Sixth Entry -- Kristie's Visit

Up til now, I've mostly written about my experiences living alone in a foreign country...navigating around, dining out, learning the language, meeting strangers. But this last week, my wonderful and amazing friend, Kristie, came to visit. What a difference having a traveling companion makes! 

Mi companera, Kristie!

We started the week in Madrid (Spain's largest city). Logistically that made sense. She could fly into the city, and I could easily take the train up there from Granada. I wanted to see Madrid anyway while I was in Spain. How much better it would be with a friend. She made arrangements for a rental (quick side note...if you're traveling any time soon, check out airbnb.com -- FANTASTIC website for booking rooms and apartments that ordinary people rent out. It's how I landed both places I'm using during my stay here). Anyway, after only a couple minor issues getting to the apartment (a slight communication problem with our muy guapo landlord, Ulysis, and figuring out how to navigate the busy metro and streets of Madrid), we set out to explore. Didn't have much of a plan. Instead we preferred to wander about and see whatever was around the next corner. Although, since Madrid is SUCH a huge city, we did agree to buy a 2-day pass for the open-air tour bus so we could at least get our bearings and see more of what we could on foot. We were glad we did. Mainly cuz that allowed us to focus our attentions on a few key areas and not get overly exhausted.

Thankfully we shared an appreciation for the unexpected, spontaneous surprises that make for some of the best travel stories. We hadn't been in the city more than a few hours when, while strolling up near the Royal Palace, we saw several people gathered around taking photos of something over on a hillside in the nearby park. Turns out they were all watching a very amorous (and not-so-shy) couple going at it in the grass! And when I say "going at it" we're talking, white naked butt in the air, legs flailing, sort of activity -- welcome to Europe, Kristie! Oh, and the Royal Palace was cool too.

A gorgeous day in Plaza Major

Another great moment, which honestly happened in a flash and we couldn't fully appreciate until later when we got more information, was getting "photo-bombed" (as Kristie cleverly called it) outside of Plaza Major. We were walking into a very busy and lively alleyway and decided to snap a few pictures of the scene and arched entry behind us. Watching us take pictures, off to the side, was a large table of men having coffee. Just as one of them offered to take our photo together, two more men in soccer jerseys walked by. Suddenly, all the guys at the table jumped up, yelled "Malaga!" grabbed the two jersey-clad men, and pulled them into the photo with us. A few more people saw the commotion and joined in. The result was a fantastic picture (on Kristie's phone, which I haven't gotten my copy of yet, so I can't include it) of about 10 of us, grinning and laughing, in front of the archway. Later we saw the Malaga team tour bus and learned that there'd been a big game that weekend. The two guys in our photo, in fact, were well-known professional soccer players! 

Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art
(note the big poster of rat and panda!)

Shortly after taking that photo, Kristie chatted up an older couple inside the Plaza (who had also heard the commotion and wondered what happened). They had just completed the 800 km walk in northern Spain, called The Camino de Santiago. This is a famous pilgrimage made by thousands of people each year and depicted in a wonderful movie with Martin Sheen, called "The Way" (which she and I watched with friends in La Grande before this trip). How cool to talk with this couple! SO inspiring! Afterwards, Kristie and I agreed we should make The Camino our next adventure -- ha!....(so, Marcia & Jackie & Will if you're reading this, start planning...cuz you are coming with us!!)

Oh look - La Grande!

Of all the "must-see" sights in Madrid, we agreed not to miss Pablo Picasso's famous Guernica mural in the Reina Sofia modern art museum. Kristie, herself, is a mural artist (you are, Kristie, don't deny it!) and I was going off the advice from my new friend, Amy, in Granada not to miss it. I'll let this Wikipedia site tell you more about it if you're interested (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_(painting)), but bottom line, this was a chance to see a modern masterpiece about one of the worst acts of violence (the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish civil war) in the 20th century. At first, we bopped around the museum, giggling like a couple of junior high girls at what was being called "art" in this museum. "I guess we're not hip enough to get it," said Kristie when we by-passed the 'old-TVs-on-top-of-filing-cabinets' exhibit on the 4th floor. Which was to be totally upstaged by the 'Minima Resistencia' exhibit -- a room housing (I shit you not) a rat and a panda sleeping on the floor (you could watch them breathing) while a movie of the two of them (aka men in bad costumes) capturing a live pig played on a big screen overhead. Kristie snuck a picture. We laughed so hard we could hardly stand it! The very serious guard woman was not amused. But once down to the 2nd floor, my bestie and I got tuned in. This was home to paintings by Salvidor Dali as well as Pablo Picasso, among many others of course. I wasn't prepared for how much I would enjoy this art. We had great fun comparing artists, discussing compositions, and picking out favorites. Once we finally came to the Guernica, we really took time to appreciate it. Like the moment I got to see The Mona Lisa years ago, I won't forget seeing a giant Picasso masterpiece in person.  

