Ok, so I just have to mention it - writing from a high speed train on my
way from Barcelona to Madrid, and kind of halfway watching "School of
Rock" dubbed into Spanish. I'm not sure how this might affect my
babble. I have noticed that I am the only one watching it... I think I
saw it before on a flight somewhere. I like this film probably more
than I should - even in Spanish.

Anyway, a bit of the text below was from my non-blog on the web page
written yesterday, but then I decided to write more here instead. I am
still trying to figure out the purpose of and relatinship between these
two forums. Also, as always I am aware of and a little embarassed by
the self-indulgent nature of posting and sending this stuff. Thanks for
listening! I'll admit I like some parts of this better than others...

----

August 12, 2005: Ending my three days in Barcelona, and like many
(most) places I have visited, I want to stay longer, or at least come
back, or maybe live here. This is what makes such decisions so
difficult. I like everywhere too much. I guess I have been enjoying
enough that I haven't gotten around to writing much. Well actually I
have been writing, but as always stuff that I am not quite ready to
share - not to imply that this is really ready... Ah well... Here's a
quick update, which I suspect will be in reverse chronological order.
Kind of.
-----
Sailing: Well, I'm glad I didn't go on the sailing trip across the
Atlantic earlier this year. It had been a difficult decision for me. I
hoped I was wrong in my assessment of the situation and that the voyage
would be a thrill for those involved - or at least end safely. I also
knew that if I was entirely right it would be extremely unpleasant and
possibly deadly. Anyway, the good news: I heard from Howard (owner of
the boat) and everyone's fine. Bad news: They only made it to Bermuda
where Larry decided enough was enough. Howard couldn't find new crew,
so the voyage ended there. I was really glad I finally heard from
someone, as I was beginning to fear the worst.

I often think about trying my own transatlantic venture, but with a more
methodical approach than I saw in this one. In such a venture I think
it is important that everyone have confidence in everyone else's
abilities, and also have the atmosphere of open communication. So...
Who's game? Feel like taking a few months off a few years from now?
Ok, likely to cruise to the Carribean first... Sounds good? (I'm
actually serious about thIs... anyone?) Important to remember that
sailing when done right is 90% relaxation verging on boredom. Then
there's also that 5-9% hard work and/or annoyance and 1-5% sheer terror.
Yep, that's a good sailing trip. The transatlantic that I skipped
looked to be at least 50% on the annoyance scale. Not sure about the
terror and boredom.

Speaking of hard work, and thrills or possible boredom - how about a
bike ride across the country? You pick the country... Must be larger
than say, Monaco.

Ok, back to the moment. Back to Europe....

-----

Spanish: Well, my skills weren't so great in the first place, but I
definitely know less than I did when I left Honduras in April. Actually
the peak of my abilities was the end of my two weeks of study back at
the beginning of February. Sometimes I seem to understand almost
everything, and other times nothing. That being said, I do understand
enough - and I did manage to make hotel reservations for Madrid over the
phone - after calling many places that were full. Phone communications
are the most difficult as one realizes how much is often said with
expressions and gestures. It's even more difficult when one dials a
wrong number... I usually don't make reservations, but I guess I'm glad
I did this time. Oh yeah - ended up with a euro cell phone - if you
want to call me while I'm in Spain, email and I'll send you the #. If
you do call, just be sure to start babbling at high speed in Spanish,
because that's what I'm expecting! Ok, German, Greek and French are ok
too...

-----

Barcelona: I didn't know much about Gaudi before - and I still don't
know much I guess, but the works I saw of his were uniformly amazing.
And these we think such fantastic structures are computer generated
special effects. Incredible.

Also lots of entertaining street performers here. Particularly liked
the guy in the gorilla outfit who would sneak up on people and scare
them. He also followed people and mimicked their actions. For awhile
I thought he was doing this just for fun - and he was obviously having
fun, but I didn't see any way to collect any money for this. The purity
of art and entertainment for its own sake? Well maybe not. Last night
I spotted him while having dinner at a table outside. He happened to
pick an area right in front of me to work his interactive and humorously
confrontational routine. He was generally silent, except for the
occasional squeak or squeal. Even when he was not visible in the thick
crowd his position could be determined by the screams of surprise and
subsequent laughter. Eventually people began to stop and watch the
spectacle and when the spectators began to outnumber the people passing
on the street, he stopped and passed the hat - I mean gorilla glove -
around for donations. Making me laugh repeatedly during dinner? That's
worth at least a euro or two...

Ok, so I coule babble about having dinner at one of Picasso's old
hangouts. I could talk about Dali's digs in Figueres. Ok, great
experiences also. Other people might write about those? I seem to
write about crossing streets and people in silly costumes. Ah well...
There are web sites about the other stuff...

