I am so glad that internet is a scarce commodity because it has allowed me to realize how dependent my generation and my society has become upon it! Taking a break from the good ole world wide web has been awesome. The only problem is that SO much has happened since I last wrote! Thanks to those of you who sent me emails asking for more posts. I read the emails and grinned.
The day I arrived, I traveled through the entire city of Dar es Salaam. It's not very big, but we did do a lot of the things that are typically associated with Tanzania which was a blast. We had madafu (coconut juice straight from a coconut), sugar cane juice, mishkaki from the streets (yes, mum, I ate it and my tumbo was fine!), mohogo, dagaa, ugaali, and too much chai all in that first day that I was here! This trip has been such a rollercoaster. No joke.
I landed at about 6 AM. By 11 AM, were in the city touring. We got home at about 9 PM after mishkaki njiyani (mishkaki cooked on the streets; mishkaki are little pieces of beef that are put on a skewer and then grilled) so we could catch the futbol match. Afterwards, Suhail, Aabida, and I stayed up until Fajr time (5 AM, morning prayers) chatting and laughing on the balcony in the back. Suhail and Aabida are my first cousins.
Life here really is more relaxed and slower paced. It is refreshing. Dar is nuts. The streets are ALWAYS lined with people, carts, and trash. The city really needs to reform its sewage system. There is a Project for Peace program that Smith (my university) organies. If you win the grant, you can spend three months in the summer working on your own civil service project, and they provide you with $100,000 to do it. I'd love to apply and work on something in Tanzania. It's all I've been thinking about since I landed!
After praying Fajr, the other two went to bed and I slept for an hour before getting up to take a bus called The Kilimanjaro Express to Moshi. It was a nine hour ride and the temperature was through the roof but I am so glad we elected to take a bus up north instead of a plane because we got to see so much scenery!! Tanzania is the most beautiful country I have ever visited in my life. There is such a diversity in landscape and terrain here! We have plains, mountains, tropical rainforests, heat, cold, rain, humidity, dryness - you name it, we got it! I feel like a commercial.
We arrived in Moshi at about 3 PM and were greeted by my father's old friends. They own a touring company called Mauly Travels. I would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat. They gave us such a reasonable price for the safari that we went on and were so helpful / accommodating!! We spent that night at my dad's friend Shariffah's house. She has four daughters. Two of them are married and she lives with her mother as well as her mother in law and neice. The house is always full of noise and laughter! Oh, and she loves futbol which was such a relief because we did not miss a single game on our entire time up north!
The next morning, we left Moshi for Mount Kilimanjaro and Marangu. Marangu is the eastern half of the where the Chagga tribe are based. I learned so much. The Kinukamori waterfalls are there and are absolutely breath-taking. You are surrounded by tons of foliage, and the climate is pleasant with a cool breeze. In the background, you can hear the sound of water falling many yards into a river, crashing into the rocks as the birds chirp from different angles of the forest around you. I mean, wow. And the people here are so beautiful. Everywhere we went (even the waterfall!), someone came out to offer us chai (tea), kahawa (coffee), and biscuti (biscuits)! Also, everything here is locally grown which is fascinating. You can feel the difference in the food as you consume it.
After checking out the waterfalls, we sat around and chatted with our driver Hashim and guides Roy and Gabriel. Such great people. They really took to Ally. Hashim even told her that he had a room in his house that she could stay at on her next trip! When I asked Gabriel about where they get their coffee, he told me that every member of the Chagga tribe has a shamba (plantation), albeit a small one, that he grows things on. He showed us three types of banana trees (ndishi - large and fat bananas used in making the local brew aka mbege, kisukari - small and stubby bananas that are eaten, and then a third one that is used for cooking; I can't stand that not remembering the names of these things! I'll blog about it next time, insha'Allah). Under the banana trees, they had planted coffee trees. He showed us how coffee was made - peel the red outer layer, let it dry so the yellow, jello layer hardens and can be peeled off, and then grind away! He also showed us different bean plants like maharage (kidney beans) along with other trees like guava. We tried a guava straight from the tree. I have never tasted anything like it!
Oh! The third type of banana was called mchaare. It is long and thin and used primarily for cooking. Whew. Alright, after the plantation, we went to Kili. There were groups of climbers and porters getting ready to go up as well as a group of children from a school in Moshi taking a tour. These kids are so adorable. Any kid we walked / drove by waved at us, grinning their toothy smiles. So endearing! The porters can carry up to forty five pounds on their backs!!! Insane.
I need to hurry. Only five minutes left. That night we drove to Manyara. The next day we did Serengeti, spending the night there along with half of the next day. The day after that we went to the Ngorongoro Crater, spending the night there as well. On our last day, we stopped in Arusha and then went back to Moshi to catch an early bus back to Dar the next day. We arrived in Dar yesterday evening. I wish I could tell you everything in detail, but there is just no time! Ngorongoro is fantastic. The crater is surrounded by tropical rainforest, but nothing grows in it except a large grassy plain! We saw everything on this trip. Giraffes, rhinos, elephants, gazelles, zebras, lions, cheetahs, a leopard, wildabeast! Oh, and hippos! Which are the dirtiest animals e-v-e-r. Our time in the north felt surreal to me, as thought it wasn't a real experience and I wasn't really there. It was nice to see animals in the wild, but then I got to thinking. We saw two cheetahs who were literally within fifteen feet of our car. They didn't move! They were totally unscathed by our presence. How is that possible? Are these animals any different from animals in the zoo (apart from them being able to stay with their families and enjoy killing their own game) if they are so immune to human presence, which is not something that they are naturally immune to? Regardless, had a great time. Would do it again in a heartbeat.
We also met the most wonderful people at each of the hotels where we stayed. Most of our favorites were in Manyara and in Ngorongoro. We ran into a whole bunch of people who were from Masailand and part of the original tribe in Ngorongoro. Really interesting people. We exchanged email addresses with them and plan to keep in touch. One of them (Mollel was his name, he was a driver for one of the safari companies) told us that he had heard that women in California walked around in bikinis. He was so frightened, almost repulsed by it. I can't wait for the day when he comes to the States. Now, that will be a culture shock.
Alright, my time is up. I must go. Tomorrow, I will be attending a wedding at the mosque with Ally and the family. Then, we leave for Tanga the next day and come back on Saturday night in time to go to Morogoro on Sunday, insha'Allah. We begin working in Kibaha on Monday morning. I am so glad Ally is here. I could not have taken this trip with anyone else. She is so easy to be around and to work with. She's also picked up so much kiswahili. I have a feeling she will be teaching me soon.
She's sitting next to me. I didn't know she was reading this and just said, "You know, Hanna, you said that in the last post. Verbatim." Apologies on repeating myself! I am laughing now. Last thing! We have been meeting so many Spanish tourists! Well, more than I thought I would be. There are so many in the area that three of the guys at this Masaai hut SPOKE SPANISH. I know. Insane.
Okay. Now I'm really going to go. More soon, insha'Allah!!!
PS. I'm going to move here one day, I think.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tanzania!
I love it here already. I feel like Ally and I have lived here for a long, long time and I've only been here for seven hours! Dar es Salaam is noisy and full of people who are in what appears to be organized chaos. I dig it. I can't write much right now because we are at Aunty Fatim Borde's house and sitting here to write you a novel would be rude, but just know that I am loving Tanzania. We leave for Kilimanjaro, insha'Allah, tomorrow morning at 6:20 AM. It's so weird not to be typing on a Spanish keyboard. For the record. It's also weird not to be speaking Spanish.
Okay. Gotta run. We're off to the graveyard to pay our respects to Dadu (my paternal grandfather) and then going to snag some sugar cane. Oh! We had madaafu this morning. No wonder chacha doesn't want to leave this city! We're also skipping two mehndi parties to watch futbol tonight. I'm glad everyone here has their priorities straight (yes, mother, this is directed towards you!). I love that futbol is a "thing" here. It's like as mandatory as breathing .. which is pretty mandatory .. .. .. ..
I was also thrilled to see Ally this morning at the airport. She came to receive me and is a joy. What a soul, that girl is. Suhail is being a great tour guide. I firmly believe that he has no idea what he is doing or where he is going, but, somehow, he just manages to end up where we are supposed to. Thank God Dar is tiny or else we wouldn't need a bus to get to Kili at this rate. I would recommend using his skills any day, though. He is good company.
Random sidenote. We ran into Mamaji (my maternal grandmother's brother) today while we were drinking madaafu (coconut juice straight out of a coconut) on the side of the road. I think we will be having a meal or just some chit chat at his house when we get back from the Kili trip.
Gotta go. I can feel my Kiswahili getting better already. Oh! And I'm pretty sure Ally will be teaching me words in no time. Homegirl is a natural.
Okay. Gotta run. We're off to the graveyard to pay our respects to Dadu (my paternal grandfather) and then going to snag some sugar cane. Oh! We had madaafu this morning. No wonder chacha doesn't want to leave this city! We're also skipping two mehndi parties to watch futbol tonight. I'm glad everyone here has their priorities straight (yes, mother, this is directed towards you!). I love that futbol is a "thing" here. It's like as mandatory as breathing .. which is pretty mandatory .. .. .. ..
I was also thrilled to see Ally this morning at the airport. She came to receive me and is a joy. What a soul, that girl is. Suhail is being a great tour guide. I firmly believe that he has no idea what he is doing or where he is going, but, somehow, he just manages to end up where we are supposed to. Thank God Dar is tiny or else we wouldn't need a bus to get to Kili at this rate. I would recommend using his skills any day, though. He is good company.
Random sidenote. We ran into Mamaji (my maternal grandmother's brother) today while we were drinking madaafu (coconut juice straight out of a coconut) on the side of the road. I think we will be having a meal or just some chit chat at his house when we get back from the Kili trip.
Gotta go. I can feel my Kiswahili getting better already. Oh! And I'm pretty sure Ally will be teaching me words in no time. Homegirl is a natural.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Farewell, Spain ..
Just finished wrapping up the suitcase. I can't believe that this is my last night here. I walked through the entire city today for the last time this trip, stopping only to pray and catch the three World Cup matches. A splendid way to end my trip to Spain, in my opinion.
The Portugal game doesn't even require commentary. Seven goals? Enough said! The Chile-Switzerland game was average, I felt, although the one goal that Chile did score was a very pretty one. Spain versus Honduras was just stressful. I am glad that David Villa nailed two, putting Spain in the lead early, but they had so many close opportunities to score again! And that penalty. I don't even want to talk about the penalty. It was a good game, though. Kept my attention. I got to watch it with two old Spaniard men, too. How great is that? Pretty dang great.
I won't catch any futbol tomorrow as I'll be traveling all day, but I'm okay with that. I'd love to watch Argentina play again in the evening, but it's not the end of the world. Oh, also. This Copa Mundial is really reinforcing my belief in midfielders being super underrated assets to the team - especially after watching and comparing Xavi and Fabregas today. I'm really looking forward to Cameroon versus The Netherlands on Thursday. I hope I can watch it in Tanzania, although that isn't looking practical considering we'll be touring the northern portion of the country (hopefully).
I'm getting excited to go back to my roots, see chachi and chacha, and get to work in Kibaha. My life here in Spain seems so far removed both from what my life will be in Tanzania and from what life is for me in the States. It was a great break from the real world, though. I hope I can keep practicing the language and maintain the fluency in reading that I have developed during my time here. With my focus shifting to the purification of my very khoja-friendly Kiswahili, I hope the Spanish doesn't wear off. Hmmm, maybe I could start journaling in Spanish to keep the balance alive?
I guess my thoughts that I leave this country with revolve around the same theme. Spain is beautiful. I'm sure I find it more beautiful because I have some knowledge of the language and the culture (thanks to schooling and friendships), but I don't doubt that anyone else without these possible benefits would enjoy the country just as much as I have. Although I am looking forward to the new experiences and lifestyles that the next few weeks will bring me, I will miss Spain. I hope one day I can return - if not to live here for a few years, then, at least for another visit.
