Otros Aires

Last Thursday we went to another tango evening, And after the class, the band Otros Aires took the stage and ....

wow, they are fantastic!!

here link to one of their songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udYzFsyU7yg&feature=player_embedded

I have even got the autograph from the lead singer:)

corruption and plastic fantastic

Last week we have been asking our teacher at school about living in Argentina from his point of view. What is good, what could be better, is the new president (a woman) doing a good job.... what are the salaries and what this money can buy...


He told us some very interesing things.

For example, Argentina is a plastic operations paradise. One in evry thirty argentinian takes a plastic beauty surgery. Getting ´ít done´ is a very p0opular gift that wealthy parents give to their teenage doughters. Having fake boobs means a status here, like in some other countries haveing a fancy car. Lips, facelifting, boobs, ass.... it does not matter what, but how much you had it done. This is important and it is openly discussed between people. The plastic fantastic turism is booming, as many US people come gere to get some vacation and a beaty treatment for much less money than at home.

Argentina has great doctors, but hospital system sucks. Everybody has ofc curse insurance, but if you have no money and you go to a public hospital, you can wait also for 6 or more hours to get your turn. Even if it is an emergency. Giving some goody envelope under the table to get faster in line is very common. Or, if you can afford it, you can go to private hospitals. German, Italian... you name it.

One of interesting facts is also, that the country is lacking mondedaz (coins). One peso coin is actually worht 1.5 pesos to produce and the government is avoiding the idea of producing more coins. But coins are essential, as this is the only possible payment to get on the bus. G9vernment is therefore supporting all shops for accepting credit card payment even for smallest purchaces, to cover the problem with lack of coins on the market. We have been told, that you can actully buy a bag of coins. 90 pesos of coins, for 100 pesos in paper money. Not bad, a? The sellers are located in end bus stations. This is of course not legal, but nobody is monitoring and punishing the dealers. I read about the story of police finding 5 trucks at the brasilian border, smuggling coins for 5 million pesos.... why bother with cocain, if metal can do the profit, right:)

School system supposed to be free, but there exist also better (!) private schools. Which are not free.

Very interesting is also the salary sistem. For sure it is better to work for private organization as you can earn more money. Taxes from salary are 21%. Maternity lea ve is 3 months (well, I am spoiled from 12 months in Slovenia, but also Germany has a good system). Paid holidays are about the same as in US (nothing really compared to Europe). Salaries (according to our source) are not very high, compared to our european standards. Average salary per month is 3000 pesos, lawyer earns 7000, dentis 7500, as do engineers with experience. But portero (the building maintenance person) earns 3500 pesos, as doctor in a public hospital earns 3000 pesos.... Waiter gets 2000, teacher between 2000.3000 pessos...

And what this money can buy? I saw advertisments for rents in safe neighbourhoods for 900-2000 pesòs´+ utility costs, but to get this price, you have to be argentinian. Expats pay more, and if you want a non furnished apartment you need a guarantor, reference and 2 year minimum lease. For us, turists, who come here for a month or two... small furnished studio can cost 550-700 US dollars (where did pesos go all of the sudden) per month with all utilities included. A room in shared flat costs between 120.-170 USD per week.

Apartments to buy are cheaper as in Europe, but you need to have dollars to buy them. Banks also do not like to give loans, so people rent more than they buy.


Well, one obvservation i had was also a lot of street sellers. The moto is - buy everything as I need to survive. I saw one old grandpa selling Mont Blanc pens, for same price as in the store.. where did he get the pens? I would rather not know: But he is sitting in the street chair and trying to make some money.

Yes, it was an interesting lesson about life in Argentina. We also learned that the new president has collagen in her lips and fake boobs. Because that is what counts!

Dogs and the toilet

Well the original post title should be: Watch your step, shit on the street!

There are thousands of dogs in Buenos Aires. The owners (rich ones specially) are pretty lazy people, so they hire a professional dog walkers, called ´passaperro´. The dogwalker collects dogs in apartments and goes for a walk. On the photo is one of more business oriented dogwalker with 7 dogs...

But even the city requires the cleaning after your dog made the poop, there is no punishment. You can imagine then the lazyness of people (owners and dogwalkers), who don´t bother to pick up and clean it up.

