Via Valencia... again

I cooked my very first Tortilla the other day, with the help of my roommate Lucas. We were quite the sight, the two of us trying to flip this tortilla in our little kitchen, oil splattered everywhere. But it turned out very delicious. I’ll have to make you some one day!

My First Tortilla!

I firstly want to say how much I’m enjoying living in Barcelona. Whereas I was a little bored and lonely when I got here, now I don’t have time to even think about it! My Spanish lessons are more sporadic and so my days are less scheduled, but I’ve managed to fill my time with other things. Last night, for example, I finally got to my first yoga class. It was nice to hear the words in Spanish, and I must admit I moved a little behind the rest of the class.  I still go to the Metropolitan gym and love it – it’s like taking myself to the spa on a daily basis.  (I think I’m doing more lounging in the steam room than working out though, giggle). And the people in this country are so friendly! It’s not like when you walk into a yoga class or the gym in Vancouver, and no one speaks to one another until after they’ve seen you there 12 times!  Here everyone greets you warmly and without expectations. You are instantly their friend without ever having to prove yourself, and this is the basic mentality in this country.  In Vancouver, by comparison, a guy won’t even talk to you unless he’s “interested”.  Here that isn’t the case at all. They are a very warm and friendly people, the Spanish. Just like the weather I suppose.  They will talk to you without hesitation, even for just a few moments, and then wish you a wonderful day and be on their way!  Walking into my favourite little café in the mornings on the way to Spanish lessons (a rare non-smoking café at that!), I sit on a stool at one end of the bar and watch the Catalans come and go, I greet everyone as easily now as they greet me, and I smile as I watch them interact amongst one another, and crack jokes amongst themselves. I still can’t understand all of what they’re saying, but I get the good parts of it for sure. Some speak Catalan, some speak Spanish. Everyone knows both languages fluently and switch easily to accommodate their neighbour. Old and young come in for a few quick minutes of caffeine, everyone says “Buenos Dias” or “Bon Dia” as soon as they walk in the door, whether they know you or not. The two guys behind the bar greet the ladies by saying “Hola Guapa!” (Hello Beautiful!) no matter your age, shape, size. And they are genuine about it – it’s not just a pick up line. Again, this is just another example of the true warmth of the Spaniards.  I love it! I am now thoroughly hooked on the delicious café solos, café cortadas, or café con leches that I drink on a daily basis, and those chocolate croissants are just too darn hard to say no to!

Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona

The weather in November is really very nice, and I think this is a very energizing time of year for people who live here. I have been wearing a light leather jacket for the most part, but even if I start the day out by wearing a heavier jacket in the morning, by mid afternoon I have to take it off because it’s too dang warm! There is a breeze now. At night time it’s still pretty warm but the breeze picks up a bit and maybe you have to take a scarf with you. Or maybe not.  Here everyone wears scarves anyways. Once in a while we’ll get a particularly chilly night, as you would expect in the fall.  But normally it’s super sweet out. The only negative part is that my apartment building has no heating!  It’s colder inside than it is outside, and I’m not exaggerating! Brrr!  I can’t say I wasn’t warned about the buildings without central heating in this country. To bed I wear my turtle neck, leggings, and thick socks underneath my pajamas!  I had to buy another blanket for my bed.  And I turn on the electric heater for a blast of heat before I turn out the lights every evening.  In the morning, I imagine it must be like getting dressed in front of the fire back in the day, as I stand in front of the heater shivering… funny, huh?

I you can believe it, this is the 3rd time in two weeks that I’m going to Valencia.  You have to love the Euromed Train, which gets me there in only 3 hours direct.  It’s nothing.  And I get to travel right along the beautiful Mediterranean, which twinkles at me and reminds me to smile and appreciate all that I’ve been blessed with.  I say a soft “gracias” every time.  One of the great things about this country, and especially living in the metropolis, is the public transportation system and how well it is connected. From my apartment to Sants Station (one of the main train stations and also a metro stop) takes me exactly 15 minutes.  From there I take the escalator up a couple of flights and I’m in the train station.  If my train is due to leave at 2:30 like it was today, I only have to be there 15 minutes ahead.  This in theory really means that I could leave my place at 2:00 and be on the train en route to Valencia within a half an hour.  If I need to go to the airport it is very similar and super easy, cheap, and quick.  It so awesome!  You know I love a good system!  There’s nothing better than smooth efficiency.

Valencia!

