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Published: January 13th 2006
La Lonja
This building is directly in front of the hostel. It used to be an old commodities exchange.Hello Reader.
Christmas morning we all awoke and Josh, Caitlin, and I (accompanied by David) began making breakfast. A large breakfast that included poached eggs, which is close enough to one of my Christmas traditions (eggs benedict) for me. We began opening our presents at the table because the suspense was just too much to bare, like a kid sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for his parents to finish brushing their teeth before they could all down to the living room to see the presents. Caitlin got Josh some incense to get the 'girl smell' out of our room, she got me a pair of nail clippers (I had asked to use hers). Josh got Caitlin some little bottles of Bombay gin and some tea... (get it - G and T...?), he got me a hair comb... it might have been kind of a gag gift, but it comes in pretty handy with this huge white boy fro I've got going on. I had went to the photo shop and made prints from my camera of pictures I had taken of Valencia and the three of us throughout the week... you know, so they could remember. They
After the Gifts
All the gifts exchanged on Christmas morning. also went in on a joint gift and got me 'Life of Brian'- the Monty Python DVD. We all loved our gifts.
Caitlin, Josh, David, and I packed a sandwich and went to the beach. The day was warm and clear. We set up camp on the deserted beach and talked and ate and read. Well, Caitlin did the reading. Josh and David played in the freezing water (but only got in up to their shins before turning back to dry land). I layed and dug my feet into the fine, dry sand and thought of my family and friends back home. My parents would be sleeping in, for the first time in probably a year. My brother and sister-in-law would be spending time racing between both of their families, trying to spend as much time as they could with both. Then they would later have a feast of turkey, broccoli cassarole (a Mom specialty), mashed potatoes, (which my cousin Jason would eat most of), vadelea onion pie, and maybe pecan pie for dessert. I thought of this while biting down on my slightly gritty sandwich, trying to remember if I specified 'no sand' on mine. We played on
Caitlin Climbing
Caitlin climbing on the jungle gym at the beach on Christmas Day. a large rope jungle tower before heading back to the city center.
Later that day, Mike and Sue (Mike's girlfriend) came by the hostel with Jrisa (Mike's roommate) and we all sat in the kitchen and toasted to togetherness and gin. Josh whipped up some amazing chicken curry and we later went out to play foosball and dance sillily in a nearly empty bar. It was definitely a Christmas to remember.
The next day, Monday, we all went to make our train reservations. We didn't talk about splitting up, but we knew that it was inevitable. Josh was heading to Granada, Caitlin was going to a city near Portugal that I couldn't pronounce, David and I were to go to Barcelona... but hadn't talked about traveling there or staying there together. We would all split apart on Wednesday, which gave us about two days to figure out how to say goodbye.
By the afternoon, Caitlin had gotten me completely ill. She had a cough for the previous couple of days that would keep me up at night, but not because of the sound, but because I was worried about her... It's strange to be worried about someone
you met only a week and a half ago. Anyways, I was getting sick. We watched Monty Python and for dinner we had curry again... and boy was it good.
On Tuesday, we watched The Professional with Natalie Portman which I was glad to see finally, it was really awesome. David, Josh, and Caitlin went stomping around Valencia during thier last day while I stayed in and watched movies. We met five Australians and two Mexicans who all seemed pretty nice. Caitlin, David, and Josh brought me candy and I finally convinced me to go out for our last night together. We went to a small bar called O'Hara's which is owned and run by one really nice girl. In order to possibly help my cold, I ordered a shot of tequila. I took it down like a champ and sat and conversed with the large group (everyone decided to come out). From there, the thirteen of us headed over to Radio City to see if we could catch the Flaminco before it ended for the night. We got in and found that we had just missed it. So I ordered another shot of taquila and felt better.
Marathon in Valencia
These chaps were dressed up in their Sunday best. About twenty mintues later, I ordered and downed another shot of tequila with Sue, Mike's girlfriend, as she joined us after a long and tiring day at work. As she told us about her day, I was empathetic and ordered us each another shot of taquila to make her feel better. She, all the while, claiming to be the tequila queen. By that time, I was feeling pretty good... and feeling pretty good, if you catch my drift. I was social with everyone and I was having a great time. She said that she wanted another shot, and when I said I think I had had enough, she turned to the bar and ordered four in stead of two. I looked at her with a wide-eyed stare that said 'you crazy English girl, have you gotten so drunk that you are seeing two of me?' She said that one was for me, and three were for her - so she could catch up. I begged her not to, but she said there was no beating the tequila queen. By the end of the night, we had each had five. I had mine over three hours... she had hers over one
Ryan Marathon Watching
My buddy Ryan, amused by the runners as they pass. hour. Mike took her home to vomit and sleep, then rejoined us at the bar for a litle more dancing before we all retired to our respective beds. I was very suprised that I was handling the alcohol so well.
