new turn

I have decided due to the fact that my travels are now greatly limited, to take this in a slightly new direction, but not forgetting what this blog began as. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a coffee NUT. The truth is, it's not really so much about the coffee itself, but more about the experience. In my opinion drinking coffee is the very best way to travel. With no jet lag.

So...that is the new direction. Let's see how it goes!

tornata

a new kind of homesick

Why is it that every time I realize I've been taking something for granted, it never ever sticks? I guess for me it's always moving that calls my attention to this. Living in Rome, I never actually wanted to leave but it wasn't until maybe two weeks before my flight home that I really came to realize how much the city had changed me. And Cádiz was the same story. The entire last month my highest priority was getting to the beach before the sun began it's descent. Every single second became excruciatingly short. Sometimes I can't tell if living in the now actually makes time fly by faster...

Now I'm preparing to leave Seattle. Everything I see is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The adolescents flocking to the parking lot across from my apartment after it's emptied for the night. The people leaning against the bus stop post gazing at the sky... I cannot believe that after four years "living" in this incredible city, I've never known how striking the skies are here. This dorm-like studio of mine has a view that I will never forget. Even the rainiest days have the most beautiful sunsets. How is this possible? And how can I only now be realizing it's been my reality for so long?

tu va pa' chiclana?

I know it's been forever, but the strangest thing happened to me yesterday. I realize that my last entry here was about how I wanted to treat even my home as though it were foreign to me, but yesterday it actually hit. Hard. Walking around the U District I passed a woman posting the daily special at her kebap shop, and taking in a deep breath of second hand smoke from some Ave-rat hipster, I was brutally thrown back to Europe. Since that moment, I can't get the feeling out of my head that I'm seeing everything for the first time and that it's all completely new and foreign.

And just now my world shrank a few more sizes, when listening to "my recommendations" on Last.fm... Los Delinqüentes, a band from Jerez de la Frontera, playing "Chiclana." These moments are my favourites. What gives a better feeling than stumbling across a tie to your own most-beautiful-most-loved place ever?

Additionally, I must say that this weekend has been the greatest ever. (Aside from the Swollen concert Thursday night, which...actually, let's not even go there.) Friday night I went to Ocho, a tapas joint in Ballard (I am so in love with Ballard) with patatas bravas and la carolina to die for. The restaurant itself is tiny and packed to the brim with people (suffering from the most debilitating nostalgia, too?) but the struggle for elbow-space is a good one: amiable and punctuated by the happiest smiles.

As if that wasn't enough, the sunshine has been truly relentless and has led me (finally) to the discovery of my building's beautiful roof. I must say that surrounded by the mountains and within sight of the Seattle skyline and lakes, I could not be happier. Well...maybe bump the temp up 3 degrees, but really I'm not complaining.

little oyster / abroad at home

My world seems to be shrinking more and more and I find that I am completely enthralled by it. I mean, it blows my mind to think back to the days when high school seemed like the craziest thing my parents had ever suggested (they still let you make popcorn and cranberry garlands and play with plastic dinosaurs in high school, right?), and I don't think I could even begin to comprehend college. Now it's all almost over. And I don't even "live" at "home" anymore. To be perfectly honest, I don't feel like I live anywhere. But not in a bad way.

After all my travels the world really has become my oyster. I can get anywhere I want if I decide to, and hopping on a plane seems like no big deal, a train the simplest thing ever. And missing the school bus? Ha. It's a weird feeling that's gonna take some getting used to, but so far I think I like it.

On that note, I've been trying to decide what to do with this blog now that I am no longer abroad and I think I don't want to give it up. I've been wondering lately why going abroad is so much more exciting than staying "here." In Spain, in Italy, I find that I can't keep my camera charged enough, but why only there? Hans has pointed out to me time and time again that it's equally, if not more important to get to know where you're from before anywhere else. So my question is why don't I know where I'm from? And why can't I find the same kind of beauty here in my "everyday?" Anyway, that's where I'm going to take this blog now.

I'm abroad at home.

the return

I know it's been forever - and that might actually be an understatement - but i'vfe lacked internet at home and have been working like mad. It's really funny, actually: I thought that upon my return home internet would be easy, but as it turns out, if anything it's harder!!

