So I think it's about time I talk about Feria considering it was over a week ago.
Seville has this every year. Everyone gets super dressed up because it's basically their prom.
It's nothing more than a celebration of Seville. But, people from all over the country and world come to help Sevillanos out with it. All the women wear their Flamenco dresses and the men wear their finest suits.
They all go to this area of town called "Los Remedios" and there are HUGE tents for BLOCKS AND BLOCKS. Then, when you reach the end of the tents, there is an area of amusement park attractions. (Warning: there are no safety reg.s on these things, so it could be the ride of (the end of) your life.)
On Monday night we left at about 10 to see them light up the portal/HUGE DOOR that lets you enter Los Remedios. The lights and door are in the shape of the NO8DO sign. no8do is the symbol of Seville. "madeja" = 8 and the "no" and "do" start and stop a phrase that the symbol means. When you put it all together it says: no me ha dejado. This means, "she has not left me" referring to the help of the Virgin Mary.
Anyways, the tents are really only for the people who own them. You have to KNOW people.
We know NO one. We got stuck in the SUPER crowded and kind of gross public tents. STILL A BLAST.
We walked through the streets lined with the enormous, beautifully lit tents and listened to the Feria music each one played. We watched the women pass in their expensive, ornate dresses and stop in the tents to dance their traditional dances. We ate the fried fish and churros that are customary to this event. I did NOT, unfortunately, try the rebujito or manzanilla, both of which are drinks that are almost only served during this time of the year. This fair goes all day and almost all night, only stopping so it can be cleaned-up for the next day.
The weather was supposed to be awful, but, ella "no me ha dejado" and the weather was GORGEOUS.
Everything went super bien "very well". Until I had to get back home.
The taxis were charging an arm and a leg. because they could get away with it, and the bus drivers were on strike, so since I surely wasn't WALKING home, I was stuck with taking the metro. The stop was easy to find, but I'd forgotten my card. So, I had to pay. I had NO idea how to work the stupid machines that you buy the tickets from. So, I asked the man who was STARING at me for help (I figured he'd be on my side). He got me my ticket and walked me to the tracks. Normally, I'd find a way to get away from such a creeper, but there were SO many people around I knew he couldn't pull anything.
He and I talked for the duration of my wait for the metro. When it DID come, there was NO room for people to board. It was way too full. People on people, shoulder to shoulder, butt to butt, face to face.
Somehow, this man and his brother pushed myself and themselves into the ONLY available room there was (they seemed to create it from nothing). We weren't sure our noses would clear the closing doors, but they did.
At the very next stop, a FEW people got off. So, a FEW people scrunched themselves on board. The doors to the metro car closed, then the doors of the station. Some MUJER got upset she and the rest of her inebriated family couldn't fit in the car. So, she opened the door to the station and stood between the doors so they wouldn't close/we couldn't leave.
People on both sides of the double doors yelled at each other and the "puta" that was keeping the car from going and making EVERYONE in Seville that had anywhere to go wait.
She yelled and screamed as I tried not to laugh. I was almost face to face with her, but there was the door to the metro between us. I felt a little protected by it. Suddenly, police men come over and try to calm and remove her. She wouldn't move. THEN, the doors to the metro car open. CRAP.
She was RIGHT in front of me and had definitely seen me laughing at her. Luckily, the policemen were able to get her away at right about that moment. She didn't "go quietly" but she go-ed. So I was able to get home, no problem.
Each day of Feria is the same, but I'd say it doesn't get old. I loved it.
This city knows how to party. "Unfortulately" ahahah we had to leave and didn't get to go to all of the days of Feria. Where did we go? Oh, just the eternal city a.k.a. ROME
Friday, April 30, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
My Pre-Feria Week
Some pretty awful things happened this week.
Also, some pretty good things happened this week.
Let's focus on the positive:
I had to go buy more panty hose, so I went to the store. While I was there the CUTEST little boy ran up to me and threw his arms around my legs. His mom laughed and told him to look up and he wasn't hugging who he thought he was. He looked up at me with the biggest, most gorgeous eyes and smiled. Then he hugged my legs tighter.
If I can find him, I'll be coming home with a baby Spaniard stow-away.
Thursday was my roommate's birthday. We haven't spoken in about a week and a half, and it's been twice as long since mutual eye contact was made. So, I obviously had forgotten about the significance of the date. At lunch, Mari was running around the kitchen throwing things together so we could eat when my roomie got back. By 2 pm (the normal hour for lunch) Mari had told me her own memory had failed her and she had told her the night before that the 16th was her birthday. Mari'd gone to the store and bought a cake and prepared a normal lunch because she hadn't had enough time to prepare something special.
By 2:15 I was really getting mad. My roommate was always late to meals, but I'd mistakenly given her enough credit to believe she'd show up on time for her own "party".
By 2:30 we'd not even gotten a call.
2:45 and the bowl of soup in front of me was taunting me. Then, the phone rang. Mari jumped up to get it, assuming it was... her. It was her son Rai. He told Mari that he'd just seen my roommate walking down Calle Sierpes (the hub of commercial shops in El Centro, conveniently located 30 minutes from Mari's apt.)
Upon Mari's hanging up, she and I immediately began cursing her name and eating.
Sometime after 3, my roomie came meandering through the door. Mari jumped up to deal with her (these Spaniards don't beat around the bush).
She told her that she was being incredibly rude for not coming to the meals on time. She said she wasn't going to get mad at her because it was her birthday, but, seriously, she didn't even have a good excuse and she knew why she was late.
She apologized and incomprehensibly, as always, tried to say thanks for the food and cake.
We finished eating in silence.
When my roommate had finished her meal, Mari got out the cake. We (Mari) sang happy birthday to her and we began eating. My roommate tried (for once) to make things less awkward by talking about the differences between American and Spanish birthday parties. Mari looked at me while my roommate wasn't paying attention like she was wondering if I could understand anything the girl was saying (which I couldn't) and I almost choked on my cake from laughing.
Later that night, it was time for dinner. Jacobo, Mari's other son, was over with his new girlfriend. We were eating tapas and drinking tinto de verano when my roomie wobbled in. She had a crutch under her arm and a feigned look of pain on her face.
We all asked what had happened to her, but I already knew. She'd gotten another tattoo... On her foot.
No offense to anyone with a tattoo, but were I trying to get a job in the White House, like my roommate, I'd make it my business to stay tattoo free. I don't think tattoos say, "leader".
