Shower like a Spaniard

Today is Thursday and as the dialogue of local Murcian news is streaming from an undetermined origin from my computer the day is progressing in orderly fashion. After four hours of assisting two English professors at Vicente Medina, a primary school located along the border between the Murcian towns of El Esparragal and La Orilla de Azarbe, the work week has officially ended. I share time each week between this school and La Señora de los Angeles which is centrally located in El Esparragal and both locations provide different yet equally uplifting environments. Between language exchanges with a couple of the town's really nice locals and frequenting a local bakery on a habitual basis for empanadas I am beginning to feel like a quasi part of the town.

After seven weeks of working as an English language assistant I feel fortunate to be a part of both school's bilingual programs and each day continues to be a learning experience. As of this past Monday there is now a new love in my life: Mandarines. Murcia as a region doesn't boast the most prominent architecture or traveler friendly scene compared to the rest of the country however it does happen to be Spain's leading producer of delicious fruit and vegatables. Local food products can be found at absurdly cheap prices within nearly every grocery store and as stated above I have found a new addiction towards mandarines. On Monday I was awarded a bag full of them by the grandfather of a friend who lives in El Esparragal and the rich juicy citrus of their orange inspired deliciousness has me completely hooked.

Last Sunday after hiking along a sunny coastal trail with Lola, Lucia, and Leiven within the nature preserve of Calblanque, roughly thirty minutes outside of La Manga towards Mar Manor, a second love of my life entered the realm of my tastebuds: Paella. Inside a local restaurant and while sharing una jarra of Estrella beer a massive black simmering saucepan was placed at the center of our table. Garnished with wide sliced limes an assortment of green peppers, red peppers, calamari, clams, & full pieces of chicken sat docked within the shores of a savory saffron rice lagoon. Despite all of us equally being starving after the hike we weren't able to finish the enormous serving of Paella and elected to rename it's role into leftovers.

Like an echo of the first sentence within this blog post it is currently Thursday and the sky outside is cloudy with possible hints of rain in the forecast. Since flicking enough keyboard combinations to create three paragraphs the background soundtrack to my afternoon has now shifted to underground Hip-Hop, a rhythm reminiscent of living back home. After seven weeks of living a semi-expat lifestyle in Murcia I sincerely miss the good music from home but more importantly I miss the people who I once shared it with. Mexican food, hot sauce, bicycle lanes, and social acceptance for wearing flip-flops are a handful of other things that I miss but luckily there are new aspects of life that have taken their place. The ability to share a delicious tapas dinner among friends at a whopping price of $7 is a nice change. Instead of addressing friends as "man" or "buddy" you now have "acho", "tio", and "hombre." The word "joder" has multiple entertaining meanings and children as young as 6 can be heard expressing it is various contexts. Instead of scratching your head with a good response to something you didn't quite understand in conversation there now exists a simple melodic verbal solution: "vale". People here are also very helpful and open, often to the point of excessiveness. Without knowing who you are a family will gladly invite you to lunch and without question offer you a glass of local wine as if it were part of their daily routine. People here are also for the most part very proud, honest, and friendly despite assuming that since I'm American I have a fondness for hamburgers, shooting things, and being late to everything.

As I sit here in front of my computer I realize that this morning I didn't wait to see if any of my roommates were going to use the shower. I simply woke up, stumbled half-awake into the bathroom and did what needed to be done in order start the day before school. When I first moved into the place where I currently am living it was a different story. Taking showers, like crossing a busy street, ordering a beer at a popular bar, or simply living life in most cases requires you to simply just take the lead and make the first move. By the time you wait for everyone to wake up then ask if they need the bathroom you might have already missed the bus for work. People here seemed to have figured this out and it's something that I want to take into daily accordance as long as respect for others is maintained.

If I walk away from this experience having gained nothing else at the very least I can say that I can now shower like a Spaniard.

Have a great day and more updates coming soon :)

ValenciAhhh

Sometime around 8pm last Friday an ALSA bus that originated in Murcia made its final stop within the city of Valencia. After conducting routine pick-ups in Elche and Benidorm, a pair of smaller cities a short distance from Alicante, the mode of transport passively lurched into a nesting place between two brightly tinted yellow lines painted on asphalt inside an airplane hangar style terminal. The sky was dark and once the buses' rear doors glided open a sprawl of disembarking passengers scattered in unseen directions with varied degrees of urgency. After waiting my turn in a moderately progressing line and five careful downward steps I was now officially in the city.

