segunda-feira, 15 de setembro de 2008
quarta-feira, 30 de julho de 2008
domingo, 6 de janeiro de 2008
Kassel, Deutchland
I am back in cold grey Germany..... but here's my last blog entry on my xmas escapade. I had left off after arriving in Tarifa, Spain.
I liked Tarifa a lot. It was a really beautiful city, the word "quaint" comes to mind. On my second night there, I went to a bar with a girl from Holland to see some local band play. The band was very good, kind of a cross between Joaquin Sabina, and Pearl Jam. After the show we found some wine and stayed up too late talking with other folks at the hostel. But I spent most of my time wandering around this historic city, enjoying the ocean breeze and fantastic weather (SUN!!) and gazing across the Straight of Gibraltar at the rolling hills of Africa, from an ancient castle built on the cliffs of the edge of Europe – All in a city that some say is the namesake of the word Tariff. Makes sense, consider the commerce this port used to do. (now it just takes in windsurfers and travelers like me). Tarifa was truly beautiful though, and it makes my short list of places I could retire. Not a place a could live, it's a bit too small, but I could retire there and learn to paint or something....
Eventually I took a bus to Cádiz (No. I did not coger a bus to Cádiz. I refuse to coger a bus here, even though everyone else does it.... I just tomar them.)
Anyway, I should say how pleasant it is, how easy it is, how amazing it is to find out where the bus station is, when the bus is leaving, etc. etc. when you actually speak the same language everyone else does!!! This is idea may sound marvel, but I hadn't experienced it in months. Anyway, the short and cheap bus ride to Cádiz took me through some rolling Andalucian hills, and along the edge of the continent to this ancient peninsula of Spain. I walked through the city along the waterfront from the bus station to the train station, and jumped on a train to head up to Jerez de la Frontera, where I was spending the night. My main reason for heading there was that they had a Hammam (Turkish bath popular in most Arab countries). Oh, I forgot to mention that I went to a Hammam in Morocco and loved it, and needed one more hammam before heading back to Germany. This one was amazing. All done up in true style, but with a nice little Spanish touch. Here's a link:
http://www.hammamandalusi.com/
Click on it, at least to see the pictures of where I was.... I can't even begin to describe it. After about 2 hours there, I emerged refreshed and cleaner than I've been since my last Hammam on this trip, to wander the streets of Jerez and get lost.
I stumbled onto a giant plaza with a makeshift ice skating rink in the center. Now, not to make a generalization.... no, I will. Spaniards, at least based on my first hand observation that day, have no idea how to ice skate. I watched young and old fall all over each other for about 15 minutes. After a while I looked up, and noticed the entire plaza was surrounded by 19th century buildings with banners draped from the balconies and red and black flags waving from the windows.... where was I? If it hadn't been for the ice skaters, it might have felt like I was in Spain in 1937 instead of 2007.
The CGT, the UGT, CC.OO., and the CNT (mi favorito) all had their offices here in the plaza with the ice rink (these are all Spanish trade unions). There was nobody there, but the next day, I went back and spoke with the secretary of the CNT about some of their recent struggles, got a ton of stickers and paraphernalia, and left a hearty donation.
The next morning I wandered around the streets I knew so well by now, ate some churros and chocolate while sitting in the sun, reading "El Pa's" (the first time I've sat and read a paper in months.... something I miss) then headed back to Cádiz for new years eve....
In Cádiz, I had arranged to stay with someone I met through "couchsurfing.com", an interesting facebook style webpage, designed to facilitate travelers looking for a place to sleep. I stayed with a few young college students there, but went to a traditional new years eve party at the house of someone else I met. At the stroke of midnight, while watching the TV with images of drunk people in Madrid, I ate 12 grapes in 12 seconds (well, I tried to, as the tradition goes). Next time I'll take the skin off.
After that, I went north to Sevilla. I only had 2 nights to see this southern capital, and I knew I wouldn't do it justice, but I tried.
Actually, compared to the quieter, smaller, andalucian towns I had seen, Sevilla kind of… sucked? I mean, parts of it were great. It was pretty. But it was so touristy, and so different than – take Jerez de la frontera, or Tarifa…. Even Cádiz. Compared to the three other cities I had visited, it kind of… just sucked.
