Travel – AgaBloggin

Just Flew in From Porto and Boy Are My Arms Tired…

Wow! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of traveling and baby stuff. Dima and I have covered southern Seville and Granada in Spain, Paris in France and Porto in Portugal. Plus we have learned we are having a little girl and have found and rented a new apartment (2 Bedrooms! Yay!).

Southern Spain was freakin’ awesome. I went to my first (and second) Flamenco show, which was really a great experience. The first one was in Granada. The participants were gypsies and it took place in a real cave. The only way I can describe the atmosphere and the show was it was like they were having an argument and then a dance-off. I never knew this but a big part of Flamenco is the dancers tap/bang their feet and create a beat, like a drum that adds to the guitar and singing of the other participants. Everyone sits around and watches the feet of the primary dancer so they can work the beat off of them. It is like they were jamming.

The Gypsy Flamenco show was emotional and raw… they were so serious. It was funny – between shows I was standing in line for the bathroom (of course) and I heard clacking coming from the floor above. The dancers then proceeded to come down after the break – they were even having a dance off in their spare time! It was nutty and great. I have to admit that the whole time in the back of my head I saw a huge potential for a Will Farrell movie (like Talladega Nights) based off of these people and the craft. Not in a making fun of them sort of way, but they seemed so dramatic – 2 of the women on stage even got into a fight in front of the audience and then proceeded to out-do each other’s performances. It was cool because it didn’t seem like it was for show – they were trying to be discreet with the fight (think dirty looks and a few small hand gestures) but when they danced, you can tell they were saying “fuck you bitch”. The one girl lost her flowers from her hair and was full-on disheveled by the end of it all. In the movie version I could see a limb flying off or a fire being started under her feet. Total passion. Plus the man they had dancing totally looked like a Spanish version of Naum! He was hard core as well just all by himself. He would pull at his clothing and bang it out in a way that was show stopping in its own way.

The second show that we saw was in Seville. I was so into my new find (Flamenco) I made Dima take me to another show! I had read that the styles were very different but equally impressive so I wanted to see and learn more. The Seville show was super cool in its own right. There was not a dance-off type of vibe. It was more of a refined but skilled type of dance and show. I have read that many of the dancers that are nationally recognized and praised have danced on the stages in Seville and after seeing the show I get it. The show was fantastic with bold colors and a variety of performances such as women singing and dancing as well as beautiful Spanish guitar playing. I have to say the one man that we saw dance had to have been the best dancer I have ever seen in person. Dima and I were both like “holy shit!”. So, if there are Flamenco dance lessons available for our little chica I would totally be into signing her up.

The week after we went south we went north to France -Paris that is. Yep.

Then last weekend we went to Porto, Portugal. Going into this trip we were a little tired from all of the traveling and really didn’t have any expectations. Sometimes that is the best way to go into a situation because we were totally wowed. The city is old and in need of renovation but wow, it was beautiful, interesting and far away from being a tourist trap. The buildings are so decorative and colorful. I loved it. It makes me think that the people who made them were not concerned with their building looking like every other building. They decorated them to be bold and colorful and interesting. That is not something I am used to seeing in the states or even in Spain. Besides the beauty the food was off the hook..and cheap! One of the things that I did not realize before we booked the trip was that Porto is known for their port wine. Yeah, duh. I will def have to go back again when I can drink because I loves me some port, like for real.

While we were there we took a bike tour of the city and I got to ride an electric bike because of my “condition”. OMG, so much fun! I found out on the tour that the author of the Harry Potter books actually used to live in Porto and the whole idea for the book comes from the scene around the city. Too funny. This was another thing I did not know before going there and was happily surprised to learn. I am a huge nerd and have read (and really liked) all of the Harry Potter books. The university students wear long black capes when they are on school business and out and about in the city (uh, yeah, just like the students in the books). And there is a bookstore that has a crazy staircase and décor that was the basis for the library and the moving stairs in the book as well. That was fun to see and learn about as well as the Portuguese history. 2 thumbs up fo-shizzle.