With zero plan of action and not a clue of where anything was located I managed to make way towards the neighborhood El Carmen, one of the oldest barrios of Valencia. During the bus trip I booked a single night at the Central Valencia Youth Hostel via my phone in order to have at least a small point of reference upon arrival. The hostel, like its title, is conveniently located in the center of many important landmarks like Plaza de La Virgen and los Torres de Serranos. After charging my phone, meeting a couple backpackers from Australia and Sweden, then sending out a series of last minute couchsurfing requests for the following day, I exited the hostel with not a single idea where to go. 

The soft sliding shut of the trendy Euro-hostel's glass door changed my role from casual vacationer to street dweller and impulse driven corner crosser. With the door closed behind me the first major decision of the weekend presented itself before my very eyes. 

Turn left or turn right?

My first evening in Valencia proceded in this kind of fashion. Sneaking between allies, impromptu U-turns, and sudden curb jumping guided me first towards a hundred something person bicycle posse congregating around the Turia Fountain of La Plaza de La Virgin where middle aged men walked around with paper bags looking to sell overly priced street beers. A few more left and right turns sent me to Plaza Viriato to enjoy the closing of an electronic DJ set among scores of seemingly well-to-do Valencians donning nice evening attire and more street beer. Twisting along through confusingly titled streets and following along with various waves of strolling locals I encountered Alberto who was working at "The Hotdog Factory", a corner food restaurant selling what you probably can already guess. Alberto introduced me to a girl named Lola who then gave me directions to a music venue called "Loco Club" where a band from Madrid called Dinero was performing. With no plans I followed the directions that she drew on a white napkin and spent the rest of the evening listening to high energy Spanish rock music.

Once Saturday Morning introduced itself with a groggy handshake I was informed by the staff of the hostel where I was staying that the facility was fully booked and check-out was in 2 hours. Looking online not a single hostel in Valencia had space for less than 35 Euros which was way too expensive for my budget. No one responded to my Couchsurfing request either so it was looking like a return to Murcia was going to be happening later in the day.

While thinking of options on a hostel computer someone messaged me on Couchsurfing. An American named Nadia working as an Au Pair saw my request on CS and was interested in exploring the city later in the afternoon. Having not a clue what the next plan of action was as per usual, I put my personal backpack in hostel storage, checked out, then met her at Mercado Central. From there we wandered around various parts of Valencia's historical district with no destination in mind and it was a fun way become acquainted with the cityscape. Starting with creating our own bocadillos in a nearby plaza from goods bought at Mercado Central, people watching from my hostel's rooftop patio, and trying tinto de verano at "100 Montaditos," then taking pictures of countless exotic urban art the afternoon passed in flashing instants. After recollecting my backpack I decided to stay an extra night even though I didn't have a place to sleep.

With all of my possessions attached to my back Nadia and I met up with some of her friends who were from the city and spent most of the night in El Carmen. Between finding a feet stomping drum parade, stand-up comedy acts in a half-constructed building foundation, kebabs, having tea at a teteria, then dancing to funky-beats at a great bar called "Radio Music" my final night in Valencia was one that will forever leave me in a good mood. Laura, Nadia's friend, was nice enough to let us stay at her place for the evening and I will be forever thankful for that act of kindness.

Before saying good farewell to Valencia on Sunday we climbed the winding stairs of Micalet located within the cities' cathedral to catch some of the cities' best views and did some wandering a little bit more just for old time's sake. I feel very fortunate to have met Nadia and hope to repay the her fantastic role of tourguide to her or anyone else if they ever visit Murcia.

Having returned from Valencia there were a lot of supposedly important things I didn't manage to experience. I didn't try the cities' famous Paella, I didn't make a small trek to the beach like a lot of visitors, I didn't see La Lonja & didn't go into The City of Arts and Sciences museum. If anyone asks what exactly I did do while in Valencia the answer is simple:

I had one of the best weekends of my life.

Bus Station Roulette

Today is Friday and I hope that who ever is reading this post is enjoying the start to their weekend :) Sitting in the backseat of a fairly full ALSA bus the sun has just dipped beneath the western horizon and formations of white circular lights from various passing buildings are the only signs civilization in what is now a completely black view from the window.

