July 1, 2007 - Arrival in Turkey

We had to get up at 3am in order to fly out of Bombay, but we were so glad to be leaving India that it didn't matter a bit. The flight went well despite having to pay our most expensive excess baggage fee yet ($300). We had a layover in Bahrain and were disappointed that Michael Jackson wasn't performing at the airport (he lives there now).

We arrived in Istanbul and immediately fell in love with the city. It is clean and pretty with bright colors, beautiful old buildings and quaint cobblestone streets. Sarah and I checked into our hotel and went out exploring. We are staying in the Sultanemhet area of the city which is where the major historical sites are located and you can get views of the Bosphorus Strait. After wandering for a bit, we went to a nearby hotel that boasted great views of the city. They were right to boast. On one side of the rooftop restaurant was a perfect, unobstructed view of the Aya Sofya, on the other side the Blue Mosque and on a third side was the beautiful blue of the Bosphorus. We enjoyed some Turkish wine and food and felt ourselves decompressing from our struggles in India.

We took naps and then managed to wake up in time for the arrival of my good friend Vik who is joining us for our trip through Turkey. It was great to see him again and he played Santa by doling out all the goodies he brought us from home (vitamins, floss, shampoo, hard drives and chocolate).

It is a relief to be in such a lovely city and a joy to be with a good friend from home. I think our time in Turkey will be wonderful.

Enjoying the view

July 2, 2007 - Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque

Today we played tourists and took in the main attractions of the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque. For nearly 1000 years, the Aya Sofya (a church) was the largest enclosed space in the world. The amazing thing about this building is the 30 meter dome that hovers over the empty space beneath. It is truly an architectural masterpiece and it is amazing that the building is still standing considering the frequent earthquakes in this area and the repeated attempts by invaders to tear it down.

We also visited the Blue Mosque which is equally as impressive from the outside, but a bit of a let-down once inside. An interesting aside is that muezzins from these two buildings call out to the city five times daily to remind people to pray and being in the middle of those two was like getting caught in crossfire.

We broke up our day with lots of wine and yummy kebabs and felt good about our tourist efforts.

Aya Sofya

Sofya inside

Blue Mosque at sunset

July 2, 2007 - Vik Loses His Hair

Vik has always wanted to shave his head and he thought this vacation would be the perfect time to do it (so it would grow back before returning home). Sarah and I did our best to talk him out of it, but he was determined. So we joined in the fun by helping shave off his mass of hair

When all was said and done, Vik looked great with his new hair and Sarah and I are trying to convince him to keep it this way. Later that day, I convinced Vik that he should let me pluck his eyebrows (because too much hair is a bad thing) and he readily agreed. I happily plucked away and brought a grown man to tears as I laughed and giggled.

Before

Shaving it off

After

Plucked

July 3, 2007 - Bosphorus Cruise

We took a ferry along the Bosphorus Strait so we could check out some of the surrounding seaside towns. The Bosphorus is a source of pride for Istanbul residents as it divides Asia and Europe and connects the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. We got out at the last stop, Anadolu Kavagi, and hiked up the hill to check out the ruins of an old Byzantine fort. After scrambling around up there for a while, we stopped for lunch on the way down and then caught the ferry back to Istanbul.

Three of us on shore

Turkey flag flying high

Three of us on shore

July 4, 2007 - Tiny Her Update

Thanks to all of you who have written to me to express condolences about little Her. I really appreciate the support. I was able to get a phone call through to Her's vet and talked to him about the situation. It looks pretty bad. He thinks she only has a month or so left in her. We put her on some anti-inflammatories to make her feel a bit better and we've found a special food that will help put some weight on her. Fortunately, she absolutely loves her new food. Simon has sent along video and pictures of a happy kitty licking her lips after a good meal and anxiously anticipating the next one. It'll be downhill from here but at least she's happy for now and is eating again.

Hungry Her

July 5, 2007 - Cappadocia

We flew to Kayseri from Istanbul so we could get to the Cappadocia region. This area of the country is also very beautiful but quite different than Istanbul. It is very dry and sand-colored and the landscape is covered with tufa formations (tufa is a type of soft rock).

