For my second blog entry I wanted to continue where I left off in the first, however, it will take me awhile to record the past 7 months of my European travels and I continue to have adventures and feel that I should record them as they come. My memories of the past few months will eventually be posted but for now to be continued.
This past weekend I ventured to Madrid, Spain to spend a few wonderful days with my best friend, Rachel. She came to Milan for my birthday this past September and we decided to promise to always spend each others birthdays together from here on out. Which I think is a great idea. I think that people need annual plans like these, it keeps life interesting and I will always have travels and adventures to look forward to with one of my favorite people, my wetback. I recently had a very crazy experience with kidney stones of all things…. “Mia prima volta” with this kind of constant pain that shot up my spine and felt like some invisible source was squeezing all the organs on the right side of my body. Moreover, I had to go to the hospital and deal with a huge amount of pain that I could not wish on any one, not even those who I truly dislike. The doctor told me I was not to fly for a few weeks in fear that the stones might pass while I am on the plane…. And the rest is self-explanatory….
Anyhow, this prompted me to tell Rachel that I would be unable to come to Madrid for her 22nd…. When in actuality I had been emailing all of her friends over there to help me plan a surprise visit…. Everyone responded and the plane ticket was bought 2 weeks in advance…. This was going to be the most perfect surprise…. But when it got closer to time ( a day before I was scheduled to fly out) I had a feeling that I should tell Rachel, in fear I would get lost in the city or something odd would happen…. I sent her an email explaining my plans and received a phone call within 2 hours!
In the end, I was more than glad I ruined the surprise….. Rachel had been quite lonely for the past few weeks and not really enjoying her time in Spain…. She was so happy to learn that I would be coming for her birthday, she cried. She cried. When I heard her, I knew that it was time for my best friend skills to kick in… she needed me, and I in return needed her.
In my mind, I could not get out of Italy soon enough. On the plane, I had a warm fuzzy feeling that made a smile magically appear on my face. Not only was I taking my first vacation away from the family I work for after 7 months, but I was going to explore Rachel’s Madrid, with Rachel.
It was an amazing weekend. Even with my insecurities and her drama carried over from the states, these minor glitches could never ruin what makes me and rae, me and rae. What I love about our friendship is that we do not judge each other, we of course recognize each others flaws but know that they don’t makes us who we are. We accept and move on. We don’t try to fix each other because we realize (because we are both strong individuals) that the fixin’ process will happen in its own time, no need to force a learning experience and an opportunity to be stronger as an individual. Rachel makes me stronger, however. While I have been in Italy I have realized that I have lost that spunk that makes me who I am. I will always be quirky in my own way…. But because I do not have a reason to really socialize like I would in the states…. My personality has become dull and muted, in my opinion. Seeing Rachel, I came back to life…. It only took a few hours, but I was back. I had forgotten what my personality was like. Rachel makes me shine and I could only hope that I make her shine brighter.
We went all over Madrid! Saw many important things and a few not so important except to us. For example, we strolled around Sol. The center of Madrid with beautiful plazas with amazing statues of important figures on horses. Then we searched for a unique museum for the blind. An off the beaten path place in a not so noticeable building, where visitors could touch the art inside its walls. And we touched everything, from paintings created by blind artist, to miniature replicas of famous buildings from around the world. I really enjoyed the idea of this place. I wish we would have blind folded ourselves and felt our way around. Because we are not blind we are visual stimulated and visually this place was rather dull, cute, but nothing special. But I believe that we would have had an amazing experience if we took away our sight…. Next time I come across a similar museum, I will take away the gift of site and explore the world.
For Rachel’s birthday dinner, we ( including a few of Rachel’s friends in Spain) went and had Tapas (I could feel our star power coming back). Then to Gula Gula, a dinner show of sorts, with the best show on earth in our opinion, DRAG QUEENS! I will always be rather bias when it comes to this genera of performance due to my years and fondness of Savannah and its gay community, but this was fun and I enjoyed the hard bodies of the naked men running around dancing to ABBA. I got it on video, believe it or not. After a rather invigorating show and much needed gawking at naked bodies, we went to a club and danced the night and morning away.
I am proud to say that this was the only night we went drinking, times have changed and for this I am thankful. I use to be an absolute drunk. However, I am still aggressive towards rudeness when I drink, which is a quality I enjoy about my self and my drinking habits…. Being rude in a scene where everyone is trying to have fun and enjoy the company of others is unacceptable in my mind. And I will start a fight to have peace…. Or at least use a few choice words…. Which gives me a thrill… one day I will start a fight and Rachel has said she will jump in and join… I hope when ever this night comes some one will take pictures ( and there be an ambulance near the scene, of course) We are spit fires…
Rachel and I covered a lot of ground, literally and figuratively. Many things were put into perspective on my visit…. And I have decided that I will join Rachel in Spain for a few months when I am done here. What an adventure to live with my best friend in another country. We also decided to back pack through India. We are so serious about this that we bought matching bracelets from an Indian merchant in a global market as a reminder of our friendship (they were out of gold heart necklaces with the broken words “best friend”) and to make a pack or sorts to travel to India and explore its wonders…. I can not wait to be there…. I have always dreamed of India….I feel that I am meant to travel there ( I am positive I will have a separate blog on this subject).
