Don't show up until 2 a.m.

I'm looking out my balcony window right now curled up on the couch with a cup of te verde and listening to the rain fall outside. It has been raining all morning and is supposed to keep raining until tomorrow night. We had plans to go to La Boca today, the oldest neighborhood of BA but because of the weather we went to MALBA (Museo de arte latinoamerica de Buenos Aires.) As I have been titled Dora, as in the explorer on the kid's tv show, I looked up the best route to get there which unfortunately included a 14 block walk in the rain and wind. Soaked, we finally got to MALBA. This is a smaller museum with a permanent gallery and then a seasonal exhibition. The exhibition that was there now included many photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe, a New York City native. It was the first time his work, or that of a retrospective photographer has been displayed in Latin America. My personal favorite of the museum's collection was Frida Kahlo's self-portrait with a parrot and a monkey. It was really neat to see it in person after studying Kahlo so much in high school. 

Before the first night out in BA to a Boliche!

My Expanish class went well this week, this upcoming week is the last and then orientation! My teacher, Juan, is really nice and time goes by quickly in class because we are having a good time. I've learned new ways to say certain things and I finally can comprehend the accent and I'm starting to have it myself! I've gotten used to taking the crowded subway in the morning and during the lunch hour rush hour. As long as you just think of something else, or what you need to do later that day you don't even notice the heat as you are wrapped up in your winter coat and jammed in between people. 

This week was rebajas week which meant that all the stores were having their sales because of the changing of seasons. We walked on Santa Fe which is the main avenida one block up from our apartment and walked into all of the small boutiques along the way. The style here is very sleek and women like to dress up and look nice. Even at the gym, where most women's 'workouts' include wearing the newest and trendiest workout outfits and walking on the treadmills. There is a gym three blocks away that we joined this week but as a prerequisite you need to get a physical exam by the gym's doctor. Ok, sounds fine but they also give you an EKG which isn't routine in the states but only takes a few minutes here. The doctor asked for my family health history and everything was in Spanish until I needed to take the EKG and he just points to the exam table and says 'lie down, take off.' It was really amusing. The gym is really basic but nice considering all this delicious food we eat! 

The view from the restaurant of Plaza Serrano at night!

Friday night was the first night we went out in BA and we went to a boliche (disco/club) called Crobar. We didn't go until 2 a.m. and that still was on the early side. The place was huge, it probably held about 1.000 people and I left with my friend Perry around 5 a.m. but it doesn't close until 8 a.m....insane! It was a lot of fun though, they played mostly American music with  little bit of techno thrown in there. I slept until 3 the next day and then we ordered empanadas for takeout. It's a strange schedule here, so different from the states. We walked down to Plaza Serrano, which is a great little plaza ten blocks away from us filled with bars, restaurants, street vendors, and a fair during the weekends. It has a lot of character and the walk down to it was nice, too. So many stores and restaurants and pretty apartment buildings with plants on the balconies. Everyday here is a new adventure, the city has so many different smells, neighborhoods, things to see and places to explore. I'm really enjoying city life and each day finding out new great things about Buenos Aires!