She explained her tradition of getting a new tattoo every year on her birthday. Mari asked why she did that and my roomie reasoned it was because she was a poet.
[Blank stare]
Oh, vale.
My roommate also mentioned she'd be dancing in a Sevillana show the next day (she'd never taken a lesson), getting drunk with her friends that night, seeing as it was her 21st (She has no friends. Literally.), and she didn't know how she'd do either with her foot in such a condition.
Dios mio.
She's just a pleasure.
I watched a movie with Mari that night, it had Colin Firth in it, but I still didn't like it. However, I DID understand it (it was dubbed).
I got to go to a soccer game on Saturday! WOOO. It. Was. Awesome.
Soccer really needs to catch on in the US.
I plan on going to the Sevilla v. Barcelona game on May 9th. It'll be the most incredible thing... To see Messi play... OMG. He's a legend. AND he's in his prime... I'm gonna pee my pants! haha
Like I said, bad stuff happened, too.
Heather Genovese died this week and it shook me up a little. We weren't the best of friends but I'd always had a good opinion of her. It was just hard because it was such a shock and brought back a lot of bad memories.
AND there was the whole volcano thing...
But seriously, Jenny from my school here is still stuck in some other country and can't get back till tonight. It's been 3 days that she's been there.
Next week is Feria. (Gotta love a city-wide party for no reason, and the pre-parties for said party).
It started raining again today. Bad sign. Last time it started raining, it didn't stop for about 7 weeks...
Also, some pretty good things happened this week.
Let's focus on the positive:
I had to go buy more panty hose, so I went to the store. While I was there the CUTEST little boy ran up to me and threw his arms around my legs. His mom laughed and told him to look up and he wasn't hugging who he thought he was. He looked up at me with the biggest, most gorgeous eyes and smiled. Then he hugged my legs tighter.
If I can find him, I'll be coming home with a baby Spaniard stow-away.
Thursday was my roommate's birthday. We haven't spoken in about a week and a half, and it's been twice as long since mutual eye contact was made. So, I obviously had forgotten about the significance of the date. At lunch, Mari was running around the kitchen throwing things together so we could eat when my roomie got back. By 2 pm (the normal hour for lunch) Mari had told me her own memory had failed her and she had told her the night before that the 16th was her birthday. Mari'd gone to the store and bought a cake and prepared a normal lunch because she hadn't had enough time to prepare something special.
By 2:15 I was really getting mad. My roommate was always late to meals, but I'd mistakenly given her enough credit to believe she'd show up on time for her own "party".
By 2:30 we'd not even gotten a call.
2:45 and the bowl of soup in front of me was taunting me. Then, the phone rang. Mari jumped up to get it, assuming it was... her. It was her son Rai. He told Mari that he'd just seen my roommate walking down Calle Sierpes (the hub of commercial shops in El Centro, conveniently located 30 minutes from Mari's apt.)
Upon Mari's hanging up, she and I immediately began cursing her name and eating.
Sometime after 3, my roomie came meandering through the door. Mari jumped up to deal with her (these Spaniards don't beat around the bush).
She told her that she was being incredibly rude for not coming to the meals on time. She said she wasn't going to get mad at her because it was her birthday, but, seriously, she didn't even have a good excuse and she knew why she was late.
She apologized and incomprehensibly, as always, tried to say thanks for the food and cake.
We finished eating in silence.
When my roommate had finished her meal, Mari got out the cake. We (Mari) sang happy birthday to her and we began eating. My roommate tried (for once) to make things less awkward by talking about the differences between American and Spanish birthday parties. Mari looked at me while my roommate wasn't paying attention like she was wondering if I could understand anything the girl was saying (which I couldn't) and I almost choked on my cake from laughing.
Later that night, it was time for dinner. Jacobo, Mari's other son, was over with his new girlfriend. We were eating tapas and drinking tinto de verano when my roomie wobbled in. She had a crutch under her arm and a feigned look of pain on her face.
We all asked what had happened to her, but I already knew. She'd gotten another tattoo... On her foot.
No offense to anyone with a tattoo, but were I trying to get a job in the White House, like my roommate, I'd make it my business to stay tattoo free. I don't think tattoos say, "leader".
She explained her tradition of getting a new tattoo every year on her birthday. Mari asked why she did that and my roomie reasoned it was because she was a poet.
[Blank stare]
Oh, vale.
My roommate also mentioned she'd be dancing in a Sevillana show the next day (she'd never taken a lesson), getting drunk with her friends that night, seeing as it was her 21st (She has no friends. Literally.), and she didn't know how she'd do either with her foot in such a condition.
Dios mio.
She's just a pleasure.
I watched a movie with Mari that night, it had Colin Firth in it, but I still didn't like it. However, I DID understand it (it was dubbed).
I got to go to a soccer game on Saturday! WOOO. It. Was. Awesome.
Soccer really needs to catch on in the US.
I plan on going to the Sevilla v. Barcelona game on May 9th. It'll be the most incredible thing... To see Messi play... OMG. He's a legend. AND he's in his prime... I'm gonna pee my pants! haha
Like I said, bad stuff happened, too.
Heather Genovese died this week and it shook me up a little. We weren't the best of friends but I'd always had a good opinion of her. It was just hard because it was such a shock and brought back a lot of bad memories.
AND there was the whole volcano thing...
But seriously, Jenny from my school here is still stuck in some other country and can't get back till tonight. It's been 3 days that she's been there.
Next week is Feria. (Gotta love a city-wide party for no reason, and the pre-parties for said party).
It started raining again today. Bad sign. Last time it started raining, it didn't stop for about 7 weeks...
London, Mate
The days before London were quite boring. I've really gotten into my routine now. Although... it did feel strange to be back at classes...
One thing did happen though... I found out that two young women from Madrid were killed here during Semana Santa. A drunk driver ran a red light and hit them as they were crossing a street. It may be just me, but I swear the people driving cars were nicer and slower this week.
And on Tuesday we went to a play... I don't think I'll be going back... It was ONE man all alone reading a one hour play to us from memory. He was one of those guys that was really into the art of it. I'm not sure I know how to explain it... haha
On Thursday: We caught the bus to the airport AS it was rolling away. We ate chino candy on the bus ride there and laughed at the shapes that they come in.
