Valencia I

I have not even left Spain, and i miss it here already....

for whatever reason, this morning,

i thought of the time in 2003 coming back from Hong Kong on the plane in NY, and saw all these American parents who had gone to Chinese orphanages to adopt little girls.. When i was coming back from Asia. There they were, 5-6 couples. Landed and waiting patiently, with bundled or 3-4 yos in line to fill out the paper work as they got off the plane... and standing in a different customs line than the others. I am not sure what feeling seeing this occured in me, in seeing this touching thing. The only people i have ever seen unrushed at customs. That was such a clear memory....I had the feeling that i was alive, as i walked past them and that here was something in life. that i will unlikely see again... or wondering if I will,,

and so it is with Spain ,, a place that existed in my mind before stepping foot here... So many things about Spanish life, having now been here. having lived through them,

not really anticipating it, exceeded my expectations of the place. There are not many places I can say that about!!.... Particularly, if forced to choose anything architecture, the sun, the food and the music. Which are so particular and immutable from this place.

.... It feels like I could live that life forever, but then a part of me needs to move forward, forward means going to new york.... headache central. but a necessary place. for work and for other things.... the center in north america of the chess, jazz, tennis and finance world in many respects.

I am so tremendously grateful to the Spanish people. For whatever reason, I think they understood me. They saw that i was very artistic, and respected that, and i in them. Almost all Spanish people are artistic in this way.

-here, I walked on the beach, and in the small streets.
-learned to hang laundry from the 7th story without losing any of my clothes...
-learned to feed myself, and prepare food.
-rode the trains, and saw the countryside, where hill after hill of oranges or vineyards for the wines.
-should have gone to the bullfight,, the bullring is maybe less 3 minutes walk from my house..
-Heard about Mestizo Funk from Barcelona, and saw true 'Flamenco' being performed for the
first time, and became an afficianado.

So to Spain I am eternally grateful. And will be back'

A