Bankhead to Guatemala

Obviously my favorite past time is traveling... No brainer.  But I'm not a selfish traveler I want everyone else to travel too.  I'm so lucky to be able to do both at the same time.  As a Spanish Teacher each year I take a group of well-behaved students from my school the study and volunteer abroad.  What makes these trips even more special to me is that I work at an all boy school in Bankhead Atlanta.  If you've ever heard of Bankhead you would also know of its infamous reputation of drugs, gangs, and violence.  Everyday I get to witness, and be a part of, the amazing change that is happening in that area.  One way I try to contribute to positivity in my community and in the world is by introducing my students to the global community in which they were previously unaware that they belong to.  

Each year my students live with host families (2 students per family), take Spanish classes in the mornings, volunteer with children in the afternoons and tour during the weekends and evenings. In 2012 we traveled to Panama City, Panama, in 2013 we traveled to Granada Nicaragua, and this year we are in Antigua Guatemala.  Yes we are in Guatemala at this very moment!!!!

Today we all met at Atlanta's airport at 4am and after a 2 hour layover in ft lauderdale we landed in Guatemala at 11:40am their time (2 hours behind EST).  Our program coordinator and driver from Spanish Academy Sevilla were there to pick us up and take us to our new homes and schools.  One things we were all pleased to see was the nearly silent Easter procession in the street.  Our new caretakers informed us that for the Easter season they will be a procession every Sunday.  I got great video footage of it and look forward to sharing it with you all.  We are all exhausted now, so now I lay my pretty dread head to sleep!

To read the many post (2 weeks worth!) about my student trip to Antigua, Guatemala please go to BestBoysGoGlobal.blogspot.com  and subscribe to our YouTube channel: EchosJourneys

Taking students abroad

The only thing is love to do more than travel is taking other along with me.  In this case I get to share my passion with 9 of my students and 2 if the best chaperones ever!  

To read more about our journeys please follow us at:

BestBoysGoGlobal.blogspot.com

One love,

Echo

Ciao Roma!

I leave Roma was a heavy heart and a full stomach.  So sad to leave la morena behind yet still happy to get to my boys and man! La morena will spend another day here participating in a food tour and getting a massage! She woke up bright and early with me (5am) to let me out of the main gate to the apartment.  The bus starts running at 5:30 so i hoped to be on the street at the bus stop waiting between 5:30- 5:45am.  At about 5:20 on my walk to the bus stop the mis approached and picked me up I was at the the termini train station by 6:15 just in time to catch the bus to the fiumicino airport.  The bus arrived at 7:15 and I was making great time for my 9:15 check-in.  

While waiting for the flight I was asked by an airline employee to help an older couple from Albania find their way to their son in Atlanta.  No I don't speak Albania but we could communicate well enough. I made sure they knew where unseat was in the plane and told them to wait since we landed so we could walk together. 

Echo in airplane mode!  Plane bathroom selfie

 After a couple of movies and a good sleep we landed and I joined up with the Albanians.  The husband have me a small slip of paper with their sons name and information on it. But called their son let him know that we'd landed safely and that I would see them through to help out.  He was very appreciative and was happy to also speak to his father.  At immigration we were split up.  Foreign nationals must enter one area while US nationals enter another line for entry.  Once we all cleared they were out in the care of a customs agent who help them from that point on.  I called the son again and let him know they were no longer with me but in good hands nonetheless.  

After changing euros back to dollars, sighed a deep sigh of relief and satisfaction... There's no place like family!  

Rome-ing

Last night I was so excited about everything, I just couldn't sleep.  First I checked in with AlphaPoppa and the boys.  I'm constantly in contact with AlphaPoppa through the viber app, but with the boys being in school I have to be a little more strategic about making contact.  Midnight here in Rome made it about 7pm in Atlanta, Zane finishes his skype Spanish classes at 6pm so I was hoping that he was still on-line.  I was so excited that he was on and answers my skype call.  the first things he asked was if I liked Rome and if he could get at tour of the house.  Quickly dude and foxymama joined in the skype call.  Foxymama was generous to give us a week of her time to help AlphaPoppa with the boys whole I was gone.  Her main duties are after school pickup, cooking dinner, preping school lunches and giving those good ole grandma hugs and kisses upon request.  They all reassured me that all was well with them and they wished me a great time.  Shortly after talking to them AlphaPoppa viber texted me that he'd passed yet another level of helicopter pilot certification.  Good job babe! <3

After all the family love I spent the next hour blogging and filling out postcards for family and friends.  When I was ready to sleep, I sleep well.  The bed was so comfortable, the air was a little cool but just perfect for the many covers that made it all cozy.