The first time I went to Valencia it was just to explore the city and get away for a weekend. I know it was only a couple of weeks ago, and at that time I really didn’t know much about the city other than what was written in my Spain Lonely Planet guidebook.  As you know by my previous blog, I loved it!  So I went back on Monday just for the day to see about some accommodation there, because I was thinking that I might like to live there for a bit.  It’s not as expensive as Barcelona and still very well connected within the continent of Europe.  A big beautiful city and the people seem just a little warmer (if you can believe it) than people in Barcelona. There’s an openness about the place… I can’t explain it.  It's an energy thing, ya know?  Anyways, I went to see two apartments, both shared accommodation. The first place I looked at was awesome. The second place not so awesome. But it was at the second place where it happened. That spark.  That connection.  That fluttering heartbeat.  So here I am on the Euromed train bound for Valencia again.  Yes, I’m going to see about a man.

I don’t want to say too much because the truth is I just met him two days ago.  What I do know is there is a spiritual connection between us, and he is a healer even if he doesn’t know he is.  He has already helped me to heal, even if he doesn’t know he has.  He felt something too, ‘cause when I was finished looking at his accommodation, he offered to walk me to the station to catch my train back to Barcelona.  I was thrown off guard a little but of course I didn’t say no.  I had noticed something cross over his eyes while we were talking – something I hadn’t seen before, and it made me blush.  I was glad when he wanted to continue our conversation, although I certainly didn’t expect anything to come of it.  So we were walking through the streets of Valencia, talking in Spanish the entire way (he knows maybe two words in English), and our conversation got pretty deep and personal straight away.  We were talking about the paths that we each decide to take in life, the journey that we were currently on, and how to get from one side of the river to the other.  He said: “you do it like this…”, and I watched him as he put one foot in front of the other and started counting “uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, seis…”. And then I joined him “seite, ocho, nueve, diez…”. And there we were, one tall man and one tiny woman walking down the street together counting our steps out loud… it was the craziest thing, but his words hit my heart so simply that before I knew it the tears started falling and I was crying in front of a perfect stranger.  I stopped and tried to hide my face.  He looked shocked and asked “are you okay?? I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong??”, and I had to laugh through my tears and smile and try to convince him that I was okay, I wasn’t crazy, and that he hadn’t offended me. He just looked at me for a second, and then without hesitation wrapped his arms around me and held me for a few moments, right there on the street in front of the train station.  He didn't care who saw us, he didn't turn away in mortification.  It was me who was still embarrassed, so I quickly shirked it off and took him inside for a coffee before I had to head out. We started chatting easily again, and before I knew it he was inviting me to continue learning Spanish through him on a daily basis… who the heck was this man?  So gentle and kind, but so strong and forthcoming, without any fears or hang ups, to be asking me to learn Spanish with him every day?

He gave me another warm hug before I got on the train, and I found myself thinking about him the entire way home. “Stop it, Charleen!” I was trying to tell myself. “He is just a perfect example of the Spanish warmth, and that’s all it is. So don’t get your wires crossed! This is not Canada!” I was telling myself.  Then, as if he was reading my mind, I heard the incoming text message beeping on my cell phone.  I looked at it and gasped.  It was from him!  I can’t tell you everything he said, but he was basically wondering the exact same thing as I was, and wondering if I had noticed it too or if he was going crazy!  And he said that he thought it was best that I come back to Valencia to see what “this” was all about.  Ha!  So two days later and two nights of Skyping and emails, and asking lots of questions and getting really clear, honest answers in return, I’m back on this train.  Thank God for it!

There’s no dicking around in this country, and I like how direct others are and how direct I can be too. There’s no such thing as second-guessing, mind games, empty promises, etc etc. (And you all know what I’m talking about, don’t you?)  That stuff just doesn’t happen here.  I quickly figured that one out and decided that when you’re in Rome, do as the Romans do.  It’s so nice to live honestly.  I longed for that type of integrity back in Vancouver and couldn’t find it anywhere.

So with the Mediterranean smiling at me as this fast train takes me back to Valencia, I know that my angels are applauding the fact that I’m finally starting to act with my intuition, and on impulses that are more than just physical.  What I get in return is honesty and transparency.  No more wondering, no more speculation.  Now THAT I can deal with!  And if it’s not right between him and I, then I’m going to know right away.  I’m glad that there is finally starting to be such clarity in my life.  I asked for it and I am now getting it.  I said I’d start living by my intuition only, and I am finally starting to do exactly that.  Acting on intuition for me means that I really have to wait for that guidance, and then take the time to recognize where it’s coming from.  It means that I can’t make a decision too quickly on something unless I get that green light.  It doesn’t mean that I have to try to stop having a human experience, but it means that I can finally start to do what is really best for me, and not what I think I should do or what others think I should do.  Lately I’ve talked with a few of my closest confidants to ask for their “opinions” on things, but at the end of the day I am responsible for the direction my life goes in.  And the right answers really only come to me when I sit and wait for a bit, for that turn signal to come on, for that green light that says “GO!”

I love it!  Me encanta mucho Espana!

C xo