Trip log

By tomorrow I will be sitting on a beach. Ahhh!

This page will track our adventures, the sights, some stories, and will ultimately let you know that we are still alive.

 

Unfortunately this post will appear, “sans photo´s”. This stupid place we are  in has no updates technology. It is actuallly in the back of a Subway, of all places, and there are signs everywhere about thiefs. I am beginning to think this was not the best idea, but Chandra is listening to her Ipod and writing as fast as a secretary and I do not have the heart to interrupt her.

We are in Barecelona now, got here yesterday, and I am in love. I now know where I want to retire at the ripe old age of 32. We left San Sebastian on an early morning bus and I got “hella” car sick and spent atleast half of the trip trying to keep breakfast in my stomach. Chandra was busy making friends with the dude siting next to us., God her Spanish is good!!!

We of course saw more of the wonderful black bull signs [ for a pic refer to the first trip post, it is essentialy the same thing] We saw the Montserrat mountains, which I always thought were in France, but no and they are stunning by the way. It feminded me of this place in India called Hampi, otherwise known as the place where the FLinstones was set.

Barcelona is very different. there are tons of differnent kinds of folk. It is great to be around  a little bit more diversity. We went to the Gothic inspired Sagrada Famillia today, one of Gaudi´s masterpieces. It was absolutely amazing. I have never been so excited about seeing a church in my life. I had a realy funy picture of Chandra eating a big Mac infront of it, but you will all have to use your imaginations for that one!! I have been really impressed with all of the Gaudi stuff so far, and amm looking forward to the rest.

It is almost 11 pm and we need to go for dinner soon. Tonight is the fiesta of Saint Juan [ known as saint JOhns in English [see how good my Spanish is getting]] and CHandra and I are going to party at the beach Spanish Styles!!!

Day “take off minus three non-travel days”

so folks. I can imagine that this will be  the last of the blogs. we were supposd to go to Toledo today, but there was mishap at the train station, the renfe workers were on strick, and we could not buy our ticket. we will try again tommorrow.

As for the pics.

lets start with Cadaques. the sleepy fishrmans village that stole my heart.

this pic is the statue that greets you when you walk into Dali´s crazy house.

This is the view from the roof of his crazy house. The man was obsessed with eggs. they are everywhere.

This picture is at Dali´s poolside. he had an outdoor terrace that he called the teacup garden where he would host his barbeques.

we then left cadaquez and moved to nice where we stayed with the lovely Brigite and her dog mishma. this place looked exactly the sme as it may have many years ago, and each room had a name. ours was te orange room.

we then arrived in beautiful corsica. my second home on this planet. this pic is the view from the first place we stayed.

we just relaxed and ate good foor and after a few days we moved to the tour. Constructed in the late 15 hundres by the Genoiese, or whatever they are called, this tour served the pirate watch.

it was here tthat we began to see my recnetly acquired allergy to “the Mediterrenean Mosquito” rear its ever so ugly head. I have omitted to include the picure of my ass for the faint of heart among you the readers.

this is me and mags enjoping a lovely mea out. I had my traditional cheve chaud salad. nothing can beat french goat cheese.

I earned my kep here by elling Bastelle to unsuspecing tourists and talking peoples faces off about how many times i had visited and how I learned to speak french. even after all of these years they can still tell that I am a forgeiner.

we skidaddled out of here to fast for my liking, i could spend all summer here, and went back to nice, unfortunatly we could not stay with brigitte.

We took the train all day, and on the last leg of our trip we were given a dinner, free booze, head phones and a movie. finally after 16 hours of no first class we had found our rightful home.

we arrived in Madrids gay barrio at midnight on pride and had to slug our luggage through a stew of partiers. this is the view of our smaller back street from our hostal balcon, which seemed like paradise once we finally made it. oh and some of the bakery gay-phenalia.

by this point my allergy is in full swing and I have several puss filled welts the size of peas on me. we went to the doc yesterday, god bless socialized medicine it cost we 24 euro´s for an anibiotic cream and a differnent pill and an anithystamine. I am still waiting for it to work.

