The other side of No Te Calientes

The Argentineans have got it right, either the entire race has had botox, tinted eye lashes and a bottle of blue pills in their hip pocket, or there is something in the gene pool and attitude towards life that is beyond what I’ve seen before.  These people are beautiful in every way and they seriously seem to love everything that life has to offer.  These people choose to take it easy!

No Te Calientes, I’ve heard this expression several times today; it literally means to take it easy.  The Argentina’s say it as a throw away line, like to say hey, chill baby. Its cool, I like it a lot.  It seems to be the perfect phrase for me at this time in my life. Move aside urgent, warm and fuzzy, yeah yeah yeah, make way for No Te Calientes.  

I had three intentions today, to meander, shake off the hang over and buy a piece of jewellery to remember Buenos Aires by.  With my new Camera bag bouncing alongside my handbag over my shoulder, beaming with my fill of this Argentinean love fest and I was set to explore.   Happy snapping and some stylish leather bracelets later, it was time for me to take a moment and order a drink.  At that point, I remembered my little promise to be present and I felt it.  I was surrounded by more than the wolf whistles, lovers and a bag of accessories. I had company.

There he was across the street, staring. I’d taken photos of him and didn’t even realise it. He’d followed me from the jewellery store 4 blocks to where I had parked for lunch.  With absolutely no camouflage, he just sat there, like a jaguar waiting for his pray.  In true Argentina form, he made no attempts to hide his feelings, he was there waiting for me. Well not for me, for my camera I suspect. This targeting I had read about and once upon a time I would have freaked out right about now, but with my new motto of choosing my attitude, I decided this jaguar was not going to make a dent on my love-in.  I chose No Te Calientes.  He’d chosen the wrong Sheila.

"Ola" my hand went up, and my lovely waiter and I had some words.  With no fuss, he calmly said, “No Te Calientes, I’ll walk you back to your hotel.”  It was just like that, so easy.  So guess what, I took it easy, finished my pizza and beer and watched the world go by for an hour and honed into the lovely sounds of the Spanish accent in full flight.

Omar walked me home in the afternoon sun, chatting about life, love and Argentina male philosophy. He was a single man at 67, had had two loves, but didn’t believe in a woman controlling him.  I got the sense there were more like him here.  He was 4ft 5, but he naturally exuded a considerable stature.  We swapped details and we agreed to have a red wine when I came back to BA in three weeks time.  I think he has a few stories to tell and I want to hear them.

The other side of No Te Calientes is that it has become crystal clear that these Argentinean’s don’t know how to take it easy on the love thing.  As I ambled along the classic tree lined charismatic streets, my eyes lit up by the sight of countless happy people.  Lovers kissing unashamedly, old people holding hands, old men sitting on benches laughing and debating, and men with no indignity for letting out a good old wolf whistle in adoration for a beautiful woman. And you have to respect these people, it's life for them, in no way are they embarrassed to demonstrate the way beauty makes them feel. There is no discrimination or limitation in age either. How refreshing. 

I’m in love with they way their voices hum. I sat with one ear listening to the people at the bar last night, oh I just the sound, the rolling r’s and lisp and deep voices of the men. It’s dreamy, Mc Steamy.  On my way home from blogging I met some people who invited me to drink with them.  We had a lot of fun, not much Spanish, not much English so we wrote on napkins and drew pictures.  The one word I could tell, and heard a lot was Bonita.  Simply means Beautiful. Oh, gosh, pout, blush, and more of a pout.

I was fixated and made them say things for me in Spanish. I think they thought it was all very cute and charming so they played along. Regardless, it was intoxicating for me. As was the local vodka. The sounds of the rolling r’s and rumble of it all, hmm, everyone is Bonita here, no matter how they may look in their own mirror.  Did I have vodka googles on?

I want to come back as Penelope Cruz, not only would I get to snog Scarlet Johansson, but I would have that sound, that magnificent, smokey sexy sound come out of my mouth with every word.  Inspired, I’ve been walking around today practicing my Spanish. Reading street signs, menu's, then saying English words with a Spanish accent. Honestly, it's easier for me and seems to work for them to! Of all the words, I’ve decided I like the sound of “lovers” the best.   Say it slowly, practice with me, here goes:

Let your whole mouth get around it (righto!) and when you start, begin with your mouth opened as if you were going to take a sip of your coke lite.  Then press your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, just touching your front teeth. From the front, and in slow motion, you should see the curve of the spin of your tongue. Then bend your tongue down and let out the first syllable “laah”.  Let your breath push out and make a breathless “ahhhh” sound. Then press your lips into a pout as if you were going to sip on the straw in your coke bottle and push the “veerrr”.  Then, while pouting push your tongue back up, curled under your front teeth, and bring your teeth almost closed with enough gap, lips still pouting, then, while you push out the final, sultry syllable, twist your tongue and then roll it inside your mouth to create the “rrrssssssshhhhs”.

Now say it all at once - “Laahh-veeerrr-rrrssshhhhhs”.  Next, stop picturing me saying it and think of Penelope Cruz saying it to you.  Hmm, No Te Calientes boys!

(Note to self,  probably a good thing to stop practising saying “lovers” as I walk along the footpaths too!)

It’s a good job I signed a contract with my new job, because I can tell you I’m already giddy in love with this place and if ink wasn’t on paper, I dare say I’d stay here for a while longer.  But if I come bouncing back into Changi airport with long black locks, big lips and lisp, you’ll know what’s happened to me.

No Te Calientes, I’m just joking, blondes have more fun.

Take it easy laah-veerrrr-ssshhhs!

TBS

xxx

P.S: Then just to prove an Argentinean point  as I walked home tonight after dinner, I came across a street dance off (which doesn't sound sexy enough or give justice to this tribal gathering). The Argentina’s of course love to dance; there was jungle drums, native calls like wolves, men and women with hardly anything on making some serious moves together, rubbing bodies, hands everywhere and shakin their booties like Shakira.  There was plenty of bouncing boobs, jelly belles and muffin tops swinging away, but again, absolutely Bonita. God If I moved here I’d never have to do no carbs ever again! 

Love love love. Viva Argentina!