Thursday, June 22, 1989

Last Full Day in London/England/Britain/Europe ...

Well, I woke up early again in the flat, gathered my things, and met up with my parents. Dad and I then took three of my suitcases to the Tube station, while Mom and Angie did some shopping. Shelly helped us along the way.

While we were walking, traffic was halted for a Royal vehicle, though we couldn't quite make out who it was. Caught the train to Heathrow, where we dropped my luggage off at Left Luggage, so as to lighten the load for tomorrow when we leave.

We returned to London after some donuts and coffee, and met Mom and Angie outside of Harrod's at 2 p.m. (Picture #1) Walked about Harrod's for roughly an hour, then we made our way via Underground to Piccadilly Circus. (Picture #2) From there we walked up Regent Street so we could explore Hamley's. It's still an amazing toy store, and my parents were impressed.

Made our way to Oxford Street, where we went to the Virgin Megastore for a bit. I bought Mom a tape for her Wedding anniversary (on June 27th... I won't divulge what I bought her, in case this journal happens to fall upon her eyes before that date.) and did some browsing. From there we stopped for dinner at Garfunkel's, where I had chicken kiev and Dad stole one of their beer glasses (It was funny watching my parents attempt to be covert.)

After dinner we walked back down Charing Cross Road, stopping in a few book shops and taking some photos, mainly of theatres. Eventually we made our way through Leicester Square, where I bought the tackiest gifts I could find for a few of my friends. (Picture #3 shows the Odeon Theatre in Leicester Square, where the premiere of the new James Bond film, "Licence to Kill," was shown. This was the same theatre where I saw "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" back in December.)

At Leicester Square, we also watched the Swiss Clock go around, telling us it was now 8 o'clock. (Picture #4. This building was torn down a few years ago.)

Continued down Piccadilly until we arrived at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was too crowded, so we didn't stay long... just long enough to buy souvenirs. My family all bought shirts and I bought a baseball cap. Next we continued walking towards the flat, and when we got there we had coffee with Rosemary and her roommate Shelly.

I was going to go back outside and take some nighttime shots of London... one last night before heading back to America. But I was so tired at this point that after my parents left and returned to their hotel, I went to sleep.

(Picture #5 shows my parents and sister in the Underground station waiting for the next train. As you can see, they have done a bit of shopping on this day, our final day in London.)

Wednesday, June 21, 1989

Taking a Tour Inside Parliament ...

A hectic and fun day today. Dad and I awoke early this morning to walk to Victoria Station this morning, in order to buy my plane ticket. We arrived at around 7.30 a.m. and had no problems. So that detail has now been taken care of.

Dad said the family all enjoyed seeing "Starlight Express" immensely last night, which was good news. He and I had coffee and apple danish at the train station, which was empty because of a rail strike that is going to go on for one day. So as a result, we had to rely on our feet or on taxis for transportation today.

We walked back to the hotel (after buying a Daily Telegraph newspaper) and had a proper breakfast. I showered, packed, and we were out of the room at a little past 10. I dropped my bags off at Rosemary's flat, and then set off to find a room for Mom and Dad (Angela's flat did not work out for them.) In short time we found one for them, which was basic but nice, and they checked in.

Next, we took a walk to the House of Parliament, though we then decided to catch a taxi in order to save time. During the ride, I realized that I had forgotten to bring my copy of the Daily Telegraph. I was supposed to have a copy in hand and use it to flag down Sally Hallam, a friend of Dr. Morrison's who works as a secretary for the Daily Telegraph's political correspondent in the Parliament building. Fortunately, it wasn't a problem that I didn't have the newspaper and we met up with Sally without difficulty. (Picture #2 is the permit that gave us access to Parliament.)

At this point, Mom, Dad and Angela left to take a boat trip down the Thames River, and Dr. Morrison and I joined Sally to begin our exclusive tour of Parliament.

It was yet another memorable experience, as we walked around the floor of the House of Commons, which is much smaller than we expected, as well as other vital parts of the building. It was a great tour, and it was really nice of Sally to to take time out of her schedule to show us around.

Next we had an opportunity to see the House of Commons in action, which was quite remarkable. Although Mrs. Thatcher and Neil Kinnock were not there today, we still got to see some action. They were debating trade and industry, which was difficult to follow because of the style and mannerisms of their debate... frequent cat-calls and "here-heres" when one person spoke. We stayed there for 45 minutes, but left during the questions and answers. The reason? They were on question 10 after 45 minutes, with 91 to go. (Picture #3 is a magazine produced for Parliament; Picture #4 is the agenda for the business of the day for the House of Commons.)

So we then headed over to the House of Lords to see them in action, though here I am using the term "action" quite loosely. They were discussing what to do about Hong Kong, which is an interesting topic. The British are planning on turning it over to China in 1997. Unfortunately, it was presented in a far less exciting manner than the style of the House of Commons. In fact, we noticed that several of the Lords were actually asleep during the proceedings! If only we could've gotten to see this debate in the House of Commons.

Well, after only about 10 minutes of this, we left the very posh House of Lords chamber. I mailed two post cards, to Viv and to Sam, from inside Parliament to get the special cancellation from it's post office. And then we left.

Outside I took a few pictures (Pictured #1 is a compilation photo of several angles of Parliament that I shot, with Dr. Morrison standing in the foreground.), and then we walked along the Thames River until we reached the National Film Theater, where after a coffee we entered the Museum of Moving Images (MOMI). It was a fabulous place that I could've easily spent all day exploring. (Pictures #5 and #6 are brochures from the MOMI.)

It chronicled the history of film, and presented it very well... and since Dr. Morrison and I are film buffs, we had a wonderful time. The highlight of the experience was a section of the museum where we saw how a television production is done. There, they had a freeze-frame camera, a television interview area, a television news report display where you read from the cue TV and appear on camera, and something where it makes you appear like you are flying over the Thames.

They also had a Charlie Chaplin exhibit in honor of his 100th birthday, which was great, since he is one of my film heroes. I bought a badge and a book on Charlie Chaplin. (Picture #7 is the book cover.)

