Disappearance

I'm back. My longest break since I started blogging is now over. I now hope to get back into the swing of things around here.

What I'm still to write about:

- trip home to Oman
- review Shantaram

and other crap.

Do stay tuned....

The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand

OMG - Oh My God, OMG.

I'm still not done reading this book, although been madly hooked on to it for the last month or so, and in any free time I've got lately (be it a bathroom break!), no one takes this book off of me.

What I can say is that I have immense respect for someone, too bad he's a fictional character (Howard Roark ofcourse). I'm pretty sure men like him don't exist anymore (or did they ever?)

Hello Africa!

C and I went on our first trip together the same day I got back from home (Oman). Got into Barcelona airport and found out Lufthansa lost my bag, and it would arrive on the next flight. On a last minute impulse, at the check-in counter in Muscat, I was stupid enough to put my apartment keys in my check-in bag (please don't ever do that if you're reading this). I do have friends who have put their passports in the washing machine, so in comparison.... :) Still, I was clearly over-estimating the capabilities of the airline. Waited forever at the belt for my bag and was so disappointed to realize it won't make it, and later horrified to realize that my keys were in it. Thank God I didn't check in my cellphone or I would have really been *&^$%. I had to ring my neighbor's bell, certify I live next door and not a thief, jump over from her side on to my apartment's balcony and almost break into my own house (my roommate was at work) to pack my bag for the next flight. My roommate's dogs Tony and Nenu just live by themselves on our balcony and I was glad they seemed to recognize me. I pointed to my neighbor next door who was watching me jump over the balconies as "proof" that I live here, since the dogs recognize me and didn't bite off my ankle as I was jumping over. Serious embarrassment. Then, since I didn't have most of my stuff or suitcase, I packed a backpack (ie. wrinkled clothes), because C and I were leaving for Marrakech in the afternoon that day. Everything went relatively smoothly, we arrived in Marrakech late at night on Morrocan Airlines, after a layover in Casablanca, but then realized our bags didn't make it!!! Can someone lose their bags twice in a day!!! YES, unfortunately. We went to our traditional Morrocan guest house called Dar Maya which was nice and decided to just relax as I was really stressed, and wait for our bags which came the next morning. We ended up having a great week in Marrakech, and although had planned to visit a nearby town called Essaouira, I wasn't feeling very good on this trip so we just hung out in town. Our hotel was smack next to Jemaa Al Fna which we nicknamed FNAC after the Spanish bookstore. We spent a lot of time in and around the little streets surrounding the FNAC souq, which was amusing as the shopkeepers speak pretty much any language their tourists speak. I heard Amitabh Bachchan dialogues recited by an eager shopkeeper which ofcourse led to an impulse buy or two. I was more or less able to survive on the available veggie food, but any longer than one week and I would have begun slow starvation probably. We drank fresh OJ 3 to 4 times a day from the many orange juice stalls at FNAC, so fresh and so cheap. We rented a scooter, visited a couple of historic buildings, rode camels, and just chilled at Nikki Beach one day. On our last night, we decided to go to Pacha. It wasn't a lot like the Spanish Pacha back in Barcelona or Ibiza, it was a lot more like an overpriced sheesha bar and a long taxi ride out of town. When we got back to FNAC, it was late and as we were walking back to the hotel, a cop stopped me and started questioning me in Arabic. Ofcourse, I don't speak any Arabic at all, never mind the North African kind. We told him we were simply tourists. I got the impression he was insinuating I was a local hooker, and as I was contemplating whether to cuss him out, he apologized and quickly left us alone. That wrapped up an interesting week, and my first time ever in Africa. My long-lost suitcase was waiting for me at Barcelona airport so finally got home with all my bags and nothing missing. 

And that officially marks the end of summer. Now its back to work and back to reality.

Ibiza and Formentera

This past weekend I visited the Baleares with my friend L. I thought that the much heard of island Ibiza would be the highlight of the trip. But as it turned out, I ended up having a wonderful time in Formentera, a relatively untouched island close to Ibiza.

There were 10 people from my Santander project who had planned the trip. The rest of this project team is from the Madrid office, I am the only one from Bcn. Madrid people stay up late after work and get in early ...everyday! (superhumans). When we coordinated in Ibiza, L and I were told to meet in the Privilege parking lot at 1am. My jaw dropped. Apparently thats when the clubs get going. L and I hired a scooter and explored the island on it all day. My fave part was these salt deposits. Would have been better to rent a car actually, since at night, in my mini-clothes, I was pretty chilly on those scooter rides. So we met the rest of the group and tailgated outside the supposedly amazing club but were way too exhausted and not in the mood to pay 100€ at almost 2am when the gang finally decided to enter the club. Turns out the electronic scene is neither of our thing. We said bye, left for the hotel and decided instead to wake up before noon and explore the island (good thing we didn't fall asleep in the parking lot, I was seriously exhausted). 