This pic was taken yesterday at one of madrids many museo de jamons, a museum to the art of cured ham and bacon, i think i will end up here when i die.

This is Chndra´s four hundred and fifty sixth ice cream purchas. god does she love mint chocolate chip, or otherwise known as after eight.

and lastly but certainly not a small deal. tis is the inside of a very small shoe store. all over spain you see people sporting the canvas shoes with ratan sole. they are somehwat of an instituion, always in style and never boring. we had to wait outside in a line and people crowd the counter. infront of us in line were these cute italian gay boys who had been sent there specifically o buy shoes for their mommys. I of course just had to buy a pair, my Spain shoes.

so that concludes this episod. I have to go and meet CHandra for din-din. its is nealy 21:30 and the sun is finally starting to set. I hope you are all doing well and I will see you all on the other side.

day 20

hello all. I know that it has been way too long, but i have been lost in Girolata, a very small Corsican village that only recently got cell phone reception, and the internet was still horse and cart styles.

i am in Madrid now, and unfortunately this computer is not compatible with my camera, because,, i have recently discovered that i am now allergic to mosquito bites. For the past wekk or eve longer i have been a walking malady.

when we left Barcalona we went to a mall fishing village in Northern Spain called Cadques. This as the town in which Dali resided for most of his lif. we saw his cray huse and the building he built to house all of his wrks. what other artists has buit a museu for themselves? It was here that I began to fall victim to the squiters. This place was amazing and I fulling intend to return one day.

rom ere we trekked to NIce and took the boat to Corse. It was abosolutely amazing to go back. It was beautiful, the sea was amazing, the people were loving and Maga, pascal and her kids took wonderful care o us. We got to sleep in the tour, a five hundred year old tour that used to be were the villagers scouted for pirates. We went kayaking and ate great food and swam with the fishes and had so much un.

we left Corsica on a windy day and the passage back to Nice was not so nice. chandra was green and other passangers were hanging over the edge o the boat. I have had sea legges for the past two days.

we then hopped a very long connection to Madrid, and after 18 hours on five different trains and a bus we arrived here as Gay Pride wa getting under way. it took us an hour and a half to weave our way through the throngs of partying queens, with our suitcases and all. Needless to say we were a little over the whole thing. But now that we are well rested and our bags are at home we can enjoy the festivities tonight. To bring this post to a well rounded finish I would just like to include a small act, the latest mosquito bite that I have contracted in on my knee and has swollen to the sie of a marble. I have never seen anything like it.

I may or may not write another post with pis. thans for reading I will see you all very soon.

Day Eight I believe

This is CHandra with her ´”dossier”.. all of our travel plans organized chronologically and cross referenced with confirmation numbers and toll free information lines. Too bad the “dossier” can not do our laundry!!

We have technology.  I have managed to find a computer that likes my camera and will therefor give you a little taste of what you are missing.

My new favorite food Lomo, is the leg of pig which has been cured and is hanging from the cieling in the bars just waiting to be eaten. Of course its pig, right!

 

This is me with “una Pequenia Cana” a small beer. I had to try hard not to drink it all in one gulp. This 1 euro beer contrasted heavily with the over priced tourist crap that I had later that night. an ( euro pint of beer and seafood pasta that could kill a horse. I am still suffering the intestinal upheaval of this experience which will forever be known as “our Worst dinner in Spain”. Chandra eat Pealla and experienced an uncleaned shrimp. SHe never realized that they had heads and tenticles.

My seafood “extrordinaire” was black. A sauce made from the ink of calamari.

yesterday was a Gaudi day and this is from the park Guell. he built these crazy fun house terraces and little gate houses.

And from the top of everywhere in Barcelona one can see this building

We nick’named it ” the Vibrator” for obviouse reasons. Apparently it is where the water company has ins offices. Seems like a nice place to work to me. and it gets lit up in blues and reds at night.