So, now we are home again in Barcelona and have some time until we travel again. We are happy to take a little break. In about 2 weeks we are moving to the new digs. I am really excited about that because now we are living in a studio that is in the center of town which means with the nicer weather it is uber noisy – and generally speaking we are ready for some more space. The move to a larger apartment coincides with our decision to stay for the birth. This is something that we went back and forth with for a long time. Since Dima has 3 months off from work (OMG, for once I can say “good job BOA”) we thought it would be nice to be trapped at home figuring out what to do with a baby in Barcelona. The plan is to comeback before the 3 months are over and settle down somewhere in the Philadelphia area. So, that will be some time in October.

I am a little freaked out about giving birth in a country where I really do not speak the language or fully understand my rights. But I hear they deliver babies here every day and the mortality rates are very good – similar, if not better than the US so I am just going to practice letting go a little more than I am used to. Something about being pregnant has made me a bit more of a control freak. If there is one thing I have learned over the past few births of friends/family it is that the birth is something that you really can’t control. You can have a plan but that shit gets thrown out the window a lot of times. So, I will have a plan but be open to the “safe mother and safe baby” train of thought (totally stole that from Kareem). They are going to do what they need to.

Okay, this post is super long so I am going to stop. But I will write more later – not 3 weeks again, I promise.

Xxoo,

Jen (and Dima)

Why Would Anyone Want to go to Valencia?!?

Because it is freakin’ awesome! That’s why! Yes, Las Fallas was really snazzy and may I say the Spaniards really dedicate themselves to celebrating. The city was full to the brim with local folk as well as tourists and everyone was partying it up, even me in my own little way. 🙂

We ended up not taking the bus because by the time we were ready to purchase tickets they were sold out (awww too bad…mwah-hahahahha) so we rented a car. The ride was super nice – and expensive! Gas here is about $7/gallon and the tolls for this 3.5 hour drive were over 50 EU. I don’t think I will ever drive on the turnpike again and complain about the fees. I do have to say, they charge more but the roads look MUCH better. Beautiful roads with gardening and whatnot. Even with the extra cost I was happy to be on a road adventure with my Dimchik. That is how it usually is when we travel and this was the first time since we have been here that we have hit the road in this way – so I was happy.

Valencia was much prettier than I thought it would be. I am not sure where along the way I formed my opinion but I was wrong. The first organized event of the day was an audio fireworks show. What the heck is that you ask? Yeah, my thoughts as well. It is a series of loud explosions that create a song, like a drum band. I was once again ready to be unimpressed (the more I write this out the more bitchy I sound!!! LOL) but it was pretty cool. I tried to record the event but I am not sure if it was captured to its fullest.

Las Fallas Audio Fireworks – Click to Watch & listen
Ha, I just re-watched it and I see a palm tree I thought was pretty and flipped the camera sideways…doh! I need to try to refrain from doing that again in my future videos. One thing I noticed when looking at this is the number of people in every direction. This place was PACKED. We were about a block and a half out from the sound display (not sure what the “display” was for something you hear… anyway…) and it was packed for blocks behind us as well. It definitely felt tighter than these types of events would be in the states, mostly I think because of the lack of personal space over here.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Las Fallas festival the city of Valencia is full of large paper mache figurines and scenes that teams build throughout the year. Then on the last day of the festival the figures are burned. It is cool because the figures are not just in one location, they are random places. So what we ended up doing was just wandering around and we would turn a corner and find something cool. It is funny because even without the statues I would have been impressed with the architecture and cool courtyards so the figures were an added bonus.

Besides the burning of the figures there is also another tradition that is a big part of the celebration – explosives! Not anything too harmful but cherry bombs /petards (hehe- petard)/etc. – not sure exactly what they are called but basically it sounded like a war zone. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was setting off the explosives. We would see little kids, seriously 3 and up with lighters and lit cigarettes that their parents gave them to light the bombs. Then the kids would light the bombs and throw them in the street or in any crevice they could find. Talk about laid back! I think I would be too uptight to allow this but it was the norm and totally cool here. It was nice to see them all having so much fun with it, so I put aside my uptightness and just found it funny. But I have to say I don’t think I would give my kid more than these little white gunpowder snaps that you throw on the ground… Dima and I took a recording of the background noise while we were sitting for a break in a pretty courtyard. It is pretty funny to listen to. While we were sitting there and listening to our surroundings it makes you think how much these people give into celebrating.