Anyway, I though I would back-track (a LOT) all the way back to Rome...

When we returned from Circeo I dug further into my massive backpack with the intention of trying on a pair of shoes I had bought in Spain on my last day in Madrid. Upon finding the bag I had shoved them in, I pulled them out to find that they WEREN'T THE SAME!!! Almost, but not. One had a massively thick heel, while the other had a much more delicate heel... Great. Too bad this was the one time I was NOT returning to Spain... I showed Camilla and Patrizia and they both gasped and exclaimed, "Non mai avrebbe successo in Italia!! MAI!" ("This would never have happened in Italy!!") Too true. Camilla then went on to say not to worry, that her father would fix everything. (A few nights earlier he had invited us out to dinner. He picked us up in a really nice Mercedes, Avril Lavigne blaring on the radio, and actually fullfilled one of my Roman dreams: to drive down Via Condotti in a really nice car...)

Sure enough, he and Valerio did fix everything. Valerio took me down to the post office after Salvatore had taken me to a tabacchi for an envelope. Valerio explained to me that he must go with me because they would be very rude to me otherwise. In the end, I'm glad he did, even though I felt terrible that he had to wait in line with me for an hour... It all turned out ok, even though I had my doubts. I sent the shoe I didn't want back to Madrid and they told me they would mail the correct shoe to me in the United States. Well, I just got the shoe about a week ago. I thought it would never come!!

A few days later Hans finally came to Rome. I found an apartment on Via del Corso, right by Piazza Venezia, and above a store called Class. It was a great location, but very very small. We spent the days sight seeing. THe weather was unbearably hot and we walked and walked and walked. We went to museums, to the Coloseum, to the Foro Romano... It was wonderful. So different from travelling around all on my own. I have more to say, but I'm afraid I have drunk too much coffee and (ironically) there's this Italian guy sitting on the window who keeps leaving me notes and things... But I'll be back soon! Bye!

lagging

I love the fact that after all my complaining about how hard it was to get internet in Cádiz and how unreliable it was, it's even harder now that I'm home!! It worked for maybe the first week, if that, and now nothing... Which inevitably means that my posting is a little behind. And by a little, I mean a LOT. I'm sorry!!! I will be back soon, I promise!

come ho gia detto...

[also I've added pictures of Rome to la citta eterna]

As previously stated... I have been living a myth. Really. I have recently returned from San Felice Circeo, where I was for the weekend with Patrizia (Camilla's mother) and Valentina (Camilla's sister, whom Patrizia calls "Valentine" when speaking in her broken English - I like this). Patrizia and I drove down towards Napoli Friday evening, dodging the other drivers on the highway, who wove in and out of traffic like you don't even know. Patrizia is trying to quit smoking, so the drive was filled with half-smoked, super-slim cigarettes. The car would sway a little each time she reached out the partially-opened window to extinguish the cigarette-ettes on the side of the rearview mirror (which, I might add, seemed to be its sole purpose in this life). Though we both made a sincere effort at normal conversation, it tended inevitably towards syntax and lexicon and was very stop-and-go, half in Italian and half in English.

We in Circeo to a dinner of deliciously fresh pasta (truly al dente - on a slight side note, apparently pasta packages in the US actually multiply cooking time by 2 or 3!) with garlic and cherry tomatoes. The conversation at the table shifted dramatically from that of the drive there, to Italian men (and later, Italian men in politics, i.e. Berlusconi). Essentially what was established is that Italian men are idiots (Idioti! Idioti! Idioti!), though Valentina made sure to say that really she liked Italian men, they just needed to be trained. And that Berlusconi (who has explicitly likened himself to Napoleon…?!) pretty much embodies all that is schifoso of Italian men. "Kiki, tu sei troppo vecchia per lui…" Too old?? He's 72! But ok, if I'm too old, I'm too old, I think I can live with myself - but how can he???