When we left the MOMI, it was a bit later than we had anticipated it would be, so we grabbed a taxi and dashed back to my parent's hotel, where they had been waiting for awhile. We then went to dinner at the Lime Tree Hotel, located across the street from my parent's hotel. It proved to be a very interesting meal.

First, our table was outside, and had a waitress that later told us she had a Yugoslav/Italian accent. She was very nice, but it was difficult to understand what she was saying at times. Then there was the gardener: A bizarre man who thought Angela was my daughter and that Mom was my wife. This was funny, but this guy was not playing with a full deck. (Picture #8 is Dr. Morrison, Mom and Angie at the Lime Tree Hotel.)

Well after that experience, we grabbed a taxi and went back to the Royal College building, grabbed some bags, and Mom & Dad returned to their hotel while Dr. Morrison, Angie and I took a taxi to Rosemary's flat. I think I have taken more taxi rides today than I have the entire previous nine months.

The rail strikes chaotic effect seems to have been ill judged. The traffic surprisingly ran smoother today. Great! I love seeing strikes get shattered.

At Rosemary's we all talked for a bit, but I was in bed by 12.30 - earliest in awhile!

Tuesday, June 20, 1989

A Rare View of the Changing of the Guard ...

The weather remained excessively hot today, but it could hardly dampen what we did today. After breakfast, we walked down to Buckingham Palace and St. James Park, with our intentions of watching the ceremonial changing of the guard.

At 11 a.m., we ENTERED the gates at Buckingham Palace, and were given a very rare opportunity - we watched the changing of the guard from the inside of the gate, actually leaning against the walls of Buckingham Palace while the ceremony took place. There was a certain self-satisfaction we felt from seeing all of the people on the outside of the fence clamoring for a glimpse of the guards, while we were on the opposite side, with a clear, unobstructed view. Thanks go to Dr. Morrison for having friends in all the right places!

When we left the palace, Mom, Dad and Angie returned to the room while Dr. Morrison and I took the Underground to Piccadilly to do some shopping. We went into a Specialty record shop of nothing but Film and Show soundtracks, where I found the record that my friend Scott has been searching for unsuccessfully for many years: "Meatballs," his favourite film. Hope he still wants it. If not, I'll gladly keep it.

In another shop, I bought a few postcards, and then browsed around Tower Records until 5.30, when I returned to get ready for tonight's West End show. Dr. Morrison and I left for "Les Miserables," while my parents and Angie went to see "Starlight Express" (which I had already gone to see during my high school class trip to England in 1987.)

We met Dr. Morrison's niece Rosemary and her sister Angela outside the theatre, having a drink before the show began. Then Dr. Morrison, Angela and I parted with Rosemary and took our seats up in the peanut gallery. I mean, they were way up there. It unfortunately took away from the show experience for us, not too mention the unbearable heat. Although the music and acting and the story were all excellent, because of our partially-obstructed position, and because of the projection of the voices, it was often too difficult to follow what was going on exactly. If I see it again, I want good seats or I'll pass. (Pictured at top is the Palace Theatre. See those windows at the top? That's about where we were in relation to the stage at ground level.)

So in the same day... awesome seats for the Changing of the Guard, horrible seats for "Les Miserables."

We met up with Rosemary at the show's end around 11 p.m., and then ate at a French restaurant nearby (very continental cuisine this week). The food was excellent, although the portions were small. But they were just the right size for me tonight.

We talked and concluded that after Dr. Morrison returned home, Angie and I could stay with Rosemary, while Mom and Dad might possibly stay at Angela's house. We'll see how that works out.

Wow! Yet another full day gone by!

Monday, June 19, 1989

A Stroll Down Abbey Road ...

I woke up bright and early at 6.30 a.m. to begin packing the car with Dr. Morrison. After breakfast, and after bidding farewell to Fiona, Dr. M and I drove off at about half 9, while my parents and sister prepared to leave shortly thereafter by train.

We had a good run on the road from Neston to London, stopping twice along the way: once to eat a very mediocre hamburger at a stop along the motorway, and another stop once we arrived in London to (finally) see the Abbey Road studio.

So between Liverpool and London, I've now seen just about everything I needed to see with regards to The Beatles. Snapped a shot of the street where the Abbey Road album cover was shot (pictured above). Had to move quickly between traffic, and I didn't get a chance to get a photo of myself walking across. Yeah, I'm sure I'd be the first person that thought to do that! (Second photo is the main entrance to Abbey Road Studios. I wonder how many times did John, Paul, George and Ringo pass through that portal?)

We had no traffic problems until we hit London, but we managed OK. Checked into the Royal Society of General Practitioners (thanks to Dr. M, of course), where we plan to stay for two nights. Just as we were all unpacked, Mom, Dad and Angie all showed up.

Once we were all squared away, Dr. Morrison and I took off for Leicester Square, where we came away with five tickets to see the West End musical "Blood Brothers"- at half price, no less! We returned to the room, picked up my parents and sister, then headed for the show. It was marvelous. We enjoyed it tremendously... good music, good story, good acting, and even pretty good seats. (Third picture: The family outside the theatre after the show, sporting a souvenir programme. Next picture is my ticket stub.)

Following the show, we went to Chi-Chis in Leicester Square for dinner, and enjoyed a delicious Mexican meal. We then walked around Piccadilly Circus before grabbing a taxi back to the room, which is located just off of Knightsbridge, across from Hyde Park. It is also right next to the former Iranian Embassy, which was gutted by fire after a bomb exploded following a terrorist overthrow in 1980. For more details, check out the entry in the "Chronicles of the 20th Century" book.

We zonked out shortly after returning to the room.

Sunday, June 18, 1989

Two Wongs Don't Make a Reitz ...

I had a very good, relaxing day following my recent marathon of activity. I woke up late in the morning, ate breakfast, and took the afternoon easy at Dr. Morrison's house.

We went for a walk down the road to Ness Gardens, which is a very nice botanical garden. Although it was very hot, I had a great time with my parents, catching up on the events of the past nine months.

