I thought Jamie was joking when he first told me.

“Scorpions are playing a show at the Hotel Llao Llao!”

But the excitement on his face showed that this was all seriousness.

It was hard to believe, yet what he was saying was nothing more than the absolute truth. The three long-time members of The Scorpions, Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, and Mattias Jabs, were coming to South America’s high-society hotel to play a special concert for a Volkswagen promotional event for the auto-makers’ upcoming release of the truck, Amarok.

Rudolf had driven the automobile in the Dakar Rally, and smitten by it, became involved in promotion. Klaus and Mattias jumped on the band wagon, which led to a few days of Bariloche fun test driving the coche around the Steppe. The Volkswagen festivities ended with a special intimate acoustic concert.

Jamie, a guy that is particularly gifted at getting into events with a little magic and twinkle of the eye, started to research the possibilities of entrance. Many calls were put out. Networking was initiated. Strings were pulled. But to no avail. The answer was coming back the same, “No es posible.”

To tell ya the truth, I slowly started to forget about it. The chances were slim to none that we were going to get in.

But once again Jamie inspires me with his outside-the-box thinking.

The night before the concert he informs me that we have “date night” with dinner at the Hotel Llao Llao. If nothing else, maybe we will get a peek of the trio of rock gods.

So, in due appreciation of the impressive hotel, I put on my finest Bariloche duds; high heels, leather jacket, booby shirt (well, that part was in respect for rock and roll, of course).

We arrived to a string of buses and cars pulled up to the loop driveway of the Llao Llao. There was a heightened excitement in the air. It’s common for there to be a bit of hoopla going on at the hotel, due to its glamorous prestige, but tonight the energy had a particular tingle to it that tends to associate itself with rock stars.

Despite the increased security, we were greeted by the staff with a nonchalant hello and friendly smile. I suppose it was possibly coming in handy that we had frequented the establishment from time to time and had sent many guests to the gourmet restaurants.

As we walked through the hand-carved wooden foyer I made a quiet request to the universe to help us see our rock heroes, for it is their lyrics that speak of my motto in life…

Just believe in yourself
Hear this voice from deep inside
It´s the call of your heart
Close your eyes and your will find
The way out of the dark

Well, the wish worked. We not only were able to see them in the hallway…but we were allowed to be a part of the private show, getting to stand within a foot of these amazing musicians as they played new songs and old favorites.  Most importantly of all, though, was the chance to hear from Rudolf himself that following your dreams, not money, is the way to true happiness.

Hearing it from those that have pursued their passions and made dreams reality makes it more profound.

Thank you Scorpions for sending us a little musical angel.

Suerte enjoying the view over Villa La Angostura

We showed up early. Well not really. We actually were on time but by the looks of the empty parking lot, we were the first guests to arrive. It was 9 pm and we hadn’t had dinner yet, but this was a normal affair for an Argentine Quinceañero.

Juan had invited Jamie and I to his daughter, Luna’s, 15th birthday party. Now this just wasn’t some regular ol’ fiesta. No, this was the initiation for Lunita into adulthood. She was becoming a woman.

For us, it meant even more. We knew that Juan didn’t have much money. He was earning a nice Argentine wage from us as our maintenance man, but even still the amount didn’t add up to much for his five-member family.

In fact, our invitation had been delivered with a request. His only daughter’s special day (for many in Latin American countries the Quinceañero is more important for females than their wedding) was costing more than he had been able to save and he was wondering if we could loan him $200 to help with the festivities. For us there was not even a second of hesitation. Of course we would help.

The barren, dirt car lot was the entrance to an abandoned train station that had once housed the mighty Argentine train system. Now it was a decorated party hall for a girl coming of age.

Juan and his extended family had done impressive alterations to the rusting building. Interwoven streamers of gold and white hung over the steel beams that had turned dark with the beating of wind and rain. A small generator could be heard rumbling in the distance, the only source of power for the small Christmas lights taped to the walls. The cement floor had been neatly swept and multiple white plastic tables with four matching chairs had been situated throughout the open room; a small candle surrounded by gold sparkles decorated the middle of each table setting. In the corner of the room sat a small, square boom box that looked circa 1980s. It desperately tried to fill the vast space with the Salsa music spilling from its speakers, but distortion fought back.

Juan greets us with a giant grin. His incredibly white teeth shine in contrast to his sun-kissed skin. His laugh lines and glowing eyes are speaking true to this being the most important night in this man’s life. He hugs us both tightly and quickly before he gives us the customary kiss to the cheek. The hug brings a tear to my eye. A memory quickly flashes through my mind of when I met this kind-hearted yogi-of-a-man. I had given him a hug then and it was obvious that my boldness had caught him a bit off guard. I am realizing that I am becoming a part of the family. It’s not so strange to be exchanging hugs now.

“Please come with me. We set up a special place for you two. Thank you so much for coming. It is a great honor for me, my family, and especially, Lunita.”

“No, por favor.” The common Argentine phrase comes in handy for us. No, please. Being invited is a truly special moment for us as well.

