Post by Grubb
Yesterday I learned quickly that if I was to make it through the Boca Junior crowds without losing sight of our tour guide I would be wise to follow the big guy.
He was like a locomotive nosing its cattle catcher through the herd; people spilled off on either side to avoid him. And since he was hauling some serious weight it was easy to keep up with him. At the beginning of our La Boca tour it wasn’t his size but the rash of mosquito bites on his legs that had caught my attention.
Because of recent rains these nat-size nuisances are enjoying the humidity and feasting on unprotected skin with a nasty appetite for exposed ankles and sandaled feet. What makes them especially irritating is that they’re so tiny they’re quiet and practically invisible.
Ella, of course knew about this before we left. No shorts or sandals were packed and we are well supplied with Off.
I get a “Spanish phrase of the day” email from a Spanish learning website. Recently the phrase was “Nunca tomes fotos de personas sin preguntarles.” Translation: “Never take photos of people without asking.” It made me think of all the times I’ve wanted a photo of a person where it would have been awkward to ask, so I’ll take a photo of Charlie and get them in the background. Grubb, I’m assuming that you didn’t ask permission to take a photo of this guy’s lower legs. (I wouldn’t have either.) Seems risky to let oneself get so many mosquito bites these days. Especially with Dengue going around. Glad you guys are being careful, but it must be frustrating having to stay so covered up in the warm weather.
I confess, no permission was asked. But, we didn’t show his face 🤷🏼♀️. The hospitals here are packed partially due to a huge rise in Dengue cases. Before we left home, I bought some OFF wipes, saturated with DEET. They seem to be doing the job. And the weather has cooled so wearing pants, shoes and socks isn’t uncomfortable at all. In fact, I wore a light sweater most of the day yesterday.
Although I’m a big fan of the Diane Arbus’ photographs where she stopped the person on the street and asked permission before she had them pose, I prefer the Lee Friedlander/Garry Winogrand approach to stealing a shot of people as they move in the social fabric. It’s a sort of Wild West gunslinger attitude that that’s high on risk. My feeling comes down to, “Who’s going to get angry at some 74-year-old guy who probably doesn’t which way to hold his phone to get a picture?”