Tale of the purse snatcher (a.k.a. my contribution to Barcelona's organized crime ring)

When a strange man sits down beside you in a fast-food restaurant eating nothing and pointing to the floor in a train station renowned for pickpocketers, consider that your first red flag. That I saw nothing on the ground and that he immediately left caused me concern in my foggy sleepy I've just spent a night on a train haze. When I finally realized he had snatched my purse (probably just 3 seconds after it happened) with absolutely everything to my name of importance in it while traveling, I yelled fire in Spanish (seriously, I had no idea at the time what my purse is stolen was in spanish) and then grabbed my small backpack and ran after him. I yelled at the security guard right outside with wild gestures and kept running; she could've cared less, was guarding an ATM and couldn't chase after him. I spent a few minutes chasing the guy but he had disappeared. Crap, my running background did not help me in this instance, then again I was no sprinter, perhaps my only consolation. As I returned to the station, distraught, thinking of all the things he stole: my Ipod, passport, 200 euros, $100 US dollars, 2 credit cards, 1 debit card, medical insurance card, driver's license, and oh yeah, my dignity, I felt sick. The security at the train station was so unhelpful, another sign they see this all the time. I had absolutely no money, no coins to even take a taxi or bus to the police station to fill out a report. Customer service at the train station allowed me to use their phone to cancel my credit cards....but it was too late. The dude had already charged over $2000 on my credit and almost $4000 on my debit. Thinking of it later I wondered how he was able to do this so fast and without showing an id when it hit me: I was victim to an organized crime ring, fo sha. I had read about pickpocketers and been warned by a number of people but never thought I'd fall victim to it. Hmmm, so much for thinking I was a seasoned traveler.

I'm almost too embarassed to mention which fast food restaurant I went to but I just gotta. In my defense, you have to understand I just got off an overnight train ride with virtually no sleep and the thought of an American breakfast after 2 weeks of only toast and espresso for breakfast sounded so good--yes, I went to a damn McDonald's. They are now forever banned by me btw.

Anyway, back to my sordid tale. I trudged my way to the police station walking with my huge backpack thinking this is a huge hassle but no way I'm going to let it ruin my vacation. At least my friend, Dinah would be arriving that night. The police report was mandatory before a replacement passport could be issued. Next stop: US consolate, but ummm, one small problem. No money to get there. Here's when my luck changed: the adorable receptionist gave me just enough money to get to the US consolate.

But wouldn't you know, it was closed! US Labor Day holiday!!! Now what? I had just enough money to get to the Embassy and not even any money to replace the passport anyway. So I saw a rather cute Spanish police officer (that I was still very aware of this despite feeling more helpless than I've ever felt in my life says something, I'm sure!) and was asking how to get back to the center of Barcelona, etc. and even talking about Valencia where he's from and he was the only person I actually asked for money and he would not give me any!! He could not even tell me how to get to town, where to go next, nothing. Throughout my experience with people in positions of authority, I have to say I was more impressed with the locals and not the police. But I have to admit they were the cutest Spaniards, lol!!!! So I go to the nearest bus stop, now feeling completely helpless. When the bus driver heard my pitiful Spanglish and my attempt at trying to pay for at least a portion of the fare, he let me on the bus and showed me exactly where to go next! Angel!

But my true angel was the lady working at the American Express! Apparently, you normally need your passport, not a copy of your passport to have emergency money wired. For whatever reason, she allowed me to have enough money wired to get by for the day before Dinah arrived that night. She even served me coffee and cookies, what a doll! So the one good thing I did and would recommend to everyone traveling is to make copies of your credit cards and passport and bury them in your luggage.

Never thought I'd find out which money wiring services are better than others. My choice is Western Union, not Moneygram....in case you're wondering. What a humbling experience!! And what great friends I have to offer so much help!!

!carajo!

