Sicily and more

It's been more than a month since I've posted. Besides a quick trip to Sicily, been keeping pretty busy. We started off the month of February with a quick trip to Girona. We were there six years ago, but only for an hour. We were amazed at the beautiful, quiet medieval center. It was such a gray day, so no photos. However, we are going back the end of this week. To be continued.

Then we went to Sicily for 6 days. We started off at my cousin's in Palermo, then went down to Palma di Montechiaro near Agrigento, where my mother was born. Agrigento is famous for its Greek temples, in much better condition than you'd find in Greece! It was exciting to show Mauricio where I'm from. Plus, I knew he would love the rich history: a mix of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and even some Norman. Not to mention tons of Baroque. I've posted a few pictures down below, but the rest can be seen on my new site on flickr.com:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barceluna/sets/72157594556633018

This week my friends Anthony and Dayle are in town. It's been great revisiting the city, and still being in love with it and finding out there is still so much to see. Tomorrow we revisit Tarragona and Sitges.

Photos from Sicily:

View of the cathedral in Palermo in a shop window facing it.



Near the cathedral: Wild dogs trying to cross the street amidst ongoing traffic to meet up with another dog in their pack across the street. We waited a long time to see if they could do it but finally gave up and left. Not sure if they ever did get across!


The famous Temple ruins in Agrigento, in the region my mother grew up.


The legendary church in my mother's hometown of Palma di Montechiara. I actually grew up with a small-scale wooden replica of this in my home, supposedly made by a blind man as the legend goes. My mother still has it!

Birthday in Tarragona

Yesterday was Isabel's 2nd birthday! We spent the day in Tarragona, about an hour west of Barcelona, known for its Roman ruins and charming medieval town center. The day started out with balloons and Isabel appeared on TV! I had sent in her picture for the playhouse disney channel "Es mi cumpleaño" presentation. Here are some snapshots of the day.

There were so many orange trees near the cathedral, but we couldn't quite reach any, not even by lifting Isabel, who also tried to reach for some!

The Devils in Gracia

Gracia, January 27 - After going to so many festivals outside of Barcelona, we finally got to witness it in our very own neighborhood last Saturday. Our friends came from out of town to play and attend the Festival of Saint Anthony in Gracia – Mallorca style. There is a huge population of Mallorquis here in Gracia such that their traditions have become adopted and entrenched here.

We came upon the parade of devils and the dragon awash in fireworks and flames on our way to Plaça Virreina. It was pretty wild as the devils chased after the spectators with the sparklers (including me, in the midst of videotaping!). We got a glimpse of the giants and the cabezons (the big heads), and saw them again in the plaza. What was distinct about this event from the others is that usually the event is held during the day. It was fun to see the fireworks at night.

At the plaza, the trabucaires shot their muskets in the air, but it was brief; not as long as in Centelles! Then we caught up with my friend Jordi who was in one of the groups of musicians. We ended up at one of the street bonfires throughout the neighborhood where the musicians and neighbors cook and eat sausages in the street, and sing and dance.

Later on, it was back to the plaza around midnight where a Mallorqui band played traditional and popular music while everyone danced with castanets.

Els Tres Tombs

Valls, January 14, 2007
On Sunday we went to our friend's town to see the traditional Els Tres Tombs festival. Several towns celebrate this event, but Valls has one of the biggest. Townsfolk traditionally brought the animals to be blessed by Saint Anthony, and toured around the town three times in a parade (tombs means tour in Catalan). Today we only saw horses and donkeys, although I'm told sometimes sheep and goats and more are brought.

The parade started with single riders (some dressed traditionally or Andalusian style) or in school groups. Then came the horses and carts, half-size horses, some donkeys. Towards the end, the wagon trains, pulled by six to eight horses, paraded by. As seen by the advertisements, these seemed to belong to local restaurants.

See the video.







