This is the beginning of the Fall.....

The precipitation in Espana drops for the most part on the flat area.

Cam y Alex hanging in the park.

The past two weeks have been a semblance of a normal and habitual life in Spain.... as boring as that may sound... its still quite exuberant and full of life. My friend Pepper (yes, the spice and the person have become one) and I have met a few times at the parks to take in the Spanish life to its fullest. Watching the Granpas play with their nietos and shuttling them from one piece of playground equipment to the next. Huge grins plastered on small children's faces as they hurl their little arms and legs down various slides and climbing apparatuseseses into the awaiting patriarchal arms, strong and weathered all the same.

In El Jarin Capricho... strumming...

As Pep and I pass time talking about the various different aspects we have come to enjoy and embrace, a small boy comes to listen to me strum the guitar. He listens with the correct amount of silence until the end of a song and gives a standing/jumping ovation. The drool which was barely hanging on to the side of his cheek has no chance of survival after the explosion of claps and laughter. A few songs, the mom thanks me for entertaining her little drool production factory, and 'el nino' squeals off to find another form of interest. A well spent afternoon.

Beyond lazy Sundays in the park, I have filled my evening with various metro rides and with a few English classes spotted in between here and there. Couchsurfing has been put on a hiatus for the month of October but as we end the month with Halloween in our sights, the flat prepares to open its door once again and take on a fresh wave of surfers in November. I doubt it will be as crazy as summer was, as there are not as many travelers, but you never know... stranger things have happened here in Madrid.

In addition to making common house improvements, I've taken upon the task of turning my balcony into a small garden. Being embedded in the city has brought out the urge to have some sort of Green in my life... I am open to any suggestions... as I have only attempted growing things out of dirt once in my life... and it was quite the task... I will give you updates on my progress...

Not the most exciting of posts but there is some value in returning to a normal cycle of life... but for you adrenaline junkies... here is a list of upcoming events!

• Halloween on the Finca: "Its terror, not sexi" Ivan's explaining how you are not to dress like a slut for Halloween in Madrid

• The Re-Opening of the Surf Hostel: El Gran Salon <----- click here We've put a lot of work into the place....

• My continued quest to educate as many Madrilenos as possible... for a small fee of course.
  

• The continued conquest of the ARIZONA REDBIRDS IN THE NFC WEST... yes, I have to stay up until 4-5am usually to watch the game, and thats only if a good friend skypes me, sets the computer in front of the TV while I yell and scream 5000miles away... Rediculous.. NO... Just Loyal!

• Thanksgiving! Gathering all the Americans I know to celebrate the offering of corn, vegetables, and other scrumptious foods from the Native Americans to our European settlers in North America... While the settlers returned the favor by giving them swine flu blankets.... (Don't send hate mail, I love Thanksgiving, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity)
  

Have you seen this mouth.... You can hear it from anywhere...

As always, come to Spain and enjoy all the things you are missing... you can only live vicariously through me for so long, before you take the plunge and come out.... except for Kim... we have noise restrictions here...

-Lo

"He has all the virtures I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
-W. Churchill

Where is the effing band!! THEY'RE ON IN 2 MINUTES!!

As most of you know, the flat here in Madrid participates in Couchsurfing.org. It has been one of the most rewarding parts of moving to Spain. Being able to meet new people from all over the world, having many different cultures show up on your doorstep opening horizons and removing misplaced stereotypes (most of the time) has been very rewarding. (One being that Americans don't know how to cook which I gladly dispell! The conversation usually starts by, "Don't you guys just eat fast food..... )

The Highway Children.
Back: Jodie Oaks, Uncle Meat, Flor
Front: Marquee Moon, Bottomless Liter, Willly Rockefeller, and Wilson Silvers

Our living room transforms into a hostel. Different furniture formations with proper names have been assigned:i.e. large dinner formation, movie watching formation, large sleep formation and so and so forth... the two couches turn into beds,and we have two single mattresses that go into the back of the room, next to the pole. One group in particular that has recently visited our hostel and the reason I allude to Couchsurfing, is the band: Uncle Meat and the Highway Children.

Yes, that is your cue to look up their Myspace and actually see who I am talking about. (www.myspace/meatykids) They have traveled down Europe from Manchester, England spreading the sweet sounds of folkiness and freelove and joy. As with any awesome traveling folk rock band that spends a few days(a couple of weeks really) at your house, long nites were had, short mornings ensued,and a slight split of the forehead followed me around for the remainder of the day. Each morning is started with the strumming of a banjo or mandolin and a slight smell lingers from the night before. Me and the flatmates would show up to some of their street performances to give the crowd a boost of energy and show our undying support. The patrons of Madrid are usually easily to obliged, especially if you sound good.

Highway Children on a train... Taking the Metro by storm...

One fine evening we made it out to Club Nuit with the band, a former strip club turned bar (you can't even tell with all the mirrors and awesome faux marble statues) and their special, 5euro all you can drink from 10-12... The alcohol is watered down, the bartenders are smug, and the beer is served by the 4ounce cup but even in the face of adversity one can enjoy themselves quite nicely. Although Club Nuit was a blast, the most memorable moment of the night was the metro home... The fun part about hanging with the band is that at a moments notice, they can break out the instruments and turn your life into a small music video. Waiting 10 minutes goes by really quick when you got a band by your side and the metro ride.... it went by in a jiff... don't know how much the one spanish lady appreciated when a motly crue of hippie rockers and their groupies sat next to her on the train, (she switched cars at the next stop) but I loved it.
Busking at Sol.

Along with great music, it was great fun getting to know what it takes to get on the road, challenge the world, and to see a complete different way of life. I learned a fair amount of Manchester slang (Chip you...) and the large scale meals cooked together are always great gatherings. I am sure we will see this group of wild childs again and more crazed nights to

ensue.

In other new, the departure of Caterina and other small Italian adventures, the world (the flat) is changed forever... find this and tonnes of other stories right here in Madrid... we'll do it over a big flat dinner... see you then.

-Lo

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquest of it"
-Unknown