Okay, these keys are noisy and Adarana is sleeping. I need to write thank you notes, journal, and then get to bed. It's already 1:56 AM! The next time you hear from me, I will be in Tanzania, insha'Allah. Until then, be good!
The Portugal game doesn't even require commentary. Seven goals? Enough said! The Chile-Switzerland game was average, I felt, although the one goal that Chile did score was a very pretty one. Spain versus Honduras was just stressful. I am glad that David Villa nailed two, putting Spain in the lead early, but they had so many close opportunities to score again! And that penalty. I don't even want to talk about the penalty. It was a good game, though. Kept my attention. I got to watch it with two old Spaniard men, too. How great is that? Pretty dang great.
I won't catch any futbol tomorrow as I'll be traveling all day, but I'm okay with that. I'd love to watch Argentina play again in the evening, but it's not the end of the world. Oh, also. This Copa Mundial is really reinforcing my belief in midfielders being super underrated assets to the team - especially after watching and comparing Xavi and Fabregas today. I'm really looking forward to Cameroon versus The Netherlands on Thursday. I hope I can watch it in Tanzania, although that isn't looking practical considering we'll be touring the northern portion of the country (hopefully).
I'm getting excited to go back to my roots, see chachi and chacha, and get to work in Kibaha. My life here in Spain seems so far removed both from what my life will be in Tanzania and from what life is for me in the States. It was a great break from the real world, though. I hope I can keep practicing the language and maintain the fluency in reading that I have developed during my time here. With my focus shifting to the purification of my very khoja-friendly Kiswahili, I hope the Spanish doesn't wear off. Hmmm, maybe I could start journaling in Spanish to keep the balance alive?
I guess my thoughts that I leave this country with revolve around the same theme. Spain is beautiful. I'm sure I find it more beautiful because I have some knowledge of the language and the culture (thanks to schooling and friendships), but I don't doubt that anyone else without these possible benefits would enjoy the country just as much as I have. Although I am looking forward to the new experiences and lifestyles that the next few weeks will bring me, I will miss Spain. I hope one day I can return - if not to live here for a few years, then, at least for another visit.
Okay, these keys are noisy and Adarana is sleeping. I need to write thank you notes, journal, and then get to bed. It's already 1:56 AM! The next time you hear from me, I will be in Tanzania, insha'Allah. Until then, be good!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Granada --> Madrid
I cannot believe this trip is ending in two days. I feel like it isn't a trip but my normal life. I spent at least half the bus ride to Madrid today contemplating whether or not this was a bad thing. I think khojas are trained to feel this way. We are such a mix of so many things that we always feel like we belong and always feel like something is missing. Or maybe that's just human beings in general. I think I'll figure out whether or not there is an answer to this one with more traveling. I felt like I was home when I got out of the bus today in Madrid. I could have walked the route home with my eyes shut.
It's funny. Sevilla and Cordoba were nice cities and I thoroughly enjoyed myself in both. But I also felt like I missed Madrid. Then, I got to Granada. What an awesome mix of new-old, traditional-progressive, city-pueblo! I found everything I was looking for in Andalucia there. La Alhambra and Generalife is breathtaking. As is La Catedral. I was unable to take pictures in both locations (very, very dumb rules), but I think I have stored the memory well enough in this little brain of mine. Also, Las Cuevas were not far from La Alhambra. They are these caves in the mountains were gitanos (the original gypsies) live and other squatters. SO awesome. I wish I could have spent a few more hours (at least) there, but the schedule was so tight.
The awesome thing about this trip is how much I'm learning about what to tell other people. Like, in Sevilla, there is a path that takes you through everything in a span of a few hours. Oliver told me about it. Go through Los Jardines de Murillo straight into La Plaza de Santa Cruz (it is small). Take the curve to the left, pass the flamenco studio, and wind through the alleys until you get to the main road, where you make a left. This takes you through the bazaar like area of El Barrio de Santa Cruz and leaves you at the corner of La Catedral and El Alcazar. How awesome is that?!
I have also learned that one does not need three days in Cordoba. Two would have been plenty. Also, who knew the bus ride from Granada to Barcelona was fifteen hours?! Not me. Bus tickets and train tickets need to be bought ahead of time. Going to the station an hour before the bus leaves is never enough time. Most likely, the next two buses will be full. Also, if the trip is on a bus and more than three hours, you can expect a smoke break. If it's closer to five hours, you can expect a half hour lunch or dinner break. I love that Spaniards factor these things into a scheduled transportation routine. These guys have their priorities straight, son!
Also, the only thing that you KNOW will be open in the day during "siesta" hours between 2 and 5 are bars. Even tourist attractions need to be double checked. For example, La Sinagoga in Cordoba? Not open. Same with El Alcazar. Also, if you don't book your Alhambra tickets at least 24 hours in advance, you won't see the monument. Too many people are touring that thing on a daily basis.
Granada is a very young city. There are a lot of universities and students there and the people on the streets are a good mix of both locals and tourists, which is not something I found easily in Sevilla or Cordoba. There were also a LOT more places to catch the games. In the other cities, none of the bar, cafe, or restaurant owners had invested in Canal Liga (the official futbol channel) but in Granada at least fifty percent had. Also, there is a huge Arab population there which contributes to the zeal surrounding the futbol culture in the city. When a game is on, all the Arabs are eating shawarmas in their restaurants, mingling with both locals and tourists, and screaming at Canal Liga. It's awesome.
Speaking of awesome and futbol, when I got into Madrid today, it was about 11:10 PM. I was walking to the metro line that I had to take and was followed the entire way by a group of girls who were also catching the same line. They were covered in yellow and green - their clothes, their skin, their accessories - and were singing the Brazilian national anthem. It was so much fun. They sang it all the way into the metro car (is that what they're called? I'm not sure). I can't believe I had to miss that game! Although, out of yesterday's games, my favorite was DEFINITELY Cameroon versus Denmark. Wow. So close on both sides! At the end of the game, the commentators said, "Y, para Cameroon, ha llegado la hora de decir adios a La Copa Mundial de dos mil diez" (and, for Cameroon, the hour has come where they must say goodbye to The World Cup 2010). I felt so awful for them. Their ball-management was sick, and I haven't seen such a close game in this entire World Cup thus far. That was good futbol. I have a feeling we may not necessarily see France, England, or Spain get anywhere this year. I don't mind, though. Those damn ex-colonial-crazies need a good kick in the pants every once in a while, no?
Okay, enough about soccer. Tomorrow, I am going to wrap up last minute things in Madrid, insha'Allah. Can you believe I have been here for 11 days? Sometimes, that number seems so big and, at other times, so small. I think it still hasn't hit me that I am finally in Spain! After all these years of studying the language, befriending the people. Although, in all fairness, there is a huge difference between Spaniards and Latin Americans. Angela (my host in Granada) said it perfectly this morning: los españoles son mas .. no se, mas europeos (Spaniards are more .. I don't know, more European). What she meant is that Spaniards are colder than say Latin Americans, which I have to say is true, if you're in the mood to generalize. The people here remind me of the people in England or France.
I have still managed to find awesome human beings here, though. There is an heladeria (ice cream stand) right when you walk into Albaicin (the historical, older portion of Granada). You go through this huge, "Moorish" archway and then through the little Arab enclave area and you hit the heladeria directly. The girls there were awesome. They knew everything about Granada!! I exchanged email addresses with them. I hope we can keep in touch.
Albaicin is beautiful. Old but young. Even the graffiti there puts me in my happy place. I'm going to start rambling if I don't put this computer away. Adarana is home and I am going to go and say hi. Then, I want to go for a shower and hit the sack. A bed sounds soooooo good right now!
It's funny. Sevilla and Cordoba were nice cities and I thoroughly enjoyed myself in both. But I also felt like I missed Madrid. Then, I got to Granada. What an awesome mix of new-old, traditional-progressive, city-pueblo! I found everything I was looking for in Andalucia there. La Alhambra and Generalife is breathtaking. As is La Catedral. I was unable to take pictures in both locations (very, very dumb rules), but I think I have stored the memory well enough in this little brain of mine. Also, Las Cuevas were not far from La Alhambra. They are these caves in the mountains were gitanos (the original gypsies) live and other squatters. SO awesome. I wish I could have spent a few more hours (at least) there, but the schedule was so tight.
The awesome thing about this trip is how much I'm learning about what to tell other people. Like, in Sevilla, there is a path that takes you through everything in a span of a few hours. Oliver told me about it. Go through Los Jardines de Murillo straight into La Plaza de Santa Cruz (it is small). Take the curve to the left, pass the flamenco studio, and wind through the alleys until you get to the main road, where you make a left. This takes you through the bazaar like area of El Barrio de Santa Cruz and leaves you at the corner of La Catedral and El Alcazar. How awesome is that?!
I have also learned that one does not need three days in Cordoba. Two would have been plenty. Also, who knew the bus ride from Granada to Barcelona was fifteen hours?! Not me. Bus tickets and train tickets need to be bought ahead of time. Going to the station an hour before the bus leaves is never enough time. Most likely, the next two buses will be full. Also, if the trip is on a bus and more than three hours, you can expect a smoke break. If it's closer to five hours, you can expect a half hour lunch or dinner break. I love that Spaniards factor these things into a scheduled transportation routine. These guys have their priorities straight, son!
Also, the only thing that you KNOW will be open in the day during "siesta" hours between 2 and 5 are bars. Even tourist attractions need to be double checked. For example, La Sinagoga in Cordoba? Not open. Same with El Alcazar. Also, if you don't book your Alhambra tickets at least 24 hours in advance, you won't see the monument. Too many people are touring that thing on a daily basis.
Granada is a very young city. There are a lot of universities and students there and the people on the streets are a good mix of both locals and tourists, which is not something I found easily in Sevilla or Cordoba. There were also a LOT more places to catch the games. In the other cities, none of the bar, cafe, or restaurant owners had invested in Canal Liga (the official futbol channel) but in Granada at least fifty percent had. Also, there is a huge Arab population there which contributes to the zeal surrounding the futbol culture in the city. When a game is on, all the Arabs are eating shawarmas in their restaurants, mingling with both locals and tourists, and screaming at Canal Liga. It's awesome.
Speaking of awesome and futbol, when I got into Madrid today, it was about 11:10 PM. I was walking to the metro line that I had to take and was followed the entire way by a group of girls who were also catching the same line. They were covered in yellow and green - their clothes, their skin, their accessories - and were singing the Brazilian national anthem. It was so much fun. They sang it all the way into the metro car (is that what they're called? I'm not sure). I can't believe I had to miss that game! Although, out of yesterday's games, my favorite was DEFINITELY Cameroon versus Denmark. Wow. So close on both sides! At the end of the game, the commentators said, "Y, para Cameroon, ha llegado la hora de decir adios a La Copa Mundial de dos mil diez" (and, for Cameroon, the hour has come where they must say goodbye to The World Cup 2010). I felt so awful for them. Their ball-management was sick, and I haven't seen such a close game in this entire World Cup thus far. That was good futbol. I have a feeling we may not necessarily see France, England, or Spain get anywhere this year. I don't mind, though. Those damn ex-colonial-crazies need a good kick in the pants every once in a while, no?
Okay, enough about soccer. Tomorrow, I am going to wrap up last minute things in Madrid, insha'Allah. Can you believe I have been here for 11 days? Sometimes, that number seems so big and, at other times, so small. I think it still hasn't hit me that I am finally in Spain! After all these years of studying the language, befriending the people. Although, in all fairness, there is a huge difference between Spaniards and Latin Americans. Angela (my host in Granada) said it perfectly this morning: los españoles son mas .. no se, mas europeos (Spaniards are more .. I don't know, more European). What she meant is that Spaniards are colder than say Latin Americans, which I have to say is true, if you're in the mood to generalize. The people here remind me of the people in England or France.
