Our last day in Valencia...
We took a semi relaxing stroll towards the Institut Valencia D´Art Modern (IVAM). The problem that I have with modern art museums is that I am left feeling that I could have thrown some paint onto a canvas or molded some clay with a spoon and called it art. I definitely am not a critic...to each his/her own. So I cruised through the museum at breakneck speed until Leanne point toward several paintings on a wall. There were 12 paintings titled Romantic Landscapes with Missing Parts by Nedko Solakov. What struck me about the paintings is that I have envisioned, once I settle down permanently aka nest, each room in my home to have at least one wall featuring a different landscape. So I quickly snuck off a quick picture and dashed out the door of the museum. So I went web searching for info. I could share about the artist.
Nedko himself says:
The Romantic Landscapes with Missing Parts were executed in the murky winter of 2001-2002 up north in Stockholm in a nice studio at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. That was a very hard, horrible time for me, the conceptual artist who pretends that being classically educated in mural painting 20 years ago gives him some kind of advantage. Most of the time during these three months I was really pissed off by my inability to achieve in paint what I wanted (not to mention the bitter feeling that I was not quite sure what I actually did want). In such moments I had an enormous desire to close my eyes and have all these canvases, oil paints, brushes, easels, and palettes disappear so that I could again start dealing with ideas (mainly)˜a relatively easy (at least for me) way of working. But I kept doing the paintings, day by day, night after night, fiercely trying to accomplish them in an acceptable way for an audience like you. Why am I doing this? I had been asking myself this constantly, when one day I realized that perhaps the reason for me to keep going was that I had the little hope that all the parts missing from these romantic landscapes (…) would have a better and more interesting life when left outside the paintings.
In the 12 works making up these series there is, in fact, an absence of some of the components necessary for a correct interpretation of the messages. The missing elements (the moon, the castle, the tracks of the exhausted pilgrim, …all the profound thoughts in the philosopher´s head) have escaped the limits of the canvas, where they appeared as part of a system of signs binding them to an enclosed, meaningful world, to scatter themselves round the museological space, filling it with humorous remarks about the new situations they are experiencing. To find them and follow their explanations, the viewer is forced to assume all nature of positions.
So afterward we walked around and did a bit of shopping. Right now we are back at the hostel wasting time until we take a taxi back to the airport.
Adios Valencia! Hola England...
Update
I lost my cellphone in Valencia and I did not find out until I was at the airport. I hope yall remember to write your cellphone numbers down on paper, just in case your cellphone comes up missing.
Ok, so here's the story line. Roughly 1 year ago, an amazing woman from South Central Los Angeles decided after receiving her Master's degree to expand her horizons and venture off to London. So over the course of the next couple of years she will hope to bring two continents together through the eloquence of her words...ok that is complete and utter bullshit! Your not doing shit so just stay a minute for the hell of it!
Location: In a London borough not far away from 3 tube lines, England
About me: 1. Lover of all things Chocolate 2. Terrified of Texas flying Tree Roaches 3. New lover of roundabouts 4. The world is my oyster...w/out the fishy smell 5. God, does not like ugly...so rearrange yourself and your face
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Today is Jason´s last day at the hostel before he heads back to Germany. Jason serves in the AirForce and is a captain. We had our last breakfast/brunch with him and sent him on his way. He will definitely have many stories to tell his fellow soldiers back at the base.
We set out towards the train station to take a day trip to another nearby town. We had earlier decided on a couple of places...Requena & Sagunto. The bullring is next door to the train station, so I figured that I would finally be able get my picture taken in the middle of the bullring. No such luck. There is a circus in town and they were not allowing anyone inside unless you paid for a ticket. So instead I am pictured across the street from the bullring. Bummer.
While in the train station we run back into Jason. He was wandering around and decided to stop in. We had missed our first train to Requena and had time to spare checking out shops at the bullring, also the girls wanted crepes. We said our goodbyes to Jason AGAIN. I told him that we had already gone through the grieving process and now we had to start it all over.
Let me point out that while on the train to whereever, that I had a blonde moment. I realized that all those times in the States that I picked up Valencia oranges that they actually originate from Valencia, Spain. The train ride was absolutely relaxing. We listened to classical music through the overhead speakers while either reading or looking at all the orange groves/mini towns/ocean/mountains. Now, Lynn and Leanne are great about getting us places, so I generally take a backseat on these trips and let them do there thing. However, they have a tendency to act like men (I know this is a generalization) by getting us lost and not asking for directions until we are lost. So we did not exit the train where they wanted to get off and we ended up in Castellon. So we made the best of it and headed to the town center. Don´t bother going to Castellon for any major sightseeing, because there really isn´t anything there but a church and some statues. We had a horrible lunch and got back on the train and headed back to Valencia.
We decided that tonight would be a chill out night considering that we are heading home tomorrow. We ate a delicious, authentic Valencian meal which included Paella. Paella [pa'e a]) is a rice dish, originally from Valencia (Spain) where it is eaten especially on Sundays and during the Falles. There are many variations of it with different ingredients. The name paella is the word for "frying pan" in Valencian (from Latin patella). However, the dish has become so popular in Spain that the word paellera is now usually used for the pan and paella almost exclusively for the dish. In the Valencia area, nevertheless, the name paella is commonly used for both the pan and the dish. Paella is usually garnished with vegetables and meat or seafood. The three main ingredients are rice, saffron, and olive oil.
So we have made back to the hostel and are about to turn in for the night. Tomorrow we intend to do a little shopping and go to a modern art museum, before our flight takes off at 9 p.m.