Watch your step!! Or it can happen very often that you will end up with a smelly suprise on your shoes:(

I think I became little spoiled afrter living in Munich. There you can even rest on a grass in parks, where dogs have speciall areas just for them.

Shakira

I decided to post some of the songs that make my day.
As you know, I am crazy about music. I don´t know a lot, but music makes me alive. I can express myself with it, although I am not a professional dancer

Here is a link to a song from Shakira, from her early days.. when she was still chica latina with dark black long hair.

Wow! The song is great too:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcLM9rFkWJc

Maja

Where ghosts live

Have you ever been to a cemetery and actually enjoyed it?

Well, Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires is one of first public opened cemeteries and one of the most famous ones. It was opened in 1822 and designed like a city, with blocks of ´flats` or better say`last apartments for the dead´ It has 4800 vaults, and most famous argentinian polititians, scientists, engineers, musicians are here. The most popular place is the one of Evita Peron.

As an observer you soon see that some of the vaults are very well maintained, but some others are neglected and almost falling apart. Here the tradition is still to put people in a casket rather than burn them (sorry, my english expressions for this terminology is not really the best). It looks very nice ´city´and you can buy a map to find the most important graves. in other words... magnificent. I am not really fan of cemeteries, but this one is worth seeing. `During the day is not creepy at all, you can find turists wandering around and lots of homeless cats, looking for a bite.

More information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Recoleta_Cemetery

Maja

Tango- lesson one

So, with Mayra we went to our first (well, specially my first) tango lesson.

There are schools here on every corner. Mostly this are bars with large space for dancing, where the teachers organize dance classes.

I attended the begginers class, where there were more women than men (not really a surprise). The teachers showed us the basic steps, we danced alone without the music, then with the music. Then in a couple. That was .... ´disaster´. In every dance, the man suppose to lead the woman. And the woman follows. Of course when the man is also a begginer, then he is soo much concentrated on him doing the right steps, sometimes forgets to show which way we are going.

I know... it is the same in every begginer class... I have been to some in my life and there is lot of confusion, trying to listen to the rythm, make right steps. Not steping on woman´s foot. Not bumping into antoher couple. A man has quite a demanding job.

Well, for professionals, or when you get to intermediate level, then the woman has also some interesting moves in tango. Like kick (?), and some slow motion moves with legs. Basically the upper body should stay straigt, leaning othe two dancers together... and the legs do the main job.

I also ralized why women wears skirts with high cut - they have to do looooong steps back and you need space. Same for the kicking.... and yes, high heels help make the woman really sexy in this dance...

Here are some links to professionals dancing. So you get some of the feeling:)

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9zwBGHkdk&feature=related
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e_Rbts5Q9Q&feature=related
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WiSVTwoZLA

And then there is Milonga.

Similar to tango, but looks like much faster dance, where dancers step on every tone... I am not very good describer about dances, so I am posting a link on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milonga

and here a link on Youtube, where you can see how this looks like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN0o_ZgdCL0&feature=related

There is long way to master this dancing. But I love the music and just have to work on my moves!

Maja

Gaucho dance

I made a short video with my camera ...
A hot Gaucho dancing.

As the video has cca 64 megabites, it could not be posted here.

Please check the link
http://picasaweb.google.com/maja.k.murko/GauchoDance#

and enjoy!!

not for disabled

As some of you know, my story last summer in New York City.

My sister with her broken leg, the wheelchair and me...


NYC is definitelly not user friendly for people on the wheelchairs. The pavements are high, the ramp is not always there to cross the street. The pavements are not straight and if you try to push a wheelchair with a 65 kilos (even if the person helps pushing the wheels), you gain muscless.... and in a while.. it starts irritating you. Only a few metro stations have access for a wheelchair or, even a lift.


The same here... Buenos Aires pavements are full of broken tiles, which nobody has desire to fix. Metro has only stairs and no way a wheelchair could get down there except with manual transport. Doors to the buildings are sometimes really small, and there are no back doors, like in NYC (where there is a ramp for wheelchairs and trolleys).

I heard some newest hotels do have a ramp and wide doors everywhere, but what if you are not staying in a hotel:)

Anyway... if you come here, try to come with two healthy legs. it will be much easier.

