Las Pequeñas Cosas

I have this weird dynamic where I either tend to completely over-think things, or avoid them all together. I suppose it's taken many years to perfect this exasperating trait, as it will undoubtedly take me a few more years to find a happy medium (or median, if you want to be statistical about it.) However, at this particular moment, I am making progress ...  I will not think about how I should be writing something much wittier, nor will I avoid posting some of my favorite pictures.

On a side note, I only used one set of completely unnecessary ellipses in this paragraph. So proud of myself. (It's the small things.)

These are just a few of my favorite shots from Europe.

Plaza Jaume. Jaume is Catalan. Took me almost 4 months to pronounce this name right. I kept trying to say it in Spanish. I actually knew a guy named Jaume (ye-ow-may), and I mumbled his name for the longest time. Anyhow, this was one of my favorite plazas. I felt very triumphant when I was able to shoot the shadow of the statue perfectly on the building.  Triumphant! Describes both my sentiments and the statue, right? See, I am witty. 

Calzots. This was without a doubt one of the best culinary experiences I had while in Barcelona. My intercambio (se llama Alberto) took me to an authentic Catalan restaurant. I first learned about Calzots from the show No Reservations. I know, I know .. Anthony Bourdain. I don't know what it is about that man, but he makes me wanna eat some dang calzots. We made it literally the last Sunday that most restaurants would be serving them. And they were -- amazing, of course.

Barrio Raval. Oh, this neighborhood. I filmed a soccer game, enjoyed a Middle Eastern market on a beautiful spring day, watched skateboarders in front of the Modern Art Museum, walked through the dimly lit streets at night (somewhat quickly, yes.) It is beautiful, artistic, multi-cultural, a bit run down, and one of my favorite areas of Barcelona.  

My absolute favorite sculpture in Barcelona, right off Barceloneta beach. By Rebecca Horn, a German installation artist. Always interesting people hanging out around it.

Tibidabo, highest point in Barcelona. We shot this after a fun day at the amusement park.

Small cafe in the process of being set up for dinner service. Sevilla, España.

In Maria Luisa's Park, Sevilla. They had the oldest, most beautiful trees in this park, roots exposed and branches of beautiful green waxy leaves. 

Experienced my first public Arabic bath in Sevilla. Relaxed with some mint tea afterwards. It was interesting, really rather lovely. Nice massage, steamy aromatic water, dimmed lights in several different beautifully designed baths. Perfect start to my upcoming Moroccan adventure, where I stayed in the middle of the Sahara Desert in a tent. I miss it. 

Our first crisp and cold day in Ireland, in the country right outside of Dublin.

The cemetery was beautiful. Green everywhere, of course.

Tombstones of the forgotten.

Gaudi's Casa Batllo in Passeig de Gracia.

Incredible celebration of Barcelona's La Liga win on Las Ramblas. Luckily I was out of there before the rubber bullets started flying. Yikes.

Looking up into one of the immense chandeliers hanging in La Catedral de Santa Cruz y Santa Eulalia.

Graffiti is everywhere in Barcelona. Not all of them are as great as this one of Mr. Dalí however.

Ways to kill .. 

Protest by young graduates regarding the job situation, in Plaza Catalunya.

One of my favorite pictures. This was my second day in Spain. We were taking a tour around the city of Madrid. This was a small bakery owned by nuns. I wish I would have went in! I was already way behind the group half the time though, too busy trying to capture anything and everything.

This view makes me a bit nostalgic. This is the rooftop balcony from the apartment where I lived with Maribel, my Spanish madre.

Boats in the Port.

Beautiful dragonfruit displayed at the Boqueria.




I've learned to not let myself get too nostalgic about my travels. It makes me worry about what I may have missed out on, and what I'm currently missing out on. I try to direct that wistful energy into something more positive. There's so much more for me to explore. I focus on that and on my future adventures around the world. 

Empty Shell of Me

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."

