WHERE'S PHIL? HAVE YOU SEEN PHIL? PHIL?!

For those that don't know, "Holiday in Spain" is a song by the Counting Crows, one of my all time favorite musical groups. It's about leaving your worries behind and all that seems impossible to overcome at that very moment. Its about a new start to new life, hence it's the link to this blog (yes I know it's corny so I'll refrain from further cliches). Anyways, it mentions packing up your bags and heading to Barcelona, something I was just able to do at the first sight of winter's gloom here in Madrid.

Barcelona differs from any other European city I have been to, mostly because parts of it resemble southern California! People are noticeably more laid back, the youth is obedient to surfer culture, and the seafood is unmatchable to any Madrileño attempt of paella. There is space, the city is oriented to the outdoors, and the weather is ultimate. People speaking Catalan threw me off a bit, but no permanent damage was done.

Climbing the play structure at the beach, I don't know how those kids are so brave, I was having some difficulties...

Self-portrait, always the best

Sandy sunny beaches!


Antonio Gaudí is my new obsession. I will be presenting on him for my art history project, so I guess I'll enlighten you guys with a few facts. Fascinated my nature, he incorporated its angles and curves perfectly into his works. His most famous piece, La Sagrada Familia, is obviously inspired by trees and flowers, stamping his architecture with a chilling uniqueness, distinct from any other artist even in his same school of thought. In addition to this one-of-a-kind cathedral, stand many other Gaudí works all over the city, of which all are aesthetically pleasing to their spectators.

La Sagrada Familia, in construction since 1882

Group shot in Park Güell, Gaudí's work that overlooks the entire city its beaches, especially stunning at sunset


Our trip to Barcelona was not managed by any binding schedule. Sagrada Familia and Picasso's Museum were on the list, but other than that, our time would revolve around pure relaxation on the beach along with a side plate of exploration and discovery. We managed to come across live music performances every single night, ranging from a holiday ensemble accompanied by a special seasonal dance, to a reggae festival celebrating Arab-Spanish identity, to an underground jazz hub that served as a harmonica player's sanctuary the night we showed up. We also found ourselves meandering down a gay nude beach, quite the surprise...and I tried roasted chestnuts and scallops for the first time, separately of course.

I didn't know Sydney too well, but we had a fantastic time together!


We found a great outdoors market with the catch of the day, fresh fruit, and of course candy!


Lastly, I'd like to take a quick moment to explain this entry's title. As Allie, Sydney and I were touring through Sagrada Familia, we heard a few English speakers talking amongst themselves. It is still so easy to drown out Spanish and remake it into incomprehensible gibberish, but English now stands out more than ever, as we rarely hear it in Madrid. So these people were unmistakably Americans: Hawaiian shirts, cameras around their necks, a clear cut east-coast elderly accent... At first, it was just a few women and one man, cute, identical to your bubbies. They had a worrisome tone in their voices, concerned about some man by the name of "Phil"... and so the drama begins...

"Doris, have you seen Phil? Where did Phil go?"
"I don't know Sylvia. Roger, have you seen Phil?"
"Phil? No, where'd he go?"
"Phil? Oh no, we lost Phil. I told him to stand right here," said a woman who looked like she could easily be a Gladys.
"Well, Phil isn't here. Who knows where Phil is?"

This all became pretty annoying after a while, and became even more agitating as it lasted all through the entire walk-through of the cathedral...continued into the gift shop... and then outside the gates... Just as we thought we had escaped the "finding Phil" nonsense, the disquieted bunch, now around 15 to 20, made there way across the street to where we were looking at trinkets and gadgets on a street corner.

"Oh gosh, what could've happened? Poor Phil!"
"Phil!" one lady screamed, pointing at someone.

All looked hopeful, but a second later the man replied:

"I'm not Phil..."
"Oh," said the woman, puzzled.

Then, all of the sudden a man's voice said:

"Uh guys, I'm right here..." said Phil (apparently), but in a tone of voice that hinted that maybe he didn't want to be found; this making complete sense, especially after having witnessed how worked up this whole group can get.

I was so relieved, and without thinking I turned around and shouted, "YES! Someone found Phil!" They looked at me confused, but this awkward moment passed as we all started in a slow clap which soon lead into a full on applause upon finally finding Phil. It was a kodak moment for sure and a potentially very clever short film.

Ez Utzi Kaxrkuyt.... Basque? What language is this!?

In the very north of Spain, just bordering France, lies the posh beach town of San Sebastian, or Donostia, in the Basque language. Although located is Pais Vasco, a region of Spain that often demands independence, San Sebastian's friendly environment attracts tourists and stuns them with its charm and winsome scenery. We arrived just in time to catch the last day of the towns 55th film festival. Although I disliked the movie we saw with a passion, it was neat to be a part of the jamboree! San Sebastians wouldn't stop talking about Demi Moore's appearance, but standing in lond lines and peering over people's shoulders didn't appetize us much. Instead, we chose to hike what at first, looked like a random mountain with a statue. However after reaching the top, we learned that it was once a fort, built to fight off ships from the opposing sides and was used during numerous battles. The view from the top, as expected, was incredible, and although it was a bit overcast, one could see for miles into the blue and violet mountains in the distance.

