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We looked inside some of the posts by randyswanderlust and here's what we found interesting.
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WASHINGTON, DC FAMILY TRIP
I’ve visited a number of foreign capitals multiple times, but this is only my third trip to the US capital. As always, I find myself quite moved by the monuments. Lincoln… Jefferson… It’s so inspiring and thought-provoking to read their words carved in stone. And all the museums! Of course the kids have limited attention spans, and it’s a fun challenge to try to distill information down to a few basic concepts that they can grasp.
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CORRECCIÓ O BARBÀRIE
“Correction or barbarity“ as it says on a local line of clothing promoting the language. I noticed corrections on a sign someone had posted in the elevator of my friend’s building. It turns out that she was the one who’d made the corrections. She’s one of my people!
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ANTI TOURIST GRAFITTO
Guiri is a pejorative slang word for a tourist, but it’s doubtful that any tourists know this word, so what’s the point of this spraypainted epithet? In fact, it’s really aimed at local governmental leaders who, it is presumed, could do something to staunch the tsunami of visitors.
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MENÚ DEL DIA
The “menu” (set lunch) is usually the best option and this lunch got off to a delicious start with a salad typically topped with tuna, a slice of hard boiled egg an olives, which was followed by a main dish of duck leg. The menu always includes a dessert and I chose fruit, which is often served as depicted– on a plate with a fork and knife. So traditional and yet so impractical. I remember watching the old folks pare their peaches with just a few quick motions, resulting in a perfect spiral of fuzzy skin.
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CAPTIVATING CATALAN
You gotta love a language that doubles the letter i and then puts a total of three dots over the pair! (Nothing similar happens with a double t however.) And where else would you find a town named Gurb?
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RAJOLES! (TILES)
My friends’ flat is in a building that was built in the early 1900s, and it has lots of modernist and even art nouveau elements. These tiles are in the entryway and always attract my attention.
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COMIAT (FAREWELL)
At our official “farewell session” we evaluated the activities of the previous week and made suggestions for future programs. We had spent so much time laughing together that I wanted to end in a similar vein, so I shared my list of the top 10 reasons we had all signed up for the program.
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LA FURGO (The Van)
Our last official activity was going to see the just-released Catalan “dramedy” starring a famous local comedian in the role of a guy who has lost everything except for his aging van and his relationship with his little daughter. The young actress was actually in the audience. Decent film, and mostly easy to follow, except when the dialogue got really slangy.
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SEEN UNDERFOOT
Another in my series of utility hole covers from around the world. The city shield in the center includes a castle that reminds me of the Shino Japanese character I use for the first syllable of my name: 嵐. On a serious note, right nearby was a small commemorative plaque, honoring the memory of a local citizen who was exiled to France and then murdered at Franco’s behest by Nazi agents.
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CASTELLERS: Close-ups
After a member of a local group explained the formation of towers to us, we got to see them in action. Of course “there’s an app for that,” and it helps leaders make sure that members of the team are properly distributed. The traditional costume plays an important role. Thick waist sashes give climbers a foothold on their way up and down the tower. Long sleeve shirts enable climbers to gently slide their way down when finished. Handkerchiefs can keep the sweat off someone’s brow or serve as wrist braces. It’s all an amazing example of planning and teamwork, and thrilling to watch when a local child climbs their way to the top and raises their hand in the air to “crown“ the tower.
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CASTELLERS
One of Catalunya’s most beloved and famous traditions is the formation of human towers. It takes dozens of people not only to form the tower, but to form the base that distributes all its weight among members of the group as they grasp each other’s arms or waistbands. Careful planning, experience and lots of practice make the formation of these towers a lot safer than it looks.
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THE HAND!
Gotta love The Hand. When you knock at some doors, you’re shaking hands with Thing from The Addams Family! (And note the ring on one finger.) Just for the record, there are other types of door knocker as well.
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VILANOVA I LA GELTRÚ:
Two Cities in One!
In fact, they really were two separate cities at one point, and have long since come together to form a single, charming, seaside municipality about 45 minutes down the coast from Barcelona. As would befit a coastal town, buildings are painted in colorful hues and there’s a laid-back vibe. Our group had a fun time wandering the streets before attending a local festival.
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