Tuesday, November 16, 2021

12 monkeys or what have I been up to...


 If you have been following my crappy writing for the past few years, you know that most of the years I write something to commemorate my "travel anniversary". When logging in, I actually discovered that I had two drafts. Didn't even remember I had them. One is from mid February and the other one is from late November, both from last year.

Not even to start writing about what was all that shite about. ugh!

Like it's a tradition, I think, here's the list of the places I've spent the super mega lame 14th of November:

2010: Prague
2011: Berlin
2012: Tallinn
2013: Tallinn
2014: Kraków
2015: Antigua
2016: Donosti
2017: On the road in Central America
2018: Graná
2019: Sevilla
2020: Porto

Every time it has been different and every time I had been in a different state of mind. This year is not a much different. Except for the fact that I'm overwhelmed by a lot of shit that I cannot control and that, unfortunately, affects my life in this planet I didn't ask to be born in.

I feel like that one Vodka Juniors song: Shadows in the Sunset. I feel like a shadow that will always chase the sunset. 

Actually, I was telling someone this very morning, that I write less shite when I'm listening to Vodka Juniors.  If you know a bit, you know that they're my favourite band. I'm actually wearing their tshirt. Wait, was I unconsciously thinking that I wanted to write something? Maybe, guatever. Suddenly, this song came on on the playlist: Waves. Coincidence? I will never know...

Like I said before, I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the shite I'm going through. I wish it was up to me to solve it, but there's the bureaucracy of a government that it's fucking me up. 

On top of that, we still have that motherfucking fucking virus making its round in this planet I didn't ask to be born in. Fucked up my plans of going back home and hug my mum, haven't seen her in over 4 years. That's too way fucking much.

I have been living in Porto for practically 5 months. It was hard to leave Lagos but it was something I needed. Something I had to do. My life down there was slowly going on a downward spiral, which good NIN album, by the way. I won't end like the man's story detailed in the album though.

Porto is an amazing city. I like it more than Lisbon, fuck me right? I mean, I still like Lisbon a lot but there is something about Porto that makes it, amazing.

Not sure how long will I stay in Porto. Forever is a long time. But I'm open to guatever it may happen. I'm open to guatever the universe will bring on to me. Whether I like it or not, I guess it will up to me.

I looked up to the top of the page and I realized that the title of the post is somehow weird. I'm weird so it shouldn't come as a surprise. But let me explain: it's just because of the number 12. 12 Monkeys is dystopian future movie with Bruce Willis. Not that I'm hoping for a personal dystopian future of my own, it's jut a play on words. Or numbers.

Monday, January 27, 2020

Blessing in disguise

Picture this scenario:
You are living somewhere, you got offered a job; excuse me, a shit job. Why shit you ask? well, shit because not only it was insulting (325€/month, my friend's room was 400€/month for fuck's sake!) they even charged you if you wanted to live in! I have a bit of self respect and ignored the offer.

Things gets better. You got offered a job in the South. Faro, a city in which I found a bar that sold 70 cent beers. You moved there with all your hopes and dreams only to be told while having a pizza that you are only going to get paid a minimal fraction of what you were offered during the message exchange. Then, you even got locked out of your previously agreed upon accommodation and a day later actually got kicked out.

But then, things actually got better. Aced an interview to move back to the place I had been wanting to move back for a while. After three weeks of "training" in Lisbon I learnt more Portuguese language than all of my prior years living there, so I'll take that as a very positive experience. Four stars, I'd live in Lisbon again. I had a very small but very, very nice groups of friends. Normally it takes me a while to get on the swing of things when I move to a new place, this was not the case in Lisbon.