Las Fallas Bombs and Scenery – Click to Watch & Listen

There are beverage and churro stands on every corner (yes, you guessed right I did indulge) there is music, paella, dancing and explosions/fireworks going off left and right and it lasted all day and al night. If there is one way to summarize this celebration it would be that they did NOT phone it in. They were celebrating for real. So many times you go to a city party and people are zombie walking around and sort-of having a good time, this was a good example of throwing a party and meaning it. Oh and the city had hoards of trash and street cleaners out on the streets cleaning up non-stop. I liked that. 🙂

At the end of the night it was time to burn the figures but there was no schedule of the burnings so we had to try and wonder and find one while they were burning it. We were lucky enough to stumble across a figure that was actually the #1 prize winner (of course we stumbled to it – it was right next to the market/shopping and we all know how I likes me some shopping!) and we noticed that there were police and firemen surrounding it. That was our clue that they were going to burn it…2.5 hours later! You saw the crowds from the sound fireworks, imagine it for a burning. Once we were lodged into our spot (yes, literally lodged) it was nearly impossible to go anywhere so we sat tight, well actually stood, and kept our spot up front with a view. I am happy we did even though I think I bruised my bladder from holding “it in” for so long…

Las Fallas : Fire It Up – Click to Watch & Listen

We came, we saw, we conquered…and then we needed to get home…at 3:30am (argh).

By the time the figure was burned and we got back to our car it was super late and we had to drive back to Barcelona. Silly me thought we would leave at like 11pm and get back at around 2-3am. Nope. After dropping off the car at the rental place and getting home it was about 7:30am. It was funny, we took the metro from the rental place and we were sitting there smelling “special” and looking like we have had a time of it the night before sitting across from the peeps that were on their way to work…and I am obviously preggers. They were probably like “really, WTF!?!”.

Yeah, so it has taken a few days to recover and I don’t think I am going to push it like that again any time in the near future. Getting a room for sure.

This weekend we are on our way to Seville and Grenada in the south of Spain. This is the first of our air-travel adventures with the discount airline. I hope it is not scary. I am super excited! The south of Spain is supposed to have a middle eastern vibe, which I am totally into. We plan to explore Grenada from Sat to Sunday and see Alhambra as well as see a gypsy flamenco show in a cave (wooOOOOoooo) and then Seville on Sunday to Monday. I will scoop you all when we come back – hopefully earlier in the week…

Oh, and then on Tuesday we have our ultrasound (21 weeks!!!). Get to see the baby, which I am excited for AND find out the sex! I always thought I would want to keep it as a surprise but the truth is I want to know that shit asap! Not sure what I will do with the info, but I think it is fun to know and it will be a new level of “OMG I am really having a baby” to think of it as a boy or girl. I am totally huge right now and I can’t even imagine how I will get bigger, as I am just at the halfway point. Maybe it will slow down or something…somehow I doubt that though. I am pretty flexible but I am having trouble bending to tie up my sneakers so I am happy that sandal weather is on its way over here. Dima has been a champ and has been helping me with taking them on-off but I am excited to get some shoes with no laces. Today I am actually going to go get a pedicure in anticipation.

Okay, I will get going now. I am sorry I have not posted any pic albums but I am waiting on Dima and he seems to only work on pictures for Anya and Kasia, so ladies please help me out by giving him a hard time. 🙂

Much love to you guys, we really miss you really bad. I love it here but would love it more if you were here as well…

Xoxoxo!!