Soon we walked back to Dr. Morrison's house, where after another rest, during which time I listened to a few of my records, we got ready to go out to dinner at the Jasmine Eating House - a Chinese restaurant. Before we made it to the restaurant, we stopped at Mike and Eunice Unger's house for some drinks (cool, refreshing Pimm's, a classic summer British spirit.)

We gathered at the restaurant at around 8 p.m., and around half 8, the feasting commenced... and boy, was it good! Every course was delicious, from the soup to the roast duck and to the main course - sweet and sour chicken, steak and several other delicious dishes. We all had an excellent time, eating and drinking until close to midnight.

It was great to see everyone one last time before jetting off, and what a way to celebrate! Dr. Morrison knows the owners of the restaurant, the Wongs, and I convinced Dr. Morrison to take a picture of me with them. I call it, "Two Wongs Don't Make a Reitz." (Pictured above is the classic photo, with me, Mrs. and Mr. Wong at their restaurant. Nice hair, world traveler!)

Upon returning to Dr. Morrison's house, I still had another task... to repack my gear as best I could for the next journey. I didn't get to bed until it started to get light outside, which is still pretty early in these parts.

***

• Number One Song in Britain This Week: "Sealed with a Kiss" - Jason Donovan
  
  
• Number One Song in America This Week: "Satisfied" - Richard Marx
  

Saturday, June 17, 1989

It's My 20th Birthday... and a Farewell to Hull ...

Well, today is my birthday. And also Viv's father's birthday. And my friend Molly Sherman's birthday. And my friend Ted's brother Chip Schaeffer's birthday. And the Queen's birthday (observed.)

So on this, obviously one of the most important days of the year, I turned 20, and had only 2 1/2 hours of sleep at the same time. All the same, it was going to be a "big day" today (as Greg always says.)

I ate breakfast with my parents at the Beck House Hotel (which is conveniently only about a block away from The Grange.), and we dined at a leisurely pace as we chatted and got caught up on a number of things.

Afterward we packed up all of my gear, gave Sam my Social-Political Structures paper to hand in for me so that I could leave a bit early, along with a few other things I gave to him, and also bid farewell to Shannon the Hamster (Lorna, another hamster owner, agreed to care for her). Walked around the residence and bid farewell to J.P., Neil, and other people that I saw walking about.

Next we took a walk up to the Cottingham Road site so that my parents could see the area a bit, and also to return my library books. (Pictured above is a photo I snapped of my parents and sister along that walk.)

At noon, we hopped on the train and I said farewell to Hull for the last time, as we departed for a stop in York. While on the train, we met up with Dave Hart and his parents, who were going to York as well, so we traveled with them for a bit. It was a slow train and we didn't get to York until nearly 4 p.m., but it was another beautiful day and we still were able to see a lot.

We watched some crew races on the river (pictured is Mom and Dad watching the race), walked the shops, went through the Jorvik Viking Centre (third visit for me... my parents enjoyed it). Dad and I climbed up to the top of, oh, what's the name of that castle on the hill there again? Anyway, we climbed up and took some great photos.

At 6 p.m. we went to Pizza Hut for my birthday dinner, which marked the first time I drank a beer with my parents in public (or anywhere, for that matter). In a few days, it won't be legal for me to do that in public for another year.

While there, Dad committed a humorous faux pas. When the waitress asked him if everything was alright, he replied, "No, that will be all" (not listening to exactly what she had said.) I laughed, anyway.

Walked past the minster, and along the wall for awhile (pictured is Mom, Dad and Angie walking the wall), looking at the city until 8.15, when we returned to the train station. Dad called Dr. Morrison, while Mom and I bought drinks.

Another funny moment: Mom asked for a hot tea with a little milk, and when her order arrived, she received a hot tea and a little milk carton. Again, I saw the funny side of this.

We had a hectic train ride, constantly worrying if we were on the right train or not (the Brit Rail men did their best to confuse us). But in the end, we arrived in Liverpool only slightly late, where Dr. Morrison picked us up and drove us back to his house.

I took my parents through my photo albums over some drinks, and got to bed around 2 a.m. Almost didn't seem like a birthday, but it was a great day. Mom and Dad gave me a Beatles shirt on the train, which was nice, and Dr. Morrison and Fiona gave me a Liverpool F.C. scarf and hat. Love 'em both! (Pictured is me and Mom in Dr. Morrison's dining room, modeling my new winter gear over drinks and looking at my photo albums.)

Friday, April 7, 1989

My Last Full Day in Madrid ...

Today is going to be my last full day here in Spain. It started out with not much to do during the day except sleep in, clean, draw a bit and read. But then Viv skipped class to spend more time with me on our final day here, so we decided to walk down to El Prado (top, with me in front of the statue) and check out more of the paintings that we missed the first time we were there a few weeks ago.

Of course, it was great. Saw the Bosch painting again (that's our favorite), as well as another favorite of mine, "The Triumph of the Dead" (middle). I bought postcards of both of these paintings, as well as one by Goya (bottom). It is simply a spectacular art museum, unlike any I've ever seen before. Granted, I've only seen a few thus far...

So then we left the museum, only to be greeted by a downpour, and after a wait to see if it would stop, we decided to dash through the rain and go to a nearby gift shop. Eventually we realized the rain was not about to stop in the near future, so we scratched our plan to visit the Templo de la Egypt and made it to the Metro for the return trip back to the flat on Calle de Pelayo.

Tonight was to be the flat mates' housewarming party, so Viv and I bought some rum and coke for the evening. After umpteen more games of Gin Rummy, we joined the party of international students. I met another American student, Todd, from Minnesota, who is braving it out over at the Residencia with The Old Man.

I mingled with the gang until Puri, Liz, Viv and I took a late night excursion to McDonald's, had Big Macs, then returned. We saw a scuffle take place out in the street (it is a bit of a rough neighborhood), though we never figured out exactly what had transpired. After that excitement died down, several people went to a disco, but Viv and I stayed behind.

