Las Palmas!

Don´t really know how to start this blog post. But here I go---

So I have kind of, unofficially, have been to Africa! That is right, I spent last weekend in the Canary Islands. We left Thursday morning, took a train to Sevilla, and then took a plane to Las Palmas. We happened to be on the same plane as Maria del Mar, Mila´s sister, which was cool.

Everyday of the 4 day trip was basically the same. Very relaxing, a lot of food, a lot of walking, and then a free world music festival at night. The music festival was called WOMAD and featured musicians from all over the world, but specifically Africa. There was this one older woman from the Sahara Desert who had a lot of henna and could sing/yodel like no other. There was a mountain of hippies and little hippie shop type things.

Now the food. Where to begin??
Well, I ate my weight in papas arrugada, queso frito, and gofio (I am talking gofio ice cream, gofio mousse, and just plain gofio.) Gofio is a corn type paste and those potatoes, oh man. Little potatoes boiled with salt and eaten with a spicy tomato mojo. YUMMY.

The beaches were really cool too. The sand is black because the island was formed from a volcano. The water was cold and there was always a slight breeze. I promise to post photos on this blog later.

Mila´s other sister, Nieve, lives on the island and has a HUGE house, over looking (what felt like) the whole island. From her house you could see the huge banana and tomato plantations and the many little different colored houses perched upon jagged hillsides. She and husband had just gotten back from Cambodia and Vietnam and showed us some awesome pictures.

I am so lucky that I got to go! And being there, for only four days made me want to live on an island, for at least 6 months. Cadiz is technically an island, but I want to live some place tropical.
And let me tell you, Cadiz is not tropical. It is cold. Very cold. Thank god there is some sun this week or else I think my hands would freeze off. It is actually not that cold and will get a lot colder, but shit man, compared to Marin County, I am in the Arctic. I do recall a certain Intrax coordinator telling me that is always warm in Cadiz and not to bring warm clothes. Oh well. Mila lets me wear her old jackets and boots from Minnesota, so I am all set.

That is all for now! Thanks for reading and look for photos ASPAP!

much love,
Violetita