Rain, rain go away...and soapy suds a-plenty

I did *not* sign up for this horrid weather and *still* can´t find a coat I like. :(

On the plus side, C & I went to Tango again last night, and now know 5 different moves, which we can put together in a passable, if slow, routine. C´s even managing to steer me effortlessly round others, rather than crashing into them as we were last week. Sometimes.

There was a very suave young guy there last night, all chiselled cheekbones and dark curly hair, who checked me out when he walked in. Fancy footwork, I couldn´t help but stare a little bit. Exactly the sort of guy C was scared might sweep me away! I said, cheekily, that I reckoned he could teach me a thing or two (about Tango...natch) and C held me just that bit closer. Sweet.

C called him a ´Tango slut´ as he danced with about 5-6 different ladies that evening, but as I´ve said, there´s a shortage of males, so I reckoned he was just spreading the love. Most were old enough to be his mum!

A basic white room, with a mirror along one wall and an antiquated computer (Windows 95) playing the tunes, "Dancing with the Stars", it aint.

Not least the Argentinian TV version which we have watched slack-jawed on TV (me in incredulity, C with a little bit of drool) as the chicas are wearing virtually next to nothing, two tiny triangles over their enormous blow-up breasts and a postage-stamp for a thong, displaying their Argentinian Brazilians to all and sundry.

The host even lay on the floor looking "up" as one did some high kicks and he later actually cut her ´knickers´ off with a pair of scissors (there was a tinier pair beneath...). With the cameras spanning tight mid-riffs and lingering over boobs and butts, they manage to make old Benny Hill shows from the 70s look P.C. My dad (and most blokes, I reckon) would love it.

Argentinian women on the telly seem to have a lot of plastic surgery...a couple of the celebrity dancers with better figures than most 20 year olds, I was told, were 55 and 47...it was seriously only when the camera came closer that you could see the slightly crepey neck and hands...If you ever want a slight nip-tuck, this is the place...
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I went to buy some shower gel after Tango (the shops stay open till 10) and, as in the UK, I refused a plastic bag for one item.

A 10 minute walk home and I found the lid had come off and my i-pod, digital camera, pens, make-up bag, mobile, Spanish phrase book, notebook and gloves were literally *swimming* in the slimey, sticky goo.

C & I spent an hour cleaning up. Miraculously, with my ipod/camera being in cases and my USB stick with all my pics on and Tom´s ipod (which Kirsten had charged up and given me to return via John not 3 hours earlier...) in side pockets, everything was unharmed.

However, I´ve learnt my lesson; no more saving air miles or money by buying local (crappy packaging) - I´m back to buying imported brands again (Dove, Pantene, Johnson´s) and I´m DOUBLE-BAGGING.

On the plus side, all my stuff smells lovely.
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We needed a drink after that, so C suggested a local haunt I´d been wanting to go to since we got here, Cafe Sampaka (I pass it daily, on my walk to work).

We went out at 11.30 (I´m getting into Argie timing with my siestas), but the only people in there were a good-looking man and an older feller playing cards. The younger leapt up to serve us. We were actually the only clientele in there!

Normally, this would put me off, but turns out it´s the coolest bar ever, run by this guy, Mario and his brother in law, Carlos (who was behind the bar, sorting the tunes).

The music was great; a remix CD of a world-famous Argentinian DJ called Herman Castaña (?) - C has some of his CDs on Global Underground - and they got chatting. They burned C a CD, which he was v chuffed about.

A lot of bars in Argentina don´t sell wine by the glass so you *have* to get a bottle (nightmare, eh?!), but seeing as C was on beer, I was left with a dilemma. In the end I ordered the bottle (um, what did you *think* I was going to do?!) and managed to get them to agree to keep it behind the bar for me for next time.

Mario even rang his wife, Laura who teaches English to come down with their baby (at about 12.30!) and she brought down a tired but incredibly cute and smiley little girl, 8 months, who her uncle Carlos (Laura´s bro) held on a bar stool, her dummy in his mouth, so she could ´dance´ with her hands in the air. (Aren´t ravers getting younger these days?!)

I didn´t have my camera (it was drying out) so I´ll get pics another time.

We left at 2am - so much for one drink.

Sampaka´s only been open a month (same time we´ve been here) which is why they don´t have much custom yet.

Their music´s much better than Power though (which is full of 18 year olds and you can´t hear yourself speak...sorry I just turned 85 for a bit there) and the service is fantastico.

To give business a boost and start spreading the word (you can take the girl out of advertising...) I´ve invited all the volunteers tonight and Veronica and her hubby Marcello to join us after dinner. As V is the In-country Co-ordinator for i-to-i, I´m going to ask her to start promoting it to all her voluntarios (and her own mates too)
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And it´s turning warmer again...yay!