It's been a little while since updating this blog and as of yesterday I have completed five weeks of working as an Auxiliar de Cinversacion in the Murcian town of El Esparragal. Between dressing up for Halloween last Friday as a priest, playing games with the kids, and even guiding a handful of daily lesson plans, the experience has been very energy consuming yet also rewarding. After a few weeks of classes mixed with a number of language exchanges within the center of the city I am starting to feel ready to teach private English lessons as a form of extra income. If whoever reads this knows anyone interested have them whatsapp me haha.

While outside of the classroom a group of Auxiliares and myself have been meeting for Tapas and scavenging the city for the cheapest menu del dia. A current personal favorite is an Ecuadorian ran restaurant in the neighborhood of El Carmen which offers a very non Spanish menu but it's prices are the best I've seen in city. A Couchsurfing friend has introduced me to parts of the salsa dancing community and a new personal goal has been relearning the practice a few nights a week at a bar called Bora Bora. Last weekend a good friend and I went to Alicante for the day to soak up some remaining warm weather before the transition into Fall officially begins. Another day trip on Sunday to El Cañon de Almadenes made it a fourth consecutive weekend for getting out of Murcia. 

As I sit here within the speeding ALSA bus the fifth consecutive weekend for making a getaway towards a different region of Spain is about to begin. 

This morning I woke up with a strong urge to just show up at the bus station in Murcia, see when the next bus was leaving to any particular destination, buy a one way ticket and simply see what happens. It could be from a random desire to get lost or possibly a sensation to mix up the increasingly routine structure to each week. Whatever the reason I simply just needed a break.

After running two important errands at the bank I packed a small bag with one T-shirt, one pair of socks, underwear, toiletries, phone charger, guidebook, jacket, and ultimately my passport then walked across town to the station. At about 1:45pm I stood in a filed line at a mechanical ticket kiosk still not knowing where I wanted to go. Within moments it was now my turn and I had to make a quick decision because people were collectively gathering behind me in patience for their chance to buy a ticket to their predetermined destination. 

Standing at the machine I was lost in the scrolling sea of countless Spanish town and city names. A few immediately came to mind but there wasn't a bus leaving anytime soon. After a scrambling I finally typed a V then an A then maybe out of instinct an L and "Valencia" came up on the white screen.

Thinking for a moment I tapped a few buttons and suddenly a thin sheet of paper spat out at the palm of my lowered right hand from a small chamber of the kiosk.

The next bus bound for Spain's third largest city was leaving within an hour and now one of its future passengers was going to be me. 

I don't know how long I'll be in Valencia. Maybe 24 hours, maybe a couple days since school starts back up on Monday, or possibly just a handful of minutes. I have no idea. Not even knowing where I will sleep makes this seem like an unwise idea. However sometimes the best plan is having absolutely no plan whatsoever.

I've just played a game of  adventure roulette, let's see what happens :)

In my heart the results of this game hardly matter because inside I know I've already gained what I was hoping for. I wanted to feel the breaze of some place I've never been before, to see sights of previously unknown destinations, to be free.

My shoes are tied, a backpack is safely gaurded between my resting feet and I have an open mind so let's get lost :)

Updates coming soon!

Frank Ocean & Olive Trees

In the backseat of a mid 2000s dark blue Audie sedan a hunch that the trip to Granada was going to be memorable arrived into my mind once heavy synths of a Frank Ocean track blended into the car's stereo speakers.

For some odd reason each time a song reminiscent of home comes into contact with my ears while traveling there sits an internal sensation that I was meant to be there, that it was good decision to visit that particular destination. As rows of olive trees lined in synconized fashion along the rolling soft green hills to both sides of the Bla Bla car the overall look of our surroundings gradually started taking a different form. We no longer were in the region of Murcia, this was now Andalucia. As we dissected through this part of southern Spain the colors of the trees shifted from light greens to yellows and oranges. 

Within minutes of bidding farewell to Thomas, our Bla Bla driver, Lucia and I quickly connected with our friend Paco. Paco is the son of Lola, our other roommate, and visiting him was an excuse for us to visit Granada. From the moment we transitioned from car passengers to street explorers the weekend entered a time warp and it's hard to believe that this post is being written on Monday because the previous three days have passed like flickers of an expiring light bulb.

