South America & Iron Maiden

I went to the screening of Iron Maiden: Flight 666 tonight in London. Produced by Banger productions (of Metal: A Headbangers journey Sam Dunn fame!! - Ello Sam!) The film follows the band on their ambitious tour on their own plane from Mumbai, India down to Australia to Japan, USA then South America - Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia, Brazil and Argentina.

Mr Dickinson VIP (and pilot!) said in the movie that the first part of the tour was like a holiday, then when it came to South America it was the adventure - the bit they were more nervous about "Cause you're always on the edge of an explosion in South America" (or something similar)

Iron Maiden are actually due to play Argentina at a festival on 24th March. The posters were all over Buenos Aires last week. Radiohead were headlining one night, then Iron Maiden the next. Some of my friends from Buenos Aires are going to be at that festival.

Having just seen what South American audiences are like, i wish i'd seen Iron Maiden in South America. Watching the movie was like seeing Iron Maiden live, totally thrilling. I have been known to shed a tear watching Iron Maiden. I believe i did last year at Wacken festival, Germany.

This is me getting super excited singing Run to the Hills.

Weirdly, there were clips of the South American audiences singing Ruuun too the hilllls -
I think that's an interesting choice of song
Anyway,
Looking at this photo it looks like i'm having a religious experience. Like the fans in Brazil, and the Priest with 126 Iron Maiden tattoos in the film!

Argentina went mad for Iron Maiden in the film. The band stayed at a hotel i walked past in the sun last week.

I know what Bruce meant when he said you're always on the edge of an explosion in South America. I understand that feeling. I started writing a blog in the back of the cab on the way to the airport in Buenos Aires, after the incident in the street, but never sent it.

It started:
"Different people hold on to different things in order to muddle their way through life. Gauchito Gill, San la muerte, Roseary beads hanging from the taxi drivers rearview mirror. Cigarettes, alcohol, rules, paper, tradtion, regiment. In Tibet they have monks to protect them from the weather, statues of Buddha. Here, the rain isn't the problem, I think its the edge, the contrast, the interaction between those who have and those who have not. And its just the line before the chaos. In th UK the chaos that is life is burried deeper than in South America. Every big city is chaos. (My thoughts are chaos) - but here it feels like you're on the edge of something else"


It wasn't so much the incident itself that left a bad impression on me, and i do intend to return to Argentina and South America - it hasn't put me off. But it's the divide, and the way you can avert your gaze by living in other spheres and be blinkered about what else is going on.
But also the total malicious intent. That's always like a whip to the face.

The metal public is from all different walks of life. And especially in South America metal is religion. Iron Maiden, San La Muerte. Passion is a great thing. You always hear about "Latin passion" its nice to see it in context with a very british band.

Now i can't wait to see Maiden again!

Uruguay for a day, Golfcart for 3 hours and almost a dog for life

I'm sitting on Chloe's sofa, just out the shower and half ready for a "big party". I leave BA tomorrow night :-( Back to the big smoke from the good air (where everyone smokes)

I left BA this morning, and Argentina infact on a boat for Uruguay. It was a fast Catamaran, and totally packed with all sorts, holiday makers, business men,
....

Ok Chloe came back and I had to party! Ill update the rest at another time, suffice to say Hello Bristol, feliz compleanos Pierre and
I leave tomorrow :-(

In cab home from
PART. Y? Cause its Buenos Aires

Sorry Uruguay dog!

- UPDATE TO THE URUGUAY STORY -

Going to Uruguay for the day was a great decision. Not only was it SO HOT and it's nice to get out the city, but there was a beach! And a dog! And a golf cart!

So Ryan (http://www.sickroomrecords.com/) and i had decided to go to Uruguay together, and after Thursday's rain Friday turned out perfect weather. We had to get a seacat from the Buquebus terminal in BA. The journey takes an hour but you have to arrive earlier than that to get your papers sorted and go through immigration. (Which was a bit confusing - remember to check in first?!)