Modern-day mule:

Tres Reis

Three Kings Day in Spain is bigger than Xmas Day. Every town has its own cavalcade the day before to enact the arrival of the kings. In Barcelona, the three kings come to the port on ship, and then parade around the city center. We decided to go to Vilafranca this year since Mauricio was playing with a group of street musicians. We were already familiar with Vilafranca del Penedes, approximately one hour west of Barcelona, as we had stayed there for a week while waiting for our apartment to become available. We picked a location to wait for the cavalcade (and Mauricio!) and since we had gotten there early enough, we were in the front row. All the kids lined up with plastic bags to catch the candy the kings would throw. After a long time, the motorcade finally came around the corner, announcing the arrival. Mauricio and the troupe of musicians were at the front. Isabel was ecstatic to see her father as part of the spectacle.

Soon after, the first king arrived in his huge float, pulled by a John Deere tractor. I was expecting three guys walking on foot, throwing candy. What was I thinking? The first few groups of musicians played traditional music and carols. The floats were blaring classical music, such as Bach. Meanwhile, the King and his pages threw candy out into the crowds. People were scattering all over the ground fighting over the candy. After the Kings passed, we ducked out of the crowd (not easy!) and tried to find the beginning of the procession to meet up with Mauricio again. Since I knew the town, it wasn't that difficult. But first we walked through the main streets, packed with people buying presents for the next day. Then we ended up by the Cathedral, where a charming arts & crafts fair was held. The plaza was lit with warm lights and the bells were ringing out. It was a beautiful moment. Further on down, we actually came upon an ice skating rink set up in the middle of another plaza!

Finally figured out where to meet up with the gang. We walked a few blocks with the group, as there weren't many people lining up the streets at this point toward the end. I believe they actually ended it sooner since there weren't any people waiting further on. Mauricio got on the bus trailing the procession to go back to the beginning and get his stuff. We were to meet at the train station in 20 minutes to catch the 9:07 pm (that's 21:07 for us) train back to Barcelona. We had to dash back through the crowds dispersing in the main square and the flurry of shoppers. Tired and hungry — but happy — we all made it in time.

See the very short video (difficult to videotape, snap photos, and pay attention to Isabel in her stroller while darting all the people scrambling for candy!)



Top: Details from the cavalcade. Bottom left: Mauricio's street musician group passing along. As usual, Mauricio's head is hidden behind the drum! Bottom right: Isabel looks for her father, with her grandmother Grazie holding her.

The next day, we bought a Roscon de Reyes, a traditional ringed cake, in either marzipan or cream. The pieces are cut up, and whoever gets the king, gets to wear the crown. Whoever gets the dried fava bean has to pay for the cake! Mauricio got the fava bean, which worked out since he was the one who laid out the cash for it anyway. Isabel made off with the crown before we sliced the first piece, but I was the one who ended up with the king. I was surprised that it was a nice ceramic piece, not a plastic thing.

Pine Festival in Centelles

On December 30th, we trekked an hour north by train to a little town named Centelles. We met our friends there who told us about the annual Festa del Pi (pine tree festival). Held in honor of the martyred St. Coloma, who was burnt at the stake with pinewood, this somewhat pagan ritual closes out the old year and rings in the new. Although we were not there for the full day activities, we learned that the celebrations commenced early in the morning when the townsfolk of Centelles, dressed in traditional Catalan peasant costume, go out to the woods, single out a pine tree, chop it down, and bring it back to the town plaza by cart Fand, according to various sources, either horse, mule or oxen (we saw the oxen). Their arrival is preceded and accompanied by els trabucaires (musketeers), who shoot their muskets from tops of buildings, all over town, and in the plaza.

We got to the town at noon as they were about to return en masse. I knew that there would be shooting going on, but I did not expect how loud and deep it would be. Since we had Isabel with us, we tried to stay a bit away. At one point, we ended up in an arched throughway onto a street at the moment all the trabucaires were marching into the plaza, and the space served as a reverberating chamber. We felt each shot blast throughout our whole body and deafen our ears (we forgot to bring the earplugs) -- we got out of there right away. The trabucaires ended up in the main plaza, and began a barrage of shots for about 20 minutes. The smoke was thick for blocks away. Then they marched to the church plaza down the block. The townspeople and trabucaires filed on the church steps. We stood at the corner watching them, not realizing that in a few minutes, the tree would appear in a side street, hauled by two oxen. As this is Spain, first the cables had to be moved, and then we were pushed back as the oxen ran through the crowd! It was exciting. All of a sudden, a giant tree was in the middle of the plaza.