Jen

Hello my name is Jennifer and I am a total whore for Whole Foods

I hate admitting this out load but I feel that this last stretch without having confidence in what I am eating has really made me appreciate the days when I would roll into WF and walk the isles looking for something yummy, knowing that 9 out of 10 chances that I was selecting is natural/organic. I don’t usually care as much about these things but since getting knocked up there was a sense of peace about not having to wonder. It was so easy and I could almost always leave an expedition with something unusual, cool with no harmful chemicals. Ah, the days of Kashi Blueberry cereal, or wasabi rice chips or even something simple like 3 minute organic mac and cheese (white cheddar is the BOMB). I know I totally sound like a hungry pregnant chick but what I am focusing on is the challenge of not having my super easy fix of food that I know will be good for my nino/a. Plus I can read and understand most of the ingredients. The last time I came out of the closet with something as condemning as this it was when I finally accepted that yes, I like Justin Timberlake’s music and fuck it, I am going to admit it in public! Here I am and I really miss WF. Dima, I am sorry. I know you will not approve of this post and with time I hope you come to accept me with this new information.

At least the upside is I am eating more fruits and veggies and food that I can make out the ingredients. Plus, I did recently find something really neat…at least to me. In many stores they have tons of milk that is not refrigerated. It kind of freaked me out but then Dima and I researched it and it turns out if they vacuum seal it in a specific container it does not have to be put into the refrigerator until you open it. I am down with this and they have one that says all natural and gives the location of the cows that the milk came from with a map of Spain (too funny!). So hopefully “natural” in Spain means the equivalent of organic, or close to it.

In other news Dima is almost done being on call and we are going to Valencia this weekend for the conclusion of the Las Fallas Festival. I am excited, especially because Dima has been before, except he was not there for the last day where they burn stuff (he-he…fire fire!!!) which I think may be the best part. That is the part that we are going to get to see this Saturday. I will tell you after the weekend how it goes and hopefully we can get some cool pics to show the scene! I am excited but the neurotic in me is a little concerned about 1. The fumes from the fire and 2. The 4.5 hour bus ride…will there be a bathroom? If anyone who has been preggers reads this please let me know if you have any suggestions. Right now I am just going to reduce water intake for this day. My bump is getting a little bigger and I think is at the point where I have to go more frequently and urgently – sorry if this is TMI for some of you. Hopefully in my recap of the festival there is not a section of me peeing in a bottle on a crowded bus while Dima dies from embarrassment. LOL!

We are working on posting some pics from super pretty beach towns as well as from the Carnival celebration that we went to 2 weeks ago. There were 100’s of people in costumes so of course we took like 1000 pics. Hopefully we post before the weekend!

Much love and we will be in touch again soon!

PS: The Fallas pic is not ours, just an example of what we are going to see…The pregger pic is just me and my phone in the bathroom. Keepin’ it real at 19 weeks. Budda belly!

A Month Has Passed…

And No, I do not miss eating at Uzbekistan… but I do miss my friends, and my original baby Roxanne. Spain is cool and we have really settled in to our room…oh, I mean apartment… and have gotten on with what we have planned to get on with while we are here.

I started school in the end of February and am learning Spanish. It is coming slowly but it is coming. I think by some time in 2015 I will be fluent. LOL, I kid, I kid. Every day I am find myself using more and more words so that is pretty cool. Dima does not take classes but he is dong the Rosetta Stone Program and seems to be learning a lot from that, as well as on social occasions. It is a little annoying that he hears a word once and seems to remember it forever, but I am happy that he is getting it. I was planning to take evening courses while Dima is working but my skill level didn’t fit in with the group so I had to take intensive day classes to catch up so I can eventuallly take the night classes as planned. The day class starts at 10am, which is not bad. I can get up at 8:30am and get there on time. It is just a little sucky because Dima and I go to sleep super late – Dima works until about 11pm every night because he is still on US time – so it will be cool when I am in the night class so I can sleep in or go explore with Dima in the morning. Next week I am supposed to try a class in the evening so we will see…fingers crossed.