The next morning, after my two or three shots of espresso, several biscotti, and a slightly depressing look out the window (clouds, clouds, clouds), Valentina offered to take me on her bike to see the paesi di Circeo on her bike. If there's one thing that I regret not having done last time I was in Italy, it's seeing more of the country, so of course, I accepted. By "bike" (in Italy) I was kind of expecting her to mean scooter. But, no, she meant motorbike. Like serious business motorcycle.Something I had definitely never been on before. It was fun, though. She took me to her favorite beach, Saubadia (?), where the mountains of San Felice (San Felice Promontorio) come straight down into the sea. It was absolutely stunning.
I confess that I did not actually catch onto the full meaning of "Circeo" until Valentina explained it to me. Evidently, this town is where Odysseus landed and had his encounter with Circe. More specifically, this beach. I couldn't say why it never occurred to me that the Odyssey might take place in really real places. Well, I guess it did, I just never thought I would visit any of them! Least of all someplace like Circe's beach.
When we arrived here it was actually sunny, but though we were wearing our swimsuits, we had forgotten towels, so we returned to the house, got towels, and stopped to buy some pizza for lunch, on our way back. The second we stepped off the bike it started to rain. But we went down and ate our pizza on the windy beach anyway, before giving up all hope a half hour later. The entire day was changeable like this. Later the three of us went into town, did some "shopping" (kind of) and bought chicken and potatoes for dinner.
This morning we woke up to more clouds, and though for a few minutes things seemed to lighten up, we ultimately decided to head back to Rome, Patrizia and I in the VW and Valentina on her bike. In the rain. This drive was different from the one before (though syntax and lexicon were still highly prevalent). I had noticed before many women standing by the side of the highway, and while I assumed that they were prostitutes, it still seemed a little strange. So I asked, and she confirmed. The weird part was her explanation. I asked why they were allowed to be there (I assumed prostitution was illegal - and it is) and she said that the police "chiudono gli occhi," they shut their eyes to it. Somehow I wasn't surprised. Really the rest of the explanation was only odd to me because when I was here before, it was made very clear to me that the Mafia really only existed in the south of Italy (though, I guess, Napoli could be considered the south). However, Patrizia told me that all these prostitutes were controlled by a Mafioso. She even gave me the name of the man, though I don't remember.

sto vivendo un mito

Iàm not going to write very much right now because I have a whole entry regarding my incredible weekend written out on my computer, and I need to transfer it to the flashdrive, etc. to save time (cause time is money, in this case quite literally). Also pictures. But I guess I felt the need to write something... So I guess I will just say that - I had an amazing weekend at the sea. Also, happy belated birthday mumsy!! I miss you a lot! Ok, thatàs all...

la città eterna

(bear in mind while reading this, that it was actually written a couple days ago - I just didnàt have internet access)

Oggi fa bellissimo!! I am currently sitting outside on Camilla's terrace, taking sun and relaxing to the hustle and bustle of the traffic below. I am surrounded by flowers - honeysuckle everywhere, beautiful purple flowers, and tamed and potted cacti. Oggi fa bellissimo. My keyboard keeps heating up so I can barely type. As it turns out, Camilla's house is right by Ponte Milvio, one of the most ancient bridges in all of Rome. Last night when I walked home from the center it was completely filled with young couples. It was recently made extremely popular by an Italian film, whose name currently escapes me, where couples would write their names on a padlock (luchiette) and then lock it to the chains wrapped tightly around the lamp posts on the bridge. Unfortunately this cause structural problems, as more and more people began to do this and eventually the weight of all that love pulled the lamps down off the bridge. Now they have set up chains along the sides of the bridge where people can express their "undying love" for each other. Honestly, I think it's really too bad that placing the locks on the lamp posts became so popular, because it was extremely beautiful (at least in the stills of the movie - before now, I had never actually visited the bridge, as I wasn't sure which one it was…) but the new set-up is also beautiful. I very pleased because it was one of my destinations for this trip, that I regretted not seeing two years ago (and, well, still kind of do). The best part is that in order to get to the city center I have to cross this bridge on foot. In the morning it is empty, but later in the day and in the evening it fills with couples and vendors selling shiny new padlocks. Just me, but if I were to do this (and I don't, since it's become as cliché as throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain - oh wait, I've done that) I would want to bring my own padlock from home. Or something at least with a little more meaning than buying an overpriced chunk of metal from a stranger.