After beers and a menu del día at a corner plaza eatery named Basil we proceeded to wander the streets of Granada in search of nothing in particular yet at the same time everything we could think of. The city itself sits at the base of a very expansive set of mountains also known as the Spanish Sierra Nevadas and a great point of reference is to simply head for a hill or go down one when having difficulty locating a major street. Transitioning from Greek colony to Roman metropolis to Visigoth stronghold to Islamic powerhouse  then ultimately a climactic Christian Spanish reconquest symbol, Granada is visibly a mixture of many historically rich cultures. The final reconquest of the city by the Spanish took place on the same year that Christopher Columbus "discovered" America.

A majority of the weekend was spent along the Darro River which intersects a major portion of the cities' white painted historical center. Between getting lost along the bohemian Calle Elvira in search of Hookah bars, taking in the wonders of Mirador's San Nicolas & San Cristobal, seeing tombs of Spanish royalty near Granada's Cathedral, dancing to Reggaeton at some unknown bar that served sugary Mojitos, relaxing on the lawn of Parque Federico Garcia Lorca, then a majestic tour of the infamous Alhambra, we managed to take in many flavors of the city. I would recommend Granada as an immediate place to visit for anyone traveling to Spain and feel very fortunate to have witnessed a handful of it's endless deck of experience cards. 

As I sit here within the quiet confines of Cafe De Ficciones back in Murcia I feel like I accidently left something behind in Granada. The bag I packed was pretty light and besides a couple pairs of socks, one pair of shoes, and my camera the idea of something forgotten seems a little unrealistic.

Thinking back maybe I dropped the unknown item in one of the cities' artist inspiring plazas. Then again it might have fallen out of my pocket while wandering through Alcaiceria, a winding corridor of Moroccan markets where "these" and "those" are sold in bushels. Maybe it could be frozen in wonder at the finest of textures along any given wall of Alhambra. Maybe it's sharing a moment of peace behind the protection of a round-shaped stone fountain along El Paseo de los Tristes. Then again it could have been left behind one of the soft crimson pillows of a teteria deep within the incline of an Arabic inspired neighborhood.

After thinking for a moment I realize that something was definitely left behind. It's the reason for my moving to Spain, for working as an English assistant, for continuing this prolonged life-quest to get lost then find the way all over again.

Its my curiosity.

Thinking one more time maybe it's not in Granada. I think it's in Madrid or possibly Valencia. I haven't been to either of those places yet.

The fast picking guitar riffs of "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson just introduced themselves to the atmosphere of Cafe de Ficciones. 

As I pack up my belongings and head for home there is definitely one thing I left behind in Granada.

My heart.

Until next time...

...These & Those..

Note: Written last night!

I find myself watching a dubbed Spanish documentary about science fiction movies with my roommate Lucia in the living room of our house in Murcia. As an unseen narrator sputters details regarding a film set in Mars the first sensation of cool breeze for the day enters the room via an open side door. Being almost 10pm this previously unknown stranger is a highly welcome guest.

After a little over three weeks living in the southern Spanish city of Murcia the sensation of actual breeze has become something to truly cherish. Despite seeing some rain within the first handful of days in Murcia the general climate for this region of the country is typically sunny and arid. On average the temperature each day has hovered around 85 degrees fahrenheit however people have warned that during the summer months there are consistent weeks of inferno-like heat ranging in the 100+ variety. This kind of heat also brings to the forefront a very simple yet extremely important natural phenomenon: the wonders of shade. I feel safe to say that after almost a month as an English assistant I still hardly know anything about Spain, it's vibrant history, the endless gastronomic adventures it offers, and it's wonderful culture. The one thing I absolutely DO know is where to find shade. This has been arguably the most important thing to learn, more so than bus routes, directions to pubs and locations to restaurants. Without capitalizing on shade it is hard to get by each day in Murcia.

Thanks to the presence of lingering warmth at all hours of the day Murcia is prime for those who enjoy spending afternoons or evenings in plazas or outdoor dining establishments. The people of this city love being outside and at all moments of the day is it hard not to find a allies, streets, and terraces filled with locals of all ages having a good time. For many people the day starts and ends in a plaza. Groups of elderly people can be seen replaying the events of their day alongside university students priming for a night on the town all on the same park bench. Musicians play flamenco guitars or soft accordion serenades reminiscent to Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" as couples go on slow strolls through winding dim lit stone passageways. A fun evening can easily consist of simply ordering a "caña" (beer) and a tapa while watching life unfold in refreshing relaxation. 

