After a year, it was time to visit my hometown. This time I flew from Dubai. You are reading right : “From Dubai”. What am I doing in Dubai? You will discover later.
I stopped at Zurich before landing in my comfort area in Spain. Ten hours for me in Zurich, between the Earth and clouds. A cappuccino with a chocolate croissant in a cool cafe with my thoughts. And a couple of red wines in a vinoteca with a green house. It was enough time to feel the change.
I waiting for my baggage impatiently; my parents and my brother were waiting for me at the Valencia airport. When I saw them, my tears fell. The year flew past, but home is home, and the feelings are feelings. “ Ojos que no ven, Corazon que no siente”.
I would spend 16 days at home. Everything was organized, all jotted in my notebook (made of natural cork). My rest time was bedtime, not beyond, but I was happy as I am. Always busy, always free.
The email arrived in time, or maybe out of time. It was Saturday; I was enjoying a journey with my parents and brother in Madrid. I had delayed my flight by two weeks. My attitude had changed and you could see deception in my face. I was lost for a moment.
Come on! Weak up! Get up! Think, plan, be you! I was trapped in time, but my smile returned in a while.
I got more free time for my family, friends, shopping, to read, to write and of course to eat. Why not, I jumped in my car with a couple of bags with things without thinking and I pressed the accelerator to the surest a 200km from my hometown. It seams nothing, but it is a lot in degrees and life.
For 3 years I couldn’t drive, you know how India is. Don’t you know? You should visit it, I can’t explain!
It was a hard job to get a car from my father and drive it. Well, not yet. I am driving my brother’s car. It was very funny when my father told me: see Marisol, one car is old and not comfortable to drive it, and the other one doesn’t suit you. You know, it is big and a family car. I think your brother’s car is better for you.
I looked at my father and I said: you are totally right. I am wearing this dress with stilettos, my read nails, pink lips. My brother’s car is a black sports car, three doors and double exhaust pipe. Sure Daddy, you are always right. “La mujer y el coche no se dejan”.
I love to drive; you feel free, independent and more of that if you don’t have to watch the watch. One of all my dreams is to take a caravan and be lost. Maybe, some day. Do you want to come?
After my escapade, another week at home. I was sleeping more than 8 hours a day. My complexion is glowing. Are these holidays?
“Les pelles de Nules”. Since the last 9 years Nules has a new festival. On a Saturday of April the citizens make “paella Valenciana” on the streets. That festival is getting to be very important and with increasing participants.
I was there for the third time. After 6 years I relived the same. I felt nostalgia. Everything was like always, but different. I have changed and grow up. Some times I feel like a Martian in a different planet. People say that happens with expats people once back home. I can’t explain it, but the feeling is very weird.
After a Sunday day in Spain I fell asleep at midnight. Sundays in my hometown: Breakfast, brunch, aperitif, lunch, coffee, a drink and finally dinner. Trust me, that is true! If you are a strong person doesn’t matter what you do the night before. Well, when you are young you can have breakfast and brunch before go to bed. That depends on you.
It was time to say “bye bye”, three farewell days; “Sushi para principiantes” (not like the book of Marian Keyes), we made sushi in a friend’s house at lunchtime, it was rice wherever, but it was very fun. I love to eat with chopsticks. At least once a week I like to eat with them.
“Just girls” We left everyone and everything aside, for few hours just us. You cannot imagine how many topics girls can start and not finish. The best moment was when we left the restaurant to go home. Time to take the car, but I started to walk. What are you doing? Walking. All my friends looked at me. It is late, cold, far away. Girls: it is 10.30pm, 18 degrees and 700m away from my home. Are you girls kidding me? They laughed and said: You are a city girl.
It is great fun when you live in a small town and take the car for everything and funnier when you have to park closer your home than the place that you would like to visit.
Flight time arrived after a month in Nules, but I didn’t take off. Again I couldn’t do it.
I have planned everything again. May has started and with it a festival in Almansa. “ Moros y Cristianos”. My best friend from my great time in Benidorm is from Almansa. She always takes a free week’s leave for this festival, and spends time there with old friends and family. I have visit Almansa several times and also that festival 6 years ago in 2010. I loaded my car trunk and rushed to Almansa. Always I enjoy visiting Raquel’s family and friends. Her family and friends also visited Benidorm when we were there. I feel like home always. 2 days off from home.
Have you visited the Caribbean? You should visit Almansa, not for the hot weather there, but I knew a place that no matter what the temperature outside, it is always are 26 degrees there.
The acupuncture world. The physiotherapist who attended my neck after a massage decided to introduce me in the world of acupuncture . I was curios about it. I parked my car in front of the door after my trip from Almansa. When I realized I was laying on the bed with 15 spikes on my body and a blanket cover me. He said: Marisol, now relax and enjoy it. You can sleep and will leave you 40 minutes here. I thought: yeah, sure I will sleep with 15 spikes nailed in my body.
I was there with open eyes like a big owl feeling all the spikes. Suddenly my eye itches, then my ear, then my neck, then my leg, then my arm… I couldn’t move! The blanket was pressing the spikes into my body. I couldn’t say if the experience was good or not, but I fell asleep when I arrived home. Just few things relax me as a glass of red wine, a good book, writing some fun memories, great sex and now the Acupuncture.
I couldn’t resist more after 45 days of waiting and feeling blocked. Several skype calls, videos, and photos of my nieces from Bangkok. Booked flight for Bangkok!
My trip to Madrid after 3 days in Spain seams ages ago. I went to legalize my degree certificate. You couldn’t imagine the amount of stamps that a single piece of paper can need. Thanks my friend who helped me I didn’t go crazy around Madrid. I took the fast train from Valencia to Madrid (Ave is a king of trains. It means bird in English). 356 km in 1 hour and 20 minutes. That’s great! I spent the travel time in the café, having a coffee and reading the newspaper. Once I alighted it was already 6 degrees in Madrid. Unbelievable! I had a milk hot coffee and “torrijas” to get warm. I was very happy seeing her after a year in Mumbai. My oldest sister in Mumbai. After all procedures, we had lunch in an India restaurant with her daughter too.
We wanted to recall our Mumbai times, but it was not the same. If you want to try Indian food, go over there. Then we met others two friends from our Mumbai days. We had a Spanish wine and “tapas” mixed with memories.
I was in a hurry and at risk to get ready and the world has stopped.
I want to explain about “Paella Valenciana” and different kind of meals made with rice. An idea, says more than 1000 words. Paella is paella. Rice with something is rice with something.
Paella Valenciana
Arroz negro
Arros del senyoret (Rice with pilled seafood)
There are a million kind of meals made with rice cooked in a big pan called “paella”. My favourite meal made with the “paella” is the “fideua”, made with pasta.
Countdown! Packing time and move on. See you soon sweet home!
Riversong. The river of Dreams. 