After nearly 3 days together in a large, international city, we both needed a little alone time. So while Kristie did her own thing, I went seeking my new passion...adventures in heights...and climbed up to the observation deck of the Palacio de Cibeles Centrocentro for a 360 degree view of the city. It didn't disappoint! And the sun was just starting to set, casting a pretty spectacular array of colors above the hundreds of buildings throughout the city. (When I get home and I'm forcing you to look at all my photos and you find yourself wondering, 'why does she have so many pictures from high viewpoints?' Sorry. It's my new obsession.)

Without question, there's something about two single, middle-aged, fun-loving (BLONDE) women traveling alone together that automatically translates to: "Why yes, boys, please approach us. Talk to us. Buy us drinks. Yes, of course, we'd love that!" Geez-Louise!! I guess the good ol 'come-on' is pretty universal. So, in no particular order, with no particular significance, and without giving away too many (ahem) details...we made the acquaintance of:

Spanish boys know how to show a good time

--Mustaf (who we later kept calling 'Mufassa') the former chef (and current janitor??) who invited us to his place (?? his restaurant?? not sure...quite a language barrier here) to cook us couscous and (we think) meet his restaurant friends (we didn't...that one's my fault...too paranoid I guess; sorry Kristie!) 

--a group of men from various European countries (mainly Switzerland) in the so-called "karaoke bar" -- which turned out to be a lame keyboard set-up with an old guy passing around a microphone while he pounded out some kind of polka/marching band tunes for people to sing along with (imagine my disappointment!)

--the three Brazilians who were VERY happy to openly and "honestly" tell us they were married -- in Brazil -- but NOT married in Spain! "I have three wives!" One of them bragged to me, while handing me a glass of wine and sheepishly passing me his business card. 

--the (much older) group of Hungarian men and their (Hungarian? Spanish?) Seth Rogan look-a-like tour guide who were quick to (again!) buy us a drink and share how many wives they had back home (hhhmmm)

--Alvado and his band of funny-pants-wearing Spanish musician friends. We first saw them practicing on a street corner then later found ourselves surrounded by them and about a dozen more friendly, Spanish party-goers (along with their much older, and slightly creepy, operatic mentor). Imagine the two of us, at a small table in a tiny cave-like bar, suddenly being serenaded by a large group of singers with guitars and other stringed instruments! (Actually, I think an accordion player popped up too). We had no clue what they were playing, but it didn't matter...everyone was laughing, singing, clapping along. We couldn't believe this was happening! It was like a scene from a movie and became, by far, the week's best memory!

In Madrid, we also met:

Seeking heights and a sunset over Madrid

--Jorge, the adorable, brown-eyed helper behind the tourist office counter (oh? you say you have a house near the town where I'll be staying next....really??)

--the two doormen and maitre de at the Sobrino del Botin restaurant, hailed as "the oldest restaurant in Europe" (This was not a friendly meeting. I mention it only because if you or any of your friends visit Madrid, do NOT give this place any business! They were INCREDIBLY rude to us. Treated us like prostitutes. We couldn't believe how they spoke to us. Don't go there!!) 

Then later, in Granada:

--a friendly dump truck driver who blew us kisses while stopped at a traffic light and motioned to offer us a ride to the nearest bar (we didn't...probably a good idea)

--Carlos, the smug (and much too young) smart-ass waiter at the vegetarian teteria who invited us to join him and his buddies at the local hot springs (nope, didn't pull the trigger on that one either)

--Josef and Tarik the multi-lingual (and highly educated) Moroccan gents who flagged us down and wanted to practice speaking English with us, while also helping with our Spanish...drinks, tapas, and a lesson in swear words at a fun little bar ensued.

--Francisco, our sweet n shy, Irish pub karaoke partner-in-crime, who answered some of our burning questions about Spanish people and walked us safely back to our apartment.

Granada Cathedral - Kill the Rabbit!

