inevitable?

Life is grinding on. Actually that's not strictly true, things are getting better rather than worse and had a great weekend in our mate Jose's village, Portillo. (yes honestly that's its name) Was really good to be back in the bosom of a family and although it wasn't either of ours we were definitely made to feel part of it. Jose's dad took great delight in showing me the extent of the home he and his brothers built themselves although at one point I proper shat myself; he patted me on the shoulder and silently led me through to the room we had been sleeping in, pulled back the carpet and pointed to the floor. For one dire moment I thought I had been the victim of an unknown nocturnal 'follow through' and this was his silent protest to my sullying of his front room. Thankfully he was illustrating the under floor heating he had created by leaving a gap under the room and burning wood underneath it. Thank fuck. I also got to remind myself that I enjoy travelling (anywhere except to the supermarket) as much as riding a bike despite having an uncanny knack for falling asleep on anything that moves quicker than I can walk.

All in all great weekend and plenty time to practice talking Spanish (dire) and listening to Spanish (getting better) as well as mulling over future plans. They're still fermenting but kind words from those close have made things much, much easier merci buckets to all. Seeing as primary teaching is as close as we have to a family trade maybe it was bound to happen but today I accepted a job as a teaching assistant at a bilingual primary school. Yup, after almost 20 odd years of protesting that I would never become a teacher (more so since studying 'story books' for 4 years) I have actively sought out and become one. In fact it looks like I will turn down a job as a video games tester with EA games in order to do this job. Ahem. Perhaps senility is creeping in the day before I pass a quarter century? We'll see but fingers crossed everything comes together when the time is right, if it works then I may have started on a path that will, eventually, lead me right back to where I was almost 8 years ago. Scary thought but then I've always (tried) to advocate that the destination is only half the story, its the journey there that really opens your eyes.

unsuccessful

4 from 4, Newcastle finally responded and in the same vein as the others. Not altogether unexpected and as such not the hammer blow that the rejections last month were but still leaves a sour taste. What now? First I need to let the news settle and assess why I didn't get in then whether to try again or aim for something else. Not sure where I go from here but I have started to look at summer schools to bolster my science credentials...

more from yesterday

The 'hill of death'

Chillaxing

Hmmmm, if I sprint ahead and take a pic it will appear I have some degree of fitness...cunning

wheels a' rollin

Yes, bigger wheels are better!

Though I still look pedestrian :(

My new local patch. It's alright I suppose

Pick a line

Obligatory 'look I can hold a camera and pedal' shot

At last

Pablo y Sofia

After weeks of procrastination we finally returned to the Reina Sofia (gallery home to Guernica) to see the Picasso pieces borrowed from Paris. We went today because all the galleries and museums in Madrid are free today though obviously busy as a result. I had been to see the Picasso museum in Paris a few years ago but clearly his work is always worth another visit. I couldn't get over just how busy it was, I've never seen a gallery thrum and buzz like it. It became clear, predominantly because a loud American woman was holding court on the subject, how much people want to be able to explain his, and presumably other artist's, work. There is an innate drive for knowledge in most people, perhaps it's part of the human condition, to find new ways to do things, to develop the methods and ideas already posited but this seems different from the desire to find explanations for everything, the need for some to be able to know the reasons underlying any action. Maybe it's not so different at all, maybe it's the subject that creates the differences; whereas in science an action or decision is, normally, founded upon evidence, whether it's empirical or theoretical, in art such decisions are or perhaps more accurately can be based on personal impulses, desires or feelings. Of course you could equally argue the opposite was true but I feel the roots of both disciplines are as varied as the approaches to explain their results. Science lends itself to a dissection of it's parts, always being the sum of it's constituents, art must be teased apart and the whole always taken into account as the individual elements would not, if added in a different way or a different order create the same conclusion.