What´s in a name, anyway? If your name is carajo....a lot...well in the spanish speaking world anyway. I can´t believe I´m admitting my middle name but it´s just too funny not to share. In the official Spanish dictionary it means damnit! Seriously. (Hmmm, maybe it would be a good idea to get those computer people at the hospital to take off my middle name when I chart. Really, what Spanish speaking person is going to take the recommendations of someone named carajo seriously!!) And if you watch films dubbed in Spanish, you get a slightly different meaning: expletive after expletive after expletive, bleep, bleep bleep. Carajo! Carajo! Carajo! This I knew from my trip to Guatemala last year. Well, according to my sources in Spain, it means that and a little more: carajo is also "the male´s instrument" specifically, the balls. I cringe even writing this. I love my parents dearly but seriously, what were you thinking? I know they had no idea, I was afraid to tell them and relieved when they couldn´t stop laughing!! So if I ever move to a spanish speaking country, you´ll have to forgive me but I´m gonna need to change my name. So here´s a thought for all you parents to be: prior to choosing a name, it might be prudent to research the meaning in all languages!!

PUMA--carless in Andalucia, don´t do it!

So I had to do it, I finally broke down and bought a watch. Since those trains and buses run on this thing called a schedule. What? You mean it´s not possible to just show up and go wherever I want on a whim? Now that´s my idea of dream traveling.

So about this schedule thing, the buses actually leave on time, if not earlier, the trains not as much but still I´ve been impressed. In the cities at least. Until I decided to be stubborn and visit the small Andalucian towns without a car. So to borrow a term I just learned, traveling in the tiny little towns in Spain without a car is a royal PUMA (pain up my a--). Especially one in particular, that I´m going to name because I´ve never been more frustrated in my life: Arcos de la Frontera. Gorgeous town, horrible experience. It didn´t help that NO one could understand my Spanglish, nor I their whatever they were speaking. Wassup with the mumbling or maybe they speak a dialect of Spanish, totally indecipherable to English speakers. And they thought I had the accent! Ok, now I´m exaggerating but how is it possible that two bus drivers and multiple passengers could not understand the difference between Cadiz and Jerez? Surely it can´t be me, ha! I even spelled it out when they questioned me, C-a-d-i-z, oy. Due to this miscommunication, I missed two buses, found out there was not even a bus to Cadiz (where I was trying to go) despite their schedule showing one. So 2 1/2 frustrating hours later, I was on a bus to Jerez where I then had to transfer to a train to get to Cadiz!! Cadiz better be damn amazing, I was thinking the whole time, that and if I have to spend another night in Arcos, I would die. Dramatic? Me? No! Only later did I find it amusing that a whole group of young people were trying to translate for me, so many voices shouting in Spanish to the bus drivers!

So to report, Cadiz was worth it: the oldest town in Europe, along the ocean and bay with the typical Andalucian Moorish influence. And now I´m even happier in the quintessential Spanish town of Seville. This city girl has her groove back and will be sticking to the tourist spots...for a bit anyway.

Solo travel: the ultimate form of narcissism?

Yeap, that´s what I´ve decided. At least extended solo travel with no real purpose other than to explore (or for normal people: rest and relaxation). When you´re on your own, you get to decide absolutely everything! There is no compromising. It´s wonderful!! Aside from realizing you don´t have to compromise, that it is just you making every single decision, even the mundane ones. And once you´ve perfected the art of taking pictures of oneself, that´s when you know you´re a true solo traveler....or possibly narcissist.

I have to say I garnered much different responses when traveling on my language immersion trip last year than this one. People are just more impressed when there´s a purpose, whatever that may be: language immersion, volunteering, mission trips, etc. Why is it that one should feel guilty for traveling just to travel?? To experience a new culture and perhaps become even more culturally sensitive? Or even to appreciate what you already have? I learn so much while traveling, yes, about myself, but obviously, of the world too. So that´s my defense of traveling just to travel. Ok, I´ll get off my soapbox now. Does anyone out there feel the same?

Gazpacho in Granada

Good call, Amie, on the gazpacho in Granada tip. I´ve found that taking others´ food advice while traveling rarely leads me astray. Travel guide books say to order from the menu del dia (menu of the day). So I naively try to order paella today and was told it requires a minimum of 2 persons. No!! Please don´t tell me this, stab stab to the heart, discrimination to singletons, my rant is going on and on in my head. My crestfallen face must have prompted him to make an exception, yippee! Ok, now I´m happy again, please don´t mess with my food, senor! I take back the discrimination comment.

