Monthly Archives: November 2015

Fin de noviembre

Today is Sunday and we’re mostly taking it easy.

Yesterday we spent several hours at a seven-year-old birthday party followed in the evening by a Thanksgiving fiesta hosted by Americans for Spanish and American families. We were the first to leave when we took our exhausted child home at 11:30pm, which, by Spanish standards, is not late at all.

: Kids at Lou’s school created a big poster for November 25, international day for the elimination of violence against women. We don’t know who led this effort or how the issue was discussed, but Lou did understand that domestic violence often means kids are getting hurt too. On November 26, the lead story in one of the Granada papers was about several local events promoting the rights and safety of women.

: The petals name examples of or wishes for equality: “Mama & Papa clean the house,” “Both girls and boys play soccer,” and “Everyone has feelings.”

: Without seeking it, we got to experience Black Friday shopping in central Granada. This was the first year smaller stores in Granada tried the tactic after a department store with locations nationwide saw success last year. Online retailers are also going to give “CiberMonday” a go.

: The Thanksgiving feast included cranberry sauce made from cranberries delivered last week by American visitors, turkey tenderloin, amazing mashed potatoes, authentic-tasting stuffing made in a paella pan (!), and an authentic-tasting pumpkin pie made from a neighbor’s giant pumpkin. I made a savory pastry with leeks and a sweet potato cake with cream cheese frosting.

: November 29: more unusually warm sunshine.

Agradecemos que nos hayan dado una tal oportunidad

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I think I speak for all three of us when I say we’re truly enjoying our life in Granada. Things have been going so well, in fact, that the niggling voice in my head says “Ojo, watch out. Everything that goes up must come down.” And it will. But for now things are really good. We are thankful.

Some recent photos…

: Pete has been taking a class called Secret Routes of Granada, and last Friday—just as the instructor asked everyone to step carefully and help each other—a woman slipped and broke her ankle. Pete helped carry her to a place the paramedics could access.

: It was the loaded persimmon tree that first caught my eye, but now I notice the salmon-colored house. That’s unusual. The Albaicín neighborhood is a historic district where exterior paint color is dictated by a community plan. Of course the plan also says that our part of the neighborhood will not have new construction taller than two stories, and yet the house being renovated behind ours was approved for a third-story addition, blocking our view of the Alhambra and the direct sunlight we need to dry laundry (!!).

: Pete laid the groundwork for Lou to get to know a sweet sixth-grade neighbor named Aitana, and they really seem to enjoy each other’s company.

: San Miguel church at the end of our street is not an active parish and it’s only occasionally open as a historical site (to raise money for ongoing restoration) or for weddings.

: In the early 16th century, even Muslims who had converted to Catholicism (under fear of death) were forced to leave Andalucía—except for some Muslim craftspeople without whose knowledge Catholic churches could not be constructed. The techniques and artistry of those Muslim builders of churches is called “mudejar,” and you can see it reflected in the wooden design of the ceiling.

: View of the Alhambra and Generalife from the church bell tower.

: Last Sunday we invited Aitana to come with us to a women’s soccer game (Granada won 9-1). All of us guiri* women are trying to figure out how girls get to play soccer other than by joining a boys team. And don’t be fooled by the kids’ lack of layers—the weather was cold and windy! *”Guiri” is a local term for American/British/Australian/Northern European tourists. It’s probably a little pejorative, which makes us guiris enjoy using it even more.

: Saturday night we went to a bar to watch “el clásico,” a soccer game that only happens twice a year between the fútbol powerhouses of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Pete says you know you’re in an authentic Spanish bar if there’s harsh fluorescent lighting.

: A tapa of potato and bell pepper stew with a fried egg.

La contaminación

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A high pressure weather system has been parked over Granada for the past three weeks, delivering one sunny day after another. With no wind to blow the dirty air over the hills and no rain to wash it away, we’ve instead watched it accumulate—to dangerous levels and above limits set by the EU, according to a recent news story. It’s a persistent problem.

