At last. That's my BCN: bad beer, good live music and lots of cigarettes! I was missing it so much, only I didn't realize it until I had it.
I went to see a Brazilian bossa-nova concert by Luna Cohen Quintet, 'cause three of the five happened to be my friends. Have lots of friends who are jazz musicians --too many, I would say... Bad beer and cigarettes were everywhere, but we didn't really like the venue, so after that we went to a jazz jam session that is held every Monday at the Limerick Pub. More friends there. Awesome music. Bad beer and cigarettes --again.
And that's my life in BCN. There's always a gig to go to, there's always bad beer and a foggy ambiance at the venue, there's always a friend who is playing here or there... I'm glad I found my BCN again! I really like it!
Today I went downtown for some shopping and came back home walking, as I always do... It could have been a 'painful' experience --downtown BCN is crazy!-- but since I knew exactly what I needed and where to go, I could avoid the crowd. So on my way back home I had another cheerful sight: there's an open-air exhibit of Rodin's sculptures in Rambla Catalunya! I love it. I love street art, and I love when art hits the streets --which is not always the same thing. Rambla Catalunya is a boulevard parallel to Passeig de Gràcia, which are two posh streets with architectural interest in BCN --do not mistake with the famous Ramblas! Actually, 'rambla' means 'boulevard', so... Anyway, 'The thinker' was there! Awesome! BEAUTIFUL! Along with some other sculptures! I just loved it!
It seems I'm making it up with my city... it was about time...
Wanna hear my friends playing?
www.myspace.com/colectivodeimos
www.myspace.com/mysticflugelhornband
www.myspace.com/miguelfernandezmusic
www.myspace.com/joelmcmusic
dilluns, 18 de gener del 2010
diumenge, 17 de gener del 2010
Cheering up
Yes, my friends, it's been extremely difficult for me not to get stuck in the 'I hate this place' feeling, but enough is enough --I've got to cheer up and keep 'the traveler's attitude' even in my hometown!
One thing I forgot about my city is that we also have BEAUTIFUL sunsets here! The vision of a cloudy red sky always makes my day... and I had a lot of those in America!
Another good thing I found is that the new dumpsters I told you about are helping BCN go green --we had special recycling bins for glass, plastic and paper, but now they are fiercely encouraging the citizens to separate the organic trash from the regular trash. They gave every household a special bin for that, and my mom is so enthusiastic! She's going mad at me because I forget we have this new bin and always misplace the trash, poor lady... Well, enough of trash and dumpsters for now...
Today I was struck to discover that we have two new subway lines --we call it 'metro'. Ain't it AMAZING? Only a few stations of the two are working, and it's not that I will use them very often since they cover an area in the outskirts of the city, but still I was surprised to find them open only three months after I left --and I felt like a tourist checking the metro map!
So many new things to discover and old things to revisit! Keep tuned to find out!
One thing I forgot about my city is that we also have BEAUTIFUL sunsets here! The vision of a cloudy red sky always makes my day... and I had a lot of those in America!
Another good thing I found is that the new dumpsters I told you about are helping BCN go green --we had special recycling bins for glass, plastic and paper, but now they are fiercely encouraging the citizens to separate the organic trash from the regular trash. They gave every household a special bin for that, and my mom is so enthusiastic! She's going mad at me because I forget we have this new bin and always misplace the trash, poor lady... Well, enough of trash and dumpsters for now...
Today I was struck to discover that we have two new subway lines --we call it 'metro'. Ain't it AMAZING? Only a few stations of the two are working, and it's not that I will use them very often since they cover an area in the outskirts of the city, but still I was surprised to find them open only three months after I left --and I felt like a tourist checking the metro map!
So many new things to discover and old things to revisit! Keep tuned to find out!
dijous, 14 de gener del 2010
Home sweet home?
Hello everybody. The mission of this blog was to report my friends and family on my adventures abroad, so why not use it the other way around? Here's my first impression of my return back home: HELL!
The truth is we don't have any sense of 'service' whatsoever, and this, after three months in the most obliging country in the world, where customers are gods, is a pain in the ass. The nightmare I went through in the airports of London and Barcelona ruined what could have been the happy return of the prodigal daughter, but still, here I am!