So I´m normally a big promoter of traveling solo.....I won´t use the term alone because you´re always meeting people. You have to or you´d go insane, like today for instance. I caught myself talking to the tv and I rarely watch tv, I just felt the need to hear other human voices. Plus I told myself I need to listen to Spanish because I´m in dire need of some improvement in that area. I am constantly attempting to engage strangers in conversation but am limited to mostly the present tense while speaking to locals. Really? Where are you from is not enough of an intelligent conversation for you? I went to a bar frequented by locals on my own last night and barely said two words. I tried to order a capirinha and the bartender didn´t understand me so I resorted to cerveza. I think he felt sorry for me when I was at the bar alone and he alone engaged me in conversation, I came to this conclusion after he poured a tiny shot for himself and I. Horror of horrors, I just might have to resort to non-local bars here on out, there never seems to be a shortage of meeting foreigners there. It´s the locals who are so elusive to me right now. My other solution to meeting people seems to be while journeying from place to place whether it´s via plane, train or bus!

So, about the sights, they have all been amazing. I feel so lucky to see so many important religious and architectural sights, this just 1 week into my trip. My Cordoba visit included La Mezquita, the important Islamic site now turned into a catholic cathedral where I just so happened to stay in the Jewish quarter. Wow! Now I´m in Granada, a university party town, home to the famous Alhambra. Another tip from the guide books say you have not lived until you´ve visited The Alhambra. Well, I must say it was beautiful and all but I think I´ll stick to my theory (as previously stated after my trip to Thailand): one has not lived until one has ridden an elephant.

Now food continues to be my favorite exploration....I know you´re thinking nightlife but that´s just a bonus. Anyway, I´m indulging in so many different cuisines here: just ate a doner kebab that was pure bliss. Oh and did I mention the free tapas when you order drinks? I´m all over it!

¿Tomatinos?

Is it possible to visit a quirkier, funkier country? If a festival solely dedicated to throwing tomatoes at people for 1 hour is any indication, I seriously think not.

I am a big fan of Valencia. The buildings are gorgeous and ahhh, the beaches. Spaniards certainly know how to live!! Restaurants and bars serving tapas right on the beach followed by walks along the beach into the wee hours of the night, this practiced by literally all ages. And when visiting, it is imperative to experience the outdoor night clubs near the beach, reminiscent of Miami, so I´ve been told. Me gusta esta lugar!!!

My hostel is quite scary, actually. The location is amazing, very close to the central market, which is the largest produce/meat market in Europe. Moldy smelling towels, a hot room with one measly fan, and construction add immensely to the ambience. But the price is right….only 30 euros!

The next adventure is figuring out where to explore next….Andalucia is on my mind. I´ll try my luck at the train station tomorrow morning and see if I can get to Granada, home of the Alhambra. If not, I´m sure some other adventure will present itself.

(Lukewarm) first impressions of Spain

Finally I am on Spanish soil, I´ve been wanting to visit here for as long as I can remember. Oddly enough, I do not feel as if I´m in a foreign country. There are entirely too many familiar sights: Starbucks, McDonald´s, Sephora and H & M. Or maybe it´s that I understand maybe a quarter of what people around me are saying. I´d prefer to be thrown into a culture and language I do not understand when traveling. That´s so much more exotic, in theory, anyway. Although paying for food (tapas) based on how many toothpicks are left on your plate, now that is a foreign concept.

Bar-the-lona! I prefer to reserve judgment on this city for now since I was only there for 1 jetlagged day and night and surprisingly, it did not overly impress me, which I was expecting based on everything I´d heard. The architecture did impress me, however. Gaudi, Gaudi, everywhere! Not to mention the style and fashion, everyone seems more fashionable than the average American, one only has to look at the shoes to decipher the difference between a European and American. I´ve never seen more varieties and the heels, yowza!! I do believe a Spaniard would not be caught dead in white tennis shoes. I wonder what sort of shoes they wear to work out in. I must admit I was very aware of how uninspiring my flip flops must have appeared!!

