Social Centers

If I had the motivation to start a blog sooner, this would have been one of my first entries.  I got word of these types of places on my first Sunday in Madrid.  I met with a group to help a park to take photos.  We went out for bocadillas (little sandwiches) and cañas (draft beer) afterwards at a place where when you order these things together you pay 1euro for each... and there are literally 100 bocadillas to chose from.  Anyways one of the guys had lived here for 3 years or so and was serving as our ambassador for the day.  He is really involved with one Social Center, Casablanca and invited us to a concert there the following Saturday.  

    I told my friend Anna about it and we decided to go.  This was also the day someone had posted about meeting at  Templo Debod (the park with an imported ancient Egyptian temple) to practice aerial acrobatics.  After all of the upside down fun we headed to Casa Blanca.  The first thing I thought was wow, this is what the Werehouse (Winston Salem) was going for all of this time.  This building is an occupied space that a group of people run together.  Some people just participate in community events and some actually live there.  It's all very open, with corridors courtyards and endless amounts of cool rooms.  There was a bar with cheap beers, a stage, and artwork everywhere.  Upstairs there was a free store and a photo lab.  It was so rad to see this kind of stuff happening in Madrid.  

The other social center I've frequented is called the Tabacalera.  This site is actually run a little differently.  Set in an abandoned tobacco factory ( winston-salem? ), the large building also contains an endless amount of rooms starting with a lobby with a bulletin board full of class schedules and activities planned.  All the work shops are free and include activities such as African drumming, salsa/swing dancing, figure drawing, and my favorite, circus art.  There is also a bar in the courtyard, a garden space, regularly held concerts and various food nights.  This space (I think) is actually considered a public space because the organizers have asked permission from the city.  During one of my visits here, there were police officers, only they were the guard type and apparently they were there in case fights broke out.  I was confused because they didn't seem to mind the smell of marijuana that was floating around and they weren't looking to arrest anyone.  Then I remembered that I wasn't in the United States... so maybe things are different. ouch

So basically, these places are amazing.  They provide an endless amount of cultural activities, 1 euro beers and all around good fun.  If I didn't work evenings, I'd probably be there almost everyday.  

Toledo

     Yesterday I made a spontaneous visit to Toledo.  Toledo has been on this list since my arrival, but it has been easy to postpone given it's close proximity to Madrid.  The idea to visit was sparked when having drinks on Saturday night with a friend in town from Valencia.  This friend, Julio was an attendee of the Calpe/Oktoberfest adventure and we have since kept in touch.  Despite the fact that he is significantly older, we get along fantastically and laugh with each other non-stop.  In addition to always buying my drinks he also took me out for a  Peruvian lunch last Monday... but back to Toledo.
     Julio offered to drive which is 100 X better than taking a bus ( because to catch a bus I would walk 20 min to the metro, ride 30-40 min to the bus station and pay 15 euro for a roundtrip ride).  We departed from my house at 9am and made it to Toledo by 10:30.
     The first glimpse of Toledo is incredible.  Spain is all about some "doors" or "puertos" and have usually been constructed at various entrances of towns or important spots in larger cities.   The little fiat chucked itself up the steep hillsides and we parked somewhere near the top of the city.   Toledo is like the Rome of Spain, only you can walk through the entire town, traversing the cobble stone streets.  The city is packed with cathedrals, Synagogues and Mosques demonstrating an interesting historical diversity of Christians, Jews, and Muslims.  It is also a walled city, like Segovia that sits high above a beautiful river ( rio Tájo) providing beautiful sites inside and outside of the city border.

   When I spoke with my aunt Bonnie about Spain, she told me that Toledo was her absolute favorite place in Spain.  She then proceeded to show me her earrings from Toledo that she managed to hold on to for over 30 years now.  The jewelry that is unique to Toledo is made with a technique that involves plating detailed gold or silver string to form pictures on a black background (that I think is iron, but I really have no clue).  I had forgotten about this encounter until we passed by a little shop where an old man was making this type of jewelry.  I saw a beautiful necklace with a beautiful bird and flower design and thought it would be nice match jewelry with my aunt : ).    While purchasing the necklace, Julio and I are having a lovely conversation with this man about how he makes the jewelry and he asks where we're from.  Usually I just say the United States, but this time I mentioned North Carolina.  He then pointed to his postcard collection and told me he had a postcard from N.C.  Of course I had to have a look to see where exactly that postcard came from, ignoring the fact that the postcard stack was compiled of at least 200 postcards.  I finally found it and asked if I could take a picture.  My shennanigans tickled this little old man to death and he gave me some postcards from Toledo so that someday I could have 200 postcards.

