Finally slept in my own bed. A very long haul from Madrid to Payson, Arizona in one day. Packed planes, airports, and trying hopelessly to sleep. Thought of the poor Jewish people packed onto railroad cars by Trump's brother Hitler. This morning Kadizzle figured what he longed for in the United States. Space, open space, wide open space. Europe was in the dryer too long and the cities are shrunk. Small cars, small streets, small shops, and the compression of everything.
The Europeans are far less wasteful than Americans. One brilliant idea is the hotel rooms. Your room key has to been inserted in a little slot turn on the lights. You cannot leave the room and leave the lights on. Another brilliant idea was wiring that shut off the air conditioner if the window was open.
The Spanish take art and design very seriously. Everything is designed with some artistic flair. The eyes do not get bored in a Spanish town. No homeless tents to be seen anywhere. Also no junked cars and American style slum warriors storing trash everywhere. Cleanliness seemed an obsession. The streets were swept, washed, and they seem to hire the bum walkers to pick up litter. Smoking must be taught in school, everyone smokes, but they do keep out of all buildings, and public places.
All the cities seemed so vibrant. People talked, moved about, and socialized. By comparison American cities seem more like outdoor funeral homes. Why can't we have high speed trains. Moving along at 200 mph hour enjoying a beer seems like something that could be accomplished. What about the fountains, and the parks? Why are outdoor spaces so gracious and nice in Madrid, Barcelona, and Andorra? Of course gun slingers are none existent in Spain. Never saw anyone carrying gun. Not a single Trump hat.
Conversations with the Spanish and people from all over Europe showed how much better educated, and informed they are. Europeans know far more about our political mess than American. Europeans laugh at the Trump cult and cannot believe the cave people with Trump hats.
On the high speed train from Barcelona to Madrid did not see any of the junky mess you would see on a train rid in the U.S. If you ever ride Amtrak it is like a junkyard tour.
The Europeans have kept the rich under control, they do not let them steal everything as we do in the states.
One thing terribly lacking were signs in English. Not sure how to take that. Seems to be saying something about Americans lack of language skills. Maybe the Europeans are saying grow up lean another language. To make the world work most Europeans speak some English. Kadizzle after two years of Spanish long ago knows bout ten words.
The people were all nice, but one. Somehow Kadizzle lost the ticket to get out of the free parking lot. The first hour was free. The owner would not just open the gate and let Kadizzle out, he wanted twenty dollars for what was supposed to be free. Infuriated Kadizzle got behind another car an buzzed out when the gate opened. That was the only nasty on the whole trip. Most people went out of their way to be helpful.
Last night on the plane Kadizzle had a conversation with the flight attendant. She grew up in Beulah, North Dakota, the town ten miles west of Hazen where we lived for forty years. There are only about 3,000 people in Beulah, so what is the chance of meeting one.
Now back among the Hoopleheads. There are no goofy pickup trucks in Spain with Trump flags and idiots driving. Motorbikes must outnumber cars two to one. Every sidewalk is lined with motorbikes. It is the only practical way to move about. Watching people trying to commit suicide on the roads with motorbikes is a simple amusement. The mix of cars, motorcycles, and people is stunning. Amazing the do not pick up truck loads of dead pedestrians every night.
Food is an entire different experience. The Spanish take eating very seriously. Kadizzle ordered a gin and tonic. The bar tender filled the elegant glass with ice and swirled it around to cool the glass, then emptied the ice and put fresh ice in to make the drink. When food is put out the display is always done with a flare of caring and art. Being a professional fat guy Kadizzle was amazed by the breakfast the hotels served. Somehow the eggs were so much better and they had five kinds of fresh bread. There was such a nice spread every morning at the hotels it made the American version look like a cheap meal at a hog farm.
If you played your cards right a nice hotel was cheap. The hotels adjusted their prices constantly according to demand. My favorite hotel in Madrid would go from 80 dollars a night to 150 instantly if demand was there.
Winky planed here hike much better than Kadizzle planned his urban ramble. A lot of stress came from trying to find accommodations on the fly. In Andorra where Kadizzle spent the most nights in a row, the cozy hotel quickly became a small family of people kibitzing on the porch of the Hotel.
If you want instant terror, high blood pressure and stress, rent a bug car and drive around Barcelona. Bumper cars is mild amassment in comparison. Now turn on google maps with the directions feature. Google maps will lead you in circles in every direction but where you want to go. Kadizzle plotted out his escape from Barcelona to Andora before he left. The map showed you could go down the street and make one left turn an essentially be on your way to Andora, but no google took Kadizzle through a maze.
Okay that is it for today. So nice to be home an moving at any pace that pleases. No more mystery about what people are saying. Getting the body back on schedule will be a task. Had enough traveling to last at least five years. Small towns are the only way to go. Visit a huge city, but never live there.
No comments:
Post a Comment