BsAs- SO NEAR AND SO FAR!

Dancer's measure of time passing by dancing are the shoes. I have a special attachment to them. The more worn our they are, the more I cling to them, trying to strech our time together from hour to hour. I do not know another dancers' shoes with such longevity. They serve me well. I take care of them. But one day we have to part. I never just throw them away. I have a ceremony of just ' leaving them' hanging on a tree. Not any tree. As it is a symbolic act of making a wish to come back to the place where I hang them, I try to choose a convenient place. A country and city which means something to me. That' s why one beautifully worn out pair of tango shoes is hanging on a high tree near Vatican, Rome. Another one is in the Northern Polar Circle, near Kiruna, Sweden. Still another one- in Prague. But the last one did not accompany me to European Tour 2008, and is hanging on our beloved lemon tree of our house in Buenos Aires. The lemons were just begining to turn yellow. Argentinean autumn 2008, end of April.The shoes were worn to the extreem, in the most sexy, extravant way. The high heels, impecably brilliant!Our lemon tree, our faithfull companion of many departures and arrivals, was saying good bye to us with its autumn robe- showing the juicy, yellow lemon plentitude.
Now, after two months of intensive travelling and dancing, my other pair of true veteran shoes is asking for its final destination. The place of peace and rest. My red shoes. And I will take them for the last travel. Switzerland, the French Alps. The high montains which have been a georgious background for our tangos. Great time, good friends, superb wines. Inspiration. My red shoes will give us many happy returns to that place.

Our own house and lemon tree have special guardian angels now. Ludka, from Switzerland, is having a time of her life in Buenos Aires now. Tito, our argentinean friend, is taking care of a house and Ludka. They are enjoying the sight and taste of our lemons.
2 months ago I left my last pair of tango shoes on a lemon tree. We left our swiss tango student Ludka with our argentinean friend Tito living in our house. Will Ludka find the taste of tango in Buenos Aires? Will she hang her tango shoes somewhere there to come back again? Maybe on a lemon tree beside mines?Will she lear Spanish, as she wishes to communicate with Tito and all the new friends she will make?

Well, it's been also 2 months which have passed for her in Buenos Aires and she is asking us for MORE TIME in our house. Tito has also prolonged his time as a guardian angel of a house... and maybe Ludka too. The circle of life!

BRIEG again- another side of Poland

Again Brzeg! And here is our first residence, Castle of Principality. For sentimental reasons we have visited our familiar, romantic place where we lived and danced.
Now, it is not such a glorious strike back, but we are put up in a decadent 1920th villa with an enchanted garden.

But, in spite ofa VERY hot summer, we always have some rain for refreshment. Dancing in the rain in Brzeg became a classic.

Tango workshops , all the classes and one of the milongas were held in an enchanting building- former grand piano factory. The red brick house with enormous bow windows ,wooden floor, decorated with taste was SO INSPIRING FOR TANGO and friendly meeting around tea and wine with our friends from Brzeg. Here are more fotos: http://http//www.fotoblog.mason.org.pl/

We thought it would be a nice, cosy week of seminars in a familiar circle of our tango students, with time to visit places around and socialize. But it turned out to be an intensive programme of group and private classes, milongas, interviews, photo sessions and performances with argentinean musicians as a part of Street Theatre Festival, as well as excursions to visit emblematical places in the regions. On the top-nvitations for dinners, coffe and cakes. All that unresistible and equaly important. And all with the timing fixed. ' What is a programme for tomorrow? " Victor asked while dining. " Do I have to wake up early?"- a crucial question. I cannot believe we have this kind of schedule in a small, dormant town during the summer holiday season!
First of all, the town is beautiful. It takes pride in its castle, post german arquitecture and a market square ( we have danced there too!)

