Probably Traveling.

Barcelona...

I know none of you want to hear this but traveling is exhausting.  No its not like a job, its not like a vacation, but its tiring.  You spend time on trains, buses, planes, not knowing where you are going how you are getting from point A to point B and then when you get there you get ripped off because you don´t speak Spanish.  Then you get yourself together and see the sights.  Well you know what I needed a little break from the sites and needed some well deserved movie and beach time.  So, I joined my fellow travelers Rhino and Mel and we went to the beach. ¨The Nice Beach¨ I don´t know about that title but it was a beach with techno and I was happy. We walked down the beach in search of food when we came across a small skate park.  BMX bikers. It was cool and Mel cheered to give encouragement which I guess the Spanish don´t do.  What at first was just us turned into an audience of about 15 to 20.  What can we say we attract a crowd, haha. We found food for Rhino in Mickey D´s and hit up the light show. The magic fountain is crazy. A+ for the effects.  D- for the Mariah Carey.  I am so tired of Mariah Carey.  I have a shuffle and it has four of her CD´s on it and I might kill myself if I hear one more high pitch tune.  Anyway, when we found the show me and Mel decided to walk down the middle of the street singing and dancing in between the cars arm in arm.  Then we danced on the grass and get wet from the fountain and went full on crazy American.  We ran up the stairs sat on the ledge, took pictures with some Brits, came down the wrong side of escalators.  It was all fun till we realized it was about 1145 and the metro ends at 1200.  We ran after just climbing all the Magic Fountain stairs and our shenanigans.  We made the last train and went on full salami/ Gouda binge.  I cannot eat Gouda for at least a good year, we were just so hungry.  After we ate like wild animals we decided to watch a movie to churn our stomachs.  Hostel.  Now your thinking why would you watch hostel in a hostel.  Well, one we aren´t that stupid, two we aren’t after prostitutes and three I am not going to some art show without real proof.  Bed and a buhbye to Rhino.  Woke up decided to see Barcelona during the day for once.  Tried to find some water with Manuel and George found a market where people sit and drink beer next to raw meat. Strange.  Climbed to the top of this cross (not really the Spanish are lazy and built  escalators into part of the hill, they should really think about putting these in Murray Hill or Morningside Heights) the sight was amazing, you can see all of Barcelona and that was the end of the sitting seeing portion of my day.  It was too hot and I was in need of a siesta.  We climber down and walked along Las Ramblas and pretended to stay in hotels for the A/C while Manuel searched for a place to exchange travelers checks.  No luck but the A/C was amazing.  Walked till we found a small plaza and decided to have a beer and people watch.  Barcelona is New York.  New York is Barcelona.  I haven´t decided exactly why yet but I am working on it.  Mel and I decided Cañas weren’t going to hold us over so we moved on to The Travelers Bar where we were greeted by the kind wait staff and excellent olives.  Found out about a great Tapas and Flamenco tour from Ori our Israeli waiter and decided to jump on it of course for a small negotiation of some free drinks.  Got back/got ready/ out the door.  Tapas with the over 30 crowd proved to be decent and found out fun facts for Erin and I´s tour of Ireland.  Bottomless shitty sangria.  Vodka Limons. Flamenco! She wasn´t in her pretty dress and he starred a lot but was a good time all in all.   Went back to the travel bar took some shots and we were off to meet Conrato, Mel´s first coach surfing experience.  We thought maybe she would fall in love with him nope.  Fellini´s Crazy Mondays, broken sandals, running away, talking in Slovenian, Italians and Brits, mosh pits, and all around ditching proved to be successful in ditching creep mcgee.  22 calls later and we were free. Snuck Mel in to the hostel, explained to the staff and we were out of there.  All night carb fest.  Sorry Sant Jordi for eating your breakfast food we were hungry and you guys aren’t in the center of the city.  Making good friends with my California girl and it was off to Mallorca to fall in love with my old nah nah all over again.  Great friends/ good times/ not so much sight seeing.  Well done Barcelona. 

Madrid/Valencia/Barcelona...

