You can teach an old dog new tricks

Or at least a few new words...

Today I learned several.

(very rough translations, mind you

baseado = porro = spliff (I like this word in English much better than its synonyms)
algema = esposas = handcuffs (nice to see these not related to matrimony, or at least not in a bad way;)
boca de fumo = antro de mala muerte = heavy scene (nothing to do with mouths)
bicho pegou = cayó la tira, mala leche = bad shit went down ((nothing to do with bugs, at least not anymore)

But most of all, I was reminded of the quintessentially human condition of a catch 22, expressed eloquently in proverbial format.

"se ficar o bicho come; se correr o bicho pega"

Damned if you do, damned if you don't: God damn certain, more certain a concept may never be uttered.