On Wednesday morning, I woke up around the usual time of eleven and did a quick Eli diagnostic to see if the tequila had been waiting for me to wake before initiating a suprise attack. Again, I was in very good condition. I took a shower and joined Caitlin and Josh in the kitchen for our last breakfast together. We went to the market for the last time. On the way, we passed a handwritten ad for an apartment that was being rented. I took one of the numbers and we finished our morning together. We said a fond farewell to Caitlin and David and I headed back to the hostel to finish packing. Mike was working and Sue, the tequila queen, stopped by the hostel. She said that she had a rough night and she felt drunk still.
When I spoke about looking for a job, Sue mentioned a restaurant that had offered her a job, but
Fuzzy Bunny
Caitlin and Sue laughing while Mike stuffs as many pieces of pear into his mouth as he can while repeating fuzzy bunny. only two days after she had accepted a position at a hostel. After packing, I gave a call to the lady with the apartment and headed out with Josh and Sue. We first stopped by the restaurant and I spoke with Dhani, an Englishman and the owner of the modern, upscale, Spanish-Fusion restaurant. He seemed extremely enthusiastic and wanted me to get my resume to him. He even offered Sue a free drink for the referal. With a smile on my face I walked from the restaurant to the apartment, both of which were located just downtown. The apartment was beautiful and the lady living there was great. She was from Mexico and recommended a good Mexican restaurant in Valencia when I told her it was my favorite kind of food. I wanted to think it over so I told her I would call her over the next couple of days.
I also had researched a little bit online and found another apartment for rent. I called the guy and he said he could only meet around six pm. I decided to miss my train (that departed at five pm) in order to see the other apartment... and also
New Year's Eve
Jrisa has a tradition of putting a coin in the cake then cutting it into pieces on New Year's Eve. Whoever gets the money, has luck for the next year... ps-our coin was chocolate; Mike, Monica, nor I received it. cause I lost my train ticket - it was only twenty euros. I figured it was worth it if I found the right apartment that day... besides I was making progress that would last me the next few months, and I now had friends with whom I could spend New Years Eve.
So I met the landlord at six pm with Mike, Sue, and Josh. We all agreed after seeing the prison style apartment that had no living room or community space besides the small bathroom and the smaller kitchen, that this was an example of what not to rent in Valencia. I had decided to sleep on it before calling Luvia, the Mexican lady in the first apartment, back the following day to let her know I wanted to rent her room.
That night, Mike, Sue, Josh (who was leaving at two thirty in the morning for Granada), Jrisa, and Alex and Raphel (my two new roommates in the hostel from Brazil) went to the Mexican restaurant that Luvia had recommended to me. I was secretely celebrating the prospect of finding a job and prospect of finding an apartment. Good guacamole, good margaritas, good times. I stayed
Playing on Gulliver
Jrisa, Mike, David, and I will never be too old to play. up with Josh as late as I could, watching Sex in the City in Spanish, before he had to leave at two to catch the bus.
Thursday morning came and I called the apartment lady as soon as I woke up at eleven. I told her that I had been to the restaurant and it was good... she said she was happy for me and that she had already rented the apartment the night before. I was dumbfounded. To this moment I still regret not snatching up that room when I had the chance... and it still hurts no matter how many times I tell myself that she was probably an axe murderer that would have harvested and sold my inner organs to support her heroin addiction.
Sulking, I went on about my Thursday. I hung out at the hostel a lot. I made lemon chicken sandwiches for lunch which were so garlicy that Mike had to eat almost an entire pack of gum to get the taste out of his mouth. I wrote a letter to Caitlin telling her that I had ended up staying in Valencia and would probably be here (and not in Barcelona) for New Years. After Mike got off of work, we went to the post office and, as we waited, listened to two music players at the same time; one of my earphones and one of his at the same time. We sang both songs (alternating between the two) too loud but had a great time anyways. He took me to his apartment and we hung out watching American Dad and Family Guy. I tried to perfect my Kiwi accent by adding 'Aye!' to the end of all my sentences and he tried to perfect his American accent by adding 'Brah!' to the end of all his. I laughed for hours before heading back to the hostel.
