Test Tomorrow...Hah

Hey everybody. Long time no see. I have plenty of updates, but I'll keep them as concise as possible.

Everything's been going real well. We went this past weekend to Valencia (the origin of the famous Paella), and hung out there. Weather has kind of been sucky, but we managed to get a nice game of American football going on the beach! Yes, people stared at us like we were insane, but hey some football and a swim in the Mediterranean ain't that bad. We had lunch at a restaurant near the hotel, got some Paella con carne. Usually, true paella comes with mariscos and pescados (fish and shellfish), but by the virtue of me being unable to consume those items, I went with the meat. It was pretty funny, because the waiter thought that me not wanting fish meant I was a vegetarian. And for once in our trip, it didn't seem like our Spanish fluency was the hindrance, I think this man was simply retarded.

My paella was excellent, save for the fact it came with conejo (rabbit). Now, I'm all up for trying new things, especially said meat, but it turns out they actually cook the rabbit whole. Yeah, so when I was munching on some arroz and noticed a bean shaped object, took a bite and clearly recognized the tiny little canals of the nephrons from 7th grade biology, I knew something was awry. Yes, I mutilated Bug's kidney. By the way, Susana's cat just walked into the room, and if it doesn't stop meowing, another animal will die pronto.

The nightlife was pretty incredible. The first night, we ended first at some bar (terraza) before going to a club. Turns out the bar was a gay bar. Now, I'm all okay with gay culture and what not, but when I'm taking a leak and a man is staring at my apparatus, consequently winking at me, that's just not cool. And as you can imagine, our group departed rather quickly. The second night was alright, I felt bad in the stomach, so I ended up keeping it a short night.

This week was long, but of course, full of stuff. For class today we headed over to el Parque del Buen Retiro (the Park of Pleasant Rest or Retire), which was first conceived by the Royal Family as a palace in the 16th century. Up until 1868, only Royals could wander in and out of the mini-Central Park. Since then, it's been opened to the public and is practically the centerpiece of Madrid Daily Life. It was gorgeous too. Within the park is the first sculpture of the fallen angel (angel caido), which of course for those holy rollers out there, is Lucifer, aka Satan, whichever you prefer. It´s pretty frightening, check out wikipedia if interested. There are many fuentes (fountains) within and the park opens up to La Puerta del Alcalá, which literally translated, was a port of entrance for visitors to the city. It´s weird enough to imagine a walled city, let alone the fact that almost every major city in Europe from the 9th to the 18th century was surrounded by some sort of medieval ediface, a muralla or a wall of some sorts to protect defensively or keep citizens in. Madrid itself wasn´t the capital of Spain until 1561 (at the height of its empire), before that, it was Toledo. The expression Holy Toledo! actually derives from the city and the fact that the city was the epicenter of religious life for Jews, Christians, and Muslims around the High Middle Ages. Neat, eh?

I wish I had pictures but my camera´s being bitchy, it works fine, but the uploads take a little while. Tomorrow we leave for Barcelona late at night. getting the hostel situation down was pretty difficult, because of the amount of people. You´d think that a group of 15 people from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, GW, UNC, Cornell, UT-Austin would be able to figure this out, but you´d be wrong. As Einstein once remarked, stupidity is infinite.

I´ll hope to get some pictures soon, and for those of you sweltering in the heat wave, send some heat over here! And tell the Mets to stop sucking.

For those of you who care about geopolitical debates, let me say one thing (and of course this is a personal opinion that I could write a thousand page thesis on), but I´ve been watching how the oil prices here have almost gridlocked an entire continent. Spanish truck drivers, fisherman are all on strike (damn socialism) and have pretty much shut down trade in Spain. I mean, people are rushing out to supermarkets for depleting food and gas stations have little left. I wasn´t around, but it reminds me of the pictures from the 1973 Oil Crisis in the States. The reason I say this is because while I think the Subprime crisis and oil shockwaves within our country is a problem, I don´t think its a crisis. And I think Americans, regardless of how deserving we are, needs to get over the fact that they can no longer bitch around the world without any consequences, and furthermore, need to be able to suck it up a little. I´m all for American hegemony. G-d, not a day goes by in the country where I don´t miss the beauty of my nation, where people aren´t as g-d damn rude, and where everything I see and touch came from the ingenuity of an American. But on the same token, I remember listening to people in the states complain and carp about oil prices and their cars. Seriously, buy a hybrid, invest in futures, do something worth while and stop complaining. We live in a free market society which I cherish. And if you think the US government is gonna step in for every little peep in the world´s market, you can bet your ass you´re being overwhelmingly silly. If you want capitalism, if you want the system that made America what it is and will continue to be, then you have to accept the fact that the supply and demand is proving to be true. People demand oil, ergo, oil prices go up. Blame Shell, Blame George Bush, Blame OPEC, Blame Muslims, but how come you never blame yourself?

Keep in mind that the entire world is heading for a recession at this point, China´s stocks are TANKING, millions are dying in natural disasters, Europe is coming to a halt in trade, and the US, the most economically powerful, versatile, technologically savvy country in the world is fighting two wars, while simultaneously keeping buoyant the world´s economy with Asia and the EU. We´re doing all we can at this point. Sure the USG could get involved more, but I see our government becoming more of a nuisance to our economic problems than a help. Until this becomes a Great Depression, I think it´s time for the average American to dig in and bear it. It absolutely sucks, and you´re absolutely right, I´m not poor, but that doesn´t mean I can´t have my say. If anybody can weather through this storm, it´s us.

Note: In WWII, car production halted for SEVEN YEARS to help the war effort, all metals and aluminum were taken by the government, and we, Americans, helped defeat the third reich while simultaneously blossoming the ´greatest´generation. This so called crisis will calm down soon enough as the stock market recycles itself, and while it´ll certainly suck for many, we´re in a period of absolute bliss in comparison. I hate to sound pollyanna, but don´t worry, be happy. And no, Andrew, do not make this into an argument about the war in Iraq. ;)