We stayed at the Elif Star hotel in Goreme and were entertained by the little girl and the kitten who lived there. The hotel is a cave hotel which means that it has been carved out of the tufa rock and it stays amazingly cool during the hot summer days.

Tufa formations

New friends

July 6, 2007 - Scooters!

We decided to rent scooters to tool around town and see some of the local attractions. We had an absolute blast rolling down the street on our scooters. We felt like a little street gang - especially since Sarah and I had on matching outfits ;-)

We first went to a local pottery shop (ceramics are made throughout Turkey and are especially popular in the Cappadocia region). We toured around and got to see the entirely handmade process of how the beautiful pottery gets created and decorated and then they let me throw a pot on the potters wheel. It was really fun! My poor pot had a hole in the bottom but that's not the point.

We then scooted up the hill to check out the Open Air Museum. This is a monastic settlement of over 30 cave churches that date back to the 10th century. The people of Cappadocia built this settlement during the Iconoclastic Controversy which came about as a result of Constantine V outlawing Christian idols. In addition to this, the Arabs were raiding the Christian churches and destroying them. In answer, the Christians fled to the tufa formations to dig out churches and continue their worship. We recreated the dwellings in our mind and took relief in the coolness of the caves as we wandered along.

After all our touring was done, we just rode up and down the streets because we loved being on the scooters so much. My plan is to get a scooter when I get back to SF so I don't have to buy a car. I'm sure it won't be such a peaceful experience, but it will still be fun.

Scooter gang

Throwing a pot

Turquoise pottery

Cave dwellings

Sarah explores

July 7, 2007 - Hiking Ilhara Valley

The Ilhara Valley is said to be one of the most beautiful hiking spots in Turkey. So we set off in a rental car, arrived at the trail head and set off to explore. It was indeed a nice hike through a pretty green valley with a nice stream running alongside the trail the whole way. We hiked for a few hours and then came to the half-way point where we settled ourselves down in a floating restaurant and enjoyed some sandwiches. After that we called it a day and got a guy to give us a ride back to our car.

Stream

Vik on the bridge

Pretty rock

Nature lovers

July 8, 2007 - Hot Air Ballooning

The highlight of our trip to Cappadocia was the hot air balloon ride. Hot air ballooning requires heating the air within the balloon to a temperature greater than the outside air temperature. That is what makes the balloon go up and down. Wind takes it in every other direction. Therefore, a balloon is subject to nature and the only control a pilot can take over the elements is to move the balloon up and down in search of different speeds and wind currents.

We got up before dawn for an early morning cruise. They do this because it gets really hot in Cappadocia during the day and the best chance of having a good ride is to do it first thing in the morning when the air is still fairly cool. We went with a company called Kapadokya Balloons. This husband and wife team have been doing this for 17 years and clearly still love what they do. We went out in 2 balloons with each of them flying one and talking to each other on radios throughout the journey.

We got to see the entire process of attaching the basket, blowing in cool air and then heating up the air to make the balloon rise. It was quite fascinating to watch it all and they were very tolerant of the million questions we had. It was beautiful day for ballooning - the sun was out but the air was cool and it was clear so you could see all the surrounding landscape. We got up to around 3000 feet and reached a max speed of 22 knots. We went up and down through the valleys and tufa formations and ended up going about 60 kilometers away from our starting point. Our pilot said that this was the farthest and fastest they'd gone in several years so we felt lucky to get such a long trip and see so much of the region.

The other balloon had a perfect landing but we had challenges with electrical wires and crop fields and had to fly on to find a decent landing spot. As a result, we came down with what they call a "giggly landing". This is when the passengers have to brace themselves sideways in the basket and hold on to the straps as the basket bounces and skids along the ground. It was quite exhilarating and certain earned it's name (as we giggled ourselves silly throughout the landing). Once we dusted ourselves off and met up with the other balloon group, we toasted our great experience with some champagne.