The flat was a wreck, but it was a modestly fun last evening in Madrid. This will be the last time I see Viv until she (hopefully) makes the trip over to visit me in the United States this summer. I'm going to miss Viv so much.

Monday, April 3, 1989

Confusion Sets In ...

Ate breakfast with Viv this morning, but once everyone left for class, I went back to sleep until late morning. The hot water heater was out of gas, so there was no hot water for a shower this morning.

Everyone was finished with class by 1 p.m., so they came back, and after Viv and I ate some sandwiches, we headed out to the Royal Palace. It started to pour down rain (only the 3rd time on the entire trip so far), and when we got to the palace, it was closed for formal functions until Saturday.

So, we walked back through the rain and stopped in a doorway until it died down. We walked through a few shops, buying another International Herald Tribune to read, and pricing pillows in Galerias Presadios and El Corte Ingles, two larger department stores here in Spain.

Finally, we returned to the piso to wait for Kurt, Angie, and the rest of the crew to go visit Sanchez, the real estate agent. Of course, although we were scheduled to be there by 4.30, they didn't arrive at the flat until 5.

And that's when the confusion began.

Viv and I left to go shopping and took the keys with us to make copies, so that everyone who is living there would have one. We left under the pretext that we would be back in an hour, so that when they returned from the agent's office, we could let them in.

We made the mistake of locking the door to the flat when we left, thinking that it could be unlocked from the inside, no problem. So we went and had the spare keys made, gathered a few other provisions, and also purchased tickets to see "Rain Man" later that evening. We returned at exactly the time we said we would.

Viv and I only discovered our error after returning from this excursion, and everyone unnecessarily started yelling at us, upsetting Viv and angering everyone. These doors are quite funny, and when they are locked from the outside, they cannot be unlocked from the inside. Wow, that's safe.

I installed a lock on our other door, and then Viv and I went out to do some grocery shopping at El Corte Ingles. When we returned, we received apologies all around and all was well once more.

Next I installed some lights for Viv in her room, and then we once again headed out for a budget-friendly meal at McDonald's for some Big Macs, etc. Then we went to see "Rain Main," dubbed in Spanish. It was strange for me to watch, and not nearly as good as seeing it with the original actors' voices. Nonetheless, it was interesting to see an American film presented as a foreign film, and although I could understand very little of what was being said, I could still catch the jist, having seen it in Hull not too long ago.

We returned to the room at 12.30, and an hour later, after unpacking our food, talking to people, reading the newspaper and doing all of those little things that you do before going to bed, we went to sleep.

Still need to get a pillow and sheets, though.

Saturday, April 1, 1989

Not Much of a "Fooling Around" Day ...

I didn't waste any time, and actually started off with some April Fools' Day Jokes around midnight, but this wasn't much of a day for fooling around. Today, all but two of the students moved out of the Residencia.

This day was a bit of a mess. Viv and I packed our things in the hostel, took some of our bags and headed for the agent's office, where we were to meet everyone at 11.00 a.m. We got a late start, and didn't get there until 11.30 a.m. - but, of course, we were still the first ones to arrive. It was then that Sanchez, the agent, told Viv that he couldn't accept the check she had written out, and that we would have to go and cash it. So we left to cash it, but Viv only had two checks left, and wrote out the first one for an amount that was more than was allowed, so that check was void. She wrote out the second and final check for 30,000 pesetas, the maximum allowed, which gave her just enough money to pay for everything.

After a bit more running around, I went back and paid for the room at Villa Garcia. It started with me having a difficult solo attempt at talking to the hotel manager, trying to explain to him what was going on, that I was waiting for Viv to arrive. He had no idea what I was saying, but we managed to keep things afloat until Viv arrived to translate for me... and rescue me. Following that we paid for that.

It was after all of that confusion that we finally got all of our bags in the new flat, located just off Gran Via. We then made our way to Gran Via to find a place to eat (after borrowing some from Angie, since we had no money once again.) While out we found a shop that sold everything, so we went in to price things that Viv would need. While there we saw a little restaurant in it, so we ate chorizo sandwiches, walked around the store a bit more, and then headed out to Gran Via, casually walking up and down looking at the many shops and movie theaters.

Next we caught the Metro down there and took it to the Residencia to pick up Viv's remaining items. While there we learned that Kurt was supposed to arrive by 2 p.m. However, it was now 3 p.m., and he still wasn't there yet to get the rest of his stuff and to help some of the others with their bags. Liz, Viv and I went out so that Liz could get something to eat, and when we returned, Kurt still hadn't arrived. He finally got to the Residencia at 5 p.m. - punctual as usual!

Soon, everyone was at the flat and the next question was, who will get what room? It went surprisingly well, actually, and when it was done, everyone was happy. Kurt and Angie, as expected, got the back room. Liz and Raquel both got the single rooms, Rowan and Claire got the open room located next to the cheeky frog Isabelle's room, and Viv got the big room with the balcony at the front of the flat. It's the room that is intended to be the sitting or living room. The only problem with it is that it doesn't have a wardrobe.

After we got the rooms sorted, Viv, Liz and I caught the Metro to Madrid 2, a huge shopping mall on the outskirts of the city. We spent most of our time in one store, Alcampo, buying various provisions for the flat. This was followed by a brief search for McDonald's for some dinner.

After eating, we returned to the flat to find our room had to be reworked. The TV that was there went into the storage room, as did the single bed frame. We pulled out the two single mattresses and a double bed frame, but the mattresses were too large for the frame. (Isabelle had the double mattress, but wouldn't trade with Viv until the morning. Cheeky frog.)

So we plopped the two mattresses on the floor, made the bed as best we could, ate some sandwiches as a late night snack, and shortly afterward, went to sleep.

Not much in the way of April Fools' jokes today.

Pictured top is the Fuente de Neptuno in the Plaza Canovas del Castillo. It is located in the center of a roundabout outside the Ritz Hotel. We were not staying in anything resembling the Ritz Hotel, of course. The second photo is of Alcampo at Madrid 2.

Friday, March 31, 1989

If They Put Me in the Zoo ...

