First of all, I want to thank my friendies for the comments on the last post. I appreciate the latest news from UMR. John, thats not a boner on Manolo´s shirt; that is supposed to be an arm. Kelly, thanks for picking up the slack and disapproving of anything John does. Lane and Sam, good luck on rebuilding Goat House; I expect it to be capable of oribital flight when I return. Chi, I have been a disappointment so far, but I will not give up yet. Lazer and everyone, dont suffer to hard with the homework.

Back to recent Spain events: Day before yesterday Ana, Alex and I went to Madrid to get a few things done. One of which was to get the key to Ana´s apartment in Madrid. She´d let a Polish friend of hers stay in her apartment while he was visting his Spanish girlfriend. We ended up eating lunch with him. He was very amusing. He barely knows any Spanish but he is fluent in German and English. So our conversations were a mix of Spanish, German (which Alex and Ana know well enough) and English (which Alex understands almost perfectly). Surprisingly enough, I found that I understand a good amount of German when it is spoken at a foreigner´s level and with a Spanish accent.

We also saw UPM´s computer science campus. It was really impressive, some 6 or 7 buildings all dedicated to computer science. Everything looked really modern and clean. Seeing a whole building labeled Inteligencia Artificial is really motivating. What´s not so motiviating is that I stopped by one of the offices to find out when classes are and NOPE they dont know until September 5. At least they could tell me that.

This is going to be the last entry for a week or so. This afternoon we´re going to the airport to pick up an Italian couple that Alex and Ana befriended in Germany. Then we have about a week to drive them around Spain and show them the sights. So I imagine I wont have much time or opportunity to write on a computer.

My cousin Manolo works for Banesto, a Spanish bank, doing programming and statistical analysis of the success rate of their credit card promotional offers. One such offer has something to do with Real Madrid, a popular futbol team. I'm not really sure how it worked out, but he got free tickets to one of their games. So he invited one of his friends, Alejandro (my cousin and his brother), Alex's girlfriend Ana, and myself. We found out late in the day (of course) so Alex and I made sandwiches, picked up Ana and drove to Madrid.

I didn't think I would enjoy it, but the game is a lot more interesting in real life than it is on the television. My grandfather told me that Real Madrid is worshipped around the world. Even though Alex had experiences in Germany that back that up, I didn't quite believe it. Afterall, if it weren't for my cousins being big fans, I never would have heard of the Real Madrid. But when we got the stadium I found this to be true. The people in front of us were speaking Chinese, the people behind us in French, and a whole section of seats were occupied by Japanese students waving Real Madrid flags.

So the world's favorite played against an American team and decimated them. It was really brutal, 5 to 0. But that didn't dampen the intensity of celebration caused by each goal (ahem, I mean "GOOOOOOOL!"). It was surprisingly easy to get caught up in the excitement. Also, at halftime employees of Banesto and their guests got free snack time that included an open bar. We were the only ones that didn't know this, though and a few minutes before halftime our section of seats cleared out. By the time we got to the break room most of the good food was gone; there were only traces of fried squid sandwiches and chorizo. But there was still plenty of crackers, nuts and beer. Next time we'll be there faster, and according to Manolo, there will be plenty of "next times" to eat on Banesto's budget.

So my friends in Missouri have started classes this week. Emails from Lane make it sound like I should be glad to be an ocean away, and indeed, I am. Though I can't help but feel like I'm missing out on the events in Rolla, however torturous they might be.

My classes start sometime next month, probably late in the month, though I don't know exactly when. In general, Spaniards hate making concrete plans, much less plans to go back to work. As the end of summer approaches in August, not a goddamn thing gets done in this country. This is the one aspect of Spanish life that has caused me any "culture shock". Granted, summer is when the "Spanish lifestyle" is at its most sloth-like pace. You can't get anything done or even find out WHEN, if ever, anything will get done.

"That's closed. Everything's closed in August."
"What about next month?"
"What, September? But it's August."

There is also a difference in concept of time. Somehow, a century ago is like yesterday but next week is unforesable. Luckily, I dont have much to get done and neither does anyone else so it's not really been that hard to get used to. All I'm saying is that it's a noticable difference, even to someone as obtuse as I am.

