There is no such thing as cold weather - just inapropiate clothing

It's been cold, but that could not keep the two ski-enthusiasts away from the forest!

-16 degrees. Powdery snow. Silence. Frost smoke. A few other skiers greeting you. A hot tea and packed lunch break in the middle of the forest. A low, shining sun. Glitter on snow. Hills. A few falls in the soft snow... Skiing into the sunset at 3:00pm. Two big smiles packed in under thick scarves and woolen hats.



And hot chocolate by the fireplace afterwards. A wondrous day!

Merry Christmas!

Special thoughts go out to all our loved ones. May you be happy and successful in all your doings. Hugs&Kisses

Tito&Willow

Ginger, chocolate and love

Creating a future tradition
Constructing a home
Building a gingerbread cookiehouse.
Tito & Willow

Home at last!

Surrounded by Tito's arms, I'm right where I want to be. Looking forward to spend a wonderful Christmas together, I feel fortunate, happy and loved.

Cups of coffee

Being the second last day of school before the holidays, people seem to be in a very good mood. Personally I feel very ready for going home to be with my family, my friends, and most importantly with Tito. Only 4 students showed up at today's final class, so our professor invited us for coffee in the university cafeteria. I had brought ginger cookies. Sharing stories about language, about archaeological fieldtrips to France and our study, I was enjoying myself a lot. I have great fellow students and great professors.

Santa Lucia

December 13th is a date I associate with joy and expectations. When I was a little girl we used to celebrate the day of Santa Lucia every year, dressing up in white robes and glitter. Our parents helped us make some special yellow cakes with saffron that we put in a basket. With cakes and a lit candlelight, we would go out in the snow after dark. Then we would knock on all our neighbours' doors and sing the Lucia-song when they opened. We would give them a cake and got sweets, cookies and mandarins in return. Such nice memories.

3rd Sunday of Advent

I love sleepy Sundays. This one I plan to spend relaxing on the sofa with a good book. I'll have tea and cookies, and my candle is already lit. What's your Sunday like?

Going away for a few days to Lisbon with friends

Lessons learned:

1. Make sure to ask at any transit bus station if the city has more than one station!





2. If you happen not to ask, don't despair if you are stranded in an unknown city in the middle of the night - there is always a way out.


3. The value of having a network can never be underestimated: If you make a nightly emergency-call to the only person you know in the city, and you're told that "no problem, you can crash at my place for the night," you feel very grateful. Thank you, Chris!!!


4. Dancing Merengue can make you feel better no matter how tired, stressed and hungry you are.


5. A Spanish tortilla tastes like the most amazing thing you've ever had when you're tired, stressed and hungry at 4:00 am.


6. An extra blanket will help you freeze less during the night.


7. Don't despair if you're made to wait and wait and wait, while given a thousand contradictory messages at the bus station the morning after you should have left.


8. A call from Tito telling you everything will be all right while waiting for further notice, can almost make you cry. And as usual, Tito is not wrong. Your ticket, that you were told was lost several times before, is finally changed. You can lean back, start breathing again and enjoy the 6 hours bus-ride to Lisbon.

Highlights:

1. The castles of Sintra.


2. The amazing greenness of the region (green grass, green trees and green bushes as far as you can see.)


3. Having an authentic bacalao with port-wine.


4. The view from the São Jorge castle.


5. 17 degrees in December.


6. Meeting lots of great people.

2nd Sunday of Advent

I forgot the last one, but this one I made sure to remember. Getting up at 8:00am, I went to the living room wearing my overly sweet teddybear-patterned pyjamas. Cuddling myself up in the sofa under a thick blanket, with my breakfast and a cup of lovely lemon-tea, I was ready for a day of pure enjoyment. Turning on the TV, I watched cartoons for a couple of hours - just like I used to do when I was a child. Some things you just never grow too old for, and I did enjoy every minute of it. Lighting my apple-scented candle, I started writing Christmas cards. I love the tradition of sending (and receiving!) cards to my loved ones.




Feeling a touch of Christmas spirit (as a result of a txt from my family telling me they were making gingerbread cookies), I too decided to make cookies. And, without any false modesty, they turned out pretty damn delicious! Anyone wants to taste?

