430 Euros, 2 Places left to visit, 1 Week

I have over 430 Euros that need to out last a trip to Rome and my stay in Barcelona. Taking costs into account:

Rome, Italy
Hotel: 140 Euros (Close to the train station)
Transportation costs: 70 Euros Max (Future Possible transportation expenses)
Food: 80 Euros

Total: 290 Euros
Left for Barcelona: 140 Euros. More than enough for transportation, museums, and buying hats.

Surf, Turf and Terrorists

This will be one of my last posts here in Europe followed by a thoughtful, deep post on my other blog. The one that none but me has any access to and the edited version here on this one. Anyway to Vasco.

The trip to San Sebastian wasn't too bad. The trip started at around 10:30 and I arrived at the hostel at about six in the evening. There really was nothing to note about the train except that I thought, ate, slept, and thought some more. I arrived at the hostel and, once again, my roommates were all women: 2 Australians who were leaving the next morning and a very friendly German who was at the end of her two week vacation. I flirted a bit now and then but nothing really happened (in true adolescent form I will say:(pretend I'm saying this in surfer tone of voice.) She was like totally into me dudes. I swear man. She was like DAMN! I could've snapped my fingers and shit!) I didn't do much that night since I was bone tired and essentially feel asleep.

Next morning, woke up at 8 AM and left for the beach two hours later and stayed until 12:00. I didn't put any sunscreen on because I didn't have any and wasn't willing to pay money for some. The beach itself was nice, the water was cold because it had rained (thunder stormed off the coast) that night. However, there is this rocky section of the beach that was a pain to cross. The beach was pretty much empty. After lunch, I took a siesta and went to the beach for several hours to cool off. In retrospect, the beach was better than watching a guy get sodomized bulll. Too bad my camera was broken. Otherwise, I would've taken enough pictures of bikini clad women to keep dad quite about me not taking pictures of people. (Unrelated note: Robert wants a Canon XTi for his birthday.) I went back, showered, then flirted with the German girl again and then went for a hike up a mountain (without the German). Apparently, there is a statue of Jesus overlooking the city. I walked back to the hostel to take another siesta and cut through an Basque Nationalist rally demanding the release of political prisoners arrested (probably all of the incarcerated were terrorists). Went to a festival had two cups of wine (red and white. white was better. probably because it was chilled. Might use red Bordeos in my Sangria in the future though.) Packed, slept. Left in the afternoon.

The train ride back was pretty bad. Ended up sitting the wrong car but didn't have too much problems with it. Although I got caught in a group full of bitchy Americans who were complaining that they were charged 14 Euros for forgetting to place a date on their tickets. And they didn't stop bitching for the eight hour trip. Got back. Have a new roommate. Also French. The airport lost his luggage and they still haven't found it.

Next posts: Italy, Barcelona, Thoughts

History Note: ETA assassinated Franco's successor by blowing up his car (see Carrero Blanco). ETA planted several tons of dynamite under the road that Carrero drives over on his way to church. On that day, Carrero learned to fly. The car was launched several streets over before landing on a patio. Carrero had to have a closed casket. (Couldn't find all the pieces.)

Cool fact: Basque has their own police force made up only native Basques (descended from the original inhabitants of the area.)

Son of a Beach

So here's the dilemma: Beach or a bullfight? Beach is more expensive and I have an 8 hour trip to and from (TC: $200 for travel and sleeping expenses). Now this isn't just any beach in Spain, this beach is in Pais Vasco (you know, where the terrorists live.) It's rumored to be beautiful with nubile women.

Bullfight: around $40 with a 45 minute trip and ticket included. There's also.. you know what? I'd rather see nubile women than a guy in a sparkling vest get sodomized by a bull any day. I'm going to Vasco.

I'll have someone take pictures of the bullfight for me.

Platilla

Got my haircut today. I'm fairly pleased with my hair cut. I think that the back needs to be tapered off but I can do that myself. All I need are a pair of scissors and a compact mirror. The sides are uneven which is partially my fault. But all I need are scissors and a mirror. I wish these damn stores didn't close so early. Sigh. If I can't find scissors or a compact mirror, I'll deal until Barcelona or go back tomorrow and hope that they don't charge me extra.

Argentina Trip (7/25/06, 8/21-06)

Here are some posts from a different blog that I'm deleting bit by bit. It's not the complete entry but the part that I could stand to read:

Well, not really since they have to get me home in time for class registration but you get the idea. What kind of an airline is unable to stow your luggage on time? I mean come on, what self respecting airline would let people run around in a foreign country wearing the same underwear for days on end!!! I have no problem wearing the same shirt, pants, socks, etc. TO me it would just be Outward Bound without the excessive hiking and me bitching endlessly about how I am tired and that I want to crawl into a corner die because it would be more merciful than to let me carry on hiking (a few of you kow how dramatic I can get). BUT DAMMIT, AT LEAST GIVE THE FEELING OF FRESH, CLEAN BOXER SHORTS ON MY *edited for audience*. (stupid keyboard is pissing me off. sorry) If you guys ever decide to go to South or Central America, paying a higher plane ticket to an American company would not be a bad idea as long as your luggage is guaranteed to get there, meals you do not need to pay for (fifteen dollars my ass, Id rather starve. And I did.) but, to be fair, Taca does use Airbus planes which are more fuel efficient, have more leg room, and just feel safer plus the flight attendants are HOT!! (Yeah, my attention is clearly focused)

I mentioned that the stupid airlines lost my bags, well they came after a new wardrobe was purchased (don't feel bad, I look damn sexy in it, like freddie prince jr.) Anyway, went to Argentina and I LOVED THE COUNTRY!! THE WOMEN WERE FRIGGIN HOT AND EXOTIC LOOKING (yeah that's very creative). Buenos Aires was beautiful (think European city), I loved the climate and I got to see some hardcore tango (which appears to be two people having sex while standing up and walking around while having sex at the same time(what do you expect from a dance that started in brothels?)). Ate a lot of beef (Sige la Vaca) and bought cool souveneirs (sp?). All in all the trip would've been better if the company didn't suck.