--and finally, Wayne and Tony, the British ex-pats and our hiking tour guides who treated us to a FANTASTIC trip into the Sierra Nevadas (with a handful of other hikers as well), a tasty meal of pork elbow and vegetable crepes (yes, I said Pork Elbow!), and a couple more brews and stories afterwards (in fairness to them -- they weren't trying to pick us up -- Tony is a buddy I've befriended since being here and he was nice enough to let us join along in the hike).

My apologies to the traveling gods for butchering and not remembering the names of half the people we met. Nor could I hope to even pronounce them if I could. At one point Kristie and I joked we maybe should have kept a log.

After Madrid, Kristie joined me back in Granada. I felt bad for my lack of space and the uncomfortable futon for her to sleep on, but we made do and spent the next four days in my "home town." Our first night we bellied up to a jug of sangria in an overly touristy, overly priced terrace cafe. But what the hell! We were in Spain -- "estamos aqui!" -- so we did it up right! We talked about Madrid. Talked about home. And talked about all the people walking by. Oh man we had LOTS of fun people watching...not just that night but for the entire week! How they dressed. How they acted. How they looked at us. How they talked to each other (yes, they were the quiet ones and WE were the loud ones -- go figure!). How they all had funny little dogs. Oh and look...another daddy pushing a stroller. blah blah blah blah blah -- cackle cackle cackle -- point point point. You can surely imagine the two of us drinking wine, gabbin' and people watching. Didn't get much better than that! :-)

Flamenco intensity!!

I can't speak for her, but the highlight for me was showing off this place I've fallen in love with. It's awesome discovering things together and sharing spontaneous moments, but it was also cool watching her experience, with new eyes, the sights I've already seen. We walked around the Plaza Nueva, up to the Albayzin and Sacromonte quarters, and around the shopping districts. She toured the Alhambra and gave me a reason to finally go into the Cathedral (I'm not a big fan of such triumphantly garish, historical, religious structures, but she had tickets, so I decided to check it off the list. Once inside the enormous building with giant, imposing columns and gilded ceilings, which eerily represent the destructive take-over by Christian conquerors, Kristie started bellowing the Loony Tunes classic "Kill the Rabbit, Kill the Rabbit" -- perfectly FUNNY!) 

Something I hadn't done yet and was waiting for her visit to see was the traditional Flamenco music and dancing that's revered in the southern part of Spain. We went to La Chien Andalou, a teeny-weeny, hole-in-the-wall cave space with teeny-weeny tables and chairs and a teeny-weeny stage for the musicians and dancer. (This place would never fly in the States, we said...no fire marshall would allow it.) Over (another) jug of sangria, we watched the very impressive guitar player and his young, wailing, bleach-blonde gypsy songstress. "AAAAHHHH---YYYAAAHHHH--AAAAHHHHHYYYAAA" she shrilled (just ask -- Kristie and I will gladly perform it for you). Then came the beautiful, smokey-eyed dancer with her black, laced dress and flaming red flamenco shoes. Wow! She was something! At times she'd sway her arms in a poetic, bird-like fashion and snap her fingers like rapid castanets. Other times, she'd hold perfectly still, quickly moving her feet in the intense tradition of the Flamenco. (I got videos. Just ask and I'll show ya those too!)

Cave dwellings in the Sacramonte

There are plenty more stories to tell, but I can't possibly write about them all. (And my dad is already giving me crap for my lengthy blogs). You'll simply have to take me or Kristie out for a beer to hear more. (Just don't forget to ask about the androgynous flamenco dancer and platter of ham!)

So I'll just wrap up here and say all in all, Kristie was a total blast to travel with! She's so open to people and new experiences. Her curiosity, spontaneity and quick wit was contagious. Plus, she was a real trooper having to go to the bus station at 2:00 am to make her flight back in Madrid. I think it helped that I'd already been in the country awhile. Even though I'm still struggling with the language, at least I've settled in some and had a few "basics" figured out. I'd like to think this gave Kristie a chance to enjoy herself more. I dunno...you'll have to ask her. The only down-side to the two of us walking around together was we seemed to be bigger prey to the endless stream of vendors and solicitors. THAT gets annoying real fast! But it was a small price to pay for having somebody to share this with and make great memories together. At the end of the week, we couldn't believe how much we'd seen and done. Sorry in advance for the next time you see the two of us together and we start wailing the gypsy cave cry or laughing about sleeping rats or endlessly trying to pronounce Spanish boys' names...we won't be able to help ourselves. I guess you had to be there. 

mmm humus and hookah

Working off the wine n ham in Monochil