5.10.07 - Walking Buenos Aires With Elvis Under an Umbrella

BOOM! Rumble-rattle-rumble...... titter... tatter...

Gritty daylight filters through the decades of urban silt that have accumulated on the panes of glass that cling to the tall arched wooden window frames, casting a dull glow over the aged decadence of peeling wallpaper and ornate wall panelling. Layers of soot roll out from the gaping black hearth unnoticed by the handsome old marble fire surround that awaits a new dawn. Feeling somewhat out of place in this dank, neglected opulence I look up through the dancing clusters of dust and into the shadows high above, just able to make out the elegant forms of a multitude of decay encrusted gems swinging ever so slightly from their frame as though awoken by my presence.

Turning back towards the tall double doors to step back into the mozaic magnificence of the main hall I feel a surge of excitement sweep through my body. The potential for this rambling piece of history is breathtaking, and I am fortunate enough to be person to bring it back to...

BOOM! Rumble-rumble-rattle....pitter... patter...

Crawling through a miniature attic door that even Alice would find to be a tight squeeze I find myself to be in a tiny room. It seems perfectly normal to me. Why shouldn´t one have rooms this small in one's house?! A bed is made up in thecorner and a naked bulb illuminates the cosy space. Another miniature door necessitates further use of my hands and knees. There is a new sense of urgency in my pace as I realise there is a danger in the musty air. Claustrophobia begins to grab a greasy hold of my temples with the understanding that there is a predator downstairs, and I am the prey. The alien beast glides up the bare wooden staircase, it's octopus head protected from the native athmosphere by a special piece of gear that looks like an upturned goldfish bowl. A fluid tentacle snaps through Alice´s little attic door as I drop out of immediate reach though a trapdoor. Frenetic movements upstairs add a new sense of urgency to my desperate plight, and as if in mockery the beast HONK! HONK!

A bead of sweat on my forehead. My squinty eyes adjusted to the light to see the white fan hanging high over my head from the ornate ceiling caramel painted ceiling. Huh? Oh. So the sleeping tablet worked then I thought to myself as I picked the pen and the SuDoku book out of my bed and untangled my headphones from my neck. On opening the shutters on the tall 19th Century doors and stepping onto the balcony to hear the crescendo of traffic and see the grey, overcast sky I pieced together the evidence that a thunder storm had swept over the city in the small hours.

Here's to my first morning in Buenos Aires!

So what to do? Go shopping. Armed with a sketchpad, guide to Buenos Aires and an iPod I headed North from San Telmo´s decrepid streets in search of Avenida Florida. The heavens opened up over me, and while not adverse to getting seriously wet, I decided the time had come to invest in a brollie! And a pair of sunglasses. And a pair of cashmere and wool jumpers (though at 130 Pesos or roughly 20 Pounds who could resist?). And what better way to escape the rain than to spend the day ambling in and out of backstreet bars and cafes?

I hate to destroy the moment, but the most exciting discovery of the day was not Buenos Aires. Nor the thrill of drinking alone at lunchtime in a buzzy Italian restaurant. More exciting even than the new inspiration I found to start filling my wee leather book with energetic little sketches? Walking the streets of the Microcentro, Retiro and San Telmo with a smile on my face and my headphones set firmly in ears....

I HAD JUST DISCOVERED ELVIS!!

A BIG HUNK OF LOVE Avenida FloridaOne Night Plaza de Mayo The Girl of my Best Friend Avenida 9 de Julio Can´t Help Falling In Love Avenida Codoba BURNING LOVE Balcarce Its Now Or Never Tucuman Always On My Mind Defensa ALL SHOOK UP Avenida Belgrada Suspicion Avenida Paseo Colon Teddy Bear Venezuela Hound Dog Avenida Santa Fe RETURN TO SENDER Jailhouse Rock Avenida Independencia