Romantically
I talked to Juan today and we were supposed to have coffee, because he has to work tomorrow. I called twice later and sent a text message. Have not heard from him. I told you European men are interesting. Oh well, that is life.
Hasta Manana
We set out towards the train station to take a day trip to another nearby town. We had earlier decided on a couple of places...Requena & Sagunto. The bullring is next door to the train station, so I figured that I would finally be able get my picture taken in the middle of the bullring. No such luck. There is a circus in town and they were not allowing anyone inside unless you paid for a ticket. So instead I am pictured across the street from the bullring. Bummer.
While in the train station we run back into Jason. He was wandering around and decided to stop in. We had missed our first train to Requena and had time to spare checking out shops at the bullring, also the girls wanted crepes. We said our goodbyes to Jason AGAIN. I told him that we had already gone through the grieving process and now we had to start it all over.
Let me point out that while on the train to whereever, that I had a blonde moment. I realized that all those times in the States that I picked up Valencia oranges that they actually originate from Valencia, Spain. The train ride was absolutely relaxing. We listened to classical music through the overhead speakers while either reading or looking at all the orange groves/mini towns/ocean/mountains. Now, Lynn and Leanne are great about getting us places, so I generally take a backseat on these trips and let them do there thing. However, they have a tendency to act like men (I know this is a generalization) by getting us lost and not asking for directions until we are lost. So we did not exit the train where they wanted to get off and we ended up in Castellon. So we made the best of it and headed to the town center. Don´t bother going to Castellon for any major sightseeing, because there really isn´t anything there but a church and some statues. We had a horrible lunch and got back on the train and headed back to Valencia.
We decided that tonight would be a chill out night considering that we are heading home tomorrow. We ate a delicious, authentic Valencian meal which included Paella. Paella [pa'e a]) is a rice dish, originally from Valencia (Spain) where it is eaten especially on Sundays and during the Falles. There are many variations of it with different ingredients. The name paella is the word for "frying pan" in Valencian (from Latin patella). However, the dish has become so popular in Spain that the word paellera is now usually used for the pan and paella almost exclusively for the dish. In the Valencia area, nevertheless, the name paella is commonly used for both the pan and the dish. Paella is usually garnished with vegetables and meat or seafood. The three main ingredients are rice, saffron, and olive oil.
So we have made back to the hostel and are about to turn in for the night. Tomorrow we intend to do a little shopping and go to a modern art museum, before our flight takes off at 9 p.m.
Romantically
I talked to Juan today and we were supposed to have coffee, because he has to work tomorrow. I called twice later and sent a text message. Have not heard from him. I told you European men are interesting. Oh well, that is life.
Hasta Manana
posted by ReJoYcE at 10:37 pm
|
0 comments
|
0 comments
Monday, December 25, 2006
So we woke up this morning feeling like Christmas had already passed. I hope everyone in the States and in England are doing well. Yes, I do have a small number of truly English readers.
So back to our day...Lynn, always the early riser, was up, dressed and heading out the door by roughly 10 a. m. Leanne and I dragged ourselves out of bed to at least catch up with Lynn. Jason was dead to the world; he did not drag himself into the room until 7-8 a.m. We left Jason behind and went to Cafe & Te in the Plaza de Reina. We thought by the time we got back he would be ready to go...think again. Lynn got antsy and was bit by a spanish ant; so she headed out on her own to get some of the sun that we peeking through the clouds. Leanne and I headed back to Valor (chocolate coffee shop) and hung out reading books and listening to music played by local folks looking for dinero. I picked ´Who´s Afraid of Virginia Woolf´(Edward Albee) from the hostel library. I read about 63 pages, before we headed back to the hostel. We met up with Jason and headed off in search of museums. Along the way we stopped in the Gulliver´s Children´s Park. It is an abstract of Gulliver when he woke up on Lilliput and realized he was tied down by little people. Children can climb and slide down Gulliver, as a matter a fact, I did. Yall, will get to see the picture once I get back home.
After a 30-40 minute walk through the Turia riverbed, which has been converted into a beautiful park, we made it to the...
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences)
The city is ensemble of five areas in the dry river bed of the now diverted River Turia. Designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava and started in July 1996, it is an impressive example of modern architecture.
The "city" is made up of the following, usually known by their Valencian names:
El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía — Opera house and performing arts centre
L'Hemisfèric — Imax Cinema, Planetarium and Laserium
L'Umbracle — Walkway / Garden
El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe — Science museum
L'Oceanogràfic — Open-air oceanographic park
It is also surrounded by attractive streams and pools of water. It appears that locals and tourists use the area and surrounding areas of the "city" as a relaxing place to walk day or night, with an open air bar outside El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe during the evening (especially during events).
We walked around for a bit and and had dinner (pizza) in a Spanish mall. Leanne wanted to watch a movie, but the adult movies did not start until after the time we were supposed to meet back up with Lynn. We took the bus number 35 back to the hostel, but we ended up lost and back where we started. The bus driver laughed so hard at Leanne when she went to tell him we were lost that it took her forever to get back to Jason and I. We were supposed to get on bus number 95. We made it back just in time to meet Lynn at 9.
So I will update this blog entry once my day has ended...
Merry Christmas again...hugs and kisses
Update
I really can not go into great detail about the evening because I ended up extremely tipsy and fruity! Plus, we acted as if we were only about 10 years old. I ended up laughing my ass off, that at one point I fell down gracefully in front of a church (i was sober at the time). We did have a new member added to the gang...Hal. He is 22 and he went through a full range of emotions last night. We at first nicknamed him Shallow Hal (cheesy), but it was changed to Trusty Hal. Jason had a good night with a local girl, Andrea, who he ended up tonguing it up with on the dancefloor.