Poor Angela, the first ten or 15 minutes we were at the airport, I must have been SCARY! I was saying stuff that made people give me looks saying, "OK, stay outta HER way..." I was so PISSED! We HAD to check in online, or Ryanair would charge us. Then, we had to check in AGAIN at the airport. Bull.
I, of course, had to practically strip as I went through the metal detectors because, I have bones made of iron or something. I am ALWAYS the one that gets frisked or pulled aside. We got more snacks and headed to the gate.
We were some of the last people in line. This and the fact that we stood out so much HAD to be the reason we were told we had to fit our purses in our luggage, because we were, "allowed strictly ONE carry-on". We crammed our bags in after quite the struggle. Our beaming smiles were instantly wiped clean as the woman (didn't even look us in the eyes) said we then had to fit our bags into the metal-cage-thing to see if they was the proper size... You know they weren't.
We had to then pay for them to check our bags which were about 1" too big. I literally measured my bag to be sure it was the right size. And id was!! Bull.
Angela and I, the last ones to board the plane, actually found some seats that were next to each other... just separated by an aisle.
We had the most rude flight attendants in the world. They did their job out of spite, and the only pleasure they received was from telling innocent little girls like me, that they had to take their head phones off, or be quiet, or keep body parts out of the aisle...
We bought tickets for the train on the plane. So, when we got off the plane, we got on the train. The walk to the train was what made us remember that they do things on the other side of the road there. As we were walking up and down the ramps, they were always on their left, so we had to adjust haha.
On the train to Liverpool St., we had to deal with some creepy Spaniards... and their mom. One of them knew some English and wanted to talk about nothing but Indianapolis (?) and Feria. I wanted to sleep. It was all very awkward. They said they were staying at a youth hostel, but their mom had to be 75.
We got off the train and asked a policeman where to go, not before being accosted by Indian men that wanted to take us in their cabs and said it would cost 20 pounds. We took two buses and didn't pay a cent for it (British people rule!).
But, we were EXHAUSTED because it was about 3 in the morning. We got off the second bus and were in the right square, but still didn't know where we were. So, we asked a hotel for directions. He told us where to go, but said to, "ask the president, to be sure." He meant another hotel. but we were both so delirious from sleep deprivation, we laughed and laughed at this... haha
We checked in. Both of us.
This was the best part of the night. Because, Angela wasn't supposed to be able to stay in our hostel! The day I'd booked the hostel, I'd done it through Hostelworld.com and they gave the wrong information to the place we wanted to stay. So, the reservation was for ONE. I'd tried working it out before we left for London, but the hostel was full... There was nothing they could do. I had to book another hostel for her (15 minutes away... and the worst part? At this time, she didn't have a phone!) for a backup. I KNEW I could get her in my hostel. She and I lucked out because someone had canceled and there was a spot open. Whoop whoop!
A lie was told to the other hostel, so that we didn't have to pay... ;)
I went to my room of 15 people, and Angela went to hers of 9.
Due to the fact it was 4 in the morning on a Thursday, everyone was asleep. All of the beds seemed to be taken in my room, but then I found mine. It was the top bunk of a triple-decker bunk bed.
Now, when I sleep in a hostel, I trust no one. So, I slept with my luggage in my bed. Hauling it up the ladder was no easy task. I over-pack. It was heavy. At this point my luggage is taking up a lot of bed space, so I have to use it as a pillow to lay with my legs straight. (My mom finds this hilarious)
I could not sleep all night because some man in my room was talking (in whatever language, I've no idea) to himself. And, due to the amount of snoring, I was in a room of mostly men.
Just after I got in the room, the same talking man woke up and started chatting with his friend. They were both still in their beds! Finally, a German girl told them to shut up, and they did. The next morning, they'd gotten up early to leave and the German girl was just starting to wake up. I don't remember exactly what happened, because I was half asleep, but she had something she wasn't going to use, the men wanted it, and she denied it to them because they'd, "talked all night and were so incredibly rude this morning!"
Rude indeed. One of them farted super loud and all of us were still trying to rest. Grossss.
I called Angela at 8:00 to wake her up so we could grab the free breakfast. We met in Cheffchauen (a room that was blue and white and reminded us of Morocco). Breakfast was bread... AND MILK! I'd not had milk in SO long. It was AMAZING and made me think of Natalie. ;)
We snuck Angela into the showers (she was technically checked-out (we had to before 10am or we'd lose our deposit and her reservation was for only one night) and she couldn't check back in until 11). She thinks everything I do will get us into trouble.
We went to the British Museum... and it was AWESOME! It was about 3 blocks from our hostel and HUGE. It was impossible to navigate! We even had lunch there. I'm now obsessed with sparkling apple juice.
I could have spent all day there but there was so much else to see!
I managed to get us around town pretty well. I don't know when it happened, but apparently, I can read a map nowadays. The buildings in London are gorgeous. I love it.
We went to St. Paul's cathedral and it was more than I'd even expected. Just amazing. We couldn't take pix inside because they wanted us to respect the people worshiping... understandable. But, we did meet some interesting people-- or, person.
While sitting on the steps of the cathedral after checking out the inside, a man approached us and with very broken English, asked us for a picture. I assumed he wanted one in front of the cathedral. So, I jumped up to take it. As I'm getting it read, he sits next to Angela... When he sees the confused looks on our faces, h clarifies by saying he wanted a picture WITH US. Angela almost looked scared as I asked her if it was OK with her. What choice did she have? The camera was already in my hands! I took one of the two of them and then asked if I could take a pic of it too, with my camera (I wanted to remember this, too!). Then, to my surprise, he asked for a pic with me. The foreigners LOVE Angela, so I was surprised he even noticed I was there. While Angela smiled for her picture, too nice to do anything else, I made a face... I hope he enjoys that!
We walked over Millennium Bridge (the one from the new Harry Potter movie... too cool). We saw all the sights in two days, I don't know how. But I learned a few things, "the London Bridge" is NOT the London Bridge. When I would picture this landmark in my head, I was confusing it with another famous English landmark. look it up.
The market in London was a lot smaller than the one in Barcelona and none of the workers cat-called us or looked like they wanted to kill themselves. So it was nice. They had a lot of different styles of food.
We took the underground to get to King's Cross Station and got a little lost. BUT, without help we found our way there. Yay for independence! haha
We did the whole picture-with-platform-9 3/4 thing. It was really fun. One of the guards told us not to be too disappointed. But, I liked it. The other guards we talked to didn't even wait for us to finish, he knew what we were there for and he pointed us in the right direction. Btw: in the underground, everything is blue and yellow. It was really strange.