Maja

La Boca

La Boca is a neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, where was one of the main points whefre immigrants came to the new land - staring evben in 16th century.

Today it is one of neighbourhoods, where a woman is advise not to go alone at night. Or even in the evenings... but during the day is fun. There are a few main streets which have been artistically colored and decorated.l Tango is danced in front of the bars, tango songs are being singed and if you are lucky, you can even see a Gaucho do his dance:)

Back to school

I have played full time turist for 5 days in a row, and am little glad this period is over. It is kind of exhausting to run around, take all the photos, and try to have energy to get home in the evenings.

So, as I decided before, I enrolled in a spanish class. I started yesterday and it takes 4 hours of lessons every day.

I did the language courses during my summer vacations since I remember, but now I have not been to schol for quite a while. If you ask me, nothing has changed much. There is a teacher, a book and 6 students from different countries, trying to learn the language. This time is also the first time I am in begginers class.

I know italian, which makes learning spanish much easier. Of course, there are different words, pronunciation, but basically it is very similar. So, I found myself yesterday little bored....

will write more tomorrow or when something interesting happens.

Maja

Coins - worth the gold

´ Monedas´ are worth of gold here.

They come in any shapes and sizes (5, 10, 25, 50), that represent Centavos. They litterally of course dont mean you are rich if you have them, but if you don´t .... you can not ride a bus.







As I already mentioned, buses operate only on coins (or sometimes if you are lucky you find a guy who sells tickets on the bus stop for paper money, but this is rare). You tell the destination to the bus driver, and he tells you how much you need to pay. Then you throw coins in the machine and get the ticket. The problem is, that as people here rely on public transport, as distances are huge, coins are a luxury. You ask for coins in shops or bars when you pay with bills, but it is very difficult to get them. People also stand in lines in the bank, also for half an hour, to get coins for 5 pesos. Ridiculus if if you ask me, speacially for such a large city. I read somewhere that city is now thinking of changing the system to a more user friendly. I hope they do. But as this system work like this for years, nobody seems to be in a hurry.



I have only 80 centavos now in my pocket... I hope to get some monedas when I pay today for my coffee:)

Not the ocean - this is river

Today is time for a little lesson in geography.

When you look at the map of Buenos Aires, you see water. Lots of it.

But as i thought this is the ocean, it is not. The water is Rio de la Plata, the river, that ends up in the Atlantic Ocean, somewhat 290 km after the
more on this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%ADo_de_la_Plata.


The river has its many beaches, where the Buenos Aireans go to spend the lazy Sunday day. The nice beaches lie in the north of the city, outside the capital federal in the province. People come here to sit on the grass, do the sunbathing, chat, watch some capoiera show... swiming is not so popular, as water is all brownish and dirty. But you can observe the sailing boats and glimps of the city in sun.

To get here it takes cca 1,5 hours from the city center, but it is worth it. This part is full of nice houses, peacefull area and people just enyjoing the day.

Location: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&layer=x&g=Av+Del+Libertador+6000,+Buenos+Aires,+Argentina&ll=-34.472741,-58.482714&spn=0.010578,0.027466&z=15

Su Parrillon

Su Parrillon is one of the many ways to eat on the street. This is a simple grill, you choose the meat (pork, veal or saussage), the grill man throws is on the grill. After well done, you put it in a bread bun, add some salsa, and some sauces (like mayonese with parmigiano, tartar sauce, BBQ sauce..)... done. Eatable. Cheap. Fast.

and the damn birds want their share too :)

Jardin Japones

Jardin japones is a little japanese garden in the middle of Latin America.

As every good turistic spot, they have entrance fee, kiosk, little overcrowded restaurant (you need to wait in line to get a table), and lots of visitors.... but it is nice, calm, and tranquillo...

Street shopping

Looking for anything special? That can not be found in a shop?

Streets of Buenos Aires are full of interesting picks:)

Street entertainment

Street entertainment is everywhere.... this is on Florida Street, one of the walking zones

Buenos Aires - public transport

Public transport in Buenos Aires is very .... complex.

