The Occidental Tourist
I have just returned from one of the most unusual vacations I have ever taken. I went to England with my friend Ella and we had quite a few adventures and misadventures in London and Sheffield. We arrived in London last Wednesday afternoon. We stayed at her father's house in south London, but in order to get there, we had to treck through the underground system from North London all the way accross the city to where her father lives. That is no easy feat with lugguage. I met her father who is a rather grumpy and cynical fellow who was in an even grumpier mood because the heating in the house had broken. He was a pretty fascinating individual actually. He is a professional protrait photographer who has taken portraits of several celebrities and specializes in images of rock bands. Basically, I was like a kid in a candy store. The house was covered in paintings and photographs of all kinds of famous individuals like Marilyn Monroe and Davis Bowie and Jimi ehndrix. He Even had two fill size Warhol prints of Mao and Mick Jagger. (I am pretty sure they were prints, if not I am will have to do some post visit freakout) I just stood and stared at the walls for as long as I could. I didn't ask him much about his work; I got the feeling that he doesn't like to talk about it too much. I did try to catch what I could from the few things he did mention.
In London we went on the London Eye which is pretty cool. It gives you a great view of the Thames and Parliament, and the pods on the wheel were a great idea in England. If precipitation is like spice, then England is the Indian food of countries. Speaking of Indian food, you haven't had a curry until you've been to an English curry house. (ok, so I've never been to actual India, but you get my point) All those years of the English ruling the sub-continent did have some useful side-effects.
I also got the back street tour of London. Since this was my third time to London, I had already seen most of the major sites, so it was nice to see a different side of the city. By the way, SoHo in London is the neighborhood of 'adult entertainment establishments' and publishing houses. Somehow that combination doesn't surprise me. I also got to see a West-end play. the show was Rock and Roll and it was about the Czech struggle for independence. The whole show was basically narrarated by Pink Floyd and The Velvet Underground. Also, the actor Dominic West was the lead actor. He was Lysander in the movie A Midsummer Night's Dream, and was the professor in Mona Lisa smile. It was amazing for me, someone who grew up on highschool drama, and occasionally seeing a community play or something at the Civic Center, see actors of this caliber in front of me in person.
So that was basically London.
Sheffield was cold and it snowed, and I went out almost every night with Ella and her friends. It was also, unknown to me, national chip (fries) week in England, and I celebrated like I had marked it on my calender 365 days before. Down the road from the house where we were staying was a fish and chips shop that made the best thick, crispy chips. Yeah, I was there every day. It became pretty rediculous. Chips and beans! It was nice to meet a lot of my English Friends' friends and see where they lived when they aren't in suspended Valencian reality. I have learned that although it is very cold in England it survivable and that the grass stays green all year round and that people in England think it is the wierdest thing when I tell them that in Oklahoma the grass actually turns brown in winter and grows back in Spring. Guess its just what you are used to.
So since I got back I have started classes. It is so nice to actually know what is going on! A lot of Americans have invaded Valencia, and when I see them I think two main things. 1) Gee Americans really are noticeable, and 2) I'm so glad that I came for the whole year! I know that many people see me a brave or ambitious to go abroad for a whole year, but what I have discovered is that it is really the easier way. The first semester I was simply trying to figure out how to survive, but this semester with survival out of the way, I am now able to feel comfortable, and confident that I can talk to people and get things done. I know the quarks of Spain, and I honestly think I have begun to in a way, walk like a Spaniard. I don't mean that in a literal way, but in essence, I feel that I know the rhythm of the city and I know how to move with it. People have even begun to ask me directions on the street, and often, I can give them an answer. This is why I think going for the whole year is best. The hard part is out of the way for me, all I have left to do now is, keep up with my classes yes, and have fun.
This post is getting a bit long, so I'll save the rest of my interesting comments and obeservations until a later time. Oh, and when I do remind me to tell you about Ella's grandfather. Let's just say that I have found one of the lead characters for my book.