Tonight will be a fairly calm evening because tomorrow Lucia and I will take a Bla Bla car to Granada and will spend two days visiting the son of our other roommate Lola. Just in case no one has heard of Bla Bla you are not alone. I had never heard of it either until arriving in Spain. Bla Bla is a ride-sharing service similar to Lyft, Sidecar, or Uber however instead of traveling within cities it is used as a means of going from one city to another. It's by far the cheapest way to travel in Spain and also maybe the most interesting. 

Granada, a city of roughly 250,000 inhabitants, is located about 1.5 hours southwest of Murcia and is famous for its bountiful tapas community, rich Moorish heritage, natural landscapes thanks to its close proximity to the Spanish Sierras, and arguably the country's most famous citadel in Alhambra. Once in the city we plan on hanging out with Paco, Lola's son who is studying there, and wander like its becoming a trend. 

The return from Granada on Sunday will keep alive a three weekend streak of managing to explore neighboring cities outside of Murcia. Last week two friends from the teaching program, Lieven from Belgium and Susie from Los Angeles, and I took a short bus trip in order to spend a Sunday in Cartagena. Between meeting two Couchsurfers for tours around the beautiful Teatro Romano and seafood at Santa Lucia's the day was fantastic. The weekend before that Lieven and I visited Alicante to walk around the coastal cities sun scorched beaches and see El Castillo de Santa Barbara. Both cities are located along the Mediterranean Sea and boast picturesque views of endless water horizens. The region of Murcia is highly underrated and is a great place to visit especially if you know people who live there (hint hint hint!!).

More updates are coming soon about Granada but until then I hope that who ever reads this is having a nice Friday!

Sorry for the very wordy update and thank you for checking out this blog! You look really delightful right now :)

                          Cheers ;)

Murciano

Today is Monday and currently I am enjoying the calmness of what been a very relaxing afternoon in Murcia. Its been nearly two weeks since updating this blog and for that I sincerely apologize. As I sit at the reigns of the keyboard in front of me a great deal of events have taken place since arriving in southern Spain on September 30th. It's hard to fully describe everything that has happened since stepping foot on a plane destined for here but I'm going to try and give whoever decides to read this a summary :)

At this very moment I have completed my first week as working as an Auxiliar de Conversación, also known as an English language assistant.  This program hires people primarily from the USA, England, and parts of the French speaking world to work in various elementary schools, high schools, and language schools throughout Spain with an intention of helping teachers provide students with a more complete immersion into English or French.

Also at this exact moment in time I find myself within the confines of what is now officially a permanent residence. After landing in Madrid from New York a plane was immediately boarded for Alicante from there an ALSA bus delivered me to the center of Murcia, my future home for the next eight months. Walking from the station, large backpack slung over my shoulders, I managed to find through a fray of nicely dressed locals The Cathedral Hostel  backpackers which was conveniently located in the heart of the cities' historical district. 

Within minutes of setting down my backpack in the cramped two bunk-bed dormitory style room I met two people who would ultimately play a huge role in my experience here in Murcia. Pierre a 28 year old from France and his friend Lola, a middle aged woman who hails from Murcia, entered the room within minutes of my arrival. After speaking broken Spanish with them for a few minutes Lola invited me to her house because she happened to be looking to rent an extra piso (room) out to someone. The three of us took her car to the neighborhood Vistalegre about three minutes away and after sharing a beer and introducing ourselves better, I decided to become her newest tenant. Within two hours of living in Murcia I had established a place to stay and I feel very fortunate to be here. Besides Lola and me there is another girl from Madrid named Lucia who is studying in Murcia for a Masters Degree. It's great for practicing Spanish and the house comes with bicycles, plenty of personal space, a large patio, plus a very relaxed atmosphere. The choice to move here was by complete intuition and so far its been well worth it.

In addition to finding a place I now currently have a BBVA bank account, a library card, a Spanish phone number, a Tranvia (public transit) pass, and in three weeks I will be receiving a student ID card. With the Huela (ID card) I will be able to stay in Spain for as long as am employed as a language assistant which is nice. 