Speaking of Blues and Reds last night was a huge fiesta, as I already mentioned. It was crazy. I thought that I liked fireworks and would have fun at the beach when everyone was partying, and I did. But there were also moments when I feared for my life. THe Little SPanish youth where running around like feral children lighting off loud fire crackers and throwing them in every direction. I saw drunk idiots lighting their cigarettes off of colourful fountain sprays. Basicaly it was a mad house and I was convinced that a Roman candle was going to burn me a bald patch on the top of my head. Regardless we still never made it to bed until four, and I am a cranky bitch today!!!

 

This is the back of the Sangrada Famillia, Gaudi´s take on a Gothic cathedral. He was a really interresting fellow I must say. It was amazing and I found it playful and still grandiouse and moving. These pictures can in no way capture its massive impressiveness and the detail that has been paid to all of the little windows and gargoyles and garnish, so to speak.

Until next itme folks!

Day 7 or 9 ¨who knows¨

Unfortunately this post will appear, “sans photo´s”. This stupid place we are  in has no updates technology. It is actuallly in the back of a Subway, of all places, and there are signs everywhere about thiefs. I am beginning to think this was not the best idea, but Chandra is listening to her Ipod and writing as fast as a secretary and I do not have the heart to interrupt her.

We are in Barecelona now, got here yesterday, and I am in love. I now know where I want to retire at the ripe old age of 32. We left San Sebastian on an early morning bus and I got “hella” car sick and spent atleast half of the trip trying to keep breakfast in my stomach. Chandra was busy making friends with the dude siting next to us., God her Spanish is good!!!

We of course saw more of the wonderful black bull signs [ for a pic refer to the first trip post, it is essentialy the same thing] We saw the Montserrat mountains, which I always thought were in France, but no and they are stunning by the way. It feminded me of this place in India called Hampi, otherwise known as the place where the FLinstones was set.

Barcelona is very different. there are tons of differnent kinds of folk. It is great to be around  a little bit more diversity. We went to the Gothic inspired Sagrada Famillia today, one of Gaudi´s masterpieces. It was absolutely amazing. I have never been so excited about seeing a church in my life. I had a realy funy picture of Chandra eating a big Mac infront of it, but you will all have to use your imaginations for that one!! I have been really impressed with all of the Gaudi stuff so far, and amm looking forward to the rest.

It is almost 11 pm and we need to go for dinner soon. Tonight is the fiesta of Saint Juan [ known as saint JOhns in English [see how good my Spanish is getting]] and CHandra and I are going to party at the beach Spanish Styles!!!

day three or four

So… we were all set to leave for the airport. when suddenly Chandra realized that she had forgotten her meds. We rushed acorss town, Bay Bridge mayham, and clearly made it in time, because I am writing this now from San Sebastian.

Our plane was half way across the Atlantic, well actually 200 miles outside of New York, when we had “eletrical difficulties” and had to fly back to Toronto. They had us stay there. we could check into a hotel if we wanted to, but by the time they got everyone through the line, and people got bused to hotels, they had to turn around and come back through customs. We decided to kip on the Airport floor.

So after a long 36-ish hours of travel we arrived in Madrid. Thankfully my friend Ana was there to retreave us, feed us, and provide us with a shower and a bed. We had our first Tapas and I had my first Cana “beer”.

THe next day we left for San Sebastian. a lovely ride through the Spainsh country side. The Spaniards are obsessed with Bulls. on Several occasions we saw gigantic metal bulls on the side of the high way.

All in all it was fun. I slept.

and Chandra icked it with her Ipod.

San Sebastian is a Beautiful place. In fact I was so distracted by its beauty that I forgot my Camera on the bus. We were half way across town when I realized this disaster, and I got sick to My stomach. “What was goign to happen if I could not take any photo´s”. “I would have to rely on CHandra´s Photography skills and I am not sure I can give up that much control” ….”agggg”

We grabbed a cab and raced back to the bus station. Our bus was pulling out and I chased it down, banging loudly on the drivers window, yelling “camera” in my very finest Spanish accent. Trying hard to remember any of the SPanish words I had learned, but only French found its way out.