So, I’m not going to make excuses anymore I was just having too much fun to write anymore and even though the memories are starting to fade away, I know I have had a great time and isn´t that truly what matters.  I wrapped up things in Madrid with a bang.  Met up with some of the people from the plaza who where from all over South America and went to the weekly Samba bongo session in the park.  The park filled with manicure gardens plays host to the alternative likings of Madrid.  On every Sunday you can find close to two hundred people dancing to the rhythms of Africa´s past in between towers and columns from the ancient past.  People dancing so fast and so hard that Sangria is everywhere and there is a pulsing heart beat to the city.  After dancing until the sunset we decided to go to a lovely dance session but not before adventurous Sara decided to gross a small stream flowing into the lake… a wonderful banana split fall followed along with wet and bloody hugs.  We followed that up with fresh clothes and a night in a jazz club that had free sets of French jazz.  The crowd was into it and the lead singer got down with his harmonica.  Madrid is definitely one of my favorite cities.  The next day saw the modern art museum which was hosting a fantastic exhibition on digital media.  The most amazing magnetic sculptures and a room full of bean bags set out for the audience to relax and enjoy the genius of John Maeda.  I then had to say good bye to one city and hello to a new one.  Valencia.  City of great architecture, paella, strange smells and host of the holy grail.  It is one not to be missed.  It was my first time at a huge hostel and though it was nice it was a bit isolating.  The Italian government must have named this place vacation town because everywhere you looked olive skin filled the rooms.  Groups usually don´t intimidate me but when you have two groups of fives together it becomes a bit daunting.  I had just met such good people in Madrid and I couldn´t muster up the energy to go out and put myself out there.  SO I decided to call it an early night and went to bed.  Next morning I decided to conquer the city alone.  I booked my first double Decker bus tour which was exciting until the scorching heat came out followed by the humidity.  I got off as soon as could at the City of Arts and Sciences.  Unbelievable.  It looked like something out of a science fiction movie.  The city in the 1960´s redirected their river after a bad flood and decided to turn the dry river into a palatial park.  The park contains gardens, rec centers, skate parks and the Valencia´s master piece.  The complex is made up of four buildings based on organic architecture.  Too much to put in words.  After I finished being awe struck for about two hours I went to the Aquarium.  Every animal Jackie ever wanted to be was contained there.  I even got a little home sick in the Penguin section.  I got lost, sweat a lot, put credit on my phone and headed back to the hostel where I met the wonderful Katie.  We are bunk mates and she just happen to be finishing up her six weeks in Valencia.  I know I am the luckiest person.  We met up with a friend of hers and had some great paella and moved on to the bars.  Everywhere you turn there are two for one specials and boy did we take advantage of that.  We ended the night at a beach club playing the name game that was a terrible mix of tiredness and drunkenness.  Katie really wanted to see the sunrise on the beach so we stuck around ran on the white powder sand straight into the ocean.  Moon lit, sun lit, warm water.  I ask why is this not present for all drunk nights?  We stayed until we saw the first sun spots.  Taxi races, deep late night talks, vodka limons, and way too much Heineken.  Hungover.  But no the Brits are never truly phased by hangovers so we carried on.  Three hour lunch, cathedral, holy grail (the only one recognized by the Vatican), climbing a tower till our thighs felt like they were ripping off, sweeping views of this perfectly balanced city, and then we were back again.  We picked up another roommate Nikola and moved on to a excellent dinner of tapas.  Patatas Bravas.  I love Patatas Bravas.  After we indulged ourselves we went grabbed some mojitos and called it a night. I couldn´t book a hostel because they were all full so decided to stay an extra night.  Went for a walk in the park in the morning changed rooms and met a new friend Olivia.  We had a lovely three hour dinner which consisted of checking out the fashionistas that attended the weddings in the area, no brides unfortunately but it was great afternoon of being girls and acting silly.  We went out with two other girls from Montreal and hit the salsa club. Great time.  Woke up at 8 went to the train station.  Kicking child, not enough money for the taxi driver, and I was in Barcelona.  Came in relaxed had a lovely chat with my bunk mate Ryan the lion. Siesta.  Went to the market picked up a fresh baguette and had a lovely little lunch.  Perfecto.  Ended the night with a scenic pub crawl, talks of architecture history, drunk girl falling in the port, jesus christs with a crown of lcd lights saving her, strike a pose, jackie chan attacking our cab, tighty whiteys, watching hostel at 530, watching the sun come up, bed. And the fun has only just begun.  Goodbye first month, you will be missed.

Madrid...