Sensing India

When I go with Kim and the Tibetan holy lama on the te-rain to Benares, I can almost hear India. When Kim changes his Sahib schoolboy clothes for the attire of a low-caste Hindi boy, I can almost see India. When he licks his finger after having consumed a greasy mutton with cabbage accompanied by rice with a scent of cardamom, I can almost taste India. When Kim has run away from the infantry and is enjoying his freedom on the road, I can almost feel India.

Reading a good book is a wonderful thing, and the reality-escape is even better. Does your book take you to far away places where you forget everything about time and space?

A blue ship

When Willow woke up from a nap between the two towers of her university one day, the big Roman-arched windows gave her a beautiful view over her new city. The landscape was covered by a soft coat of fog, and this in turn resulted in a rather blue colour. Way out there, Willow had her eyes fixed on a big, blue cargo ship. It was loaded with containers, right next to the tall pipe. It seemed lying so peacefully at the dock, caressed by the fog. It made Willow feel calm as well. But only for a moment. She suddenly remembered that she could not possibly be looking at a ship, as the ocean happened to be miles and miles away. A port was also out of the question. Realizing that she must have been a whole lot more tired and overworked than she had thought, she started to worry.

When I woke up this morning...

...I put on my helmet and started the engine of my little plane. I needed some fresh air and a new perspective, so I decided to fly away. With the cool, fresh air in my face, I looked down on golden fields of corn, enormous forests where deer were grassing, I saw farmers taking a break in the middle of the day and neighbours chatting together. I went over the wild mountains, and it started snowing. But as my little plane is a very good one, it didn't matter. Feeling free like a bird, I took another round. Hearing nothing but the noise coming from my engine, my thoughts sailed away on waves. Flying through a beautiful rainbow I had nearly reached my destination. Ones down on the ground, I was greeted by a "Hello Willow", a kiss and a warm big hug. "I've been missing you, Tito", I said. On my way home in my little plane, I felt butterflies in my stomach.

A new blogger has been born!

She calls herself CattyCanadian and her brand new blog can be located at Birdie's Heart. She tells us that she was "raised on Lego, humbled by paper." CattyCanadian is a wonderful person to be around, she spreads so much joy and happiness to the world and she happens to be a devoted fellow cat-lover.

Welcome to the blogging world, my friend! I'm looking so much forward to follow your blogging. xox

Going to the hairdresser

Going to the hairdresser might sound like something really easy. Well, in a new country it does actually require some research and preparation. Firstly, you would want to have a hairdresser recommended. After all, it's about your appearance. Then you might want to research the costs. Not all hairdressers charge the same for doing the same job. Then finally you need to update your vocabulary. Going through the dictionary, you memorize terms you think you might need.

Ones being there, the hairdresser doesn't necessarily use the words listed in your dictionary... So you do your best to understand, and when nothing else works you just smile and say ¡sí! Explaining how you'd like to have your hair is surprisingly difficult. Getting a long, lovely head-massage to start with and a 20 minutes job with the hairdryer in the end, you feel refreshed. And when the people in the saloon tell you how pretty you look, well, then you feel pretty. It's nice feeling new and attractive.

On the loose

Some weeks ago, Spanish journalists could report a story about an unfortunate man having lost his pet. This would probably normally not have reached the national news, but the unusual thing about this pet, was that it happened to be a black panther. Keeping exotic felines is also in Spain highly illegal, so the man's name was of course not revealed. Witnesses could report having seen a rather large black cat cross the highway, and then having disappeared. Weather or not the man was ever reunited with his kitty I have no knowledge. Neither if any of them were put in a cage as a result of the incident.

Winter is on it's way

I've started to freeze in the morning, freeze in the evening and freeze during the night. My hands, feet and nose are affected, and I'm on a constant high from drinking one cup of tea after another. I've been told you should fight cold from the inside, and it does help, but only as long as there's somthing left in the cup. I believe I need a man to keep me warm.

Tito, you may come back now.

What can be better than a book fair?

Lots and lots of wonderful books: small books, big books, children's books, adults' books, books with pictures, books without pictures, books in Spanish, books in English, books in French, cookbooks, massage books, books about the Pope, books about I-Ching, books with stories, books without words, books which are considered classics, new books, old books, books written by famous authors, books written by less famous authors, interesting books, not so interesting books...

