Random memories.

It's really hard to tell what I liked the most about Spain, every day was unique and every moment was real pleasure for me. I was lucky to visit many places, Torres" estate where the wine of that famous brands is produced, the native town and the museum of Salvador Dali, I saw in the original masterpieces of Picasso,  El Greco and others. Of course I've been to Barcelona, but I don't want to tell anything about that city, though it's made the strongest impression on me. I just think no words could be good enough to describe it, because when you are there you don't want to speak, only feel and admire everything. I strongly advise you to visit Barcelona at least once in your life (though I'm sure you will want to return again and again) and feel it yourself. Instead I'd like to tell you about one small town called Tosa de Mar.

During our last days we tried to see as much as possible and one sunny Monday was dedicated to visit a nearby town Tosa. We came there by a sea tram, it wasn't far, just 3 beaches (or stops) away from our city Lloret de Mar. From the first moments we just fell in love with Tosa. Think about your assosiations when you imagine a Spanish small town: narrow streets, flowerpots on the belconies, small street cafes, elderly people sitting near their houses and discussing the latest news. So IT IS like that. But first of all we went to see an old fortress, which you can see in this photo. There you can take one of the hundreds small pathes and try to return back. You can enter any corridor inside it, it's absolutely free.We spent there about an hours taking photos at every corner. Certainly it wasn't enough but he had just 2 hous before the last barco so we decided to get inside the town.     

     There you dive into the atmosphere of harmony of harmony and calmness. The air is filled with the melody of tango, the smell of sea breeze and traditional cuisine. Every caferiria has unique design and style. There the streets are really narrow, no car can drive there. The secenery reminded us of the soviet film "Brilliant arm", we  strolled along those stone corridors, turning to many directions, trying to remember where we were....but finally we got lost like Mironov in that comedy. And again I thanked my teachers of Spanish, because without sking the local we couldn't find the way to the beach.  Of course I couldn't miss the chance to take the posture of that "hot girl" near the door (I bet you remember that scene).  "Ruso turisto, oblico morale"- Do you remember it now?                                                                                                                               

That was a great day full of bright emotions. I could speak about my traval endlessly, too many thoughts, too many facinating moments. So the story to be continued.

Spaniards.

To begin with I should explian you something. I was in Cataluña, autonomous region of Spain, where people speak their own language, have their own cuisin and traditions and they dream to separate with the Kingdom of Spain to be absolutely independant. Not all of them, but many. So they often get offended when someone calls them Spaniards, but...they forgive foreiners as it's really hard to be aware of the political affairs withing that country. So...My dear Catalan friends, forgive me, but I will call you Spaniards to make it easier for the readers. Anyway in all the regions of Spain people have much in common. So about that nation.

Whenever someone looks at you and meets your eyes he greets you, no matter if he sees you for the first time in his life or he knows you well. They are very patient and hospitable, and it's not always because for the natives "tourists = $", not like that. When you ask someone in the street to show you the way to...let's say cafeteria,  that person will keep explaining you until he is sure you got it. If you don't, he can take you  by the hand and literally "bring you" to the place you need, no matter where this person was going to before you met him.

In everyday's life you may experience long conversations with complete strangers in the street, on your way to the market or whereever. Someone just greets you, you answer, then he picks up any topic and starts speaking and questioning you. After half an hour you part saying "adios", but having no idea about the name of that stranger or his job. The topics can be very different - from politics to sex, almost no forbidden thems...well...maybe corrida is a rather controvertial issue and the times of WW2, they don't like discussing that, as I've noticed, but all the rest is allowed.

Spaniards have the blood of latinos, so they can't keep their feelings inside, if they feel something - they will say it or express it in any form. I can give you a good example. One evening we were going to the show of flamenco in an old ascienda. According to the tradition of Russian women we put on even dresses, rather elegant ones. We went to the street and the first man who saw us stopped and said with accent "horosho!". We laughed. Then we came to the bus station to wait for the excustion bus. On the crossroad while the trafic light was red, a man on a passenger sit  of a truck wheeled down the window and with a charming smile blew a kiss to me. That was really pleasant. All this happened in first 5 minutes in the street. Hopefully? our bus arrived and I didn't have the chance to break someone's heart.