After I decided to drop Karina off at the airport and hijack her life for four more days I moved on to a very busy Madrid.  I think I had got use to the slower pace and the 6 inch heels and here everyone looked a little frazzled.  It was a great feeling knowing your way around when youve been a place before so it felt great.  I was little sad leaving and very scared being on my own and having to meet people again all over.  I talk to Erin a lot and was freaking out about not having  made friends in the four hours since I had arrived and she gave me the best advice ever. She told me to channel my Freshman year Geada.  This means knock on everyones door and attack<! So I did just that. I knocked on these girls (and one guy) door and asked if I could go to dinner with them,  I think that is the most nervous I have been since god knows when because we all know I am not shy.  They obliged and we went to pizza.  7 Americans learning spanish from all over the US. We danced the night away at one small club where me and Sara started the dance party by being the first to go on the dance floor and then at Kapital a seven floor dance club that is reminisent of Webster Hall sans the creepy dudes.  We danced on stage we were blown away with cold winds, we had a good time.  Walked home at 5 am.  Next morning Ipod in hand I decided to conquer Museo Prado.  All the spanish greats plus renissance portraiture i spent the whole day there.  I sat down in the sun filled sculpture room and drew for about two hours.  It was amazing.  I then took a little siesta outside on a bench and woke up to a trumpet playing “Over the Rainbow”.  Walked up the hill to the Corte Ingles and got some tuna that will be lunch and dinner for the next three days.  Came back and the hostel started to fill up. We watched Superbad and drank beer, a very American afternoon.  There are a lot of young kids here 17 and 18 from, America traveling together and alone and they are so immature and unfortunatly play into all American stereotypes.  Uh.  They will go to college and grimace at some of the remarks they made last night.  I am constantly trying to make people aware of the fact that all Americans are the same and that I am really from a seperate country called New York City.  Two Aussie girls who were not really Aussie (one from Zimbabwe and one from South Africa) met a lovely Parisian in a Chocolateria.  They decided to bring him out with them and he decided to bring his guitar.  The night started with some David Bowie, Red hot Chilli Peppers, and a bit of Radio head.  I decided to head out with them and we went to the equivalent of the East Village/ Alphabet city.  We had 2 euro beers and headed out in search of a plaza to listen to our new friend sing.  We drank tinto and listen to some Bob Marley until we got kicked out by the Policia.  Probably the best thing that could have happened because we ended up is the Plaza that Union Square wished it could be.  Tons of people my age all sitting around relaxing and enjoying each others company.  Sarah spotted some guitarist and we decided to sit with them.  They played into our wims and we start our own little jam session with everyone singing in different languages and Sara belting it out.  Ramone was belting it and soon the whole plaza was singing and clapping until it was one united voice, and a loud bravo for Ramone.  Bob Marley brings all people together.  We sang and sang until our voices were gone and then we went home at 5 am a little tipsy from all the free beers for our (Ramone´s) musical talents. Madrid, you are so much more than I expected.

Sevilla/Granada/Lepe...

Wow, it has been forever too much fun to be had I guess.  I feel like this is the first quiet moment I have had in two weeks, wow it has been two weeks.  I am writing this post from Madrid because I had to soak up every moment of Sevilla.  O, Sevilla.  Sevilla is definately on my top places to live before I die (yes this is a new list I have started).  Love the lifestyle, love the people but this could also be because I made good friends.  Me and Karina stuck it out without Virna who she thinks I secretly like more which is obviously true.  But nothing can make people really affirm their friendship than a camping trip.  I decided it would be an excellent idea to ask to go to the beach.  What I didnt know was that I would have to sleep in a tent.  But then I was excited for camping and then they told me there were no smores.  So, we all got into the overly packed car on what could have been the hottest day in Sevilla (110 degrees) to discover what had all ready been discovered aka christopher columbus style.  Me and Karina sat in the back with our boogie boards, rowing paddles, tents, cooler, bags, and the odd plastic bag while princessa Javi decided to have as much leg room as possible.  After a share of a 20 piece we arrived at our campsite that look more like a suburban development with dirt roads.  Everywhere rvs were hooked up with full steel refigerators and wood floors.  The only site better was seeing Spanish women walking around in heels. Heels! Camping! Then I decided I could do this.  Me and Karina tried to help as much as we could but we got a chorus filled with ¨¨I am Spanish, its not correct!” and so we decided to step back and enjoy getting eaten alive.  Later we went to the beach and found beautiful moon lit sandbars and amber circles of people.  Drumming, cervaces, drunk spanish guys, late night fishing. Looks like California feels like Spain.  We could Spanish omelets for breakfast and Vamos! I decided I wasnt tan enough and got fifty shades darker only to be out done by Morinita.  Me and Karinas little adventures and apparently conversations about nothing were priceless.  Like the time we decided to have a three hour lunch in Granada and a little siesta at some hotel in the Alahmbrah. The Alambrah was beautiful and cannot be expressed in words but we did meet some very interesting on our trip, Washington Irving.  Yes he was our tour guide and he use to live in the alambrah and apparently worked nights as a sex phone operator.  His smooth voice guided use through the spiraled trees and delicate balconies that the princesses use to wait on, ahhhh can´t you see her hair blowing in the wind.  Yeah, Irving was a creep.  But, I was getting use to always going back to Sevilla and enjoying life as a temporary Sevillano. Loud Tapas, rude wait staff, amazing Cubano food, Tiriano festival along the river, Buddah, id checking, little pueblos, and under seasoned food.  Ahh yes Sevilla how I will miss you.