After a long time of waiting for it to be removed from the cart, the tree was hoisted on the shoulders of the trabucaires, who brought it up the stairs in a matter of minutes. Then one of them climbed up to the top, and the rest at the bottom whirled the tree around in circles in a dance. This was my favorite part. Then the tree was brought into the church and hung upside down at the altar, where it will stay until January 6th. At that point, everyone in the village will receive a branch. Since I won’t be back, I took a piece that had fallen on the church steps.

Here are a few more pix I managed to capture. Unfortunately, the batteries on both my cameras died at the same time! So I was not able to get the tree dance. See the video here.

A sardana in the plaza while waiting for the musketeers to come back. Some shooting is already going on from afar and atop of buildings to announce the imminent arrival.



Shooting in the main plaza.



Francesc and Cristina during the climactic barrage in the main plaza:

I won?

I stopped into our local supermarket today to pick up a few items. There was a pretty long line. I saw the woman in front of me scratch off a card, as this store is always giving out some sort of chances. She bemoaned that she didn't win. Next thing I know, the cashier hands me a card to scratch off right there, and I see the word "Felicitaciones" (congratulations) emerge. I thought I was going get 5 euros or something like that, and I stared at disbelief at the word "Televisor." I said, this isn't a tv, is it? Meanwhile, the cashier stops the register, exclaims in excitement, and begins announcing on her intercom that there is a winner! I won a TV! Apparently, there was a new promotion out, and they were giving away 600 TVs. I was number 530. Stupidly, I exclaimed that I had just bought a new TV a month ago, so the cashier said anyone else in line would be happy to take it! Mauricio quickly jumped in and said, no, that's okay, we'll take it. So we walked out with our groceries and a 17" TV!

Isabel gets sick while Mauricio is in New York, and Antonella learns the health care system

One Tuesday, while Mauricio was still in New York, Isabel wakes up with a fever and a cough. I wait a few days to see how it goes, but it doesn't get better. She had several nights of coughing fits and constant fevers, even though I gave her Dalsy, which is like children's Tylenol. Unfortunately by this time, it is a Friday holiday, so our local health center is closed. I called the number given to us on a card to see if I couuld take her elsewhere for a checkup. However, the information is only given in Catalan, so I couldn't quite get all the numbers. I figured it wasn't that bad and would see how it went one more day.

By Saturday morning, I vowed to figure it out. Isabel wasn't in horrible condition, but I was concerned. So I walked up the hill towards Parc Guell where the local hospital was listed on the card. Once I got there, I discovered that the hospital doesn't have pediatricians and I had to go to a large hospital center. I asked where, could I have concrete directions, but all I could get was a vague San Pau, blue line on the metro. I tried desperately to explain that I was new and didn't know where anything was, could I have specific information, but was just given a shrug.

I decided to stop for a coffee and regroup. Not much was open yet, but I finally found a coffee shop, where I stopped for coffee and a belgian waffle for Isabel. She was happy to play in the booths. Looking at my maps, I figured out how to get to the hospital, but decided to try the alternative number again. I called back several times and finally figured out that adults go to the hospital I just tried, but for children, call the Cap Olimpica center (that's where my landlord works!). I called and they said yes, just come down.

I took the subway down to the Olympic Center and after walking around for a while, find the center. The doctor looks her over and prefers that we get and X-ray to be sure it's nothing serious. But since it's Saturday, they don't have the radiographer in, so I have to go to a hospital! There is one a few blocks away. Even so, I walked around in circles and finally find the Hospital del Mar (yes, we're right by the seashore!). Once admitted, we wait awhile. At this point, Isabel is not feeling well, and just wants to sleep, but we keep undressing her, dressing her for the checkup and the X-rays. We get the prognosis -- she has a little bit of bronchitis!

