Portugalo es da puta madre (portugal is the shiate in espanol)

I was just in the Fabrica store in Lisbon and what did I come across? A Minimum Chips Album! I can't believe I am half way across the world and in THE coolest store in Lisbon and I find an album of people I know. Go Min Chips!

I also bought a friggin awesome compilation of underground Portuguese noise which I will write about next blog.

Verdict: Portugal Rocks!!!!!

sleeping with the light on

So yesterday I went to one of the best galleries in Madrid, the Prado, to see one of the best collections of European art (circa 13th Century - 20th Century) and amidst the 50 odd rooms (yes 50) 7 of them were dedicated to Goya. One of Spain's most influencial painters and certainly a favourite of mine. His work is so varied from his stylised almost cartoonish paintings of Christ to the complete dark side which had me screaming with fear.

'Saturno' (above) is one of my favourites and one of his most well known. It is based on the story of the mythologial Saturn, devouring his son in a fit of jealousy and rage.

I've also gotten to see Peter Paul Rubens' version of this as well and although this one is highly critisised in comparision to that one, I prefer Goya's version.

I love how he has broken Saturn down to a simple demonic creature possesed by his own insecurities, how he has physically deteriorated and how it looks as though he is about to be devoured by darkness himself in a matter of seconds.

Plus this painting scares the be-jebus out of me. I love it when that happens

Leavin' on a jet plane (or smelly train more like it)

Okay so I've been a bit too busy and have been slacking off with blog posts. There is much loco-ness is my life. I'm gettin outta this town and making my way to the African shores of Morocco in a week and there is much to organise. I'm really excited about going to Portugal and Morocco (and spending Xmas in Gay Paree!) but I'm also really sad to leave here. Its become home so quickly and I could definitely see myself coming back for a longer period.

So with that being said, here are my top 5 things that I am going to miss about Barça:

5. Tortilla patata bocadillos - its one mean baguette that I know I will never find anywhere else thats just as good

4. The exceptance of openly gay couples - although not gay myself (my parents seem to think otherwise) I love how open and accepting everyone is about there sexuality. Its so interesting because its such a heavily religous country but they have no qualms about any of your sexual perversions. Anything goes here and its really liberating.

3. My insane share house - I know that I bitch and moan about living with 10 other people but in the last month everyone has really opened up and its become a really fun place to live. Its literally my version of The Spanish Apartment.

2. The Men - Okay thats probably sounds more promiscuous than I meant it to but, oh my, there are some painfully attractive men here. Lots from Italy, Germany, Spain of course and because of the openess of the town, they are up for anything. Anytime.

1. The Partying - Catalunians are up for a party at anytime of the day or night. There's a public holiday every month and at the mere mention of throwing a party, they are the first ones up for it. I've adjusted all too well to this late night action (there's another joke about my promiscuity right there kids!) The eating dinner at 11pm, drinks at 1am and then off to a band at 3 or 4am. Lord only knows how I will adjust back into how the rest of the world operates!

lazin on a sunny crafternoon

So although the sun is still shining gloriously in Barça during the day, the evenings have been getting somewhat nipply and I have decided that it's time to knit myself another scarf to keep away the chills. Problem being that they aren't really that big on knitting here and that there were some issues finding a crafty store. I ended up in a euro version of price attack that had a few bundles of wool that didn't look like regurgitated 'coogie' wool so I snaffled them up only to realise that there were no knitting needles to be found.
Not to worry, the inner Tonya Todmann in me came to the rescue and I have found that I can make myself a lovely little scarf using 2 pastry brushes that I have sharpened into stakes (also handy for those uncomfortable situations with vampires)
I'm just two pipe cleaners and a bog roll away from pure Tonya genius.

I went to Barçelona and all I got was this lousy picture with Jesus

There is one thing about this town that really stands out. Street performers. And lots of them. Its easy for them to get a licence to perform and 'proper' jobs can be scarce so you will often walk down a street and come across a minion of hell, the little mermaid, julius caesar and the group of B-boys hanging out and having a cafe con leche in between performances. You see so many you don't even bat an eyelid anymore and nothing shocks you....... until I came across a new kid on the block yesterday. Jesus. Someone had dressed up as Jesus. (cleaned up Jesus by the way. Last Supper kind of Jesus, not bloody cross kind of Jesus) Now I would like to think I'm pretty open minded but is it just me or is this going a bit too far? Since when has the big man upstairs been a novelty act? Is he now availible to hire out for weddings and bahmitzfahs? Have I missed something? Halloween is coming up, should I be expecting to see a whole lot of Jesus' running around? (with their girlfriends coming as Mary) I know they are devout catholics here but are they really that crazy about him? I've never seen his picture on the cover of 'Hola!' magazine. Plus, who really wants to have their picture taken with Jesus? Its not like you could even try and fool your friends into thinking it was the real deal. What would Jesus be doing busking? Things are a little slow in heaven at the moment and his hours have been cut back so he needs to make some extra cash?Maybe it is just a flash in the pan novelty. A sort of delayed Da Vinci Code gimmick that trickled down to the Catalunian street performers. Maybe in a few weeks he will be gone and will be replaced with Darth Vader, or maybe Clive Owen will be there instead. I'm just hoping that the next time I go down that street that he hasn't seen Wolf Creek or something.......

the age of techmology

okay, so first I had my little (insert sarcasm here) group emails, then I got my flickr sorted so you could visualise my travels, now you can read all about my daily thoughts and commentaries on life. Ahhhh, I love this age of self indulgence.....