Angela had to change rooms every night and twice one of the days. Yet, she was still never in the same room as I until the last night. Boy, do I wish she was in my room for the second to last night....
We went to bed early every night we were there. We were totally wiped by about 8 pm every day. The first night we watched Harry Potter (catching a theme here?) in the lounge with a bunch of people from the hostel. You always meet interesting people in hostels...
When we finally gave in, it was about 11pm. I crawled in bed and closed my eyes, but was too tired to fall asleep... I hate that. A little while later, I was still awake, and my door was opened. I was no longer alone in the room. The curtain to my bed was shut, but I could hear everything: A couple (boy and girl) came into my room. They were kissing and I could hear them talking. I didn't think anything would come of this, until my closed eyes sprang open when I heard some activity that wasn't PG-13. Things were definitely progressing and I didn't know if they knew I was in the room. It was too late for me to make noise and myself known without looking like a total creep. So I just layed there... I was saved, I thought, by two more people coming into the room. In addition to the sounds of the brushing their teeth and walking around, I could STILL hear the couple... canoodling...
All I could do was cover my ears and attempt to remove my mind from the room.
They kept going at it until the wee hours of the morning.
When I woke up, I asked one of my roommates, from Spain, if she'd heard it. She said no, but her friend said, "SI!!!!" hahaha
Grossss.
Angela and I got up early on our last full day in London to see the changing of the guard. We were late and there were SOOO many people, but luck brought us close to the gate as they all marched out. It was the best luck we could have asked for. We then went to the park next to it to snack. I found ANOTHER BRACELET IN A TREE!!! AND it looks JUST like the one I found in Park Guell!!! It was really weird....
We almost got trapped behind a gate when we tried to look at a fountain. hahah that was stressful...
Saw Westminster Abbey. Ate apples outside it. WE had million apples to eat. We bought one bag to share, thought it would be too much, and still got another bag for free.
We took pix in front of Big Ben... Angela is not the best director... I looked like a TOTAL idiot, standing in the middle of a park with my arm in the air and moving it slightly in every direction, for about 7 minutes before we got the first pic. It literally took me 20 seconds to get Angela's picture for her. hahahahha
We didn't ride the London Eye because it's expensive and we heard it was kind of stupid. We walked by China Town.... BUST.
By 4pm, we'd seen everything. "Tired," wouldn't begin to describe it.
I HAD to "grab a pint" while there. I HATE beer, so this was a strange urge.
At the pubs, everyone seemed to know everyone else and they were packed. So, I bought a pint from Tesco and drank it in our hostel's lobby. Classy. There was a pretty funny misunderstanding with the Tesco guy though hahahahhaha ;)
He said, "Ho-rd-yoo?" So I said, "Ya, I'm on holiday..."
He was trying to ask how old I was... Angela definitely gave me a hard time for that one...
The last morning we tried walking to Abbey Road to recreate that famous Beatles pic... 45 minutes of walking at a fast pace later, we weren't half way there. We had a flight to catch and had to turn back. We were both pretty sad... We were totally psyched up for it, because it was, "only a 40 minute walk away..." BULL!
Our journey back to the airport was MUCH smoother. We took one bus and then the train. We were determined to get our bags to fit in the little steel cages in the airport because we were NOT paying 35 euro for that again. So, we went totally prepared. We got there a lot earlier, wore our thickest clothes, carried our bags and pretended the weight wasn't that bad. As we approached the counter, we noticed it was only one lady tearing boarding passes. This was good news for us!
As we got closer to her, I saw her and I saw the 4 or 5 blue cages around her, threatening us. hahah
As Angela handed her her pass, I saw the womans' eyes drift to Angela's too-big carry-on. I struck up conversation with her to try and distract her and I think the over-stimulation distracted her enough to let us through!
So, it was a great, great, GREAT trip!
This was written on Monday April 12th
One thing did happen though... I found out that two young women from Madrid were killed here during Semana Santa. A drunk driver ran a red light and hit them as they were crossing a street. It may be just me, but I swear the people driving cars were nicer and slower this week.
And on Tuesday we went to a play... I don't think I'll be going back... It was ONE man all alone reading a one hour play to us from memory. He was one of those guys that was really into the art of it. I'm not sure I know how to explain it... haha
On Thursday: We caught the bus to the airport AS it was rolling away. We ate chino candy on the bus ride there and laughed at the shapes that they come in.
Poor Angela, the first ten or 15 minutes we were at the airport, I must have been SCARY! I was saying stuff that made people give me looks saying, "OK, stay outta HER way..." I was so PISSED! We HAD to check in online, or Ryanair would charge us. Then, we had to check in AGAIN at the airport. Bull.
I, of course, had to practically strip as I went through the metal detectors because, I have bones made of iron or something. I am ALWAYS the one that gets frisked or pulled aside. We got more snacks and headed to the gate.
We were some of the last people in line. This and the fact that we stood out so much HAD to be the reason we were told we had to fit our purses in our luggage, because we were, "allowed strictly ONE carry-on". We crammed our bags in after quite the struggle. Our beaming smiles were instantly wiped clean as the woman (didn't even look us in the eyes) said we then had to fit our bags into the metal-cage-thing to see if they was the proper size... You know they weren't.
We had to then pay for them to check our bags which were about 1" too big. I literally measured my bag to be sure it was the right size. And id was!! Bull.
Angela and I, the last ones to board the plane, actually found some seats that were next to each other... just separated by an aisle.
We had the most rude flight attendants in the world. They did their job out of spite, and the only pleasure they received was from telling innocent little girls like me, that they had to take their head phones off, or be quiet, or keep body parts out of the aisle...
We bought tickets for the train on the plane. So, when we got off the plane, we got on the train. The walk to the train was what made us remember that they do things on the other side of the road there. As we were walking up and down the ramps, they were always on their left, so we had to adjust haha.
On the train to Liverpool St., we had to deal with some creepy Spaniards... and their mom. One of them knew some English and wanted to talk about nothing but Indianapolis (?) and Feria. I wanted to sleep. It was all very awkward. They said they were staying at a youth hostel, but their mom had to be 75.
We got off the train and asked a policeman where to go, not before being accosted by Indian men that wanted to take us in their cabs and said it would cost 20 pounds. We took two buses and didn't pay a cent for it (British people rule!).
