Barrio Girl Goes To Spain

………….From the travelogue “Barrio Girl goes to Europe” written by Sonya Fe… a famous American artist, living in California,USA.

(Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood. The word has come into use in English mostly through the large Hispanic populations on both coasts of the United States )

Tuesday, July 5, Madrid, Españia

We finally arrived in Madrid! As soon as we checked into our hotel we suggested at the same time, “How about a nap?” and we went to right to sleep. Here the customary siesta is from 2-5 pm. The French siesta is from 2-7pm. I like Spain’s better. So far it is about five-ish and we are still both in bed.

Matli went out to exchange our money to Euros. The lady at the Banco denied the exchange of cash in $100 bills for Euros. She was just being a bitch. Can’t escape bitches. They are everywhere. So Matli came back to the room and we finished a bottle of wine and passed out.

So today, we were mainly sleeping. I am exhausted from our fast pace. Today, we will rest. We got up at 10pm and walked some more, it was still light outside at 10 pm. While walking on a bridge, we approached two men and passed them, as they both turned their heads and looked at me simultaneously. We saw this without turning our heads. We saw their shadows’ heads turn and look my way. It was a funny sight to see, Matli’s baby turning the heads of shadows!

That evening from the balcony where we ate Tapas, we saw a student dance below. Tapas got its name when men ordered a drink at the bar; the bartender would place a tiny plate on the cups to keep the flies out. Later, small snacks were placed on tiny plates; hence the word Tapa was born. We came back to the room around 12AM and now we will go to sleep again.

Wednesday, July 6

We took a train near Hotel Ibis into Madrid, a 12-mile ride to the museums. We went to the Museo Nacional Centro De Arte de Reina Sofia (Whew!) and the Museo De America. Tomorrow we will tackle Museo del Prado. I like Spain. I like our Hotel room too; it is very cozy and clean. We actually have a real bed. The price is cheaper than England and France and the rooms are much bigger (not really that much bigger) and better! Now, I feel like I am on vacation. At the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, I saw the works of many artists, including Juan Gris, and Picasso. I’m glad I saw these paintings.

With this much input, I now feel I am allowed to play. Artists sometimes forget how to play or allow themselves to play when they paint, because they get caught up in the technique or in making a statement. When you see another artist’s work and realize that you can use that shape, color or design and that it all doesn’t have to be perfect or make sense, when you paint it. This awareness gives an artist a sense of freedom to create or play.

Many of the works of art that I saw weren’t technically slick, but their philosophies and compositions were very sophisticated. These paintings were truly done with heart. Most paintings today are very slick, and pretty. Most artists today, are interested in technique rather than content. Now, I really know what my art teacher, Mr. Lorser Fietelson at Art center college of Design meant by saying, “artists today are too concerned with technique and not content.”

Thursday, July 7

We relocated from the outskirts of Madrid into the city itself. We found a beautiful Ibis Accor Hotel in Madrid for only 60 Euros. As we checked into the hotel, the clerk informed us that London had experienced seven bombings: two at train stations and the others at bus stations. One of the areas was Russell Square near where we had stayed at the Gresham Hotel! Many people were killed. This is very scary too me. I tried to push these terrorist acts to the back of my mind so that I may enjoy Spain.

We are now in Madrid’s Centro Plaza, in town close to everything. I love Spain. People are friendly and besides, I feel like I am in Mexico City. Today Matli and I went to the Museo Del Prado and the Museo Thyssen-Boremisza. Both Museums are big, big, big. We went to the Thyssen museum first and by the time we finish walking around, I was hungry. I became an insane beast. I transformed from a sweet Shirley Temple to an outraged Godzilla. I had to be fed and watered to continue on with my tour of Del Prado. We found a cafeteria in the basement of the museum where I had the best pork chop I have ever eaten.

Now, I am civil again and can continue my visit of the Prado. At the Prado we saw some Goyas! I enjoyed his works most of all. I was so excited to be seeing these great painting that I was no longer tired, especially after seeing Goya’s “black paintings”.

We bought some clothes this morning. The people are so tiny here. Their large sizes are like our medium sizes. So, if you need a larger size, you won’t find it! It is very warm today. Tonight, I am exhausted from all the walking we did in the museums. Malti is getting thinner and I am getting bigger, but he says he loves me anyway. After a late supper we went to a park plaza at about midnight; people, children, performers were everywhere. It is quite nice seeing people playing in the courtyard. Reminds me of the summer nights in Dog town. Good Night.

