Firenze, ancora

I finally returned to Florence after many years. I studied there as an undergrad, the best summer ever. Sounds cliched and a bit silly, but very true.

It is, as it has been for how many centuries, a glorious city. I agree with Michelangelo: I too would like to spend the rest of my life within view of the Duomo.

If you've been, go again. If not, go now. The only advice: Walk. Wander. Drink in the art, the history, the Florentine pride. They deserve their modest arrogance at being so damn lucky to live there.

10 Things to Do In Barcelona

See the Sagrada Familia. Marvel at its intricate, strange spires and sculptures, as well as how unfinished it still is after over 100 years. Antonio Guadi's passion, and the handiwork of the many artists and architects who are working on it since his death, the basilica is like no church I've ever seen. Take the elevator up into the spire and view the fruit topped spires, the square headed sculptures on the facades, intricate surfaces everywhere.

Go to the drag show at the Hotel Axel. I only understood one third of it, and laughed until I couldn't breath. Of course, I was one of the stars of the show.

Eat dinner at Flauta. One of the best meals I've ever had. Order the Jambon Iberico, the bacalao, the tenderloin, the ham and cheese sandwich with dates; avoid the fried egg on the french fries.

Make your way to Montjuic, the site of many of the 1992 Olympic events as well as a host of museums and to die for views of the city and water. Stop in to the Joan Miro museum. Check out the Palau Nacional for the organ in the grand hall, the view from the stairs, and the cafe. Eat lunch there; have the botifarra. Really.

Take the cable car up to the Castell de Montjuic. The ride is horrifying but the view, glorious.

Walk around L'Eixample. Look up at the gorgeous facades, which look like wallpaper. Listen to the Catalan, Spanish, English, Italian. Window shop. Breathe in the city.

Visit Gaudi's other treasures: Casa Batllo'. La Pedrera. Don't skip the roofs. Some of his finest and oddest work is on to be found on the top of his buildings.

Go to the Boqueria. You'll never be able to look at the Safeway produce section again.

Watch the Castellers build human towers. Men stand in a scrum, while others climb on top of them, and still others on top, until a small child (8ish?) climbs to the very top, waves, then slides down the backs of the others. You have to see it. A Catalan tradition. Like cheerleaders gone wild.

Appreciate the uniqueness of the Catalan culture and its place in Spain and Europe. Franco tried, as so many other despots did, to supress it, to no avail. Why do they try? Barcelona is a modern city, which appreciates its history, revels in its place as the center of architectural innovation, (although one has to wonder about Torre Agbar )and is plain fun.

To see my photos, visit Picasa.

Photos and More photos

Photos of Barcelona and Florence now online. Thanks to Jason for tech support.


http://picasaweb.google.com/ejousa/BarcelonaFirenze1200702

http://picasaweb.google.com/ejousa/BarcelonaFirenze2007

Hola!

Back from Barcelona and Florence. Awesome. Photos to come, as soon as I figure out one of the fourteen web-based photo services. Come over and I'll show you the prints.

Don't Stop

After much reflection, I have to say I loved the end of the Sopranos. OK, hated it, will be forever frustrated, can't believe that stugots Chase did that to us, but loved that he did.

Did Tony get busted by the Members Only guy, or did he come out of the bathroom with only his ....in his hand? (Duh, it's like a famous quote!)

Were the two black kids after him or planted to make us racist white people think they were criminals?

Did the whole family get it?

Did Paulie really see the Virgin Mary at the Bing? Did it foreshadow his death or did he have a conversion and sold out Tony (a theory suggested by someone else). May be the best of all of Paulie's lines.

It was so telling of Chase to end the series in such an American context. The final meal at the diner with onion rings, not manicot. The blond psychiatrist. 'Merigans all around. Obvious commentary on the U.S., but was it also an ode to the Italian heritage that was so much part of the series? Not the 'Italian Americans are mafioso' culture, but the perfectly realized tone of Italian American life....the focus on eating together (not food per se, but sharing company and food, often the only thing Italians could offer to each other), the extended family, the small details of language and manner that only a Cesare, Gandolfini, Sirico, Imperioli, et al can pull off. Another Godfather reference? (Once Michael started to do business with Hyman Roth, all went to hell, like Frank Pantangeli warned him).

I have no idea what happened, which is what I love about it. It was classic Sopranos. Nothing happened quite often on the show. The everyday uncertainty of the characters' lives, unique and outrageous and theirs are, is what makes them like us. Stories aren't neatly wrapped up. We continue to delude ourselves in order to live with our choices. Sometimes we don't pay for our sins.

Maybe Tony's punishment is to continue to live life with his heart in his throat, waiting for the end. I did, as we all did for the last five minutes.

Maybe you never do hear it coming.

Court rules in favor of civil liberty

"The Bush administration cannot use new anti-terrorism laws to keep U.S. residents locked up indefinitely without charging them". Who, outside the Bush administration, does this disappoint? Trudat Doubltru for vacationing EJO.

Paris deux....

One more note about Paris Hilton, then I promise I won't talk about her again. While I might agree that she should have been punished for driving drunk and for violating probation while continuing to drive, she ended up getting more jail time today than she would have gotten; she's in, then out, then in jail again. I mean....

While the preacher's wife who shot her husband gets maybe two more months? I'm just sayin'.

So's the Times so I don't feel so bad.

Invisible Children

Invisible Children: you've seen the movie; now see The Movie.

Invisible Children is not offering a handout, but instead, a life-long investment in vulnerable youth. We provide them with quality education and valuable life skills that enable them to take responsibility for their future and the future of their country.

To achieve this goal we emphasize community involvement and Ugandan leadership. As a part of a global community, we also promote cross-cultural education, and continuously look for ways we can better work together in defending the oppressed and promoting peace.

They're hiring.
Trudat Doubltru for indolent EJO.

If their brains were thermonuclear warheads

If their brains were dynamite they couldn't blow up each other, but as Leaders of the Free and Not So Free World, Bush and Putin talk about missle defense. Stop, my sides.

Trudat Doubltru for suddenly-complacent EJO.

HRC 44?

Just got back from the Club 44 rally for Hillary Clinton, organized by Emily's List. I was surprised by her ease, commanding presence, sometimes touching stories(heartfelt story about Eastern Europeans saving American flags that were given to them by American GI's after WWII) and often forceful argument for returning America to its "greatness and good."

I haven't fallen in love yet. But, I did get a sense for a few minutes of what a having a female president of the United States would feel like. It would be amazing.

Take the Cannoli

You really are supposed to leave the gun.

Can't wait to see what happens to Tony Soprano et al. Have no idea, which is a great credit to David Chase. Strangely, I hope Tony lives. I know I shouldn't care about him and should be glad he gets it. But I think I'll feel bad. Maybe he'll end up sitting alone by the lake like Michael Corleone. That may be the worst punishment of all.

BTW, the Sicilian ones are best.

Off With Her Head

Sarah Silverman made me feel bad for Paris Hilton, the bitch.

She's in jail now. Should a drunk, stupid, airheaded heiress go to jail for this when others kill people and get off scott free? Probably, yes.

But should she go to a modern American prison for such a crime? Should anyone?

I'm straining for a Bastille joke here, but will settle for the strained deeper meaning in the story so I justify adding Paris Hilton to my blog.