I have still managed to find awesome human beings here, though. There is an heladeria (ice cream stand) right when you walk into Albaicin (the historical, older portion of Granada). You go through this huge, "Moorish" archway and then through the little Arab enclave area and you hit the heladeria directly. The girls there were awesome. They knew everything about Granada!! I exchanged email addresses with them. I hope we can keep in touch.
Albaicin is beautiful. Old but young. Even the graffiti there puts me in my happy place. I'm going to start rambling if I don't put this computer away. Adarana is home and I am going to go and say hi. Then, I want to go for a shower and hit the sack. A bed sounds soooooo good right now!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Granada!
It is my second full day here in Granada. I LOVE this city! I will write more soon, but, after Madrid, I think Granada has been my favorite. I feel Spain here. I think, in the other cities, I was only touring and not living among the people. We went and saw local flamenco singing. WOW. I´llwrite more from Madrid or Barcelona. I canceled my trip to Valencia. There's not enough time and I'd rather see Barcelona, if I have to choose. Also, there is a larger class conscious here as well as cultural conscious, which I love. I had the most fascinating conversation with a man yesterday who took me on a free tour of La Catedral. He was about seventy years old and worked for the Department of Culture. I love meeting people who love culture and are super excited and informed about it. Such a great conversation about architecture and poetry. This is exactly what I have been looking for! We also haven't missed a single game of futbol which is so awesome. The futbol culture in Granada seems greater than in other cities which is another reason why I love this place. Okay, time to go. We're going to try and catch the second half of this Netherlands game outside of the house. Chris is energetic and full of company so I'm glad he came along from Cordoba. We will part ways today, though. More soon, insha'Allah!!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Day One: Cordoba
Cordoba is a nice city. We left to see the city in the afternoon yesterday. Everything was closed so we didn't go into the different monuments but we did spend some time taking a peek from the outside. We caught the second half of Spain versus Switzerland and South Africa versus Uruguay. I'm somewhat disappointed with the World Cup atmosphere here, though. It seems like people in Andalucia (or in Cordoba at least) aren't interested in the World Cup, per se. They're just worried about Spain. And, they way they were playing yesterday, they won't be worrying about Spain for very long!
We went to go watch Argentina and Korea play today. Do not read this paragraph if you haven't watched the game. I really like the way the Argentinian team maneuvers itself as well as how its players handle the ball. Considering the one goal Korea acquired was because Argentina's defense was chicken couping, I don't know what that says about that team. I do think that Argentina will be a hard team to beat. I need to sit down and watch other teams play, primarily the Netherlands, Brazil, France, and Germany. I don't feel like any of the games I've watched thus far (apart from Argentina's performance today) have impressed me very much at all. Then again, I haven't watchd them all.
In my life apart from soccer, I went to La Mezquita this morning as well as El Torre de Callehorro and La Sinagoga. La Mezquita was pretty and simple. I do not understand all the fighting that occurs because of religion. La Mezquita was originally a little cathedral. When the Muslims came into Spain, the cathedral was in poor shape and not used much. They decided to build a huge mosque where it stood. Then, when the Muslims were being persecuted, the Christians gave the people two options: either we tear down the mosque or we build a cathedral in it. So, now, La Mezquita is this place where you can see architecture from different parts of the world / cultures based in a more Muslim foundation. I'm glad they had audioguides because there were absolutely no directions or signs inside the mosque.
When we walked by El Alcazar yesterday, I felt like I was in an Arab country. There were palm trees, sand the color of dull crayon yellow, and lots of people lounging around in the heat. It felt like how Morocco is supposed to feel or how Egypt appears in movies. We also went to the zoo here yesterday. I know it's a silly thing to do in a foreign country but I suppose I'd never been to a foreign zoo before. What a sad experience. My God. I had this moral reawakening and these feelings of resurgence about how all zoos should be shut down and we should just leave animals the hell alone. One day. Or, if we want to leave zoos open, there should be a cage for humans. Just my two cents.
My bus for Granada leaves in an hour so I must be going now. Plus, all I can think about is Argentinian futbol right now. Off to my last Andalucian city!
We went to go watch Argentina and Korea play today. Do not read this paragraph if you haven't watched the game. I really like the way the Argentinian team maneuvers itself as well as how its players handle the ball. Considering the one goal Korea acquired was because Argentina's defense was chicken couping, I don't know what that says about that team. I do think that Argentina will be a hard team to beat. I need to sit down and watch other teams play, primarily the Netherlands, Brazil, France, and Germany. I don't feel like any of the games I've watched thus far (apart from Argentina's performance today) have impressed me very much at all. Then again, I haven't watchd them all.
In my life apart from soccer, I went to La Mezquita this morning as well as El Torre de Callehorro and La Sinagoga. La Mezquita was pretty and simple. I do not understand all the fighting that occurs because of religion. La Mezquita was originally a little cathedral. When the Muslims came into Spain, the cathedral was in poor shape and not used much. They decided to build a huge mosque where it stood. Then, when the Muslims were being persecuted, the Christians gave the people two options: either we tear down the mosque or we build a cathedral in it. So, now, La Mezquita is this place where you can see architecture from different parts of the world / cultures based in a more Muslim foundation. I'm glad they had audioguides because there were absolutely no directions or signs inside the mosque.
When we walked by El Alcazar yesterday, I felt like I was in an Arab country. There were palm trees, sand the color of dull crayon yellow, and lots of people lounging around in the heat. It felt like how Morocco is supposed to feel or how Egypt appears in movies. We also went to the zoo here yesterday. I know it's a silly thing to do in a foreign country but I suppose I'd never been to a foreign zoo before. What a sad experience. My God. I had this moral reawakening and these feelings of resurgence about how all zoos should be shut down and we should just leave animals the hell alone. One day. Or, if we want to leave zoos open, there should be a cage for humans. Just my two cents.
My bus for Granada leaves in an hour so I must be going now. Plus, all I can think about is Argentinian futbol right now. Off to my last Andalucian city!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Sevilla --> Cordoba
Wow, what a 36 hours.
After my last post, I stopped to pick up juice on the way home. The Italy v. Portugal game was on so I stayed to finish it. I love the futbol atmosphere here. In any cafe, bar, or store where there is a television, there is a crowd, no matter how small. My favorite part are the comments from the groups of old men who say the most ridiculous and most profane phrases!
Anyway, the next morning (yesterday), I woke up early and headed over to El Alcazar. It opened at 9:30. They allowed me to check out of the hostel but leave my backpack there so I wouldn't have to lug it around everywhere I went. El Alcazar is an old palace and I felt antique walking around in it. Little did I know that I would feel even more in touch with my antique side in La Catedral. I spent two hours in El Alcazar and then three more in La Catedral (the mosque-style church), with half an hour in La Giralda (the tower inside the church). The church is huge! Walking in was so overwhelming. I don't think any picture can accurately convey that feeling.
One of the most innovative things I noticed while I was there was how the tour guides operated. If you opted for a tour guide, they gave you a little earpiece connected to a satellite signal. The tour guide spoke softly into a mic which was then transmitted to the satellite and then to each person who had an earpiece. This way, the silence could be maintained in the church while still giving a tour! I also ran into a little pastors-only mass which was interesting to observe. They are so intense.
After La Giralda, I decided to head out of Sevilla. Picking up my backpack, I flagged a taxi down near the city center and asked him to take me to La Estacion de Santa Justa where I could catch a train or a bus to Cordoba. He responded with, "Is there no one in line?" There is a line of taxis in the city center that I hadn't checked because I hadn't reached there. When I responded with, "I'm not sure," he responded with, "Well, they will be in line before me so technically it's their turn to take the next customer not mine. I'd love to take you but that would be wrong of me and unfair on them." How awesome is that? Taxi drivers who have each other's back. I dig it.
The bus ride was about an hour and twenty minutes but only cost me 10€ which was nice. When I arrived in Cordoba, I walked to Jacqueline's house. She lives close to the train station and the city center; very convenient! There are three other people living here, so she is hosting five of us in total. We are having a really good time. I took a shower when I got home and then we hit the city. Just a quick walking tour where we walked by La Mezquita (the old mosque-converted-into-synagogue-converted-into-church with apparently awesome architecture), La Juderia (the barrio with one of the three European synagogues saved after the prosecution in 1492), El Palacio Episcopal, etc as well as the bridges in the city and a few of the parks.
By the time we got home, it was 10 PM and we were famished so we picked up eggs, potatoes, and ingredients for salad, came home, and made a Revuelto (scrambled eggs and chopped up potatoes). Carolina calls the same dish a Revoltillo. I love these little differences in culture within a culture.
It's interesting living here. Two of the people are from France, one from Australia. Jacqueline is from Cadiz in Southern Spain, and then there is me. So, the languages are a mix of Spanish, English, French, and random hand gestures, too. It's fun. I really like Jacqueline. She makes you feel right at home. I felt that way from the second that I met her and hope that, one day, I can return the favor. We were up late chatting and didn't sleep until about 6 or 7 this morning. I think we will spend today going through all the monuments I want to see and then save La Mezquita for tomorrow morning. Word has it that the site is free to all people between 8 and 10 AM. We shall see how that goes! Tonight, we are going to try and catch the Spain v. Switzerland game after we are done meandering about the city. Insha'Allah.
Alright, it's almost prayer's time so I'm going to get that knocked out so we can head into the city. Oh, one last thing. Here, when someone thinks something else is awesome, or really cool, they say, "Que juay," pronounced "Que why!" So funny. And, in Madrid, it's "suuuperrr juaayyyy." So good. Also, "Mas mejor" is considered an absolute fail. It's grammatically awful, by Spaniard standards.
After my last post, I stopped to pick up juice on the way home. The Italy v. Portugal game was on so I stayed to finish it. I love the futbol atmosphere here. In any cafe, bar, or store where there is a television, there is a crowd, no matter how small. My favorite part are the comments from the groups of old men who say the most ridiculous and most profane phrases!
Anyway, the next morning (yesterday), I woke up early and headed over to El Alcazar. It opened at 9:30. They allowed me to check out of the hostel but leave my backpack there so I wouldn't have to lug it around everywhere I went. El Alcazar is an old palace and I felt antique walking around in it. Little did I know that I would feel even more in touch with my antique side in La Catedral. I spent two hours in El Alcazar and then three more in La Catedral (the mosque-style church), with half an hour in La Giralda (the tower inside the church). The church is huge! Walking in was so overwhelming. I don't think any picture can accurately convey that feeling.
One of the most innovative things I noticed while I was there was how the tour guides operated. If you opted for a tour guide, they gave you a little earpiece connected to a satellite signal. The tour guide spoke softly into a mic which was then transmitted to the satellite and then to each person who had an earpiece. This way, the silence could be maintained in the church while still giving a tour! I also ran into a little pastors-only mass which was interesting to observe. They are so intense.
After La Giralda, I decided to head out of Sevilla. Picking up my backpack, I flagged a taxi down near the city center and asked him to take me to La Estacion de Santa Justa where I could catch a train or a bus to Cordoba. He responded with, "Is there no one in line?" There is a line of taxis in the city center that I hadn't checked because I hadn't reached there. When I responded with, "I'm not sure," he responded with, "Well, they will be in line before me so technically it's their turn to take the next customer not mine. I'd love to take you but that would be wrong of me and unfair on them." How awesome is that? Taxi drivers who have each other's back. I dig it.
The bus ride was about an hour and twenty minutes but only cost me 10€ which was nice. When I arrived in Cordoba, I walked to Jacqueline's house. She lives close to the train station and the city center; very convenient! There are three other people living here, so she is hosting five of us in total. We are having a really good time. I took a shower when I got home and then we hit the city. Just a quick walking tour where we walked by La Mezquita (the old mosque-converted-into-synagogue-converted-into-church with apparently awesome architecture), La Juderia (the barrio with one of the three European synagogues saved after the prosecution in 1492), El Palacio Episcopal, etc as well as the bridges in the city and a few of the parks.
