We Also Saw A Lot of Cool Stuff Too!

Ouch, I got busted by my travel companions. No, no, no, I wasn't trying to give the impression that the entire trip was about meeting interesting new people of the good-looking male persuasion....
This first picture, for example, was not my fault. Who knew that "police officer" was universal for male dancer, and how could I know that someone was having a birthday in the restaurant? I guess we just got lucky....

Actually, given my last post (about race in Spain), I think I did well for myself while away. I usually engage in political conversations with men who are trying to chat me up; I have since learned that that is a defense mechanism, and I am becoming more comfortable socializing in a more casual way (I am also trying to learn how to date, but that is another blog altogether...). I only had one political argument (the others were more friendly), and that one was not my fault because the poor boy decided to talk to me about the war in Iraq... Cute, yes, but I am also an intellectual.... ;-)



OK, so we saw lots of cool stuff in Spain too. The last picture is one point of entry into Madrid's Plaza Mayor, an incredible public square that was the site of the auto de fe (think Spanish Inquisition) and an example of Madrid's Bourbon history and corresponding architectural style. We took daytrips to Toledo and Segovia, and a longer trip to the south to visit Sevilla and Granada.

This castle is in Segovia and is actually the prototype for the Disneyland castle made famous by some crazy princess stories ;-) (I did not grow up reading Cinderella or Snow White, and everything at Disneyland was frightening to me as a kid. I couldn't figure out why my dad would take me to such a torturous place...)


The next two are from Sevilla. If you are a Star Wars fan, like one of my travel buddies, you will recognize "Nabo" from the latest installments of Star Wars. Sevillians call it Plaza de Espan-ya. The other photo is of the most amazing gothic cathedral in Sevilla. I have to say, I may need to make a trip to Spain just to visit Sevilla again. It was the most enchanting city we visited.



Blogger won't let me upload anymore pictures, so one final post about Spain will follow! Stay tuned...

So High, You Can't Get Over It

Well, we found it in Spain too...

I blogged about representations of 'blackness' when I was in Norway, and so I now have to provide a short report about what I saw in Spain.

As Brunsli mentioned about Paris, I also saw many locked Spaniards, mostly folks who were trying to manifest a bohemian lifestyle. But what was so interesting to me about Madrid, was the tremendous change to the city over the last 10 years. I had the opportunity to pariticipate in the EAP program to Madrid when I was an undergrad. During that time I may have seen 5 other Black women in Spain (yes, I was looking and counting), though it was more common to see Black men (but not in large numbers). I was stared at incessantly in the streets and in the shops, and people would often stop me to make comments about my skin color, my lips, my nose etc. Admittedly, 99% of the comments were meant to be flattering, and I didn't actually mind the exoticization after dealing with trifling folks in LA for 4 years....

At that time, the main popular reference for Black women was Naomi Cambell, so no, I wasn't tripping ;-)

Fast forward to the present and Madrid is so different. You can hear various languages being spoken when you walk down the street, advertisements feature interracial, international, and cross-cultural families, Spaniards have also begun adopting children from Africa and Asia, and there are people of color everywhere.
This government-sponsored adverstisement was in the subway and states that the integration of immigrants benefits everyone. Amazing, eh? Show me an example of such support in the US.... (ok, that is another blog...).



Still, some things don't go away so quickly. Part of the way the culture is dealing with these shifts is through increased, entrenched exoticization. This is a touchy subject, but I do read this as an example of the crazy blending of fear and fascination that often accompanies racial questions (I am really trying to state this delicately). There is an increase in interest in jazz music, for example, but notice the way it also conjures minstrelsy.
Even the cotton club is recuperated, but not much understanding about the racism, segregation, and exploitation that went along with it (the performance of 'blackness' for white audiences specifically).


To be fair, maybe the Spaniards are more savy about their choices than I am giving them credit. Who knows.

Girls Will Be Girls...

What on earth could these girls be grinning at? 1, 2, 3...




1, 2, 3!


Mystery (from "The Pickup Artist") is correct about having a game plan for meeting new people in social settings. "Would you mind taking our picture" was a good one. Nevertheless, these nice fellows turned out to be... well, very friendly and kind. We had a great conversation, and they left together....

Further down the street, we encountered even more people. For better or for worse, our apartment was located near the center of Madrid. This infamous street (Calle Huertas) features bars that cater to those willing to party until 4am on any night of the week (except Monday, most places are closed by 2am on that day...).

As many of you may remember from my blogs about my trip to Norway, I am a bit over the whole nightlife scene, at least the scene that features people whose maturity level too closely resembles their age. But, when in Rome (or Madrid)...

The Spanish are famous for their lifestyle, in particular the very late hours they keep, the 'marcha' (nightlife), and the casual way people meet and greet in public spaces. Waiters consider it strange for people to show up for dinner before 10pm, and even old women will make catcalls to good looking people walking down the street. We also received a good deal of free food and drinks as a gesture of hospitality and flirtation (of course). The free stuff really helped our already tight budget.


At any rate, I do wonder how a group of old woman friends would fare on a trip to a resort without boys in sight?!

Espan-ya!

Well, I am back from my wonderful, amazing trip to Spain :-(
but as I was unable to update the blog regularly, I will have to write as if I were still there :-)

(Above is a picture from the gardens of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain).

Ole!

The entire crowd was full of anticipation just waiting to find out where we decided to spend our fall vacation. Here is a BIG (and very attractive) hint:



Viva Espan-ya!



As an undergraduate student I had the opportunity to participate in the Education Abroad Program to Madrid, Spain. This was the first time I had left the US (that Saturday night in Tijuana doesn't count...). Well, since then I have a very special affinity to Spain, and I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit again with two queridas amigas.





During that year I lived in Spain I never attended a bullfight. I am a student of literature so I have read a great deal about authors' particular interest in the sport. I also know that many African American authors see a relationship between certain aspects of Spanish culture (the bullfight, flamenco, and duende) and African American approaches to expressive art. I studied Spanish dance/ballet (sevillanas, flamenco) and after seeing an actual bullfight yesterday, alot of those things made more sense to me (even Picasso's paintings of the corrida/bullfight).

There is no way to deny the brutality of the sport (I have not posted the more graphic pictures). We also saw a bullfighter be tossed and gouged (twice) by the bull. It is no joke, the fighters really do look into death as they meet a bull in the ring. The pageantry of the event was extraordinary, and the way the bullfighters move... well, we needed a drink after....

The Travel Bug

Hey Everybody: I too have caught the travel fever! I am far from home (and losing my shirt with this exchange rate), having a good time with some college friends. I will post pictures soon of our travels and adventures.