Tango in Buenos Aires

Tango de Buenos Aires. Even the name sounds sexy.

This pose was probably shot in La Boca, the originally Italian section of Buenos Aires, which is filled with street after street of colorfully painted houses. These colorful houses are a vivid visual memory from my visit to Buenos Aires that has stayed with me for years. The image of these brightly colored streets comes to me when I wander around the often foggy, beige and grey Sunset District of San Francisco in which I live. It makes me think that my neighborhood could benefit from more colorful paint a la La Boca.

The Tango originated in Argentina, and quickly spread to the rest of the world. My friends, Gayle and Paul, learned and danced a very lively tango as the first dance on their wedding day. The dance has evolved into a variety of versions, but the one I find most surprising is the Finnish Tango, which flourished during the 1950s.

My mom went to Argentina in April, and while several postcards arrived on a relatively timely basis, this one must have been stuck in limbo somewhere because it just showed up about three weeks ago.