Excited to be in such a beautiful place! Note the Jesus statue in the background.

View from the top of the mountain. Beach, city, then mountains.

A shot creatively taked through sunglasses by Jenna

Leaning against the remains of the fort's wall.

Vast ocean

Trees right on the beach

This message was written in one of the bathroom stalls on top of the mountain. "I miss you. It is difficult to be without you in a place so beautiful." How appropriate.


Having traveled in France for a good amount of time, it was a bit difficult to stop asking for "l'addition s'il vous plaît", however what really threw us completely off was the Basque language. It has no historical link to any other known language, and uses a crazy amount of k's x's and q's, often all in a row!

??? No clue whatsoever...


I have been warned about Europeans' impressions of Americans, loud, obnoxious, and drunk. But I have decided they may be mistaking the English for Americans? We ran into a group of 15 or so English men celebrating a Bachelor's Party and the lucky man wore a pink cowgirl's hat and in both hands, numerous light up toys. Foolish or funny? I'm not sure... but definately entertaining!

What a trip! Before we knew it, we were back in Madrid, out of our American bubble, and living on our own in Madrid.

One last picture of the group! !Adios amigas, nos vemos pronto!

Oh, Mother Nature...

Thanks to a good friend's recommendation (Ezra, ofcourse), we made it out to the small beach town of Arcachon and Dune du Pyla, located just outside.

Arcachon was a needed break from the bustiling city of Paris. Although very humble, it did not lack delicious food (c'mon its FRANCE!). We met an Irish elderly couple at one of the boardwalk restaurants (the man had a stiking resemblance to my grandfather which was strange and fitting as he loved Ireland), and ran into them again at dinner time, taking their strict advice: "only go to a place where there a lots o' people!" It was the best decision ever and we managed to stuff ourselves with what I can only classify as "the meal of a lifetime." Really, nothing beats French desserts. After we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant, we stumbled upon a very strange casino, oddly located in town. I gambled for the first time, putting in five euros I spent two, and with no luck, gave the other three to my friends. Ofcourse Jenna won 20 euros off my one! Nicely, she gave me back five, so I'm glad to say that my first time gambling, I broke even! :) Arcachon was originally supposed to be the destination for the perfect beach vacation with the purpose to be bronzed and tanned, however Mother Nature was not on our side...

A damned beach vacation... (we tried to make it seem miserable as possible)



since there was no sun, we made sure to entertain ourselves, taking corny pictures, but we thought this red bench was especially cute



"the band picture" (don't you just love cameras with timers? that way, you avoid asking strangers to take embarrassing pictures)



... and we had a ninja photoshoot...



exploring my zoom feature



father and daughter sand castle building



The largest sand dune in all of Europe truly has something to boast about as the view was absolutely breath taking and well worth the steep climb. From the top, both a forest and ocean could be seen, the best of both worlds! I guess Mother Nature didn't want to dissapoint us! These pictures in no way can represent this place's true beauty, but I hope that you get the gist!

it's hard to tell, but this is my friend Allie and I sitting on top of the dune, looking out onto a forest that seemed to stretch for miles



the immediate and highly rewarding view just after the steep climb





treking along the dunes, what a handy walking stick!

je t'aime paris

Tired from a set of impossible finals, and after an early flight, a train ride, and some metro mania, we couldn't have started our trip off with anything better than a striking view of the Parisian skyline paired with a delicious platter of cheese. Vivian is ofcourse lucky to be living in a vibrant city, but I couldn't blame her if she chose never to leave her balcony.



What a relief it was to escape from tapas and ham! We took full advantage of being in Paris, and together, savory and sweet crepes, cheese, baguettes, and ofcourse a bottle of Bordeaux wine, made up our regular menu of the day. Fortunately for us our visit was only 4 days, for if we had stayed any longer, pants with an elastic waist line would have been added to our shopping list! Possibly my favorite experience, besides Paris' incredible museums and exhibits, was grocery shopping with Vivian at a local street market. Fresh vegetables, pots of strong coffee, and various cheeses and breads lined the sidewalks, creating a scene very similar to Davis' Farmer's Market. However Paris beats Davis merely by its delicious galletes, a dish very similar to a Jewish latkah, but filled with cheese ofcourse! (what do you expect? It's France)


a delicious banana, nutella, whipped cream crepe... the perfect way to escape the rain.