Sevilla/Lagos...

So I havent written in a while and it sure is starting to get fuzzy.  I must say I will have to keep up with this more I have just been having too much damn fun.  Well we woke up very early to get on the bus.  I was a little hungover but an advil can cure anything.  We waited for the bus in the beautiful Plaza de Espana.  Breathtaking.  HOW breathing taking you ask well I was informed Speilberg shot a part of Star Wars here.  Certified beautiful.  The cermaics that still glisten under hundred degree sun.  The deep jewel tones left over from the Moors.  Yeah beautfiul alright.  There seemed to be a bunch of tourist but still I felt comfortable.  We were met by 30 girls some that were nice and some that were filled with fluff.  Karina’s job should’nt be called a job the same way a sex addict shouldn’t be called a prositute.  Pretty unfair and down right wonderful.  She starts by taking count and greeting everyone one. Did someone call a break time, yeah she is sleeping wonderful.  I want her job. I need her job.  Well after hearing for hours about the proper way to spend Daddy’s money we got to the beautiful Lagos.  We pulled in and even though I have seen tons of pictures and thought I would be completly jaded I was still awe struck.  Mountains that looked as though they had been taken from the Grand Canyon were sitting right there and the more I looked the more mountains jutting straight out of the ocean.  Stuco white buildings reminded me of Myknos but with a more authetic feel.  We walked to the world famous Rising Cock we were greeted by the equally famous Mama.  Now she was exactly what I imagined.  Warmth.  Total warmth.  And she really looks at you not glances but looks at you. The cock is what everyone would imagine it to be… themed rooms..tile work…and the branding, design, and mural work like out of a top design firm.  (The girl who does the design is an Aussie has a raveling hostel book A+ for travelers).  THe hostel was filled with accents and we found refugee in the back Guest house.  Beige and purple rooms that we now shared with our new New Mexico friends Meaghan and Craig (celebrity couple name Craigen).  Great people looking for a great time.  We got along famously.  We pulled our hungover/3 hour of sleep selves together and walked up a very hiugh hill to a beach and walked down a very steep staircase to the sand.  Their are steps carved in the side of the mountains. The sand was young but the enclosures were inviting.  Small beaches that fit 50 people max and comfortable 25.  Caves that connected beach to beach sometimes inaccesable during high tide.  Rings of green, turqouise, blue.  We sat on the beach ate lays and called it a day.  We walked back home and enjoyed the second warm greeting.  we got prepared for our very first meal at Nah Nah Bah, the rising cock restaurant.  The rasta inspired restaurant has no effect on the food.  From Pasta to Kebab to mozz sticks you will act as though you hve never had any of them before.  We sat with some of the kids from the tour and they told us where they were from.  Texas.  Mostly Texas. One girl from Long Island.  They were fun.  We proceede to leave and enter Australia or atleast thats what I assumed happened.  We were greeted by the Kiwis, the Australians, the Americans, not a Portugese in sight.  Excpet- for maybe the drivers who tap your bum if you dont move out of the street, they mean business.  We went to a couple of bars, got a bot wasted, and had an overall good time, communicating in drunkness…And then I woke up. Hungover.  Very Hungover. two hours of sleep and a 3 hour sailing trip a head of me.  Tyenol. Walk. Busride. Sangria.  Thank god for Sangria. Bottomless Sangria. Woke me back up again just in time for small boat ride through the caves.  With the apperance of uplighting he caves looked as though they were carefuly postioned and lit but no it was just nature.  I still cant get over it.  A day at the Beach bar, a little sand storm and back to the cock we go.  Lemon drops, Blue Hawaians, Landing Strips, Super Bock, Super Bock, Vodka Tonic, SAMBA!! Live Samba band at the Grand Cafe.  We Danced danced like it was carnival.  I learned how to balance a pint in between my fore finger and thumb from some Germans and put Sara to sleep on a couch.  I accomplished a lot that night.  2 Hours, awake, smeared make-up , remembering Virna’s fall, long chats under mosqito nets, and to town we go.  I went to church in a swimsuit and a coverup.  It was beautiful.  Large drop set murals.  Odeon Burger, Magnets, Sellos, Buhbye Mama, Supercock shirts, Getting on the bus after a foot dip in the pool and we were on our way back to Sevilla like it was all a dream