Viv woke early for class, but I couldn't be bothered, so I slept until 11.30 a.m., at which time I got up, read the paper and waited for Viv to return. When she did, I got ready and we went out to get a sandwich at good ol' Don Jamon's, across the Calle.

After lunch we caught the Metro to Batan, where we proceeded to walk to the Madrid Zoo. It cost about 800 pesetas each to get in, but with our International Student ID cards, we got 20% off. It was a nice zoo and I really enjoyed it.

Even though it wasn't the best zoo I've ever visited, I think it's the on I enjoyed visiting the most. We saw, among the many animals, elephants, tigers, lions, kangaroos, strange and colorful birds, monkeys, hippos, rhinos and eagles. Of course, photos were taken of the flamingos (my favorite bird), as well as the Giant Pandas, the playful red pandas, large pelican-like birds that Viv was able to stand right next to, and the highlight of the day: the baboons.

They were very playful and eager to put on a show for the tourists in the hopes of scoring a treat. One baboon would do back flips, while the other jumped up and down to get our attention, and when a peanut was thrown, he would usually catch it.

Following that, we were able to catch the first part of the dolphin show, but after taking two pictures we had to leave, because it was getting close to the time where we had to meet with the agent to sign the contract for the new flat. We were to meet at 4.20, and it was 10 past already. We arrived at Gran Via at 4.50 and what do you know, we were the first to arrive.

After we got everyone assembled (and I bought another copy of the International Herald Tribune), the five flatmates (Viv, Liz, Kurt, Angie and Raquel) sat and mitigated the circumstances while I sat off to the side and read my paper next to Mark, Raquel's boyfriend from back in Germany, who just arrived for a visit today (ah, the plot thickens).

Raquel (right, photo courtesy of Vivienne King) was being quite annoying, and left early with Mark for her own personal benefit, and the contract was not signed. However, money exchanged hands and things moved otherwise smoothly. Viv was extremely upset with how Raquel behaved there.

Afterwards, we went to McDonald's for some grub followed by another tour of the flat. This time, it had been cleaned and was actually quite appealling. Although the graffiti was still prominently displayed down the hallway, I offered to help paint over it if they wished. The consensus, however, was that the graffiti was pretty cool and should stay (and be added to as well). That's fine with me.

Viv picked out the room she wanted in the flat, but feared that Raquel would want it, and since she usually gets her way, she would end up getting it. I told Viv she should stand firm if she really wants it and not back down. She has no more or less claim to it than you, and you didn't ditch the group at the contract signing.

Everything was in pleasant order, so we left, and those four went to the Chueca Metro Station while I returned to my room at the Villa Garcia. I read the paper a bit more, then went for a walk to find out the showtimes for "Rain Man." Viv didn't get back until 10.15, though, so we didn't get to go see the movie tonight.

Pictured is Viv at a fountain in Madrid. This photo is not from the zoo. As you can see, there are no photos from the zoo here (you can click on the zoo link above to see the animals).

Editor's Note: OK, so here's what happened. Back in Barcelona, when I finished the roll of film, I rewound it, took it out and replaced it with a new roll. Unfortunately, the new roll did not catch on the camera, so I proceeded to think I was taking photos, when in fact, I was not. It was only when I thought I was finished with the roll that I rewound it and discovered the mistake. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed at this discovery. And this is why there are no photos actually taken from the second half of my trip to Madrid. Ah, if only digital photography had been invented about 10 years earlier...

Thursday, March 30, 1989

The Old Man Gets the News ...

When it was time to wake up and go to class, only about half of the students in the Residencia actually made it. Viv was one of the stragglers.

Somehow, when we woke up, Kurt was in the same bed as Angie. (Even Kurt says he doesn't know how that happened. He said the last thing he remembered was going to his room at the end of the evening. But I guess drinking straight gin will have some impact on your memory.)

Viv took Raquel's bed, and with a chair firmly placed in front of the door, Angie, Viv and I slept peacefully until 1 p.m. At that time, I took a shower, and shortly thereafter the students that actually made it to class had returned for lunch. Following lunch (which was actually quite good), most everyone went back to class, except for Kurt and Angie. Kurt and I played some Gin Rummy and a quick game of chess (he beat me), before I ventured out to purchase today's International Herald Tribune (2nd time in two days... it's an excellent newspaper).

When Viv returned, there was further discussion about the flat before Viv and I left to find a Hostel to stay at tonight. After last night's debacle, we wanted to go somewhere where we could both get a good night's sleep and get away from the Residencia.) We went back to the Villa Garcia off Gran Via, where I stayed when I first arrived in Madrid, and got a different room, this time with a balcony.

After getting squared away with the room, we returned to the Residencia to discover that The Old Man had already been told about all of the students who were leaving. His reaction wasn't what everyone expected, and The Old Woman said "we already knew" (but she said it en Espanol).

Apparently, they've already lined up some new suckers, I mean students, to move in. Poor sods. I guess The Old Man's scam is to overcharge and false adverties to students, then get a new batch to move in every month.

Well, we ate our dinner (my last here), and after Viv and I packed all of our things, we returned to Villa Garcia. I can't say that I'll miss life at the Residencia, except for some of the students that I've befriended who won't be moving into the new flat.

Viv and I relaxed and went to bed much earlier than we were able the night previous.

Pictured is the sign for a building located not-too-far-away from the Residencia.

Wednesday, March 29, 1989

No Rest for the Weary ...

I didn't wake up until 12.30 today when the cleaning lady came in. I took a shower, and when everyone returned from class, we went downstairs to eat a weak and unsatisfying lunch.

Then everyone went back to class again with me alone in the room. A bit later, The Old Man came in and turned off the light, complaining about the music. Stupid man. I'm looking forward to getting out of here.

I tidied up a bit, played some patience, and rested listening to "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" and some Neil Young. Up until now, a relatively uneventful day.

Then evening approached.

It was Leona's birthday (one of the students staying here at the Residencia), and permission was granted to have a party. All went well. It was held down in the basement and featured music, dancing, "special" drinks, and they even had the back door open so that you could stand out by the so-called "pool."