Now I had to find a pharmacy that was open. I remember there was one a few blocks away in which you ring the bell and the pharmacist comes to the window. You do the transaction from the street! Meanwhile, the line grows longer. I was worried that I was keeping Isabel outside. It was a beautiful day, but a little chilly for her to be out in her condition. It took the whole day for me to accomplish this. Fortunately it was not an emergency situation, and I was able to learn the system without being too frantic.

The Shipment Finally Arrives

Our boxes finally arrived today. It took a bit longer to get here than expected because the company we contracted didn't end up having enough to go direct to Barcelona, so rather than wait, they shipped it to Holland and hired a company to truck it down. I didn't even know any of this. I get an e-mail from a Dutch company. I thought it was spam and almost didn't look at it. But I did look at the e-mail from Bob, and was informed they would be shipping my stuff and would I please fill out the forms. I called Bob up and he said it would take about two weeks. I sent him detailed maps in which I photoshopped the route to the place. He asked me whether a two-piece truck would be able to pass through the streets. I told him I really didn't know. He said he would check into it.

Later on, he emails back with a definite date of December 1, in the morning. The night before, I get a call from Steve, who is on the road with my stuff. Not only does he not have the maps I sent, but he has no clue whether his truck will fit. He says he will see me tomorrow in any case.

The next morning, I get a call from Dennis in Holland, who asks me whether the truck could park and unload. I tell him I honestly don't know the requirements as I just moved here. He says he will call me back. An hour later, he does and tells me that he spoke to a colleague company in Barcelona and they say there is no way the truck will fit! What do I know. So they will leave the stuff with them who will ship on Tuesday. Ugh.

Finally, on Tuesday, today, the movers do arrive! One guy, Brendan, with long red hair and freckled face, definitely doesn't look Spanish, but he speaks to me in Spanish. "Porque English," he asks me, pointing to the Fresh Direct, Staples, Corporate Express boxes. I tell him because I'm from New York. "Oh," he says, and then asks to use my bathroom. Later on I realized it still wasn't clear why they were coming from Holland.

Well, I mostly have everything unpacked and put away, if not organized, even with Isabel sick today. It's nice to see some of the familiar stuff, but I'm not sure I like how much the apartment is getting filled up!

Menú del dia

Time to talk about food! Not that I have been taking advantage of them much since moving into my apartment, but for lunch time, restaurants, bars and cafés offer a menu of the day. You can choose from usually 3-5 first courses, 3-5 second courses, bread, a drink (yes, including wine or beer) and dessert -- and all for 8-11 Euros complete!

Typical first course choices are salads, soups, macarrones, escalivadas (grilled eggplants, red pepper and onions), cannelones, fideos (thin and short spaghettis), rice and more.

Typical second course dishes are meat, meat and more meat - pork, veal, beef. Occasionally you'll find a roast chicken or fish.

We've found some incredible menus. One of our favorite places to go while we were living in the Eixemple was at Faisan's. We enjoyed gourmet food -- all for 10 euros. For example, a pumpkin soup followed by a sesame-encrusted tuna steak (huge piece) and a hunk of chocolate cake. It was incredible. Of course, the menus are never the same, so some days you go back and nothing looks appetizing.

At Volubilis, a Moroccan restaurant near El Mercat de Sant Antoni, here are the three-course menus for 9.95 euros we usually repeat:

me -- Besara (split pea soup), mousakka (roasted eggplant and chickpea dish), chicken souvlaki (so tender and tasty!), homemade yogurt

Mauro -- Hariri, falafel salad, chicken tagine, baklava

We've also tried some wonderful meals at fancier places. In Vilanova i la Geltru, we went to a Catalan restaurant our first week of arriving. We both had a mesclun salad with a huge round of warm goat cheese on top. Delicious. I then had a baked bacalla (cod fish) and Mauricio had some other type of bacalla. I like bacalla, but who knew cod fish could be so gourmet!

