Whoops, wrong way...
As I left the house this morning (ok, afternoon), I was very preoccupied with who-knows-what going through my foggy mind. The two clear thoughts through the mist were:

1. I'm going to the internet cafe to fill out the other application for a job in Cadiz
2. I hate having to walk on Las Ramblas, I should avoid that...hmm, the internet cafe near Universitat is to the left of Las Ramblas...

The thought that didn't go through my mind as I was walking along enjoying the day, the old Catalan couples out for a stroll, the parakeets fighting in the palm trees over my head...
thought. right. I had a lack of cohesive thought...

Suddenly the street was crowded with all of this hostile energy. I look up and the street was alternately lined with very agressive looking putas (prostitutes) and rather gruff looking men all leaning back against the walls on both sides of the rather narrow street. Further more, all of the signs were now in Arabic and I remembered why I always walk down Las Ramblas and not to the left of Las Ramblas...I had wandered inadvertantly into the Moroccan Quarter. Further, I was well into it before I even realised, and was even on the far side of it. Oy.

I was thankful to be wearing my sunglasses to prevent my eyes from portraying my surprise and alarm at probably the worst street I've walked down in the couple of times I've gone there, including the time that Lisa and I went at 10 o'clock at night to get her phone unlocked.

When I first arrived to Barcelona more than 2 years ago, a guy said to me, "Here, I'm going to do you a favor. Hand me your map." He then proceeded to outline places to go, places to see, to eat, to relax, and then he took his black marker and drew lines on a section. "You NEVER need to go there." That's when I found out about the Moroccan Quarter.

Colorful place.

New phone...
I LOVE my new phone. The only drawback is that it's not a present from my brother (my last phone was), however it's a very good phone and we're already quite attached.

I've had tremendous luck here running into people I know on the street. I can't even explain the joy of it. Today I met up with my old friend A- de Francia. I had forgotten how wonderfully calming his eyes are. Such a beautiful person from the inside out. It struck me that in my life I've only met two people with eyes like that- deep as the ocean as if you could read several lifetimes if you looked into them long enough. D- de Salta is the other one. It's enchanting and calming to meet other old souls in such a world of young ones.

Catching up with A- was the most beautiful and inexplicable experience. I've been feeling a little insecure, and ashamed lately because I have no plans to speak of and haven't for almost a year. Well, I've MADE lots of plans, but they always fall through as God points me in a different direction. It's my biggest lesson of the year- just trust where God leads me. It has been embaressing though to explain to my friends over and over again that my plans have changed and I am not coming to see them. South America changed me so much, it's been difficult to get used to 1st world countries again. I haven't felt presentable to "polite" company.

A- was wonderful for this. He has the most wonderful way of reminding me that all of these things are just waves in the ocean- diverting for a moment and then gone for another. None of it really matters except as much as we think it does. The best part about our conversations is that they seem to transfer through our eyes, direct from soul to soul. We verbalised the biggest events (more or less) of the two years since we last met, but more than anything I think talking between us is just a cover for what passes between our eyes. Indeed, there were long moments when we said nothing at all but just read what was in the other's eyes.

For those of you who have ever experienced this, you'll understand and be glad. For those who haven't, maybe you will in the future, or no. If you want to approximate the idea, read the end of the Lord of the Rings, (the end of Return of the King) where Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond and Gandalf sat for a long time in silence with thoughts passing between them in a way that only old immortals can. It wasn't quite as clear as all that- but the idea is similar.

I'll see him again tomorrow, and then who knows when. It's truly wonderful to encounter someone who calms you to your core.

my time is nearly up on this computer, so I bid you all a wonderful night. besos a todos

Barcelona, the city of the week....

I still have no idea what I'm going to be doing with my life next- or more to the point, "where". I spent a week in London where I renewed friendships with some of my favorite people in the world- whom I met in odd corners (Texas, Argentina and New Zealand). We drank, we laughed, we walked, talked, ate and generally made merry.

London's a swell town.

Yesterday I hopped a plane to Barcelona to renew ties with old friends here.

The events in Madrid last week were tremendous. My deepest sympathy and prayers go out to not only those who were injured or lost loved ones, but to the people who were affected by the tragedy. On Friday half of the entire population of Spain participated in peaceful protests and demonstrations. Black ribbons are everywhere to show sympathy and solidarity.

At the airport, one of the statues so proudly standing, had been covered in photocopies of black ribbons, letters, drawings and finally there were religious candles burning in a kind of shrine on one side with a guest book for people to write whatever they needed.

As a direct result of hiding the information that the attack was from Al Queda and not ETA, the popular party lost the elections which they were expected to win easily. The Socialist party is now in power. They won by a landslide. Quite frankly, the Spanish people blame Bush for what happened, and the popular party for supporting him.

On a different note...

It's a beautiful thing to be back. I'm already reconsidering if I really want to leave or not even for a short contract. Ok, truth is that if the couple of snafoos with the contracts get ironed out, then I'm going. It's a simple matter of money. C'est la vie. We all must pay homage sometime, and I'm not nearly as bitter about it as D.H. Lawrence was (see some of his poetry- he was quite nasty and outspoken in his bitterness about the God Money).

I got in last night and took a bus to Placa Catalunia, where I then walked down Las Ramblas to the puerto where my friend lives. Antonio, the doorman surprised me from behind and joked with me that I was late (they only had one person doing passport control for all the planes). I got there 2 and 1/2 hrs after my plane landed.

The smells, the smiles, the shape of the trees, the architecture and the tiles beneath my feet. I was happy to be home.

This morning I set off in search of personal items that I can't get anywhere else I've been. The contraceptive that I use (for those of you who have seen me without it, you'll be rejoicing to high heaven that I found it just before its effects ran out) is available here in some farmacias for about 2.55?. In the states, as a homeless jobless person on the lowest possible rate, I had to pay about $27 (with a job it was $57-$65).

In the first farmacia was a handsome young man who was lovely and baffled, but helpful. He did find it after consulting with every other person in the place, and then sold it to me. The next few farmacias didn't have it, but told me that even if they did, I would need a prescription from a doctor. Oh? Thank you.

In the last farmacia was an exquisite woman about my own age and she explained that they had it, but I would need a prescription. I thought about it for a second, asked if this was a new law? Then I pulled the first one out of my bag and showed it to her. She went and got the one she had and agreed to sell it to me.

Now that I had an "in", I asked if I could buy more. I explained that in my country it was very hard to get and in some places didn't exist, but I had been using it for 10 years. She was very sympathetic. She said that since it was a heavy hormone I couldn't buy lots, but if I say wanted...four, she felt that would be ok. I exclaimed, "?Perfecto!" because that would be enough for an entire year. She then sold me the first one and told me I could come back later for the other 4 :-) This makes a grand total of 6 (enough for 18 months).

I love this country.

Next stop is to find a mobile phone.