Apart from ' work' we had a nice excursion organized for us, this time not to the mountains. First we visited Arbortum in Wojwice. Andrzej & Ewa showed us their favourite redwood. This sequoia is very young, only some 100 years old!Aisha felt like an animal playing around in the woods. What kind of animal though?Then we visited an acient slavic settlement. And finally a magic mountain called SLEZA, known for the gathering of the witches. It was a day after a very special night, the shortest night in a year, St John's night. With just one witch around ( it was a daylight still) we executed some magic to make our lives better. Coffe and cakes at the foot of the mountains, in Sobotka.
We rushed back to the castle not to missed our tangos. This time we were to dance in our inspiring courtyard, to the live music of our argentinean friends.

But what a pleasure to have a rest in our own garden!Idyllic life in Brzeg!

WARSAW Tango Festival and not much more

After being spoiled by our favourite european destinations, like Prague, it' s hard to be euphoric about Warsaw. Let us be positive and find some nice points in our visit to this rather unatractive city.

We had a summerly welcome. Cannot complain about the weather. The whole city is having a blitz race towards Europe. Sometimes too quick- the Old Town looks like a playground artificially prepared for the tourists. We all know it's a quite faithful reconstruction of its original version totally destroyed by the war. Now, it is a monument to the modern tourism, consumption and devastating prices. Cup of coffe there?! No thank you, in Champs Elisees it's cheaper!

Our only reason to visit Warsaw again was a Tango Festival.

Our protective gods want us to have a double luxury: a luxurious apartment in Narbutta/Lowicka street and, to have it complete, our festival location on the same street, 3 blocks away!

The three reasons we were interested in Warsaw Festival Viva Tango were:
first, because we like our Tango Trinity of Warsaw ( Piotr, his twin brother Marcin and Agnieszka, the organizers),
second, because one of the Aisha' s brother lives there and another one works in the Filipines leaving a luxurious apartement at artists' disposal.
The third reason, was to check how our fresh tango student and friend, Kinga Rusin is doing. Though considered a TV star in Poland, for us she is just a lovely girl who is passionate about tango.

We had great tango time in Buenos Aires while filming You Can Dance programme and Kinga promised to meet us and assist our performance in Warsaw. And she did! It was great chatting to her till 3 a.m ( she is a real night person, perfect for milongas), unfortunately her evaluation of Polish tango scene comparing to her Buenos Aires experience turned out to be very law... She has never danced tango since she was back in Poland. She keeps dreaming about catching up with her tango education in her divino Buenos Aires. Where else?!


Kinga danced tango only with Victor, her maestro. She refused all the other invitations. Paparazzis left her alone for this night. In this respect, tango in Warsaw was absolutely correct.

I was quite apprehensive about the time of her arrival and started our performance without being aware of 2 important persons to arrive: Kinga and my brother. Those two I wanted to dedicate our dance. After the performance when Kinga threw herself into our arms with greetings and congratulations, I only checked her: which dress I danced my first tango vals? ' White-she answered without winking her eye. She passed!
Victor, looking like a virtuoso. A real maestro!

Gladys knows the european mentality. That's why she brought her own ' food basket' to the milonga. After our performances, about 1 am she started taking out breads, hams, sousages and cheeses. As she rightly says- the Europeans never care about the artists. We do not eat before dancing, which means that our dinner is posponed to the late night hours. A question is we want sth to accompany wine on the table never comes. Gladys invited us to this little snack.

After the festival we kept our private lessons + dinner follow up schedule. THIS IS DEFINITELY OUR BEST PART of tango life in Warsaw. Our faithful neurotangueros ( neurologists crazy for tango) Beata and Jarek, not only progress in their tango, but also in the gastronomic issues. 10 points for their memory- our beloved salmon and sernik were not missing, neither was 'chlodnik' , Polish gazpacho and best of wines! We love these kind of students! Therefore we dedicated our guitar vals to this special couple. And we wait for them in Buenos Aires.

During the days ( finally siestas possible!) we could visit Old Town to see the all the countries, and Argentina among them, represented in... BEARS. Let's have a look at what we have seen...

There were some good ideas, and among our favourites were USA, Cuba, Ireland, Spain, Mexico...

But Argentina! What a disappointment! Victor looked at artist' s name with contempt!