After wondering around the city for awhile longer we finally started thinking about lunch.  It's still a problem for me that lunch happens around 2:30.  I had enough problems back home when I actually ate a decent breakfast (and not these cookie things they have here) and had to wait until 12:30.  Now I'm waiting six hours on a belly running off the fumes of either cookies, churros or some toast.  We found a nice looking restaurant with a decently price menu al día.  As usual, this means a first plate, second plate, bread, drink and coffee or a pastry.  Since we both asked for wine, the waiter brought us the whole bottle (this is the second time I have had this privilege).  My Castillian soup with chorizo, beans and a poached egg came first and the plate of veal followed shortly after.   They had arroz con leche (which is just the best)  as a pastry option so I ordered that.  The portion was huge and I was already full AND we didn't finish the bottle of wine,  which seemed like such a waste to me.  But I didn't want to be super buzzed and have to help the boys with homework later, and the full stomach was enough to deal with.  

From lunch it was time to get in the car and head home.  On the way to the car we noticed a YMCA.  That was the first international YMCA that I have seen and it made me think of all my wonderful Americorps friends and all of the good times spent at the Y (although in reality I judge this organization harshly... and that's another blog).  Upon our exit we had just enough time to pull over and take a few pictures from the bottom of the town.  After a siesta like ride back to Madrid, I arrived home with plenty of time to have snack ready for the children and continue on with my "work day".  

It was a tough Monday, really.  All the excitement from the weekend and the adventure had me too exhausted to go to Spanish class today.  I have to rest up and pack for Morocco on Thursday!  

Cheers to adventures

    

late nights

 My social life is starting to expand.  Getting started was the tricky part.  Living outside of the city center, living with a family, and not having co-workers posed some challenges but thanks to the social networking skills of couchsurfers, I’ve met cool people, gone on legendary trips, and discovered interesting events in town.   Of course for me, this method of making friends can feel a bit forced at times, but I’m acknowledging that is only a different approach and not necessarily surface level.  I shouldn’t expect to automatically acquire friendships of the same caliber that I have at home. That would simply be impossible. 

I have been going out on the weekends, but typically have maintained early returns to my home.  There have been a few exceptions.  The first night I went out, my new friend Anna helped me figure out which night bus to take as we circled Plaza Ciebeles.  This plaza is basically a bus corral after midnight.  The night bus is a fun option with departures every 20 minutes until 6 am, when the metro opens once again.  We did spend a lot of night getting lost in the city, and it’s a miracle that we found the night bus departure area in the first place.  After asking a million questions I learned that L4 is my special nightbus.

Sometimes the night bus is not an option.  For instance, you go to a new friend’s house party and they live near Plaza de Torros, and you’re not really sure how far that is from plaza Ciebeles, but it’s probably about 45 minutes and you’d be walking alone.   There are two options.. stay up until 6 and catch the metro (the common thing to do).. or stay up until 5, and then decide to sleep on the cold floor of your friend’s room while the party continues.  I ended up choosing the latter most likely because I went salsa dancing the night before and had to wake up early, therefore sleeping 4 hours.  The next day was when I experienced my first hangover in Europe (I should mention that the family was kind enough to have an outing for cheeseburgers the next day, and by God that helped a lot)

Was it worth it?  Well, it was cool to go to a party full of Spaniards.  There of course were a few smart ass, pompous boys that got a kick out of the fact that I couldn’t understand a word they said when they spoke quickly (and added more lisp for emphasis).  It’s really entertaining for the tool bag type of guys to mess with the American girls.   They also thought I was strange for drinking wine by itself. “Do you at least want some ice”? What? No… and I certainly don’t want to put coke, lemonade or anything else in it either, which makes me the weird one.  But of course there were lots of nice people too… I must say though, that the majority of these nice people were Central and South Americans. 