Lao Tzu

Seems I have had some trouble lately letting go of what I am. I do believe this person no longer fits me. Earlier this evening, I was thinking of when I was younger, when my family would spend weekends at my grandparent's house. We would travel down the dirt road to reach the white house tucked into the foothills of the Oklahoma Ozarks, off the muddy shores of Lake Tenkiller. Some of my favorite childhood memories are set amongst the few wooded acres that surrounded the house my father spent his early teenage years in. Hours and hours were spent outside with my cousins and sister; walking through the woods, riding tiny 4-wheelers, making ridiculous (now utterly embarrassing) home videos, mixing strange concoctions out of things found in the pantry, forming mud pies using stolen utensils from my grandmother's kitchen, eating turnips and wild onions from my papaw's garden... 

On certain occasions, when the summer sun was just beginning to warm the waters and the wind, I would collect the empty shells of cicadas that I would find gingerly hooked onto the bark of the tall oaks scattered throughout the property. They were slightly grotesque, but delicate, split perfectly down the middle and light as a feather. 

I should only hope that I can sometime soon leave behind such a clean, perfect shell of my former self, emerging a bit softer, a bit greener, more complete ... a creature that sings until death and that no longer needs a chitinous coating to protect me from the elements.

In Japan, the cicada carries philosophical connotations of re-birth. I can't help but think of a scene in one of my favorite movies, Lost in Translation. If I was alone in Kyoto, surely they wouldn't mind if I left my tiny little shell behind? I'm intrigued by how the original city was arranged in accordance with traditional Chinese feng-shui. I do suppose that some auspicious day I will walk through the streets, absorbing all the positive qi, enjoying what I might be.

(It won't let me embed the video, but it's a lovely scene if you have two minutes to watch. And it's an amazing movie if you've never seen it, en mi opinión.)

Oh, Kyoto.

      photo cred: here, here, here and here

So long summer.

The wind is starting to pick up outside my window .. I think we might be in for a cold front. Perhaps it might actually decide to be fall here in Texas. (Mid-October, seems about right.) I was looking through some photos earlier and thought I would highlight some happy summer moments as a proper farewell to our longest season. I love the summer, and fall wouldn't seem as wonderful without it.

(Absolutely must play music while looking at pictures!!)

The Summer - Yo La Tengo

Rooftop view of Barrio Gótico in Barcelona.  

I was obsessed with these bottles displayed at a little fancy coffee shop I never actually had coffee at. Luckily, you don't need a fancy coffee shop in Barcelona to have amazing café con leche.

Welcome to Amsterdam. Where it really wasn't very summery at all.

The park was nice, I caught a little bit of the sunshine.

Little afternoon duck-nap.

Beautiful vintage-y boats lined the canals.

In front of Calatrava's Oriente Station in Lisbon. Definitely summery here, had to shed my Amsterdam layers the second we got off the plane and started our walk to the train station. Never thought that peeling off black tights could feel so amazing.

Welcome to Lagos.

Met some Portuguese friends while in Italy. I had them teach me some phrases. The only one I really remembered was "Super Bock." Very useful phrase.

I heart seashells.

Treasure!! On my one my favorite things I picked up on my travels. My stinky beach blanket (smells like a tannery) that I bought in Ibiza.  

Don't be shellous. (I know, I know.)

Finally made it after a very rocky trip. (Well, only rocky when we took a wrong turn.) A little tip: Don't put bottles of beer in the helmet storage thing.

What a tough life.

Back in Barca. Bubbles!

Nice little picnic lunch from the Boqueria.

Summer night in Barrio Gótico.

Little late night climbing on the Arc de Triomf.

One of my first nights back in Austin! Aj took me to the trailer park, he's so sweet.

I really didn't cook at all the whole time I was in Barca. Luckily, I had an amazing house mom who was a wonderful cook. I was overjoyed when my friend Eddy let me crash at his place right when I got back. He had a garden full of goodies and a cast iron skillet with my name on it.

So fresh and so clean, clean.

I definitely felt the need to document this. Pretty sure I didn't eat a single beet for almost 5months.

Chard!

Heaven.

Basil lemon-limeade.

Aj got this bike tuned up so I could ride to the springs with him. Unfortunately this pretty lil thing isn't mine, hopefully I can talk my friend Eddy out of it one day.

Roscoe loves this, can't you tell?

Ok, so this part isn't so bad.

Freedom!

So many more summer memories to share ..

Just wanted to put a few out there for all to enjoy. 

Farewell summer! I will not miss sweating. 

♥

photo cred: all pictures by me.