On Friday, I recieved an e-mail from Caitlin who asked if she could come back to Valencia and spend New Years with us... I wrote and asked her why she was even asking... she knew she was welcome. More sandwiches for lunch and I gave an extra one to a guy named Ryan from South Africa who had been living in Northern Italy for three years. He mentioned an interest in photography and said that he was headed to a nearby photo gallery later that night. So after Mike got off of work, he and I headed to see another apartment on the west side of the city center. The apartment was recently remodeled and very clean with two occupants, Carlos from Peru and Roberto from Austria. It was two-hundred and twenty euro per month. Remembering how regretful I was about the first apartment I gave up, I called Carlos within an hour to tell him that I would rent it. Mike and I went to a place like Wal-Mart and bought beer for the hostel (they had a vending machine with beer in it). When we got back, I headed out to the photo gallery with Ryan and for a walk around the city. We stopped for a beer and talked a lot. Around eight pm, Ryan and I stood and watched a marathon of some sort run through the city. I wasn't really sure of the purpose, but everyone was dressed up in funny costumes and wigs. It was pretty strange but really funny. Later, Monica came over to the hostel and we cooked up something for dinner... fried potatoes and sandwiches, (pretty much the only two things I know how to make).
On Saturday, New Year's Eve day, Caitlin arrived back in Valencia around one pm. She was really happy to be 'home' and we went to the market and ate all day long, just like old times. We later headed over to Mike and Jrisa's apartment and had pizza and beer for dinner. We watched more American Dad until Monica and Ryan came over. I should also note that I was witness to their cat, Diego, peeing in the toilet... it would have been, without a doubt, the coolest thing I had ever seen - but only if he had remembered to flush. We had champagne and peaches for dessert and we all headed to Plaza Ayuntamiento - me with a second bottle of champagne in one hand and bunch of grapes in another (part of a Spanish tradition). We met Ben, the manager of the hostel, who is from England. He's a really cool guy who is good friends with Mike and Jrisa.
The city center was packed with people. The night was clear and city hall, with all its lights, seemed to beam with excitemt. The large clock tower started to chime and we all ate twelve grapes as each bell echoed through the city. At the sound of the final stroke, we all hugged and shook hands as the fireworks exploded what seemed like only a few feet above our heads. The saddest news couldn't have wiped the smile off my face.
Ryan and Monica headed to the house of one of her friends, near the beach. The rest of us (Ben, Mike, Jrisa, Caitlin, and Sue, who had just joined us after her work shift) went to Finnigins, a bar just around the corner. After about three hours of drinking and talking, we went back to Mike and Jrisa's apartment and fell asleep in the middle of a conversation. We all awoke not really remembering how we had fallen asleep.
I was able to move my stuff into my new apartment on Sunday morning. But only managed to move in grocieries, all my stuff stayed at Mike's house. Caitlin, Mike, and I spent the afternoon and evening walking up and down the river garden and singing to eachother. We probably sang about thirty different songs... some of them I didn't know cause they were Australian or Kiwi. But I hummed along at the choruses. Caitlin and I stayed up late watching Dirty Dancing, which I had never seen. Caitlin and Mike convinced me to stay at Mike's apartment for the next two nights and hang out with them. I had tons of fun and was happy to stay, especially seeing that Caitlin would be leaving on Wednesday morning.
That was five days ago. The resume and job search are still in the works, but I have at least gotten all my stuff moved into the new apartment. I spend most of my time with Mike, Sue, and Jrisa... and I eat a lot of oranges.
I arrived in Valencia on December seventh. And except for a few days in Alicante, all my time has been spent here. I find myself really comfortable in Valencia. I think I will enjoy living and working here. I will continue to make friends and meet travelers through couchsurfing (and hopefully take them around the city, like Monica did with me). I will probably not be updating my blog too often, seeing as though I won't be visiting too many new places during my time here. But I will make sure to keep everyone abreast as to how and what I am doing.
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ang the flang in frogland
non-member comment
bonjour mon ami
Dude! (that was my american impersonation, aye) so good to hear Valencia is rocking for you and that you saw in the New Year with a smile on your face. Sorry my travelblog has gone downhill but i've spent heaps of time on my personal website (access through CS link) so cheack it out. I hope to come down and party in April for my birthday so will give you some notice. Will have to show you how its done - 5 shots of tequila and thats it?! You obviously haven't seen the master at work............. [insert evil cackle]