Things to note

The little things give a city its character:

The "Florerias" or flower stands...

Nearly every other block on the busy streets of Buenos Aires are little flower and incense vendors. They don't sell food, or newspapers, or cheap jewelry. Just wonderful smelling flowers.

These trees...

I think they're called jacarandas. I know I've mentioned these already, but they're just so beautiful. Even on a rainy day (which we've been having a lot of this spring) they still blanket the ground in a gorgeous lilac hue.

Speaking of rain...

Everything in this city DRIPS. More so than any other place I've been in life. It's a good thing it's happening here, a relatively clean place, and not India- or I might flip my shit every other step. Literally, every time I go on a walk - even if it's as sunny as can be -something drips on me. or multiple things drip on me. Sometimes it's clear, like water, but sometimes it's yellow... even when there are no birds around. Strange world.

The book stores...

Buenos Aires must be one of the most well read cities on earth, just judging by bookstores per capita. I know Borges and Cortazar are very much recognized as the city's own, and their literary legacy is still alive here. There are independent bookstores every other block or so (but rarely in English, so that's unfortunate for me), and each has their own little twist. One of the biggest stores down the street from me (not the photo- that's from nextdoor to where I live), is a converted theater. It's called El Ateneo, and the stage has been converted into a cafe, and each of the balconies holds bookshelves.

The architecure...

Always different, always fun to look at. Above, a church in Olivos.

The spirit...

I suppose this picture represents a bit more than just a "note" on the city, but it represents a visually apparent sense of social and political dialogue that goes on here. For a country that's not too distant from it's authoritarian past, the graffiti, the stencils, the banners, and the physical protests and strikes are everywhere. This banner is from a cultural group in a rural part of the metro area of BA, called Al Borde. They are a grassroots group sprung out of an informal settlement in the area, and this poster reads something along the lines of:

hope, dreams, happiness, life,

justice, truth, identity, ?,

dignity, ideals, health, work,

education, equality, freedom...

30 thousand reasons to continue fighting!

The stencils and graffiti around often imbued with political and social messages as well, and are always incredibly well crafted and impressive in their artistry. It make for interesting runs and walks around the city.

I like this city. I like that I can walk home with a friend at 4am on a Saturday night, and feel completely normal since everyone is outside - sitting at all night cafes or walking home as well. I like that I get to use my Spanish (although Argentinian Spanish is impossible to understand). I like spring weather and the increasingly long days. I like that the busses and the subways will get you anywhere you need to go for 1.10 pesos. And if they don't, the taxis are really cheap too.

We leave here on Friday morning for a 2 day retreat in Mar del Plata (on the ocean 5 hrs from BA), and then a week long final workshop in the planned city of La Plata (the capital of BA province and about an hour from BA).

Buenos Aires: The Paris of South America

The title of my post is quite problematic, but I don't have much time for that now.

This is just a lil' update to let you all know I'm back within two hours of EST, and I'm loving this city. Until I finish my essay for "culture and society" class and have a moment to breath, I'll just tempt you with some pictures.

The view from my bedroom window.

I am staying a beautiful apartment in Recoleta, a rather upscale neighborhood near the center of the city. In the north. That's important- people in the north don't really go to the south, which is the more working class half of town.

See, it looks like NYC or something- the taxis, the bars, the fancy apartments...

Facades of houses in La Boca.

La Boca is one of the earliest working class neighborhoods in the city, with many beautifully painted homes. The barrio was home to an old port on the river, and the workers in the area would use left over materials and paint from the shipyard to build their houses. So you see the corrugated metal was used for siding, wood for flooring in the interior, and paint from the ships on the outside. The small space between the two homes seen above is left in order to prevent fires, which were quite common.

We visited this house, the light blue one on the right, because Habitat for Humanity is funding a development project that will allow 7 single family apartments to exist on the lot. It's an initiative to address the simultaneous problems of too many vacant, dilapidated houses (such as this one), and too little housing for the poor.

The bridge to Puerto Mardero.

This bridge was built by Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect famous for his bridges (he built the one in Milwaukee too), in 2001.

A taste of the colonial architecture. Check out the beautiful purple trees, they're everywhere in the spring.