Good drink to order in Valencia is ´Agua de Valencia´ and it comes highly recommended.
Here are some quotes from the evening...
1. Leanne- ´it is not my fault you adopt your children from uncivilised countries´
2. Me- ´Leanne you attract men like a moth to a flame; Lynn you attract men like a fly to honey´
3. Me- ´excuse me could you please stop touching my friend!´
4. Lynn- ´oh oh oh your a trustafarian!´
5. Me- ´mom, dad can you please fire the au pair, she is drunk´
6. Leanne- ´drunk, drunker, drunkest´
7. Hal- ´I am stuck on stupid, but I am not in love with her. I just want to sit with her on the couch and watch tv. I do not care if she has a boyfriend.´
8. Me-´Juan is going to be my husband´
So back to our day...Lynn, always the early riser, was up, dressed and heading out the door by roughly 10 a. m. Leanne and I dragged ourselves out of bed to at least catch up with Lynn. Jason was dead to the world; he did not drag himself into the room until 7-8 a.m. We left Jason behind and went to Cafe & Te in the Plaza de Reina. We thought by the time we got back he would be ready to go...think again. Lynn got antsy and was bit by a spanish ant; so she headed out on her own to get some of the sun that we peeking through the clouds. Leanne and I headed back to Valor (chocolate coffee shop) and hung out reading books and listening to music played by local folks looking for dinero. I picked ´Who´s Afraid of Virginia Woolf´(Edward Albee) from the hostel library. I read about 63 pages, before we headed back to the hostel. We met up with Jason and headed off in search of museums. Along the way we stopped in the Gulliver´s Children´s Park. It is an abstract of Gulliver when he woke up on Lilliput and realized he was tied down by little people. Children can climb and slide down Gulliver, as a matter a fact, I did. Yall, will get to see the picture once I get back home.
After a 30-40 minute walk through the Turia riverbed, which has been converted into a beautiful park, we made it to the...
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences)
The city is ensemble of five areas in the dry river bed of the now diverted River Turia. Designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava and started in July 1996, it is an impressive example of modern architecture.
The "city" is made up of the following, usually known by their Valencian names:
El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía — Opera house and performing arts centre
L'Hemisfèric — Imax Cinema, Planetarium and Laserium
L'Umbracle — Walkway / Garden
El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe — Science museum
L'Oceanogràfic — Open-air oceanographic park
It is also surrounded by attractive streams and pools of water. It appears that locals and tourists use the area and surrounding areas of the "city" as a relaxing place to walk day or night, with an open air bar outside El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe during the evening (especially during events).
We walked around for a bit and and had dinner (pizza) in a Spanish mall. Leanne wanted to watch a movie, but the adult movies did not start until after the time we were supposed to meet back up with Lynn. We took the bus number 35 back to the hostel, but we ended up lost and back where we started. The bus driver laughed so hard at Leanne when she went to tell him we were lost that it took her forever to get back to Jason and I. We were supposed to get on bus number 95. We made it back just in time to meet Lynn at 9.
So I will update this blog entry once my day has ended...
Merry Christmas again...hugs and kisses
Update
I really can not go into great detail about the evening because I ended up extremely tipsy and fruity! Plus, we acted as if we were only about 10 years old. I ended up laughing my ass off, that at one point I fell down gracefully in front of a church (i was sober at the time). We did have a new member added to the gang...Hal. He is 22 and he went through a full range of emotions last night. We at first nicknamed him Shallow Hal (cheesy), but it was changed to Trusty Hal. Jason had a good night with a local girl, Andrea, who he ended up tonguing it up with on the dancefloor.
Good drink to order in Valencia is ´Agua de Valencia´ and it comes highly recommended.
Here are some quotes from the evening...
1. Leanne- ´it is not my fault you adopt your children from uncivilised countries´
2. Me- ´Leanne you attract men like a moth to a flame; Lynn you attract men like a fly to honey´
3. Me- ´excuse me could you please stop touching my friend!´
4. Lynn- ´oh oh oh your a trustafarian!´
5. Me- ´mom, dad can you please fire the au pair, she is drunk´
6. Leanne- ´drunk, drunker, drunkest´
7. Hal- ´I am stuck on stupid, but I am not in love with her. I just want to sit with her on the couch and watch tv. I do not care if she has a boyfriend.´
8. Me-´Juan is going to be my husband´
posted by ReJoYcE at 7:50 pm |
0 comments
|
0 comments
Sunday, December 24, 2006
So after staying out until 3 a.m with Jason we headed home. We had wandered around the center of Valencia checking out a couple of bars and a salsa club, Johnny Maracas. I just want yall to know that Valencia does not start rocking until after 11 p.m. and does not shut down until 8 a.m. This is when the streets are teaming with bodies. During the day there were a sprinkling of people everywhere we went. During siesta...dead.
Today, we decided to get breakfast at a local restaurant/coffee shop. L´Espresso was short on staff so we lucked out and had a wonderful waiter/cook/cashier named Jacquin. He actually lived in South Carolina for a year. He says that he still misses his Tacoma truck.
We headed towards The Cathedral and observed priests scurrying around in the midst of a service. Lynne was having Catholic flashbacks so we had to make a quick escape.
We walked through the Plaza de Virgen which is in the Old Quarter of Valencia and came upon a fountain surrounded by pigeons. The fountain is like a bronze "Falla" that honors the creativity of the Valencian character. It represents the Turia river in human form surrounded by its tributaries. This allegory made into a fountain is a monument to water and has been the subject of thousands of pictures.
