Back in May, I told you about one of my favorite places in Buenos Aires, El Galpon:
This place will enter the history books of Argentina for being one of the first locations in Buenos Aires to provide a market place for vendors and customers interested in organic, fresh, and local products to meet, to exchange goods for money, and to learn about sustainable living.
This Saturday, my husband and I went to do our weekly shopping and we were invited to come back later that evening to help celebrate the 6th anniversary of El Galpon. I have my favorite cheese vendor to thank for the invitation!
Am I ever glad that we jumped back on the bus later that afternoon. We were greeted with food, music, and lots of laughter - photos and video below!
El Galpon is not too hard to find... it is, however, not easily seen from the main street. The easiest way to find it is to get to the train station, Federico La Croze, in whatever way possible (subte A is easy, or search for a bus using omnilineas.com). Then you walk to the side of the train station away from the famous cemetary at La Chacarita. On the corner by the police station, you will look to your left down the alley and at the end, you will see a bright yellow building inviting you to the end of the cobblestones.
When we arrived Saturday afternoon around 6pm, the sky was darkening with impending rain but the crowd didn't seem to notice. They were enjoying fresh fruit juice, local beer, sandwiches de miga made with fresh vegetables, brochettes of cherry tomatoes, cheese, and basil, and empanadas. Bottles of white wine waited to be opened as everyone was focused on an energtic acrobat performing her moves for a very relaxed and smiling audience (photo in the intro).
As with most afternoon events in this city, people were very content to be enjoying the day. After the acrobat, people turned to each other for conversation. Some were drinking mate, others watching their children play, and no one, not even those who were bringing the food out or serving the wine or finding more chairs were in a hurry. The lack of stress was palpable. People were here to enjoy themselves. There was no schedule and no need for one. I have learned to love this about South America.
After a while, there was an announcement to cut the cake - which grew from 15 kilos to 30 kilos in its description! As with all good cakes in Buenos Aires, it included dulce de leche which I am beginning to believe is a food of the gods.
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Argentines don't normally like to eat with their hands but today was an exception and everyone took napkins with huge portions of cake dripping with fruit and dulce de leche filling. We picked up the yumminess with our fingers and very gladly licked off every bit. |
And then it was time for the music! The band was a large group of about a dozen people, all playing a wide variety of instruments. There was a traditional guitar, an electric guitar, drums of all sorts, a beautiful flute, gourds played like tambourines, a small stringed instrument that I think was
a Charango. We even saw someone blowing a conch shell during a set. Everyone on stage sang and the majority of the crowd danced.
One of the more popular songs was Panama and I managed to capture it and the crowd on video. Towards the end, you will notice a gentleman joining in with the band; he is the vendor that very kindly invited us to join the party:
Ironically, as the music got louder, the threatening rain became a reality. My husband and I had to leave before it was all over. We knew from past experience that the deluge to come would not make a pleasant ending to the evening.
As we left, I took a few photos of the signs that decorated the area and one last parting shot of the party in action. Check out the huge dark corner on the right hand side. That is the rain cloud we were racing! It started to pour just as we jumped on the bus!
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Intenta que tu consumo no sea mayor a tu necisidad
Try to consume no more than you need
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No eres lo que tienes sino lo que das
You are not what you have
but what you give
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La riqueza esta en la diversidad
Richness is in diversity
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