02.06.2011

Back home, we have “clubs” to dance at.  Obviously, nothing anywhere in the world can compare to Third Edition.  Obviously.  But the “boliche” experience, what used to be called “discotecas,” (I aged myself when I said that the first couple of times here) comes pretty close to endless dancing at Thirds.  Minus my good friends.  And minus the American version of dancing…you all know what I am talking about.

Boliches here are HUGE.  I mean, really really big.  They consist of buildings that could be about 4/5 floors, with an outside patio, sometimes with a pool (I do not suggest swimming in it), and a terrace. Every floor has about 4 “rooms,” and every room has different music playing.  Generally, the music at the beginning is pretty awful.  Lots of electronica-type of music.  Not the house/awesome music you can dance crazy to.  It is music that when you look around, NO one is dancing because, really, you cannot possibly dance to this type of music (I am sure the Jersey Shore cast can find a way, though).  However, as the night, or should I say morning, goes on more of their traditional cumbia or de cuarteto music begins to play.  This is when it starts getting fun.

Cumbia and de cuarteto are best to dance when you have someone to dance with.  I really do not know how to describe it other than that the girl generally moves her hips side-to-side to the beat of the music while shuffling her feet and the guy generally leads the girl into turns.  There is not much to it, yet, because the music is so happy, you tend to have an amazing time.  When you dance to it on your own, it is not the same because you do not have a partner to do twists, turns, and dance side-to-side with.  However, since everyone is so joyful at boliches, the cheerfulness is contagious. 

You know when you have those nights that you do not get back until 4/5 am?  They tend to be the nights you tell stories about, right?  Well, here, every week you have two nights that you will not get back until 7/8 am…and that is normal.  Seeing the sun rise on our drive back from the pre-mountain range, where most of the boliches are, is quite a scene.  Going to bed at 7:30 am, not so great.