By the time we got home, it was 10 PM and we were famished so we picked up eggs, potatoes, and ingredients for salad, came home, and made a Revuelto (scrambled eggs and chopped up potatoes). Carolina calls the same dish a Revoltillo. I love these little differences in culture within a culture.
It's interesting living here. Two of the people are from France, one from Australia. Jacqueline is from Cadiz in Southern Spain, and then there is me. So, the languages are a mix of Spanish, English, French, and random hand gestures, too. It's fun. I really like Jacqueline. She makes you feel right at home. I felt that way from the second that I met her and hope that, one day, I can return the favor. We were up late chatting and didn't sleep until about 6 or 7 this morning. I think we will spend today going through all the monuments I want to see and then save La Mezquita for tomorrow morning. Word has it that the site is free to all people between 8 and 10 AM. We shall see how that goes! Tonight, we are going to try and catch the Spain v. Switzerland game after we are done meandering about the city. Insha'Allah.
Alright, it's almost prayer's time so I'm going to get that knocked out so we can head into the city. Oh, one last thing. Here, when someone thinks something else is awesome, or really cool, they say, "Que juay," pronounced "Que why!" So funny. And, in Madrid, it's "suuuperrr juaayyyy." So good. Also, "Mas mejor" is considered an absolute fail. It's grammatically awful, by Spaniard standards.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sevilla: Day Two
I'm writing Day Two because I assume yesterday was Day One. This numbering business is similar to my opinion of cubism: over-complicated. Anyway, today was awesome!! What a different experience from yesterday! Wow.
I spent the day walking the entire city (my shoes are a mess thanks to España's beloved sidewalks). It was so much fun! I realize that I enjoy walking without direction, instead of walking and having to worry about a map. I feel like I end up seeing more of the city, both the tourist locations and not-so-tourist locations. I do end up having to consult a map by about 7 or 8, though, as I like to confirm that I have a way home before dark hits.
I wandered through El Barrio de Santa Cruz until I reached La Casa de Pilatos. Finding my way there through the narrow alleyways that are so small that cars aren't allowed in was a good time. I hit too many dead ends but that made arriving all the more worth it. Also, I got to walk through these huge plazas and outdoor restaurants and engage in conversation (or smiles) with more locals than tourists, which was nice. I don't know why I have a problem interacting with tourists, considering I am one!
I had lunch with the group that I met yesterday at a halal Moroccan place and had a chicken shawarma. They put all this fancy business in it, like corn and olives. Who does that?! But it was still tasty, and I snagged the second half to go so I can consume it in the quiet of my cute little single. Oh! I haven't described the hostel! It's adorable. And the man running it is such a little abuelito (grandfather, or "muffin"). I have a small, but comfortable room on the second floor with a slanted roof and a great view of all the rooftops in the northeastern portion of El Barrio de Santa Cruz. The bathroom is just across the hall and there is a sink in my room. It's not too hot nor too cold, and the best part is that the light switch is right by my bed so I can read in bed until the last second and then turn the light off without having to get out of bed! Genius.
Anyway, after our early lunch, I said farewell to them and walked to La Giralda, La Catedral, and El Alcazar. I decided not to do the tours today because they close at seven and I didn't feel that was enough time for me (as per my four-hours-per-site track record in Madrid) so I will get up early tomorrow morning, check out from the hotel, and head straight to El Alcazar when they open at 9:30 (insha'Allah). Then I'll tour La Giralda and La Catedral before leaving for Cordoba. My host in Cordoba said I can arrive at whatever time I want, which is an awesome concession and lifts the weight of having a no-room-for-wiggling schedule off my shoulders.
From outside, the buildings here are so beautiful. I really like the intricacies that have been preserved in the architecture, even after so many years. There are horse-carriage rides that begin outside La Giralda so there are at least five or ten carriages there at all times. The streets are cobblestone and many are lined with horse maneur (Papa, apples!) which doesn't bother me at all. It reminds me of Mackinac Island in Michigan.
I kept walking along the main calle and then I ran into my favorite part of today. La Biblioteca Publica de Sevilla! The public library. I spent four hours reading Becquer and started a novel called Desde Mi Cielo by Alice Sebold. Man, this library is huge!!! And all the literature is in Spanish except for a little section dedicated to foreign literature. I wish everyone in the world had free access to all the books in the world! From all cultures, in all languages, written by all people. How sweet would that be? Alas, for now, we must pay for them - either via airfare to visit them personally or via amazon where they can be purchased. There are some libraries in the US that will buy foreign books if they feel the purchase is worth it. That doesn't make sense to me. How could investing in any book ever not be worth it? The people in the library were so sweet and so helpful.
Something that I found really interesting was how, if a chair at a table (no matter how small) was empty, someone would sit down. People who knew each other didn't necessarily sit together. In fact, it seemed people were more comfortable sitting with strangers than with "their own kind." This is not something I've noticed in any other library I have been to, both on and off campus and in and out of the United States. There was also not an empty seat, ever. People were overflowing into the children's section and onto the floors. There were a lot of seats and to see so many people in a library, reading, learning, working - it was awesome.
When I left, I went back to La Plaza de España to take pictures as the sun began to set as well as El Parque de Maria Luisa (that's the real name of the park I was trying to remember earlier). It was pretty. I liked wandering both locations by myself, taking my time with photographs and stopping to hang out with kids along the way. Oh! In the library, I made a new friend. He is six years old and his name is Marcel. We read two books together and then I read some of Becquer's less intense poems to him. What a gem, that kid. I tell you.
I decided to make my way home at about 7:30 as I wasn't far. All the wandering around yesterday has given me a relatively solid sense of where I am and how I can get to where I need to be. It's a good feeling. I'm now here at the internet cafe and will probably head straight home after this. I need shower, pray, journal, and then get to bed relatively early. I'm excited to tour La Giralda, El Alcazar, and La Catedral tomorrow. Guess what? They have audioguides! Why do I love audioguides so, so much?
Alright, this is all for now. I'm glad today's experience was better than yesterday's. I went to Madrid after having looked over a city map a million times on the plane. I had an idea of what the city looked like on a grid on the first day and hit the ground running. I didn't have such a great first-day experience with Sevilla because I hadn't done my prep work. Again, this is just a hypothesis. We will test how true it is tomorrow when I insha'Allah arrive in Cordoba.
I spent the day walking the entire city (my shoes are a mess thanks to España's beloved sidewalks). It was so much fun! I realize that I enjoy walking without direction, instead of walking and having to worry about a map. I feel like I end up seeing more of the city, both the tourist locations and not-so-tourist locations. I do end up having to consult a map by about 7 or 8, though, as I like to confirm that I have a way home before dark hits.
I wandered through El Barrio de Santa Cruz until I reached La Casa de Pilatos. Finding my way there through the narrow alleyways that are so small that cars aren't allowed in was a good time. I hit too many dead ends but that made arriving all the more worth it. Also, I got to walk through these huge plazas and outdoor restaurants and engage in conversation (or smiles) with more locals than tourists, which was nice. I don't know why I have a problem interacting with tourists, considering I am one!
I had lunch with the group that I met yesterday at a halal Moroccan place and had a chicken shawarma. They put all this fancy business in it, like corn and olives. Who does that?! But it was still tasty, and I snagged the second half to go so I can consume it in the quiet of my cute little single. Oh! I haven't described the hostel! It's adorable. And the man running it is such a little abuelito (grandfather, or "muffin"). I have a small, but comfortable room on the second floor with a slanted roof and a great view of all the rooftops in the northeastern portion of El Barrio de Santa Cruz. The bathroom is just across the hall and there is a sink in my room. It's not too hot nor too cold, and the best part is that the light switch is right by my bed so I can read in bed until the last second and then turn the light off without having to get out of bed! Genius.
Anyway, after our early lunch, I said farewell to them and walked to La Giralda, La Catedral, and El Alcazar. I decided not to do the tours today because they close at seven and I didn't feel that was enough time for me (as per my four-hours-per-site track record in Madrid) so I will get up early tomorrow morning, check out from the hotel, and head straight to El Alcazar when they open at 9:30 (insha'Allah). Then I'll tour La Giralda and La Catedral before leaving for Cordoba. My host in Cordoba said I can arrive at whatever time I want, which is an awesome concession and lifts the weight of having a no-room-for-wiggling schedule off my shoulders.
From outside, the buildings here are so beautiful. I really like the intricacies that have been preserved in the architecture, even after so many years. There are horse-carriage rides that begin outside La Giralda so there are at least five or ten carriages there at all times. The streets are cobblestone and many are lined with horse maneur (Papa, apples!) which doesn't bother me at all. It reminds me of Mackinac Island in Michigan.
I kept walking along the main calle and then I ran into my favorite part of today. La Biblioteca Publica de Sevilla! The public library. I spent four hours reading Becquer and started a novel called Desde Mi Cielo by Alice Sebold. Man, this library is huge!!! And all the literature is in Spanish except for a little section dedicated to foreign literature. I wish everyone in the world had free access to all the books in the world! From all cultures, in all languages, written by all people. How sweet would that be? Alas, for now, we must pay for them - either via airfare to visit them personally or via amazon where they can be purchased. There are some libraries in the US that will buy foreign books if they feel the purchase is worth it. That doesn't make sense to me. How could investing in any book ever not be worth it? The people in the library were so sweet and so helpful.
Something that I found really interesting was how, if a chair at a table (no matter how small) was empty, someone would sit down. People who knew each other didn't necessarily sit together. In fact, it seemed people were more comfortable sitting with strangers than with "their own kind." This is not something I've noticed in any other library I have been to, both on and off campus and in and out of the United States. There was also not an empty seat, ever. People were overflowing into the children's section and onto the floors. There were a lot of seats and to see so many people in a library, reading, learning, working - it was awesome.
When I left, I went back to La Plaza de España to take pictures as the sun began to set as well as El Parque de Maria Luisa (that's the real name of the park I was trying to remember earlier). It was pretty. I liked wandering both locations by myself, taking my time with photographs and stopping to hang out with kids along the way. Oh! In the library, I made a new friend. He is six years old and his name is Marcel. We read two books together and then I read some of Becquer's less intense poems to him. What a gem, that kid. I tell you.
I decided to make my way home at about 7:30 as I wasn't far. All the wandering around yesterday has given me a relatively solid sense of where I am and how I can get to where I need to be. It's a good feeling. I'm now here at the internet cafe and will probably head straight home after this. I need shower, pray, journal, and then get to bed relatively early. I'm excited to tour La Giralda, El Alcazar, and La Catedral tomorrow. Guess what? They have audioguides! Why do I love audioguides so, so much?
Alright, this is all for now. I'm glad today's experience was better than yesterday's. I went to Madrid after having looked over a city map a million times on the plane. I had an idea of what the city looked like on a grid on the first day and hit the ground running. I didn't have such a great first-day experience with Sevilla because I hadn't done my prep work. Again, this is just a hypothesis. We will test how true it is tomorrow when I insha'Allah arrive in Cordoba.
Madrid --> Sevilla
Yesterday feels like so long ago. I am sitting in an "Internetia" (Internet Cafe) here in Sevilla and have about twenty minutes left of the hour that I purchased. I woke up at about 11. Adarana had already left for work but Oscar, Lakshman, and Luciana were home. We spent a few minutes laughing about my stay in Madrid and then I got ready to leave. Adarana called me to say her farewell on her "lunch break," which I found very thoughtful. She convinced me to come back to Madrid before leaving España. I have left my suitcase in her apartment and am "backpacking" through Andalucia.
Oliver and I went out for breakfast at this little outdoor restaurant near Adarana's apartment. After days of crazy rain, we basked in the sunshine. It would have been the perfect day to bike through Madrid, but I had no time. We ordered tea and pantumaca, which is a specialty in the south. It is also called pan y tomate or moyete con tomate y aceite. Basically, it consists of pieces of bread topped with chopped / blended tomatos and olive oil. De-licious.