Diesel cars and boilers (we have one), motorcycle exhaust, and open burning of post-harvest agricultural waste are contributors. I think cigarette smoke should be acknowledged, too, at least for polluting the air on sidewalks and at outdoor cafes.

: “Smoking kills.” The other side of the pack shows open heart surgery.

Granada has a plan to improve air quality, but some of the big programs—a light rail line, a bike rental program, an incentive program for hybrid cars—are stalled or have otherwise not been executed. At least progress has been made in limiting car and bus traffic through the city center—we appreciate how pedestrian-friendly it is.

: This is what a bus rapid transit platform looks like.

: The LAC, as it is known, runs a frequent circuit through the city center connecting at key points to buses covering other parts of the city.

: Many taxis are hybrid cars.

With mixed feelings we welcome rainy and cold weather today.

Algunas fotos de la primer parte de noviembre

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: Lou and a good American buddy on an all-day hike with families from school. We couldn’t have dreamed a better day.

: Surreptitious documentation of one of Lou’s afterschool activities. On this day–and without using these words–they built devices that demonstrate how to find equilibrium on a fulcrum.

: Circus tricks

: In the Realejo neighborhood, on the other side of the Alhambra hill from the Albaicín

: Entrance to a carmen in the Realejo neighborhood (historically, a carmen is a walled villa with its own water supply and space for a vegetable garden)

: A street in the Realejo neighborhood

: In the distance you can see newer development outside Granada–a highway interchange, roofs of a long line of rowhouses, and big apartment blocks.

: Imagine the scent of warm, dry pine needles.

: Near the Alhambra

La caridad

Menuda chorrada

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Saturday's visit to the Moroccan barber who speaks French, Arabic, Spanish and English. Unfortunately, he and Lou agreed that Lou is personlizing his hairstyle with a tail.

Saturday’s visit to the Moroccan barber (married to an American) who speaks French, Arabic, Spanish and English.

Lou came home this week with a few Spanish swear words rolling off his tongue, so we know the immersion thing is working.

I also learned a new palabrota by reading the comments section of an online Spanish newspaper. At the end of a news story about ISIS propaganda referring to modern-day Andalucía as “the lost Islamic paradise of Al-Andalus,” a number of people left ignorant, facile, and xenophobic comments about terrorism and Muslims. Finally a commenter interjected “bullshit” (menuda chorrada).

And with that I’d like to share this statement published by travel writer Rick Steves following the terrorist attacks in Paris as a kind of anti-menuda chorrada.

After Friday’s horrifying events in Paris, as we keep the victims and their families in our prayers and marvel at how violent hatred can express itself, it’s natural for those of us with travels coming up to wonder what is the correct response. Let me share my thoughts:

I have two fundamental concerns: what is safe, and what is the appropriate response to terrorism.

About safety, I believe this is an isolated incident. Tomorrow Paris will be no more dangerous than it was the day before that terrible Friday the 13th. I also believe that security in Paris and throughout Europe will be heightened in response to this attack. Remember: There’s an important difference between fear and risk.

About the right response to terrorism, I believe we owe it to the victims of this act not to let the terrorist win by being terrorized. That’s exactly the response they are hoping for. Sure, it’s natural for our emotions to get the best of us. But, especially given the impact of sensational media coverage, we need to respond intelligently and rationally.

In 2004, Madrid suffered a terrorist bombing in its Metro, which killed 191 and injured 1,800. In 2005, London suffered a similar terrorist bombing in its Tube system, killing 52 and injuring 700. These societies tightened their security, got the bad guys, and carried on. Paris will, too.

I’m sure that many Americans will cancel their trips to Paris (a city of 2 million people) or the rest of Europe (a continent of 500 million people), because of an event that killed about 150. As a result, ironically, they’ll be staying home in a country of 320 million people that loses over 30,000 people a year (close to 100 people a day) to gun violence.

Again, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Paris, the victims, and their loved ones. And it remains my firmly held belief that the best way for Americans to fight terrorism is to keep on traveling.