But, we were EXHAUSTED because it was about 3 in the morning. We got off the second bus and were in the right square, but still didn't know where we were. So, we asked a hotel for directions. He told us where to go, but said to, "ask the president, to be sure." He meant another hotel. but we were both so delirious from sleep deprivation, we laughed and laughed at this... haha
We checked in. Both of us.
This was the best part of the night. Because, Angela wasn't supposed to be able to stay in our hostel! The day I'd booked the hostel, I'd done it through Hostelworld.com and they gave the wrong information to the place we wanted to stay. So, the reservation was for ONE. I'd tried working it out before we left for London, but the hostel was full... There was nothing they could do. I had to book another hostel for her (15 minutes away... and the worst part? At this time, she didn't have a phone!) for a backup. I KNEW I could get her in my hostel. She and I lucked out because someone had canceled and there was a spot open. Whoop whoop!
A lie was told to the other hostel, so that we didn't have to pay... ;)
I went to my room of 15 people, and Angela went to hers of 9.
Due to the fact it was 4 in the morning on a Thursday, everyone was asleep. All of the beds seemed to be taken in my room, but then I found mine. It was the top bunk of a triple-decker bunk bed.
Now, when I sleep in a hostel, I trust no one. So, I slept with my luggage in my bed. Hauling it up the ladder was no easy task. I over-pack. It was heavy. At this point my luggage is taking up a lot of bed space, so I have to use it as a pillow to lay with my legs straight. (My mom finds this hilarious)
I could not sleep all night because some man in my room was talking (in whatever language, I've no idea) to himself. And, due to the amount of snoring, I was in a room of mostly men.
Just after I got in the room, the same talking man woke up and started chatting with his friend. They were both still in their beds! Finally, a German girl told them to shut up, and they did. The next morning, they'd gotten up early to leave and the German girl was just starting to wake up. I don't remember exactly what happened, because I was half asleep, but she had something she wasn't going to use, the men wanted it, and she denied it to them because they'd, "talked all night and were so incredibly rude this morning!"
Rude indeed. One of them farted super loud and all of us were still trying to rest. Grossss.
I called Angela at 8:00 to wake her up so we could grab the free breakfast. We met in Cheffchauen (a room that was blue and white and reminded us of Morocco). Breakfast was bread... AND MILK! I'd not had milk in SO long. It was AMAZING and made me think of Natalie. ;)
We snuck Angela into the showers (she was technically checked-out (we had to before 10am or we'd lose our deposit and her reservation was for only one night) and she couldn't check back in until 11). She thinks everything I do will get us into trouble.
We went to the British Museum... and it was AWESOME! It was about 3 blocks from our hostel and HUGE. It was impossible to navigate! We even had lunch there. I'm now obsessed with sparkling apple juice.
I could have spent all day there but there was so much else to see!
I managed to get us around town pretty well. I don't know when it happened, but apparently, I can read a map nowadays. The buildings in London are gorgeous. I love it.
We went to St. Paul's cathedral and it was more than I'd even expected. Just amazing. We couldn't take pix inside because they wanted us to respect the people worshiping... understandable. But, we did meet some interesting people-- or, person.
While sitting on the steps of the cathedral after checking out the inside, a man approached us and with very broken English, asked us for a picture. I assumed he wanted one in front of the cathedral. So, I jumped up to take it. As I'm getting it read, he sits next to Angela... When he sees the confused looks on our faces, h clarifies by saying he wanted a picture WITH US. Angela almost looked scared as I asked her if it was OK with her. What choice did she have? The camera was already in my hands! I took one of the two of them and then asked if I could take a pic of it too, with my camera (I wanted to remember this, too!). Then, to my surprise, he asked for a pic with me. The foreigners LOVE Angela, so I was surprised he even noticed I was there. While Angela smiled for her picture, too nice to do anything else, I made a face... I hope he enjoys that!
We walked over Millennium Bridge (the one from the new Harry Potter movie... too cool). We saw all the sights in two days, I don't know how. But I learned a few things, "the London Bridge" is NOT the London Bridge. When I would picture this landmark in my head, I was confusing it with another famous English landmark. look it up.
The market in London was a lot smaller than the one in Barcelona and none of the workers cat-called us or looked like they wanted to kill themselves. So it was nice. They had a lot of different styles of food.
We took the underground to get to King's Cross Station and got a little lost. BUT, without help we found our way there. Yay for independence! haha
We did the whole picture-with-platform-9 3/4 thing. It was really fun. One of the guards told us not to be too disappointed. But, I liked it. The other guards we talked to didn't even wait for us to finish, he knew what we were there for and he pointed us in the right direction. Btw: in the underground, everything is blue and yellow. It was really strange.
Angela had to change rooms every night and twice one of the days. Yet, she was still never in the same room as I until the last night. Boy, do I wish she was in my room for the second to last night....
We went to bed early every night we were there. We were totally wiped by about 8 pm every day. The first night we watched Harry Potter (catching a theme here?) in the lounge with a bunch of people from the hostel. You always meet interesting people in hostels...
When we finally gave in, it was about 11pm. I crawled in bed and closed my eyes, but was too tired to fall asleep... I hate that. A little while later, I was still awake, and my door was opened. I was no longer alone in the room. The curtain to my bed was shut, but I could hear everything: A couple (boy and girl) came into my room. They were kissing and I could hear them talking. I didn't think anything would come of this, until my closed eyes sprang open when I heard some activity that wasn't PG-13. Things were definitely progressing and I didn't know if they knew I was in the room. It was too late for me to make noise and myself known without looking like a total creep. So I just layed there... I was saved, I thought, by two more people coming into the room. In addition to the sounds of the brushing their teeth and walking around, I could STILL hear the couple... canoodling...
All I could do was cover my ears and attempt to remove my mind from the room.
They kept going at it until the wee hours of the morning.
When I woke up, I asked one of my roommates, from Spain, if she'd heard it. She said no, but her friend said, "SI!!!!" hahaha
Grossss.
Angela and I got up early on our last full day in London to see the changing of the guard. We were late and there were SOOO many people, but luck brought us close to the gate as they all marched out. It was the best luck we could have asked for. We then went to the park next to it to snack. I found ANOTHER BRACELET IN A TREE!!! AND it looks JUST like the one I found in Park Guell!!! It was really weird....