I might add in here that Leanne has major issues with pigeons...psychological issues. I heard many cruel statements regarding the ´flying rats´ throughout the day. We did take a picture of a very fat pigeon that could not even be bothered to eat the scraps of food in front of him. His nickname became ´fat fuck.´
¨Just do it! Roll up your pants and go walk on water¨
We walked by an area that is covered in glass and if you look down you can see under the city. It was filled with rumble, but you could see the old structure of the city before they started 20th century modernization. The glass still held the rainfall from the previous day so it gave off a wonderful effect as the wind created ripples. Leanne and I teased Lynne about going out in to the center of the glass and standing in the middle of the water. That is until we found out how deep it actually was. Hence the quote.
Torres De Serranos
We have wonderful pictures of the two towers. They were definitely worth the hike up the stairs that kept taking my breath away. Yes, I know I should lose some weight. Damn skinny bitches! LOL! Please believe, I kept up with them AND there was a flag at the top AND I climbed a ladder to get to it. So there is a picture of me at the top of this tower hugging a flag pole. I rock!!!
Museo De Bellas Artes San Pio V
We all split up in the museum and met in the reception area and discussed our favorite paintings. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Jose de Ribera´s painting titled Saint Sebastian Nursed by the Devote Irene and her Maid. If anything the sharp contrast of the body and background immediately caught my attention. Then I had to sit down and truly soak in the way in which the artist was able to depict the human body is such a realistic manner. I literally could feel the pain being suffered by San Sebastian. Whoever he is...got to go look him up.
Lynne´s paintings was a depiction of Mary Magdalene by Jusepe de Ribera (1600´s) in which she is sitting with a skull in her hand. Her face is staring upward and if you look at the painting closely you can see a singular tear near her eye. We managed to sneak off a couple of pictures without getting caught. Leanne´s painting was El Pueblo by Orts-Bosch. I need to get some information about this painting.
Mar Mediterraneo
Lynne, Leanne, Jason and I walked along the beach, took pictures with some boats, picked up some seashells and left quickly because it was cold. We ate at a nearby restaurant and had some authentic Spainish food. I had a wonderful chocolate mousse that was literally hell in a glass. It felt good to be sinful.
We took the metro train back to the hostel, got off, walked some blocks, went grocery shopping, went back to the hostel, had a two hour siesta, woke up and went out in search of food. The grocery trip was necessary because we were informed that it would be next to impossible to find anything open on Christmas Day. So we bought all kinds of vegetarian (Leanne) inspired foods (crackers, cheese, grapes, french bread, vegetables) and wine (no I am not a wine lover) in preparation of a retail blackout. So when we ventured out later thinking that it should not be hard to find food on Christmas Eve. Forgive me, but I am not Catholic, so how was I supposed to know about Midnight Mass? Nothing was open except for a lone pizza shop. We waited two hours outside thinking we were going to be seated...nah the Italian cook did not have a dishwasher and there was only one waitress. However, we hung out with some English, Germans, New Zealanders and two Italian women (Fredrica and Martinawho told us a hard luck story)outside of the pizzeria. The English were on a binge drinking mission, which after living in the country, disturbs me less each day.
We kidnapped Fredrica and Martina back to the hostel, while Jason went off in search of Midnight Mass. We snuck the girls into the hostel and chilled out in the common area. We shared wine and snacks from the vending machine before they were picked up by a friend. Jason decided that the night was still young and that we needed to go up to the nearest bar, La Claca. Mind you it was 2 a.m. I ended up talking to our bartender at the hostel (yes our hostel had a bar) and got a lift with him up to La Claca while they walked. My feet were killing me from earlier.
Upon getting to La Claca I met up with the gang and was introduced to Juan. Juan who is about 6ft 2in, head full of dark hair, 28 yrs old works at as a pruchasing manager for an IT international company and shucks he was kind of cute. Needless to say Juan and I talked for the majority of the time I was there. I got his cellphone, personal phone number and his email address. Let me say that it is unclear if he is attracted to me, because European men are friendly so body language does not always proclaim what the mind is thinking. Damn.
Today, we decided to get breakfast at a local restaurant/coffee shop. L´Espresso was short on staff so we lucked out and had a wonderful waiter/cook/cashier named Jacquin. He actually lived in South Carolina for a year. He says that he still misses his Tacoma truck.
We headed towards The Cathedral and observed priests scurrying around in the midst of a service. Lynne was having Catholic flashbacks so we had to make a quick escape.
We walked through the Plaza de Virgen which is in the Old Quarter of Valencia and came upon a fountain surrounded by pigeons. The fountain is like a bronze "Falla" that honors the creativity of the Valencian character. It represents the Turia river in human form surrounded by its tributaries. This allegory made into a fountain is a monument to water and has been the subject of thousands of pictures.
I might add in here that Leanne has major issues with pigeons...psychological issues. I heard many cruel statements regarding the ´flying rats´ throughout the day. We did take a picture of a very fat pigeon that could not even be bothered to eat the scraps of food in front of him. His nickname became ´fat fuck.´
¨Just do it! Roll up your pants and go walk on water¨
We walked by an area that is covered in glass and if you look down you can see under the city. It was filled with rumble, but you could see the old structure of the city before they started 20th century modernization. The glass still held the rainfall from the previous day so it gave off a wonderful effect as the wind created ripples. Leanne and I teased Lynne about going out in to the center of the glass and standing in the middle of the water. That is until we found out how deep it actually was. Hence the quote.
