Everything Is Going Right... I'm Nervous.
A late Substack post from Buenos Aires.
This Substack post is one day late. My excuse: I have been in Argentina for one week. As the saying goes, “When in Rome…”
“Where can we make a reservation for the art show tonight,” I asked the hotel concierge. She had a blank look on her face. “Where did you see this event?” she asked in fluent English. The event, featuring a Porteño (a resident of Buenos Aires) lecturing on Argentinian art, was one of the reasons I chose to stay at the Hotel Casa Lucia in Buenos Aires. “On the hotel website,” I reponded. She found it on her computer and said, “Oh, that event was on this same date, but in November. I will let them know it should be removed from the site.” We were disappointed. It was the only time I had been disappointed during the entire trip. In fact the trip was going so well that nagging questions had begun to emerge in my mind. “Why is it going so well?” I asked myself. “How long will this last?” “When will something bad happen?”
We had decided to go to Buenos Aires for three reasons: 1. Our son and daughter-in-law, who work online, decided to spend the month in an Airbnb in Argentina. We wanted to spend time with them. 2. As “empty nesters” (we prefer the term “free birds”), we want to do more traveling. We had never been to Buenos Aires and Cheryl’s grandfather had worked with the US Embassy in the 1940s, so this seemed a great place to begin. 3. I’m continuing to write my book and have found that visiting other cultures inspires and energizes me in this task. We have achieved all three of these goals and more. So many good things have happened that the best way to share it with you is a quick list:
Day One: We got an upgrade on our flight from Houston to Buenos Aires. We slept on the red-eye, and both wished the flight was longer to enjoy the seats even more. That was a first for us with air travel!
Day Two: We arrived early at our hotel in Buenos Aires and, after dropping off our bags with Augustina, the concierge, had a wonderful walk around the Recoleta neighborhood, including our first attempt to find the home where Cheryl’s father-in-law had lived. We found the address on Avenida Alvear, but the building didn’t look right. This would take more research. After unpacking, Lucas and Karren had finished work and it was time to meet them at the “Tango Porteno.” It started at 9:00 pm and was wonderful.
Day Three: We visited Lucas and Karren’s rental home. Then we walked together to the famous Recoleta Cemetery, had our first Argentinian gelato at Freddo, and had a seven-course meal on the roof of a Porteño home. The food was amazing and we met three people from Britain (two who lived in Southern Spain), a Canadian couple originally from Ukraine and Poland, two women from New York and a couple from Germany. The event ended after 11pm. Lucas and Karren went out with one of the couples afterward while we headed back to our hotel.
Day Four: We joined our son and daughter-in-law for worship at Saddleback Church Buenos Aires, and then went to the Sunday market at San Telmo. We had more incredible steak for lunch followed by more gelato. We returned to our hotel, tired but invigorated. I put in about four hours on my book before turning in.
Day Five: Lucas and Karren had the day off so the four of us spontaneously decided to take a boat ride to an island called El Tigre. It was incredible! On the way back we stopped by China Town. We had to try the gelato again and then returned to the hotel. I put in another four hours on the book.
Day Six: Cheryl and I took a 5-hour Walking Tour of the city. No one else had signed up that morning so it turned out to be the two of us with a wonderful guide named Anahi. She was like a walking Google, which made sense when we learned that she had studied in the University for three years in order to be qualified as a tour guide. Once we returned to the hotel, I put in another four hours or so on the book. What an incredible day! But somehow those nagging thoughts became stronger. “Why is it going so well?”
Day Seven: Lucas wanted us to try a medialuna from a cafe near their home. We ended up eating key lime pie, a red velvet cinnamon bun, a generous slice of tiramisu and the medialuna — for breakfast! It was wonderful! As Cheryl and I walked home, we followed a new clue as we sought to locate where Cheryl’s grandfather had lived and worked. This time, we were successful. The street name had been changed so the buidling was now located on the corner of La Calle de Defensa and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. It has been in use by the US Embassy for many years and was formerly called Palacio Bosch. By the time we got back to our hotel we had walked 16,000 steps across Buenos Aires (very necessary given all of the gelato!) with a short stop for an espresso at Cafe Tabac to rest and people-watch. Once again I worked about four hours on my book. And still the worry nagged at me - could all of the goodness we were experiencing continue or was something bad about to happen?
Day Eight: We thought we were going to rest at the hotel, but Cheryl saw an email from one of the kind-hearted Argentinian women we had met at church on Sunday letting us know that we had a reservation for lunch at El Preferido de Palermo. We got ready quickly and Ubered over just in time. The food was incredible. It was art, it was the most creative of food in a most pleasant environment and it was absolutely delicious! Once we got back to the hotel Cheryl attended a fashion show for an Argentinian designer named Tucci. The hotel had advised all of the guests that the show was being held and that we were welcome to attend. When Cheryl reached the lobby, all of the seats were taken, so she was directed to sit on a couch right at the foot of the grand staircase where all the models were entering! She watched the show in company with the director of the show and felt like a real VIP. Meanwhile, I got another four hours on the book! We were living into being free birds, were here with our kids, and I was inspired to put some serious time into writing.
Every morning, as we prayed and I had my devotional, I was encouraged to simply accept this time as a gift. We were doing everything we were supposed to be doing right now and everything was great. Enjoy it!
There is a scripture that has tended to make me worry, even though its intent is to offer peace. “Do not think about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough troubles of its own.” But now I read it in a new light. Enjoy today. Tomorrow may or may not bring trouble but for now, in Buenos Aires, life is good.
Randy, I too have felt that sense of ominous worry whenever things have been going a little bit too well in my life. I always wondered if it was just me! Thank you not only for sharing your incredible experiences in Argentina along with the beautiful photographs, but also for sharing that this is something that other people experience as well. I have always tried to derive comfort from that Bible passage in the past, but there was always something about the way it was worded that made me wonder if it was serving as a warning or as a something to instill peace. I think from now on I will choose to see it as it was likely intended - that there is no need to worry about tomorrow as it may or may not bring trouble after all! :)
Envy consumes yoiur aged parent. Not only from the wonderful journey, but because you are able to concentrate on a project for 4 hours at a time! Not bed!