Viajera.

Nothing like sticking your hand deep into an old bag and feeling something gross.

I haven't used this backpack since... 2008, when I went on a two-week trip across southern Spain with my friend, Mike.  It was a super fun time.

We had gone during Santa Semana, and were able to catch many of the region's famous festivities.  For example, we were in Valencia on the final night of Fallas, which is a week-long, city-wide party, featuring a ton of giant statues all over, which took an entire year to prepare (since the previous year's Fallas).  On the final night of celebration, all of the statues are burned.  We were in the town square, and were there to witness the largest, and most important statue set ablaze.  When I had to go to the bathroom, there was a twenty-minute line at the Burger King (relatively short, considering the number of people).  When I got out of there, I was very afraid that I was not going to find my friends again.  Shoulder to shoulder madness.  The crowd was that huge.  It was awesome.

We also saw the famous processions in Sevilla.  I believe it was Maundy Thursday?  I don't remember exactly... whatever the day was where they carry the statues of Mary around town ALL DAY... up to fourteen hours.  It started out really cool, and we got to see the most important one.  That particular statue has diamonds embedded on Mary's face as her tears.  Anyway, by the end of the day, we were just so frustrated that all these processions were taking place, and we couldn't get to where we were trying to go, because of all the barricades.  Pretty cool experience, though, nonetheless.

Anyway, there was a lot of other cool stuff to that trip as well.  I think in 13 days, we had hit Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Cadiz, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Tarifa, Tangier (yes, we also went to Morocco), and Malaga.  Did I miss any?  I can't even remember.

So, today's improv.  Yeah.  Well, so, even before I thought about my pack, and how the last tags are still on there from Iberia airlines, my subconscious threw some Spanish harmonies and whatnot in there.  I used to listen to a lot, and I mean a lot, of flamenco.  I went to shows every weekend for a couple of years.  And so I think the improv started out pretty cool.  But then it didn't really go anywhere.  And that's kind of embarrassing.  I was bored.  That ain't good.  It should've ended about two or three minutes before it did.

It's been a while since I've even put on a flamenco CD, so I feel like anything that I might have pertaining to flamenco in my brain or my fingers is all cobwebby.  Meh.  Again, it is what it is.  Maybe it was just good to get a few things down... I can work on the build over time.

Here we go, Day 54: https://ia600708.us.archive.org/2/items/Improv10711/10_7_119_27Pm.mp3

P.S. If anyone who knows anything about flamenco were to ever hear this, it would be the end of the last shred of my dignity.

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

A little out of order, Mike at the Madrid airport

Main Fallas statue, Valencia

 

Main statue burning. That movie above is the crowd waiting for this to happen.

Semana Santa procession, Sevilla

Wave breaking cubes that I loved, Cadiz

Gaditano food, Cadiz

This is pretty much a progression of how the trip went.  Started like this. :)  El Puerto

Then, after several days, it was like this.

Finally, the trip resulted in this.

and waiting for the flight home, we took pictures of our loose change.

 

... and lights in the airport.

Well, there were a lot more pictures that I could've put here... like the Alcazar, or the abundant Calatrava bridges and architecture.  Again, it is what it is.  I just put on some photos I like. :)