In conclusion, my world is a better place because of Rachel.
This past weekend I ventured to Madrid, Spain to spend a few wonderful days with my best friend, Rachel. She came to Milan for my birthday this past September and we decided to promise to always spend each others birthdays together from here on out. Which I think is a great idea. I think that people need annual plans like these, it keeps life interesting and I will always have travels and adventures to look forward to with one of my favorite people, my wetback. I recently had a very crazy experience with kidney stones of all things…. “Mia prima volta” with this kind of constant pain that shot up my spine and felt like some invisible source was squeezing all the organs on the right side of my body. Moreover, I had to go to the hospital and deal with a huge amount of pain that I could not wish on any one, not even those who I truly dislike. The doctor told me I was not to fly for a few weeks in fear that the stones might pass while I am on the plane…. And the rest is self-explanatory….
Anyhow, this prompted me to tell Rachel that I would be unable to come to Madrid for her 22nd…. When in actuality I had been emailing all of her friends over there to help me plan a surprise visit…. Everyone responded and the plane ticket was bought 2 weeks in advance…. This was going to be the most perfect surprise…. But when it got closer to time ( a day before I was scheduled to fly out) I had a feeling that I should tell Rachel, in fear I would get lost in the city or something odd would happen…. I sent her an email explaining my plans and received a phone call within 2 hours!
In the end, I was more than glad I ruined the surprise….. Rachel had been quite lonely for the past few weeks and not really enjoying her time in Spain…. She was so happy to learn that I would be coming for her birthday, she cried. She cried. When I heard her, I knew that it was time for my best friend skills to kick in… she needed me, and I in return needed her.
In my mind, I could not get out of Italy soon enough. On the plane, I had a warm fuzzy feeling that made a smile magically appear on my face. Not only was I taking my first vacation away from the family I work for after 7 months, but I was going to explore Rachel’s Madrid, with Rachel.
It was an amazing weekend. Even with my insecurities and her drama carried over from the states, these minor glitches could never ruin what makes me and rae, me and rae. What I love about our friendship is that we do not judge each other, we of course recognize each others flaws but know that they don’t makes us who we are. We accept and move on. We don’t try to fix each other because we realize (because we are both strong individuals) that the fixin’ process will happen in its own time, no need to force a learning experience and an opportunity to be stronger as an individual. Rachel makes me stronger, however. While I have been in Italy I have realized that I have lost that spunk that makes me who I am. I will always be quirky in my own way…. But because I do not have a reason to really socialize like I would in the states…. My personality has become dull and muted, in my opinion. Seeing Rachel, I came back to life…. It only took a few hours, but I was back. I had forgotten what my personality was like. Rachel makes me shine and I could only hope that I make her shine brighter.
We went all over Madrid! Saw many important things and a few not so important except to us. For example, we strolled around Sol. The center of Madrid with beautiful plazas with amazing statues of important figures on horses. Then we searched for a unique museum for the blind. An off the beaten path place in a not so noticeable building, where visitors could touch the art inside its walls. And we touched everything, from paintings created by blind artist, to miniature replicas of famous buildings from around the world. I really enjoyed the idea of this place. I wish we would have blind folded ourselves and felt our way around. Because we are not blind we are visual stimulated and visually this place was rather dull, cute, but nothing special. But I believe that we would have had an amazing experience if we took away our sight…. Next time I come across a similar museum, I will take away the gift of site and explore the world.
For Rachel’s birthday dinner, we ( including a few of Rachel’s friends in Spain) went and had Tapas (I could feel our star power coming back). Then to Gula Gula, a dinner show of sorts, with the best show on earth in our opinion, DRAG QUEENS! I will always be rather bias when it comes to this genera of performance due to my years and fondness of Savannah and its gay community, but this was fun and I enjoyed the hard bodies of the naked men running around dancing to ABBA. I got it on video, believe it or not. After a rather invigorating show and much needed gawking at naked bodies, we went to a club and danced the night and morning away.
I am proud to say that this was the only night we went drinking, times have changed and for this I am thankful. I use to be an absolute drunk. However, I am still aggressive towards rudeness when I drink, which is a quality I enjoy about my self and my drinking habits…. Being rude in a scene where everyone is trying to have fun and enjoy the company of others is unacceptable in my mind. And I will start a fight to have peace…. Or at least use a few choice words…. Which gives me a thrill… one day I will start a fight and Rachel has said she will jump in and join… I hope when ever this night comes some one will take pictures ( and there be an ambulance near the scene, of course) We are spit fires…
Rachel and I covered a lot of ground, literally and figuratively. Many things were put into perspective on my visit…. And I have decided that I will join Rachel in Spain for a few months when I am done here. What an adventure to live with my best friend in another country. We also decided to back pack through India. We are so serious about this that we bought matching bracelets from an Indian merchant in a global market as a reminder of our friendship (they were out of gold heart necklaces with the broken words “best friend”) and to make a pack or sorts to travel to India and explore its wonders…. I can not wait to be there…. I have always dreamed of India….I feel that I am meant to travel there ( I am positive I will have a separate blog on this subject).
In conclusion, my world is a better place because of Rachel.
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