Malik Watkins's Bloglines

Two of the things I love most about each day.  First, is my Tango lesson with Alejandro Gee and Erzsebet Tamas; Second, my daily walk around the city.  Public transportation is there if I really need to get somewhere, but oh how I love to just walk, feel, smell, taste, and experience each thing of each day here 🙂

Today I go off into a different direction.  One thing for sure in BA, Argentinians love their dogs/pets and they are everywhere…watch your step bubba 🙂  They love them to the point as in many larger cities, there are people whose profession is to walk dogs – I ain’t mad cha!!  But, how many dogs can a person walk at one time.  Obviously, I would have gotten that Jeopardy Question wrong.  But, I do have to ask…now where are the pooper scoopers?:

Never-the-less, everyone looks at peace…so, I’m gonna be peaceful with them…besides…look at this common view:

Can you see it?  Can you feel it?  Yes, old world architecture with the appropriate breaks with balance…but, if you sit there and reflect on the history of Buenos Aires, of Argentina, of the socio-economic dynamics both historical and contemporary and its relation to Tango…what do you feel on the inside? 🙂 ahhh….gotta love it…

And, while I do love street scapes such as this…the people, the families, the youngsters, this kids…bring it to life…

Kid on a skate-board riding the rail…okay, it’s a great picture..thanks for the compliment 🙂

This day, I headed out without a plan…just to roam, and feel and reflect…and just by chance I came upon another wonderful gem.  The CG on the building…stands for Carlos Gardel – this is one of his original homes:

For many, Carlos Gardel stands as the most prominent person in the exquisite history of Tango…in short…his life is the quintessential exemplar of Tango.  What a wonderful surprise to come upon his home/museum.  I won’t write a long essay on him, if you don’t know who he is you can always look him up.  For those that know, then you can imagine the emotional response associated with this aspect of my internal journey….nothing but love…

More inside the home/museum of Carlos Gardel…where he spent his time composing, writing…so interesting…

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As with many of the great ones, Carlos Gardel met death in an untimely manner. It is said that Carlos Gardel died in a manner befitting him….in that “without knowing pain or agony, as he deserved, as he created songs that poured balm on the lives of others…

If you know Tango, then you can imagine the feeling of spending time in his home reading about his life.  If you don’t, then compassion can guide you to that place.  What an amazing experience, and my own reaction to this experience…will just keep adding to the depth of my own compassion…

Continuing on my stroll…always on the look out for what is to be really seen…I love to see people from all the variations of life…and to refer back to what I have read, what I am learning…and ask myself…what is that human story…how did they get to this place…oh, it’s beautiful…

Oh, to see…to feel….to sit and become a part…yes, my feet hurt 🙂 my legs are tired…even a bit frustrated trying to build the muscle memory and mental awareness to dance my Tango…it isn’t always easy going through the process of finding your way….then again, that’s what makes it sweet…especially when you can sit…and like a seed, allow yourself to grow…

Indeed, there are some things that really just catch your eye.  Now, in all truth, I can’t even tell you what exactly this building is…but, sometimes you don’t have to know in order to acknowledge the time, effort, skill, diligence and mastery that screams from something that has been created:

Another long day…another absolutely amazing day…my mind is over-flowing with what I have learned…so walking helps me to process everything and place it in a context to be used for present and future growth…and as the sun goes down…I love this part of Buenos Aires as well…the views at night, the flow of people, the change in how something looks from day to night…being a night creature…maybe you understand what I am saying…things can be just as beautiful even when they have a cover on:

Definitely will be checking out the theater on my next visit.  🙂  Walking back to rest, come across a beautiful view.  A program being held to support those with personal problems such as Alcohol use and other maladies…amen to that!!!!  It is beautiful to see people not just focusing on condemning other people, but trying to do something to help them.  That, in and of itself, is beauty…

And so, another day…another night…another period of growth…a pilgrimage may look one way on the outside…but, trust this…that isn’t what is really taking place on the inside…if you are making progress.  And, as the evening comes to a close:

I love me some Buenos Aires….Buenas Noches!!