Shadows

Balloon from above

Cappadocia landscape

Giggly landing

July 8, 2007 - Age of Reason

I just finished Jean-Paul Sartre's book Age of Reason. The book has been lauded for decades as an insightful look into the notion of individual freedom and I wanted to read it and experience Sartre's writing. Overall, I thought the book was okay. I didn't feel that any of the ideas were particularly new or interesting and I didn't sympathize with the characters. However, I think that might have been the point.

Mathieu, the main character, leads a comfortable life with a job as a philosophy professor, a comfortable set of rooms in Paris and a mistress. He strives to live his life without any commitments so that he can be "free". The paradox of this is that he lives a typical life with all the strings and normalcy that he thinks he is avoiding, it's just his mindset and terminology that makes him different.

I think we've all gone through this. We go through periods of wanting to be free from the burdens of commitment and responsibility but as we get older (and reach the "age of reason") we find that we also want lasting relationships and situations that provide security and stability. Therefore, we make compromises and find a balance that works for us. Mathieu chooses to run from this eventuality and creates a terrible fate for himself as a result.

It was worth reading to get a taste of Sartre's writing and philosophy. I think that these ideas were likely unexpressed at the time he wrote the book and therefore were more impactful to those initial audiences. I'd like to know a bit more about Sartre and am going to try to get my hands on the collection of his love letters to Simon de Beauvoir. I'll let you know what I think about it.

Worth reading

July 10, 2007 - Rest and Relaxation Amidst the Ruins

After Cappadocia, we decided that we needed some beach time. So we got ourselves to Side (pronounced see-day), a small seaside town bordering the Mediterranean. We luxuriated in laying on the beach, reading our books and having no commitments. The town turned out to be really nice. It was a small area with quaint streets and lots of outdoor restaurants with great views of the Mediterranean.

We spent a lot of time on the beach under an umbrella reading our books or in the ocean floating around on our newly bought floaty toys. We got in a nap everyday and had several lovely dinners. We saw some of the ruins of civilizations past and managed to make fools of ourselves after consuming a bottle of wine. It was great fun and the perfect respite.

Pretty sunset

Ancient ruins

Group photo

July 12, 2007 - Stormy

We got an update from Amy that Stormy (Sarah's cat) is not doing very well. It turns out she has cancer and doesn't have long to live. This is very sad news and we can't help feeling awed by our parallel experiences. Amy is going to watch Stormy for signs of suffering and will make the decision of when to euthanize her. It's so difficult to be going through this from far away and it's also difficult to have to put our friends through it. Sadness all around.

July 13-16, 2007 - Mediterranean Cruise

Given our newfound love of boats, we wanted to do an extended boat trip along the Mediterranean coast. We signed up with the less expensive company (Big Backpackers) and paid the price. There were all kinds of problems, from beginning to end, but it didn't really matter. There were only 2 other people on board with us - Nicole and Deren - and they turned out to be excellent companions for our journey.

We set off from Olympos and took a bus to Demre where we boarded our Turkish gulet. We then sailed all along the coast stopping in several coves and harbours along the way. We did a lot of swimming and Sarah and I were glad to have the new floaty toys and paddle game we acquired in Side. We were all in the mood to rest and relax so our days consisted of reading, napping, swimming and eating. It was glorious! The water was amazingly blue and great for swimming. Only having 5 passengers on board was lovely as we had space to spread out and never felt crowded.

We were a clear disappointment to our crew who were hoping for party animals and loose women. But we had our own fun by enjoying our wine, bouldering from the lower deck to the upper deck, discussing politics, doing vibration dancing and smoking the hookah. The food was great and the mood was perfect as we all wanted the same kind of trip and enjoyed talking to each other. So while this was a bit different than my previous boat experiences, I'm still a boat lover.

Boat friends

Sunset

Gorgeous water

July 14, 2007 - A House in Spain!

