El Carnaval de Gualeguaychu

This time last year, instead of walking home from work in the chilly Chicago rain, I was gleefully guzzling some potent punchy drink from a pineapple as half naked Argentines shimmed and shimmered in front of me.

Last February, I ventured down to Argentina for the first time to visit my friend Eric. On my trip itinerary was a weekend trip to Gualeguaychu, which Eric explained as the Carnivale mecca for Argentina. And a place that proved worth the trip.

Long story short, we went to the bus station, saw a bus get hijacked, I panicked and then was crammed into a bus for three hours. My panic only increased when we unboarded. What I had expected to be a small, quaint town was merely a cornfield. Carnivale in a cornfield? You had to be kidding me.

The only thing in sight were rows of metal bleachers sandwiching a long runway, kinda of reminiscent of a high school football game. Not really what I expected for Carnivale. But then the crowd starting singing “Guuuuualeeeeeguaychu” and the show began…

Sitting in Chicago on this rainy day, what I wouldn’t give to be back in Guaaaaaleeguuaychu!

Getting Down with the Silent Dance

Last Friday night, thousands of Londoners gathered at Liverpool Street Station to partake in a silent disco. The event was started on Facebook by a 22-year-old who goes by Crazzy Eve…and this guy definitely knows how to do crazy. Thousands of people flocked to the station last weekend armed with iPods. At exactly 7pm, everyone switched them on and got down. The event was such a success, that another one is planned for Trafalgar Square on Friday. Just a small reminder of how music can bring people together – even if you can’t hear it.