When in Spain, it´s imperative to embrace the local practice of a siesta, this I learned my first day. After this lovely tradition, I walked along La Rambla with a handful of locals and half of the tourist population in Barcelona and then, appropriately enough, followed the hordes to eat tapas and drink sangria!! My hostel was conveniently located and would have been perfect had I not experienced a mini heart attack waking up to the A/C unit spitting out ice!! Ahhh, the perils of travel.

I´m now in Valencia, home of the famous oranges, although you can´t tell that from inside this internet cafe. The train ride was made more fun with some Ozzies explaining the merits of tomato throwing and why one must wear swim goggles when participating, but of course! Apparently, there is a tomatino festival where you continuously throw tomatoes at people for 1 hour in a town close to Valencia, Bunol: http://www.spain-info.com/Culture/tomatofight.htm And yesterday was the fateful day!

Valencia itself is charming. Except I would not recommend staying in an industrial park in a suburb for your first night. Although if you make a reservation and they don´t receive it, you just may be lucky enough to be upgraded to a suite. It was bigger than my studio!! Two bathrooms, two tv´s (which I couldn´t figure out how to turn on) and no clock. The latter is an important detail as I conveniently do not have a watch, my watch at home is my cell phone and my cell phone has been abandoned. Non-communicado, ahhh, it´s liberating.....and a total ice breaker. I have asked countless attractive, young men: ¿Que hora es?

Now my stomach is growling, perhaps I will just tell time based on my hunger. Hmmm, yeah, great idea. Tapas time!! Spain awaits!! Hasta luego!

Blog content: travel, food, or boys? All of the above!

So, why would anyone want to read this blog? And just what is the blog about, exactly? These are the questions that have been plaguing me for over a month now. (Which should tell you something right there. Girlfriend has some serious commitment issues. And I obviously live in my head, I'm hoping this makes me sound neurotically adorable and not just plain crazy.) I used to blog about my life, observations, travels, etc. but stopped a year ago. I couldn't bring myself to air my dirty laundry for the whole world to read and if not to write about what's going on in my life, then what? Everything else seemed so trivial. My last blog was fit for public viewing, true feelings were edited out so as to not hurt those I loved. Instead I shared quirky little things I thought people would find humorous or interesting. With this new blog, I will be speaking my mind freely. After all, I didn't come this far to have to water down my experiences. My intention is to share my struggles and success with my usual self-deprecating humor. And here's my disclaimer: my intention is not to offend anyone or criticize anyone's life choices.

So, is the focus on travel, then? Aspects of travel and adventure are guaranteed to be shared as travel is my driving force, my life blood. If I didn't travel, I would be a mere shell of myself. Travel is what I spend my money on, it's my form of escapism, my drug of choice. The more I travel, the more I want it. It has taught me numerous life lessons, most of which I am still learning. And for those of you who love to travel, perhaps this rings true for you. And for those who don't have a love of travel, you may not understand why it's impossible for us to get traveling out of our systems. Traveling as an abstract concept is surely my soulmate. But not the main focus of this blog.  

So, is this a food lover's blog, then? After all, it's my other obsession, hence the career choice in nutrition. And my choices of where to travel involve good food. For example, I'd choose Thailand over say, Peru, just so I don't have to eat a guinea pig. I will always find a way to include food into my writing. But this is also not my focus right now.

My true passion is finding my life's purpose while living life fully and in the present moment. You're probably thinking serious and boring, right? Under normal circumstances, perhaps. But insert newly single girl with a sense of adventure and a very active social life and you get anything but boring. After years of marriage, this single gal is on a fast learning curve and has the stories to prove it.  Since I've reclaimed singledom, I've never felt more free, excited and hopeful about life, even despite more (seemingly) uncertainty. The shackles of society's expectations are off. So, bring it, world!  Show me what you got! And please, sprinkle in some humor, adventure, good friends and good food while you're at it.