Notions Of Change

Barcelona and Sitges, Part Two

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IMG_2826The stay in Spain has continued to be awesome, barring three days of recovery from food poisoning. (Note:always make sure that at least one person knows the address where you are staying. You never know if a medical emergency will hit.) 

Some of the discomfort I experienced because of the cultural shift from northern Europe to southern has alleviated. Not knowing much Spanish has stopped being as intimidating. It’s amazing how much you can understand solely through gesture and expression. Several times I’ve asked for directions from friendly locals, and we somehow find a way to understand each other and answer questions in our respective languages.

Culturally, there is an underlying feeling of separateness here from the rest of Europe, noticeable in the subtle ways that many Spaniards and Catalonians refer to other parts of the Union. When I asked, someone explained that it’s only been several decades since Spain opened up following Franco’s rule and, as a result, it’s still integrating with the other countries. 

IMG_2844My friend Alex, restaurant critic extraordinaire, has been showing me around the city and taking me with him when he goes to review a restaurant. It’s been a lovely culinary tour of sorts! If you speak Spanish, check out his blog, Yummy Barcelona. You’ll get the scoop on good places to eat and drink. Some of my favorites have been Bacoa, Chocolate Box, Caj Chai, La Fianna, and Mian.Continue Reading

Barcelona, Part One

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IMG_2915I love the sound of Barcelona in the early morning. Not very many people are up yet, the vehicle horns are not as loud and irritable, and the birds are conversing with each other. I have been here for almost a week and am sad to report that I haven’t been able to explore the city nearly as much as I would have liked because of a spat of epic food poisoning that struck on Wednesday, from which I am still recovering now, on Saturday. Vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, pelvic/back pain, exhaustion…you know, the fun stuff.

But there have been many pleasant moments too! The apartment rental from Airbnb is a little efficiency penthouse suite with a patio that is larger than the interior space. Between the sun-warmed terra-cotta tiles, the white washed walls, and the dried grass privacy liner secured to the railing, it really feels like a Mediterranean hideaway in the middle of the city. Every day it’s a pleasure to sit outside while working and eating breakfast in my pajamas. And there may or may not have been some nude sunbathing. Ahem.

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Amsterdam, Part Two

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My cousin invited me to go try a fun dance class with him in Rotterdam, which is about an hour-long car ride to the south of Amsterdam. We passed through an area known as the Green Heart of Holland, but that day it wasn’t green at all. Look at the glorious sunset!

Green Heart of Holland
Green Heart of Holland


One of my sisters lives in Delft, so later that week I hopped on the train to go visit. The town itself is really small, much smaller than the stories from my childhood had painted in my mind. We decided to bike around the seven or so blocks that comprise the center of town. It was fun! Definitely rent a bicycle to ride around the places you visit in the Netherlands. Jostling along as your tires meet the uneven cobblestones, with the sun shining on your face, as you pass colorful markets…it was a nice way to experience life. Continue Reading

Amsterdam, Part One

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I’m sitting here in the airport, waiting to board a flight delayed by a workers’ strike in France, trying to think of a way to summarize the last week spent in Amsterdam, along with trips to Delft and Rotterdam. Rather than do a blow for blow description of each day’s activities, it’s perhaps more compelling to share a general overview of impressions, not only of the city itself, but also of the differences I’ve noticed between the American way of life and that of the Dutch.

After settling in with my awesome cousin in Amstelveen, it was time to visit Amsterdam for the first time. Again, the public transportation system is very convenient for this. (My only complaint is that you cannot recharge your transportation cards at every location and their online system is also seemingly impractical.) As with the other places, you will still get a more rounded impression of a place by walking around as much as possible once there.

Amsterdam is actually a small city, certainly less than NYC and Los Angeles, and it feels OLD. Row after row of houses date back from the 1600s or earlier, and many lean in one direction or another, tired from centuries of service—even more visibly than the buildings in Leiden and Haarlem.

Cobblestones, ancient and more modern, pave the streets and the smell of pot is everywhere. Folks feel free to smoke walking outside as well as in the famed cafés. Basically, it’s not too hard to get a contact high just wandering around. 😉Continue Reading

Groet

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The next day, Uncle Jean took me to Groet, where another of my sisters lives with her family. This part of the Netherlands has a very rural feel and its charm is in the small communities that dot the landscape and wide open spaces. When blooming, the fields around Groet apparently rival Keukenhof’s tulip display. I’m sad because the timing for this trip doesn’t coincide with the tulip season. But there are crocuses and daffodils already, so there’s some comfort!

Two things were most striking about the area (didn’t take many pics here because I focused on enjoying them with my family). The Dutch have always been extraordinary engineers, especially when it comes to reclaiming land from the sea. If I understand correctly, a year ago, around a seven mile long stretch of beach and dunes was created near Camperduin using a new sand transfer technique. Very impressive!

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