Madrid/Sevilla...

After my wonderful nap I woke up and found it to be 9:15 but you wouldn’t think it from the sun coming through the french doors.  The days are long and hot and worth the  breezy drink filled nights.  In typical Madrid style we went out that night with Germain, who is not so typical.  He is a friend of Karina and owns the international world hostel in Plaza de Espana a few blocks away from the Palace but close to the center of Madrid, Sol.  He was great fun showed us a great Madrid night that started off with tapas (there was amazing little croquet filled with potatoe and cheese and chicken, erin would hate it lol) We had glasses of red wine and talked in broken english and spanish until it got to late for tapas and too early to go clubbing.  So we went to a bar that was probably nicer than any bar in new york i have been too in awhile and that was the inbetween place.  American music and old school classics like Getting Jiggy with it, im pretty sure if Dayna had an ipod this would be the soundtrack. After we walked through a Plaza filled with fountains well lit blue buildings and buildings i kept thinking were the place but were merely office buildings.  Showed up to this last club shots, my new favorite drink that consist of vodka and fanta try this at home it is delicous, and caiprihna which is a drink with pure sugar on the bottom and to top it off Hooka from an Aussie guy.  Yeah we danced, we got down, we took retarded pictures.  I think I havent stayed up this late since 2002, 5am and the late night snacking continued.  Next day slightly hungover but not as tragic as i thought it was going to be we proceeded to now be tourists, fountains blah blah palace you know the deal, architecture is beautiful, and we were off to Sevilla, Javi’s town. The train ride was so much fun looking at pictures of times hat were fuzy. We got to Karinas apartment more description on its beauty at a different time to much to say.  Sevilla is a Morrocian dream.  Tiles, shutters, and hookas all mark this Moorish town.  We went out with Javi to Babobolina a beautiful curtain filled, lamps and lowlighting hut and out door area filled trees with tea light candles.  NICEST CLUB I HAVE EVER BEEN TO.  Hookas filled with alochol with peach flavor.  4 o clock we were done they were just getting started.  and it wasnt a holiday.

In Madrid...

I have 36 mintues left on my one euro an hour charge.  Its amazing how much you can get accomplished on the internet when you are limited to only one hour.  Today or should i say the past two days have been insane. All day long I started to freak and the only way i calmed myself down was by gettin through each task at time.  Some of these tasks included getting in a two hour delay, trying to get to a connnecting flight that borded ten minutes after I got in to Zurich in another airport that I had to take a tram to, Using a phone in spanish with no money and no way to call collect, Meeting up with karina without a phone and only a hope.  But!!! I accomplished all of them and had patience and everything worked out just fine.  I have met some amazing people in my 4 hour stay in Spain.  Probably soem of the nicest people in the world.  I have been given a phone to call people with, given money to make phonecalls, and offered to go on a roadtrip.  This all happend in an hour.  I think the worst part about traveling is trying to make everything live up to your expectations.  There will never be a place without Mc Donalds and sometimes there will even be a TGI Fridays but you have to look to the left and see an amazing fountain that was constructed not by your neighborhood landscaper but one that is a thounsand years old surrounded by people you have flown in to observe and thats when you realize why you traveled all this way, why you put up with all the bitching and complaining, its to sit there and be content with humanity. 

Goodbye!! New York!

I will miss the smell of urine.  

First post will be coming to you from Madrid don’t know if I will have time in Zurich.

Talk to you tomorrow.