The EcoYoga Park reunion folk were maybe a little too excited for the laid back crowd at the jazz joint and we got very aggressively shhh-ed at one point, but enjoyed ourselves thoroughly none the less.
Later, we headed back to the Baits Hostel where I found myself shaving the chest of some local musician as I figured he had too much hair for his own good.
The next night I wanted to take it easy so Katherine and I went back to Thelonious for "just ONE drink". That one drink turned into dancing on top of the bar until 8 o'clock in the morning.
B.A. was making me lose my mind-so Laura and I decided to head back to EcoYoga Park for another week to find some peace of mind.
We met some more wonderful souls and had some good down time but then headed back to BA for our last 10 days in Argentina.
These last 10 days were a whirlwind of mate sessions in the park, walking around Palermo wanting to buy everything in sight, watching tango in Recoletta, trying to find good vegetarian food in a city that prides itself on meat, and falling in love at least 50 times a day.
We stayed at the Baits hostel in Palermo Viejo, which in my opinion, just may be the greatest hostel in the world. Melvin from California managed it and was the most lovable man-always calling us "sweetie" or "babe", telling me how to get to the ATM and sharing his Sarracha hot sauce. The common area of the hostel had beanbags and a bar. Nuff said.
Laura and I stayed in a dorm room with Aunty Nee Nee and Katherine (both loves of my life from Round 1 EcoYoga Park), a man from Haiti who spoke neither English nor Spanish(no clue how that worked out...)and Julian. Ohhh Julian.
The most adorable little Colombian photographer. He'd wake up with his hair a crazy black tangled mess upon his head, make some fresh squeezed OJ and have a cigarette for breakfast. His street English was better than mine and he always had something sassy to say and shoes you envied.
He's a super talented photographer and is currently working on a new project for a gallery in BA of about 15 different people's facial expressions. Aunty Nee Nee, Katherine and I all did individual photo shoots with him which was really cool. I of course had basically one expression as I couldn't help myself from breaking out in nervous laughter, but the photos turned out pretty nice. All the love and best of luck to you Julian.
I tried to chill out on too much of the late-night night life scene this time around and having such a great group of people from all over the world in the hostel made it nice just to chill there with a couple beers and some good conversation.
We did make it out a couple times though, most memorably probably when we went to Club 69.
The Baits hostel crew headed to the club around 2 AM (the only appropriate time to go to a club in BA) and danced around in waves of house music while colorful transvestites danced on stage next to break dancers. I fell in love with a Brazilian man who asked me to be his wife and we planned our wedding. I think it nearly would have happened if I didn't meet up with the rest of the Baits crew and was released from the mild trance these Brazilian men so infamously can put you in.
With Laura out on the coast with Sarah and Andy for the weekend, I took a day all to myself to walk around this vibrant, pulsing city for hours, popping in and out of stores that caught my eye and making my merrily way to the modern art museum.
On the walk back, I stumbled upon a falafel place (!!!) and officially had one of the best days ever, feeling alive with my new sense of confidence in a city so far away from home and the comfort bubble that comes with that.
Wait, You're still alive(?!?!?!?!?)
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