12 Dias de Navidad

As adapted from Davin...He is just so clever!

12 Dìas de La Navidad en Buenos Aires (12 Days ofChristmas)

En el primer dìa de La Navidad mi amor me dìo....
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...(trying singing along)

1 Camisa Negra- as in "Tengo la Camisa Negra" by Juanes. If you don't know who Juanes is, then stop, go out and buy the album 'Mi Sangre' and listen to "La Camisa Negra" on repeat while dancing around your living room in your underwear. The song will never leave your head, and your life will be that much better for it.

2 Kilos of Carne! I know am abnormally obsessed with meat for an ex-vegetiarian (Davin), but it's so frickin' good!

3 Friends a-leaving. Sadness. In the last weeks I have had to say goodbye to Brett, Gina and Vanessa! I miss ya girls!

4 Empanadas Dancing. Dance Empanadas, Dance! You haven't lived until you see empanadas dancing in the street!

5 Subte Lines! The very alphabetically named A, B, C, D, and E lines.Though I am mainly a D girl myself. At 70 centavos( .25US) they are the quickest, cheapest way to get around, if you can deal with hot, sweaty Argentines below ground....good god!

6 Piqueteros picketing. A new day, a new picket.....makes me late for work! Note: because it is so regular its a good excuse for being late even if for other reasons.

7 Cartoneros Carting- after The Crisis in 2001, many people were left broke and jobless, so now lots of people are 'Cartoneros' (Cardboard People), and they walk around collecting cardboard and other recyclables from people's trash, and then sell it to recycling companies. Note: on average, a cartonero working 12-14 hour days will make about 50 pesos a week(that's less than $20 US folks!). Sucky.

8 Mullets Marching! I don't know why, but the idea of mullets marching brings a perma-smile to my face.

9 Trips to the ferias, where I walk along with five thousand other shoppers (junk-sifters) in hopes of finding a cool pair of earrings or sweet smelling soap to take home with me. Note: You have lived on and worked for pesos too long when you can, with a straight face, say "18 pesos? For a leather belt? That is outrageous!" Remember, 18 pesos = $6.

10 Alfajores. Oh, Alfajores! How I love thee... For those unenlightened folks, alfajores are yummy chocolate covered, dulce de leche(caramel) filled cornflower biscuit goodness.

11 Porteños Partying. Porteño (Port Dweller) is the name for the residents of BA. Quick analogy: New York is to New Yorker - as - Buenos Aires is to Porteño

12 Scoops of ice cream! Buenos Aires has the best ice cream in the world and I would eat it every day if I could afford it and/or still fit into my pants!

¡Espero que todos hayan tenido Felices Fiestas y que tengan Feliz Año Nuevo! Besos!!!