We got excellent news today... after weeks of searching and emailing, we got confirmation that the house we want to rent in Spain is available for us. Woohoo! We are very excited to have found a nice place in a fun part of Spain and it's a relief to be done with all the searching.

The house is located in Frigiliana which is down south near Nerja in the Andalucia region. Frigiliana was voted the "prettiest village in Andalucia" by the Spanish tourism authority so that gives us hope that it will be as good as it looks. It's up in a mountainous area very near a national park. There are narrow, cobblestone streets and lots of cafes and restaurants. In addition, it is only 10 minutes away from Nerja which is a popular beach town. And as if that wasn't enough, it's only an hour away from one of the largest climbing areas in Spain. We couldn't have picked a better location and I hope it turns out to be as great as it seems it will be.

On the map

White-washed houses

City view

July 16, 2007 - Turkish Bath

We wanted to experience a Turkish bath while we were here so Vik found a local hamam when we got to Fethiye and we all went to get cleaned. I had read about the hamam experience in a book about Turkey but I wasn't sure what to expect since the book was written a long time ago (and times change).

We got there and disrobed and wrapped ourselves in sarongs. We then went into the hamam which is basically a large steam room with marble benches and sinks and fountains along the edges. We laid down on the big round marble slab in the center of the room and took advantage of the marvelous acoustics by singing songs (Lonely Goatherd was the best). We were in there for a long time and realized a bit late that the faucets put out cold water so we doused ourselves to keep cool.

After about 45 minutes of steaming, the attendant came in and scrubbed each of us down with a loofah mit. You wouldn't believe the nasty stuff that he rolled off our skin. Once we were all scrubbed down, he led us out and into a peaceful pool to cool off. And boy did we cool off. The temperature of the water was shocking after being in that hot room for so long. We rested on the couches for a bit but soon sought warmth again in the steam room.

The attendant came back in after a while so he could clean us. He put a few bars of soap in a pillow slip type bag, put some water in the bag, blew into it, then squeezed it out. The result was that sudsy bubbles came out. It was really cool. He washed us each down and then doused us with water. After that, he wrapped us in dry sarongs and towels and laid us down on some sofas for a rest.

It was a fantastic experience. We had no idea what to expect so it was fun to just go with the flow and see what was would happen next. It took us about two and a half hours to do the whole thing and we were glad we got in early because lots of people were streaming in as we were finishing up. We were especially glad of being alone because every other person who came in was wearing their bathing suit and we were all naked the whole time. I think it might have been a bit awkward if we were the only naked ones amongst a bunch of clothed people.

Getting soaped up

Hamam

July 19, 2007 - Ephesus

We wanted to see some of the Greek/Ottoman ruins so we took the bus to Selcuk so we could check out the ancient ruins of Ephesus. This city was founded in the 10th century BC and was the capital of the province of Asia during the Roman Empire. Although earthquakes, erosion, invaders andtime have taken their toll on the place, a good bit of the city is still intact and it is nice to go through the remains and imagine what life was like in those times.

Some of the major parts of the city are the Temple of Artemis (goddess of fertility), the Library of Celsus and the large ionic theatre, capable of holding 25,000 spectators. This open-air theatre was used for theatrical events as well as gladiatorial combats. One of the most amazing things about Ephesus is the technologically advanced aqueduct system and building techniques. It seems that these people made several advancements that were later forgotten.

Fairly intact

Remains

Old script

July 21, 2007 - Grand Bazaar

We had to make a trip to the famous Grand Bazaar which is reputed to be the largest covered bazaar (marketplace) in the world. We got lost amid the tiny lanes and thousands of shops but did manage to get into a fight with one of the vendors (all part of the experience I suppose).

We stopped for lunch in one of the cafes and met some fellow Bay Area travellers who we took to immediately. We discussed travel and politics and didn't want to leave them. But luck was with us because we ended up in the same restaurant the next evening and got to continue our conversations.