Grotesque tango couple and a couple of pinguins and flamencos on pastel couloured surfice was all!



But this visit turned out NOT to be the last. After our performance Academy of Tomek Potocki approached and suggested organized our summer workshops. So, we will check on this city end of July again! I can always change my opinion ( about the city or about the idea of workshops)...

PRAGA y CZECH por Victor

proximo destino: Praga. De vuelta 20 horas de viaje, pero por solo 60 euros cada uno. Si queres avion, poniendo estaba la gansa: 600.- euros cada uno. Ni loco.

Los amigos ucranianos nos aprovisionaron para el viaje, como si fueramos a cruzar el sahara caminando: Birras, vodka, whisky, quesos, pan, jamon, mostaza, agua y ya no me acuerdo mas que. Y como siempre pasa, uno come y toma en estos viajes no por hambre, sino por aburrido, asi que al llegar a Praga no quedo nada de las birras, ni de la vodka, ni nada de nada.

Salimos de Ucrania por el oeste, y cruzamos otra vez toda Polonia, esta vez en direccion este-oeste, hasta entrar en territorio checo. Magnificas autopistas y fronteras abiertas, por star dentro del espacio Schengen, hicieron el viaje mas llevadero. En el camino pasamos por
Cracovia, y por Wadowice,la ciudad natal de Juan Pablo II, que es un lugar cualquiera pero ahora la van de capital mundial del catolicismo, lleno de banderas polacas y papales.

Al llegar a Praga, primera sorpresa: el omnibus no llegaba a donde se suponia debia llegar, sino a un suburbio. Ese cambio lo habian anunciado, pero en ucraniano!, asi que no cazamos una. La cosa era que eran las 6 de la matina, y estabamos parados en medio de la nada, muertos de sueno ( dormitar en un micro no es dormir) y sin una puta corona checa, el dinero local. Pero por suerte, hasta ahi llegaba, increible, la ultima estacion el subte, por lo cual nos mandamos, colados por no tener otra opcion, hasta el centro, con maletas y todo, y llegamos a nuestro alojamiento, el gran hotel Aria, de 5 estrellas, en lo mejor de lo mejor de Praga.

Este increible y carisimo hotel, para nosotros es gratis durante los dias que dura nuestro workshop, por la siguiente razon: Jana y Achim, nuestros organizadores checos, son dos abogados fanaticos del tango y del golf, y ella labura en una monstruosa empresa que financia construcciones de lujo, sobre todo hoteles. Entonces tiene una manganeta media extrana que no la entiendo, pero lo concreto es que no garpa, y siempre nos alojan en estos cinco estrellas.

En mi vida creo que habre estado 5 o 6 veces en estos lujosisimos hoteles, pero este era el mejor, sin duda. Un lujo infernal desde donde lo mires, habitaciones con todos los servicios, incluida PC e internet en la habitacion, TV gigante de plasma, desayunos descomunales a la carta y libres, todo de la mejor calidad, y en cantidades libres.

Me entere, de puro cholulo nomas, que aca estuvo alojado el ultimo James Bond, el famoso 007, cuando se filmaron escenas en Praga, y creo que en este mismo hotel.

Bueno, una vez instalados, desayunados a lo bestia y dormidos, nos reunimos con Achim para organizar la estadia en Praga.

Como siempre, consistio en clases, show el sabado a la noche en su preciosa milonga al aire libre, con toda Praga como paisaje de fondo. Como dato accesorio, habia un equipo de la television checa filmando material para una pelicula del tango en Praga, asi que nos escracharon repetidamente y apareceremos. Ya veremos cuando este editada.

Es un placer tener todos los lugares ( milongas, clases, hotel ) a distancias cortisimas, par air caminando, pues si hay una ciudad bonita para caminar, esa es Praga, y mas aun en primavera.

Rapidamente pasaron ese viernes, sabado y domingo, se acabo la actividad y aqui viene la otra parte de la estadia checa: Achim y Jana nos invitaron dos dias a las montanas, a hacer river rafting, que nada tiene que ver con las gloriosas gallinas, sino con navegar en bote por las correntosas aguas de los rios de montana.