Torres De Serranos
We have wonderful pictures of the two towers. They were definitely worth the hike up the stairs that kept taking my breath away. Yes, I know I should lose some weight. Damn skinny bitches! LOL! Please believe, I kept up with them AND there was a flag at the top AND I climbed a ladder to get to it. So there is a picture of me at the top of this tower hugging a flag pole. I rock!!!
Museo De Bellas Artes San Pio V
We all split up in the museum and met in the reception area and discussed our favorite paintings. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Jose de Ribera´s painting titled Saint Sebastian Nursed by the Devote Irene and her Maid. If anything the sharp contrast of the body and background immediately caught my attention. Then I had to sit down and truly soak in the way in which the artist was able to depict the human body is such a realistic manner. I literally could feel the pain being suffered by San Sebastian. Whoever he is...got to go look him up.
Lynne´s paintings was a depiction of Mary Magdalene by Jusepe de Ribera (1600´s) in which she is sitting with a skull in her hand. Her face is staring upward and if you look at the painting closely you can see a singular tear near her eye. We managed to sneak off a couple of pictures without getting caught. Leanne´s painting was El Pueblo by Orts-Bosch. I need to get some information about this painting.
Mar Mediterraneo
Lynne, Leanne, Jason and I walked along the beach, took pictures with some boats, picked up some seashells and left quickly because it was cold. We ate at a nearby restaurant and had some authentic Spainish food. I had a wonderful chocolate mousse that was literally hell in a glass. It felt good to be sinful.
We took the metro train back to the hostel, got off, walked some blocks, went grocery shopping, went back to the hostel, had a two hour siesta, woke up and went out in search of food. The grocery trip was necessary because we were informed that it would be next to impossible to find anything open on Christmas Day. So we bought all kinds of vegetarian (Leanne) inspired foods (crackers, cheese, grapes, french bread, vegetables) and wine (no I am not a wine lover) in preparation of a retail blackout. So when we ventured out later thinking that it should not be hard to find food on Christmas Eve. Forgive me, but I am not Catholic, so how was I supposed to know about Midnight Mass? Nothing was open except for a lone pizza shop. We waited two hours outside thinking we were going to be seated...nah the Italian cook did not have a dishwasher and there was only one waitress. However, we hung out with some English, Germans, New Zealanders and two Italian women (Fredrica and Martinawho told us a hard luck story)outside of the pizzeria. The English were on a binge drinking mission, which after living in the country, disturbs me less each day.
We kidnapped Fredrica and Martina back to the hostel, while Jason went off in search of Midnight Mass. We snuck the girls into the hostel and chilled out in the common area. We shared wine and snacks from the vending machine before they were picked up by a friend. Jason decided that the night was still young and that we needed to go up to the nearest bar, La Claca. Mind you it was 2 a.m. I ended up talking to our bartender at the hostel (yes our hostel had a bar) and got a lift with him up to La Claca while they walked. My feet were killing me from earlier.
Upon getting to La Claca I met up with the gang and was introduced to Juan. Juan who is about 6ft 2in, head full of dark hair, 28 yrs old works at as a pruchasing manager for an IT international company and shucks he was kind of cute. Needless to say Juan and I talked for the majority of the time I was there. I got his cellphone, personal phone number and his email address. Let me say that it is unclear if he is attracted to me, because European men are friendly so body language does not always proclaim what the mind is thinking. Damn.
Well, around 3 am the girls and I started getting tired so we headed back to the hostel. Jason and Juan headed out elsewhere to extend the wild night.
posted by ReJoYcE at 7:11 pm |
0 comments
|
0 comments
Saturday, December 23, 2006
So our arrival into Valencia was a bit disappointing. I left England to get away for the 30 degree (-2 C) weather, pea soup fog, on/off again rain, ice slicked roads and my job. I looked out my window on the plane and was not pleased to see the droplets of H2O slowly landing on the ground. Damn! Valencia was expected to be around 50-60 degrees. As we (Lynn, Leanne and I) walked out of the airport I was once again disappointed to see people dressed exactly like the folks I left behind. All bundled up with boots, heavy coats and scarfs wrapped around their respective faces. Oh well.
We took a bus to the train station and walked a billion million miles to the hostel. Once again Lynn and Leanne were being secretive about the distance in hopes of not dissuading me from walking. I trudged, cold, cranky, still trying to get over a head cold to the doors of the Purple Nest hostel. It is quite a lovely place with brightly colored hands all over the walls. I have heard the staff here are all locals, unlike The Yellow Hostel in Rome which is completely staffed with either Americans or Australians. Our room came with a nice guy from Minnesota. Jason aka The Cleaner was asleep when arrived and I had to warn him that I snore. My intention was to let the girls go off and explore while I remained behind to catch up on some well needed sleep. I did not want to be out here with an immune system that was being driven by a physically exhausted individual. This past week has been hell on my body. Especially when you have a teenage client that has more shoes and stuff than Imelda Marcos and you have moved her at least 3 times in one week. Plus I moved from Ilford back out to Southend.
So Jason and I had a couple of good hours worth of sleep before I later ventured off to find la tienda de cigaros (cigarette store). Be very proud of me, because I actually ventured off by myself. Those years of growing up with Latinos, having Latino boyfriends and friends, and high school Spanish came in handy. However, I never found the store. I returned back to the hostel to meet back up with the girls and Jason (who we have adopted into our crew). We went walking in search of food. Let me tell you...when these folks take a siesta they really take a siesta. I lot of places were closed and had not intentions of opening back up until 6 p.m.
We ate and later went to a chocolate shop. It served the most delicious chocolate drinks! We are definitely going to make it an after dinner spot for the next couple of days.
