San Fermin: "I'm with the band"...

Actually, yes.  Although I didn't really know what was going on, I just went with Ana to meet her co-worker, and he gave us each a traditional Basque instrument (which I tried to play but couldn't) and we went into some room overlooking the town square.  Eventually about another 200 people somehow managed to squeeze into the room, complete with all kinds of instruments including several tubas and trombones.  Then everyone got real quiet (well, somewhat quiet) as the countdown to noon and the shooting off of the rocket to signal the start of San Fermin.  I kept trying to look out to see which direction the town hall was (which is where the rocket is fired from) until I finally realized we were inside the town hall!

From where I was I could never tell when the rocket went off, but the next thing I knew the band was playing some song.  A little while later, the doors opened up, the band emerged (I stayed to the rear) into the already completely-full square, played some more songs (that the crowd all knew and sang along with), and then started marching off.

There was much more singing in the streets, and I joined in the best I could (with the tune, if not the words).  I think sometimes we were singing for San Fermin and sometimes for Basque Independence, but I'm not really sure.  Anyway, it was quite spectacular, I met many of Iñaki and Ana's friends, and a couple of English-speakers on my own.  I understood from several with whom we spoke that it was quite extraordinary for a "tourist" to get into the band, so I was duly appreciative of the unique vantage point.

Staying in Touch Via Skype

Just as we have stayed in touch with our international students via. Skype, I've been able to stay in touch with my family the same way.  This was my second Skype conversation with Anna and Leah, and after that I Skyped with Keith.

To France (Almost) and the Coast

Today Marina's family took me on a trip north through the Basque Country, a visit to a National Park, then driving along the river that separates Spain from France, and ending up at the coast of the Bay of Biscay (that's the body of water that is north of Spain and west of France, an indentation from the Atlantic Ocean).

We came back "early" so we could get to bed "early" (that's like midnight) because we have to get up early for the opening ceremony of San Fermin.  I found out from Marina that it runs 24 hours a day for the entire 8 days.  That's concerts around the clock from every type of band, including a lot of unofficial street bands, and including a lot of Basque music.  She'll be with her friends for the entire festival, except when she comes home to sleep from about 10 am to 1 pm every day.  That's her normal routine for San Fermin.

At the Señorío de Bertiz National Park

Iñaki and me at the coast

Several paragliders in the distance (in France).

More People to Meet in and around Pamplona

Marina asked me a lot of interesting questions tonight: what do I like about the Spanish people? how is the country compared to what I expected? what's different between the Spanish in Madrid and Pamplona? and what don't I like?

I have to say the best thing about this trip so far has been staying with the families.  Both families have gone 10 times beyond what I anticipated as far as extending their hospitality and sharing their country, culture, friends, family, and experiences with me.  It would seem like I just happened to find the two nicest families in Spain, but I think there's a better explanation.  Maybe it's just that families who would see the value and make the effort to send one of their teenagers to live with a family in America for a cultural experience, would also be more likely to see the value and make the effort to provide a similar experience in their homes.

When we sent out our cards this past Christmas, I included a post card with 4 photos of our "International Family", the 4 students we have hosted the past 4 summers.  I think next Christmas I will need to make the card bigger, to fit the rest of the family members, since I will have stayed with all 3 of families who live in Europe by the end of this trip.

I got invited to a lunch (feast) with Ana's co-workers.

And to visit Marina's "village" of Badostáin I had heard so much about.

And to meet some of Marina's village friends.

To the North and the Basque Country

Driving from Sandra's family in Madrid to Marina's family in Pamplona was quite a trip across some beautiful terrain, with some spectacular weather.  When I arrived, Marina, Iñaki, and Ana greeted me enthusiastically, and I was treated to another amazing Spanish dinner.  The following day they had arranged a tour (in English) of old Pamplona (the walled city), a visit to Ana's job, and several other activities, ending the evening with a couple of games of cards.

Monasterio de Piedra National Park, about mid-way
between Madrid and Pamplona, had about a dozen
amazingly beautiful waterfalls.

Monasterio de Piedra National Park

Very large thunderstorms loomed ahead as far as I could see,
in the direction I was headed.

On a "shortcut" 2-lane road that cut the corner of the triangle
to bypass Zaragoza.  Several places along the road were flooded,
with (muddy) water and some uprooted bushes spilling across the
road from right to left.  

First of several awesome meals.  This is lasagne, but of a variety
I've never tasted before.  It was delicious!

Iñaki and Marina by the river on our way to the old city.

A visit to Ana's workplace, a company which manufactures and
distributes electrical equipment, including the wiring harnesses
used to control windmills.

Her colleagues were extremely cheerful and gave me a great tour of
the facility.  It's nice to be going to places that don't get a lot of
American tourists, and people are eager to practice their English.
By the way, they always looked like this, not only when their photo
was being taken.  Gerard, on the left, was my main tour guide and
his English, which he had learned through evening conversational
classes, was a good as many native Spanish speakers I've heard who
have lived in the U.S. for years.

Marina plays beautifully, Basque ethnic music on
the Trikitixa, which, by the way...

...is a lot harder to play than it looks!!  Ouch.

Before she started to explain the game to me, I asked Marina if
it used normal cards, to which she replied "yes".  When we got
them out, they looked like this.  She thought these were "the normal
cards that everyone uses all over the world".  (Of course, I've always
thought that the ones we use in America were "the normal cards
that everyone uses all over the world".)

