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NA LOIEY JAIBEY KOI" (where will they go without me)
20 to 22nd November 2003
My whole purpose of coming to Buenos Aires was to delay my departure from
South America, as I am yet to cover a lot. Christmas and new year rush
is making it really difficult - I only succeeded in getting some chance date to
Munich-London and then to Dhaka - both are proving to be very difficult -
British Airways is completely booked through till the end of January - my hope
is some cancellation - I am hopeful, it is one ticket only. In this
connection, I can not help but to remember one incident in Auckland and a
great quote from my friend Mahmood Haider Khan (100% Barisalian)
It was my last day in Auckland, my flight to Tahiti was at 3:05 pm and I was
supposed to report at the Airport around 12:00 noon. Somehow, due to my own
fault I was running late - at 1:30 I was still at Haider´s place having
lunch with last MACH VAJJA (Fried fish) - I was gulping to finish my lunch -
Great Haider calmly assured me - Aste Aste Kha, NA LOIEY JAIBEY KOI (Relax,
where will they go without you).
Somehow we reached the Airport around 2:00, without problem I checked in
and got my boarding pass. Things were so smooth, I relaxed, chatting with
Haider, Bhabi and the kids - who came to see me off - around 2:30, I said bye
to them and went in for immigration and boarding - to my horror, inside
there was a very long que in front of the two immigration counters - KIWIS
can be very slack sometime. At 3:00 I was still at the que far from the
counter, I was sweating - NA LOIEY JAI BUJHI (flight will go without me), I tried in vain to draw
attention of some airport staff - suddenly, my name and flight number was
called - and I was expressly passed through the immigration - the flight
left fifteen minutes later.
Since that incident I have great faith in my friends motto " NA LOIEY JAIBEY
KOI"
Once ticket business was sorted out! I happily (now a firm believer in
Haider´s motto) went for a walk around the central Buenos Aires. It is a
beautifully laid very cosmopolitan city, with a great mix of colonial
European and Latin American charm. Its' current economic woes are is quite visible from the number of well dressed beggars,
particularly, women
begging with a child in their lap. However, overall, people of Buenos Aires are very
well dressed - may be an Italian influence. People are more cheerful and
expressive in the true spirit of Latin America (Chileans are a bit cold and
reserved, although good natured) - they greet people with genuine warmth and
generous attention (unlike the Anglo Saxon and north Europeans, whose
greetings are generally a mechanical facade to give an appearance of civility). Wherever I went, whomever I asked, I
received the same graceful and genuine treatment.
The city is lined with wide avenues and streets, its Avenue 9 de Julio is
supposed to be the widest in the world - it is really wide - with equally
wide sidewalks. The main pedestrian shopping mall, Florida street is lined
with expansive European style chick shops and malls (everything appeared
very cheap at the current exchange rate, particularly leather goods) while the
pedestrian mall has a buzz of an oriental bazaar, bustling with vendors,
magicians, singers and off course soccer stunt man with no. 10 MARADONA
jersey - in the evening I even saw a Tango dance show - Buenos Aires is the
birth place of Tango.
As I walked towards the end of the pedestrian mall, towards the famous Plaza de
Mayo and Casa Rosada (the Presidential palace), I came across a drum beating
aggressive political procession - it was the Peronist party procession with
placards of Evita Peron as well as Che-Guevaras portrait, Che is everybody’s
romantic hero in South America, particularly in Argentina, his country. The
procession was in an aggressive mood - war like drum beats and everyone was
carrying a stick, soon they started burning USA flags - I did not completely
understand the purpose of the procession - current economic situation and
related issues are definitely the major reason - I was regretting that I did
not carry my Camera today - soon I will regret even more.
After watching the procession for a while, I crossed the procession and went
to the other side of the road. There was a small pedestrian square, there,
next to the tourist information booth, I came across one of the most
beautiful yet most sad spectacle - a little Ameri-Indian looking boy (10
yrs) and a little girl (11 yrs or so), probably brothers and sisters, were
dancing Gucho (Spanish cow boy) dances with the drum beat of an Indian man.