That's another thing, my cousins and their friends often ask me about how things are in the US. They ask specific questions, things I should have probably noticed or been aware of. An example doesn't come to mind right now. Anyway, too often I dont really know how to answer them. I think it has something to do with the fact that in the US I live in a small subculture in a small university in a small town. Unless they ask me about UMR comp scis that live in the TJ dorms and play video games, I come off as amazingly dense.

After a series of such questions, one of Juan P's friends didn't quite believe I've lived all my life in the US. She thought the whole "americano" thing was just for attention. "No, no," I had to expain, "I'm a citizen and everything, born in Texas. I'm just a social retard. A comp sci: a type of hermit."

That's the view from the cafe in the library in Toledo. That big building with the tower is the cathedral. Pretty neat.



Juan P and I on our way back from the library. I was just supposed to tag along while he studied but instead we were only there for some 15 minutes, just long enough to get a coffee in the cafe. Juan P, being the way-too-nice guy that he is decided to show me around Toledo a bit instead of studying like he planned. After the library we went to a bar that the locals frequent. It is a bit out-of-the way so guiris usually dont find it.

Guiri, by the way, is the slang term for a tourist or foreigner that appears to be "northern", that includes German, American, Canadian, Swedish, or any one that is tall, blonde, and doesnt speak a romance language. The stereotype is a laughing, drunk, sun-burned blonde goofball in a shorts asking for a "sehr-vay-saw". It's not meant to be offensive, but popular culture in Spain isn't exactly politically correct anyway. (For example, they call all asian tourists "chinos" even though the great majority of them are Japanese). Speaking of which, Juan P and I saw like 40 Japanese tourists on our way to the library. One particularly enthusastic man took a picture of us as we walked by. I should have taken a picture of him right back.

Anyway, after the bar we went to a park and had an horchata. Horchata is a typical mediterranean drink made from chufa (a root), water and sugar. It's of arabic origin and it entered Europe through Spain during the period of Arabic occupation of southern Spain. It is also fucking delicious.

Not much to tell, I'm still just chilling in Toledo. Went out with some friends of my cousins, took some pictures of old buildings and relatives. Later I'll post pictures and maybe have something interesting to say.

Also: Arrivals and departures: Lucia went back to Springfield the 13th. My cousin Alejandro came back from his year abroad in Germany. My uncle Antonio and his family came back from Galicia a few days ago. My cousin Manolo got the week off from his new job so he's here, too.

I have been taking it easy lately so there isn't much to write about. Chi is thinking of visiting Spain but he says photos are required to convince him. So now is photo time.



Lucia by the pool at my tios house.



I love the geckos that come out at night and crawl all over everything. I also love the Spanish word for gecko: "salamanquesa". If that doesn't make you want to visit Spain, maybe this will:



So fucking cute!

Because the present is geckos, here are some photos from the future that I didnt post:



In Portugal, my cousins Victoria, Pilar and Ana. Almost as cute as wall-crawling lizards.



In Santiago de Compostela, Lucia and cousins underneath structures that surround many buildings designed to keep people dry during the frequent rains. Really too bad I couldn't get better photos in that city. It was really beautiful, just too dark and rainy.



One of many political propaganda banners seen everywhere. This one in Santiago. Yeah, socialism will work really well in Galicia without the rest of Spain to help pay for it. Silly separatists.

Anyway, in a few minutes I'm going with Juan P to the library. It's supposed to be one of the best libraries in Spain with some awesome views of Toledo so maybe I'll bring my camera and have some better photos to post.

Yesterday I went out with Manolo and his friends. First we went bowling. Although it is moderately popular, not many people in Spain play very much. No one in the whole bowling alley played half as well as the average American bowler. However, I did not live up to the stereotype of the American bowling superstar. Actually, I played possibly the worst couple of games in my life. I was second to last only because Irene, a petite hungover 27 year old girl, had barely any idea of how to play. Manolo, on the other hand, plays pretty well. 130's. But his manner of throwing the ball is insane. He holds the ball in the reverse direction, with his thumb pointing away from the pins and he launches the ball straight down the lane with brute force. I tried to imitate it and I nearly ripped my arm out.He complained this morning of muscle aches; even his back hurt. No wonder.

