On the way to Spain

I'm writing this first post while sitting in Madrid's airport, waiting for my flight to Alicante. Sam should be getting here in time for that same flight. I'm watching Sideways, the movie about a couple of losers - one a depressed and failed author and the other a actor who feels a need to cheat on his fiancé - and their tour of Santa Barbara wine country. They're so lame you almost feel sorry for them, but it's got some funny parts.

I caught a cold only a few days before flying, and it's made the travelling a bit easier because I haven't been sure if I was suffering from the cold or from sleep deprivation. The flight over the Atlantic was practically empty, which was rad. I was stretched across seven seats of course! It's a bit nice just drifting from plane to checkpoint to plane along with the crowd; the congestion at one point made me "hear the ocean" in my left ear for a good thirty minute. But I still had plenty of clarity to hear the way the British talk while I was milling around Heathrow. They have no problem announcing over the loud speaker that you are indeed "delaying the flight" if you are late to the gate. No dressing it up. Great people watching while I could keep my eyes open. I kept quite a bit more quiet because I felt that anything I said would be met with a face of disapproval of my manners and my American upbringing. You find yourself rephrasing things with "may" and "would" and "pardon" and "rubbish." But I will try to refrain from changing the intonation of my questions.... (Jen Scales) Lots of shopping all around: Burberry, etc.

I finally plastered my face against the plexiglass window as we flew into Madrid, and I started to recognize that I was getting closer to my destination. Roundabouts and churches. I started hearing some Spanish around me and arriving I saw a few kisses on the cheek for greetings. I began seeing mullets. People dress nicer. And this airport is rad; it was definitely designed on the computer before construction (I can just imagine the design in some early ray-tracing software) and I think it's a bit influenced by Gaudi, if I were to guess.

I'm going to find my gate, but I've been eying those ham and cheese sandwiches, and I may grab one on the way. I was worried about becoming vegetarian this trip with Sam at the helm, but with all the ham and sausage around, I am now at ease.