We got to Colonia at noon - there's an hour difference between Argentina and Uruguay - and mooched about in the sun. I was desperate to get to the beach, cause it was so hot, and i like to think a holiday in the sun should have a beach.

We hired a golf cart for $10 an hour, i found it totally hilarious. It went about 5mph. I was laughing all the way.

We found a little beach and sat in the hot hot sun. A dog (who i named Herbert) attached himself to me. He had a lot of fleas but he was so cute.

There was a bar by the beach Ryan and i went and sat there to have a drink, the dog came with us, and when i went to the loo, he whined. Poor doggie.

I can't spend that long in the sun. I was on the beach for 2 hours, maybe more. But i burn so quick and the sun was so hot. The water at Colonia in Uruguay is brown, the colour of mud, because it's not the sea, it's actually an estuary

3 hours after we hired the golf cart ($10 an hour) we decided to drive them back. We got in the cart and started driving up the hill and Herbert (the dog) followed us. We sped up (6 mph) and got to the top of the hill, i looked back and Herbert was still following us. Whilst waiting to pull out into the road, Herbert caught up with us and tried to get in the cart, he was whining and looking at me, and i burst into tears, he was so cute and wanted to stay, and i just wanted to cuddle him but he was so full of fleas.

We pulled out into the road and he ran along the pavement - he only had 3 good legs! - and he kept running - and i kept looking back and he was still there - running! :-(

I felt terrible leaving him. Really terrible!

We spent our last Uruguayan pesos in a cafe near the port on a coke and a bottle of water then we went to get the ferry. As we were queuing up to get on the boat i realised i'd left my Cauldron t-shirt at the cafe and i ran back as fast i could to go and find it.

"Donde esta my tshirt?" I said (or similar)

And she said "oh this? (in spanish)" holding my soggy white metal tshirt with a pinch - yes yes yes Si si si i said grabbing it GRACIAS i shouted and ran back in time just to make the ferry with a beautiful sunset:

I don't speak spanish

I find it really embarrasing I don't speak spanish.

I have conversations like this:
(Pointing to a packet of crisps through the iron grill that comes down over grocers shop fronts after 10pm)
"Y du leche" I ask
(Guys laughing at me looking at the big packet of crisps and milk)
"Its not todas para moi" I say
They laugh
"Muy malo my Espangol!" I say
They laugh more
"Mierde! Buenos noches" I say laughing

Or maybe like this with a taxi driver:
Hola
"Hola!"
"Avenue de Mayo por favor"
(* please note my understanding of spanish is reasonably good because of french, but I can't find the words to respond)
Taxi driver (in spanish): where are you from?
Me: Londres
Taxi D in Sp: you like Buenos Aires
Me: Si me gusta bien
Taxi D: Are you on holiday?
Me: Si
Taxi D: Do you have a boyfriend?
Me: Non
TD: Do you like Argentinian men?
Me: Si... They're nice. Errrr...
TD: Why don't you have a novio?
Me: Errrrrr nada novio errrr
TD: what do you do for sex? (I think that's what he said in spanish)
Me: No comprendo

Please note: these conversations actually happened.
~ I'm on the move - this was sent from my GooseBerry® ~

Sightseeing the dead

Today I went to the Cematario de la Recoleta in what was once (and kinda still is) the poshest area of BA (Recoleta). Eva Peron is entombed there, and whilst that's interesting what's more interesting is all the other tons of tombs, black, white, art deco, crosses, menorahs, anubis (?!), pyramids, jesus', marys, stripes, broken, neglected, new, (mostly) 19thC, eerie, unkempt and clean - all sorts. But mainly morbid and containing dead people (and maybe some undead?). Sounds great.
Definatley highlights an interesting layer and period of Argentinian society.
Then I went to the Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada (pink palace).
I must have spent 3hours in that cemetary! Awesome!