What's Spanish for "sideburns'?

I plan on getting my hair cut tomorrow after lunch. It's long, it's unruly and it's making the city hotter than it needs to be. So what if it makes me "pijo"?

Bloody Hell

A bird just shat on me and my hat. A shat that causes me to rant about my hat and about that hat shat came a rant that tries to rhyme. But seriously, I had bird shit on my hand longer than I'd would've liked and some of it landed on my hat. I've cleaned it all of. Anyway, heading to Madrid tomorrow.

Updated Travel List

July 12
Madrid

July 19
Madrid (what I didn't get to see.)

July 25
San Sebastian, Basque (Where the terrorist group ETA is based. Do not give into any ransom demand if I am taken hostage.)

August 1-3
Rome, Italy

Spring Break
Egypt (Again, if I'm taken hostage don't give into the ransom demand.)

Anyway, here's the final travel list. In other words: city, city, beach. And no pictures whatsoever.

Long Distance Call

My cell phone died yesterday. Not going to the running of the bulls due to lack of previous preparation. Maybe next time. I'm doing a day possibly weekend trip to Madrid and do it right. Sigh. Anyone get the twilight zone episode title as the title for this post? Nope. Didn't think so.

Insert Witty/Clever Title Here

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money. ~Susan Heller

Unfortunately, this seems to be incredibly true for the most part. I've been essentially wearing the same combination of clothes up to this point and been spending money like crazy (primarily on food and water. In fact, I think the food to souvenirs ratio is about 4:1). Things have more or less calmed down now and I'm just going through the motions and planning my last few weekends. I'm planning on going to the Basque region to San Sebastian for some beach and a day trip to Madrid. What I'm trying to decide on is whether or not to head Madrid this weekend with some friends or go watch the bulls run (I'm not running with them. I like living with my knees and other appendages intact). Anyway, I'd love to hear what you think. Preferably before the 9th.

Salamanca: Just going through the motions. I was placed in advance again. Fine, two of my teachers are hot but ethics, ladies and gentleman. Ethics. Other than that nothing interesting.

Dance Classes

Not happening. Were either full or canceled. Looks like I'm gonna have gained some weight.

Alhambra

June 30
I woke up early around 8:00 in the morning to get to Alhambra. Good thing too since I got lost on the way to the building. It took me an hour when it should have taken me less the thirty minutes. At least I got breakfast.

I entered the fortress through the back. Apparently, most forts don't have many defenses in the back (This may be why Helm's Deep was such a good place for the Rohirrim to fight. It didn't have a back entrance or exit.). I meandered my up to the tickets where a guy tried to get to stop for a shoe shine. Anyway, I didn't fall for it. Probably because I was tired, sweaty, pissed, and starting to go over budget. Anyway, got my tickets and then went to the front entrance near the original fortress. Now for the bad part, the Alhambra museum was closed on Monday which meant that I couldn't see it. Bummer. On the bright side, I had virtually unlimited access to the sites except for the Nazrid palaces which I only had thirty minutes to get into. So, I decided to hold off on looking at the other places. Then I tossed my straw hat into the garbage bin due to the fact it was stained and broken beyond repair. Not bad for a week's use. Unfortunately, I had a Twilight Zone moment just before I went in. I had asked this guy to take a picture of me and camera snagged my watch and it fell. Unfortunately, the camera fell and broke. The lens won't retract and the camera itself doesn't work anymore. The scene went like this:

Camera falls and break.
Robert picks up the remains of his camera.

Robert: (sobbing)That's–that's not fair. That's not fair at all. There was time now. There was, was all the time I needed... ! It's not fair!

Camera zooms out.
Rod Serling:
The best laid plans of mice and men and Robert Black, the young man in the straw hat who wanted nothing but pictures. Robert Black, now just a part of a Moorish landscape, just a piece of the architecture, just a fragment of what man has deeded to himself. Mr. Robert Black in the Twilight Zone.

Anyway, I went out bought two disposable cameras and ended up losing one of them. Fortunately, I had my cell phone as a back up. The palaces were beautiful. Every inch of it was pure mathematical and geometrical symmetry representative of Moorish culture. For your math majors that can do woodworking, learn Moorish patterns. I managed to take a lot of pictures which will go up on facebook when I get back. The patterns you see in Moorish art are different. You don't see pictures of people at all. What you do see are geometric figures created by mathematics. Anyway, after teh palaces, I headed to the gardens which were gorgeous. Words cannot describe them. Which is why I won't even try. Went to the original fortress. Not much to see really.

Afterwards, I headed back to the hostel and chilled before I went to check out the arab baths. Went to the Arab baths. Very dark. Very intimate. Very awkward for me. Got a massage. Came to the realization that people back then were very short. The tallest male was probably shorter than most of the girls I know. Anyway, it felt good. I packed up and left the next morning first class on the train. Apparently, you get more space, a free meal and drink for an extra seven euros. Not bad.


Casualty List
1 Canon Digital Camera SD600
1 7 Euro Straw Hat
1 Disposable Camera of questionable origin
My good mood that I was in
Time Enough At Last