After those three weeks in Lisbon, I finally moved back to Ericeira (from now on just E). Then things started to not get better anymore. I mean, I was living in paradise but felt going to jail instead of work. The first few weeks I was living in the hostel, not because I wanted to but because I had to.  Anyone who has lived in Portugal know how difficult is to find a room and how ridiculously expensive is rent. Two months into the new job and my friend told me I looked miserable behind reception. Maybe I did. I was back into the corporate world. One of the main reasons why I fucked off from Guatemala was to leave that stupid world behind, to not be part of the system, to not be just a number, not to make money for someone that didn't give a fuck about and didn't even know me. But there are always two sides of the story? No, wait. That's not it. You use that sentence for something else. While living in E, I had my own life outside of the hostel. I have only managed to do that two or three times so far. I got to eat pregos any day I wanted. Well, except Sundays but you get the idea.

Work environment sucked so much and I was to blame for so many stupid shit that I started to take photos of how I left the hostel before leaving because, since the kitchen and common areas were not locked at night, any-fucking-one could come at whatever-fucking-time and do whatever they fucking wanted and leave said fucking kitchen and fucking common areas completely fucked up. Of course, it was my fault because I was the last one to leave and there was no one staying in the fucking hostel working the night shift...

When my contract didn't get renewed, or in other words, when I got fired. I felt like it was the end of the world, like I was completely fucked. Maybe I was but then I started to see the broader picture. I started to think outside the box. I was miserable there. I didn't enjoy working there. My colleagues didn't like me and I didn't waste my time not liking them back. I just didn't care. For them, I was doing a lousy job but guests thought otherwise. I had reviews mentioning me by name praising the good work I was doing.

But hey, it was not only shite. I was living in motherfucking paradise! I rediscovered surfing. My flatmate told me after a session "I have never seen you smiling this much since you moved back". I couldn't stop smiling that day. It was amazing.

It was the first time I truly enjoyed summer. The first time since the summer of 2012, when I was in Colombia. I celebrated my birthday in Cartagena that year. Last summer? my colleagues "forgot" that it was my birthday... lol. I don't care. I don't need an excuse to go out.

So, like I said. First time in 7 years that I was able to enjoy summer again. I went to see my friends in Sagres, I wanted to check out the hostel I used to work for because they changed name and image. Jesús, the owner, did an amazing job. Go and check it out: The Lighthouse Hostel (this was not paid advertisement).

I went to Lisbon to see my friends there countless of times. I hung out with new friends made in E. I finally got see Porto! Two roadtrips (Galicia - Portugal - Andalucía) and already a few years living in Portugal and never made it up there before last summer. Verdict: I will go back! I did a small roadtrip from E to Peniche with a friend of mine and her friends. I was thankful that I had a good sleeping bag, we slept at the beach but it was fucking cold!

All in all, it was a great summer. I wouldn't change anything. Met so many new people, disconnected from others but that's the cycle of life.

Summer was coming to an end. I didn't quite looked for a job because I was busy enjoying life! Besides, to find a job during the peak of summer you have would have to be very lucky because every business have to be already prepared for the season. Unless some emergency would happen, there were no openings.

I sent emails to hostels to many cities in Portugal and a few in Spain and I only had one reply. Actually, it was not a reply. 2 minutes after sending the email, I got a call from the owners.

I was still in E. I couldn't afford to pay rent anymore if I had none of the monies coming in. I decided to move to Sevilla, Spain and 2 days later I was on my way here, where I'm writing these lines. Sitting on your couch, craving a beer and surprised why I'm even inspired to write without alcohol! Maybe is because you are sitting next to me, doing your own thing but next to me.

That's why that after all the shite I had to go through, that brought me here, allowed me to meet you. And that's a blessing in disguise.

Friday, November 22, 2019

So, It's Been 10 Years huh?

Ten years on the road you say, huh? I can't believe I made it this far...

I didn't write every year about this, but this is what I've written on this magnificent occasion...:
2015: Back Home?

And without further ado, my thoughts for, wait for it: 10 year anniversary! yay!

First off,  I was supposed to write this on the actual date of the anniversary and not a week later... fuck me right?