We did make one purchase while at the bazaar but it's a surprise for someone and we don't want to spoil it ;-)

Cool ceiling

So many shops

July 22, 2007 - Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is the former residence of the Sultan of Turkey. This is where sultans have lived for hundreds of years and it was an interesting look into that period. We were most interested in the wing for the sultan's harem. This building contained 400-800 harems (depending on the sultan) and the audio guide we listened to gave a lot of information on the interesting politics that arose in the harem and the sway that a woman who bears the child of a sultan has in that world.

Topkapi Palace

Harem decor

July 22, 2007 - Turkey Politics

We were lucky enough to be in Turkey at the time of a major election. It was interesting to see it from ground-level and to talk to people about it. The AK Party is currently in control of the government. This party has done a lot to get Turkey into the EU, but they are also pro-Islam and there are real concerns about the party leaders changing the now secular country into one that makes its decisions based upon religion. The good news is that citizens are aware of this threat and are educating the public and making their concerns known to the AK Party.

In 1923, Kemal Ataturk established Turkey as a secular country. He banned the wearing of head scarves for women because he felt that it was behind the times and led to unfair treatment of women. He also banned the wearing of the fez for men because he felt that Turks were discriminated against because of their religious beliefs. He brought the country a long way in bringing it's values in line with Western thought and he is idolized for that reason.

When all was said and done with this election, the AK Party got 46% of the vote. This result will likely contribute to keeping Turkey out of the EU, who has always been concerned about Turkey's Muslim population (98% of Turks are Muslim). It will be interesting to monitor their situation over time, especially now that we know more about their history and culture.

Campaign ad

July 23, 2007 - Vik Gets a Shave

A barbershop shave is apparently an age-old custom in Turkey and Vik thought it would be fun to try it. I went along with him because it sounded fun to me too. The barber was a lovely man who didn't speak any English but was very accomodating and even posed for a couple of pictures (whie holding a blade to Vik's neck!). I could tell Vik was frightened by how stiff he was in the chair while he was getting shaved and his eyes nearly popped out of his head when the barber pulled out a lighter and held it up to his ears to burn off the ear hair. It was good fun.

In serious need

Under the knife

Burn the offending hairs

July 24, 2007 - Arrival in Zurich

We had the usual problems flying out of Istanbul - too much baggage. Paying the overage fees for our bags has ended up costing us hundreds of dollars. I really wish we would have known about this before we set out on our trip. The baggage allowance for flights originating in the US is much, much higher than any other country. The climbing gear is exceptionally heavy and, for the amount of times we've used it, not worth carrying around.

But other than that, the flight went well. We got into Zurich, caught a train to the city center and found our hostel. This is the cheapest place in town and it costs 30 euros per person per night to stay in a 6 bed dorm room. I have to say that I wasn't thrilled to be staying in a tiny dorm room with 4 other people, but it worked out just fine.

We stayed on Niederdorf, which is a cute, cobble street with loads of cafes, restaurants and shops lining either side of it. The place has a lot of energy and thanks to the warm weather, lots of people were out enjoying the evening.

It's so great to be in Europe again! It just feels good - comfortable, natural, familiar. It's lovely.

Zurich train station

July 25, 2007 - We Love Harry Potter

That feels like a guilty pleasure - loving Harry Potter. But it's true. Sarah and I are consumed by the books and movies. We re-read book 6 while we were in Nepal in order to refresh our memories for book 7. Vik treated us by buying us a copy of The Deathly Hallows in Istanbul. We managed to leave it sealed for two whole days before breaking into it and beginning the adventure. As in Nepal, we are taking turns reading it aloud to each other (in British accents of course). It's great fun!

In addition to this insanity, we also made a point to go see the fifth movie. We couldn't find it in Turkey but it was all over Zurich, and in English, perfect! We went to see it and despite making ourselves sick on popcorn and chocolate, we had a blast. The movie was exciting and stayed pretty true to the book. It was just great to be in the thick of it again. We can't wait to see the next one!

