"The memories of me seem more like bad dreams. Just a series of blurs, like I never occurred."

My new friend in Barcelona has a habit of taking pictures of the "urban art" that can be found all over the city. The spirit of art is very much alive throughout the city, and I'm not sure if that's just a by-product of being in a large city or more reflective of the culture itself. Either way, if your eye is on the look-out, there is much to see. I took this picture in one of the Metro stations on my last day in Barcelona. After returning from my brief visit south, I spent the day doing my souvenir shopping and just enjoying my final moments in the city that I have grown to adore. I was feeling an odd mixture of homesickness and restlessness, and it was the first that I felt rushed there. Then this gem popped up on the stairs, and I was once again reminded of the simplicity of living that I discovered there. This was my gift from Barcelona, courtesy of some stranger who has no idea how he or she brightened my day.

I know this isn't a picture of Spain. It wasn't even taken in Spain. This is the airport in Germany where I spent 10 hours before flying to Barcelona. I'm a bit of an interesting traveler, and I tend to meet interesting people. (Just ask my students.) On my flight from Miami to Dusseldorf, I struck up a conversation with my seat mate. He's an Italian scientist on his way home to visit his family, and he ended up being my buddy for the seemingly endless day in the airport. We spent the day searching for Internet, sleeping on airport benches, watching each others bags and talking. Lots of talking. I took this photo after I was enlisted for bag patrol. Before he stepped away, he threw his jacket across both our bags. The image you see here struck me because it is a beautiful symbol of humanity. Stranded in the midst of a new world, I was embraced by someone who stood by my side and helped me pass the time. I cannot help but feel blessed.

I found it interesting--coming from the "land of flowers"--the number of flowers around Tarragona. Everywhere I looked, there was some sort of plant life. Tall, shady trees. Scented flowers. Long, dangly plants. It's beautiful and romantic and sentimental. I'm not necessarily a big nature person, but it was impossible to ignore the feelings elicited by nature in the cities. I think the Spanish have managed to combine the natural and the human made worlds in an exquisite manner. Even in the greatest heat of the day, there was always some shade...and you needed a sweater when standing in it.

I was fascinated by windows during my time in Spain, most likely because of a voyeuristic streak in me that wanted to gather as much information as possible about the interior lives of the people. Something about the nature of life that can be seen through windows intrigues me. This foto shows the window of a home that rests along the oldest wall built outside the city of Rome during the age of the Empire. I can only imagine what it must be like to live with such a piece of history each day. It's a continuity of time that never ceases to amaze me. And it's beautiful.

Perhaps my favorite part of Spanish culture is the sense of humor. This stands prominently in a playground in Castellon (at the base of the hand sculpture), and my first reaction to it was, "Can you imagine the 'morality' groups in the States who would protest this?" There is just more freedom here for artistic expression and less analysis about how people will be offended or misinterpret that expression. That leads to more authenticity in personal interactions, and that was a refreshing change from my world in which I am constantly forced to evaluate myself so that I don't offend people. One striking example of this was when my new friend in Barcelona gave me a tour of the city. A discussion about the differences between European and Latin American Spanish quickly turned into a discussion about "bad" words. After much cajoling, I shared some of my "dirty" Spanish. In the States, I would have been quickly judged for what I said. There, however,

Two things stand out to me about this picture from a Barcelona street. First, keeping plants on the balcony is a very Spanish habit. (My dear Spaniard told me this.) If a woman lives in the flat, chances are that plants will be on the balcony. Second, I was completely fascinated by the balconies because they were glimpses into the lives of people--filled with laundry, toys, political signs, and flags. They were also places to watch the world go by. I cannot wait for my own.

Spain is filled with parks, and as I wandered the streets of Castellon de la Plana, my eye caught this tall, colorful sculpture. It is the center of a small play area for children, and the whimsy captured in the outstretched hands is remarkable. The place is filled with imagination, and this is one of the shots I took. It reminds me of the Michelangelo painting.

This sculpture sits outside the main church in Castellon de la Plana. The church is a Gothic style cathedral originally built in the 13th century. I don't know exactly what it was about this angel that captivated me, but she did.