OH, but it was better than flying back to Germany and returning to the cold, institutional science experiment I called a home in Kassel. But the truth was, I missed everyone there…. My fellow unionist comrades from all over the world. And I only have a few weeks left with them before leaving for Brazil! I can't believe how quick this time went by.
I liked Tarifa a lot. It was a really beautiful city, the word "quaint" comes to mind. On my second night there, I went to a bar with a girl from Holland to see some local band play. The band was very good, kind of a cross between Joaquin Sabina, and Pearl Jam. After the show we found some wine and stayed up too late talking with other folks at the hostel. But I spent most of my time wandering around this historic city, enjoying the ocean breeze and fantastic weather (SUN!!) and gazing across the Straight of Gibraltar at the rolling hills of Africa, from an ancient castle built on the cliffs of the edge of Europe – All in a city that some say is the namesake of the word Tariff. Makes sense, consider the commerce this port used to do. (now it just takes in windsurfers and travelers like me). Tarifa was truly beautiful though, and it makes my short list of places I could retire. Not a place a could live, it's a bit too small, but I could retire there and learn to paint or something....
Eventually I took a bus to Cádiz (No. I did not coger a bus to Cádiz. I refuse to coger a bus here, even though everyone else does it.... I just tomar them.)
Anyway, I should say how pleasant it is, how easy it is, how amazing it is to find out where the bus station is, when the bus is leaving, etc. etc. when you actually speak the same language everyone else does!!! This is idea may sound marvel, but I hadn't experienced it in months. Anyway, the short and cheap bus ride to Cádiz took me through some rolling Andalucian hills, and along the edge of the continent to this ancient peninsula of Spain. I walked through the city along the waterfront from the bus station to the train station, and jumped on a train to head up to Jerez de la Frontera, where I was spending the night. My main reason for heading there was that they had a Hammam (Turkish bath popular in most Arab countries). Oh, I forgot to mention that I went to a Hammam in Morocco and loved it, and needed one more hammam before heading back to Germany. This one was amazing. All done up in true style, but with a nice little Spanish touch. Here's a link:
http://www.hammamandalusi.com/
Click on it, at least to see the pictures of where I was.... I can't even begin to describe it. After about 2 hours there, I emerged refreshed and cleaner than I've been since my last Hammam on this trip, to wander the streets of Jerez and get lost.
I stumbled onto a giant plaza with a makeshift ice skating rink in the center. Now, not to make a generalization.... no, I will. Spaniards, at least based on my first hand observation that day, have no idea how to ice skate. I watched young and old fall all over each other for about 15 minutes. After a while I looked up, and noticed the entire plaza was surrounded by 19th century buildings with banners draped from the balconies and red and black flags waving from the windows.... where was I? If it hadn't been for the ice skaters, it might have felt like I was in Spain in 1937 instead of 2007.
The CGT, the UGT, CC.OO., and the CNT (mi favorito) all had their offices here in the plaza with the ice rink (these are all Spanish trade unions). There was nobody there, but the next day, I went back and spoke with the secretary of the CNT about some of their recent struggles, got a ton of stickers and paraphernalia, and left a hearty donation.
The next morning I wandered around the streets I knew so well by now, ate some churros and chocolate while sitting in the sun, reading "El Pa's" (the first time I've sat and read a paper in months.... something I miss) then headed back to Cádiz for new years eve....
In Cádiz, I had arranged to stay with someone I met through "couchsurfing.com", an interesting facebook style webpage, designed to facilitate travelers looking for a place to sleep. I stayed with a few young college students there, but went to a traditional new years eve party at the house of someone else I met. At the stroke of midnight, while watching the TV with images of drunk people in Madrid, I ate 12 grapes in 12 seconds (well, I tried to, as the tradition goes). Next time I'll take the skin off.
After that, I went north to Sevilla. I only had 2 nights to see this southern capital, and I knew I wouldn't do it justice, but I tried.
Actually, compared to the quieter, smaller, andalucian towns I had seen, Sevilla kind of… sucked? I mean, parts of it were great. It was pretty. But it was so touristy, and so different than – take Jerez de la frontera, or Tarifa…. Even Cádiz. Compared to the three other cities I had visited, it kind of… just sucked.
OH, but it was better than flying back to Germany and returning to the cold, institutional science experiment I called a home in Kassel. But the truth was, I missed everyone there…. My fellow unionist comrades from all over the world. And I only have a few weeks left with them before leaving for Brazil! I can't believe how quick this time went by.
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