In love with Argentina

I worked with a publisher introducing its books to markets all over the world. Now I can say I have favorite bookstores all over the world. But most noteworthy are the bookstores in Latin America (see Mexico - Otro Lugar de la Mancha in Polanco; Argentina - El Ateneo in Buenos Aires; Uruguay - La Mosca in Montevideo).

Curiously, when I was working in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, I just kind of felt like I was falling in love. What was it? Falling in love with being in another country? with the language? with being out of my office? I definitely loved with the teams of reps that I worked with ( awesome crew!) But it still feels pretty hard to pinpoint. What was it exactly that drew me in?

I'll start with Argentina. Argentina reminded me of an elegant older woman. Although struck heavily by the economic crisis in 2001-2002, the Italian architecture, the street tango, the pride of the people I met and the insistence that art thrive in this difficult time all added up to a romance that remains a mystery to me.

I got this picture almost by accident from this blog: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5220/2365/1024/2001-01-13%20Buenos%20Aires%2043.jpg The couple could be dancing on the cobbled streets of Florida Avenida in Buenos Aires where I often saw them.

I picked up a few oil paintings and black and white photos of couples dancing the tango in Buenos Aires. It brings back its charm and my ongoing query to figure out Argentina.

I have to laugh. Still can't explain it. But something about the focus, the self-contained pride, the contrast of tradition with the modern, the beauty and accessibility of this street tango captures much of what I have loved about my brush with Argentina. (BTW, the tango in Argentina is quite different then the popular tango danced in the US. Much more footwork and finesse.)

But -- of course -- Science and Health comes to my rescue and helps me articulate this feeling I have for Argentina, and even all of what I have learned about Latin America.

...and the light of ever-present Love illumines the universe. Hence the eternal wonder, -- that infinite space is peopled with God's ideas, reflecting him in countless spiritual forms.

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