Musings

A selection of thoughts, some about Spain and some not, in no particular order:

Why is it that so many of the public restrooms in Spain don't have toilet seats?  For the life of me I can't think of a logical explanation.  Surely they aren't getting stolen...

Teaching is really hard.  I have a great respect for the people who can do it well and a new-found appreciation of the caliber of teaching I have received my entire life.  It's been a pleasure.

I really really wish I'd never quit playing soccer.  Such a great game.  I'll always love baseball the most, but there's something about soccer--whether it's the elegance, the huge, green, screen-capturing field, or its ubiquity here--that I adore.

On the other hand, I miss American sports.  Yes, I can still follow everything here as closely as I ever could, but it's different when you're the only one interested.  I miss being surrounding by that interest.  Sports are the single greatest conversation piece of all time, at least for males--I miss having that connection, even though I do know enough about soccer to carry on a conversation.

I am continually astonished by my apartment's ability to be colder than the street outside; it's not an experience I ever want to repeat without the aid of A/C.

I'm considerably more outgoing when I'm traveling or abroad; I would never talk to an American just because they're American at home.

How does anyone anywhere find smoking enjoyable?

Travelers/backpackers have got to be one of the most amiable and decent groups of people in world.

If you ever go to Istanbul, stay in Tulip Guesthouse.  The staff there were the absolute best I've ever come across anywhere and everything else was top notch as well.  A great place.

What, exactly, is the lure of "going out" at night?  This one's been bothering me for some time.  Maybe it's because I don't like to dance (that probably is why), but I really cannot stand nightclubs.  Anywhere where you have to overpay for drinks and have difficulty moving more than eight inches doesn't really strike the right chords with me.

Alright, gotta go.  Big soccer game tonight: Barcelona v. Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals.

One other note: pictures are now, finally, posted.  Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/home?hl=es&tab=wq
choose an album, and enjoy.