hunting natural tea

Life in Spain is going well. Last week were the fiestas of my barrio, it´s like the DeKalb country fair with different musical acts and better food. This fine event which distantly honors some virgin, took place directly beneath my window... so I couldn´t have slept even if I´d atempted- so I took to the streets- eating and dancing - and I had the luck of meeting some amazing people, 2 of these individuals Fidel and Carlos, just happend to be heading for Fidel´s home pueblo the next day and it was clear they were good folks so I decided to go with them...Which is how I found myself in a town of 8 casas in provincia Soría last weekend, it was also the time of festival there - like it is everywhere now- so small children, old people, and one lone Indiana girl danced in the streets and drank sangria till 8 in the morning- I actually slept on a bench fron 7-8 untill Fidel and Carlos decided it was a reasonable hour to go home. I also went on some amazing hikes and collected natural tea with Fidels crazy father.

Oh hear is a funny moment- Fidel´s father some how got it in his head that I could play the piano... I think I may have sat down and taped out the one verse of silent night that I still know from my 3rd grade recital- but we- all of Fidel´s family were getting ready to sit down to dinner - and Fidel´s dad is like - Laura Stop... we are not going to eat untill you play us a song... I tried to explain that I did not know an entire song, they thought I was just being humble... so finally I played the upper hand of heart and soul accompanied by off key singing.

Right now I´m writing you all from Granada... I came right here from Soria, I had amazing luck with a contact and have been following around 5 amazingly talented and crazy graffiti artist... it´s contageous... such good energy, they have been so nice - taking me all over Granada to the best graffiti ... letting me film them ect, and when several of them left for Malaga for the weekend, they introduced me to even more friends with in their graffiti circle- Friends who also have contacts in Madrid and Barcelona... the project is taking leaps and bounds.

One of the first things I always ask people is what is Graffiti... the answer always starts with "para mi el graffiti es..." for me graffiti is... , no 2 answers have bee the same, some have been exactly oposite.... both respect and mokery exist regaurding the range of viewpoints.... I love it. I was planning on returning to Madrid today- sunday- but the good vibes of this city have caused me to change my bus ticket to Tuesday.
Much love to all , Laura

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I´ve been in Madrid for about a week and a half now... The arrival was successful. I managed to sleep on the plain and hit spanish ground running. Travelers Karma has been good to me so far, i have a little room in the plaza lavapies that is directly above a champion supermarket. My room has a little balcony where I can sip my coffee in the mornings, ... pretty much fulfills every gringa fantasy I´ve ever had about spain.

Graffiti findings are also going well- I split my "working" time between the metro, the national library, the streets and the university facultad bellas artes, and talking with everyone and their mother (in Spanish that does not sound like theirs) about graffiti ... hoping the sum of these places, conversations and actions will lead me to a graffiti analysis/ apreciation/ critique of graffiti that is both theoretical, revolutionary and based on the reality of graffiti/ graffiteros today.

In other news, Madrid is hot and airconditioning does not exist here, but that is Ok. I´m also starting to make friends. My company the first few days was mainly pieced together from interactions with old men in parks, but my social situation has since expanded to include some people of my own age- which is wonderful. People have been all about sharing their connections with graffiti writers in various cities in Madrid which excites me much!
I hope all blog readers are well, Much love, Laura