I have been through a lot of shit in all these ten years. I've met people. I've un-met people... can I even say that? It's like one day they are very important to you and you think you cannot live without them, and then bam! they're strangers to you. They act like they don't know you. Oh well, it's their miss, not mine.

Even tho I tried to follow my late father's advice to be happy, I've had my moments. I'm not at my greatest right now due to many factors. I mean, I'm happy to be where I am at the moment and I wouldn't change if for anything but still. Don't know how to explain it. I know I'm not the only feeling what I'm feeling. I know so many people right now that. 

I've seen so many places. Places I never thought I'd see some day... shit, I've written this before. I don't know what else to write that I haven't written yet...

Hmmm. okay, last time I wrote I was back home. I ended up staying for about 5 months. It was shit! Thanks to someone it was not a complete shit stay. I will always be grateful for that. Labai ačiu...

Sometimes it gets me a while to get onto the swing of things when I move a new place. That was the case when I moved to E(riceira). That year (2016) was a fucking telenovela. A telenovela that I hope I won't ever, ever, EVER had to watch again.

It was my second time living on the PT. Had a hard time adjusting but ended up loving E. Finally managed to move back and work for the enemy for a few months. It was fun tho. Being back in E, I mean... lol

Sometimes I wish I could go back to my 2014 self. I didn't care about anyone or anything. Dunno, someone told that he likes my present self more. Not so sure. I'm a softy now and I don't want to get fucked over. Which I have, by the way.

When I was in Nicaragua a few years ago, I almost fuck all and go back home. I'm actually glad I didn't. I'm here, otherwise I think it would've taken me a few months to get back, best case scenario.

I'm confirming that I write less bullshit when I'm drinking. I have this shitty beer by my side. 50 cents for a beer, it's a good deal, I think? Should've bought four, instead of two. Or not, I have to work later.

Portugal became my second (or first?) home. I have lived in there basically since 2015, until now. I live in Sevilla now. I like it here. It's not as cold as other places I have been. The rain sucks tho. I don't like rain. I mean, I don't care about it if I'm home, watching a movie or writing this with a beer in hand. But if I have to be outside or go somewhere, then it sucks!

When I was in E, this past summer, we broke the "corporate" record of the most sales at the bar. Guess who was barteding that evening? That makes me remember the last week (or day?) I was working at the bar in Jungle Hell, I sold the most booze of all bartenders. And people liked the music I played. I like my taste in music. Now it's very diverse. A few years ago it was mostly heavy metal, I mean, still is but now I listen to a lot of other genres. I could listen to Britney Spear's Toxic and the next song could be The Number of the Beast. I like to listen to music on shuffle.

Don't know what else to write, I want another beer and my back is killing me. Had to clean up a garage and had to carry a lot of heavy shit. Now I'm fixing bikes. Should practice some French but I start working soon again. I have double shift tonight and again tomorrow. But I'm Sunday and Monday off.

One last thing, life is indeed like a bad haircut...



Thursday, October 17, 2019

What have I been up to...

This first part, had been saved as a draft since March. I even forgot that I had it until I wanted to write something else that has been as draft since August! shite. I am the master procrastinator. So, this post will be divided in two halves.

The First Half
A lot has happen since the last time I wrote. I left Sagres and went to Galicia for a week or so before taking the flight to Guatemala City. Lots of up and downs, literally and figuratively. Already had my mind set on Central America. I had tickets booked since the beginning of the year, for a reason: nothing could deterred me from going. 

Once, I saw a meme that said something like this: "when you're away and your friends tell you that they miss you but once you get home, they can't even call you or drive 20 min to go see you"... or something like that. Well, in my "friend's" defense, they never told me that, so why waste 20 min of driving to see someone that "was meant to take another path". The only person I met is a guy I grew up with and it was a pure coincidence, which made things nicer.

