Ok so you guys may have to get used to waiting 2 weeks for updates, Because I seem incapable, unless something really stirs me, to post more often then that. Last Time I posted I was in Madrid. After that I stayed in Madrid for a few more days at a youth Hostel. My main intention here was to see a bullfight. Heres an excerpt from my written journal which Im much better about keeping.
"This was my last day in Madrid and I saw a bullfight, It was such a good Experience. Thats all I can really call it because Im not sure how I feel about it. The Athleticism and Skill of the Matadors is undeniable and I was wrong about how much danger they put themselves in. It's also a brutal and Savage sight and Im completely unsure exactly how I was affected, I respect it alot, but Im not sure I agree with the practice of killing the bull."
a little more in depth later on.
"When I was in Madrid I went to see a Bullfight. This experience was incredably taxxing on my soul. In the Days and Weeks before, I played it off as simply a part of the culture that I should taste, just as much a part of spain as Sangria, Flamenco, Tapas and many other "Traditional" Activities. It would be a gruesome brutal display of Old Spain that would leave me feeling slightly disgusted and superior. This would reaffirm my ideas of Animal Cruelty for sport and also ideas I held about my character. A few hours before the fight, I felt a familar feeling, similar to getting amped up to watch a football game, or rugby game. It was how I felt the entire day before we went to the louvre. I was getting excited to see this. My Single serving friends and I are going to watch everything get left in the ring today. It was Macho Compition in its prime, both were fighting for thier life. Theres no question the Animal will die, the matador might as well, Its like going to Nascar to watch a crash, its why people are there. The Fixed ending didn't really bug my mind, it kind of danced out of my thoughts when the fight began. There is no question in the matador's confidence and Bravery. It appealed to the "Warrior Mode" that I think most men have. This was more captivating then football though, this was the Roman Gladiators, this involved death. The thought even came into my mind about what it must feel like to have watched two men fight to the death, or war re-enactments, or men vs animals, all that crazyness that went on in Ancient Rome. That world is gruesome and bloody and I walked away with a reaction that surprised me. I was a little disgusted, The bull has no chance and its an entirely unfair display of simple cruelty, but I found myself intrigued. Thinking of ways to make it a "fair" fight and justifying it in my head. Beef Cattle live worse lives, and they die only a little bit better. In this 'game' at least the bull lives a free range life and dies fighting. All in all it was a Soul-tearing, heart-breaking, amazing experience all at once. The oddest part was our group ranged from hateing it to loving it, but it was such an eye opening venture that noone regreted going."
I still haven't really worked out my conflicting emotions on it, but Im happy I stayed and got the opportunity. However I stayed a bit to long and got bored, and got sick as well. So that wasn't much fun. So due to getting better and feeling like gum on a shoe sole I missed La Tomatina (my lack of preperation helped a bit) and im bummed about that but Barcelona was a great city to get better in. There is something cleansing about salt water, just makes me feel better. Who knows. Gaudi is amazing and the town of Barcelona is so cool just to walk around. Although I have like no pics because I always was coming back from the beach and I didn't want to bring a camera.
I met up with a few friends of mine, Mike Peth and Michelle who are both studying here in Barcelona. definatly head on their shoulders kids and I've always looked up to Mike a bit just because he's a really good guy. They will have a blast I'm sure. Some of the kids in the program are definatly kind of embarassing to be associated with and make up what I call "The Gringo Crew" but there are definatly a few really great people that I met. It made me want to do a similar program, although I think Id want to get an Apartment and be truly self sufficient in a new City, they are staying with Familys -- which would also be good for fostering interaction, but something about me makes me think I would want to come over alone, or with 1 buddy (preferably of a diff. nationality then my own) and live that way. This would of course require knowing the language reasonably well. Maybe someday, I think in Spain or Italy.
So tommorrow I leave for Malaga, I'm going to try and meet up with Nick and Helen again so hopefully that works out, I'm not sure there in town! Malaga has some great Picasso stuff and a big hill (small mountain?) I want to climb.
Then It's Portugal and hopefully Morrocco before I head off to Oktoberfest for the last two days. I'm trying to get Mike and Michelle to meet me there and hopefully that will work out.
Those are most of my plans for now. I've been listening to some interesting stuff on my iPod about science, business, the future and whatnot and I'd like to recomend looking into
Joel Garreau Who wrote a book re: what he calls GRIN (Genetics, Robotics, Information and Nanotechnologies) Technologies that threaten not only to change our future but actually act as a new phase in our evolution. Really interesting stuff. I have a qoute from LBJ that I think sums up his predictions for where we are and I hope inspires us on where we can go.
I think we must consider new ways to build a great network for knowledge, not just a broadcast system, but one that employs every means of sending and storing information that the individual can use. The Country doctor getting help from a distant laboratory, or a teaching hospital. A scholar in Atlanta might draw instantly on a library in New York. A Famous Teacher, could reach with ideas and inspiration into some far off classromm, so that no child need be neglected. Eventually I think this electronic knowledge bank could be as valuable as the Federal Reserve bank and such a system could involve other nations. It could involve them in a Partnership to share Knowledge and thus enrich all mankind. A wild and visionary idea? Not at all, Yesterdays strangest dreams are todays headlines and change is getting swifter every moment"That was a pretty personally powerfull message to me so I thought I might put it out there.
In closing I talked recently with a friend back home who is headed off to battle Katrina as he is with the California Fire Program. I'm not quite sure what he'll be up to but I thought I'd publicly put out my wishes for his safety, he joins my friend who got in a car accident in my prayers. I hope if you believe in that sort of thing, you will hope good things for them both.
here is an interesting blog about Katrina that blogger told me about today.
http://dancingwithkatrina.blogspot.com/Ok I'm running out of internet time. Again I apologize for the long delay.
-Tyler Willis