Stellenbosch Vacation

Stellenbosch: Bikes & Wines Tours

Yes, it is what you think it is- Machaneh in South Africa!!

Muizenberg Beach - the snail shells

From Soccer to Kites

World Cup 2010 Stadium

The Bo-Kaap (view from my street!)

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Cape Town International Kite Festival - Muizenberg

KITES!

Nearing the tip of the world

A few touristy moments in Cape Town:

False Bay coast line, as seen from the train

African penguins at Boulder's Beach

The changing houses at St. James Bay

Simon's Town

View of Lion's Head after a long Table Mountain hike (Robben's Island in the distance)

I apologize for the lack of South Africa posts; I've been here for 5 weeks now and I'm leaving for Argentina tomorrow. It's been difficult to find cheap enough internet to justify spending the time to update, but I suppose it's better late than never. If I have time tonight or in the airport I plan to write about some of the amazing things we've learned and the places we've stayed, but for now I'll just give the basics:

2 weeks: Homestay in Langa, a black township

2 weeks: Homestay in Bo-Kaap, a coloured, Muslim neighborhood near the city center

1 week: Vacation!!! visited family friends in Stellenbosch, the beautiful, mountainous wine country of the Western Cape

What stood out:

- Gorgeous... South Africa is beautiful. The mountains, the ocean, the fynbos (the cape's flora and fauna), the vinyards, the animals, the people... it's an incredible country.

- Apartheid: still exists. Or rather, the legacy of apartheid is incredibly apparent everywhere I was these last five weeks. The country has an incredibly progressive constitution, but little has changed in terms of lessening inequality between races and spatially integrating the fragmented landscape.

- Crime. crime. crime. crime. We heard about it ALL the time. Essentially, we learned, no one feels safe anywhere in the Cape Town area. Or rather, no one feels we (the Americans) are safe anywhere. It becomes a euphomism for racial tensions, though, and everyone seems to put the blame somewhere else.

- Minibus Taxis. These are possibly the most interesting forms of transportation I've ever seen. How it works: you go to a minibus taxi rink, find your destination (much like a train station, but outdoors), and go get in line for the next bus. When the bus pulls into the rink, you get in and wait - however long it takes - for the minibus to fill up with passengers going to the same destination. If it takes an hour for 12-14 people to get in, then too bad- you're going to be waiting for an hour before moving. Once the driver gets enough passengers to leave, we all pass our fare up to the front seat. Occasionally someone associated with the driver is collecting the fares, but often this is a self regulated process. So the four people in the back seat give 5 rand to one person in their row, who passes it up a row while saying the number of people for whom the money is paying. Those people in the third row in turn do the same, collecting the money and passing it forward, saying "8." In this fashion everyone in taxi pays for their ride only once the bus starts moving. It's a very trusting system. Trusting that the passengers will pay once the bus has started moving, and trusting that the other passengers won't steal the fares from the people in the back of the taxi.

Don't misunderstand- the minibus taxi is no luxury ride. There may be 16 people in one van, and some will be sitting on crates or laps. The drivers might be crazy, and they may not stop exactly where you want, but the unbelievable part is that they work.

That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned for more notes on gentrification, violence and identity in the arts, HIV, and Coca-Cola.

A farewell to Delhi

So I've added a picture link to the sidebar of this site, and hopefull I'll find time to upload more of my adventures on there.

We returned from Chandigarh to wrap up our program a couple days ago. We had a farewell banquet with all the host families and program coordinators on Friday, and yesterday I went on a bike ride in the Old City.

Tonight, at 1am, we leave our hostel to board Qatar Airlines to Cape Town (via Doha). The flight is long, but I'm really looking forward to the weather and beauty of Cape Town. I hear it's wonderful. Our first homestay will be with a family in the township of Langa, and the second homestay will be with a family in Bo-Kaap. Then comes vacation...

Some shots from the bike ride:

spice market

those are the crazy streets we biked through

Shimla- the foothills of the Himalayas

While in Chandigarh I was lucky enough to spend a glorious 6 hours in Shimla, a city that's literally built into the folds of the mountains. The British used it as their summer capital in India, as it's significantly cooler than Calcutta or Delhi, so it the slight feeling of an older European city. It's quite touristy at places, but beautiful nonetheless. I took a half hour hike up a mountain to this Hindu temple, and as I was walking the entire mountain became enveloped in a cloud. It's so wonderful to get to spend a day in 70 degrees weather when it's been 100 for a week straight.

