Because I cannot sum up my experience and thoughts of Spain so eloquently I chose a passage from Laurie Lee's- A Rose for Winter.
"Perched in this southern town, one's thoughts already moving towards home, one felt intensely the great square weight of Spain stretching away north behind one; felt all there was to leave, from these palm-fringed tropic shores to the misty hills of Bilbao; the plains of la Mancha, Sierras of pine and snow, the golden villages perched on their gorges, wine smells of noon and sweet wood smoke of evening, the strings of mules crawling through huge brown landscapes, the rarity of grass, the wood ploughs scratching the dusty fields, and the families at evening sitting down to their plates of beans. One heard the silences of the sierras, the cracking of sun-burnt rocks, the sharp jungle voices of the women, the tavern-murmur of the men, the love songs of the girls rising at dawn, the sobbing of asses and whine of hungry dogs. Spain of cathedrals, palaces, caves and hovels; of blood-stained bull-rings and prison-yards; of weeping Virgins, tortured Christs, acid humour and incomparable song- all this lay anchored between the great troughs of its mountains, locked in its local dialects, bound by its own sad pride.
Spain is but Spain, and belongs nowhere but where it is. It is neither Catholic nor European but a structure of its own, forged from an African-Iberian past which exists in its own austere reality and rejects all short-cuts to a smoother life. Let the dollars come, the atom-bomb air-bases blast their way through the white-walled towns, the people, I feel, will remain unawed, their lips unstained by chemical juices, their girls unslakced, and their music unswung. For they posses a natural resistance to civilization's more superficial seductions, based partly on the power of their own poetry, and partly on their incorruptible sense of humour and dignity."
Friday, December 17, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
1938- advice given to women- Is this for real?
The 1938 version of a Cosmo Magazine advice article? At least in 1938 you could spot the blatant degradation of women instead of the subtle degradation in today's media! Mmm right thank god it's not 1938.
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| Do your dressing in your boudoir to keep your allure. Be ready to go when your date arrives; don't keep him waiting. Greet him with a smile! |
Monday, December 6, 2010
Spanish Culture
This trip to Europe is my first experience with extended immersion in a different culture. Although I might argue that some places in the US have given me more of a culture shock then Europe has. Maybe that's because I knew what to expect here. You don't always know what to expect in rural America. I digress. I mainly just want to point out some things I find unique about the Spanish culture.
1. These are some proud people. Especially proud of their region. I've traveled to 8-9 cities within Spain and they are all so drastically different. Different tongues, foods, traditions. There are 17 autonomous regions.
2. Schedule:
3.They eat a tiny breakfast in the morning. For example cereal in a cup or a small pastry maybe a piece of fruit and coffee.
4. Then they don't eat until 2! I still haven't figured out how they go that long off a small breakfast. The lunch is always huge though. Being in Cantabria I eat fish for almost every lunch and dinner. They serve a lot of veggies, soups, rice, and always patatas (french fries). The only dressing you'll find is oil and vinegar. They also love their white bread. A baguette is served with everything.
5. Siesta is an after lunch nap. Almost all shops are closed. Everyone gets some down time.
6. Living here has been the slowest place and most relaxing three moths. People enjoy, covet food and sleep. They enjoy everything to the fullest. If there is ever an excuse for a Fiesta they'll take it.
7. My favorite is Tapas for dinner starting at 10! My favorite food here is the Spanish tortilla. I'm determined to learn how to make it back in the states.
8. In the cafeteria at school all of the Spanish kids eat together and they all get up to leave at the same time. If someone leaves before everyone is done they tap their glasses and cuss at that person. A little intense but I love that the meal time is still about community, about being together, about socializing. In the states everyone is on their own rushed schedule.
9. There are strikes in Spain Monthly.
10. It's common place to see the old men taking a strolls and hear them singing old songs. This is by far my favorite thing about Spain!
11. People don't go out on the town until 12. They don't make it home until 4am or later. Again I'm still trying to figure out how they wake up in a timely fashion.
12. Men and women Do not make much physical contact when dancing, unlike the full on grind dance of Americans. We learned this the embarrassing way our first night in Madrid.
13. Everything is on a smaller scale like doorways, ceilings, archways. It's not even like everyone is short here though. hmm.
14. The men are really into their looks.
15. It's normal to live with your parents until you are in your 30's.
16. PDA is a way of life (probably because everyone lives with their parents)
17. It's rare to be invited into the house of a Spaniard. Meeting places are all in the plazas and streets.
18. They listen to a lot of American music.
19. There are dead hams hanging everywhere.
20. Yesterday I was at a sandwich place, and their "vegetable" sandwich had Ham in it. It's impossible to be a vegetarian here.
21. All the showers are hand held.
I'll keep adding to the list as I think of things!
1. These are some proud people. Especially proud of their region. I've traveled to 8-9 cities within Spain and they are all so drastically different. Different tongues, foods, traditions. There are 17 autonomous regions.
2. Schedule:
3.They eat a tiny breakfast in the morning. For example cereal in a cup or a small pastry maybe a piece of fruit and coffee.