Its currently raining sheets. Tropical rain! South American rain!
I'm meant to be going out with Pablo in half an hour. I think he has a car.
Rain like this means death for any electronics! And hair. And feet.

Sights of Talita:

1. My 19 mosquito bites
2. My stripey feet from sandal sunburn
3. My sunburn from yesterday in the shape of South America where I could reach to put cream
4. My 4 new cds:

Cds are like 20pesos which is £4 so its cheap. I came across a cd store on Av de Mayo, and had a look in and found Horcas cds (this was the band on the guys tshirt on Sunday at the train station - I recognised the logo) so after trying to talk to the girl with the nose ring in the shop i bought:
HERMETICA
And
HORCAS (2 albums)
And cJs (mainly because of the artwork)
I have no idea what these bands are like! Hahaha
But its a start!

I would really like to discover the black metal and death metal kids here, but so far the only rock/metal tshirted kids I've seen have been Rhapsody/ Judas Priest/ Guns n Roses

So now I'm planning to go to Uruguay Friday as I met some dude in the cemetary from some USA label - can't remember the name of it - but Bear Claw are one of his bands
So seeing as he was going Friday I thought I would postpone a day, as its nicer not to go alone - even though there's apparently a HUGE party Friday night. I'm sure ill be back in time, parties here start at 1am!

...Still raining.

Mum! I'm glad I've got a brolly!

T
X

~ I'm on the move - this was sent from my GooseBerry® ~

Tigre

After jumping into a roof top pool at 3am (pretty much fully clothed) and getting in at 4am I was up at 10.30am on the search for tea with milk which I happily supped in the sunshine this morning for a few hours until everyone was ready to get the train. Chloe, Kenzo and I went to Tigre the river delta today to visit Felicity (the handbag designer) and her sister Chelsea's parents house and to go on a little boat trip.
Its been fabulous weather, I dutifully applied sunblock and hung out by the pool at this palacial Tigre mansion with 3dogs and 2cats and 2 zebra skins on the floor. I can't remember ever being at a house like it that someone I knew lived in. Maybe Broughton Castle. Although it wasn't as big as that.
I am progressing with understanding Spanish I think as I made out some conversation today about credit, and Mozart.
I'm not used to this type of crowd.
After hanging out by the pool, chloe, kenzo and I got on a boat (round trip) up past all the houses on the Tigre. Its a bit like Henley on thames or something. But not at all.
I loved it though. Even when I got soaked to the skin when a motor boat went past. ( After all this was the second time in 24hrs my clothes had been soaked although the first was my choice and because of some honey drink they have here here called Mariposa - having said that if you have a pool on your roof and you're having a party by it, someone - chloe and I in this instance - has to get in it! )
Anyway Tigre was amazing a really good day. I got some freckles but didn't burn - bonus.
I ate a huge hot dog, then did a degustation of different Argentine chocolate on the train back to BA. Then we went to China town on the way home.

I accosted some poor young kid in the station cause he has a tshirt of somee thrash band I'd never heard of. Hacamidos? Or something like that? He didn't speak english, and as we know I don't speak spanish - he got very embarressed and then his pregnant girlfriend came along, and I got embarressed for asking him, then Kenzo came along and translated and turns out they're an Argentinian thrash band. I will find out more I think. If I could just remember their name.

Anyway I'm exhausted!

Lots of love

Talita
X
P.s. Sorry about the bad grammar and spelling Dad I'm tapping this out on my phone.