Jason and I are on a mission to find a salsa club, while the girls head to bed early.
Adios mis amigos.
We took a bus to the train station and walked a billion million miles to the hostel. Once again Lynn and Leanne were being secretive about the distance in hopes of not dissuading me from walking. I trudged, cold, cranky, still trying to get over a head cold to the doors of the Purple Nest hostel. It is quite a lovely place with brightly colored hands all over the walls. I have heard the staff here are all locals, unlike The Yellow Hostel in Rome which is completely staffed with either Americans or Australians. Our room came with a nice guy from Minnesota. Jason aka The Cleaner was asleep when arrived and I had to warn him that I snore. My intention was to let the girls go off and explore while I remained behind to catch up on some well needed sleep. I did not want to be out here with an immune system that was being driven by a physically exhausted individual. This past week has been hell on my body. Especially when you have a teenage client that has more shoes and stuff than Imelda Marcos and you have moved her at least 3 times in one week. Plus I moved from Ilford back out to Southend.
So Jason and I had a couple of good hours worth of sleep before I later ventured off to find la tienda de cigaros (cigarette store). Be very proud of me, because I actually ventured off by myself. Those years of growing up with Latinos, having Latino boyfriends and friends, and high school Spanish came in handy. However, I never found the store. I returned back to the hostel to meet back up with the girls and Jason (who we have adopted into our crew). We went walking in search of food. Let me tell you...when these folks take a siesta they really take a siesta. I lot of places were closed and had not intentions of opening back up until 6 p.m.
We ate and later went to a chocolate shop. It served the most delicious chocolate drinks! We are definitely going to make it an after dinner spot for the next couple of days.
Jason and I are on a mission to find a salsa club, while the girls head to bed early.
Adios mis amigos.
posted by ReJoYcE at 7:10 pm |
0 comments
|
0 comments
ReJoYcE!!!I had fun watching the slides, but hmm . . . think of other words to describe your thoughts. J/k. So what have you been up to? It seems that you are enjoying England so much that you have forgotten all about us in the states. I meant to ask, what happens in England on Thanksgiving? Nothing I imagine. Just wondering. Well I hope to talk to you soon, even if for just a few minutes. I just want you to know that I often think about you and I say a prayer for your well being and success. I think fondly of the times we had in Austin and here in Houston. I miss you. I am working on getting some pictures together so that you can see what I am doing here. Love ya, Jackie
Okay so this is an email from one of my closest friends aka my childhood chum.
1.The reason there are Hmmm... on the Spain pictures are because I did not know where I was at the time. So instead of falsely identifying a picture, I left it pure and simple.
2. They do not celebrate Thanksgiving in this country. To be perfectly honest, I actually forgot it was Thanksgiving until my folks from the States sent emails telling me "Happy Thanksgiving." If you really give it a moments thought... why would they celebrate it. It has absolutely nothing to do with them...other than them desperately wanting to be American. I am only joking! Trip this...some folks actually celebrate Independence Day...Go Figure!
2. Jackie, sweetie you are missed sooooo much and I appreciate you checking in. We had some amazing times in Austin, which will go down in history. I am changing slowly but surely out here and it has definitely been the experience of a lifetime. I am glad that Tiffany said those poignant words 'if you come home no one will think any differently of you." This is has been ............. (fill in the blank) I wish I did this 5-7 years ago. Although, I was a different person then.
44 minutes before I have to leave for the airport...3 hours and 14 minutes before my flight takes off for Spain!!!!
Did I mention the fog....It is like pea soup...Triple fricking fracking Ugh!!! I drove in it today.
Tell Ms. Sarah I said "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" and drink a Long Island Ice Tea for me!
Okay so this is an email from one of my closest friends aka my childhood chum.
1.The reason there are Hmmm... on the Spain pictures are because I did not know where I was at the time. So instead of falsely identifying a picture, I left it pure and simple.
2. They do not celebrate Thanksgiving in this country. To be perfectly honest, I actually forgot it was Thanksgiving until my folks from the States sent emails telling me "Happy Thanksgiving." If you really give it a moments thought... why would they celebrate it. It has absolutely nothing to do with them...other than them desperately wanting to be American. I am only joking! Trip this...some folks actually celebrate Independence Day...Go Figure!
2. Jackie, sweetie you are missed sooooo much and I appreciate you checking in. We had some amazing times in Austin, which will go down in history. I am changing slowly but surely out here and it has definitely been the experience of a lifetime. I am glad that Tiffany said those poignant words 'if you come home no one will think any differently of you." This is has been ............. (fill in the blank) I wish I did this 5-7 years ago. Although, I was a different person then.
44 minutes before I have to leave for the airport...3 hours and 14 minutes before my flight takes off for Spain!!!!
Did I mention the fog....It is like pea soup...Triple fricking fracking Ugh!!! I drove in it today.
Tell Ms. Sarah I said "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" and drink a Long Island Ice Tea for me!
posted by ReJoYcE at 3:29 am |
0 comments
|
0 comments
Friday, December 22, 2006
Panarama view of the cityBullring....I am going to try to get a picture of myself right smack in the middle of this ring.
I still owe you guys my personal pics from Rome, those are still coming! Merry Christmass yall!!!
posted by ReJoYcE at 8:48 am |
0 comments
|
0 comments
Monday, December 18, 2006
So this Saturday I went out with Lynn, Becky and one of Becky's co-workers on a nice 3 hour drive to Birmingham. I saw so many sheep on the way that I was even tempted to do a bit of theivery. God knows where I would have put one of them.