8 books for € 32. A librarian's dream-come-true.

Going away for a day

Travelling is wonderful. Being on the bus before sunrise, Astrid J. and Willow were ready to explore a new place: Córdoba. The city really has a lot to offer, be it impressive architecture like the Arab mosque Mezquita (which the Catholics managed to destroy by converting it into a catholic cathedral...), the ancient Jewish quarter or it's city wall.



The Mezquita

Taking a stroll through the beautiful botanical garden, we did get to see some pretty exotic stuff for a Northerner: Green peppers still being attached to their bush, trees with ripe oranges, lemons and mandarins, palm trees with tiger stripes and a variety of cactuses in all shapes and sizes.




A trip to a tapas bar is probably inevitable, and Astrid J. and Willow were very well pleased with the food, the beers and the delicious cheese pudding bathing in a raspberry sauce...




Having a piña colada tea at one of the Arab Teterías is definitely a nice way of ending a wonderful day full of impressions, sun and experiences in Córdoba. The atmosphere is perfect for relaxation and good conversations.




A trip to Córdoba is something I would recommend and I'm sure I'll return one day.

All Souls' Day

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Author unknown

Although you're physically gone, I still get to meet you in my dreams sometimes. You've always had a special place in my heart, and when I think about all the amazing times we have spent together growing up, I cannot help but smile. Today I've lit a candle for you in my window. Love you always. xox

What I would have liked....

...being given one day where I could have been treated like a real lady: receiving a massage while listening to soft music, having flowers sprinkled all over my body and being dressed up in a fancy evening gown afterwards. Then my wonderful Prince Charming would have taken me out to a romantic candle-light dinner on the sea-shore, kissing my hand as we meet and complimenting my stunning beauty....

Reality: I have a whole appartment to clean, homework to do and my Prince Charming is miles and miles away.

*Sigh*

Why do people throw away their umbrellas?

Having walked through town, I've counted at least 10 sorry umbrellas sticking up from the wastebins. Has our consumer-buy-and-throw-away-society got the better of us? Could those thrown away umbrellas really not have been mended? I mended mine today. A needle, a bit of thread and 2 minutes was all I needed to fix it. Why spend another € 3 on a new umbrella if you can fix the old one? Just asking.

Thinking...

A whole week without classes just turned up out of the blue! And I don't have any plans nor ideas as to what I could fill it with. Could anyone give me any tips? Highly appreciated :-)

P.S. Missing Tito.

Happy Birthday, Little Girl

Today is your second Birthday, your first one in the Village. I hope you'll have a wonderful day with your new mother and your new brothers and sisters. Maybe they'll sing you the Birthday-song, maybe there'll be a piñata and maybe they have arranged a cake for you with two candles on top of it. I'm wishing you all the best for the future, my beautiful girl. You're in good hands, and I'm looking so much forward to see how you grow up.

Become sponsor of a child at SOS Children's Villages

Emptyness

Tito has left Willowlandia.

Walking on the roof of Spain

Tito and Willow made a new trip to the Sierra Nevada today, and this time in the company of Willow's passionate mountain-man dad. Taking the bus up to Hoya de la Mora, the hikers got a small cold-shock. At least the two younger ones... (0 degrees and a cold wind does feel bloody cold if you are used to 25.) Not only was the air very cold, but also a bit thin as they walked up to about 3,200 m. Veleta proved itself to be a beautiful mountain, bathing itself in sunlight. During the 5 hours trip, they saw 2 butterflies, 2 different kinds of birds (unidentified), 5 wild mountain goats and a lot of icicles. 3 baguettes ala Willow were consumed, as were 2 bars of chocolate and several litres of water. As they ones again reached their starting-point, they were all by very good mood, feeling warm again and dreaming about a hot bath and a foot massage.

A taste of Spain

Watching a Flamenco-show is a special experience. You are seated in a white-walled cave with a bunch of other people, nipping in you sangría not really sure what to expect. Then three men enter and seat themselves on the reserved cheers. The guitar men start playing, and the audience stop talking. When the third one starts singing, a sensation of deep admiration hits you. Then the 5 ladies enter in beautiful dresses, and the show has started. The hour passes so quickly, and when they all leave, you can still hear the clapping, the stamping, the clicking of castanets and the hypnotic music having recorded itself in you head.