~ I'm on the move - this was sent from my GooseBerry® ~

BBQ in BA

I arrived at Chloe's about 11pm last night and I was so glad to see her. She hasn't changed at all and seems really happy here. Its pretty chilled out and everyone eats late and hangs out and chats. And everyone smokes! :-S
So I arrived late and stinking but Chloe had friends out and had arranged for us to have dinner out. People eat very late here, like we got there at half midnight after I'd had a shower, to think amazing appartment that was so spot on, with an open courtyard full of south american flora. I was feeling bone tired and a bit weird and couldn't eat anything but it was such a crazy place with a huge picture of the virgin mary surrounded by big flowers. A girl who designs handbags and her boyfriend live there.
Anyway I left "early" at 0130 and went to bed. And I woke up feeling really pretty rough so I stayed in bed until 2pm which is 5pm UK time and then felt a lot better. I blame aeroplane food.
I'm now at Chloe's boyfriend's house with her and her friends. Its rained a bit this afternoon, but it was so hot before the rain that its actually quite pleasant.
We're going to the Tigre river delta tomorrow so we're gonna get a train then a boat to get there. Sounds like fun to me.
And we're meant to be going to someone's house then to a club tonight.

The taxi driver from Chloes to here said to me "its a beautiful place" and I said "Buenos Aires?" And he said "no, you.L
Then told me to call him.
Ha. Errr. No.

I haven't seen a lot of the city yet, ill explore more when Chloe has to work during the week. I want to get the ferry to Uraguay for the day, that's sounds like fun.

Hasta luego!
X

~ I'm on the move - this was sent from my GooseBerry® ~

Arrived safe in Buenos Aires!

I'm in the back of a taxi in hot Buenos Aires. Its breezy and night time and looks clean and fresh. Unlike me. After 14 hour flight from Frankfurt you can imagine I'm pretty stinky!
There's a sweet smell in the air from the taxi drivers window though and I'm excited to see Chloe.
Dad, you would love the stars here, they're so clear.
I got chatting to a guy called Pablo on the flight who is some kind of Argentinian diplomat and he helped me through the airport and to sort out a taxi. I owe him a drink.
The air hostess on the flight was concerned about my health, but only 2 antibiotics to go now. There's a very modern cathedral I'm going past I forgot I'm in a catholic country.

Well I'm glad to have arrived safe and sound! That plane journey is REALLY long! I watched Australia (ok), The Women (rubbish) and The Rocker (actually quite funny)
ooo! Motorbike accident up ahead!....
Oh the guys ok.
Trying to talk to my taxi driver about it. Spanish failing. What's the word for leg?

Beeep! Beeep! Toll booth

I better finish up I'm seeing the beggining of blocks of flats and want to enjoy the view

Love

Talita
~ I'm on the move - this was sent from my GooseBerry® ~

Early morning airports

My sleepy 5am assessments of stuff from the departure lounge:

You can't get Argentinian pesos anywhere! Apart from Argentina it seems!

There is a certain type of long green felt coat that only Austrians wear.

This is the wrong 5am. I only like the 5am at the end of the night, not the beginning of the day.

I can't complain I'm going to Buenos Aires!

I'm going to stay with my friend Chloe. I haven't seen her for about 5 years. And I only just found her before Xmas on facebook. I think she works on films now. I don't really know. I guess ill find out soon enough.
I forgot to pack a comb. And my address book. And Boots isn't open at 5am.

I see weather warnings on the TV in the departure lounge here. I believe its 27degrees in BA. Hopefully the heat will clear my cough.

So I'm off to Frankfurt, and then to BA. I arrive in BA 21h00. What's new? Buneos Aires?

Talita
X

Free LTL!!

~ I'm on the move - this was sent from my GooseBerry® ~

I leave for Buenos Aires in just over a week

My first "outside Europe" trip of the year. I bought a Rough Guide today so i can get an idea where i'm going. Argentina. It wasn't on my "to do" list this year. But it became possible, and now i'm going. And i don't have a clue what to pack or what temperature it will be or what i'm going to do there. I've been so busy at work i really haven't had time to think about it. I intend to get there and jump right in to discovering what Argentinian culture is and seeing my old friend Chloe.
Need to remember to check my travel insurance.
I looked up to see if i have to get injections, and it says that i don't HAVE to have any but sometimes people get the yellow fever vaccination.
I've decided not to bother as i'll mainly be in the city.
I'm going to have to get a whole load of jabs i should think later in the year for Mongolia/China/Tibet etc. Nice.