Last time I was in Guatemala, I had to work. I had never taken proper holiday, I was finishing a job and almost immediately started another one. The last time I actually didn't work during summer was back in 2010, when I spent the entire summer hitchhiking all over Europe:  From Beligum to Sweden to the Netherlands to Portugal to Germany to Czech. After that, my only holidays were when I was hitchhiking from place to place in order to start a new job. This time in Guatemala, no job and all play! First proper holiday in 7 years! I mean, holidays from my big holidays.

I spent about 5 weeks in Guatemala. I like to travel with no plan but the idea was to stay in Latin America until March and April. I would come back to Europe in March and my travel companion would go to Brazil in April and then come back.

This time around, it was super hard to leave. It took me a good 15 minutes to let go of mum. She said something that terrified me "I don't know if I ever will see you again". The exact same words my dad told me before starting this journey, almost 9 years ago. His words became true 6 months later...

One thing I never experienced to the extent of this one time, was that people tried to get advantage of me, just because I looked foreigner and had a backpack. Always trying to rip me off. After the first attempt, they didn't know I spoke Spanish, I always asked locals about prices so that way they couldn't rip me off. This one time, this woman actually got pissed off because she couldn't over charge me!

From Honduras came Nicaragua, which was nice. I love that country: it's cheap as fuck, the people are very nice and hospitable and is very beautiful. Like I said before, it was up and downs. Nicaragua was not the exception, I almost send everything to fuck all. When I entered Nica, I didn't get a stamp in my passport, which I thought it was weird. I asked if I will have any problems when leaving and the guy said no.

Spent some days in some isolated village not far from San Juan del Sur and the Costa Rican border, camping in someone's front porch. Leaving Nica was a different story... Was stopped by a group of soldiers that told me that I was illegally in the country. Of course, I didn't have a stamp. They made me empty my backpack, took pics of my passport, my shit, of me! They were only taking the piss! They let me go after an hour or two. Had to be in Costa Rica before dark. Was not going to happen and indeed, it didn't happen.

Finally crossed into Costa Rica and made it to San José by the evening. I met with a friend whom I met in Estonia many moons before.  But the time in CR was short, in total less than a week! CR is a very expensive country. I spent, maybe 3 or 4 nights before moving onto Panama. I left my big backpack at my friend's. I booked the ticket back to Europe when I was back in Nica. I was flying out of San José so I didn't see a point of taking all my shit to Panama if I was coming back a few weeks later.

Crossing the border I think I was ripped off a few dollars. You had to pay the exit fee at a pharmacy... a pharmacy? riiiight. At the border, there were other travellers. I was the less hippy looking but guess who was the only person that was asked if he had money? exactly, moi!

Panama was super hot, like Nicaragua. They don't know what cold is.  Nothing new to see in Panama. I had been to all the places. One thing was different this tho. When I was in Bocas, there was this massive celebration commemorating the incorporation of Bocas as a province of Panama. Parades everyday, street food everywhere. It was an amazing and unique experience. It was an explosion of music, colors, and diversity.

I spent almost a week alone in Panama City, not because it was nice but because I was lazy and didn't want to spend more money. I've found a nice hostel to stay, so I stayed. Just waiting to go back to Costa Rica to take the flight back to Europe.

So, I came back to Europe. Spent a few months moving around between Portugal and Spain before setting in Sagres again. I stayed the whole season there: from March until the very end of October.

I left Portugal once again and spent around 8 weeks  in Spain, 6 of those in Granada, before going back to Lisbon.

Had two shitty work experieneces in Lisbon and Faro, before landing a job in Ericeira. The place I was longing to go back...

The Second Half
This draft was written while I was staring at the ocean then suddenly I felt the urge to write it. I was in Baleal, north of Ericeira. Maybe because it was my mother's birthday (19.08). It's been 7 years since the last time I gave her a birthday hug. I miss her, a lot. That day she turned 76.

One of my nephews had the idea to ask the whole family for a video wishing her a happy birthday. I wanted to make one on the beach but with the sound of the ocean and wind it was impossible. Instead, I had to do it in a maket. It was still nice but would've been nicer at the beach.