There are more than 150 bus lines, that spread over the city and to understand the system, best is to buy the Guida T - a little bookled with 192 pages (!) of instructions, maps where to find a bus, hat goes in desired direction. Buses are also different colors - yellow, red, blue, green, and various combinations (red with beige and violet, green with white line, blue/red/white, white with green line, red with black roof and many others). To make things even more fun, some lines have more sublines. Like number 39, has sublines 1, 2 , 3 which go in similar, but not the same directions... Price per ride: 1,1 to 1,25 pesos... have coins ready. Oh, another thing...bus stations are marked in different ways... the most ínvisible´mark was a little metal sign on one of the trees....

Luckily (or not), the underground (Subte) has only 6 lines, but they do not meet anywhere. There are stations that are located in the same street, but you need to get out of the Subte and change the station. Price per ride 1,2 pesos, which is really cheap. The Subte runs from 5 am to 22.30 or latest 23.00....

Taxis are black with yellow roof, and you can get it on the street... cheap too.

So, when you do get an overview, I guess it is easy to get arround the town.

Buenos aires - visual

I came to Buenos AIres after 16 hour flight via Sao Paolo..

First impressions are here: very very green. Trees are everywhere, which gives this city much more fresh feeling:)

http://picasaweb.google.com/maja.k.murko/BuenosAires?authkey=Gv1sRgCMjs0tKd75bcoQE#

LONDON 3-6.APRIL 09

Dear all,

my first stop was London, as my round the world ticket starts here.
I had great 3 last days in Europe, and am now ready for everything:)

Thanks to Michelle who came all the way to London to party with me in my last European stop.
Thanks to Dory for interesting 2 parties in the ghetto of London (so I heard, somewhere in the south of London). One was in the funky apartment with fantastic terrace, with Boarding school theme and the other one Camel tow (check wikipedia what that means).

Party ended in a Kebab place with 2 indian guys, talking about cultural differences....

I will be back in end of September. Which is 6 months away, but on the other hand, so close.

Links to London experience http://picasaweb.google.com/maja.k.murko/LONDON?authkey=Gv1sRgCPr304fNop3ApgE#

Maja

Why am I going....

Yes, this is a question among FAQ that i have been asked...

I lost the job. In this strange times, where every other article in newspapers screams about the crisis and gets people more and more depressed and panicked, I can tell you, that recruitment industry is not better off.

I have been in recruitment for 9 years. Things have been great, companies were hiring people, businesses have been growing. Temporary staffing and permanent recruitment was perfect are to be in, if you liked to work with people and do some good job for them. Recruitment agencies have been expanding, opening new businesses and life for us was fantastic.

But now... interesting twist happened, companies are laying off people, and so do recruitment companies.

I never thought it would happen to me, specially when results have been great.. But. Never say never....


I have been helping people who lost their jobs before, I did outplacement and similar services. And I decided to get by my own advices.

• Do not panic.
• do not
• do not stuck in your own home and feel useless and depressed. Dress up, put on make up and go óut. Talk to people and do networking.
• Do not loose optimism.
• Every bad thing happens for a reason and it opens new doors.
• if it happened to you, the universe wants you to make changes in your life, as you were bored or stuck in the same routine every day....

You dont belive me?

I decided to do something, that for me sounded always an unreachable dream.
I decided to go traveling around the world. For 6 months.

´So since Friday, I am living my dream... I am in Argtentina, enjoying life.

more to come soon.....

Where am I going

Dear all,


I have been asked where am I going... and if you could join me. Yes, you can... check out the dates and locations and let me know!


7.4.-23.5. - Buenos Aires - I am here now:). Plan is to learn some spanish, Tango and see what else is possible.

23.5.-30.5- Mendoza in Argentina, Santiago (Chile)

30.5. I fly to Auckland. But as it will be winter there when I land, I am thinking of Fiji and warm sandy beaches

23.6-25.7. - Australia... Sydney, Canberra, 14 days on one of the farms with horses, and then Brisbane.

25-30.7 Hong Kong

30.7.-20.8 - Singapore, Malasya... nothing planned yet

20.8-29.9 - India, start in Mumbai. I have no plans yet. Maybe I would end up in convent (not very likely), or working in a orphanage, or meditating somewhere in Rajastan... I could go totally crazy too....

Back to London on 29.September and then to Munich.


Maja