Deathly Hallows

Reading book 7

New movie

July 26, 2007 - Experiencing Zurich

Our first order of business in Zurich was to do a bit of shopping. Our clothes were thread-bare after so much use over the past 7 months and we felt like country cousins coming to the city for a visit. After acquiring some decent clothes, we proceeded to tour around the city of Zurich. We stopped in at St Peter's Church, which has one of Europe's largest clock faces (28 feet in diameter). The other church we visited is the Grossmunster which translates literally as "large church" and is exactly that. Huldrych Zwingli, the founder of the Evangelical Reformed Church, preached from here. He believed that the Catholic church had too many excesses and brought about a church service with no frills, just simple preaching from the bible. Climbing up to the top of church tower rewards one with 360 degree views of the beautiful city of Zurich.

In addition to churches, we also spent some time in the Swiss National Museum in Zurich. This little gem provides a great overview of Swiss history and it has some amazing living rooms that have been recreated and put on display as complete rooms (including walls, ceilings, etc) from the Renaissance and 18th and 19th centuries. But one of the most precious finds was in the local police station. Swiss artist Augusto Giacometti painted the entry hall of this building in 1926 and his use of vibrant colors represented the relief and joy he felt at the end of WWI. It is truly breathtaking.

Hall of Flowers

View from above

Grossmunster

July 27, 2007 - Lucerne

We went to Lucerne for a day-trip. It was only 45 minutes away and I read that it was nice to get up into the mountains and see the beautiful views. However, when we got to Lucerne and found out that it was really expensive to take the trip up into the mountains, we decided to skip it.

Instead, we went to see the Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) which was built in the 13th century. It has 17th century original paintings depicting scenes of Swiss history lining the top of the bridge. Unfortunately, a fire in 1993 destroyed more than half of these pictures, but the others are still on view.

From there we went to the Picasso Museum, which had a handful of original paintings. But more importantly, it had a collection of nearly 200 intimate photographs of Picasso in his every day life. David Duncan and his dog Lump showed up at Picasso's door and ended up spending the next three decades with him. Duncan's amazing artistry uncovered Picasso's very human personality as he was taking a bath, playing with his kids, getting a haircut, learning ballet and visiting with friends. The photos also provide insight into his artistic process and his all-consuming genius. (Click here to see a sample of the work.) Sarah and I were so excited about these photos and we long to learn more and feel lucky that we're heading for Spain, Picasso's birthplace, where we are sure to get even more information about this intriguing person.

After that amazing experience, we walked along the lake and sat on a bench watching the world go by. Then, as luck would have it, an outdoor concert started up near us so we joined in the fun and danced to the music as the sun set and an amazing day came to an end.

17th century paintings

Bridge and church

Relaxed and happy

Alps

July 28, 2007 - Existentialists and Absurdists

It seems that I'm going through an existential phase with my literature. I read Sartre's Age of Reason in which he expounds his philosophy on the freedom of the individual. And, by the recommendation of a fellow traveler, I read The Plague by Albert Camus, who is also an existentialist as well as an absurdist (he believes that life has no meaning and it is absurd and futile to try to impose will or meaning on our lives).

It has been interesting to read these books, but the ideas don't feel fresh to me. In addition, while I think the philosophies have merit, they don't inspire me. I don't feel excited about the prospect of living my life with the idea that nothing I do matters. And that's the thing... there are many truths in this world and it's good to be exposed to them, but what we latch onto says more about our personality than our intelligence.

You've got these two ends of the spectrum of life philosophies - you've got religion at one end where everything is ruled by the will of god and god makes things happen for you if it is destined and if you've been "good". On the other end, you've got absurdism where life has no meaning so don't bother with anything. As most people, I fall somewhere in between and take with me the things that resonate for me. I'm not a religious person, but there are vestiges of my Catholic upbringing that remain and influence me (however slightly). But mostly, I think that we should do whatever we want with the life we have. There is no prescribed plan for us and we can put meaning on anything that we want. As long as people are living a full and active life where they are experiencing the world and loving people in it, then what more could we want.