Other interesting observations about the Spanish bowling alley: The balls weights were in pounds, so no one knew how heavy they were and no one believed me when I told them that there are bowlers who can curve the balls path down the lane. They think I'm trying to convince them that Americans can break the laws of physics.

After bowling we picked Blanca up and went to dinner at a Cafe/Bar. Nothing very interesting about that. Then we did what is called "botellon" which is hanging out in a plaza and drinking. I believe this is actually illegal (public drunkenness), but this law isn't enforced in Toledo. The plaza seems to be designed for this activity, anyway. We ordered and took our drinks through an open window of a bar. We even saw police cars drive between crowds of people, completely ignoring them. Supposedly it is a different story in Madrid and the police will hook up a fire hose and just start spraying people. I doubt that stops them.

Everything was going fine until two friends of friends showed up and it was decided that we should go to a bar. A loud, dark, crowded, smoky bar. I couldn't hear a goddamned word anyone said and no one could hear me. I simply can't scream over the music. We left pretty quickly because no one felt like getting drunk enough to enjoy that obnoxious atmosphere, no one except the two friends who had the idea to begin with; they were left there. After rejoining humanity, we walked around a bit and eventually went home.

All this, by the way, occurred after 9 pm. During the day it is way too hot to do much of anything besides sleep and eat. Yesterday there was an interesting meteorological phenomenon called calima that usually accompanies heat waves from the south. The sky is very light blue, almost white and the sunlight is red like it is at sunset. It is caused by the particles of sand from the Sahara desert. Here in Toledo it is not as noticeable as it is in places to the south, but it is still very weird and a little disturbing.

I'm back in Toledo. We drove back from Galicia yesterday after lunch. So now I can upload photos. I'll go back to the last few posts and litter them with pictures soon. Speaking of photos, the view during the drive back from Galicia was unexpectedly impressive so I dont have any pictures. The landscape changed dramaticly every few hours. Green mountains, then rolling plains, then jagged rocky mountains, then very flat and dry countryside. Also, I saw more wind power generators and solar panels in that 6 hour drive than I have ever seen in my whole life. We passed literally hundreds of "windmills" and at least 20 solar arrays, not to mention a few castles. But as Eddie Izzard said, "we're up to here with fucking castles!"

Before I close the Galicia summer vacation chapter, I want to post the photos that I couldn't before and use them to sum up everything that I wasn't able to post before.



On one of the last days in Galicia our tios (tios means aunt and uncle and it's much faster to type, to read and doesn't sound retarded) took Lucia, Blanca and I to Santiago de Compostela. It is a very impressive city.

There we met with our tios Rosario and Vicente and our cousins Vicente (17), Daniel (15) and Pablo (12). I couldn't get many good pictures because it only stopped raining at night and it was too dark in the cathedral.

Beach:

Pictured above are my cousin Juan Pedro, Maria (Blanca's friend) and Lucia. We spent a lot of time on the beach in the morning before lunch, even though it's not very warm in Galicia. Personally, I think it's way too cold to swim. But it's nice enough to wade into the water and catch some tasty crabs. We later ate them with rice.

According to my sister Lucia, my cousin Manolo pictured above is the typical Spaniard. I'll be living with him during the school year.

That's my cousin Mercedes' daughter Teresa and her husband Eduardo.


Walking:
After lunch and siesta (nation-wide nap time) we usually took a walk.

Here's a picture of a bunch of us on one such walk. Left to right we are: Teresa, Blanca, Mercedes, Eduardo, myself, Lucia and Manolo.


These are my tios Lola and Manolo. This is a good opportunity to explain a few short froms of names. Lola is a short and familiar form of Dolores. Manolo is Manuel.

Portugal:
One trip to Portugal is a requirement during a vacation in Galicia. On the border between Spain and Portugal is an economic curiousity: Everything is extremely cheap. No one is sure exactly why this is so and why it didn't end with the introduction of a common European currency, but there it is.

My uncle Antonio waiting for his wife to make some purchases.

Well, there's not much more to tell and only a few more photos but if I'm tired of this already no one else will be too interested in the rest of them.