Keeping healthy in BA

When i first arrived here as a volunteer, I became aware that staying fit and healthy whilst working on the projects was going to be important but perhaps a little difficult. It is not that portenos don’t stay fit but they just do it slightly differerently, so I decided to take a look into it. Here are the tips I would recommend to stay in shape or eat healthily:

1. If you like outdoor running, then BA doesn’t do badly. I have had some great moments out in the Bosques de Palermo ( nearest station plaza italia) where you can run, rollerblade and bike for miles. This is a really great part of town if you just want a moment to yourself, to absorb what you have seen, read and done so far; a momentary pause to give you back a boost of energy.
2. I am a huge yoga enthusiast and when I came here, I found it hard to find a class that would suit me. It’s great for back problems or just to get you back in touch with your body if you are running around like a headless chicken trying to see and do everything at once. Your body needs a break, so if you have time, you should try ValleTierra on Plaza Armenia (the posher part of town but so great) where you can take an Iyengar yoga class and hang upside down for a while
3. Back home, I make smoothies and juices in the morning but I don’t have a machine here, so I found a few affordable options to go and get one squeezed for me. The first is called The Factory and they are a chain in both Recoleta and Palermo that do super juices. The company was started by a venezuelan/ danish couple who moved to the city realising that they needed to inject a little health awareness into the porteno population. It worked and now a lot of people go. Another one I really like is called Mango Bambo in Recoleta and they are the dons of juice. You can literally ask for anything and they will juice it up, all the while chatting and talking to you in Spanish. Thees pit stops in the city are fun and I find it easy to strike up a conversation in these cosy spots.
4. If you want to make your own healthy fare, I would suggest going to barrio chino in Belgrano where the shops are stocked with lots of products you perhaps can’t get elsewhere in the city. I have a soft spot for almond butter and they do a really good one there, along with fresh pak choi, coriander (usually a little tricky to find) and other delicious bites.
5. A really lovely afternoon can be spent on the banks of the river in Puerto Madero and for the more adventurous, you can try the Reserva just behind Puerto Madero, where green space stretches for miles. 
6. It would almost be criminal not to mention the huge craze that BA has for Crossfit. If you haven’t tried it, I would recommend it only for the die hard amongst you. It is a series of circuits that, should you actually survive a class, will make you feel like an olympic champion. I tried it and nearly died but i can see that a lot of portenos swear by it, so there must be something to it.

Dance for peace

Tonight, I was awestruck by a dance production for Unicef at the Cervantes theatre, in which many nationally famous dancers and prima ballerinas participated as an ode to all that is at this very minute affecting millions of children and their future. The dances reflected the passion of the project and I was surprised to like the argentine dance interpretation of an Ed Sheeran song, 'i see fire' the most. A Brazilian ballerina interpreted the swan's death so beautifully, she was literally falling apart gracefully.  Another famous pair paid a balletic tribute to tango in what was the most impressive set of moves i have ever seen. A greatly moving night and one which reminds me why I am here. Argentina is pure, raw and inspiring culture and every day, I feel hungry for more.

una charla

http://www.rumbosur.org.ar/RumboSur/culturaysociedad.html

Today I had a wonderful morning at Rumbosur office with Pablo, talking about the various projects he has on the go with films, books and pitches for new ideas. This organisation is just amazing and one of a kind. It spreads the voice of the indigenous, the impoverished and immigrants and is a platform and reminder that those communities not only exist and need help but are also invaluable for the preservation of Latin culture. I am fascinated by someone who has so much energy for the various projects and is consistently looking for new ones. Maybe one day I could pitch him an idea....

a little note

I haven't written tons here because things have been pretty busy. The projects are going well but I am nearly ready to let them go for a while and travel the country. Judging by the dynamism, grandeur and sheer enormity of what is on offer here in Buenos Aires, I am quite sure that the rest of the country will offer this in truck loads. Of course, I don't have the time to do it all but will attempt the south for a few days and hopefully head to Mendoza after that. I have been reading some journals about the first Polish immigrants (mama would be proud) and it turns out live in Misiones and are responsible for a large amount of yerba mate production. So, if time and resources allow it, I would love to head that way at some point. Our small island mentality makes it quite a challenge to remember the distances involved in covering a country like Argentina, so I have to tone down the hope to see absolutely everything and just go with the flow.
This weekend was busy socially, as my intermediate level tango lessons hit a high (i am still stepping on people's feet and deluding myself in the intermediate level group) and ended up dancing until 4am. The next night was spent at the Hotel Alvear, ahead of the elections on sunday. You might be as surprised as me to know that the government put a ban on alcohol after twelve the night before the elections, so this hotel was the only place in town to party! With an invite from a friend, it was a fun night. A lot of Argentine jet set dancing to Cumbia in a posh bar. Variety is the spice of life and this weekend was proof. Last night, I went to see Woody Allen's new film and finally cooked some beef.