Asi fue nos fuimos del conchetisimo hotel, a la no menos concheta casa de Achim y Jana, en un pueblito periferico de Praga, donde dejamos las valijas, hicimos un bolso con lo minimo, y tras cargar el auto con carpas, bolsas de dormir y demas bagallos, salimos hacia el sur, 300 km. en direccion a Austria, y paramos muy cerca de la frontera, en la maravillosa ciudad turistica e historica de Cesky Krumlov, delicioso lugar sobre el rio Mltava, enclavado entre montanas. El rio es el mismo que pasa por Praga, solo que alla es un enorme rio de llanura, y aqui, medio montanoso, es muchisimo mas estrecho, mas bajo, y mas rapido.

El rio va creciendo a medida que avanza, recibe afluentes, pasa por Praga, luego entra en Alemania, se junta con el Elba y finalmente muere en el mar del norte, en Hamburgo.

Pero aca es especial para la practica de este deporte, pasion de muchas familias en Chequia. Nos contaron que la pasion por esto viene de muy antano, y se amplifico durante el periodo comunista, pues al no poder salir del pais, la gente identificaba este deporte con el sentido de la libertad, el dormir en carpas, el recorrer la naturaleza, cantar a la noche al lado del fuego.

Ademas es barato.

Nada mas llegar a Cesky Krumlov, despues del comodisimo viaje en el auto de Jana ( terrible BMW de 80 lucas euro que la empresa le pone a su disposicion) nos recibio la lluvia, por lo que hicimos un poco de tiempo con unas birritas, y cuando paro armamos las carpas al lado del rio. A la noche nos fuimos a cenar a la ciudadita, riquisimas combinaciones de cerdo, chucrut, papas y salsitas de la cocina checa, en un restaurant muy tipico de la region, y, sorpresa de las sorpresas, baratisimo.

Vuelta a la carpa, y a dormir. Al otro dia empezaba la gran aventura. Nos levantamos no muy temprano, y le entramos a un desayuno modesto, mientras a nuestro lado, otros checos se mandaban 3 cervezas de medio litro cada una, a las 9 de la manana! Para los checos, esta es la bebida nacional. Imaginen mil seiscientos millones de litros de cerveza! El volumen equivalente a 70 piletas olimpicas llenas de birra. Eso es lo que se toman los checos cada ano, y da una impresionante media de 160 litros/ano por habitante. El mas alto del mundo.

Y la verdad es que la cerveza aca es impresionante, muy buena.

Bueno, luego del desayuno, hicimos con el auto 20 km. rio arriba, y ahi finalmente tomamos los botes, en realidad canoas de fibra de vidrio, los chalecos, los remos, y algo muy inteligente: un pequeno barril plastico, con tapa a rosca hermetica, donde guardas todo lo que te interesa no se moje ( dinero, documentos, ropa de cambio). Y alla fuimos, a favor de la corriente, por el bello Mltava.

Hay sectores del rio muy calmos, donde si queres te dejar llevar por la corriente, otros mas correntosos, donde conviene esquivar las piedras que aca y alla emergen del agua, y otros donde hay desniveles en el rio, producidos artificialmente por diques hechos por el hombre, de 1 a 2 metros de altura, que no podes saltar a lo bestia por cualquier lado, sino por unas “ lenguas”, especie de toboganes veloces donde te mandas con la canoa, a gran velocidad, y que al llegar al nuevo nivel se te llena medio bote con agua. Eso hace a la canoa mas inestable, y bastante frecuentemente se dan vuelta los botes, y al carajo con la gente y con las cosas de a bordo. Ahi entendes para que sirve el barril hermetico. Nos paso eso 2 veces, y tuvimos que arrastrar el bote a la orilla, vaciarlo, y volver a salir. En una de esas volteretas, se me pianto una ojota que debe andar por Alemania ahora, y a Achim le paso lo mismo, asi que ahora ando con una negra y una naranja, rejunte de lo que quedo despues del naufragio.Es muy divertido, deportivo y muy social esa actividad.