I would like to go back this Christmas but it's going to be impossible. By the date this draft was originally written, it had been exactly 2 years since the last time I saw her and gave her a hug. I miss my mother.

It's been 7 years since I didnt' have to work for the month if August. 7 fucking years! It was also 7 years ago that I got all my shit stolen and was left only with the clothes I was wearing. But I already wrote about that at the time.

I actually have forgotten how nice is to not work during summer. I think I deserved these holidays. Yeah, I did; after putting up with a lot of shit from guests and sometimes colleagues.

I utterly enjoyed these "forced holidays". While writting this, I had a beautiful view.

Many things have been happening since the last time I wrote, which I don't even remember when it was. One of the most important things is that my mother doesn't live by herself anymore, my brothers take turns. I'm very glad and relieved that my brothers are taking care of her.

Others things, maybe less important but some changes in my personal and professional life had happened as well.

The End
To sum things up: I left Ericeira. Traveled a bit and visit friends in Sagres, Lisbon and Porto. Had to live Portugal because I couldn't afford to pay rent anymore. Been in Sevilla for a month already. Had been to Granada twice. Met you.

Monday, September 18, 2017

My Donostian & Sagresian Life

So, it has taken me a while to write. Sorry but I'm not sorry. I was not inspired to write shite before but this morning was different. Somehow I felt like I needed to write something. A feeling that I haven't felt in a long while...

I have Vodka Juniors in the background (their music have helped me write before), a super bock next to me (which also have been really helpful in the past). I just need to put an order to all the thoughts I have in my head and somehow transform them into words.

I lived in Ericeira for a few months, a bit over 7 to be exact.  Season was coming to an end and I had to decide where to go next and spend the winter. 

At the risk of sounding like a cheesy motherfucker, love made me move to Donostia (San Sebastian in Spanish). I've been know for choosing awesome places to settle for a while: Praha, Kraków, Tallinn, Berlin, my lovely Graná, Ericeira, Donostia and now, Sagres.

There I was, expecting a super wet and cold winter in Donostia. Yes, I'm not used to sub zero temperatures anymore. Long gone are the days which I could use two layers and it was -25ºC. Now, I cannot even think about it! I was using two layers and the tempratura it was close to 0 and sometimes 1 or 2 degrees below. Being 15 minutes in my new hometown and started to rain and a bus splashed me because it drove on my pothole. That reminds me of an unofficial rainy season sport in Xela (Guatemala) called "splash the tourist" in which the driver tries to get the unlucky foreigner as wet as possible. Once, I was walking along some street and I saw how the car changed lanes to try to splash me! 

The life in Donostia was awesome. The city itself it a "bit" posh for my taste... actually it is ranked as the most expensive city in Spain but there are ways to go around it and make it cheaper. I lived in the old town, in what I think it was the most Basque street in the entire town. The food is something else. I think I ate the best tortilla I have ever had during my stay. I once readn an article that depicted the top 10 restaurants around the world... a few were in Gipuzkua, that's the province in which Donostia sits, for those of you who didn't know.

I had a beermance with Keler, the local beer.  While I had better, there was something about it, maybe that it was brewed locally. Regardless, I loved the taste and I would go to the chino and buy a couple and practice some kalsarikännit but sometimes not in underwear.

While I was living here, I had the opportunity to live a really Basque experience. I knew local people and when I went out to the pub, I always went to the local bars where Spanish was the second language. In one of those bars, I met Maripili... (inside joke).

One of this life changing experiences was going to cider house. For Odin, for about 25€ they give you an omelette, cider, bread, cider, pork chops, cider, more bread, more cider, actually, unlimited cider! the first time I was in one of those cider houses, I was with a group of people but the second time... I still don't know how I manage to eat an entire omelette and a kilo of meat all by myself! there are videos to prove it! and to top that, on the way home I stopped at McRubbish to get some fries! To think that only a few earlier I disliked cider.

Basque Country and Navarra are known for being very green, actually the whole north, and the people are really into hiking. one of the hikes other than hiking back home from the bar is if you go from Donostia to San Juan Pasaia.