First impressions

First days in Spain was very unusual experience for me, though I knew a lot about that culture before my trip.
Once my mother and me went for a walk along the streets

of Lloret de Mar, a small town where we lived. We went up the hill and appeared on a wide sandy field lined with cute bushes and flowers on each side. There were some people with dogs walking to and fro. Everyone looked at us in a puzzled manner. At first, we didn't understand why. We were taking fotos from that hill, one of them is on the right---->>>.
Isn't it a great view? We came to that hill the next day too. The reaction of the passers-by was the same - puzzled. Finally we guessed the reason. It turned out to be a special area where people usually walk the dogs...and we considered it one of the sights. So as my mum was walking only with me, that looked funny for the rest who were with their beloved pets.

Another interesting fact that I've learned - it's not necessary to know someone's name to consider him your friend. You just come into a bar, order a glass of sangria, the barman starts talking about the latest news or asking you about your country and admire your spanish (if you know at least basic phrases that well do), or try to remember something in Russian, like "priviet". After 20 minutes of polite listening you go away. But...every time that barman sees you passing by he greets you or "hola" you as if  you were the closest friends ever.

There are 4 most popular types of transport: motorbikes, streetboards, cars and barcos - the sea trams, small motor boats that go along the coast making stops at the beaches of each town. In the case of barco you should go to the beach, find a ticket office, buy that ticket for the next boat and enjoy a sea trip, listening to your stop be anonced, like in our trams, but in the sea. You also can buy something to drink and sitting on the upper deck admire old castles in the rocks (see the photo) or feed seagulls.

Do you feel it?

Smell....The first thing I notice when I get down from a plane is the smell of the country. Almost every country has its smell, well, maybe the only excepion is Egypt or any desert country as it's hard to fell anything in very dry air.
As for the air of Spain I can say it's fresh-sweet: there is something floral in it mixed with fruits, hot sand and the sea wind. Here I should mention that the Mediterranean Sea in Costa Brava does't smell like fish market, nothing of that, to my surprise, unlike the Black Sea as you can remember. So my first impressions about Spain were rather "smellish" (in a good sense).

Taste...very varied. Hard to define anything in particular.Maybe dry-cure meat with spices, definately wine, cheese of all types and sorts, peaches and melons, seafood...And certainly it's impossible to have a meal without olive oil and pink-coloured vinegar. Add to this salty water of the sea (of course it's not a good idea to drink it intentionally, but it gets into you somehow).

Colours...an extremely colourful world. Blue - light blue of the sky, deep blue of the sea framed with white sand. Red - flames of skirts of  bailaores (flamenco dancers), from cherry red to gentle pink tint of wine. Stripes of red of the flag of Cataluña and the flag of España. Green - green bushes with dots of multicoloured flowers, dark green palm trees, light green of the traffic lights blazing at night, a green slice of lime in mojito.Black - deep black spanish night with glossy black water of the sea reflecting night lights of the seafront alleys, jet black hair of spaniards. Yellow - bright yellow of the post office and post boxes on the walls of buildings, yellow with red stripes cars of ambulance, peaches and bananas.The rainbow of colours when you get into a supermarket or fruteria or walk in a garden.

Touch...Strong handshakes and hugs and kisses of friends. Ice cold glasses with cocktails. Relaxing massage of sand grains after silky waves of the sea. Humid air and your soft curly hair (which remains curly no matter what you do with it in such climate), and your velvet smooth suntanned skin, and a cool touch of breeze in the early mprning or night.

Sounds...Loud speech of Spaniards during hot discussion of football match or from the balconies of the appartments at the dinner time. Constant music of diferent types, including Spanish guitars, flamenco, diffrent discos. Eternal and omnipresent sound of mororbikes. Gentle whisper of the sea waves...

Can you feel it now?

Why again Spain?

I know, I know, I know....half of you who know me well enough would bet I would write about Spain...So why you are not surprised...But! I have never had a good chance to tell you about My Spain... 

You know how it happens...million of tourists travel every year to see the same countries, but....each country is very different for each person. Any country can be described in million of ways, but only one of them will be the way you see it, the way you love or hate it, the way you remember it, and all those tiny peculiarities that only  you notice make this place unforgettable for you…make it YOURS.

So do you want to see My Spain? It has something in common with that southern country in Europe that is mentioned in tour guides or encyclopedic articles…but it’s much more than that. So get ready. But first of all go to the kitchen, get a glass of peach juice, return to your computer, make sure you sit comfortably in your chair or sofa or whatever, switch on some instrumental music or cover version of your favorite songs and follow me…