We people-watched, discussed Palestine, and made friends with one puppy and two four year olds. Oliver is a lot of fun, especially in public places. He's super laid back and doesn't care about offending people (primarily because I don't think he's capable of offending anyone). His philosophy in life is: No tengo tiempo para no tener tiempo (I don't have time not to have time; again, sounds better in Spanish). We left breakfast and took the subway to Lavapies, the Indian / African / immigrant barrio in Madrid. He termed it the most multicultural spot in Madrid, and, after seeing it, I have to agree. We stopped at a West African restaurant and had rice with some vegetarian curry. It was also "fenomenal." We discussed some interesting literary connections in Spain's classic literature which I won't go into here. One day, perhaps.
Realizing the time (4:30 PM), we decided to make our way to Atocha, the train station. I bought a ticket for the 5:00 train (cutting it close!) and said my farewell to Madrid. I was sad leaving the city. I think I could have spent every second of these twelve days and still not have been tired of it. The train ride was pretty. You could tell that the climate was changing as everything was much greener, richer, and (appearance-wise, at least) more fertile. I journaled, took a little nap, and chatted with the student sitting next to me.
When I got off the train, I could already feel the difference in human interaction. How? People smiled at me when they made eye contact with me! Who'da thunk? Sevilla is pretty. It's an old town which has retained a lot of its history and architecture. I saw a lot of the city last night. La Plaza de España and the park next door (can't remember the name) is so peaceful in the evening. It's beautiful, actually, apart from the huge construction job that is taking over the center.
I also met a few people and we spent an early part of the night sitting on the banks of El Rio Guadalquivir, chatting about life, relationships, and the importance of having direction for the future. It was interesting. Then, we went to see La Giralda, La Catedral, and El Alcazar. I was unable to enter any of these as they close at 7 and my camera had run out of juice, but I am heading there right now and will finish what I cannot see today, tomorrow.
I like Sevilla. It's quiet, peaceful, laid-back, and nature-friendly, but I do miss Madrid. There was something about that city. Something new to see and do around every corner. I felt like it was my city. Here, I feel like another tourist, despite getting to know locals and spending time with them. Then again, perhaps this will be a good change of pace. It may also have to do with the people I met in Madrid. Such good people.
Okay. Only got a minute left on this timer so I'm going to end this here without proofreading. Time to head back into the city!
Oliver and I went out for breakfast at this little outdoor restaurant near Adarana's apartment. After days of crazy rain, we basked in the sunshine. It would have been the perfect day to bike through Madrid, but I had no time. We ordered tea and pantumaca, which is a specialty in the south. It is also called pan y tomate or moyete con tomate y aceite. Basically, it consists of pieces of bread topped with chopped / blended tomatos and olive oil. De-licious.
We people-watched, discussed Palestine, and made friends with one puppy and two four year olds. Oliver is a lot of fun, especially in public places. He's super laid back and doesn't care about offending people (primarily because I don't think he's capable of offending anyone). His philosophy in life is: No tengo tiempo para no tener tiempo (I don't have time not to have time; again, sounds better in Spanish). We left breakfast and took the subway to Lavapies, the Indian / African / immigrant barrio in Madrid. He termed it the most multicultural spot in Madrid, and, after seeing it, I have to agree. We stopped at a West African restaurant and had rice with some vegetarian curry. It was also "fenomenal." We discussed some interesting literary connections in Spain's classic literature which I won't go into here. One day, perhaps.
Realizing the time (4:30 PM), we decided to make our way to Atocha, the train station. I bought a ticket for the 5:00 train (cutting it close!) and said my farewell to Madrid. I was sad leaving the city. I think I could have spent every second of these twelve days and still not have been tired of it. The train ride was pretty. You could tell that the climate was changing as everything was much greener, richer, and (appearance-wise, at least) more fertile. I journaled, took a little nap, and chatted with the student sitting next to me.
When I got off the train, I could already feel the difference in human interaction. How? People smiled at me when they made eye contact with me! Who'da thunk? Sevilla is pretty. It's an old town which has retained a lot of its history and architecture. I saw a lot of the city last night. La Plaza de España and the park next door (can't remember the name) is so peaceful in the evening. It's beautiful, actually, apart from the huge construction job that is taking over the center.
I also met a few people and we spent an early part of the night sitting on the banks of El Rio Guadalquivir, chatting about life, relationships, and the importance of having direction for the future. It was interesting. Then, we went to see La Giralda, La Catedral, and El Alcazar. I was unable to enter any of these as they close at 7 and my camera had run out of juice, but I am heading there right now and will finish what I cannot see today, tomorrow.
I like Sevilla. It's quiet, peaceful, laid-back, and nature-friendly, but I do miss Madrid. There was something about that city. Something new to see and do around every corner. I felt like it was my city. Here, I feel like another tourist, despite getting to know locals and spending time with them. Then again, perhaps this will be a good change of pace. It may also have to do with the people I met in Madrid. Such good people.
Okay. Only got a minute left on this timer so I'm going to end this here without proofreading. Time to head back into the city!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Day Three: Madrid
I didn't know it was possible for each day to be better than the last. I slept like a baby last night. Adarana is so thoughtful. If only all the people in the world were like her. She asked me if I felt cold during the night. I replied with, "A little." She ordered a thicker blanket from Lakshman and, under it, I think I could have slept through a war.
Today, I decided to see the city on foot. I am glad I got the more "time consuming" highlights of Madrid out of the way before my last day here. Last night, before bed, I put together a list / road map of how I wanted to see the city. I took the metro to Gran Via, one of the most commercial, tourist-oriented "calles" (streets) in Madrid. It was fun to walk and reminded me of Broadway in New York. Festive, full of city-friendly stores, nooks, and crannies. I passed by El Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, the palace where Carlos I and Isabel of Portugal lived. When she became a widow, Isabel turned the palace into a monastery. Very pleasing to the eye.
Making a left at La Cuesta de San Vincente, I reached La Plaza de España. Here, there is a fountain dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes, the man who wrote Don Quijote de la Mancha. The fountain is a sculpture of Don Quijote atop a horse - how fitting - next to Sancho Panza (his sidekick; basically Don Quijote is a more delusional version of Batman and Sancho Panza is a fat version of Robin Hood). It's a really pretty plaza, with plenty of foliage and room to sit, breathe, people-watch, and read.
Making a left on Calle Ballen, I came upon Los Jardines de Sabitini. These gardens are directly next to El Placio Royal and are absolutely gorgeous. I mean, wow. It was raining like no other so I did not travel too far into the labyrinth of greenery, but, on any other day, I would have loved to. As I exited the gardens and made my way to the entrance of El Palacio Royal, the new horses that the police / guards were to mount were being brought in to relieve the ones who had been working the early morning shift. I noticed that one of the horses had a number engraved on his hide and proceeded to ask the guard who had mounted him. He told me that all horses who had served in the military had been branded this way. I felt abnormally sad about this fact, and I think he noticed because he quickly added that the topic was under debate in the long-winded process of governmental decision-making. I will be looking into this once I am home, insha'Allah.
I passed La Plaza de Oriente, which is directly opposite El Palacio Royal and matches the grandeur that the palace and neighboring Jardines de Sabitini evoke. Directly on the other side of the palace is La Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Almudena. I went inside, and I happened upon a wedding service that was being held that afternoon followed by a Saturday evening mass service. What are the odds?! I'm telling you, so far, karma is on my side for this trip. I have just "bumped" into the coolest things!
The service was moving. One of the females who was reciting hymns had such a melancholic, moving tone to her voice. She was singing in Latin (so I had little idea of what she was saying), but I felt a little frog hopping around in my throat. They were calling the Virgin Mary all kinds of names like "Madre de la Misericordia" (Mother of Mercy) and "Reina de la Paz" (Queen of Peace), praying for different things like "dale paz a los pueblos separados por error ... para que los pueblos que confien en dios aumenten y perseguian la verdad" (give peace to the people separated by error ... so that the people who trust in god increase in number and pursue truth). The priest, in his asking-for-forgiveness piece said, "experimentamos con el poder de tu redempcion" (we test your patience / experiment with the power of your redemption / mercy) as well as "eres mi refugio, me llevaste el peligro, perdoname mi dios - mi culpa y mi pecado" (you are my refuge, you protect me from danger, forgive me my lord - my faults and my sins).
It was really interesting. I found everyone in the church to be quite loving, accepting, and just outright nice. Also, after spending two and a half hours in the church, I came to understand that, to this particular population, Christ is what the 99 names of Allah (SWT) are for Muslims (Shi'as?). He embodies all the values that a human should want to embody. He is perfection. To me, that is what the 99 names signify. Once we internalize them all, we will also be much closer to perfection. It was a cool connection that I felt.
I left the cathedral, and it was pouring again. I'm so glad I didn't have an umbrella. They are so overrated (Mum, you and I will never agree on this so don't even try!). I made a left on La Calle Mayor and entered La Plaza Mayor. This, apparently, is every tourist's homebase. It's also every thief's dream, from what I hear. I didn't see anything too special about it, but I took the typical touristy photographs and kept moving. When I arrived at La Plaza de Cibeles, karma kicked in again. What should I run into but a protest for Gaza! I was told that it was starting at La Puerta de Alcala, which was my next stop, so, of course, I put the rest of my evening on hold and joined in immediately. I've got most of it on video or in photographs.
Wow. What a protest. I've never seen anything like it in my life. At least a thousand people. There was a row of nine "coffins" in front, held by different members of different organizations all adorned in keffiyehs and wearing articles of clothing with Palestinian colors. Everyone was given a sticker that said, "Yo tambien soy Palestin@" (I, also, am a Palestinian) enscribed upon an illustration of a Palestinian flag. The slogans were sick, and we marched for over two hours back to La Plaza de Cibeles. They were saying things like, "Que viva! La lucha! Del pueblo Palestino!" (Long live the fight of the Palestinian people!) and "Pa-les-ti-na Ven-ce-ra!" (Palestine will win). My favorite was "Bush! Obama! Basura Americana!" (Bush! Obama! American garbage!). These sound so much better in Spanish. There's like a kick you get out of yelling them that just doesn't work in English. They did the typical "Bir ruh! Bid dam! Nafdika, ya Ghazzaa!" that the Arabs (and I) love. There was one that was sung kind of to the tune of the Farmer in the Dell which went "Ya queremos ver, ya queremos ver, que zapatero cierre la embajada de Israel!" (Now, we want to see. Now, we want to see. Which leader will stop the embargo of Israel?!), basically encouraging a boycot of all products supporting Israel. There were a whole bunch, but I will refrain. I know it gets old if you weren't there.
When we reached La Plaza de Cibeles, five people spoke about Gaza. Super eloquent. It wasn't a long ceremony, and the sound system was sick (this is a positive adjective). Everything was so well-organized; I was thoroughly impressed. One of the endearing moments was when the head organizer said, "Quiero agredecerles por estar aqui a pesar de la lluvia .. y el futbol" (I want to thank you all for being here despite the rain .. and the World Cup). Everyone laughed. Then, every member of the flotilla who was murdered was honored. The organizers alternated reciting their names and then saying a few words about each of them. We all bowed our heads, and, after each description, yelled, "Viva!" There was such a passion running through us, a synchronized electricity.
I've been thinking about this stuff for a while now. What the hell is wrong with us young Americans? We protested the war for like six months, got bored, and now have totally forgotten about it. I wish this was a more discussed topic on campus. Hmmm. I'll move on. This is getting way too long (again).
Afterwards, I gave my email address to the lead female. She was Syrian and we chatted for about a half hour in Spanish before I realized I still had things to see and headed back to La Puerta de Alcala. It reminded me a lot of the Arc de Triomphe, in terms of how overbearing it is (very 'solid' piece of architecture). Directly behind the archway is El Parque de Retiro. There was an elderly gentleman at the entrance who asked me if he knew what the first fountain signified. I said no and he proceeded to tell me the stories of Gallegan mythology that went with all the million fountains in Madrid. It was entertaining and I have it all written down, but won't bother writing that discertation here. There was a book fair in the park, despite the darkness setting in and the heavy rain. There were also vendors selling snacks and trinkets. I love the atmosphere in this city.
