Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Moments in Barcelona

Moment 1:

"Excuse me but I think there is some problem with the Air conditioning. It is functioning only from one side" She complained to the air hostess.
"Madam that is fine. It should be working like that." The French air hostess replied in  impeccable English.

She was not sure. But was somehow tried to assure her that everything is fine.

She turned to me and said." I am afraid of flying".

"Me too.", I lied. She was happy to get a company.

Moment 2:

Walking in the busy streets of La Rambla with hundreds of nationalities speaking in different languages and passing by, I wanted to enjoy without much commotion. I plugged in my head phones and suddenly the world around me came to a nonchalance harmony. I slowly drifted into beats and lyrics of the song. Suddenly La Rambla disappeared, instead stoned pavements of Vadakunathan Temple painted my eyes with shades of grey. I stopped my music. In one of the metal plates kept for sale, I saw
"The creation continues incessantly through the media of man" ~ Antoni Gaudi

The song that took me from greatest city of Europe to nadapatha of Vadakunathan was this one:

Moment 3:

"Ola" I said to greet the sales girl near the changing room.
She showed me the room to try out the jeans.

They were too long

"Gracias" I told her while going back to select another one. One nice habit I picked here in Europe being thankful for anything and everything.  "Gracias" she said with a smile.

She smile when I came back with another pair. Again she showed me a new trial room. But this time instead of Spanish, French came in my mouth. "Merci". I said hastily.  She was about to say Gracias when she heard Merci.

The new pair of pants were too short.

I came back again with a new pair. This time she was getting ready with her French when I started talking in English. It was fun. She understood I was just playing around. Like in Japanese custom, she bowed a bit and then showed me my new trial room. Then iI said "arigatou".

She didn't know what that mean't. I repeated "Thank you in Japanese".
She laughed. The jeans fitted perfectly.

Moments 4:

Lucas had made his local Sangria - red wine, gin, lemon, orange, apple, sugar and pepper. And it tasted well.  With a glass of Sangria, Alec, Amadeus, Igor and myself listened to him play Guitar. He was bit tipsy in his own drink.

"Don't you see the sad face,
the face of the man,
of a woman left so long ago".

"Look at the pretty face,
around the corner,
is that her who left you
is that her who is waiting for you." He sang on.

I smiled.


Moment 5: 

"Once you reach Av La Tibidabo, take a bus to Funicular." Patricia had told me.

However, once I reached the avenue, I chose not to take the bus and started walking.  And got lost.

I had purposely not enabled my phone on roaming. I cursed myself for doing. Without GPS I am like lame duck. After searching for half an hour I came in front of a park. For some reason i thought it would take me to top of the mountain. I started walking for the next 15 minutes. At the end of the trail, there was a small sign board saying "Way to Funicular"

Moment 6:

"Everything that government tries to hide finally reach here" Christy said. He was showing the gutter where it was full of cigarette buds. He was telling me about the alternative history of Barcelona. And in his cynicism I found what I found in every anarchist : A determination to overthrow the system.

"Everybody knows the problem, assuming that you get a chance to change it what is the alternative and how would you accomplish it." I questioned with a slight irritation in my tone.

"I write and let the word spread. Thats is what my mission is and that is what I am doing" He said with an egalitarian haughtiness.

"But that is just surviving not accomplishing something" I knew I was rude. But he did not care and we walked on.

Moment 7: 

"I think you should try it. It is fun" Katie was telling about the work she was doing at the vineyards. She is professional web designer who is on a 1 year vacation to Europe.

"Yes, I plan to do it." I said. I put the straps of my backpack and said bye to her and left.

On the door step, Vincent was waiting with advance amount I had paid while checking in.

"All the best man and travel, there is still a lot to see you know." He said in his husky voice.

"Thanks bro, I will" I quite liked this fellow.