We were told that the Louvre was overrated and would be unpleasantly crowded, but this didn't stop Allie and I from making a visit that was well worth our dreadful trek through the rain while unfortunately wearing dresses. The Mona Lisa was surprisingly small and inconveniently set back by a glass case and ropes. Crowds of people held their cameras high in the air, hoping to catch the perfect shot of the famous painting. Allie and I would have been glad to wait in line for a glimpse, but soon after realizing that lines didn't exist and patience wasn't a Louvre mannerism, we pushed our way through and took our touristy pictures. We also visited Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Picasso, Centre Pompidou, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur basilica at the top of the Montmartre hill, and went to a great Jazz club with incredible swing dancing.

Unlike their reputation, the Parisian people are extremely friendly and always willing to meet you half way in English. After my visit to Paris, I am officially obsessed with Monet and Renoir, am dying to learn more French so as not to butcher the language ("écureuil"-squirrel and "je ne parle pas français", is about all I know), and am excited to wear my new red beret!

woman praying at notre dame

prayer candles, notre dame

interesting "art" at pompidou

AMAZING jazz concert, the band caught in blurry action

accidental picture that turned out to be quite the shot. allie infront of the eiffel tower

image of the eiffel tower painted by a rain reflection

family

Toledo

the best view of toledo from a cathedral's tower

creepy statue man peeking over my shoulder during lunch

cathedral in toledo

typical street in toledo, modern shopping with an ancient cathedral backdrop



Toledo was well worth its mere hour long bus ride costing a whole 5 euros, about what we would pay for a ham sandwich that would undoubtedly make us queasy within 2 seconds after force-feeding ourselves. As we made our way around the small town, we noticed that natives were scarce and instead tourists populated the streets, entering and exiting stores with little touristy trinkets in hand. After looking around, and veering off from the major streets, we found the perfect store to pick up some gifts, and unlike the rest of the tiendas, it was a small artisan shop whose products were made by hand and all one-of-a-kind.

I was anxious to go to Toledo for many reasons. I had been before, but as I was in highschool, I wasn't so enthused about the city's history, so this time I was excited to put my knowledge to use! The cathedrals boasted beautiful architecture of all types, and one especially had the most incredible view from its tower, a sight that was well worth its lengthy climb up narrow step-ladders. Elyssa and I made it a point to visit one of the old synagogues, expecting a spiritual experience, but instead felt a total lack of holy presence. During the Inquisicion, the temple had been converted into a cathedral, and although the building itself was not nearly adorned as most cathedrals should be according to their time period, and appeared to be a temple from the outside, the golden Jesus figure on its main mantel clearly defined its newer identity. Visiting this place of worship turned out to be the least holy experience I have ever had as it was a true illustration of the injustice commited against the Jewish people. Oddly enough, I felt a stronger holy presence in the cathedrals as their high ceilings both emphasized and exaggerated the vast difference that exists between a human and his G-d.

The ancient city of Toledo is a true representation of the diversity that once existed in Spain. Although the country is now predominantly Catholic, Toledo marks a rare time of diversity as Christians, Muslims, and Jews, once peacefully coexisted within the tiny fortress' walls.

shocked.

In the midst of conversing with an Israeli tourist couple, I slowly lost eye contact as my eyes drifted to the wall behind them. "kike". I pointed and they looked. I expected a reaction from them, but no eye brows were raised, and no mouths agape. I asked, "don't you know what that means?" they replied no, that they had never heard of this word before.

Shocking. From this meeting on, my eyes have been more opened than ever, scanning every single wall and poster, sidewalk and lamp post. This graffiti is merely from two streets in the center of Madrid. I can't imagine how many other photographs could be taken.

I'm not quite sure what to think. I'd like to ask one of my teachers about the use and meaning of this word here in Spain. Yet after learning "Spanish common phrases" (that are claimed to be politically correct as they only "reflect history" and not current day opinion) such as "you didn't go to Church today? Don't be a Jew!", I'm a bit hesitant. My professors teach that the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492 solely for "building their character too much" (becoming too wealthy), and insist that "religion has never caused expulsion in this country". They claim that a sense of racism and anti-Semitism doesn't exist to the same extent we believe it is present, and rather explain this phenomenon by "we just don't mix. The Jews with the Jews, the Arabs with the Arabs, the Blacks with the Blacks, and the Latinos with the Latinos".

Judaism is a large part of my identity, and I thought that identity follows you wherever you go, but here in Spain, it will not.

mullet mania

i know i only have one picture to prove this crazy phenomenon, and maybe ill continue to be a creeper and snap pictures whenever i spot another victim, but ladies and gentleman you must believe me... the mullet is back! apparently its more popular in the south, but here in madrid, one can surely bet on seeing both men and women walking the streets, proudly sporting their mullet. it can be worn curly, straight, dyed, dread locked or spiked. while i would classify the mullet as an "interesting" choice in hairstyle, no worries, im pretty content with my current look and have no desire to be fatally fashionable.