Once we had walked the entire length of the park and he had completed his history lesson, I headed to the metro as it was after 9 and I didn't want Adarana to worry. I grabbed my first fast food meal in weeks and hopped onto an overcrowded metro. When I arrived at her apartment, I could hear Lakshman, Oliver, and Adarana. I felt like I was home. I love it here. It's like Toronto with more electricity and zest and New York with more passion, energy, cleanliness (ha!), and a solid collective conscience. I wish laws in all countries were the same so I could get my JD in España but still practice wherever I wanted to. Sad story. Or maybe not? We'll see.
PS. McDonald's here is a legit restaurant. With fancy tables. Some of them even have waiters and waitress! Whaaaaat?! I know. Nuts.
PPS. Adarana was glad I like Madrid. She told me that most Madrileños can only see problems with the city. Oliver responded with, "It's an amor-odio relationship, como yin-yang" (amor-odio = love-hate). Sometimes, those are the strongest. He is so funny. I described the protest as "bien hecho" ("well done" but in colloquial language here it means something more like "well played") so he responded with "y quienes estaban jugando?" (and who was playing?). A riot, that one. I will miss them. And I will definitely miss Lakshman and his effervescent spirituality. They have been really good to me. I hope karma has plenty of awesome things in store for them.
Tomorrow, I plan to leave for Sevilla. We shall see how that goes. I will probably have less access to internet there, but I don't think any of you mind a break from these irritatingly long essays. Baha! Okay. It's 4:20 AM sooooo 'night for now!
Today, I decided to see the city on foot. I am glad I got the more "time consuming" highlights of Madrid out of the way before my last day here. Last night, before bed, I put together a list / road map of how I wanted to see the city. I took the metro to Gran Via, one of the most commercial, tourist-oriented "calles" (streets) in Madrid. It was fun to walk and reminded me of Broadway in New York. Festive, full of city-friendly stores, nooks, and crannies. I passed by El Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, the palace where Carlos I and Isabel of Portugal lived. When she became a widow, Isabel turned the palace into a monastery. Very pleasing to the eye.
Making a left at La Cuesta de San Vincente, I reached La Plaza de España. Here, there is a fountain dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes, the man who wrote Don Quijote de la Mancha. The fountain is a sculpture of Don Quijote atop a horse - how fitting - next to Sancho Panza (his sidekick; basically Don Quijote is a more delusional version of Batman and Sancho Panza is a fat version of Robin Hood). It's a really pretty plaza, with plenty of foliage and room to sit, breathe, people-watch, and read.
Making a left on Calle Ballen, I came upon Los Jardines de Sabitini. These gardens are directly next to El Placio Royal and are absolutely gorgeous. I mean, wow. It was raining like no other so I did not travel too far into the labyrinth of greenery, but, on any other day, I would have loved to. As I exited the gardens and made my way to the entrance of El Palacio Royal, the new horses that the police / guards were to mount were being brought in to relieve the ones who had been working the early morning shift. I noticed that one of the horses had a number engraved on his hide and proceeded to ask the guard who had mounted him. He told me that all horses who had served in the military had been branded this way. I felt abnormally sad about this fact, and I think he noticed because he quickly added that the topic was under debate in the long-winded process of governmental decision-making. I will be looking into this once I am home, insha'Allah.
I passed La Plaza de Oriente, which is directly opposite El Palacio Royal and matches the grandeur that the palace and neighboring Jardines de Sabitini evoke. Directly on the other side of the palace is La Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Almudena. I went inside, and I happened upon a wedding service that was being held that afternoon followed by a Saturday evening mass service. What are the odds?! I'm telling you, so far, karma is on my side for this trip. I have just "bumped" into the coolest things!
The service was moving. One of the females who was reciting hymns had such a melancholic, moving tone to her voice. She was singing in Latin (so I had little idea of what she was saying), but I felt a little frog hopping around in my throat. They were calling the Virgin Mary all kinds of names like "Madre de la Misericordia" (Mother of Mercy) and "Reina de la Paz" (Queen of Peace), praying for different things like "dale paz a los pueblos separados por error ... para que los pueblos que confien en dios aumenten y perseguian la verdad" (give peace to the people separated by error ... so that the people who trust in god increase in number and pursue truth). The priest, in his asking-for-forgiveness piece said, "experimentamos con el poder de tu redempcion" (we test your patience / experiment with the power of your redemption / mercy) as well as "eres mi refugio, me llevaste el peligro, perdoname mi dios - mi culpa y mi pecado" (you are my refuge, you protect me from danger, forgive me my lord - my faults and my sins).
It was really interesting. I found everyone in the church to be quite loving, accepting, and just outright nice. Also, after spending two and a half hours in the church, I came to understand that, to this particular population, Christ is what the 99 names of Allah (SWT) are for Muslims (Shi'as?). He embodies all the values that a human should want to embody. He is perfection. To me, that is what the 99 names signify. Once we internalize them all, we will also be much closer to perfection. It was a cool connection that I felt.
I left the cathedral, and it was pouring again. I'm so glad I didn't have an umbrella. They are so overrated (Mum, you and I will never agree on this so don't even try!). I made a left on La Calle Mayor and entered La Plaza Mayor. This, apparently, is every tourist's homebase. It's also every thief's dream, from what I hear. I didn't see anything too special about it, but I took the typical touristy photographs and kept moving. When I arrived at La Plaza de Cibeles, karma kicked in again. What should I run into but a protest for Gaza! I was told that it was starting at La Puerta de Alcala, which was my next stop, so, of course, I put the rest of my evening on hold and joined in immediately. I've got most of it on video or in photographs.
Wow. What a protest. I've never seen anything like it in my life. At least a thousand people. There was a row of nine "coffins" in front, held by different members of different organizations all adorned in keffiyehs and wearing articles of clothing with Palestinian colors. Everyone was given a sticker that said, "Yo tambien soy Palestin@" (I, also, am a Palestinian) enscribed upon an illustration of a Palestinian flag. The slogans were sick, and we marched for over two hours back to La Plaza de Cibeles. They were saying things like, "Que viva! La lucha! Del pueblo Palestino!" (Long live the fight of the Palestinian people!) and "Pa-les-ti-na Ven-ce-ra!" (Palestine will win). My favorite was "Bush! Obama! Basura Americana!" (Bush! Obama! American garbage!). These sound so much better in Spanish. There's like a kick you get out of yelling them that just doesn't work in English. They did the typical "Bir ruh! Bid dam! Nafdika, ya Ghazzaa!" that the Arabs (and I) love. There was one that was sung kind of to the tune of the Farmer in the Dell which went "Ya queremos ver, ya queremos ver, que zapatero cierre la embajada de Israel!" (Now, we want to see. Now, we want to see. Which leader will stop the embargo of Israel?!), basically encouraging a boycot of all products supporting Israel. There were a whole bunch, but I will refrain. I know it gets old if you weren't there.
When we reached La Plaza de Cibeles, five people spoke about Gaza. Super eloquent. It wasn't a long ceremony, and the sound system was sick (this is a positive adjective). Everything was so well-organized; I was thoroughly impressed. One of the endearing moments was when the head organizer said, "Quiero agredecerles por estar aqui a pesar de la lluvia .. y el futbol" (I want to thank you all for being here despite the rain .. and the World Cup). Everyone laughed. Then, every member of the flotilla who was murdered was honored. The organizers alternated reciting their names and then saying a few words about each of them. We all bowed our heads, and, after each description, yelled, "Viva!" There was such a passion running through us, a synchronized electricity.
I've been thinking about this stuff for a while now. What the hell is wrong with us young Americans? We protested the war for like six months, got bored, and now have totally forgotten about it. I wish this was a more discussed topic on campus. Hmmm. I'll move on. This is getting way too long (again).
Afterwards, I gave my email address to the lead female. She was Syrian and we chatted for about a half hour in Spanish before I realized I still had things to see and headed back to La Puerta de Alcala. It reminded me a lot of the Arc de Triomphe, in terms of how overbearing it is (very 'solid' piece of architecture). Directly behind the archway is El Parque de Retiro. There was an elderly gentleman at the entrance who asked me if he knew what the first fountain signified. I said no and he proceeded to tell me the stories of Gallegan mythology that went with all the million fountains in Madrid. It was entertaining and I have it all written down, but won't bother writing that discertation here. There was a book fair in the park, despite the darkness setting in and the heavy rain. There were also vendors selling snacks and trinkets. I love the atmosphere in this city.
Once we had walked the entire length of the park and he had completed his history lesson, I headed to the metro as it was after 9 and I didn't want Adarana to worry. I grabbed my first fast food meal in weeks and hopped onto an overcrowded metro. When I arrived at her apartment, I could hear Lakshman, Oliver, and Adarana. I felt like I was home. I love it here. It's like Toronto with more electricity and zest and New York with more passion, energy, cleanliness (ha!), and a solid collective conscience. I wish laws in all countries were the same so I could get my JD in España but still practice wherever I wanted to. Sad story. Or maybe not? We'll see.
PS. McDonald's here is a legit restaurant. With fancy tables. Some of them even have waiters and waitress! Whaaaaat?! I know. Nuts.
PPS. Adarana was glad I like Madrid. She told me that most Madrileños can only see problems with the city. Oliver responded with, "It's an amor-odio relationship, como yin-yang" (amor-odio = love-hate). Sometimes, those are the strongest. He is so funny. I described the protest as "bien hecho" ("well done" but in colloquial language here it means something more like "well played") so he responded with "y quienes estaban jugando?" (and who was playing?). A riot, that one. I will miss them. And I will definitely miss Lakshman and his effervescent spirituality. They have been really good to me. I hope karma has plenty of awesome things in store for them.
Tomorrow, I plan to leave for Sevilla. We shall see how that goes. I will probably have less access to internet there, but I don't think any of you mind a break from these irritatingly long essays. Baha! Okay. It's 4:20 AM sooooo 'night for now!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Day Two: Madrid
Today was a lot to take in, but in a different way than yesterday. I ended up leaving the house later than expected. I went straight to el Estadio de Santiago Bernabeu, the stadium where Real Madrid plays. I spent five hours there, and I still felt like it wasn't enough time! There was so much to see, in terms of players, franchise histories, stadium transitions, name changes, etc. They've also created a Ciudad de Real Madrid (City of Real Madrid), which operates as a kind of camp, allowing for young professionals to meet one another and get a taste of the game / team.
There were two tour options - one with a guide and one "sin guia." I chose the latter and explored the stadium at my own leisure (with others who had elected this option). We were allowed into the locker rooms, presidential suites, press room, "dugout," onto the pitch, etc. I don't follow Real Madrid much, but, after today, I think they have become one of my favorite teams. I watched an hour's worth of highlights and fell in love with Casillas and all over again. Spain is so passionate about its sports and related teams, especially in the world of futbol. There wasn't even a game being played, and I felt overcome by national pride! I'm not even a Madrileña! Ay, ay, ay.
What was interesting about being in the stadium was that most of the other people there were also foreigners, but almost none of them spoke Spanish. This is completely opposite to my other experiences in the city, where everyone has initiated a conversation with me in Spanish (vice versa). The only group of people who were obviously local was a group of about 35 children and 3 coaches. They were all in Real Madrid jerseys. It looked like a field trip. When we got to the player's tunnel, watching them jog into the locker rooms pretending to be Ronaldo or Pepe was awesome. Viva Mini Real!
The thing I love most about not being in North America is that everyone's life is centered around futbol. I was walking to the metro this morning and passed by cafes where every screen was showing highlights, interviews, or predictions. Nothing else. Definitely not something I would see in the US for any Copa Mundial (World Cup). The metro station closest to the stadium is called Santiago Bernabeu. Every single possible advertisement spot in the station has been occupied by something soccer-oriented. I took a picture of each of them (primarily because I know you'll drool when you see them, Neenz, as they all involve jugadores de Real Madrid y España).
