Thingies From Here & There (And a few Other Ones from Over There)

I recently reached the fourth year since my arrival to Spain. Many memories, good and bad. I want to share as many of them with you, and for my own benefit as well. I think this could be a good place to do that, so here I go.

It all started... well, I wouldn't get you bored with that (yet). Let´s just say that I was influenced about Spain since my early childhood. However, at the same time my education as a "man of no means" prevented me from even thinking about the possibility of being able to fulfill this dream. It was only until my years in the United States when I discovered that the only real limitation for a dream to become a reality was inside the dreamer himself (namely me). I tatooed my right arm with an ancient Spanish symbol (more on that later) as a reminder of my dream and of my intentions to turn it into a reality. I worked hard, saved my money and my dream turned into reality.

I decided I would do the opposite to what the "conquistadores" did. If they arrived to America on October 12, I would also invade Spain on a similar date. And that's what I did. I arrived into Spain on October 12, 2004.

My original intentions were to walk one section of the Santiago Trail (El Camino de Santiago) and to meet personally some friends I had met previously through the Internet. Something changed in the meantime, however, and as of this date I still have to make a decission about my departure.
My first sight of the Old World occured at around 2 PM (Atlantic Ocean Time) as I saw the coast of Portugal after some 10 hours of being in the air. We landed at Barajas International Airport in Madrid 11 hours after departure from Mexico City's Benito Juarez Airport. We had a late departure, so we arrived late. I missed my connection to Almeria, my final destination, so I had to wait 4 hours from 5 PM until 9 PM. I was supposed to be greeted at Almeria's airport by some of my cyberfriends at 5PM, but when I called to inform them of my delay, they apologized for not being able be there to greet me. They gave me all kinds of instructions on how to get to my hotel.

However, great was my surprise when I found them waiting for me at almost 11PM in the airport. Now that I know the route better I can say that they gave me the grand tour on our way to my hotel. The first thing I asked them to take me to see was The Alcazaba. Now I know that the airport is in the side of the city opposite to where the Alcazaba is, and therefore I can affirm that they took me around the city just to please me. They were so kind. I still remember the sight of those lighted walls at the distance, the towers and almenas rising on top of the hill at night. Beautiful... like a dream come true.

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Labels: Almeria Spain Summer Vacation Santiago Trail Camino

¡No Me Asusten!

Don't you scare me like that!

Not fair!

The thing is... I got out of my home last night, a few minutes before 9 PM. I needed to make some last-minute buys. The clarity of the night caught my attention, I turned my head up to the sky and what did I see? A FULL MOON ALL CHOPPED OFF!

Yeap! The upper part of the lunar circle was gone. It seemed as if there was a crater like a volcano. I really got kind of scared thinking a metheoryte or something had landed up there, chopping off the missing part, the explosion being what was brightening the night. I tried to take a picture, but I couldn't use my camera (these big and tall apartment buildings really block the nightly view). Then, I went to the top of a nearby bridge to watch the phenomenon more closely. There, I tried taking a picture once again. I did some adjustments and the result is this accompanying image I show here. While observing it, I noticed I even captured a few little twinkling stars [click on the image for a larger view]. I decided to go and check the internet for some information about the phenomenon. I found something hidden somewhere in a remote corner of this wide cyberworld. There are some notes announcing a Partial Lunar Eclipse was to take place on Sept. 7, 2006. There it was.

Looking at the Moon I came to reflect that the shadow was caused precisely by that part of the Earth where my family in the USA, and friends and relatives in Mexico live. I took advantage and sent them love and kisses.

But please, next time let me know in advance, darn it! I almost died of a heart attack.

Here are some links:

Eclipse details
NASA said...

... and in the Spanish version of this note you will find a "pseudopoem" I wrote.

Regards
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Las Dos Españas

I've been having the opportunity in these last few days of spending my early coffe break with a couple of respectable Andalusian elders. The topic of almost all our conversations spins around the days of the Spanish Civil War, in which they participated in their own flesh and blood. To be honest, it is me who, as often as I can, try to direct the conversation towards that theme, as I know there are just few eye witnesses left of such tragic events and I want to find out about the facts, not through the official versions, but through those who actually lived those days.