En uno de los tantos recodos del rio paramos a comer en un bolichito, y otra vez los deliciosos parek ( hibrido de pancho y choripan) acompanados con…agua mineral? No creo.

Finalmente llegamos a nuestro campamento, luego de 6 horas de bote, y hubo que ir a buscar el auto que quedo, naturalmente, rio arriba. Al otro dia, lo opuesto. Salimos en bote desde el campamento, y navegamos 20 km. rio abajo, siempre a favor de la corriente, y en este tramo pasamos por el centro de Cesky Krumlov, con los turistas que nos observaban desde sus medievales puentes, esperando que nos demos vuelta en medio del rio para cagarse de risa a costa nuestra. Los jodimos, nos caimos si, pero donde nadie nos veia.

Y estos bellos dias entre montanas, rio, y ciudades medievales tambien pasaron, volvimos a Praga ( en rigor a Horomerice, donde viven Achim y Jana), dormimos una noche en la casa, luego del correspondiente chapuzon en la piscina, y la cena, ahora si con vinos buenos.

Al otro dia, de nuevo el ritual del viaje al proximo destino, que era Varsovia. Esta vez zafamos del bondi, hay tren directo Praga-Varsovia, y bastante barato.

Asi que sacamos el boleto, me compre “ El Pais”, un par de cosillas para el viaje, y adios a la bella e immortal Praga. Se habia terminado nuestra quinta visita a esta ciudad maravillosa.

RIVER RAFTING in CZECH!

This perl of a town is Cesky Krumlov. Our starting point of river rafting. Actually, the activity was kept secret from us- we only knew we were taken for a trip to a beautiful place.

Here goes our tango crew-getting ready to grab our canoes!

A good way to be introduced to the adventure: czech breakfast after a night in tents!

This is our first stop. Rozember is the ' Rose mountain' .

We need petrol! Our experienced czech crew explained that there must be two important ingredients in each canoe: chocolate and whiskey! I LOVE BOTH!

Maybe whiskey suists me better...

This is called " soulozit" , actually, not quite sure if it's not " saulodit"( one is of sexual reference, another is a rafting term) : floating down while all the canoes are joined. Good way to chat and share whiskey/chocolate/ experiences..

Soulozit-or soulodit...?This is a question!

Victor and the boys say the best part of rafting is called PIVO ( czech beer).

The Czech more beer per capita that ANY OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD!

And we enjoyed the delicios kedliky ( mines were ovocne knedliky), smazene syrecky, morovsky vrabec, klobasa, nakladany hermelin, pare, utopenec...

Our men were strong and handsome.

And we have a proof of our heroic deeds!

This was a first delicious STOP. U Fika is a charming place in the middle of the forest with the most delicious food and beer. And a nice bonfire to get dried after some drops of rain.

All the days were our lucky days- sunshine and roses.

The best thing in Chech Republic are their HOSPODAS. It's in between bar and a restaurant, informal, cosy with BRILLIANT AND ECONOMIC FOOD. There we had our first experience of hermelins. Recommended to EVERYBODY WHILE IN Cesky Krumlov: Hospoda Na Louzi.

Travellers' breakfast by the beautiful River VLTAVA.

Rafting through Cesky Krumlov ( our second day) WAS THE BEST OF ALL! A canyon with a delightfull arquitecture on both sides. AND the DAMS!

Victoriously went through one of them ( turned down only TWICE!)

You cannot disappoint crowds of admiring tourists and inhabitants gazing at the heroes!

The dog in a boat! As an argentinean saying goes " as serious as a dog in a boat" ( serio como perro en bote)

Cosy beer break on a second day. Finally - are the beer breaks all this river rafting in Czech is about?!

And finally back to our beloved luxurious Prague residence. And good bye dinner outside. Jana makes a splendid cook!

They both make great slivovice companions. So was in Prague and so was in Buenos Aires. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR, DEARS!