Tigre & Tango - Friday, October 15, 2010

Rich and I showered and got ready for the day without disturbing our sleeping daughters. Our morning routine is working out good for us to get up and to the office while the girls sleep longer and have more time to share the bathroom and get ready for the day and for our return.

We worked on our usual office tasks trying to keep up and stay on top of things in the limited time we are working each day. So far we haven't neglected any major things that have to be done. In the later morning hours, the Gulbrandsens stopped by and it gave us a chance to ask them when would be a good time to visit them at the mission home for a few minutes. We want them to meet our girls and we want to show the girls the mission home -- a must! It looks like Sunday will be the day.

Today is cloudy, cool, and rainy and not a very good day to visit Tigre. But that is what is on our agenda, mainly because we have a date to visit the Torres at 5:00 p.m. Going another direction would complicate matters in getting to the Torre home at the appointed hour. So when we returned to pick up the girls, we walked a couple blocks to catch the bus.

Our ride on the colectivo lasted about 15 minutes and we got off in the main downtown area by the canals. Not many people were out and about taking water taxi rides or sightseeing rides on the Catamarans. On warm sunny weekends, Tigre is the place to hang out. People swarm off the train headed for the casino and the amusement park which are located in the same area.

The grounds around the canals are well groomed and the flowers are blooming reminding us that spring is here.

We walked along the canal for a few minutes then visited some of the tourist shops in the area. Marianne bought a few items for herself and a couple things to give to people at home. The purchase was short lived as we didn't make it home with the package. When we stopped for an ice cream cone just next door to Rio Tigre, we either left the sack at the table where we sat or someone walked off with it while our backs were turned.

On the way to catch another bus to take us to the church where we attended for eight months of our mission and to the Torre home, we stopped at a toy store to see if there was anything that would interest Urban and Mekhi. Melissa purchased a cute Spiderman umbrella for Urban.

The Torres recently made a new entrance to their property due to someone jumping their last gate for security and stealing something of value. I can't remember what it was, however.

Their home is lovely and very modern.

Andrès and Sandra Torre are the parents of four sons. He is the Branch President of the Tigre Branch and Sister Torre leads the Sacrament meeting music and teaches a class. President Torre is in the import/export business and is a successful businessman. Sandra has been going to college working on a degree in psychology.

Strawberries, cookies, and pop were served as a refreshment for us as we visited and were entertained by this fun couple. Melissa made seven quilted patchwork pieces that she labeled with a thank you note to be given to some friends of our choice that are special to us. Sister Torre received one of them and she was thrilled. We failed to get a picture of the one presented to her.

Their yard is neatly groomed around the swimming pool and deck.

The sister missionaries serve in Tigre and the Torres have them to dinner after church every Sunday. They have been so good to us and have entertained us several times. A special invite from them included the sister missionaries for Christmas Eve dinner last year.

A separate building in their back yard is set up for entertaining. It contains an indoor barbeque which is unique and different. A long table with chairs is ideal for having several guests to dinner.

President Torre gives a demonstration on preparing and drinking matte, the national herb tea. The herbs look like grass and weeds which are put in a matte cup . . .

to which hot water is added. Some add sugar, some don't. Then through a filtered straw, the water is sipped out. More is added and the cup is passed around the group of family or friends to drink from the community straw. It is big social pass-time.

We had a great time visiting the Torres and were glad our girls could meet them.

We went back home for a couple hours waiting for 9:00 to come when we were going out on the town to learn how to Tango. This was one of Melissa's requests as she wanted to Tango in Argentina. It just so happened that one of our good friends, Rocio Garcia, used to work in a Tango Parlor/dance club. She asked the instructor if he would teach her a few steps so she would have the opportunity to dance the tango while here. The arrangements were made.

Not being able to fit seven people in Ezequiel and Rocio's small car which had a flat tire four blocks from our apartment, we hired a remise to drive us to San Miguel which was a 50 minute ride. We had no idea it was that far away. We waited for their tire to be fixed and then started on our journey. Yes, 9:00 was the starting time, but by the time the tire was fixed and we were on our way, it was more like 9:45 before we left. Isn't that bedtime??

We arrived at the Tango Parlor/school where during the week people go to receive dance instruction. Then on the weekend, they come to have fun and practice what they learned.

Ezequiel and Rocio Garcia and little Delfina, on my lap, were so nice to do this for us. Rocio had just gotten off work at 9:00 and then was willing to spend her evening with us so we would have this experience. They had not eaten so we ordered pizza, empanadas, and drinks at this "dinner club."

The pizza was good, but had chunks of hard boiled eggs on it. Strange, we thought, for a pizza, however, here in Argentina eggs are added to several dishes.

We were there when the parlor opened and since the crowd had not arrived, we had the floor to ourselves to learn the basic Tango steps. There are a total of eight.

The main instructor asked if Melissa was ready to dance, and continued with the instruction (in Spanish) with Ezequiel looking on. She would smile and nod appropriately. Other patrons were starting to arrive but there wasn't a huge crowd looking on.

Then another instructor had his turn showing her the moves.

Ezequiel was learning along with Melissa, so the two of them practiced with each other. Marianne and I looked on and practiced the eight steps, but didn't dance with a partner.

Then the head woman in charge got a hold of Rich and gave him some personalized instruction.

It was fun to watch the serious minded Tango dancers show off what they had learned.

The Tango steps are exact and deliberate - a very dramatic dance. Even though it is not a super fast dance, the men, especially, were working up a sweat.

Most of the patrons did not come as couples, so everyone switched off dancing with several partners. Most likely they all knew each other from the classes they attended during the week.

When midnight rolled around, we were ready to leave and when Rocio told the head lady we wanted to pay for the entrance fee and food, she said, "Already?" The night was young to the Argentines. They were just getting started. That is one reason Rocio found another job because of the travel time, and she wouldn't get off work until 4:00 a.m. She waited on the tables.

Little Delfina is such a doll and lasted the night without falling asleep. Rocio said she knows who "Elder Kroff" is and calls him by name around the house.

What a great day and evening we had. The Tango is a BIG thing here in Argentina. We were glad to experience it tonight. We got home at 1:00 a.m.