The Lost Art of the Social Drink

I am walking around Buenos Aires observing the people here and one of the things I am struck with is the social drinking and smoking that goes on during the day. This is a very walking friendly city and there is a cafe or restaurant on almost every corner. This seems almost like time porn to a guy like me who works 50 - 60 hours a week.

For some reason, going for coffee or a beer with your friends has become a lost art in my world. It seems that where I am from, 2 heterosexual guys can't get together to spend time unless they are doing something. You get together to "play golf", "watch the game" or "try on womens underwear". Never just to hang out for no reason in particular. In the U.K. it is pretty much a nightly ritual to head down to the pub to quaff a few pints with the boys. Here in South America stopping for a cafe con leche or a half bottle of wine at 2 in the afternoon is actually scheduled into the workday. Most shops, stores and businesses will close down for a few hours (siesta) in the afternoon so the staff can get something to eat and a nap. I can't see the construction site I work at doing this anytime soon but there are some things I would like to do differently in the future.

In the past, I have found that in the absence of play off hockey or poker night it is difficult to find reasons to spend time with my friends. From now on I would like to throw off the expectations of having to do "something" with my friends and family. I want to head out to the pub for a beer and a chat, or a coffee and catching up. I want to adopt a lifestyle change similiar to the way things are done in Buenos Aires. Maybe that is easier said than done when I am here and not knee deep in diapers, getting up at 5am to go to work and chipping away at the honeydo list. I guess time will tell.