GREENDROPPINGS

One of the customs that you see in Argentina is when two people greet and depart, they cheek-kiss. I think this is a wonderful concept to bring back to the states, it’s warm, it’s friendly, it’s just a little bit sexual…

Things get strange for me when two men are kissing on the cheek. I still am not quite sure when to kiss a fellow man on the cheek and when not to. I never use my lips to kiss another man on the cheek, it is always very clearly the cheek touching cheek, anything more would make the cheek kiss seem pretty gay, as if it isn’t already pretty gay.

The question is, when is the threshold passed; who gets a cheek kiss greeting and who doesn’t?

I’ve been in BA for 5 days. The first thing that hit me was that the girls here are not like in Cordoba. In Cordoba I felt as if I was always walking through a sprawling garden of beautiful flowers, tanned beauties, eyes of every color, hips and chests and flowing dresses in the city heat.

The empanadas are okay. I did have amazing pizza out here.

Couchsurfed in Palermo Viejo, friendly couple of guys in a tiny apartment. Had this Colombian couchsurfer giggling all over me in the tiny apartment. ‘LOGISTICS!’

I’m starving right now in the second couchsurfer house. This one is nice, a bachelor pad, leather couch, a full stocked bar…

Last night went out to a bar called Club 69. They danced bollywood, it was pretty entertaining. Darius and I got in for a discounted rate through some sketchy promoter girl. My energy was super low from walking however many miles in the afternoon without a nap – got blown out a lot, finally found a nice looking German girl at the end of the night. She told me she was studying psychology. I told her to give me an instant assesment. She said “You need a girl.” Hmm…leaking a needy vibe. Not good.

Good news is – RADIOHEAD is playing in Buenos Aires this week, and I’m going.  I am now keeping the ticket out of my regular wallet, as I’m becoming more cautious about getting mugged out here. I met4 girls from the UK at the club last night (girl #6 or 7 to turn her back on me after my crap energy) and 3 of the 4 were mugged in their neighborhood. Fuck that.

But RADIOHEAD is COMING! Ticket says no cameras though…

Addition: Ate delivery empanadas followed by delivery ice cream last night. Am figuring out the public transport system. BA not quite as ominous anymore, but it’s still more expensive and less secure-feeling.

No, not for peering over the stall.

*BANG! BANG! BANG!* “Chico, vayase!”

That’s the booming voice of one of the security people at a small bar in Salta, Northern Argentina. I had just been pulled into the nastiest smelling bathroom stall by a girl that earlier had asked if I wanted a kiss. I was buzzed enough, it was my last night in Salta, so clearly I left caution to the wind.

I laughed about it the next day with my German buddy Nils. He laughed about the two giant vampire-bite looking hickeys on my neck. Shit.

I’m going to Salta tonight with my German flatmate Nils. The bus ride will take 12 hours.

Last night we went out to one of the many clubs out here, and I still can’t believe the quantity of beautiful women in this town. It’s out of control. Unfortunately I found my balls/motivation kind of late in the night when many of the pretty girls leave and the stragglers are left behind. Nils and I met 2 Piano teachers, nice girls, and we had coffee with them until 8 am in the morning. They never suggested leaving, I had to do so.

So basically these girls are really friendly. They may act cold at first though. When I sat down to the girl and started speaking to her, she looked at me and turned around…(twice!) But I just kept going, and we ended up having a great time together, even though it was totally platonic.

I still love this town. I’m curious what ways there are for a “yankee” to make some money out here for when I eventually return…