Dima has been working on US time which ends up being from around noon or 2 until 11pm. The plan is for him to work

these hours to make the transition as seamless as possible and then perhaps change to a more favorable schedule down the road. Since he is at home at night we cook a lot during the week…oh wait, I mean I cook a lot :-), and Dima has become quite a connoisseur of Spanish wines. Nothing fancy, we actually like the game of finding the best bottle of cheap red wine that was made locally. So far he has not had the same bottle twice, and we spend on average 2-5 EU each. I am worried about weaning him off the wine when we come back to the states, but for now it is fun to rock it like a Spaniard. I am a little jealous…okay a lot jealous…but not to be corny, I am happy enough to live vicariously through him…at least for now. From time to time I take a mini sip to taste if he has a

good pick and that is getting me by.

Sooo, one of the main reasons we liked the idea of coming to Barceona is because we though Spain was pretty rad, as well as its proximity to other cool places. We wanted to take advantage of our location and the totally cheap local flights and we finally are in about 2 weeks. I am so excited! This airline called Ryanair is so affordable we are going to fly to Paris for a long weekend for under 50EU roundtrip for 2 tickets! So far we have been taking local trips with Sergey and his girlfriend to beaches about an hour up and down the coast and a monastery that is located on top of a mountain (I still think Greece blows away the competition). This has been cool but I am really excited to go a little farther. So far we have plans to go to Valencia and Seville, Spain and then Paris, France and Porto, Portugal. That uses up all free time until mid April and then in the beginning of May Marina may come to visit and Kristy and her hubby Chris have booked tickets for the middle of May…and by the end of May we need to decide if we are coming back to the states. I am not supposed to fly after the 32 week so if we are coming home, then it needs to be by June 13^th.

It is funny how time flies. It is also funny how a certain clarity comes with constant sobriety (Dima wouldn’t know about this – LOL!). I think my pregnancy brain is battling with my clarity but in the end I find myself at a an even place and am really happy that Dima and I are taking this adventure together. Stuck together in this little apartment there was really the potential for us to be at each other’s throats but it has been the opposite. This upcoming week Dima is on call and may be stuck inside all day which I know will make him bonkers. But we have a good game-plan to go to the local restaurants – there are literally at least 10 small, unique places within 5 minutes of our home so we will try and get out and enjoy our neighborhood.

This is just the beginning of this whole new blog experience and we don’t even really have a name that both of us like. So if you can think of anything fun to call the blog pretty please share it with me. Seriously.

PS: Check out the view from across the street from my food store! Nutzo – loves it!

Much love!!!

Well Hello There!

Yes, we are here and yes, I actually am trying to “blog” whatever that means. It has been 10 days since we have arrived and we have really gotten a lot accomplished. I have to say I am surprised that we are as settled in as we are.

When we first got here we were staying in a shared apartment where Dima’s friend Sergio (formally known as Sergey in Rusia) lives. The woman who owns it is called Tatianna and is somewhat off the wall. Some nights she would sleep behind a curtain in the kitchen and jump out to say hello if you crossed her path while she was awake. The kitchen was across the hall from the shared bathroom (yes, this sucked horribly) and I had a mini-freak out every time I had to pee. Plus our door-knob that led to the main hall was broken so it would about 3-10 spind to get the door open. This process was noisy and it was not uncommon for a stranger who was staying down the hall to open the door from the outside to assist us from being stuck. Ugh, so uncomfortable. I do have to say the experience of living in this shared apartment in a foreign country was so crazy that it was like a sit-com. We were highly disturbed most of the time but laughed a lot every step of the way…except in the middle of the night when I had to go to the bathroom. We have since moved out of our shared apartment into our temporary-permanent digs. Thank God! LOL!

Our new place is located in the Born neighborhood of Barcelona.

Google map of our location in Barcelona. You have to hit the search button for some reason after you click the link, but it will work then… 🙂

We are a 10-15 minute walk to the water and about a 5-10 minute walk to Plaza Catalunya, which is the center of town. I post some pics once I take some. Our place is small but I have to be honest, I don’t really mind it. For the past few months we were living at Dima’s parents so this is actually a bigger space than I am accustomed to. It is funny what you get used to and how your needs change based on that. I think at least that is the case now, when our addition comes I am not so sure our needs will be so flexible…

Any0-hoo I am going to jet and write more in a new post once we get going with this living in another country thing.

Much love!

Jen (and a little splash of Dima)