San Patricio and a little Rant

Saint Patricks day...the one day I fit perfectly, red hair, white, obviously some Irish in me. Ah, I was so excited to join in the festivites because I heard at 6 pm Plaza de San Martin begins with dancing and music and than the festivites move towards the street Reconquista where there are some Irish pubs. Well, during my cinema class it seemed that this would not happen...torrential rain and thunderstorming halted the festivites at Plaza de San Martin but did not stop the other parties on Reconquista.

Later on towards 11 I met up with some friends and we went down to see what was going on. The street is already a pedonal or pedestrian street, so no cars. But they still closed off about 5 blocks and the street was packed with drunken ¨Irish¨. I use quotes because I think I saw only 4 people who looked Irish and 2 were friends of mine. That does not matter though, because the spirit is what matters. As we headed down towards the street, already some people took it upon themselves to begin climbing the lamppost, I think maybe 3 guys tried this. While everyone around watched and started chanting them on. Very entertaining and ridiculous.

As we strolled along the street trying to figure out what bar to enter I began to question once more, as I always do here. Who started the tradition of commenting, whisteling, of men? They are obsessed with women and at least show it more than other cultures I have traveled to or know, even today I put on a shirt that is a little low cut and I walk out the door, and BAM comments or blatant stares of appreciation for my choice in shirt. Last night, a friend had a low cut dress and as she walked all eyes on her other counterpart. At one point in the night I was entering a bar and I got stopped and kissed on the hand. I waved him off and told him ¨boludo¨, which may not have been ¨correct¨ usage, but whatever. And another incident, I was surrounded by 6 guys talking to me and luckily Lyons (friend) comes over puts his arm around me and starts talking as if we are boyfriend/girlfriend. They immediately walked off. This happens all the time and I wonder, do the guys ever tire of it or is it a game that they play all the time? Instead of Halo, instead of other video games...do they just enjoy futbol and the chase of women or do they deal out points for certain things? 1 point if the woman looks back at you, minus 1 if they dont even acknowledge you, 2 points if they reply, 3 points if they stop and say something...etc.

I think I would make a game of it, maybe I should make a game for the woman´s position. I dont know, 1 point you tell them off. 2 points you stop and pretend to talk and than immediately walk away...etc, etc.