Another time I skipped the night bus option was actually when I was rather close to the  bus corral.  There was a club that played dance music, only it was Balkan, Ska and swing, which apparently are all somewhat popular in Madrid.  The group organizers (from couchsurfing, yes)  declared the meeting time to be 12 (00:00) .  I met with a visiting Italian friend first because jeez, I needed something to do before that hour in the night.  When we met at the plaza near the metro, there were about 20-30 of us.  Thank goodness for the folks selling cans of beer on the street, because we stood around that plaza drinking and talking for almost an hour before we decided we should get to this club. 

 

The club part happens around 1 or so.  I decide to order a gin and tonic, and the bartender tells me that is a speicial offer tonight and to go see the people at the little gin and tonic stand.  These people are making ridiculously and unnecessarily fancy gin and tonics… I decide I don’t mind because it’s all the same price and the glasses are large.  After receiving my drink I am told that I get a special gift too.  I went to the lobby and “spun” an electronic wheel… I won a drawstring backpack made out of some awful synthetic material.  I shoved it somewhere and “forgot” to claim a prize on my second drink.

Anyways the music progresses into a more and more raucous and rowdy tone which is great, because the place is filling up with more punk-y kids and the bathrooms are only getting muddier.  I am sincerely enjoying bumping around into people and even lost my shoe at one point!  The whole thing reminded me of  going to Gogol Bordello back in April with Emma and Lillie and everyone else.   I took a cigarette break with a friend who I bonded with over good indie music ( I have smoked less than 10 since I’ve been here).  He is from Mexico and finishing medical school and practicing in a hospital until December I told him about wanting to go to the Rastro market and he said he’d tag along if I’d like.  Then I start to describe my hour journey home and the need to repeat that journey once again in the am.  Having been 3 am at the time, I asked if he had a couch I could sleep on.  He graciously offered a sleeping spot and I instantly had an excuse to stay out all night. 

Somewhere nearing 6 am we decided we should probably head home.  This is when I’m informed of a 40 min. walk to his apartment.  Thank god I love walking, especially at night, and especially after a few hearty gin and tonics.  The best part was that the coat check guy was giving out some sort of promotional rock candy.  I have no idea what it was advertising, and I had no idea what the heck was in that little black packet until the coat check guy ripped one open and dumped the whole thing into his mouth.  He proceeded to leave his mouth open so that we could hear the satisfying crackling sound of the “rocks” popping with the mixture of saliva.  RRRAAAAADDD.  I think that Tom Halliford of Parks and Recreation would want to steal the pop rocks idea if entertainment 720 had stayed afloat. 

Somehow, we make it back to Luis’ apartment and I’m thinking “I hope this guy isn’t a serial murderer” and “I really don’t know exactly where I am.”  The best part is he’s not a serial murderer, nor a creepy dude that tries to take advantage of girls.   What a relief!    I do however note that he has more shoes than I do, over 3 times as many ( ok, in all fairness I only brought 3 pairs of shoes).  One pair of shoes has giant wings attached to it… also there was a poster of a drawing of two men in police uniforms making out.   All the signs point to gay, but I still don’t know, nor does it matter.  We walked to the Sunday market.  The sun made its first appearance in 36 hours and it sat comfortably for awhile.  We met up with my French friend too and later dined on tapas. 

We all went our separate ways…. For me that meant a walk to Retiro Park, up Gran Via and then down to plaza del sol.  I had time to kill before the weekly Spanish- English language exchange and happened upon a beautiful market in Plaza Mayor with food from all over South America, there was even a market type bar with a dance floor (I got suckered into a conga line but it was worth the Mojito sample).

Finally it was time for the language exchange.  The location changes every week as a new host picks a spot and makes a post.  This Sunday’s exchange took place at the famous Chocolatería (it will come in handy to know that it is still open at 6am).  We all chowed down on Churros (Donut like pastry in a stick shape, crispier, warmer and greasier than any donut you could imagine) dipped in our cups of hot chocolate so thick you need a spoon.   It was like they melted Hershey kisses on the stove.   After walking around all day and having 5 hours of sleep, I wasn’t able to survive long after the Churro coma set in. 

Upon my return home, the mother of the family I work with said “Que tal tú… no sé como se dice… noche? Día?  But they didn’t seem to mind at all that I dipped out for 24 hours.  They do request though that if I decide I’m not coming home that night, to send them a text (which I did).  I think that’s really sweet.  I also think, “wow am I a teenage daughter once again?” And that’s ok too : )

I promise to create shorter blogs in the future, ok.  Future topics: Metro life, "boys in Europe", forward thinking social centers and more