Flowers started to bloom. Weather became warmer. Days started to get a bit longer. The only thing that remained the same were the astonishing sunsets. I admit it, I do have a thing for amazing sunsets. Sunsets at La Zurriola were... just amazing. One thing I'm sad about, is not being able to go to La Zurriola and watch the sunset while drinkin Keler not wearing two layers with you.

As spring was coming I had to leave. I had an opportunity to go to Porto, which I have never been before but I had to turn it down as it was not good for me. I considered going back to Ericeira but that not an option anymore.

That way I kept looking and found myself in the lovely Vila do Sagres. Not that I have never heard of the place before. I had been to Sagres a few times. Once on my first road trip ever and then a few more times while I lived in Lagos.

Sagres life is slow and easy. Unlike Lagos that has a shitload of restaurants and bars and people doing stupid shit, in Sagres everything and everybody is at a slow pace.

Life went on from home to beach to home to beach to home to swimming pool. Going to the pub occasionally. I didn't learn to surf and I finally gave up on the idea that I will ever learn. I'm not a sports person and the idea of drowning doesn't quite appeals to me.

Apparently this year was one of the busiest seasons ever. Sagres was crowed, although not as crowed as Lagos that all summer long is a pain in the ass to just even walk in the center, let alone attempting to spot to lie on the beach. I've never had that problem here. Which brings me to this: I have never been a beach person and still, this year I think I went to the beach more times that the rest of life combined!

Is know that The Algarve have some of the best beaches of Portugal and the world and Sagres was no exception to that rule. While Sagres have 3 beaches less than 20 min and one less than 40 minutes walk, having a car opens up the possibility to visit beaches that the public transport doesn't reach them. Such as the case of Ponta Ruiva that is literally in the middle of nowhere. There are no stores, restaurants, beach bars. You have to have a car to go there. You have everything that you want to eat and drink.

Others, on the other hand can hitchhike to them. Like Castelejo, close to Vila do Bispo. I actually hitchhike to and from Castelejo once.

There is the hippie beach, Barranco, where you can find... errr... stuff. I spent my birthday there with you when sleeping in the van.

I swam naked at the other beaches, Mareta, Tonel, Beliche (the 3 closest). I said it before, I went into the ocean many, many times this year.

For obviuos reasons, the best beaches to watch the sunset were Tonel and Beliche. For those of you who don't know why are they the obvious places, is because Mareta is on the South Coast. Of course, sunset from the light house (Cabo San Vicente). Why best you may ask? because is the Southwestern-most point in continental Europe.

I mentioned Vila do Bispo before. Nothing interesting here except for the fact that only at the cider house I ate more. There is a small restaurant in which you can give your palate a real treat. Not only is cheap as fuck you will eat as never before and be treated super nice.

Anyways, my time in Sagres has come to an end. It was an amzing what, close to 6 windy and chilly months. Last year in Ericeira I never went into the ocean. Not even once in 7 months. The first time this year it was in Donostia, well my feet but that's better than nothing. In Sagres? A few days after I arrived. And that was just the beginning.

Overall, my stay was nice. Don't know if you know that if you work in a hostel is worse than working in a fucking kindergarten and this was not the exception, even worst if you add a princess or two... But I love a phrase that my mum uses quite often: "treat them like you would treat the sound of the rain",  meaning that you just don't pay attention,  you just hear the sound in the background... I actually used that technique quite a few times with guests as well.

Ahead of me, 8 hours of work are waiting for me. The last 8 hours of this chapter. The last 8 hours before I embark on yet another adventure. The last 8 hours before I get on a bus that will take me back to Galicia. The last 8 hours fighting with children bur here, we called them volunteers. The last 8 hours that are the beginning of the final countdown to be with you again...

I never expected to write this much. Now I'm back to my normal state before my shift: not an early bird nor a night owl but some form permanently exhausted pigeon