Tito, Willow and her parents all agreed upon now really having felt being in Spain.

A Little Anniversary

Tito & Willow
Love at first sight
2 years ago
Yesterday

First week at school successfully completed by the Flying Librarian

Starting school after the vacations is always something special. Part of you wouldn't have minded to continue living the unlimited freedom of summer for another couple of months, while another part of you also look forward to a new academically year with different kinds of expectations. Starting your education at a new university in a new country is very exciting. And not everything is as you had expected.

8:30 am Monday morning. The schedule says you're having classes. The university building is however dark and abandoned. No students, no professors. A touch of panic. Where is everybody? Have you somehow misunderstood the whole thing? A small ray of light can be spotted under the door at one of the third floor offices. You knock, enter and are received by a smiling lady. Being a bit confused, you ask her where all the people are. She tells you that the professors are not always on time and that most of the students first start appearing in a two weeks time... You take her advice to wait outside the auditorium, and eventually your professor and 8 of your new classmates turn up. Passing 8 hours at the university, you have a total of 30 minutes with "presentation" of your Monday classes. You make an effort to get to know some people, and are satisfied with having initiated conversations with at least 10 fellow students.

On Tuesday, you get a few (more) cultural shocks. Curriculum appears to be everything that comes out of the professors' mouths. And that in a horrid tempo. Taking notes on your life, you somehow manage to get by, and prise yourself lucky you have the language-knowledge you have. You pity the Italian and the Belgian that tell you they understand as good as nothing. Having about as much spare time as on Monday (due to the same causes), you take the opportunity to get to know some of your classmates. The campus cafeteria is nice enough, although grey clouds of smoke are hanging over your head.

Wednesday has no classes, as practicals will not start until the following week. You spend the day with your wonderful boyfriend and a friend that makes the most delicious Dominican dishes. You discover you wouldn't mind so much having a cook around on a daily basis.

On Thursday, you actually have real classes. Same drill as earlier in the week, you take notes on your life ending up with a sore shoulder. Feeling somewhat exhausted from having to concentrate so hard to understand the professor, process the information and take the appropriate notes, the hours slowly pass by. A trip to the faculty library stuns you, as it is exactly as you have imagined the perfect library to be in your dreams. You get a library card and borrow your first book. Your first job is to read the IFLA directory on services at public libraries - 98 pages in Spanish - something you are to make a resume of and hand in as part of your final grade. You leave at the end of the day, a bit overwhelmed by all the new things and new practises, but with a feeling that you have good chances of fitting in socially and that you will indeed get your 60 credits by the end of your academic year (as long as you work really hard).

First day of autumn

Tito and Willow decided to spend the first day of autumn (which happened to be a Saturday) at home with a cup of anise-plum-tea and a good book. The joys of reading a book together can be quite big, and Willow was perfectly absorbed by the story. Cuddling herself up in Tito's arms, she couldn't have asked for more. A glass of sangría and a French-inspired pie marked the end of a really nice day.

Stories over a cup of coffee

Four nationalities met at a cosy café at 5:00pm. Conversation was good, as every person had a well of stories to tell. The teacher told stories and anecdotes from his teaching-experiences in exotic places, and concluded that he preferred teaching new-beginners, as they tended to smile more. The political science student told her tale about finding her way around Germany one late night without having any language in common with the taxi-driver, much to the amusement of the rest. Tito informed the crowd about the origins of the term "gringo", something nobody knew from before. The curly lady didn't as much tell stories as she was offering smiles and making everybody feel good. The smoking lady was upset because she had failed her exam for the second time, and was thus quietly smoking one cigarette after another. Willow enjoyed being in the company of her new acquaintances and found inspiration in them.

Recieving a postcard

Recieving mail is always a great pleasure. Today I found a postcard from my Mom in the mailbox - the first time anyone has used my new address!! Thank you, Mom!

For those of you knowing me, feel free to send me postcards and/or letters :-)

Formula 1 World Champion 2005

As the first Spaniard and the youngest driver ever, Fernando Alonso has won the Formula 1 World Championate 2005! It has been a nerve-wrecking experience seeing the race on Spanish TV, and the emotion transmitted by the reporters cannot be explained.

¡Felicidades Fernando!