But back to The Plague... I think this is an interesting book. If you look at it from the perspective of pure philosophy, it provides an interesting commentary on how human beings react to a crisis - it is a microcosm of a lifespan. A quote from the book that I like and that I think sums things up quite simply is this: "The plaque has a good side - it opens men's eyes and forces them to take thought." We go on with the business of living and get so caught up in it that we lose sight of our lives. It takes something drastic, like illness or war or loss, to make us stop and reset our priorities. Something else I find interesting in the book is the idea that we all have the plague inside us and we must keep careful watch on ourselves to ensure that we don't infect others with it. Meaning that we all have evil in us and it's up to us to choose to suppress those evil thoughts and deeds and continually make the choice for "good". The quote from the book that I like for this is, "On this earth, there are pesitlences and there are victims adn it's up to us not to join forces with the pestilences." That can be applied to so many facets of life and I believe it is a good philosophy.

However, you can read The Plague on another level as well. It can be read as a allegory of Germany's invasion of France during World War II. Hitler crept up on the world in plain view and people chose to ignore signs of danger until it was too late and they were under attack. Same with a plague... we dismiss warning signs because operating outside of "life as usual" is a nuisance. Fighting the plague and fighting Hitler turned out to be similar experiences as well. Quite interesting how Camus was able to tie the two together and have the book function on two such different planes and succeed on both.

Interesting philosophy

Camus

Sartre

July 28, 2007 - Wanderweg in Switzerland

Switzerland is a small country and we really wanted to do a hike. So we hopped on a train and got ourselves to Mannedorf. From there, we hiked along the Wanderweg trail for about 4 hours. It was fun to walk through farms and villages and we enjoyed not only the beautiful views, but also the incredibly friendly Swiss people we met along the way. We ended up in Rapperswil to visit the castle and relax over a glass of wine.

Wanderweg signs

Pretty flower

Leslie swings from a tree

S is for Sarah

Rapperswil view

July 30, 2007 - Arrival in Barcelona

It was quite easy getting ourselves out of Switzerland and into Spain. We were thrilled that this would be the last time we'd have to lug Sergio and the girls around. We'll send stuff home with friends who come to visit so we get rid of most of it before getting on another airplane.

We took the bus from the airport to the part of town where our hostel was located. There was a guy on the bus who was drunk and obnoxious. He was causing a ruckus and he was quite near me. I'm sure he was saying things about Sarah and me but I couldn't understand the language he was speaking (maybe Swiss German) and that was a good thing. The interesting thing is, I felt kind of scared. He seemed really unpredictable and I had some fear that he might hurt me. I thought that was interesting because I haven't felt threatened by anyone in such a long time. Nothing happened, we got off before he did and there weren't any incidents, but it was interesting, and unwelcome, to be in that place of fear.

We walked to where our hostel was supposed to be and couldn't find it. I went into another hostel and the woman working there let me use the internet so I could get their address. When I opened my email, the hostel had sent a response to my confirmation email telling me that I didn't confirm earlier enough and they gave our room to someone else. Holy crap! I was not looking forward to going back to Sarah to tell her that we were without lodging. So I tried to scare up a room at several other hostels and no rooms were available. So I went back and told Sarah to have a seat and a coffee and that I'd go find us a place to stay. I walked around the corner and went into a hotel. The man working there was really nice and he had a room for us and I talked him down to the same price we were paying for the hostel. Yay! It was great. See - things have a way or working out.

We rejoiced in having our own space again and relaxed a bit before going out for a late dinner on the boulevard. It was great to sit outside in the perfect weather, eat tapas, drink wine and watch the Spanish world walk by. What a joy to be here!

First night in Spain

July 31, 2007 - Muchas Gracias

Hardly anyone here speaks English so we're forced to bring out what little Spanish we remember from high school. I have to say that I'm quite pleased with how much I remember. It's all coming back to me! I speak in broken sentences and sometimes use English words when I can't think of the Spanish word for something. But it's fun to try to operate in a different language. It's helpful that people don't speak English because we would just do that if that was an option.

When we get to Frigiliana we're going to take language classes so we'll be more fluent. It's fun :-)