meteorites exposed, all found on the region called “Campo del Cielo” (field of the sky or heaven), North of Argentina, as a result of a meteorite rain occurred 4000 years ago, caused by a small asteroid of 8 to 10-meter diameter which hit against the Earth atmosphere and splitted into fragments that caused several craters when they fell over this region.
You can find more information about the functions and activities as free courses, Science afternoons, telescopic observations, conferences, etc. at the Planetary official website. It is another great place of Buenos Aires offering accessible culture and knowledge to all the visitors.
Where?
Parque Tres de Febrero - Bosques de Palermo | Av. Sarmiento e Figueroa Alcorta | Tel: +54 (11) 4771-9393 / 4771-6629
sepphora | 12:20 am | Palermo | “0 Comments”
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