It was after the party that the fireworks began.

First, Angie got rip-roarin' drunk, and after we went back up to the rooms, and while Viv and I were playing a few games of Gin Rummy, she and Kurt started fooling around a bit, and then Angie asked us if we would leave the room. This upset and angered Viv, but we left and went for a short walk (which was preceded by a hassle from The Old Man, naturally).

When we returned to the Residencia, we stayed downstairs until we had an opportunity to make it look to the Old Man and Old Woman like I had left for the evening. However, with money tight, I needed to stay here, and did not want to have to pay the extra money. So when we finally made it up to the room, it was about 1.30 a.m. We were tired, so we decided to get some sleep. I had to share a tiny bed with Viv, because no other empty bed existed (a problem that will be remedied in a few short days). So there we were, Angie drunk and out like a light now, while Viv and I tried to get some sleep.

It was not to be.

In the room next door, the French students and others were still awake and talking (including Kurt and Raquel). No problem there.

The problem arose when The Old Man came up and told them all to go to bed, accused them of being drunk (a point on which he was correct), threatened to call the police on them, and said he was going to stay there until they all went to bed. That didn't work out well.

To give you an idea of further atrocities these people infringe upon these students' privacy, The Old Woman then came up into Viv's room without knocking, and flicked on the light to look for bottles. Of course, I'm not supposed to be here. Fortunately, I was able to hide between the two beds and The Old Woman did not see me. Later, whenever they came back upstairs, I hid under Angie's bed, Angie sound asleep right above, until they went back down and it was safe.

Also during the evening, Angie got rather ill, so we had Kurt come and take her into the bathroom. This, of course, also brought The Old Man back upstairs. When Angie was safely in bed asleep, it was around 4 a.m., and we finally managed to get some sleep... until 6.30 a.m., when Raquel and Jerome rather noisily entered the room. With Angie snoring loudly on one side of the room, and Raquel and Jerome making their own special noises on the other, it became rather difficult to get back to sleep. But somehow, I managed.

Pictured above is my collection of Metro tickets from Madrid. They feature paintings from El Prado on the back. I thought they were pretty cool, so I started keeping my tickets when I got one that I needed. No idea if it's a full or partial collection. The ticket in the middle shows the reverse side with the train information.

***


The second picture is of some of the students who were at the party (photo is not from that party): from left to right - Kurt, Angie, Raquel, I don't remember her name, Viv and Liz.) Photo provided for this blog courtesy of Vivienne King.

Tuesday, March 28, 1989

Well I Went to the Post Office ...

Hey, today is the 10th anniversary of the TMI Nuclear Accident. I wonder how they are celebrating back home. I was in fourth grade when the accident occurred. Very bizarre day, that was. We weren't quite sure what was going on, but it wasn't good. Throughout the day parents were coming in and taking their kids out of the class. We thought we were pretty funny when we all laid down on the ground and "played dead" after lunch, before the teacher came back in the room. She didn't think it was quite as funny.

Anyway, Viv woke me up at 8:45 a.m. for breakfast, which was a much-too-exciting array of biscuits and cocoa. Afterward I came up to Viv's room and fell asleep in Angie's bed, only to be awoken by The Old Woman at 11 a.m. I got up like I think she requested, sat in the other room, and waited for it to be cleaned. When it wasn't, I went back in and fell asleep again until the cleaning lady came in. She said she would go and clean the other room first, which was very nice of her, but a few moments later old Beelzebub came back in and kicked me out.

So now that I was reluctantly up, I did a bit of writing, listening to music, etc., until the others returned. I was informed that it was now official... they called the agent back and confirmed the flat off Grand Via. Now they'll have to inform The Old Man that they're moving out at the end of the month.

We ate lunch, which was pretty good, and after Viv went to the bank and we finally had some money again, everyone went back for their afternoon classes. When everyone returned from class, Viv and I went to the post office to send all of our mail. It costs 69 pesetas to send a postcard to the United States (35p, or about 50 cents), but it costs only 115 pesetas to send the big letters. The stamps tasted icky, though.

We returned and rested until we were treated to the most repulsive meal I have ever seen: Red (purple, actually) cabbage, followed by cold fish with mayonnaise. I ate almost none of it, and after the meal Viv and I walked up to the nearby Wendy's and had hamburgers.

Now fully satisfied, we returned to the Residencia to talk, play cards and once again not do all that much. It was Kurt and Angie, Raquel and Jerome (not Geronimo, as I thought earlier), and Viv and me in the room for the final moments of the evening.

Pictured is one of the Madrid post cards I sent, this one of El Prado for my parents. It was actually one of several I put into one envelope, then had my parents hand them out to people, in the interest of saving money on those icky-tasting stamps.

Monday, March 27, 1989

Flat Decisions ...

Easter Monday is another "big day" here in Spain, which means that the banks were shut today as well. I awoke this morning to the sight of ants crawling all around Dave's room (obviously, they are friends with last night's cockroach).

It was late morning by the time I woke up, and it was soon time for lunch. I grabbed a shower after leaving "the zoo," which was followed by an adequate meal. During an afternoon plagued by loafing, reading, and playing cards while everyone else was studying, Liz and a few others returned from whence they came.

With Liz here, we were prepared to finally take a look at that flat the students are interested in letting. Unfortunately, Liz disappeared before we left, so we had to make the trip without her. We took the Metro to Gran Via, saw the agent, who gave us the key, and we then walked to the flat.

It was a dive.

The flat was messy, with junk all over the place. It even had graffiti painted all over the walls in the hallway. It needed a lot of work, but it was huge and cheap - about the same for five to stay here as it would cost for one to stay at the Residencia.

Initially, the answer was a unanimous "No." But further consideration on the way back left it again up in the air as a possibility.

The lecture from The Old Man back at the Residencia during a repulsive dinner (fish cake thingies) sealed its fate. He talked of a student's duty to study and not fool around, and offered to give the students Statistics lessons for £25 a month. (Viv translated for me.) He said all of this while everyone basically ignored him and showed him no respect whatsoever, simply continuing to carry on their own conversations while he talked.