Birmingham History Lesson
The name of Birmingham indicates that in Saxon times the family (ing) of Berm (man’s name) made their Ham (home) here. This was probably in a clearing on the outskirts of the Forest of Arden, the largest of Britain’s forests or royal hunting grounds (Sutton Park, near Birmingham, is a remnant of this forest). During the last five centuries it has been variously written Brumwycheham, Bermyngeham, Bremingeham. Bromwychham, Burmyngham, Bermyngham, Byrmyngham and Birmingham. Even as late as the seventeenth century it was written Bromicham. The word Brom comes from Broom a shrub, for the growth of which the soil is favourable and Wych, a descent, this corresponds with the descent from High Street to Digbeth.
The first official mention of Birmingham occurs in Domesday Book in which the Manor of Birmingham is thus described:— ‘‘Richard holds of William four hides in Bremingeham. The arable employs six ploughs; one is in the demesne. There are five villeins andd four bordars with two ploughs. Wood half a mile long and four furlongs broad. It was and is worth 20s."
There is more to the story to so go find it yourself...LOL!
Frankfurt Christmas Market
We actually went out ot Birmingham to attende the German or otherwise known as the Frankfurt Christmas Market held in the middle of the town centre. With over 80 stalls, this is the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria. It’s a great place to look for unusual gifts including toys, candles, glasswork, decorations, textiles and lacework. Warming food and drink is on sale including Bratwurst, roasted chestnuts and Glühwein.
I ate myself to death. I admit to loving markets.
Romantically,
Well lest just say that I have finally sowed my oats on this here olde English land. Big D (yes, he did come back on the scene all out to the blue) decided to give me three lovely early Christmas presents and two were quite mindblowing. Hmmm...did not see a bit of that English reserve when the lights went off. Hehehehe....
Also there was a nice Christmas party a couple of weeks ago in which a nice bloke decided that he was hungry and wanted me as his main course. I know, I know too much info. I tried to not be too blunt. So in essence I am quite content at the moment.
Hey my flatmate turned out to be from hell so I had to move out today on the sly. Will send out new contact information soon. Ugh I never saw it coming. The heifer was crazy. Corinna don't say anything!
5 more days until I head out to Spain, Valencia to be precise!
Birmingham History Lesson
The name of Birmingham indicates that in Saxon times the family (ing) of Berm (man’s name) made their Ham (home) here. This was probably in a clearing on the outskirts of the Forest of Arden, the largest of Britain’s forests or royal hunting grounds (Sutton Park, near Birmingham, is a remnant of this forest). During the last five centuries it has been variously written Brumwycheham, Bermyngeham, Bremingeham. Bromwychham, Burmyngham, Bermyngham, Byrmyngham and Birmingham. Even as late as the seventeenth century it was written Bromicham. The word Brom comes from Broom a shrub, for the growth of which the soil is favourable and Wych, a descent, this corresponds with the descent from High Street to Digbeth.
The first official mention of Birmingham occurs in Domesday Book in which the Manor of Birmingham is thus described:— ‘‘Richard holds of William four hides in Bremingeham. The arable employs six ploughs; one is in the demesne. There are five villeins andd four bordars with two ploughs. Wood half a mile long and four furlongs broad. It was and is worth 20s."
There is more to the story to so go find it yourself...LOL!
Frankfurt Christmas Market
We actually went out ot Birmingham to attende the German or otherwise known as the Frankfurt Christmas Market held in the middle of the town centre. With over 80 stalls, this is the largest authentic German Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria. It’s a great place to look for unusual gifts including toys, candles, glasswork, decorations, textiles and lacework. Warming food and drink is on sale including Bratwurst, roasted chestnuts and Glühwein.
I ate myself to death. I admit to loving markets.
Romantically,
Well lest just say that I have finally sowed my oats on this here olde English land. Big D (yes, he did come back on the scene all out to the blue) decided to give me three lovely early Christmas presents and two were quite mindblowing. Hmmm...did not see a bit of that English reserve when the lights went off. Hehehehe....
Also there was a nice Christmas party a couple of weeks ago in which a nice bloke decided that he was hungry and wanted me as his main course. I know, I know too much info. I tried to not be too blunt. So in essence I am quite content at the moment.
Hey my flatmate turned out to be from hell so I had to move out today on the sly. Will send out new contact information soon. Ugh I never saw it coming. The heifer was crazy. Corinna don't say anything!
5 more days until I head out to Spain, Valencia to be precise!
Labels: Birmingham, England
posted by ReJoYcE at 6:35 pm |
0 comments
|
0 comments
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Hey yall! I know that I have been out the mix for a while, however it is not my fault. So the situation is that I recently moved in with this Black British chick that does not have internet. So no late night blogging for me. Plus the fact that work has been hectic and I am up to 12 cases now and I have total of 25 in my future. I am hanging in there, but hey, what can I say...life is giving me a run for my money. I am still salsa dancing on Mondays and getting pretty good at it. I have started going to a different salsa club on Wednesdays. One of my salsa teachers works at both places. I am meeting wonderful people and there is one pub that I frequent in which people know me by sight now. Not that it is that hard to miss me, considering that that my cuteness stops people in their tracks. Oh by the way this is a semi drunken post. So forgive me for my conceitedness. LOL!!!!
