Monday, November 13, 2006

Oops

So yesterday was an interesting day. Spent an afternoon at the San Telmo market (I seem to have a thing for these street markets). This was a flea market, all outdoors. 30 degrees (probably in the shade), so very warm and wonderful. At a little stall, I found a great necklace--garnet and silver for 120 pesos. Again, that works out to about $40, so I had to get it.

Later that evening, four of us went to the open air milonga in the same sqaure. It "starts" at dusk. When we arrived at about 7pm, they were rolling out the floor. Literally. Over the cobblestones, the organizers layed out a mat of some kind of rubbery substance for us to dance on. People were standing, sitting and walking by everywhere.

In the bustle a women came up to me and asked me where I was from. It turned out to be Gina. I hadn't even recognized her. She isn't dancing any more and came to this milonga for the first time in over six months, so it was a huge coincidence to even bump into her like that. Later as I was dancing, I looked up, and there on the steps was Allyson. Strange to see two people you know from home in the same evening at the same place.

As we were walking home, a young fellow accosted us asking for cigarettes. The man we were with told him we didn't have any. He started turned to me and asked the same thing. When I tried to walk away, he ripped my necklace off (the one purchased earlier at the market) and ran away. Was a bit frightening, but it could have been so much worse.