Granted, the way he runs this place, he deserves little respect. Still, I felt a little bit sorry for him when he was being completely disregarded by the students. Hopefully he will learn a valuable lesson from his errors. These students really got ripped off by these people here.

Well, as talk among The Five (Kurt, Angie, Viv, Liz and Raquel) leaned towards taking the flat (Viv was still very skeptical and unsure), the evening continued. Later, many of the students went out, but Viv and I stayed behind, again because we have no money until the banks open tomorrow.

So instead we played two games of checkers (draughts), which I won, and then a first-to-five series of Gin Rummy (I won again, 5-4). Then when that was finished, we parted our separate ways for the evening. I had trouble getting to sleep at first, but managed.

Pictured is the cover of the Metro map I used during my stay in Madrid. It didn't take too long before I didn't really need it to get around. I would show you pictures of the flat but, well, more on that later.

Monday, March 20, 1989

Andorra or Barcelona? ...

We had a lie-in today and I woke up after 11 and began to finish writing my postcards before Viv got herself up. We had missed breakfast by this time, and since were to look at the apartment at 1.30 p.m., we asked if we could have our lunch at 3.

We went to the place and waited for Kurt and Angie to show up, but while we were waiting, the guy who was showing us the flat came out and said that we had to come back tomorrow because the place was being cleaned.

We then saw Angie and Kurt approaching and went to McD's for a little food. Viv and I then went through Sol to the American Express building to cash in my travelers checks before catching the Metro back to the Residencia for lunch.

Following that, Viv and I set off once again, this time to the bus station to do some research on possible trips to take, since she is now on spring break. I brought up Casablanca, Morocco as a possibility (it's actually not too far away, and yes, I know that Rick's Place isn't actually located there), but we quickly realized that would be expensive and problematic getting in. So we narrowed down our possibilities to Barcelona or Andorra (the tiny country nestled in the mountains between Spain and France.) (Pictured is Andorra bus trip brochure.)

After finding out what we could about both destinations, we came across difficulties with Andorra. The French Visa restrictions on Americans such as myself apparently apply to entering Andorra as well. At least, we think that is the case. We'll find out for sure tomorrow. Basically, if we can go to Andorra, we will. If not, then it's Barcelona.

We returned to the Residencia to sort things out, eat some dinner, and partake in other social activities of little importance with the rest of the gang. (Pictured at the Residencia doing things of little importance are Raquel, Viv and Liz.) Should find out more about our upcoming trip tomorrow. (Wow, a trip, within a trip, within a trip for me!)

Friday, March 17, 1989

Flat Hunting in Madrid ...

Checked out of the Villa Garcia hotel this morning (pictured), paid the bill, packed my bags, and left without knowing exactly where I would be staying tonight. Viv and I headed back to the Residencia. We bought a local newspaper, "Ya," to look through the ads for flats once we got back to Viv's. After we realized that Viv (as well as everyone else) had missed their lesson, we went out to eat some breakfast.

Afterwards we contemplated heading to El Prado, but decided to postpone that visit and instead decided it would be best to go apartment hunting instead. I found what I thought would be the ideal place, but we looked at all of the others before settling on that one. After phoning an agent in the phone box, we got an appointment to take a look at the apartment at 8 p.m. tonight.

We called two others, but ruled them out as well as all of the others because they were being handled by agents, which made them more expensive. Later on it began to rain (...the rain in Spain does not stay mainly in the plains), so we canceled plans to go out anywhere and we stayed in. Viv, Kurt, Angie and I played (off and on) umpteen various games of cards, stopping for mealtimes. After dinner we watched bits of dubbed episodes of "The Cosby Show" and "ALF," before returning to cards.

At half 7 we left for the flat, which was in Gran Via, the main road in the heart of Madrid (pictured in the lower photo). We arrived at a very posh building. It looked very promising, until we realized that this was just the owner's office, and not the flat building itself. The one he advertised in the paper, it turns out, was too far away. But he suggested another one that was only five minutes away, which had five bedrooms and was 65,000 pesetas a month rent. (Divided among 5 students, that would make it around £70 a month each, compared to the £300 a month they are currently paying to stay in the Residencia. They scheduled an appointment to take a look at the place on La Lunes (Monday), so I really hope it works out.

After that I bought six more postcards and when we returned to the Residencia, I wrote out five of them. We finally decided that I would stay at the Residencia tonight and just hope that I don't get caught. Angie, Kurt and others went to a pub, then came back and had a party here. Viv and I finally fell asleep at about 2 a.m.

Wednesday, March 15, 1989

Beware the Ides of March ...

Woke up bright and early again, and Viv stopped by so that we could make our way again to the little bakery across the road for an inexpensive breakfast. We traveled by Metro back to the Residencia and as they all left for their lessons, I remained behind once again on Viv's bed, this time to write some postcards to friends at Millersville.

When I finished writing post cards, I started writing "A Day in the Life" for Michele back home. I thought it'd be a nice way to give her a snapshot of what a typical day is like living in Hull. I was in the process of writing this letter when everyone returned for lunch, which was pretty good if you like fish.

Following lunch, Angie, Raquel and others continued to hunt for a new flat... and some of the French students weren't shy about it at all. They were looking at places in the paper right in front of the owners of the Residencia... the owner is a throwback from the Franco Era, very stern and disciplined. Also, apparently, rather cheap and a lover of fish.

After going to the bank, Viv and I took the Metro to El Retiro (pictured above), a large park located right in the center of Madrid. It was a beautiful day and we were able to take off our jackets and enjoy the sun, the trees, and everything about the place. My only complaint was the large concrete road that cuts right through the center of the park. In Retiro you can rent boats, enjoy an outdoor lunch, even have gypsies read you your future, or as we did, lay in the sun and relax for awhile.

There's also an art museum in the center of the park, but we didn't go in, because foreigners are required to pay admission (Spaniards are not). Strange. (Pictured below is the building we did not enter.)