A few do's and don'ts while in Ibiza:

• Do stay in Sant Antoni if on a budget, but bring ear plugs. Otherwise you're better off staying in other quieter parts of the island like Santa Eulalia. If in S. Antoni, most likely no one in or around your hotel will plan to sleep at all. You'll be surprised to learn that people visit Ibiza without hotel bookings. Yep, they sleep on the beach all day (geez).
• Do visit the flea markets.
• Don't miss the sunset from Café del Mar in Sant Antoni.
• Do try to visit Formentera while in Ibiza. The access is only through a Ferry called Balnearia which takes you there. You can take your rented cars/scooters with you to Formentera on the ferry which is nice. 
• Don't forget to go to a bar/restaurant called "Tiburón" when you're in Formentera 

Back in February, in Laos, at the Luang Prabhang night market, there was a long sit anywhere you like dinner table with all veggie street food. I met a guy there who after an interesting conversation told me "if you ever come to Formentera between May and August, come to Tiburón and ask for XYZ" and I actually remembered his name and looked him up, and sure enough he was there (what a small world!) and hooked us up with the best table and as a result we got a front row view to one of the most beautiful sunsets ever! Did I already mention that Formentera is the best part about Ibiza? Forget the rave clubs, this little island is the place to be. Can't wait to go back. 

Life of a Consultant

I've been totally unable to blog over the last few weeks. Actually, make that last few months. I mean just sit down, breathe and let my mind flow. That seems like a far-away state of being right now. More like it has been workdays of about 10 to 12 hours, and then after-work time with colleagues. I've also moved cities (temporarily). I'm currently living in Santander, a city in the north of Spain (where its cold and rainy all through summer).

Apart from work, I've been engrossed in the book I'm reading right now "Shantaram." It is a true story of a man that takes you on a journey like no other. I have been so absorbed by it, that part of the reason I havent been here more can be attributed to it. I will surely write a review once I'm done reading, which I hope for my sake isn't soon (I dont want this book to end).

I moved here in the first week of June and plan to stay on till the end of July. I have a cozy company-paid flat all to myself, which is sweet. I feel lonely here, have to admit. But the company pays our flights/trips on the weekends (to Madrid/Barcelona or lower fare) and been using that up to travel.

I've managed to travel to a new place every weekend since June. Visited the Basque Country over two weekends - Bilbao and San Sebastian. Bilbao was two weekends ago, and in fact, I just got back from San Sebastian a couple of hours ago. I'd gone to see a friend from high school in Oman who later went to my rival school - Georgia Tech. Was good to catch up and hang out with someone from home after a while, and actually speak english all day.

Also made a weekend trip to Belgium with three colleagues last weekend, to Brussels, Brugge and Gent. Brussels gave me a good feeling, apart from being a historic and beautiful city, its people seemed to be pretty relaxed and "assle free" :-) The Pee-Boy and Pee-Girl statues were super cute. Brussels has a modern and easy-going air to it which was evident in the manner people dress there (for instance people don't tend to copy shop-windows) or "escaparate-dressing" like they do here in Spain. Also a lot of different cultures seem to thrive there, especially Arab. The cities of Brugge and Gent were enchanting with their little canals and old cobbled streets. I bought a lot of chocolate, which will last me possibly till year end. Overall a good time and the weather was favorable without any rain. Tried a beer called "Westmalle" which I really liked. Anyone tried it?

Today is Sunday and I've just realized how tired I was after the last few weeks of intensive work and travelling/partying. And the proof is: I slept yesterday afternoon at 5:30 pm and woke up this morning at 11:30am. Thats 18 hours straight :-)

Next weekend I'm going to Ibiza :-) I hope to be up to it!

I RENT ROOMS IN FLAT SHARED IN CENTER OF BARCELONA (EIXAMPLE)

Here goes an ad for a shared apartment I came across this morning:
(numbers and names erased to salvage poster's identity)

I think I'd understand the ad better if it were in Spanish, atleast the "fence and very fence" parts (?)

HELLO TO LEAVE 15 OF JUNE I HAVE 3 ROOMS (THE DOUBLE 450EUR.) IN FLAT SHARED IN CENTER OF THE CITY IN CARRER CONCELL OF CENT (EIXAMPLE ESQUERRE). THE ROOMS HAVE GOOD ILUMINACION SINCE they POSSESS BALCON.VERY FENCE TO THE RAMBLAS AND PLAZA CATAÑUÑA (5 MINUTES WALKING) AND VERY FENCE AL METRO UNIVERSITAT(100 METERS) (EXCELLENT UBICACION). THE ROOMS ARE FURNISHED (BED, CABINET) .IF LIKES CAN COME TO SEE THE ROOMS AND TO RESERVE IT ALONE A MONTH OF BAIL AND And THE ADVANCED MONTH .MOVIL FOR ANY CONSULTATION + 34 xxxxxxxxx. to ASK FOR xxx xxxx

Santander - My new (temporary) home

I've got an interesting oppotunity at work to be part of a project for an Italian client that lists on the NYSE. The only thing is, the project is located in the city of Santander, north of Spain. I'm taking it up and preparing to install myself up north for june and july. That being said, I am going to miss a good part of my first summer in Barcelona! Bo HOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!