When I left, I stopped by a fruteria (fruit store) to pick up uvas (grapes) to munch on as I headed home. It's getting dark early today because of the rain and I didn't want to be stuck in a getting-lost-on-the-way-home situation like yesterday. In España, or at least in Madrid, customers do not touch the fruits themselves. Someone in the store has to put your "order" together once you tell him how much / many of what fruits you want. The nice thing about these fruterias is that I have yet to see a large, big-brand, all-corporate-style convenient store anywhere in the city (and I've done my share of wandering!).
I walked down the street to Principe Pio, one of the largest shopping malls in the city and then to Palacio Royal to check out where the royal family lives. Fancy business. They had closed for the day so I admired from outside. Maybe I'll go back tomorrow, although I have a feeling it can't be too different from other royal palaces?
When I got onto the metro on my way back home, I sat on the edge of a row. Next to me, on the floor of the metro car, were three "young people" seated on the ground, laughing. One was from Argentina, one from Ecuador, and the last from Madrid. They were stereotyping Latinos in Spanish. It was entertaining. I don't understand why Mexico is at the bottom of the food chain, no matter whose measuring stick you use. "No se porque .. pero huelan mal los Mejicanos," meaning, "I don't know why .. but they smell bad, those Mexicans." It was a joke and I chuckled, but they always say that behind every joke there is a grain of truth. I hope someone proves that saying false soon. I don't think Mexicans smell bad .. .. .. haha.
There are two other things I've noticed about the metro. One, if you get onto the metro and have been standing for at least three stops, even if a seat opens up after that, you won't sit on it because you've become too comfortable. The second thing I noticed was that people write books in Spanish!! I don't know why this fascinated me so much as it should be obvious - of course every country has its own literary industry! I've been sneaking peeks at people's books and jotting down titles for when I come home (or the day I finally have some time to sit down and read for leisure).
Okay, this is all for now. Lakhshman is here cooking and I've been using his computer to type this up. I hope these posts aren't too long or uninteresting (I believe the latter is worse). Let me know if they are, though!
PS. Word of the day? "Guarreria." When you call something "una guarreria," you're calling it an absolute disaster / mess. According to Lakhshan, it's unique to España.
There were two tour options - one with a guide and one "sin guia." I chose the latter and explored the stadium at my own leisure (with others who had elected this option). We were allowed into the locker rooms, presidential suites, press room, "dugout," onto the pitch, etc. I don't follow Real Madrid much, but, after today, I think they have become one of my favorite teams. I watched an hour's worth of highlights and fell in love with Casillas and all over again. Spain is so passionate about its sports and related teams, especially in the world of futbol. There wasn't even a game being played, and I felt overcome by national pride! I'm not even a Madrileña! Ay, ay, ay.
What was interesting about being in the stadium was that most of the other people there were also foreigners, but almost none of them spoke Spanish. This is completely opposite to my other experiences in the city, where everyone has initiated a conversation with me in Spanish (vice versa). The only group of people who were obviously local was a group of about 35 children and 3 coaches. They were all in Real Madrid jerseys. It looked like a field trip. When we got to the player's tunnel, watching them jog into the locker rooms pretending to be Ronaldo or Pepe was awesome. Viva Mini Real!
The thing I love most about not being in North America is that everyone's life is centered around futbol. I was walking to the metro this morning and passed by cafes where every screen was showing highlights, interviews, or predictions. Nothing else. Definitely not something I would see in the US for any Copa Mundial (World Cup). The metro station closest to the stadium is called Santiago Bernabeu. Every single possible advertisement spot in the station has been occupied by something soccer-oriented. I took a picture of each of them (primarily because I know you'll drool when you see them, Neenz, as they all involve jugadores de Real Madrid y España).
When I left, I stopped by a fruteria (fruit store) to pick up uvas (grapes) to munch on as I headed home. It's getting dark early today because of the rain and I didn't want to be stuck in a getting-lost-on-the-way-home situation like yesterday. In España, or at least in Madrid, customers do not touch the fruits themselves. Someone in the store has to put your "order" together once you tell him how much / many of what fruits you want. The nice thing about these fruterias is that I have yet to see a large, big-brand, all-corporate-style convenient store anywhere in the city (and I've done my share of wandering!).
I walked down the street to Principe Pio, one of the largest shopping malls in the city and then to Palacio Royal to check out where the royal family lives. Fancy business. They had closed for the day so I admired from outside. Maybe I'll go back tomorrow, although I have a feeling it can't be too different from other royal palaces?
When I got onto the metro on my way back home, I sat on the edge of a row. Next to me, on the floor of the metro car, were three "young people" seated on the ground, laughing. One was from Argentina, one from Ecuador, and the last from Madrid. They were stereotyping Latinos in Spanish. It was entertaining. I don't understand why Mexico is at the bottom of the food chain, no matter whose measuring stick you use. "No se porque .. pero huelan mal los Mejicanos," meaning, "I don't know why .. but they smell bad, those Mexicans." It was a joke and I chuckled, but they always say that behind every joke there is a grain of truth. I hope someone proves that saying false soon. I don't think Mexicans smell bad .. .. .. haha.
There are two other things I've noticed about the metro. One, if you get onto the metro and have been standing for at least three stops, even if a seat opens up after that, you won't sit on it because you've become too comfortable. The second thing I noticed was that people write books in Spanish!! I don't know why this fascinated me so much as it should be obvious - of course every country has its own literary industry! I've been sneaking peeks at people's books and jotting down titles for when I come home (or the day I finally have some time to sit down and read for leisure).
Okay, this is all for now. Lakhshman is here cooking and I've been using his computer to type this up. I hope these posts aren't too long or uninteresting (I believe the latter is worse). Let me know if they are, though!
PS. Word of the day? "Guarreria." When you call something "una guarreria," you're calling it an absolute disaster / mess. According to Lakhshan, it's unique to España.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
PS. New Phrases and Words!
"Estaba flipando!" - "I was flipping out!"
"Esta encendida tu telefono?" - "is your phone on?"
"Tranquilaaa" - kind of like "no pasa nada," as in "don't mention it"
"Lechuga" - "lettuce"
"Jengibre" - "ginger"
My favorite is the first: flipando. I always thought that was an expression only the Spanglish used. Apparently not! I'm sure there were more words that I'm not remembering right now. Another day, insha'Allah :)
"Esta encendida tu telefono?" - "is your phone on?"
"Tranquilaaa" - kind of like "no pasa nada," as in "don't mention it"
"Lechuga" - "lettuce"
"Jengibre" - "ginger"
My favorite is the first: flipando. I always thought that was an expression only the Spanglish used. Apparently not! I'm sure there were more words that I'm not remembering right now. Another day, insha'Allah :)
Day One: Madrid
I feel like I'm committing some sort of crazy crime by writing in Engish right now. I think these are the first English words I have interacted with in almost 24 hours. Spanish immersion is such a good feeling!
First of all, I love Spain (so far). I have been in Madrid for about 14 hours now, but I feel like I have lived here for weeks. I knew this was a place I would enjoy the minute I left the airport. There was a pole outside the terminal covered in black letters that read, "Eres un heroe," or "You are a hero." I was sold.
The second sign indicating that I would love Spain was given to me by the taxi driver that took me to Adarana's. Within the first three minutes, we had embarked upon a discussion about Spain, FIFA, and nationalism. "No hay coches en las calles! Es que todo el mundo aqui esta viendo futbol, que es nuestra sangre y el deporte numero uno! Viva!" meaning "There are no cars in the streets! The whole world here is just watching football; it is our blood, the number one sport. Long live football!" He was so animated! The Spaniards I have had conversations with thus far are quite warm people. Although, no one does that whole oh-I-made-eye-contact-with-you-so-let-me-smile-at-you thing. I did not know this upon arrival. I love smiling at people! After a few puzzled (sometimes even suspicious) looks, though, I realized that I need to pull a "when in Rome" and wipe the smile off my face.
I reached Adarana's house at around 12 PM. She was home with her friend Oliver. Adarana is Brazillian, and Oliver is a straight up "Madrileño" (Madrid native). He was more than happy to share everything he knew about Madrid and Sevilla. I was a little self-conscious at first as I have not spoken about "real" topics in Spanish with perfect strangers before, but they were very welcoming and, within half an hour, I was more relaxed.
At about 1, Oliver and I went into the kitchen to make lunch. We decided to make cous cous, since Adarana is a vegetarian, and, without halal meat, I basically am, too. It was a blast. Neither of us had ever made cous cous before so we chopped up carrots, peppers, cauliflower, garlic, and beans, cooked the cous cous, and threw it all into a bowl. When Adarana came out and told us that the veggies had to be fried, we all got a good laugh out of it. Oliver and I wanted to make amends so we decided to pull out the veggies, fry them, and then re-assemble the meal. I had cut the pieces finely so sifting the veggies out of the cous cous was a mission, but it all turned out well. The discussion over lunch was intense. We discussed the conquest of Spain by the Moors and then the persecution that ensued. Ohh, political karma.
Adarana has people coming in and out of the apartment all the time. The most frequent visitor has been Lakhshman (who is Argentinian but a certified Brahman!). All three of these newly-made friends of mine here in Madrid are very "mind over body" and one-with-the-spirit kinds of people. They're conscious about the environment and what they put into their bodies, which is a relief. They also love Indian culture. We're going to pick up a cone of mehndi / henna tomorrow and see if we have what it takes to come up with a coherent design. I also offered to make daal tomorrow, if we're all home during a meal time. Doubt that'll happen. Adarana loves Bollywood movies and songs. I don't necessarily love either as much as she does, but I do love the way she prounces the words! Oh, and every other word out of her mouth is "acha, acha." So cute!
At two in the afternoon, Oliver, Adrana, and I left home. She was going to work, he was heading home, and I wanted to get my feet into the city. The metro system in Madrid is awesome. The US needs to get on a public transportation system. Everytime I am re-exposed to one, I realize what a difference it makes. I took the metro to El Banco de Espana (the largest bank in the city). I walked the rest of the way into town. The weather is gorgeous here. I was warned to prepare for heat. Perhaps I'll see some heat in Andalucia later this week, but Madrid has been in the fifties (fahrenheit) and glorious.
My first stop today was El Museo del Prado (The Prado Museum). This collection was awesome! It took me four hours to get through the entire building with no breaks or distractions. In the basement, they have put El Tesoro del Delfin on display. I felt so small next to these hundreds-of-years old antiques. They were chipped, cracked, and had clearly aged, but that made them even more hefty. I learned so much about painting styles, time periods, and artists. The audio guides were super helpful (Mom, you should know that I listened to every single audio piece!) and I'm glad I chose to use one in Spanish instead of English. The latter would've defeated the purpose.
At about 6:30, I made my way over to the second museum that I wanted to see called El Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. I arrived at about 6:45 and walked to the counter to purchase my 6€ ticket. The woman behind the counter told me, "Pero, mija, si esperas por quince minutos, no tendras que pagar," which means, "But, my dear, if you wait for just fifteen more minutes, you won't have to pay!" Admission is free every night after 7. How nice of her to tell me!
As I waited in the lobby reading brochures, a young man walked up to me and said, "Puedo sacar un foto?" ("May I take a picture?") I think he noticed that I was puzzled and taken aback because then he added hurriedly ".. de tus manos!" (".. of your hands!") He had noticed the leftover mehndi from when we had put it on at Sana's wedding last week. After he took a picture of the back of my hands, he asked me, "Y tu esposo? Donde esta?" ("And your husband? Where is he?") Just then, the doors to the collection opened up. I had no time to explain to him that brides aren't the only ones running around with floral patterns on the backs of their hands.