Condor 64

Condor 64 takes her first step out of the cage. She looks out on unlimited freedom in an open, mountainous landscape. She takes a few more steps, as if testing the ground. Slowly, she opens her wings and starts to move them. Condor 64 is ready to take off. Then the wing-movements cease. She does not want to fly. Condor 64 returns to her cage, ready to be taken back to the zoo.

A Saturday Adventure

Willow had felt an urge to get out in Mother Nature for days (as she sometimes does), so Tito (as the most loving man in the world) was more than happy to help her planning. With the help of Willow's excellent Lonely Planet travel guide, they decided to go up to the Sierra Nevada. After a long bus ride on whiney, narrow roads up to 1,500 meters, they finally arrived in a small village called Capileira.




Capileira turned out to be a very nice little village clinging to the mountainside - being Spain's second highest village. It's "whitewashed stone houses seems to clamber over each other in an effort not to slide down into the gorge, while streets decked with flowery balconies wriggle between." (Lonely Planet : Spain, 2005)




The houses in the village have very special chimneys, which fascinated both Tito and Willow.

Setting out on their mountainous adventure, the young adventurers had only a very bad map to help them, so naturally, they never found the track they had planned to take. After some disappointment (and no time to turn back to find the right track), they ended up having a very nice lunch on an old tree-trunk under a lovely chestnut tree. The wind felt good, as the sun was burning. The landscape was beautiful: spectacular views of the villages along the whiney road, dry paths, thorn-bushes, cactuses, fruit-trees, tiny creeks, a river, horses, butterflies, tiny abandoned stone cottages...... The day was perfect and hiking was perfect. Tito and Willow did get lost a couple of times, as their map didn't serve for nothing and road marking was scarce. But they did find back to Capileira - and in time to take the last bus back home.




Adventures does not always turn out as one plans, but that's also what makes them adventures, right?

A night out

Cerveza, cerveza, tapas, cerveza, cerveza, tapas, cerveza, cerveza, tapas...

€ 9,00

An unusual sight

Last night Tito and Willow were walking through the park enjoying the chill air. All of a sudden, lots of noises could be heard from above. People in the park were looking up to detect the source of the noise, and were caught by surprise. A large flock of migratory storks! As the sun was setting, the birds settled down for the night on roofs and TV-antennas - apparently causing a bit of disturbance on some people's TV screens. (Good thing there was no soccer-game on!) Winter is setting in sooner than usual this year, resulting in earlier migratory flights. Quite a sight!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This is without a doubt the best film I've seen in quite a while. Even the synchronised voices in Spanish sounded good! The film brought back so many nice memories. When I was a child, my mother read the book loud for me. I can still remember the taste I imagined the Willy Wonka chocolate to have. So sweet.... And how unfair it felt that those spoiled kids got the invitations to the chocolate factory, when all I wanted was for Charlie to get one. He did absolutely deserve one. Roald Dahl has always been one of my favourite authors due to his incredibly rich fantasy and his rare ability to tell a spellbinding story. This film did not spoil my good memories of the book, which to me is a compliment to the moviemakers.

Night in the neighbourhood

The world seems so peaceful at night. My neighbours' lights are out, their curtains drawn and everybody appears to be sleeping. Tito is sleeping. I ought to sleep. The air feels cool on the balcony, but not too cool. A dog is wandering restlessly on the street and the occasional car is passing by. I guess some people go to work this hour, while others are out there trying to cure their insomnia. If I wait long enough, I'll see the sunrise and a new day being born.

And now tomorrow's weather forecast

Spanish meteorologists must be a beloved group of professionals. Having been here for a week, the forecast is always the same - sun in every part of the country. Must be nice to bring good news to people every day. You never hear anybody complain about the weather. Well, apart from the heat, that is. The number of times I've heard people saying "¡Qué calor!" is probably higher than I can count. But I am very happy. I left the cold north to get some feeling of summer. The other day I was told I looked sun-kissed. Now that's not bad, is it.

Setting out on a new adventure

After having spent lots of amazing quality time with Tito in Titonia, Willow had to leave. She had decided to study abroad for one year, and the time had come to realize those planes. There were however no tearful good-byes as Tito decided to acompany his beloved Willow. And stay with her, at least for some time. So here they are, in a new country, embracing all the wonders life has to offer.