We almost got trapped behind a gate when we tried to look at a fountain. hahah that was stressful...
Saw Westminster Abbey. Ate apples outside it. WE had million apples to eat. We bought one bag to share, thought it would be too much, and still got another bag for free.
We took pix in front of Big Ben... Angela is not the best director... I looked like a TOTAL idiot, standing in the middle of a park with my arm in the air and moving it slightly in every direction, for about 7 minutes before we got the first pic. It literally took me 20 seconds to get Angela's picture for her. hahahahha
We didn't ride the London Eye because it's expensive and we heard it was kind of stupid. We walked by China Town.... BUST.
By 4pm, we'd seen everything. "Tired," wouldn't begin to describe it.
I HAD to "grab a pint" while there. I HATE beer, so this was a strange urge.
At the pubs, everyone seemed to know everyone else and they were packed. So, I bought a pint from Tesco and drank it in our hostel's lobby. Classy. There was a pretty funny misunderstanding with the Tesco guy though hahahahhaha ;)
He said, "Ho-rd-yoo?" So I said, "Ya, I'm on holiday..."
He was trying to ask how old I was... Angela definitely gave me a hard time for that one...
The last morning we tried walking to Abbey Road to recreate that famous Beatles pic... 45 minutes of walking at a fast pace later, we weren't half way there. We had a flight to catch and had to turn back. We were both pretty sad... We were totally psyched up for it, because it was, "only a 40 minute walk away..." BULL!
Our journey back to the airport was MUCH smoother. We took one bus and then the train. We were determined to get our bags to fit in the little steel cages in the airport because we were NOT paying 35 euro for that again. So, we went totally prepared. We got there a lot earlier, wore our thickest clothes, carried our bags and pretended the weight wasn't that bad. As we approached the counter, we noticed it was only one lady tearing boarding passes. This was good news for us!
As we got closer to her, I saw her and I saw the 4 or 5 blue cages around her, threatening us. hahah
As Angela handed her her pass, I saw the womans' eyes drift to Angela's too-big carry-on. I struck up conversation with her to try and distract her and I think the over-stimulation distracted her enough to let us through!
So, it was a great, great, GREAT trip!
This was written on Monday April 12th
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Obvious Observations
In no particular order:
1) In Spain it's totally common to mix meats. Ham and beef, tuna and eggs. I'm not sure if anyone does this in America, but I know it had never even occurred to me...
2) Walking and eating/drinking is very strange here. They're all about getting social time in. So, grabbing a quick coffee with a friend is frequently done. I've not seen a single thermos since I've been here.
3) Spanish kids speak better Spanish than I do... :(
4) Gypsies by the cathedral are not to be meddled with. If they spot you looking at them, or you aren't paying attention, the next time you look up they'll be right in your face offering you a flower. (Where do they get said flowers? They pluck them from the bushes outside the museum NEXT to the Cathedral.)
5) For almost the whole last month, construction has been going on in this beautiful city to transform it into something truly spectacular come Semana Santa (Holy Week). It's no wonder so many people come here to celebrate this special time. The city workers really go all out.
6) This transformation means that some things that are usually fixed in a certain place need relocating. Such as, the horses, carriages, and their drivers. They are normally very close to Plaza Nueva, but now they are just outside it and right in the middle of the walk way... A few days ago I was unaware of their relocation and wasn't really paying attention as I headed home after class. As a result, the sneeze from the huge horse next to me was quite alarming and bystanders laughed when I jumped and screamed a little from shock.
7)Old women are mean. They are more ready to unnecessarily cut you off than any other person on the sidewalk.
8) In Spain, it is legal to smoke pot in public (I just learned that, and it explains a lot). However, it is illegal to buy it...? You can grow your own plant, but you may only have one.... ??? I don't get it hahaha. But, those are the rules!
9)In America, I believe a glance in someone's direction that lasts more than 3 or 4 seconds to be very inappropriate/uncomfortable. Here, you can pretty much stare at people and it's not considered rude. Spaniards are quite curious people.
10) If one is eating fish, then mayonnaise is needed.
11) This is the most relaxed place ever. No one ever looks like they're in a hurry. They all take out time to chill. Other than the traffic, you'd never know it was a big city.
12)My hair constantly smells like smoke...
13) Here, patriotism is reserved for one's soccer team. In America, some people cry at the sight of the American flag, or during the National Anthem. Here, they'd call that crazy. In America, we call it grateful.
14) They are obsessed with Scarlett Johansen (gross) and House the t.v. show.
15) They have mannequins in car shops.
16) In Granada just about everywhere you went in the Cathedral had severed head statues. It was really strange. And graphic.
17) I've been humiliated SO many times since I've arrived here, it takes a lot to embarrass me.
18) Today I realized why Spaniards never rush anywhere... They don't wanna work up a sweat! It's freakin' hot here!
19) But still, "No pasa nada," "no te preocupes," and "me da igual," (No big deal, don't worry, and I have no preference) are the most common phrases to leave a Spaniard's mouth. This gives them the excuse to do a lot of otherwise bad things tho...
20) The waiters here are mean! They're on a salary, so their income is not based on tips. It really shows.
21) P.D.A. = N.B.D. (this makes tv shows and the news REALLY graphic.)
22) "Botellon" is a word that means to go out and drink... but, in public. Any night of the week one can find large or small groups of people of almost any age tossing a few back. It never gets rowdy, but it's still illegal.
23) The policemen here. do. NOTHING. There are laws for everything, but they are NEVER enforced.
24) My favorite gestures:
* Slapping oneself on the cheek. This is done out of shock when someone has done something rude/bold.
* Turning one's palm to face up and touching the tips of all fingers together, then moving the wrist up and down at the elbow. This means, "a lot".
* Placing your hand right in front of you, with your palm facing your stomach, fingers together and straight, and shaking your hand up and down at the wrist. This also means, "a lot".
25) Did I mention they eat a ton of bread?
26) People who live and work in Spain get 4 weeks of vacation/year. They have all traveled a lot as a result.
27) They all drink all the time here. I'm no longer sure Ireland should have the reputation as the country that does all the drinking.
28) All the moms are "helicopter moms".
29) Since my arrival, I have yet to see: a brownie, salad dressing, BBQ sauce, real butter, a hot dog, or a hamburger made of BEEF. That's just off the top of my head.
30) There are NO bald men here. There are about 3 BALDING men in all of Seville, and 4 that have shaved heads.