Links of a few of my experiences:
http://www.sagradafamilia.org
http://www.salvador-dali.org
http://www.4gats.com

Note: I haven't actually looked at any of the above websites. They are
on tickets and receipts in my pocket. Let me know if any of them are
any good... I'll probably throw in a few more unverified links in this
note...
-----
Paris, but only for a moment: I was passing through Paris between two
overnight trains between Berlin and Barcelona. Having been in Paris a
couple of years ago - arguably on the same trip, it seemed familiar and
comfortable. I was little slow in adjusting to speaking French after
all of the Greek, Italian, Czech and German I had heard in the last
couple of months, but still, there was a certain calming feeling. I
know that for many Paris probably doesn't exude calm and contentment,
but that day it did for me. I had from 10:00am or so until 8:30pm.
Most of the time I spent walking around aimlessly or sitting in cafes
and writing. Great food, good times. A little expensive though.

Paris is one of those places for me that sometimes seems to have it all.
Every way I turn I see something I want to photograph or experience. A
cafe, a performer, music, people gathering and sitting around somewhere
sharing a bottle of wine or dancing along the Seine. Could I actually
live here though? Compared to the speed and pressure of suburban
America? Well yes... It is somehow comfortable and relaxed. I do feel
more at home here than the address on my drivers license...

Then there are the French people. Parisians in particular. Actually I
have had only good experiences with them. I make my attempts at
speaking French, and they are always helpful and friendly. Really. I
know others may claim otherwise, but I think people and situations live
up to (or down to) their expectations. Showing respect - and learning
at least enough to learn a greeting or two in the local tongue seems to
go a long way. Expecting everyone in the world to understand your
language just because you are spending money is probably worthy of
contempt.

Anyway, I thought it was finally happening - someone in Paris was being
rude to me. It has to happen eventually. Would this shatter my image
of the French? The woman behind the counter at the train station seemed
somewhat preoccupied and disinterested. Did she understand what I had
asked for? My simple request? What was taking so long? I waited.
Well eventually she turned and smiled - in broken English presenting
two options for my overnight to Barcelona - the one I had requested and
another that arrived an hour later but cost 75E ($92) less! Ah, the
French. Lovely people. Really.

That evening as I walked back towards Gare Austerlitz for my train I
stopped along the Seine and watched people relaxing and people dancing.
I looked longingly at the group in the dance lesson in front of me.
Yep, something that would definitely benefit me. Catching my hint,
someone signaled me to join in. At that moment I wanted to quit my
travels and stay in Paris forever. I am still not sure why I didn't.
Unfortunately though, it was time for my train. Paris, I will return.

-----

Ok, I guess I'll be more brief about the rest...

Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Florence. That's where I was before Paris and
Barcelona. Ok that's all...

Well maybe not. Trying to be brief though...

Berlin: Ok, so tracing the path of the wall is kind of interesting,
though it has gone from a fascinating time in history to a low grade
tourist trap. I appreciate the historical significance of "Checkpoint
Charlie," but having the fast food of "Snack-Point Charlie" right next
to it made it kind of a joke. Better in the history books. I'll admit
though that "Czech Point Charlie" the Czech tourist bureau having an
office there was a nice touch. It's that fine line between clever and
stupid.

Ok, other Berlin moments? The first night there I wandered into a
building of artist spaces and experimental music. Beautiful.

Also enjoyed the new art at Hamburger Bahnhof (
http://hamburgerbahnhof.de ) The most featured exhibit "Do it Yourself"
was decent - but do I really need to see anymore Warhol... ever? The
other stuff in the museum - particularly the Friedrich Christian Flick
Collection was absolutely stunning.

After a morning of this, I headed to Kronprinzenpalais for an
installlation on Einstein. Yes, I am a bit of a physics geek, and tend
to bring up the uncertainty of science and scientific method perhaps
more often than it is welcome? I guess 2005 has been declared "Year of
Physics" or something like that in honor of Einstein's 1905... Anyway,
the installation was huge, well put together and a great presentation
and review of history and concepts. It was also one of the few museums
open on Mondays, so I promised myself I would be back the next day, also
wanting to check out the film museum. (
http://www.einsteinausstellung.de )Ok, the film museum was good I
suppose, but following two impossibly good experiences, well...

There was more, but... Brevity. Need to work on brevity...

Prague: In no particular order... Great architecture, wonderful
walking city, too many tourists, good fun, vegetarian hell, lack of
little markets and neighborhood feel... Ok maybe that was too brief.

Ah well. It's now another day later and I am in Madrid. Had a really
disturbing experience last night - by choice - I went to the bullfights.
Clearly I am from a different time and culture. It was interesting
seeing something so far from my reality, though thoroughly disgusting at
the same time. After this I kind of felt the need for a completely
different approach with respect to the cow, so I had dinner at an Indian
restaurant...

That's more than enough for now I think...

What's up?

-n