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(My first email to David from Barcelona)Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 11:00:39 -0800 (PST)From: Heather Shaw Subject: Greeetings form BaRCELONA To: David Hola! I keep trying to call you. I would've called last night around 7:30 (think about how late that is!) but I couldn't get the phones to work. I may call you tonight. I'm so starved for conversation - ENGLISH conversation, instead of stilted with partial spanish partial english. uegh. Ok, forgive the lack of punctuation. it's all over this keyboard. One very good thing about my loneliness: I'm writing PAGES of stuff in my diary. I still need to write down last night, but I've got 6 pages from my first 12 hours here alone! Today I figured out the metro after my feet hurt as I tried to do the Modernista walking tour. I saw the Sangrida Familia (Gaudi's melty cathedral) and I took the lift and found out I have a crippling fear of heights!!!!!!!! I was so disgusted w/ myself! I then did the stairs on the other side and was ok at the 30 meter mark - 60 is just too high for me! I was weak kneed and couldn't make it up the spiral stairs up from the lift and I left soon after getting up there.... Let's see, I took a nap yesterday after spending hte day wandering around Barri Gothic - LOVE these old medieval streets and buildings - so so cool. I had a bunch of USA yahoos (gods, I'm about to use a british acccent, I swear americans can look like such jerks) keep waking me up (yes, I had the earplugs in). Anyway, I woke up, put on makeup and dressed to go out (yes, you're right, it's too cold for that skirt you wanted to throw out). As soon as I got out of the hotel, a black guy peeled off from his 2 friends and started tailing me "you speak english? you alone? are those your friends?" I said yes to that last and HE WATCHED ME THROUGH THE WINDOW TO SEE IF I SAT DOWN WITH THEM!! I got freaked, so I sat down with them and told them what was going on... One of them was a woman - Maria who speaks pretty good english. She was very cool and told me she knew those guys...anyhow, I hung out with them for awhile and it was cool. Oh! I got my pocket picked! These men were gesturing and yelling at me in Spanish and I turned around to see a guy standing behind me holding my phrasebook and looking bewildered. I had to laugh! I even thanked him as I took it back and tsk tsked him like what he was trying to do wasn't so bad! I guess I feel pretty smug because these hidden money belts are such a good idea - mandatory in this town theives are EVERYWHERE! But such chickens compared to the guns of Oakland. I feel very little physical danger here! So, I went out to the port and danced the night away (after eating and chatting with a guy from Gambi named Banding whom I'm gonna write - oh, and I gave Maria my phone and address 'cause she wants to travel to San Fran sometime). Maria and those guys had had to go, so I was solo again.... I danced really hard, for hours and hours and why do black men think I'm so hot but no one else??? ANYHOW, no wonder my feet hurt! Fun, yes, but exhausting. I've already bought something for Kaylei (black shawl w- multi colored flowers) and Kiera (soccer shirt - rather nice, hope she likes it). Oh, and a novelty bottle cap opener for me and another for Corn and Rebecca (wait 'till you see it!). And a little something for you. Anyhow, tomorrow I try out the lockers at the train station, as I'm checking out of my room (switched rooms this morning) and am going to Granda tomorrow night... little afraid of the night train, but it's all an adventure!! Oh, and the lady at the information desk WAS mean to me so there ! I fall asleep to Spanish words drifting through my head, and already my Spanish is better than it was before I left. I still rely on English too much.ç
What else__??? Oh, well.....sory you had such an experience with your friend, but Shikata ga na, heh? I love you lots and lots...
Adios, | ||
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