Yesterday was a good day. Though, somehow I ended up once again at Piazza del Popolo and Via Condotti at 8.30 am (after Camilla introduced me to the bar at Ponte Milvio, where I had the most delicious cornetto and cappuccino). Weird how that happens. As mentioned, I thought the most appropriate thing to do would be to say hello to my beloved metro stop where the ticket validation machine didn't work and then proceed over to the Spanish Steps (actually, appropriate for more than just one reason!!), where I must have spent 2 hours writing and having all the heat in my body soaked out through my bum into a slab of cold, cold concrete. I then walked around for hours and hours, with little to do. As it turns out, yesterday was the day I left Rome 2 years ago (2 giugno) and is also the Festa della Repubblica, which basically means a long, looooong parade of soldiers marching through the center, starting at the Colosseo. After a while I got bored and decided to wander some more, perhaps over to Campo dei Fiori to get some lunch.

There I sat amongst the hoards of turists and ate my bowl of Minestrone con Crostini (which, according to Camilla, is very unpopular amongst Italians, though she says that she loves it) and my Acqua Mineralle Frizzante, followed by a Caffè. Mmmmm. Once I finished, I decided I needed to pay a visit to my favorite bakery, where I used to always get little marzipan fruits. Yes, daily. They are highly addictive! I think more so than gelato, because gelato always ends up very big, while these little fruits are miniscule. Unfortunately (or fortunately), they did not have marzipan, so I ended up with several Amaretti cookies instead, quite possibly my favorite Italian cookie. I would say cookie in general, except I think that chocolate chip / oatmeal chocolate chip cookies will always take the cake (so to speak).

I then walked through Piazza Navona and got extremely lost (and therefore learned a lot about Rome - really I like not having a map!) and got to see many things, including some Audi-sta (man driving an Audi?) who had somehow managed to get stuck in the middle of a very, VERY small intersection (on a side note, this reminds me of my taxi ride to Camilla's house, during which the driver literally backed straight into a parked car - yes, I heard a crunch! - and then drove away as thogh nothing had even happened!!). But I eventually made my way back to the Spanish Steps, now absolutely packed with people and from there to Piazza del Popolo, where I found a spot on the center monument to sit and read. It proved to be harder than I expected to read the only book I have - a Spanish book by Santiago Romaglilo or something, called Memorias de una dama - due to all the people watching. And eventually even harder when two very gay-looking guys (highly styled hair, pierced ears, and nose-rings) walked up and with a "Posso?" sat down next to me. They showed me that Villa Borghese was actually right behind me, and asked me if I wanted to go (I have STILL not been!!) But I said that as much as I wanted to see Villa Borghese, I really needed to go home.

And I did. And got lost.

Ciao! Baci!

(back to madrid)

So, Iàve got a lot to say... But I thought I should start by putting up some fotos I took in Madrid. And here we go...

La Reina Sofìa

Just before the storm.

Aio Cai, Ciao Roma!!

Well, not entirely... Actually between leaving Càdiz and arriving in Rome, I made a stop in Madrid to visit my amazing friend Mimi, from home. It was really great to see the city again from a different perspective. We did the Prado, followed by shopping, as well as the Reina Sofia, followed by shopping (now that Iàm in Rome Iàm realizing what a stupid idea all the shopping in Madrid was - especially considering what happened on the way here, but Iàll get to that...) (also, I appologize for the weird accented "a"s - turns out thereàs no apostrophe in Italian, and therefore it doesnàt appear on the keyboard, instead à does. And I canàt not hit that key!!!!) We also had a fantastic picnic in the Parque del Buen Retiro. We bought fresh strawberries, cherries, cheese, bread, and little miniature cookies at the Mercado San Miguel (HIGHLY recommend) and then took them to the park, where we sat in the shady grass and people watched. It was the best afternoon!!! I was in Madrid a total of 4 nights (3 days?) and then it was off to Rome.
I arrived in Rome yesterday, and since then, I feel as though Iàve walked all the way back to Madrid. But I will tell you all about that tomorrow - internet is limited, and I must go.

Ciao, arrivederci, e baci, baci, baci!!