Near to the end

A new group have arrived! And Im back form my weekend with Alex (rom Copenhagen, see post 1). The few days in Sitges, south of Barcelona were fabulously resorty and indulgent. I must say I have been subject to great examples of pleasure and indulgence these past few weeks, and learning that it takes more forms than its decadent and spoiled reputation. The Sitges film festival was brimming with fat and geeky looking Spanish film directors, as it was a fantasy and genre film festival. A glossy catalogue delivered to our room of the hotel which hosted the festival, including tickets and a themed laptop bag, showed an array of predominatly Asian, South American and American Genre films, all gore and missing eyes, wrong turns and other worlds. We had a balcony, a bar fridge, a view of a nude beach, and a perfectly sunny palette of sky, so didnt see many of the films on offer. One film i saw was the english dubbed version of Ronal the Barbarian, the film Alex was represnting from Denmark. It was a well animated but grossly rude tale of a man who succeeds against all odds and comes up against boobs and babes and balls (the tag line). Ultimatly very silly and culty, we'll see where it goes beyond the 14 year olds. There were fellas around me, all bespectacled and boyish, full of giggles and claps when silly scenes emerged, like when Ronal took a magic potion that made him invisible except his balls, hence his balls went adventuring alone getting into lots of trouble. I had pleasure watching these blokes and their boyish laughs even though some seemed to be in their forties. So, we enjoyed immensly the fantastic Spanish 5 course buffet breakfast, and also took advantage of various company credit cards, eating well, drinking well, and going to the nude beach to compare our bodies with those of all-over tanned Europeans who walk, hand in hand, showing their gleaming bronzed buttocks like some proud mediteranean statue, standing, contra-posto against the sun, all sillouhetted and ready for my pencils and paper. Had some good sketches amongst these sun-bathers and their sunburnt bits'n'peices. The days flew, and after a few nights with a generous and interesting programmer for Tribeca film festival, talking industries, career paths, celebs, directors, dealing with people and artists, we parted ways in the lofty foyer of Melia hotel, amongst red carpets and coffee drinkers and we said goodbye yet again, for when the next rendezvous we never know, hopefully in Barcelona! I jumped the train back to Barca, then spent the night with my wonderful friends Anna and Kyle.
They met me at the hostel, as i was napping and taking in some afternoon peace before the evening began, presumably with more wine and entertaining. I was having a minute to myself when they walked through the door and it was a wonderful pleasure to see old friends again! I was somewhat speachless, perhaps from the exhaustion of three days at the festival enjoying the pleasures on offer, but still, its good to see familiar faces for a girl who has been lonely in the mountains. We planned to rent a place in Barcelone for the month of November. To invite all the friends who are living in the north of Europe and suffering the dreary weather, to have a place to cook and share and base ourselves, meet some Spaniards and enjoy a city. We spent the evening, as everyone emerged from siesta and opened their bars, wandering the gothic area, El Raval, and the funky back streets. Got lost in alleys as we caught up on months of travels and stories, laughed our way excitedly through the streets imagining our days here, our days there ie: "we can frequent this bar!" , outside a 3Euro mojito divebar sporting bearded gents and shady yet suitable location. It was nice to get the social juices flow after my solitude, and I now feel, back here in the mountains, strangely subdued and ready for the next step. This evening 7 women arrived from Souwth Carohlaahna. Very friendly bubbly and interesting women whose accents make me want to mock them silly, i have to refrain myself from adopting their fun way of speaking, its very infectious! A good group it seems, and Im glad that if this in my ast week here that the group is fun and eager for me to join in. I did some paintings on postcard sized paper and sold them 5bob a piece and made 50 bucks from these lovely ladies, which is very helpful. Makes me think maybe I could make more and sell them at the markets....? (Will post some pictures soon).

Tim and Martina are aware of my desire to depart earlier than planned and I know that while i was gone they could feel the lack of me being around so its a week when we make the most of eachother, and I have a great eagerness to get out into those mountains and make the most of being here while it lasts. Although, I think I have already made the most of it in many ways, its been a beautifully rewarding experience, even though Im here in extreme comfort and isolation, I have learned alot, and feel I will learn alot more this week as I am soaking it up before my imminent departure. Will write of the outcome, the departure, the Americans and the week of yoga and art making with them.

Having mad nights of full and intense dreams, where my bed is a canvas for submerging beings form my unconcious, a page of chracters and moments and confrontations and still I wake with a room full of the energy of people, family, and animals, scenarios that are surrealist and detailed with Spanish lifestyle frills, and as I sit here, after cleaning up the table after the women, in a big and lofty kitchen in the wake of activity, I pray for a rested and full nights sleep! I send lost of love through the airwaves today,
Rx