After a relaxing afternoon in the park, we ventured back out into Madrid and took in other sights. We marvelled at many of the buildings and stopped at one of the dirtiest cafeterias I've ever been in. I've been told that in Madrid, cleanliness is not next to godliness.

We weren't exactly sure where we were at this point, until we happened to stumble upon Gran Via. So we returned to my room for a bit before returning via Metro to the Residencia for dinner.

After the meal I caught a few minutes of an episode of "ALF" dubbed in Spanish. That was an interesting experience. He's quite popular here, but it looked strange to me being dubbed. From what I saw, I wasn't able to identify what episode it was. Also interesting were some of the commercials. Apparently, nudity is OK to sell products on prime time television in Spain.

Later that evening, Viv and I left once more for Gran Via, and I got an early bed tonight.

Tuesday, March 14, 1989

Exploring a Little Bit of Madrid ...

This is my first full day in Madrid. Since Viv and everyone had classes today, I was restricted somewhat for things to do.

Anyway, Viv came to my hotel room at about 9 a.m. and shortly after we went to the little bakery across the road for some breakfast croissants, which were cheap, tasty and filling. From there we came to the Residence where Viv is staying - but not for long. (Pictured right is the Residencia. Photo courtesy of Vivienne King)

After they left for class, I stayed in Viv's room to work on various projects. She shares a room with Angie and a girl named Raquel, and the room is about the size of my single room back in Hull... just to give you an idea of how small it is. Basically, everyone here is disgusted with the Residence, and are actively looking for other places to live. (That would work for me, if they found a place where I could stay for free!)

So through the course of the day, I wrote an article for The Snapper on the Channel Tunnel, or the Chunnel, that they recently started building to connect Britain with France, and I also wrote a letter updating my recent article on the IRA. Everyone came back for lunch at 1 p.m., and we ate at about 1.30 p.m. At 3, everyone went back to class, and I continued with my writing until about 5 p.m.

When everyone returned from class, Viv and I went out on a walking tour of the area. It was a mild day and I only had to wear a sweatshirt. I brought my camera along and we explored the vicinity. She showed me where her lessons are, and then we walked past the stadium where the Real Madrid Futbol Team plays, the Ministry of Defense (heavily fortified with guards armed with machine guns), a shopping center, large buildings, and other sites. We stopped at McDonald's for cheeseburgers and a bookstore for post cards. Pictured is one of the photos I took during the walk.

After that we returned to the Residence and listened to my Steven Wright tape until dinner (fish), then finished listening to the tape after dinner. It was then that Angie, Liz and Raquel said that they had found an apartment that was ideal, but didn't know for sure if they could get it until tomorrow. Everyone was happy with that new, and later a "party" was held downstairs in the common area of the residence.

Viv and I left a little while after the party began, because I had to get to my room while the Metro was still running. Got off at Gran Via, the stop closest to my hotel, then went in and relaxed for the remainder of the evening.

Monday, March 13, 1989

From Hull to London to Madrid - the Adventure Begins ...

Whew! What a day! It all started at 7 a.m. when I woke and gathered my wares for a full day's journey to Madrid, Espana. At 10 to 8, I caught a local bus into town, but of course I caught one that was not going directly to the station (first time for that, of course.) So I got off the bus at the closest stop and walked about 200 yards with my large duffel bag to the bus station.

At first I had trouble finding the right bus, but I was able to figure it out in time, and climbed aboard for the journey to London. I got my first opportunity to cross the Humber Bridge... the largest suspension bridge in the world, and it felt like the bus was going to be blown over the edge, the wind was that strong.

During the ride I ate a sandwich, read some more of "The Satanic Verses," and enjoyed the scenery of the journey. The bus arrived in London, on schedule at 1.05 p.m. It was such a nice day I wished I had allowed myself a few hours - heck, a few days - here in London. But I couldn't, so I hopped on a shuttle that took me to Victoria Station, where I caught the Gatwick Express train down to Gatwick Airport. During this ride we passed by the site of the rail disaster at Purley - the crash that nine days ago killed 9 people. (Seems like lately I happen to pass by every British disaster site within a few weeks of the incidents.)

At Gatwick I checked in, had my baggage searched, and bought a sandwich before waiting an hour for my flight. At 3.55 p.m. the gate opened and a short while after I were on board the British Airways 737 bound for Madrid. It was a nice flight, and since the plane never really went too high in the sky, I was able to get a panoramic view of the South Coast of England, the English Channel, Northern France and Brittany, the Bay of Biscay and the Northern Spain landscape.

The flight arrived on time at 7.30 p.m. - a 1.45 flight (Spain is an hour ahead of Britain). After breezing through customs and getting my luggage without having to utter a word of Spanish, I met Viv, who was waiting for me at the gate. It was the first time I had seen her in three weeks. It was also comforting to know that I wouldn't have to worry about the fact that I speak practically zero Spanish.

After relaxing and chatting for a few minutes, Viv and I caught a bus back into the city, and I was able to catch my first glimpses of Madrid. The traffic was terrible, but at first glance it looked similar to many big cities I have visited before.

When we got off the bus, we were immediately challenged by the aggressive Madrid drivers as we made our way to the Metro station. We caught this train back to Viv's residence, which is located right next door to the Iraqi Embassy (and me with my copy of the evil "Satanic Verses" in my backpack. Oh no!)

When we got into the residence, I said my hellos (excuse me, holas) to my friends from back in Hull. They included Liz Ortega (Viv's old roommate), Kurt Dross, and Kurt's girlfriend Angie. Afterward we ate some dinner, then Kurt, Viv and I caught the Metro to try and find a cheap hostel where I could stay. Kurt said he knew of a cheap one, so we went there... the Hotel Garcia. It was cheap, and it looked a bit dodgy on the outside, but it was a nice room, and it was quiet.

After I settled in, Kurt and Viv left and I played some solitaire, listening to Neil Young, relaxing in a country that no hablo ingles. Following a busy day like this, I had no problem whatsoever getting to sleep.