4. Then they don't eat until 2! I still haven't figured out how they go that long off a small breakfast. The lunch is always huge though. Being in Cantabria I eat fish for almost every lunch and dinner. They serve a lot of veggies, soups, rice, and always patatas (french fries). The only dressing you'll find is oil and vinegar. They also love their white bread. A baguette is served with everything.
5. Siesta is an after lunch nap. Almost all shops are closed. Everyone gets some down time.
6. Living here has been the slowest place and most relaxing three moths. People enjoy, covet food and sleep. They enjoy everything to the fullest. If there is ever an excuse for a Fiesta they'll take it.
7. My favorite is Tapas for dinner starting at 10! My favorite food here is the Spanish tortilla. I'm determined to learn how to make it back in the states.
 | |
| It's like an omelet with potatoes |
9. There are strikes in Spain Monthly.
10. It's common place to see the old men taking a strolls and hear them singing old songs. This is by far my favorite thing about Spain!
11. People don't go out on the town until 12. They don't make it home until 4am or later. Again I'm still trying to figure out how they wake up in a timely fashion.
12. Men and women Do not make much physical contact when dancing, unlike the full on grind dance of Americans. We learned this the embarrassing way our first night in Madrid.
13. Everything is on a smaller scale like doorways, ceilings, archways. It's not even like everyone is short here though. hmm.
14. The men are really into their looks.
15. It's normal to live with your parents until you are in your 30's.
16. PDA is a way of life (probably because everyone lives with their parents)
17. It's rare to be invited into the house of a Spaniard. Meeting places are all in the plazas and streets.
18. They listen to a lot of American music.
19. There are dead hams hanging everywhere.
20. Yesterday I was at a sandwich place, and their "vegetable" sandwich had Ham in it. It's impossible to be a vegetarian here.
21. All the showers are hand held.
I'll keep adding to the list as I think of things!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Eat, Pray, Love
“A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. A soul mate’s purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, and make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life.”
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Social Communication Project
In the heart of the Milan shopping district we stumbled upon an exhibit called, "The Social Communication Project." What first caught my attention was pictures depicting the mafia. Upon closer inspection I realized it was a campaign encouraging people to stand up against the mafia! I've had quite a few conversation about the mafia with various Italians friends after this encounter. They've told me about the corruption in the south and a reality that the mafia is still interlaced in their government. Que mal!
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| The banana signifies the cause of trouble. Or something to that end. |
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| "Do not be afraid of teasing the Mafia." |
The mafia posters are what first caught my attention but the social communication project had exhibits of so many different campaigns. It was really cool because most of them were slightly obscure. The exhibits were creative and really got people attention. There was a whole sidewalk length of exhibits.
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| Raising awareness of the extinction of Tigers |
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| The poverty compared to America... |
Italia
I don't know how long I've been longing, yearning to go to Italy- Let's just say since the day I could say cappuccino. So for the first time I embarked to Milan, Italy with two of my amigas, high hopes, and my incredibly small ryaniar approved luggage. And by luggage I mean school backpack. This proposed 2 problems. One I've never packed that lightly and 2 we were headed to the fashion capital....with no room to bring fashionable clothes. Minor setback. The first night we stayed in Bergamo and the next day we took a day trip to Lake Como. It was a perfect sunny day and the town was simply enchanting. That evening we boarded the train to Milan with no real idea of where we would end up sleeping that night. It's quite hard to navigate a strange city with a language barrier and shotty iphone wifi service. Simultaneously one of us would ask direction in spanish, english and broken Itanlian. And by broken Italian I mean all we knew how to say was D'ove(where).
After a lot of aimless walking and a pick-me-up gelato we ended up at a low scale hotel (as there are NO hostels in Milan). We ended up bartering with a less then pleased hotel staff but eventually got a decent room rate. Lets just say they weren't pleased with us. We started the first night in a suite with a terazza and 3 beds...only to end up the 3rd night in a one bed, no toilet, shackle of a room. Each night they offered the same rate, 25 euros. Who knows.
Regardless I became absolutely enchanted with Milan. During the days we walked the city, gaped at the architecture, studied the fashion and ate pizza like pros. During the nights we hung out with our Italian friends (Friends of my good friend Zack Cram). Real nice people. They took us to a happenin club the first night where we had drinks and great conversation. The next night we ordered in pizza and played their favorite American drinking game(kings) (I don't think there is such a thing as Italian drinking games). The last night they cooked us authentic Italian pasta and fish. We love those Italian men, so appreciative of them for showing us a good time and for showing us their city!
We were living the good life until we ended up sleeping in the airport to save money the last night. Reality sunk in but not without a few good laughs and the company of some nice french boys. The whole Milan airport was lined with traveling overnighters. We could barley find a spot to post up!
After a lot of aimless walking and a pick-me-up gelato we ended up at a low scale hotel (as there are NO hostels in Milan). We ended up bartering with a less then pleased hotel staff but eventually got a decent room rate. Lets just say they weren't pleased with us. We started the first night in a suite with a terazza and 3 beds...only to end up the 3rd night in a one bed, no toilet, shackle of a room. Each night they offered the same rate, 25 euros. Who knows.