The boy is dressed as a Spanish cowboy - complete with high boots, leather
belt, tucked in flowing shirt and off course his wide brimmed hat. The girl
wore a green flowing long dress. They were so delicately performing their
dance routines, like professionals - although, I am no expert on these dances,
I could make it from the admiring look of the large Argentine crowd watching
them - they made them oblivious even to the aggressive procession in the
street.
Their performance was so enchanting that I stayed there till the two tired
little angels stopped for rest - It was so beautiful yet so sad - sadness
was there all over those two tired little faces, I have not seen them
smiling, even once - they had a strange faraway stare - for them it is just
hard walk, earning a hard living at a age when they should only be playing.
Watching the crowd gave them some coins - probably, to lessen the guilt I was
feeling - I gave them a ten-pesso note - they forced a smile! - I felt even
guiltier.
I went to see Casa Rosada - the pink presidential Palace made famous by
Evita Peron (and Madonna playing in the Movie "Evita"), Wife of President
Juan Peron. In the 1940s Evita used to greet the adoring crowds from the
balcony of Casa Rosada. Casa Rosada faces the famous Plaza De Mayo, where
major political rallies are held. Part of the palace is now a museum - I did
not go in - Museums are not high on my priority list - to me history
glorifying colonial heroes has no appeal, particularly anything that is less
than five hundred years old. If I have time, I may visit it in my later
visits to Buenos Aires.
I took couple of shots of Casa Rosada and Plaza De Mayo, but my mind was
still on those two little dancers.
Next day I came back with my camera to take their pictures - I did not know
whether they perform there daily or not. So when I saw them, my heart really
filled with joy. The boy was dressed the same, but the girl was wearing a
purple dress today. With their permission I took quite a number of shots.
Today, when I gave them anther 10 peso, I got genuine smiles - million dollar
smiles.
Later, I booked a return bus trip to Iguaju falls - its 17 hours each way!
I hate long bus Journeys and prefer trains, but Argentina has very little
train service - only around Buenos Aires. When I asked a tourist information
officer about the lack of train service in this vast country, he blurted out - CAPITALISTAS, they own the bus companies and run this country, they
don’t want train in Argentina.
Anyway, dreading the long bus trip, I bought the Cama Suite tickets, that is
the most comfortable seats that converts into a sleeping berth, all meals
included in the price - price is 90 peso or 30 USD. Below that class there are two more
classes in the long distance buses - Cama, seat can be reclined almost flat,
but not enough to provide a real private bunk - Semi Cama, spacious half
reclining seats.
The huge and modern central bus terminal, called ‘Terminal Omnibus’
impressed me. It is spotlessly clean, in stark contrast to dirty and almost
third world like subway stations. Ground floor of the huge terminal is full
of restaurants, kiosks huge waiting areas, and about 60-70 spacious bays for
the departing and incoming buses - buses going to and coming from all over
Argentina. The first floor has more than hundred ticketing booths operated
by dozens of private bus companies.
As I was coming out of the Bus terminal, I came across another contradiction
of Buenos Aires. Near the entrance of the walkway to the terminal, there was
a very aristocratic and elegant looking amputed legged beggar, with eyes
averted downward. He is probably in his early sixties, has a very
strong physique with broad shoulders and very strong arms and a very fine
featured aristocratic face - his torso could be from any Conquidista movies
- he reminded me of Robert De Nero, playing a Conquidista role in a movie (I
can't recall the name). I could not help but wonder, how such a man could
have been reduced to such undignified stature. I was not probably alone in
my wondering; I saw every passer by noticed him and dropped something in his
begging bowl, while other beggars were mostly ignored! He himself was also
very conscious of this; he averted any eye contact with anybody - with a
fixed downward gaze.
I was tempted to take a picture of him, but decided not to - it would
be too awful; to take away whatever little dignity he is still trying to
cling to. Still wondering about the aristocratic beggar, I completed few
essential works - posted a kilo of photographs to Sydney, which I got
developed here - wrote up some diary - checked emails.
Left for Iguazu falls on 22nd night - I will arrive there on 23rd morning
and take the return bus on 24th afternoon to arrive back in Buenos Aires on
25th November.
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