Luckily he had left it in the Officino, and I retreaved it. THANK GOD.

Today we took a day trip to Bilboa. Home of Frank Gerhy´s Guggenheim. I have always wanted to see it in real life, and today I can cross that dream off of my ” to do before I die” list. They had a wonderful exhibit of a SPanish Artist, Juan Muno, and some Surrealist stuf that CHandra loved. I was in awe of the building.

just Amazing!!!

 

So pretty much brings us up to speed. I am sure there are some things I am forgetting.. Like ..Portugal won against Germay in the euro cup. I ate my first pintxos. Chandra has blisters on her feet. I am Bunged up.

Until next time.

sweet sun serenade

sun signatures

signed my skin,

turned sepia in lazy afternoon’s

kiss my cheek

kiss my shoulders

kiss my skin.

salty.

sandy.

sea washed and sun burnt.

Sitting I saw the sun set

shedding her shiny skin

slipping slowly into the sea

set the shadows swirling

in the woods south of where I sit.

GRATEFUL 2D

Don’t cry for me, Muddy Waters

I’m not gone

Swallowed or transformed.

I’m just takin a stroll

to the dark side.

Into the mirror

past ripples

Blue lamposts.

Strangers in scarlet

Brick walls and acid tone.

Uncle John and me

seek out a mellow spot.

Don’t cry for me

I’m in black Muddy Water.

Wet to the waist

and it’s steadily rising.

Passed and out

too far away.

I’m swimming in shadows

Entangled in

Dark and mysterious webs

of 2d deception.

reflections are backwards

this world of glass.

Inside is out

I’m in it,

but on the outside.

Don;t wait for me.

The music is leading the way.

It fetched me, stretched me

sucked me in,

wound me up and

demanded

“repeat”

Stretch me, squeeze me.

I twist, I curl.

Swirl and pulse

bop to the top

and stop.

Back on this side,

take a break

at the station,

a moment of peace

and inspiration.

Don’t cry for me Muddy Water’s

There is fire on my mountain

sugered melodies in my heart.

My bright smile

will guide me

all the rainy way home.

CLOCK TALK

It’s 6:30 now, and time is ticking.

The shiny face is blank,

but for

pieces of day that navigate their way through the night.

Tell me, have we reached the hour of truth?

when the bell in the town square rings out loud.

Black bird sings the sun over the hill.

transparent swords pass through window panes,

and prick our naked bodies

exposing everything.

Until then lie with me.

side by side

tangled limbs, limps and spent.

your cello chest breaths hollow,

and ticks a deep beat

you whisper of love

through wisps of hair.

tell me of your strange adventures

your fight to finish the 360 degree’s round

not stopping for lunch,

not losing a second.

Your trip tomorrow.

a steady step

always sixty one second ahead

the wonders that await you

when light returns.

My favorite, the encounters with today.

The instant, now.

Metronome meters,

the beat ticks

on and into the silence.

I love our secret encounters

to lie by you

play your game.

I hide behind you

and we proclaim it “half past”

BODY BUFFET

There are angels in my cheese fondue.

In a crowded room, where hope….

for love

a love for life,

Brushed passed shoulders.

Awkward smiles.

Dinner party conversation

“what wonderful fondue”

A distant stare, and

caught

in the act, his nice butt.

The angles in my cheese fondue

drip from my fingers

explode on my tongue.

The tears for beauty

break with budding hunger.

Drowned in digestive juices

and forgotten

soon after the orgasm.

In a crowded room

the smell of sex

rides hot on breath

flavoured milky.

and my angels

weave lactose webs

of melted cheese.

They lure her closer,

tempt her

till the exquisite taste brings her begging to the bowl.

To bad she doesn’t have a mint

I’ve had my eye on her all night.