We also tried a restaurant in a hotel in Banyeres del Penedes. You would never know from the outside that this elegant hotel and restaurant existed within, complete with a pool. For only 30 euros we enjoyed fine wine, an assortment of the freshest jamon serrano and cheeses, more goat cheese/mesclun salad, and incredible fish, pork and meat dishes. For dessert I had ice cream in a tulip pastry. The presentation was beautiful throughout.

One thing everyone says about Catalan cooking is that in general everything is homemade and fresh. I guess that is why we enjoy it so much. Simple meals, but so good.

Picking Olives

Since I won't be in California harvesting olives on my own farm this year, I asked my friend Jordi if I could go join his team as they worked the olive trees around his vineyard. Jordi was gracious enough to arrange for me to come Friday afternoon so that I can simulate the experience.

He warned that I should come in old clothes as they get oily easily. Since I didn't bring any grungy stuff with me to a new country, I had to go out and buy cheap stuff, took the train to Banyeres more than an hour away, and I was on my way. Jordi picked all of us up, but Mauricio stayed at Jordi's place with Isabel as he had to work on his paper. Then Jordi and I drove to the orchard in his fulgoneta.

His father and neighbor were already up in the trees. I admit I wondered what they thought about an American woman coming to pick olives! Jordi gave me a tool to comb through the branches, like brushing one's hair. The olives easily came off, sometimes with the whole branch. From the first moment I raked through the branch, I felt like I was at home. I imagined my mother and her family back in Sicily doing the same thing. A whole history coursed through me and I understood what the tales were about -- the black hands, the olive collections. It was relaxing and satisfying to comb through the trees while the neighbor told tales about his army experience, and the men told jokes in general. I understood some as they spoke in Catalan, and occasionally translated in Spanish.

Jordi told me that originally, the olives wouldn't be picked until they were ripe. He asked his father when they would start, and he chimed in the thirteenth of December through mid-March! Nowadays, the mills wanted a more complex flavor that is achieved by picking them around November. Harvest time is condensed into three weeks or so.

Once we were finished with a tree, we would transfer the olives onto one net, move the rest to the next tree. The one left behind, we would pile up the olives, and then cart them to the truck to sort through a wire grate, as I'm doing in the picture. As I was sorting through a batch, I came across a silver watch that fell off of the neighbor while he worked! Later, Jordi and his father would drive the whole batch to the local mill the next town away. Jordi said that after some time, if you stick your hand in the middle of the batch, it gets really hot as the olives start to ferment. I tried to take some branches home in my backpack, but I should have packed them better as by the time I got home, they already started to dissolve, and my pocket was all oily!

We picked about 7-8 trees that afternoon. We were in the middle of doing a rather large tree as the sun set. I wondered how long they kept it up without light. It was tough to see and I imagined I missed many. All at once, Jordi announced we were done. It was peaceful and beautiful. I felt so at home and thrilled to have the opportunity to do this.

Els Castells

Today we saw our first Castells in Gracia. We have seen many over the years in other towns, but this was the first one in Barcelona and our own neighborhood. Several community groups come together and do different versions of the towers. Some are a triangle of three people built up, some are just one column, others three or four columns with a column in the inside.




The matinadas leading the neighborhood to the main plaza. Traditionally, they serve to wake the neighborhood up and announce the festivals.


The base of the castells. Many people cram together to create a strong foundation and hold the tower steady. Music is played to let those on the bottom know how much of the tower is built as they can't see anything. With all the pressure, one woman actually fainted after one of the towers was released.


Climbing up.


Mauro and Isabel watching.


The finished piece, with the smallest kids on top.

A Walk in Parc Güell

The famous Parc Güell is only a few blocks north of us (although a few quite steep blocks!). Our first and only visit to he park was in 2000 -- the first time we were in Barcelona. Gaudí's signature mosaic and curvy installations dominate the park. Although it's filled with tourists, it was fun to visit again and see the impressive views of the city and the sea.