I'm not sure I have any conclusion of my own other than I think that sometimes, in fact a lot of the time, it is not necessary to understand a piece in the sense that such and such a part is influenced by this and that this part comes from this but rather to entertain the whole of the work in your mind's eye whilst remembering that regardless of it's origins this is an entirely new entity. That it is not vital to know why the piece was created or how to enjoy it.

Phew! Anyway we took some pictures in the uber cool glass lifts, is it just me that still feels the same way I did at 5 when going up in a lift?

Coffee and (tiny) cake

Yesterday was a day of lazing and as such we (myself, Carla and new addition Lizzie) sought out somewhere to recline for a while. Having had a better than expected meal at VIPS (sort of posh little chef but actually really good) we returned albeit to a different location. Carla decided on a chocolate cake while I ordered what I thought was a latte equivalent thereby justifying our extended visit. The image below looks fairly normal, however, size is all relative and when I add my hirsute hand to the fray we can clearly see not only have I ordered an espresso but that the cake has in fact been designed for bloody hobbits.





This was too good an opportunity to pass up

Semana Santa

They take Easter pretty seriously here. There are no adverts for chocolate eggs or a continual commercial barrage reminding you there's yet another festivity approaching.; which is all rather refreshing but the way they do celebrate, with grand processions, is a bit scary. We stayed in Madrid although we were meant to got to Valladolid we were a bit too lazy, ahem. Anyway, Sevilla hosts the largest of the processions and Madrid despite being the capital is a bit more low key. Even so it was an impressive sight with tens of KKK-esque costumed worshippers slowly moving up the street commanding a respectful silence despite the crowds, they were followed by enormous floats which are carried solely by people underneath. Factor in that many of them decide to do it barefoot and that it's pretty cold and you realise this is a country very serious about it's faith. It was both inspiring and surprising, it was an undeniably impressive event but the power of what is a relatively simple display of faith was a bit unnerving, at least for me.

watch it and watch out

do the test awesome

rebirth

At last.

My first ride of 2008 no less! Finally got to swing my leg over a bike today, very kindly lent to me by one of our newest acquaintances, Sandra. Yup, I was riding a girl's bike. It was a-mazing. I needed to put the seatpost up a bit but it was so, so good just to be turning the pedals again. Admittedly Alex could have torn my legs off but thankfully he had been on a club ride the day prior, thank god because quite frankly I was suffering, methinks the single speed shall be shelved for the time being and I'll be using all 5 of my gears on the ferrous. Which may be out sooner than thought, although it depends heavily on the kindness of others. Now that would be awesome.

The ride was dry, dusty and even sunny but I think even if it was raining cats and dogs I would still have been delighted. No pictures though as I was too busy smiling and hurting. Rolled back to Alex's after a couple hours to sink some pizza and actual Italian coffee. (You have no idea how welcome both were after a distinct lack of either.) So all in all probably my best day here thus far, simple things and all that. Start Spanish lessons tomorrow too, 4 hours a day for 9 days. *gulp*

alleycat

After a guy was killed in a Chicago alleycat, mainstream news has taken an interest in them and their effects. I normally find these 'exposes' nauseous as some whiter than white reporter recounts some supposed maniac or maniacs who have needlessly cost lives when it soon becomes clear that the report centres on a tragic event or accident that occurred during a normally innocuous activity. However, even if you don't agree with the reporting then it does make you look at the whole thing from a slightly different perspective. Fixie racing, the pursuit of individual freedom within the restrictive confines of modern society or reckless self indulgent idiocy - discuss. abc news story

Home

I thought it was time to post some better pictures of the flat. So I have.

The nov hard at work. (I am a kept man after all)












Notice the air conditioning, we think it may be pre Second World War.



And finally Alec asked us what the views are like. Flats with these views are known here as 'interior' but I believe in other countries they're simply known as shit.



Luckily, we have a bit more to the right to see out the bedroom window.


Whilst the living room is a bit more limited although does have a security guard of sorts. (To stop pigeons shitting on your washing)