Friday, July 8

Today, we will see Flamenco dancers. Oh yeah, last night Matli said : about a block away from our hotel was “Sodom and Gomorrah” …men holding hands with other men. Men putting their hands down other men’s pants, and women holding hands with other women with spiked hair. People were showing sexual affection in public. He said it freaked him out! Matli heard one man ask another man. “Are you seeing someone or are you married?” “ I am neither seeing someone nor am I married.,” replied the other, immediately they started kissing at the corner of the intersection. Too bad I missed out on all of this; I wouldn’t have been freaked out. I find this stuff amusing.

Today we went to the Museum Bella Arte. Saw some interesting works. I saw more Goyas! I just love his “Black Paintings”, best of all. I enjoyed them, better than Picasso’s work. Thinking about Goya’s art made my energy level soar high with excitement. I understood these black paintings. I knew what he was saying and why. I felt I was in good company.

We went into town and bought souvenirs. We had a great day. We didn’t see Flamenco dancing tonight instead we went to the biggest Tapa plaza and ate paella, a rice dish with shrimp, lobster and enjoyed the out door plaza’s ambience. The Flamenco performance would have started at 11pm and it would be too late for us. We needed to get up early tomorrow to depart for Barcelona, so we ate and drank wine instead and retired early to our room. Maybe we will see Flamenco dancing in Barcelona. I am enjoying Spain. The nights at the Plaza Mayor are something else. Full of life! Music, birds, performances; and eating, walking, talking; with everyone involved: young, and old, babies, teens on the courtyard and the balconies. All of this could be seen and heard while we sat in an open-air café on a grand cobble stone square.

Matli was so happy. He was really happy. He ate and drank as he watched the grand plaza entertained him. I am so happy for him. It warms my heart to see him this happy. Happiness he well deserved. I asked him what would he rather do, go see flamenco dancers tonight and stay out late knowing we have to get up early… or after dinner return to our room with a bottle of wine and have some fun and still get plenty of rest? Well, we stayed in the hotel room. Oooh la-la!

Saturday, July 9

I am writing at the train station. We are on our way to Barcelona. The countryside, the “La Mancha” province looks like the Barstow desert in California. Oh by the way, when Matli and I were at the Thyssen or Prado Museum in Madrid, I was so exhausted when I asked Matli, “let me ask you a hysterical question rather than a rhetorical one? That made him laugh.

We have arrived in Barcelona and man, oh man, is it ever so crowded! Once again, our hotel was miles from El Centro, downtown. When we came out of the metro onto Catalunya, there we came upon tarot card readers, street performers, artist selling and making crafts. There is lots of activity here that will last late into the night. Large billboards like they have in Time Square New York lined the streets. A huge water fountain spewed water into a beautiful geometric design. We bought a grasshopper made of blades of leafs from a Chinese man who learnt the art in China. Gypsies made crafts from soft drink cans. We bought a motorcycle made from a coke can. The streets were too crowded. We found a tapas restaurant and had dinner in Catalonia.

I am ready for a quiet vacation, away from the maddening crowd. My favorite cry of distress or comic relief which I say in a ghetto tone is ” All I gotta say is En que calle vive tu primo?” Now, Matli is saying it too! We say it whenever we get perplexed about our situation. Well good night.

Sunday, July 10

Watching the world news is making me sick. All that television is reporting is terrorists’ acts from around the world. I want to go home. Three weeks is enough when traveling, but if we had stayed in one place then it would have been different. Ok let’s see what today brings. After eighteen days of this fast pace it has finally happened. We had our first “tizz”. I wanted to spend Sunday at the pool relaxing and drinking wine, but my marathon man wanted to conquer the world. We did neither. We went into town by metro, as he wanted. The day was hot and the walk to metro was tiresome because it was so hot. We took the metro to the Picasso museum. Everybody in the world was standing in that line! The line was about two blocks. We stood in line only to find out that the museum closes at 3PM and it was 1:45 already. I felt we didn’t get up early enough for Matli’s mountain trip. It was Sunday and I wanted to rest. Like God I usually rest on Sundays.

We wasted the day in the hot sun walking and reading maps and getting lost, what I most wanted to avoid today. Now it is 4PM and we are both in our hotel room and Matli is drinking a bottle of wine and I don’t want to talk to him. To think we could have been relaxing by the pool today getting wasted. I want to go home! Eighteen more days ugh!!