Shimla

Some of the many monkeys- they held me up for my candy bar and I was so scared I surrendered. Dangerous creatures.

My mountain hike

The British Mall area

The Himachali/Tibetan Bazaar

I got a fantastic yak wool blanket/shawl thing here. so warm.

Chandigarh- a lesson in planning

Le Corbusier's Chandigarh: the Capitol Complex:

Open Hand Monument

(The hand that's open to giving and receiving)

The plaza was originally designed for public debate and the realization of democracy, but after the president of punjab was assassinated no one is allowed in... thanks terrorism.

Secretariat (one of 3 Corbu buildings in the complex)

Housing in Chandigarh-

For my case study in Chandigarh I researched housing. We looked into Corbu's vision of creating "housing for everyone," which was realized through extensive government built housing for government employees. Since Chandigarh was planned in the middle of nowhere as the new capital of Punjab, no one seemed to think that people outside of the government would come to the city. Wrong. So private housing has filled in gaps, and both sectors (gov't and private) run the gamut from very high income to the lowest socio-economic class. As for the very poor, they are mostly migrant workers from the rural areas of the surrounding states who have come to the city to do manual labor. Since Chandigarh is one of the few municipalities with a housing scheme for slum rehabilitation, there is great hope that one might eventually be given housing. However, the process is long and drawn out; it involves being documented through biometric surveys ten years in advance of receiving housing, demolition of more established slums, and economic and political biases. Here's a few snapshots from our day in the field:

Slum redevelopment:

transitory housing for slums

multi-story small flats (one room each) under construction for rehabilitated slums

How the better half lives:

middle class private housing in Chandigarh- Sector 22

Rupees Galore

Namaste!
It's been a while since I've found time to process all that we've been doing, let along give an update on it. Everyday Natalie and I wake up, take an auto (see below) to school about 45 mins away. Thankfully the monsoon-like weather stopped and now we just have the dust and scorching sun. Our classes are in a building in a pretty nice part of town right near the famous Lodi Gardens and Khan Market. Our classes and lectures are interspersed with field days, where we visit different areas of the city and analyze things like market economies and safety.

A few tidbits- this is a stand in the old city of Delhi:

The old city is walled off, incredibly intense, and mostly Muslim. It's a huge contrast to New Delhi, which is planned and much less crowded. I had to give my camera to a friend on my way into a mosque (it was either that or pay 200 Rs) so I don't have any pics of the incredible alley ways. But the colors and smells and tons of people. We got stuck in a huge human traffic jam inbetween cycle rickshaws... luckily we made it to the fancy metro station safely.


Sarojini Nagar Market:

This was the market I was assigned to for our "Market Day" field day, during which we went out in small groups to analyze the economy of different markets around Delhi. The intersection of informal and formal economies was mind blowing. Sarojini Nagar is known for its huge selection of cheap knock offs, but it also has everything from vegetables to expensive jewelry. We spent awhile sitting, taking notes, talking to shop owners, and trying to figure out how the market runs each day.

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It's an amazingly complex process, and I am now aware of people and jobs I had never noticed before- such as ragpickers, who are mostly women. They go through the garbage and streets to find recyclable materials to sell to junk-sellers. Their work is illegal, but it is essential to the environmental health of the city. So many people take part in this informal work, and entire economies (such as that of handmade paper) are based on these recycled materials.

My sweet ride:

I am happy to have learned during my transportation in Delhi class/guest lecture that autos (also known as three-wheeled taxis) have the best safety record (in terms of fatal accidents) of all modes of transportation in Delhi. We speculate that it's because of the mid-range pace and ability to jump out of the side... but that doesn't totally make sense to me. Luckily I've had some pretty great autorick drivers, and I've learned enough of the Delhi body language, including some of the infamous head-bobble, to have them take me seriously.

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Transportation in Delhi is its own can of worms, with the city spending an inordinate amount on a world-class metro system that only a small portion of the population can afford. Our lectures were very frustrated with the government's transportation budget and plan. They feel that a truly democratic transportation system would be something along the lines of BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) that is cheaper, more convinient, has better personal safetly (not underground), and whose construction does not impede daily life in Delhi as much as metro construction. I could go on, but I'll leave it at that. Cities are frustrating creatures at times.