31) In an earlier post, I mentioned that women here seem to love wearing tights. I thought this was quite a good observation. I was quite dull. ALL women wear tights here, if not jeans, khakis, etc, because to have bare legs means that you are a prostitute... I bought 5 more pairs of tights today. But, personally, I believe that their tight usage is two fold. One, the prostitute thing. Two, they're obsessed with shoes, so any other kind of pant covers part of them up...
32) Spain is lazy. Everyone siestas (even the street performers), everyone shows up where ever they're supposed to be whenever they want, etc.
33) The whole eye contact thing + the excessive touching/physical contact makes me very uncomfortable.
34) It's impossible to tell upon first glance if a man is straight or gay. Still can't tell.
35) Don't smile at anyone. Ever. Smiling at a man, (legit) means you're inviting him to come speak with you. Smiling at a woman... is bad. I don't know what it means, but they don't appreciate it. I used to never be able to NOT smile on command... I've been forced to learn.
36) ... Because, people who smile in the streets are looked at like a crazy person.
37) Spaniards are never in a good mood when they're at work. They live to have fun.
38) Bikers are CRAZY. "Los Bicis" rule the road, sidewalk, lo que sea. They always think they have the right of way. I've seen them crash with cars AND people on foot.
39) They think Americans care too much about oral hygiene
40) They think Americans drink too much water
41) Girls are obsessed with their weight here. They don't talk about dieting, like in the USA, they just do it. It's actually a really big problem. And like I said, almost no one talks about it here.
42) I think that's enough for now.
1) In Spain it's totally common to mix meats. Ham and beef, tuna and eggs. I'm not sure if anyone does this in America, but I know it had never even occurred to me...
2) Walking and eating/drinking is very strange here. They're all about getting social time in. So, grabbing a quick coffee with a friend is frequently done. I've not seen a single thermos since I've been here.
3) Spanish kids speak better Spanish than I do... :(
4) Gypsies by the cathedral are not to be meddled with. If they spot you looking at them, or you aren't paying attention, the next time you look up they'll be right in your face offering you a flower. (Where do they get said flowers? They pluck them from the bushes outside the museum NEXT to the Cathedral.)
5) For almost the whole last month, construction has been going on in this beautiful city to transform it into something truly spectacular come Semana Santa (Holy Week). It's no wonder so many people come here to celebrate this special time. The city workers really go all out.
6) This transformation means that some things that are usually fixed in a certain place need relocating. Such as, the horses, carriages, and their drivers. They are normally very close to Plaza Nueva, but now they are just outside it and right in the middle of the walk way... A few days ago I was unaware of their relocation and wasn't really paying attention as I headed home after class. As a result, the sneeze from the huge horse next to me was quite alarming and bystanders laughed when I jumped and screamed a little from shock.
7)Old women are mean. They are more ready to unnecessarily cut you off than any other person on the sidewalk.
8) In Spain, it is legal to smoke pot in public (I just learned that, and it explains a lot). However, it is illegal to buy it...? You can grow your own plant, but you may only have one.... ??? I don't get it hahaha. But, those are the rules!
9)In America, I believe a glance in someone's direction that lasts more than 3 or 4 seconds to be very inappropriate/uncomfortable. Here, you can pretty much stare at people and it's not considered rude. Spaniards are quite curious people.
10) If one is eating fish, then mayonnaise is needed.
11) This is the most relaxed place ever. No one ever looks like they're in a hurry. They all take out time to chill. Other than the traffic, you'd never know it was a big city.
12)My hair constantly smells like smoke...
13) Here, patriotism is reserved for one's soccer team. In America, some people cry at the sight of the American flag, or during the National Anthem. Here, they'd call that crazy. In America, we call it grateful.
14) They are obsessed with Scarlett Johansen (gross) and House the t.v. show.
15) They have mannequins in car shops.
16) In Granada just about everywhere you went in the Cathedral had severed head statues. It was really strange. And graphic.
17) I've been humiliated SO many times since I've arrived here, it takes a lot to embarrass me.
18) Today I realized why Spaniards never rush anywhere... They don't wanna work up a sweat! It's freakin' hot here!
19) But still, "No pasa nada," "no te preocupes," and "me da igual," (No big deal, don't worry, and I have no preference) are the most common phrases to leave a Spaniard's mouth. This gives them the excuse to do a lot of otherwise bad things tho...
20) The waiters here are mean! They're on a salary, so their income is not based on tips. It really shows.
21) P.D.A. = N.B.D. (this makes tv shows and the news REALLY graphic.)
22) "Botellon" is a word that means to go out and drink... but, in public. Any night of the week one can find large or small groups of people of almost any age tossing a few back. It never gets rowdy, but it's still illegal.
23) The policemen here. do. NOTHING. There are laws for everything, but they are NEVER enforced.
24) My favorite gestures:
* Slapping oneself on the cheek. This is done out of shock when someone has done something rude/bold.
* Turning one's palm to face up and touching the tips of all fingers together, then moving the wrist up and down at the elbow. This means, "a lot".
* Placing your hand right in front of you, with your palm facing your stomach, fingers together and straight, and shaking your hand up and down at the wrist. This also means, "a lot".
25) Did I mention they eat a ton of bread?
26) People who live and work in Spain get 4 weeks of vacation/year. They have all traveled a lot as a result.
27) They all drink all the time here. I'm no longer sure Ireland should have the reputation as the country that does all the drinking.
28) All the moms are "helicopter moms".
29) Since my arrival, I have yet to see: a brownie, salad dressing, BBQ sauce, real butter, a hot dog, or a hamburger made of BEEF. That's just off the top of my head.
30) There are NO bald men here. There are about 3 BALDING men in all of Seville, and 4 that have shaved heads.
31) In an earlier post, I mentioned that women here seem to love wearing tights. I thought this was quite a good observation. I was quite dull. ALL women wear tights here, if not jeans, khakis, etc, because to have bare legs means that you are a prostitute... I bought 5 more pairs of tights today. But, personally, I believe that their tight usage is two fold. One, the prostitute thing. Two, they're obsessed with shoes, so any other kind of pant covers part of them up...
32) Spain is lazy. Everyone siestas (even the street performers), everyone shows up where ever they're supposed to be whenever they want, etc.
33) The whole eye contact thing + the excessive touching/physical contact makes me very uncomfortable.