Murcia is a very hot southern Spain city that stays pretty free of tourism but is within close proximity to some of the countries' more beautiful Mediterranean scenery. Despite being extremely warm at all moments of the day men never a seen wearing shorts or sandals. People love to eat outside, congregate in plazas, and go share tapas while savoring chilled Estrella beers. The overall population here is fairly young thanks to two large universities and overall locals a very inviting. After two weeks of living here I have been encountered by random people asking me directions to places I've never heard of so it seems like something must be working.

Officially after two weeks I feel safe to say that besides having the right to vote I am a semi Spanish citizen and thanks to a grueling 12 hour work week can be considered a productive member of European society. (I think)

As an Auxiliar de Conversación I have been placed in a village called El Esparragal and am working four days a week assisting six different English teachers within two elementary schools in various bilingual subjects. As stated before I work a total of 12 hours a week and have three day weekends which provides plenty of flexibility for traveling to other parts of Spain. In each hour of work I have been placed with students ranging from 6 years old up to 12 years old and so far the experience has been pretty interesting. I will provide more details later :)

This is all for now but more updates will be coming soon! If anyone who reads this wants to get in touch here is my Whatsapp: +014153021802! 

P.S. To anyone who reads this I strongly encourage you to come visit :)  

Lift-Offs Revisited

Note: Written yesterday, ran out of wi-fi

Today is Monday and currently I am finishing the remains of what once was a coffee beverage while sitting within an open aired cafe named El Beit. The warmth of the drink to my right has nearly lost all of its temperature and a pair of middle aged foreign women are sitting to the side of me speaking in some unknown European dialect. Views of Bedford Street can be seen as I take in a gradual sip of dark espresso mixed with water.

For the past three days I have been rummaging around alongside a close friend named Jack with hopes of taking in the diverse flavors of New York City. Jack lives in the trendy neighborhood of Williamsburg which is located in the heart of Brooklyn and despite only being in town for a few days we managed to accomplish more than should be admitted. Shifting from midnight pizza slices, enormous pastrami sandwiches, rooftop brews with friends, free concerts in Central Park and a lot of laughs this trip to the East was one that I am truly thankful to have experienced. Hopefully I will be given an opportunity to pay back the hospitality shown to me during this visit sometime in the near future.

The duration of stay in Williamsburg, like the coffee in front of me, is reducing right before my very eyes. Within a handful of hours I will be hopping a subway train towards John F Kennedy Airport to catch a plane destined for a place located a great distance away, Madrid, Spain. 

After flying to Madrid I will board a second flight to Alicante which is a southern Spanish city, then take a bus to Murcia. Murcia is the capital city of a province in Spain that bares the same title and once unpacking my bags it will become my home for at least the next 8 months. 

The purpose of this move will be to work as an Auxiliar de Consejeria which means I will be working as an English teacher's assistant in various schools close to Murcia. The first day of school is this upcoming Wednesday and there was a good chance due to delayed deliveries of necessary documents that I would have had to wait a few more weeks for the Spanish Consulate in San Francisco to process my Visa application. Marta is the person who interviewed me and I'll forever be indebted to her because she managed to get the paperwork done in half of the normal time. Rather than sit home waiting for what could have been a few more weeks I luckily find myself ready to start the journey. 

With a Visa for Spain newly obtained a series of concrete travel plans became officalized via the purchasing of plane tickets. There was very little time to savor the moment with family and friends before leaving but I feel truly grateful for short yet equally important moments we were all able to share together. 

Once inside Murcia I will be temporarily living in a backpacker stopover called Cathedral Hostel and try to get some rest before starting orientation on Wednesday. Hopefully this week I will be able to find a more permanent living situation, buy a local cell phone, open a bank account, and begin the final stages towards obtaining a Student Identification Card.  

More updates are coming soon ;)

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this blog, for your support and for your friendship. Without you this blog probably would have never left the airport and stay grounded for unwarranted amounts of time. 

Finishing this post I realize that time is becoming less available and that the moment to prepare for departure is nearing arrival. Standing up I feel a wave of fear, excitement, curiosity, terror & utter happiness. The only thing I don't have racing through my now speeding mind and imagination is regret. It's time to catch a plane.

The time for lift-off to parts unknown is approaching faster than I could have ever imagined and like the saying of my favorite comicbook, it's a wonderful world out there so let's go exploring :)

Take good care of yourself, much love, biscuits & some gravy.