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| Lake Como |
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| Our Italian friends! The best company and the best pizza! |
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Anit-Ad
Some of El Grupo decided to set out on the town for a Friday night Dinner. We were craving anything Italian or Mexican and happened upon a tiny pizzeria called Sal y Pimiento. It was super quaint and cute. We were all starved and each of us got a personal size pizza. Along with the house vino de roja y vino de blanco. It hit the spot! I ordered the pizza americana, however it look like something I would never come across in America; pizza with ham and egg, breakfast pizza? It was delicious.
And the walls at the restaurant were decorated with what I would like to call the anti-ads. They were tiny pictures going for about 20-60 euros a piece! A mock on marketing....Take a look.
There were SO many more that I wanted to take pictures of but the group was getting ready to sit down and I didn't want to be an obnoxious American in this local restaurante.
And the walls at the restaurant were decorated with what I would like to call the anti-ads. They were tiny pictures going for about 20-60 euros a piece! A mock on marketing....Take a look.
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| Play on Apple slogan. Upside down apple. Reads iCojones. Which means balls. |
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| An activia yogurt top. Notice 48 Euros for just the 1st of the sequence. I'm not the best with Spanish slang but the first one says something along the lines of A yogurt that makes you shit. The second one is a rectal suppository that says Where Activia fails! haha. |
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| Mock ad of Louis Vuitton. |
There were SO many more that I wanted to take pictures of but the group was getting ready to sit down and I didn't want to be an obnoxious American in this local restaurante.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Picos de Europa
First blog! My sister sent me on my travels with a notebook and the demand that I write about all my adventures. She also insisted that I send her constant email updates. Hopefully this blog will kill two birds with one stone. So here goes. I've been in Spain for about 3 weeks but I'll dive right in with the latest.
This morning we made the nearly 2 hour bus ride to Picos de Europa, "Peaks of Europe." It is a range of mountains about 20 km inland from the northern coast, forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains. The Picos span across three northern regions (Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y Leon).
We made our way through the narrow and windy roads to the base of The Picos, in what was a very panic induced bus ride with a speedster Spaniard behind the wheel. On solid ground we stumbled out in awe at the scenery that lay before us. The group of us made it into the gondolas and survived the dangerously vertical climb to the top. We stood on top of the universe looking over the Spanish mountain ranges in one of the clearest and sunniest days.
After initial shock and awe- and coffee and bathroom breaks- los chicos began the 4 hour hike down the mountain. We encountered sheep, cows, horses, dogs, and not to mention the most picturesque scenery. We mostly had the happy trails to ourselves. Besides the two biker extremist that nearly took out Mary, Kristin, Whitney and Kim. If it hadn't been for my panic stricken yelp we would have lost some valuable members of our crew today. Things relaxed and about an hour and a half and a nice Heineken in, compliments of Mary, we found ourselves in more chaos. Towards the end of our trails we heard a man shouting from a hill high. Then looked down to see two of our dear boys off the beaten trail in a valley below sneaking up to the cows and horses. The man kept screaming, "ES PELIGROSO!"(It's dangerous!). At first we believed that there must be a bull in the valley in close proximity to the boys. But after everyone was back on the trail it became apparent that it was actually hunting season and the boys had been wandering in shooting range. However I am happy to report that no one was mauled by bikers or shot by duck hunters! Overall success. S'all for now!
This morning we made the nearly 2 hour bus ride to Picos de Europa, "Peaks of Europe." It is a range of mountains about 20 km inland from the northern coast, forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains. The Picos span across three northern regions (Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y Leon).
We made our way through the narrow and windy roads to the base of The Picos, in what was a very panic induced bus ride with a speedster Spaniard behind the wheel. On solid ground we stumbled out in awe at the scenery that lay before us. The group of us made it into the gondolas and survived the dangerously vertical climb to the top. We stood on top of the universe looking over the Spanish mountain ranges in one of the clearest and sunniest days.
After initial shock and awe- and coffee and bathroom breaks- los chicos began the 4 hour hike down the mountain. We encountered sheep, cows, horses, dogs, and not to mention the most picturesque scenery. We mostly had the happy trails to ourselves. Besides the two biker extremist that nearly took out Mary, Kristin, Whitney and Kim. If it hadn't been for my panic stricken yelp we would have lost some valuable members of our crew today. Things relaxed and about an hour and a half and a nice Heineken in, compliments of Mary, we found ourselves in more chaos. Towards the end of our trails we heard a man shouting from a hill high. Then looked down to see two of our dear boys off the beaten trail in a valley below sneaking up to the cows and horses. The man kept screaming, "ES PELIGROSO!"(It's dangerous!). At first we believed that there must be a bull in the valley in close proximity to the boys. But after everyone was back on the trail it became apparent that it was actually hunting season and the boys had been wandering in shooting range. However I am happy to report that no one was mauled by bikers or shot by duck hunters! Overall success. S'all for now!
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