After three months abroad, and within the few hours I've been here, I could only notice that the city hall has changed the dumpsters or trash containers --again! Here in Barcelona you can find them everywhere, because that's how we collect our trash --not within the buildings, as it is done in most American cities. Actually, it was about time, because the last ones they installed were all broken thanks to the 'hi-tech' system they used to empty them out. The new ones are pretty much alike as the old ones, only new. I'll tell you how they work as soon as I try, OK? And you'll get pictures very soon too!
Today I had to drive back to the airport to claim my lost luggage, so I could experience again how it feels like to drive here --another nightmare! There are motorcycles everywhere, crossing lanes and dodging the cars as if they were the masters of the road. Cab drivers are next on my own particular 'most hated' list of people, after motorcyclists... And THAT'S WHY I avoid driving in the city whenever possible --which is most of the time.
I was so late yesterday that couldn't go and see my friends that were waiting for me in 'our' bar, the ELECTRIC, so that's what I am going to do now. Hoping that my English is better written than spoken, I'll keep you informed of my adventures in this place I call home...
I MISS YOU!
The truth is we don't have any sense of 'service' whatsoever, and this, after three months in the most obliging country in the world, where customers are gods, is a pain in the ass. The nightmare I went through in the airports of London and Barcelona ruined what could have been the happy return of the prodigal daughter, but still, here I am!
After three months abroad, and within the few hours I've been here, I could only notice that the city hall has changed the dumpsters or trash containers --again! Here in Barcelona you can find them everywhere, because that's how we collect our trash --not within the buildings, as it is done in most American cities. Actually, it was about time, because the last ones they installed were all broken thanks to the 'hi-tech' system they used to empty them out. The new ones are pretty much alike as the old ones, only new. I'll tell you how they work as soon as I try, OK? And you'll get pictures very soon too!
Today I had to drive back to the airport to claim my lost luggage, so I could experience again how it feels like to drive here --another nightmare! There are motorcycles everywhere, crossing lanes and dodging the cars as if they were the masters of the road. Cab drivers are next on my own particular 'most hated' list of people, after motorcyclists... And THAT'S WHY I avoid driving in the city whenever possible --which is most of the time.
I was so late yesterday that couldn't go and see my friends that were waiting for me in 'our' bar, the ELECTRIC, so that's what I am going to do now. Hoping that my English is better written than spoken, I'll keep you informed of my adventures in this place I call home...
I MISS YOU!
dimecres, 6 de gener del 2010
Final de trajecte
Ara que tots sabeu que torno, ningu llegira aquesta entrada, pero sento que el blog de les meves aventures necessita un final... del primer capitol, es clar.
Torno a ser al punt de partida, en aquesta magica ciutat que em te el cor robat i on encara ara, continuament, em sento envoltada de bons designis i un etern somriure. Seattle, mon amour.
Em sento a la recta final d'aquesta immensa muntanya russa on he estat pujada durant tres mesos, plena de 'subidons' i tambe d'algun 'baixon', pero en definitiva una d'aquelles atraccions on tornaves a fer cua per pujar-hi una vegada i una altra.
I aixo es exactament el que fare. Em tornare a posar a la cua per, ben aviat, tornar a gaudir dels altibaixos d'aquesta muntanya russa que vull que sigui la meva vida.
Us estimo!
Torno a ser al punt de partida, en aquesta magica ciutat que em te el cor robat i on encara ara, continuament, em sento envoltada de bons designis i un etern somriure. Seattle, mon amour.
Em sento a la recta final d'aquesta immensa muntanya russa on he estat pujada durant tres mesos, plena de 'subidons' i tambe d'algun 'baixon', pero en definitiva una d'aquelles atraccions on tornaves a fer cua per pujar-hi una vegada i una altra.
I aixo es exactament el que fare. Em tornare a posar a la cua per, ben aviat, tornar a gaudir dels altibaixos d'aquesta muntanya russa que vull que sigui la meva vida.
Us estimo!
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