Well, we woke up to continued storms and blustery winds…in fact, it may be colder this summer than it was this winter. Climate change perhaps?

In any case, it is now the middle of summer, and we woke up to more new snow in the mountains, a brisk jack frost bite to the air, and the flowers not looking too happy.

The weather forecast is calling for more showers and windy conditions through the weekend. I hope that anyone planning on going into the mountains remembers to bring an extra layer and warm jacket.

And of course, some extra mate wouldn’t hurt.

This morning, Lago Nahuel Huapi

Tonight’s sunset and new snow in the mountains. ¿Donde está el verano?

To say thanks for their important roles in our vacation rental business, a few nights ago we took our three associates out to one of the classic gourmet “foodie” restaurants that Bariloche is blessed with.

The appreciation dinner started out with sunset viewing and a glass of wine at our house. We then took the party across the street to one of our favorite culinary delights, Yuco.

As we walked in, it was a memorable moment seeing the looks on all three ladies faces when they entered the dining room. It was apparent by their smiles, that they knew they were in for a treat.

But in all reality, what made it special for me was getting to hang out with these three amazing women. They all have their own vibrancy that helped us decide to work with them in the first place. Getting to spend relaxed time with them outside the workplace made that inner glow shine even more.

Our somewhat-serious house cleaner, Betty, we come to find out, is a real comedian. Her joyful, bubbly energy, contagious laugh and irresistible smile had the table in hysterics at times. Mariana, our incredibly kind business assistant, had shown more of a shy side to her personality before. Tonight she was a rosy glow, a magnetic energy pushing away any resemblance to a timid girl. And our oh-so-helpful resident massage therapist, Christina, was given some “me time” where the earnest bed-side manner of a healer could be shed and her hair allowed to fall.

It means so much to us that these three amazing people are in our lives…not only because of their important roles in our business. But also, and more importantly, we are friends.

Aaaah Tango. The dance that oozes sexuality, makes even a wallflower want to move, and the only melodic art that allows the lady to kick her six inch stiletto near the baby makers of her male partner. It is a sensual expression that began in the 19th century, yet is found today in dance halls throughout the world. With the ebb and flow of time the dance has evolved; molding and flowing into new forms of expression for the 21st Century.

Developed in the sultry city of Buenos Aires, Tango originated from African dance styles and melting pot ideals. It is considered by the Porteños, the Buenos Aires locals, to be the “music of the immigrants”; a robust art form born from and for the poor. But it isn’t just that anymore. The music and dance has taken on a life of its own. The traditional has splintered off into two different offspring; Tango Nuevo or new Tango and Neo Tango, literally meaning the most recent Tango.

Tango Nuevo, also referred to as Electro Tango or Tango Fusion, is a dance that came to be in 2001 but still embodies the loin stirring sensuality of its forefathers. The dancers, melting into one person, cling, twirl and stare longingly into each other’s eyes. Although the attire remains the same; fishnet stockings, short skirts and revealing tops for the women, handsome suits for the men. The difference is in the music. The entangled melodies and complex rhythms of traditional tango are interlaced with samples, beats and sounds of the electronic age, plus Jazz and Classical music elements can also be heard. The DJ scene has been an important component in the Tango Nuevo revolution.

Songs by such artists as Grace Kelly and Sarah Vaughans have been interlaced with the normal Tango grooves, creating music for diverse activities, not just the dance floor.

The old school dancers feel that Tango Nuevo is a deviation from the true style and tradition of contemporary Tango. Yet, many feel that it is a breath of fresh air to the century old music style. As the new style becomes more mainstream the sound is flowing in the direction of being the common Tango groove of the future.

Another modern manifestation of traditional Tango is Neo Tango. Known as the black sheep of the Tango family, it is danced to pop, new age or eastern sounds as well as Salsa and Swing. The dancers wear baggy pants resembling the break dancer look of the 80’s. The common sensual dance moves are absent as well. The dance incorporates shorter steps, broken embraces and twirls without touching or only touching with one hand. It often looks as if the dancers are martial art fighters with kicks, waving movements of bodies and hops. The most conventional tango move, the close embrace, is absent all together. Neo Tango originated from the Tango Nuevo movement but is not considered to be an authentic form of tango. The Neo Tango dancer is often not versed in the Argentine version of the Tango and chooses to remain monogamous to this new form of dance. Although somewhat similar to the Brazilian/African dance Capoeira, it does not have any actual bodily contact, head butts or competitive nature.

The three varying types of Tango are important pieces in music culture. Whether enjoying the traditional style or the more contemporary forms of the dance, it is always a joy to watch Tango art in action and with such diversity in the songs the varying musical ears will be happy too!

Last night’s full moon

One of our partners, Andes Cross, led an expedition to nearby Puyehue Volcano last winter.

The summit of the volcano is 7,336 feet above see level, and located just over the border in Chile.

This trip was unique as the group skied lines into the actually crater of the volcano.

Here is a video of their adventure.