The collections at this museum were more (if not all) centered around modernism, cubism, and surrealism. I used to love Salvador Dali (and still do) so I thoroughly enjoyed the countless rooms dedicated to him. I'm not a huge Picasso fan (in my opinion, cubism over-complicates life); however, when we studied his paiting Guernica in high school, I was in awe. War is so ugly, and I felt that this picture really illustrated that. When I saw the original today, I was floored. The painting is huge! I don't understand how an artist can paint a mural the size of a house. That is so fascinating. How visionary he would have to be!
As I was wrapping up with the fourth floor of the museum, I heard someone speaking in an auditorium next door so I popped my head in. Apparently, there is an urbanization and social solutions conference in Madrid this week. I had only missed about five minutes of the opening lecture so I decided to sit in. It was entitled "El arte y el silencio en la ciudad." The speaker discussed the role of city-dwellers (which she defined as anyone who uses a sidewalk) in social mobilization and action. Her entire speech was basically echoing Zinn's "You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train," claiming that, if we remain silent about problems, we only empower their causes. "Just as a speaker validates the presence of language by using it, similarly a walker validates the pre-apportioned spatial arrangements determined by the government merely by walking." I have mixed feelings about her theory, but it was an interesting lecture. As some of you know, I love anything remotely related to urbanism so this was a happy coincidence.
By the time I left the museum, it was about 9 (and still very light outside! can you believe that?!). I walked out of the museum and into a huge crowd of people who were celebrating the beginning of the PhotoEspaña project, which encourages young photographers to participate in a photography competition where a different photo is showcased every few days (or maybe even everyday, I'm not exactly sure). Great showcase. Lots of street vendors. Very awesome.
I knew it would be getting dark soon so I decided to pick up a sandwich (super filling, super healthy, and only for 2€!) and head to the metro. I need to ask Adarana how to say "wheat bread" in Spanish tomorrow. I can't believe I don't know that one. I love the underground here. The advertising in Spain is beautiful, especially in the metro system. I took pictures of some of them and will eventually get around to showing them to you, insha'Allah. There was an older gentleman sitting in this particular metro station. He was playing something that sounded like Latin fusion on a saxophone - never an objection to that combination!
I got lost on my way home. Nothing in Spain (or in contiguous Europe, maybe) is parallel. The city's infrastructure is one big bowl of spaghetti. I followed my nose and, apart from the fifteen minute delay, I was home in one piece and ready to hit the sack. But, instead of showering and going to sleep, Lakhshman, Adarana, and I spent a few hours talking about karma, culture, and the meanings that have been associated with "sangre" ("blood," as in lineage) over time.
I just hopped out of the shower. Adarana is sleeping. It's 3:21 AM here. I should sleep, too. We have to be out of the house by 10. Until tomorrow, insha'Allah!
First of all, I love Spain (so far). I have been in Madrid for about 14 hours now, but I feel like I have lived here for weeks. I knew this was a place I would enjoy the minute I left the airport. There was a pole outside the terminal covered in black letters that read, "Eres un heroe," or "You are a hero." I was sold.
The second sign indicating that I would love Spain was given to me by the taxi driver that took me to Adarana's. Within the first three minutes, we had embarked upon a discussion about Spain, FIFA, and nationalism. "No hay coches en las calles! Es que todo el mundo aqui esta viendo futbol, que es nuestra sangre y el deporte numero uno! Viva!" meaning "There are no cars in the streets! The whole world here is just watching football; it is our blood, the number one sport. Long live football!" He was so animated! The Spaniards I have had conversations with thus far are quite warm people. Although, no one does that whole oh-I-made-eye-contact-with-you-so-let-me-smile-at-you thing. I did not know this upon arrival. I love smiling at people! After a few puzzled (sometimes even suspicious) looks, though, I realized that I need to pull a "when in Rome" and wipe the smile off my face.
I reached Adarana's house at around 12 PM. She was home with her friend Oliver. Adarana is Brazillian, and Oliver is a straight up "Madrileño" (Madrid native). He was more than happy to share everything he knew about Madrid and Sevilla. I was a little self-conscious at first as I have not spoken about "real" topics in Spanish with perfect strangers before, but they were very welcoming and, within half an hour, I was more relaxed.
At about 1, Oliver and I went into the kitchen to make lunch. We decided to make cous cous, since Adarana is a vegetarian, and, without halal meat, I basically am, too. It was a blast. Neither of us had ever made cous cous before so we chopped up carrots, peppers, cauliflower, garlic, and beans, cooked the cous cous, and threw it all into a bowl. When Adarana came out and told us that the veggies had to be fried, we all got a good laugh out of it. Oliver and I wanted to make amends so we decided to pull out the veggies, fry them, and then re-assemble the meal. I had cut the pieces finely so sifting the veggies out of the cous cous was a mission, but it all turned out well. The discussion over lunch was intense. We discussed the conquest of Spain by the Moors and then the persecution that ensued. Ohh, political karma.
Adarana has people coming in and out of the apartment all the time. The most frequent visitor has been Lakhshman (who is Argentinian but a certified Brahman!). All three of these newly-made friends of mine here in Madrid are very "mind over body" and one-with-the-spirit kinds of people. They're conscious about the environment and what they put into their bodies, which is a relief. They also love Indian culture. We're going to pick up a cone of mehndi / henna tomorrow and see if we have what it takes to come up with a coherent design. I also offered to make daal tomorrow, if we're all home during a meal time. Doubt that'll happen. Adarana loves Bollywood movies and songs. I don't necessarily love either as much as she does, but I do love the way she prounces the words! Oh, and every other word out of her mouth is "acha, acha." So cute!
At two in the afternoon, Oliver, Adrana, and I left home. She was going to work, he was heading home, and I wanted to get my feet into the city. The metro system in Madrid is awesome. The US needs to get on a public transportation system. Everytime I am re-exposed to one, I realize what a difference it makes. I took the metro to El Banco de Espana (the largest bank in the city). I walked the rest of the way into town. The weather is gorgeous here. I was warned to prepare for heat. Perhaps I'll see some heat in Andalucia later this week, but Madrid has been in the fifties (fahrenheit) and glorious.
My first stop today was El Museo del Prado (The Prado Museum). This collection was awesome! It took me four hours to get through the entire building with no breaks or distractions. In the basement, they have put El Tesoro del Delfin on display. I felt so small next to these hundreds-of-years old antiques. They were chipped, cracked, and had clearly aged, but that made them even more hefty. I learned so much about painting styles, time periods, and artists. The audio guides were super helpful (Mom, you should know that I listened to every single audio piece!) and I'm glad I chose to use one in Spanish instead of English. The latter would've defeated the purpose.
At about 6:30, I made my way over to the second museum that I wanted to see called El Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. I arrived at about 6:45 and walked to the counter to purchase my 6€ ticket. The woman behind the counter told me, "Pero, mija, si esperas por quince minutos, no tendras que pagar," which means, "But, my dear, if you wait for just fifteen more minutes, you won't have to pay!" Admission is free every night after 7. How nice of her to tell me!
As I waited in the lobby reading brochures, a young man walked up to me and said, "Puedo sacar un foto?" ("May I take a picture?") I think he noticed that I was puzzled and taken aback because then he added hurriedly ".. de tus manos!" (".. of your hands!") He had noticed the leftover mehndi from when we had put it on at Sana's wedding last week. After he took a picture of the back of my hands, he asked me, "Y tu esposo? Donde esta?" ("And your husband? Where is he?") Just then, the doors to the collection opened up. I had no time to explain to him that brides aren't the only ones running around with floral patterns on the backs of their hands.
The collections at this museum were more (if not all) centered around modernism, cubism, and surrealism. I used to love Salvador Dali (and still do) so I thoroughly enjoyed the countless rooms dedicated to him. I'm not a huge Picasso fan (in my opinion, cubism over-complicates life); however, when we studied his paiting Guernica in high school, I was in awe. War is so ugly, and I felt that this picture really illustrated that. When I saw the original today, I was floored. The painting is huge! I don't understand how an artist can paint a mural the size of a house. That is so fascinating. How visionary he would have to be!
As I was wrapping up with the fourth floor of the museum, I heard someone speaking in an auditorium next door so I popped my head in. Apparently, there is an urbanization and social solutions conference in Madrid this week. I had only missed about five minutes of the opening lecture so I decided to sit in. It was entitled "El arte y el silencio en la ciudad." The speaker discussed the role of city-dwellers (which she defined as anyone who uses a sidewalk) in social mobilization and action. Her entire speech was basically echoing Zinn's "You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train," claiming that, if we remain silent about problems, we only empower their causes. "Just as a speaker validates the presence of language by using it, similarly a walker validates the pre-apportioned spatial arrangements determined by the government merely by walking." I have mixed feelings about her theory, but it was an interesting lecture. As some of you know, I love anything remotely related to urbanism so this was a happy coincidence.
By the time I left the museum, it was about 9 (and still very light outside! can you believe that?!). I walked out of the museum and into a huge crowd of people who were celebrating the beginning of the PhotoEspaña project, which encourages young photographers to participate in a photography competition where a different photo is showcased every few days (or maybe even everyday, I'm not exactly sure). Great showcase. Lots of street vendors. Very awesome.
I knew it would be getting dark soon so I decided to pick up a sandwich (super filling, super healthy, and only for 2€!) and head to the metro. I need to ask Adarana how to say "wheat bread" in Spanish tomorrow. I can't believe I don't know that one. I love the underground here. The advertising in Spain is beautiful, especially in the metro system. I took pictures of some of them and will eventually get around to showing them to you, insha'Allah. There was an older gentleman sitting in this particular metro station. He was playing something that sounded like Latin fusion on a saxophone - never an objection to that combination!
I got lost on my way home. Nothing in Spain (or in contiguous Europe, maybe) is parallel. The city's infrastructure is one big bowl of spaghetti. I followed my nose and, apart from the fifteen minute delay, I was home in one piece and ready to hit the sack. But, instead of showering and going to sleep, Lakhshman, Adarana, and I spent a few hours talking about karma, culture, and the meanings that have been associated with "sangre" ("blood," as in lineage) over time.
I just hopped out of the shower. Adarana is sleeping. It's 3:21 AM here. I should sleep, too. We have to be out of the house by 10. Until tomorrow, insha'Allah!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Beginning
I'm in Newark, NJ waiting to board an 8:40 PM flight to Madrid. I spent the four hour plane ride here reading AAA's "Spiral Guide to Spain" and adding way too many things to my to-see list. Just reading about this country gets me excited! I wonder if my unconditional love for Spain will change upon immersion. Coming from the US, I highly doubt that any country could disappoint me right now, but you never know! Here's my tentative itinerary for the next twelve days:
I land in Madrid at 10:05 AM (CET). Adarana (my host) isn't working until 3 PM so I'll be heading home to drop off my suitcase before diving into the city with her. I think I'll try to tackle El Museo del Prado once she runs off to work. I wonder if I'll have a chance to see a flamenco performance (live) while I'm there. Now that would be exciting.
We'll be boarding shortly so I should start packing up here. I'm not really sure how one ends a blog post so I'll just say that I hope that you all have a swell couple of weeks. See you in the other side!
10th to 12th: Madrid
12th to 15th: Sevilla
15th to 17th: Cordoba
17th to 19th: Granada
19th to 20th: Valencia
20th to 22nd: Barcelona
12th to 15th: Sevilla
15th to 17th: Cordoba
17th to 19th: Granada
19th to 20th: Valencia
20th to 22nd: Barcelona
I land in Madrid at 10:05 AM (CET). Adarana (my host) isn't working until 3 PM so I'll be heading home to drop off my suitcase before diving into the city with her. I think I'll try to tackle El Museo del Prado once she runs off to work. I wonder if I'll have a chance to see a flamenco performance (live) while I'm there. Now that would be exciting.
We'll be boarding shortly so I should start packing up here. I'm not really sure how one ends a blog post so I'll just say that I hope that you all have a swell couple of weeks. See you in the other side!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)