barca

Being in a place where absolutely no one knows your name & few speak your language can really be terrifying. The cab ride from Katie's hotel to my apartment made me extremely anxious; I'm still not quite sure whether it was the cappuccino italiano that did the trick, or the mere fact that I was on my own with a driver who only knew Spanish that made me queasy....

.....we also weren't allowed to check into our room until 5 pm, so getting here at 2 definitely didn't help....

Even though a sense of panic swept over me, I forced myself to take a walk & just enjoy the city. So now -- as I write -- I am sitting on the cutest park bench with doves skipping at my feet & roses caressing my "smell" buds (can that be similar to the taste buds???), and I am content!

Things I have noticed thus far: small Spanish-speaking children fascinate me, people still ride razor scooters, and the men wear too much cologne. Oh, and it's absolutely beautiful here!