Romance
So last Friday I went out with Leanne to the local wine bar in Bishop Strotford and met a bartender that is the nephew of the owner. Boy, when I say that I was fucked up...I was! It was a whole lot of liquor (Quadruple shots of Jack Daniels, shots of Sambuca, and a bottle of champagne) flowing heavily, and I only paid for one drink. It appears, according to Leanne,that the bartender had a bit of a thing for me. Who am I to judge good taste:) We met his friend who I initially thought had tourettes and come to find out he had a chemically induced tourettes aka he sniffs cocaine. That guy asked to have sex with me and Leanne. Double ugh!!! He was soap opera good looking, but tourettes is not a cute thing to have. Another guy in the pub sat next to me and proceeded to tell me that he had been accused of many things. Can we guess what they could be???? Hmmmm...how about being a pedophile and having sex with underage girls. I had to inform the bloke that I was a social worker and that is his disclosure did not fly right with me. He eventually left and Leanne and I closed out the bar with my bartender and his cocaine induced tourettes friend. Needless to say, my bartender got quite drunk and his friend fell off the barstool flat on his back, so we had to call it an early night. The tourettes guy sent me a text and so I feel that it is a given I might meet my bartender again. Hmmm...stay tuned for that update.
I saw PMD this weekend, as well, to give him back his tupperware dish. He asked me again about something happening between us and I had to let him know that I was not interested. I will be straight with yall...he scares me! Have you ever met a man or a woman that looks at you so sensually (with bedroom eyes) that it lets you know that you will be in a world of trouble if you messed around with them? That is PMD's problem. He appears a bit too freaky deaky for me. Not that I can not hold my own, but damn. I am turning into a wuss. I admit it. Only thing is that I actually am more stubborn than anything else. When PMD told me that I would want to date him after our first group date, I kind of made it my mission to say 'no.' While at his house I could not stop giggling or look him in the eyes. Shit 30 is right around the corner...what is this giggling shit and the undercover blushing. I will have to work on that.
To all my beloved friends
You guys have been making it hard for me to stay in the UK. I want to come home to hold and hug yall. I want to say 'baby it will be okay.' I miss yall and some of the shit yall are going through is breaking my heart. I can't make yall stop and I can't make yall's pain go away.
Once love looked upon me and smiled.
I was fine to continue on with glee
Once my friend hugged me and told me I meant the world to them
I was fine to puff my chest out and think that nothing in the world could stop me
Once my heart found a family that would love me eternally
I was fine to be the person that I always wanted to be
The day my love left
I was fine to continue on because I still had my friends and family
The day my friends leave, then I know that I am left with nothing
The day my friends feel pain, is the day that I feel sorrow
I am unable to take their pain away
I weep for their pain hurts so deep
Deeper than any knife a surgeon may wield
I want to wrap them in the love that I have offer
However, I am human
And it is not enough
I LOVE YALL...KEEP YOUR HEADS UP AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES. DAMMIT!!!!
Romance
So last Friday I went out with Leanne to the local wine bar in Bishop Strotford and met a bartender that is the nephew of the owner. Boy, when I say that I was fucked up...I was! It was a whole lot of liquor (Quadruple shots of Jack Daniels, shots of Sambuca, and a bottle of champagne) flowing heavily, and I only paid for one drink. It appears, according to Leanne,that the bartender had a bit of a thing for me. Who am I to judge good taste:) We met his friend who I initially thought had tourettes and come to find out he had a chemically induced tourettes aka he sniffs cocaine. That guy asked to have sex with me and Leanne. Double ugh!!! He was soap opera good looking, but tourettes is not a cute thing to have. Another guy in the pub sat next to me and proceeded to tell me that he had been accused of many things. Can we guess what they could be???? Hmmmm...how about being a pedophile and having sex with underage girls. I had to inform the bloke that I was a social worker and that is his disclosure did not fly right with me. He eventually left and Leanne and I closed out the bar with my bartender and his cocaine induced tourettes friend. Needless to say, my bartender got quite drunk and his friend fell off the barstool flat on his back, so we had to call it an early night. The tourettes guy sent me a text and so I feel that it is a given I might meet my bartender again. Hmmm...stay tuned for that update.
I saw PMD this weekend, as well, to give him back his tupperware dish. He asked me again about something happening between us and I had to let him know that I was not interested. I will be straight with yall...he scares me! Have you ever met a man or a woman that looks at you so sensually (with bedroom eyes) that it lets you know that you will be in a world of trouble if you messed around with them? That is PMD's problem. He appears a bit too freaky deaky for me. Not that I can not hold my own, but damn. I am turning into a wuss. I admit it. Only thing is that I actually am more stubborn than anything else. When PMD told me that I would want to date him after our first group date, I kind of made it my mission to say 'no.' While at his house I could not stop giggling or look him in the eyes. Shit 30 is right around the corner...what is this giggling shit and the undercover blushing. I will have to work on that.
To all my beloved friends
You guys have been making it hard for me to stay in the UK. I want to come home to hold and hug yall. I want to say 'baby it will be okay.' I miss yall and some of the shit yall are going through is breaking my heart. I can't make yall stop and I can't make yall's pain go away.
Once love looked upon me and smiled.
I was fine to continue on with glee
Once my friend hugged me and told me I meant the world to them
I was fine to puff my chest out and think that nothing in the world could stop me
Once my heart found a family that would love me eternally
I was fine to be the person that I always wanted to be
The day my love left
I was fine to continue on because I still had my friends and family
The day my friends leave, then I know that I am left with nothing
The day my friends feel pain, is the day that I feel sorrow
I am unable to take their pain away
I weep for their pain hurts so deep
Deeper than any knife a surgeon may wield
I want to wrap them in the love that I have offer
However, I am human
And it is not enough
I LOVE YALL...KEEP YOUR HEADS UP AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES. DAMMIT!!!!
posted by ReJoYcE at 1:07 am |
0 comments
|
0 comments