34) It's impossible to tell upon first glance if a man is straight or gay. Still can't tell.
35) Don't smile at anyone. Ever. Smiling at a man, (legit) means you're inviting him to come speak with you. Smiling at a woman... is bad. I don't know what it means, but they don't appreciate it. I used to never be able to NOT smile on command... I've been forced to learn.
36) ... Because, people who smile in the streets are looked at like a crazy person.
37) Spaniards are never in a good mood when they're at work. They live to have fun.
38) Bikers are CRAZY. "Los Bicis" rule the road, sidewalk, lo que sea. They always think they have the right of way. I've seen them crash with cars AND people on foot.
39) They think Americans care too much about oral hygiene
40) They think Americans drink too much water
41) Girls are obsessed with their weight here. They don't talk about dieting, like in the USA, they just do it. It's actually a really big problem. And like I said, almost no one talks about it here.
42) I think that's enough for now.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Semana Santa
Well, it finally came.
Semana Santa was even crazier than I'd imagined. They told us it'd bring in a lot of people, but we couldn't have imagined it.
I am literally still trying to figure out how this city fit all of those people in it. I've never been around so many people at one time. There were times during the week that I literally couldn't move, and if I could, it didn't matter because I wasn't going to be able to walk anywhere.
They said to be careful in the streets. Because there are so many people, robbers will try to take advantage of the tourists, or anyone. So, my roommate [insert Psycho theme] (who claims to be the baddest-ass around) is now without a camera, seeing as it was stolen. I wasn't even robber this week! She went down to the police station, filled out a report and all that, but there is exactly a 0% chance that they will find it.
On Holy Thursday it's tradition to stay up all night and watch the "floats" go by. I know "float" isn't the right word, but it's the closest thing we have in the U.S. to them. They're carried on the backs of men, not tied to strings and floating in the air or anything. The way people line up to see them is similar. There were police constantly telling us to back-up onto the sidewalk.
I was super irritated for part of the night. I'd gone to see this with some kids from my school. I don't know them all super well, but I've hung out with a couple of them several times. One of them, I do not like.
Two of the girls were practically RUNNING to get to the bridge where we were going to watch this, and didn't concern themselves at all whether or not we were lost in the sea of people. Then, when we all finally got to the bridge, I stood close to the sidewalk so I would have a great view. They sat and lounged a ways away. Two hours of waiting later, the first "floats" came by and I think the girl I don't like thought I was saving the place I was standing in for HER... I was not. She pushed... I pushed back... It was all very loving on that Holy, Holy day. hahah
But, hey, fair is fair and this was my ONLY Semana Santa.
I LOVED the part when the Virgin went by. Totally worth the wait. Everyone yelled that she was beautiful as she went by. Other than that, silence. One man, who was actually about two people away from me, took it upon himself to start screaming one of the cheers for her. I could NOT understand when he was saying, but he was loud and spirited, and the crowd responded with enthusiasm.
I found it incredibly strange that all of the Spaniards would get completely silent when the floats came near, yet continued to smoke. I understand we were outside, and I definitely understand that we're in Spain. But one man went as far as to ask one of the hooded brothers to light his cigarette with the ceremonial candle he was holding...
Still sad there's no Easter bunny. I was looking forward to the free Spanish candy. Easter was totally boring as a result (I feel like I'm going to hell for saying that).
There's not much more I can say about the whole week other than I got zero studying done, but I absolutely caught up on my sleep. Glorious.
I have a pretty busy week this week school-wise (you know, that's exactly how it should be right after one gets back from a break).
I'm missing my family and friends a lot. More and more each day. And I am really really starting to think about what it's going to be like when I get back home. I could stay here forever, but not if I don't get to see my loved ones.
Semana Santa was even crazier than I'd imagined. They told us it'd bring in a lot of people, but we couldn't have imagined it.
I am literally still trying to figure out how this city fit all of those people in it. I've never been around so many people at one time. There were times during the week that I literally couldn't move, and if I could, it didn't matter because I wasn't going to be able to walk anywhere.
They said to be careful in the streets. Because there are so many people, robbers will try to take advantage of the tourists, or anyone. So, my roommate [insert Psycho theme] (who claims to be the baddest-ass around) is now without a camera, seeing as it was stolen. I wasn't even robber this week! She went down to the police station, filled out a report and all that, but there is exactly a 0% chance that they will find it.
On Holy Thursday it's tradition to stay up all night and watch the "floats" go by. I know "float" isn't the right word, but it's the closest thing we have in the U.S. to them. They're carried on the backs of men, not tied to strings and floating in the air or anything. The way people line up to see them is similar. There were police constantly telling us to back-up onto the sidewalk.
I was super irritated for part of the night. I'd gone to see this with some kids from my school. I don't know them all super well, but I've hung out with a couple of them several times. One of them, I do not like.
Two of the girls were practically RUNNING to get to the bridge where we were going to watch this, and didn't concern themselves at all whether or not we were lost in the sea of people. Then, when we all finally got to the bridge, I stood close to the sidewalk so I would have a great view. They sat and lounged a ways away. Two hours of waiting later, the first "floats" came by and I think the girl I don't like thought I was saving the place I was standing in for HER... I was not. She pushed... I pushed back... It was all very loving on that Holy, Holy day. hahah
But, hey, fair is fair and this was my ONLY Semana Santa.
I LOVED the part when the Virgin went by. Totally worth the wait. Everyone yelled that she was beautiful as she went by. Other than that, silence. One man, who was actually about two people away from me, took it upon himself to start screaming one of the cheers for her. I could NOT understand when he was saying, but he was loud and spirited, and the crowd responded with enthusiasm.
I found it incredibly strange that all of the Spaniards would get completely silent when the floats came near, yet continued to smoke. I understand we were outside, and I definitely understand that we're in Spain. But one man went as far as to ask one of the hooded brothers to light his cigarette with the ceremonial candle he was holding...
Still sad there's no Easter bunny. I was looking forward to the free Spanish candy. Easter was totally boring as a result (I feel like I'm going to hell for saying that).
There's not much more I can say about the whole week other than I got zero studying done, but I absolutely caught up on my sleep. Glorious.
I have a pretty busy week this week school-wise (you know, that's exactly how it should be right after one gets back from a break).
I'm missing my family and friends a lot. More and more each day. And I am really really starting to think about what it's going to be like when I get back home. I could stay here forever, but not if I don't get to see my loved ones.
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