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Published: July 28th 2008
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sailboats
sailboat racing competition. an anticlimatic parade that the whole town jammed the streets to watch today is my last morning at the keenen property. it has been an interesting few weeks on the wirral coast. learned to drive a JCB, huge yellow tractor, that pants = underwear, its better to say 'trousers', french people are addicted to nutella, and that english weather is the most unpredictable thing ever. most importantly, made a few good friends.
the days have begun to blur a bit. i feel like i have finally settled in, here but also as a traveler. home feels removed, so i feel like i can be more present in the moment.
update - (I am now in girona, spain) the last days of england:
Said my good byes and the espanola chicas, perdona, catalanas, and i went to manchester to try out another city. the city is actually very cool. the moment we stepped out of the train station you could feel the youthful student vibe. funky cafes everywhere, ie, good veg kelsi style food, indie stores, small crowded streets, etc. we dropped off the backpacks at a hostal and then toured the city, first stopping at a cafe called oklahoma. reminiscent of the store in petaluma heebie jeebies, a store
brazil
however, brazil knew how to introduce itself with tons of doodles and silly things, amazing video selction, and yummy food. then visited the contemporary museum that had a japanese anime exhibit that we skipped through, urban gardening show that seemed like an ikea ad (however it also talked about the premacultura in cuba, yay) and then a cool fashion presentation on some english guy, mathewson..... walked throughout the city, probably in about four circles. its that small. but we couldnt decided where to stop, of course, óh let´s just try this neighborhood´ etc. finally the weather was sunny though and everyone was smilling. ended the night on canal street which is a row of ridiculous gay bars along the river. greet fun watching the flirting that took place.
por la manana we stumbled upon a huge building, a indie fashion store market with clothing stalls on three levels. the english for some reason love tutus in electric colors. lots of them. plus vintage and local designers and lots of semi gothic apparel as well. checked out the univeristy´s museum whichh had a show on a chinese artist (manchester has the largest chinese pop of england) who made this styrofoam scultures and then paste thousands of photos
kids
either this is a new or antique form of a rollar coaster. i couldnt stop laughing to create 3d humans. surreal life size beings.
on the bus to the airport, of course it began to rain, which was the perfect ending of the trip. ate my last egg and watercress sandwich as a final souvener.
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now i have been staying with marta and her family in girona the last few days. beaching it everyday to catch up on sunshine. the medditeran water is so clear, refreshing, and salty. so much salt that i am able to float on my back for the first time in my life. the water is very healing here. been eating typical spanish grand luches with her parnets and grandparents. everyone here lives in the family house, and all of the extened family is close by. the kindness that has been extended to me is unbelievable.
sleeping lots and lots. i think hearing another language all the time makes me tired. i only speak spainish all day, but it is a little frustrating because everyone speaks catalan, which is different enough that i cant understand. sometimes i can get the idea of what is being said, but i am still def an outsider.
sat night went out to a
camera
camera shooting wars fiesta to celebrate the town´s pàtron. the concerts and party was outside, beginning round one. am . crazy celtic catalan music. ran into tons of their friends, and as some of the friends drank a little more, they would begin to reveal that they actually knew lots of english. they festivities end with a fire march and fireworks, honoring an old tradition. there are lots of fires for celebration here. people in costume march holding bowls of fire and at the final light fireworks.
sunday was similar. we went to a town on the beach where it was also their patron´s day. beautiful beach to swim in all day and in the evening another parade. at the end walk the two patrons of the town, two giant man and woman dressed in traditional lord-historic gowns. looked like the giant queen from shrek. after the sunset there was a huge fireworks show. all week there had been a competition between different countries and tonight was a german team. huge fireworks, many i had never seen before, above the sea. do not how they scored, but wonder what other teams came up with in comparision. one of the best shows i
wirral coast
last day on the wirral coast. bonvoyage! have ever seen
feel very fortunate that i have been able to have a sneak window into these girls´lives. a few weeks ago i would never have believed where i am now. it is a little hard also, that i will have to say goodbye, move on, and who knows when i will see them again. it is part of traveling of course, but being here has made me feel more settled, forgetting that i will be leaving. tomorrow i catch a bus to the pyraness and will be working at a thermal spa and farm for a few weeks. who knows where that will lead.
adieu
kelsi
(thank you for all comments and love notes. it is very comforting and they make me laugh. hope summer has been fantastic for everyone)
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