But the following picture may be the coolest thing I've seen in Delhi so far- a public condom machine!!

That's right, on the streets of a crowded market in Haus Khas (a pretty nice neighborhood that I was assigned to for a field day), attached to a public restroom, is a condom machine. Of course, I just had to try it. For five rupees (about 10 cents) and strong pull on the lever, you receive two condoms in a little box, and for bonus points you are sure to attract a huge crowd of onlooking men. So I guess few people probably use the condom machine, and our translator/student volunteer from Delhi had never seen one before. But nonetheless, I am impressed with Delhi for providing such a service. I could never imagine seeing such a thing in an American city. Our family values are just too strong.

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On a different note this weekend was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, and full of excitement (not of the good kind) due to a terror threat against the Chabad House I went to for dinner/services. We had no idea before the dinner that there were any warnings, but afterwards the Israeli sitting next to us told us that there was warnings from the Israeli bureau of counter-terrorism that they had pin-point intelligence that the same group responsible for the Mumbai attacks a couple years ago was planning another attack during this festival season. They said that people should stay away from places where Israeli's usually congregate, and Chabad Houses in particular, since one was targeted in the last attack. Needless to say, it was scary to learn of that after having sat through the entire service and dinner. We should have known given that they had planned on 200 people for dinner and only 50 or so showed. And for one of the biggest holidays of the year, too. On the upside, it was exciting to see hebrew and groups of Israelis in the back alleys of crowded Old Delhi market. Who would have thought? And we got to eat next to a couple girls from Argentina, a young guy from France, and an Israeli Londoner. It was a nice crowd. And the theme was miracle stories, so we heard some fantastic tales...

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Well, Shana Tova!! We leave our homestays for Chandigarh soon, which the capital of Punjab that was designed by Le Corbusier, the Frech architect and planner. I'm sure I'll have lots to say.

Horn. OK. Please.

We made it to India!
No pictures yet- it's much more comfortable to carry around a camera in America than when I already stand out so significantly.

I'm glad to already have a base knowledge level about the many cultures that exist here, and about the tumultuous, rich history of the region. It makes the sensory overload a bit less overwhelming. When I went to India in high school, I remember Dee telling me that there is absolutely nothing like going to India for the first time. It's true; nothing is the same without the innocence of being a blank slate.

So far I'm staying healthy and keeping myself on a very strict regimen of no street food, no iced drinks, and using bottled water even to brush my teeth. So far, so good.

I live in a middle class colony in the southwest of Delhi called Vasant Kunj. So far I don't know the area very well, but my roommate Natalie and I are practicing how to bargain with the autorickshaw driver for a better price on our hour and half commute. every morning. My host family consists of a grandmother and grandfather, and their two children who both are married and live elsewhere but spend lots of time at the flat. Their granddaughter is also around a lot since her mother works all day. She's three years old and so adorable. We've only been here two nights, but I'm very excited to learn to cook, buy some Indian clothes so I don't stand out so much, go to the Bahai temple again, and enjoy the sounds of honking. Hopefully find some time to do my massive amounts of homework, and hopefully I won't get in an accident.

Today we're off to Haus Khas to do some neighborhood mapping. Hopefully my 3am wake up due to jetlag won't be too much of an issue... Cafe Coffee Day, here I come.

Goodbye, Michigan

Today we leave for India on 15 hour flight.

catch you all on the other side of the world!

Detroit inspiration

The incredible, 94 year old Grace Lee Boggs came to speak with us today. She was part of a really wonderful panel discussion on race and class in Detroit. All of the speakers were extremely articulate, inspiring, and and extremely innovative in their ideas. My dad, aunt, and uncle all worked with Grace in the 70's, so it was really exciting to meet her.

We went to Cranbrook later in the day on a bus tour of the Detroit suburbs. The artist and educational community is situated in this beautiful enclave. It was so relaxing to be in that calming environment, and I love all of the arts and crafts details in the wood, windows, and overall design. The site was designed mostly by the Saarinens from Findland in the early part of the 20th century, and it was really quite beautiful.