We played 2 games of "Mus", which I looked up afterward in
wikipedia, which said it's a Spanish card game, which most likely
originated in Basque country.  It involves cards, stones, and some
facial cues that you try to give to your partner to clue them in on your
hand without your opponents seeing it.  Definitely the funniest part.
Marina and I won both games, probably due to "the luck of the first
time player".

The Village

We took a two-day trip to "the Village" that I've heard so much about.  Luis' dad grew up in one village, and his mom in the next one over (during the summers).  Luis and his siblings grew up in his dad's village (during the summers).  The village greeters (who sit in chairs outside and watch cars come in) all have known Luis since he was a boy.  

Again the centrality of family and village within this segment of the world's culture has been amazing to me.  It seems, well, foreign, to my American upbringing, with our glamorization of independence and self-reliance.  Hopefully if I've imparted anything to Sanda's family during this stay, it's been a sense of how special it is to have what they have.

Somewhere in Madrid, where we visited the grandparents before heading out to the Village.

Outside the walled city of Avila.  The entire wall is intact and in excellent condition.  On the left is Susanna, Sandra's friend (not to be confused with Susanna, Yolanda's sister).

Inside the cathedral of Avila, a "hymnal" of Gregorian Chant.  I guess they had just this one really big copy that everybody looked on.

Then we drove down into the Valle del Jerta, one of the biggest producers of cherries in Europe.

And visited a family who owned one of the orchards, via. a friend of a friend.  And no surprise, after comparing notes they figured out they were 3rd or 4th cousins.

The last stop before the Village, was the last village before the Village that had a store.

The Village.  Hmmm... These don't look like the cows I usually land in a field with in Florida.

The Village.  The other extra person in the photo (in the pink) is Claudia's friend, Christina.  Did I mention there are always lots of family and friends around?

The Village.  This plant was about 3 feet tall.  In some places, whole mountain-sides were yellow with these.

The Village.  La grande dandelion.

Hiking in Garganta del Inferno National Park at Pilores.

Where we found a wonderful waterfall to rest by.

On the way home, Luis spotted this ex-hang-glider-sail turned sunshade.  I have found among the people I've spoken with in Spain (both Sandra's family, and Marina's family) that everyone is familiar with hang gliding and paragliding.  I haven't had to explain once, what it is, or where do we fly, or why do we do it.

Reflections from Spain

10 Interesting things I've observed so far (not in any particular order):

1. Pedestrians really do have the right-of-way in crosswalks.  A pedestrian can enter any crosswalk at any time and all the cars will stop for them.

2. Every intersection really is a rotunda (circle).  Except in big cities which have semaphores (traffic lights).  And in villages which have houses and streets (the side of the street is the house).

3. People don't get mad at each other in traffic.  It's no problem.

4. Yes a siesta is typical.  Luis' normal work day is: he gets in at about 8:30 and works until 2, comes home for lunch and a "nap", then works from 3:30 until around 9, Monday through Thursday.

5. Everybody lives "in community".  It dawned on me suddenly while driving: there is a village, then there are 10 or 20 or 30 km of fields, then another village.  Where are the farm houses?  Everybody lives in the village!

6. It's the same in the city.  Everybody is a cousin, or a friend.  Every place we go, there are a variety of people coming and going.

7. When one or two or three people pass by one or two or three other people (strangers), everyone says "hola".

8. There are a lot of meals, small meals, and the food is delicious!!  Everything is very local with very few ingredients.  Every morning a fresh loaf of bread is at the front gate.

9. Stuff that is old is hundreds of years old.  Stuff that is very old is thousands of years old.

10. Everyone I've met has been friendly, gracious, cheerful, and sociable.

We went to Sunday mass at Abadia de Santo Domingo de Silos - where all the music was in Gregorian Chant, then toured the grounds.  Built from the 12th - 14th centuries.

Not Caleruega?  And that means?  Answer: every village has a sign like this without the red line which means "entering", and like this which means "leaving".

Near where we stopped for lunch (that's at about 3 o'clock) in the village of Tubila.

Every lunch (at home, or on the road) is served communal-style.  There are lots of potatoes, eggs, cheese, and bread.  Salad is always served with olive oil.

Yolanda, Claudia, and Samantha.

Claudia, Sandra, and Samantha enjoy having their photo taken...

While Luis waits patiently.

A lot of chocolate was consumed.  This is a chocolate sandwich!  For breakfast one day they made chocolate milk and dipped buttered bread in it.  (When I said all the food is delicious, that excludes a few things I managed to politely excuse myself from.)

This is "very old".  This Roman aqueduct was built B.C. to carry water from the mountains to the walled city of Segovia.  Not only is it still standing after > 2,000 years, but every block is cut and fitted so precisely, that the entire structure was built and stays in place with no cement/mortar/caulking of any kind - only stone!!

A wedding in Segovia.  In one day (a Saturday), we passed 8 outdoor weddings.  This one featured traditional music and dance.

A most interesting painting in the Cathedral of Segovia.  And it means???

Close-up of a figure of Christ.  Carved from wood and painted.  We were amazed by the eyes.  (The glare is because it is enclosed in plexiglass.)

El Alcazar (The Castle) of Segovia.  

Road Warriors Selfie.  Yolanda, Sandra, Susanna (Yolanda's sister).