It's very sad to hear their experiences as Spaniards as well as youngsters, enlisted by force in armies whose ideals not even their members shared, but which they must defend on risk of losing their own lives if they dared to deny. The tales they tell make me remember the contrast between Francisco López de Gómora's "Hispania Victrix" (1553), in which the conquest of Mexico is narrated as a

Sobre Política Española (Lo Peor Viene Después)

It's difficult to miss a round of the perennial fighting among politicians in this country. The press makes sure to provide even the minimal details of the hair pulling and word exchanging between the guys in office and the ones in the opposition. I really think the real Biggest Show on Earth, the most productive one for any and all of the so called press enterprises is to entertain (keep "informed") their audiences with all the back and forth talking among each others.

However, aside of the "media circus" it represents, I have thought that having a political system with an "opposite side" works preety much like the "Devil's Advocate" in the Church's Clergy. The opposition is allways in charge of opposing whatever idea or plan the government happens to come up with, causing therefore that the ones in charge provide with as many explanations and transparency as necessary to guarantee a good management.

I've been in this country for now one year and ten months. In all this time, I still have to see a plan or project being cancelled or rejected due to the opposition's point of view. What I mean to say is the role of the opposition in this country seems to be the puppets of the guys in power.

Well, that's the way I see it.

Regards
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Dios existe...
I was reading a message on the wall the other day: "If God existed, we should kill him". My answer was almost immediate: "If God wouldn't exist, you would be death already". The first phrase, however, made me think about God's existance, and I have concluded that either Gods really exists or the Intelligence is not an exclusive gift for Humans.

Let me explain: I was reading "The Naked Woman", by the author of "The Naked Ape" and I noticed this author explains the human phisiology as if we had anything to do with its development; the same author, and many others as well, offer similar explanations for the phisionomy of every living creature.

Example: Has a colorful flower been free to elect its eye-catching beautiful colors? Authors explain that "with such colors, flowers attract insects, which in turn carry with them the polen to other plants, and by doing so, they contribute to the flower's reproduction". This is just an example, but, did flowers have actually anything to do in electing their colors and shape? If so, we would be recognizing inteligence on them... but I actually think that "something" or "someone" has designed things that way with a very special purpose. THAT is what I recognize as God, and I see Him every day.

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¿Vale algo la Experiencia?

Why don't we all die as in "Soylent Green"? That way, our existence will be at least worth something to the future generations. Why don't we die as in that other movie in which everybody knows beforehand that their existence will cease at exactly 35 years of age? It seems to me we are going that route already.

I can still remember my early youth days, when everything seemed so easy, I felt I could eat the whole world in a bite, or I could drink the whole ocean in a drink shot. I remember I myself was one of those who say "Please leave us, the young generation, to learn by commiting our own mistakes" while deceiving my parents and teachers as I considered them to be old minded.

Nowadays, when the time has come for me to try and share my very own life experiences, I face the very same reaction from today´s youth. Is it perhaps that we humans are never going to learn? Is it perhaps that the life cycle, the development stage, is open to youngsters only, unexperienced by definition? Is it perhaps that when a former youngster acquires life experiences will be ejected and become undesirable only because he/she is "old"?

Oh, I wish I should've paid more attention to at least one eight of my father's advice to me!

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I made it, I finally made it! I'm into the Blog craze at last. It took me long to decide, but I'm finally here. Let's see how it goes.

The gateway to the Alcazaba of Almería is, along with other Spaniard icons and monuments, solid proof that I have finally made my dream come true: to be in the country of my ancestors. Standing face to face in front of all these monuments has been an impressive experience to me, not only because it represents the result of many years of dreaming and illusion, but also because they represent the confirmation that there is not such a thing as an impossible dream. Anything and everything we desire in life is achievable if we get the strenght of spirit, the patience and the resolution to achieve it. I am a living proof of that.

I am but one more Mexican who, inspired by History, Tradition and desire of adventure, has decided to come and verify on my own those things I read in books, I saw in documentaries or I listened from many mouths. In the following days I will publish in this place some of my most outstanding experiences, some are good ones, some are not that much; some are excelent and other ones are frankly deceiving. You will find a little bit of everything, like in a drugstore, for since my arrival, just on October 12, 2004, I have gone through many experiences that have made me change my perspective of life definetly. My surprises have been really big; Many of my illusions have become a reality; I have suffered many deceptions too. I think everything is part of the experience of living. I hope that as I share them all with you, my friend, you would be able to use them in your advantage, or at least that they will help you in your eternal quest for having a good time.

Please, make yourself comfortable at home. Make as many comments as you wish, either good ones or bad ones. I only ask you to watch your language. I am sure we can prove ourselves we all can get along regardless of our different points of view.

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

The Spoted Quixote
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