Since la morena went to bed earlier than I she also woke up first.  I didn't get up until about 11 but we were up and out of the house before noon.  Not only was I excited to see more of Rome, I was also excited to speak Italian as much as possible.  Right before leaving I found a fantastic language app name "molto bene" which means very good in Italian. The app was great because it had the written and audio for a many many Italian phrases, words, and verb tense conjugations.   It was well worth the $10 I paid to download and I used it to practice whenever we had a little down time.  

We once again successfully caught the #446 bus to the Cornelia train station, but this time decided to get off at a different stop, San Prieto- Vaticani.  Yes, saint peters basilica and the Vatican!!!  As soon as we hit the street was were approached by a tour guide coordinator.  He made a great case of how the lines would be unreasonably long to enter the basilica and the Vatican museum... Without a professional tour guide.  According to him the line would be an hour and a half to get into the museo Vaticani then once you enter another hour plus to wait in the line to see the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina). For his charge of 49€ a person we could get a personal guide to help us skip lines and explain all the major works of art in il museo.  Ummm, no grazie signore!  We will figure this out on our own, but first we shall eat, and once again we ate well at another corner cafe.  This time I had lasagna e insalata (salad) and la morena had a carnnollira e insalata.  The portion sizes here are ideal, you are not full when you're done but you are definitely satisfied.  

We decided to walk toward the museum to just see the outside, outside there was no line AT ALL. So we decided to peak inside, and inside there we as no line AT ALL.  It took 2 whole minutes to get through security and only cost 18€ to enter.  One of the first signs we saw was to il posti vaticani, a post office right there in the museum, and it just so happened to have all my postcards with me!!  Woohoo,  the stamps were 2€ each(geez Louise!!) but they were super cool special pope/ Vatican stamps.  I hope my peeps are happy to get them.  

After il posti, at the main entrance I saw were you could rent an audio tour for 7€. If you've never used these at a museum they are super cool.  Depending on the museum the audio tour is usually some my headphones or a big telephone type device.  You can set your language of preference and as you pass pictures, sculptures, and other works of art you can enter that piece's specified number and hear all of the details.  Now if my math serves me correctly 18€ + 7€= 25€ per person if you choose an audio tour that is much cheaper then the 49€ "special offer" we got on the street.  We didn't go with the audio tour but it is always important to me that you get money saving tips and that you know the many options you have while traveling.  

The painting, sculptures, tapestries, etc. were all mind blowing.  Being in il museo Vaticani was like sensory overload.  Even centimeter of every room was a work of art.  Every floor was made with great detail every wall and ceiling were covered with paintings that told the many stories of the bible and the history of Rome and the world.  Amazing, magnificent, incredible will all be understatements.  There were tapestries that could cover the floors of several rooms in my house and that measured much taller than any wall we have.  Since I felt words could not properly describe I was sure to take plenty of video that you can view on our youtube channel: EchosJourneys.  

As we walked thought the museum each corner had a sign pointing to the climax of all the art, la Cappella Sistina, Michael Angelo's famous Sistine chapel.  It was a wonderous journey to get there.  All i could think was how happy I was to be there and how happy I was to have just purchased more memoria for my fotocamera!

Finally we arrive to la Cappella Sistina and it did not disappoint,  the images painted on this world-known ceiling were in 3-D, so far away but seeming to reach down to touch you.  I imagined this great artist laying on his back on top of many levels of scaffold to bring the images in his head to life.  Every head in the room looked upward in wonder.  I'm surprised that we weren't all colliding with all mesmerized eyes pointing to the ceiling, unable to pay attention what surrounded us.  At this point I will guiltily admit that even though I (all of us) were specifically instructed to not film, I did anyway... I had to... I couldn't help myself... If you feel offended that i did this please accept my sincere apologies and do not watch the video.  If you understand my need to record this magical moment and place and want to quench your curiosity then please enjoy.  My mother's side of the family is catholic and I was happy to be here for my deceased grandmother, aunt, and other family members, even if I don't share their same beliefs.  

After the Sistine chapel we exited and the museum and headed to the St Peters Basilica/ Vatican.   By then is was already 3:30 on and that line was truly looooong.  Luckily both of us felt more of a pull to bask in the warmth of the sun and enjoy the delicious spring breeze while we soaked in the splendor of the Vatican standing tall and timeless before our eyes.  

Since being in that area specifically we saw so many nuns and priests.  What called my attention most was that 95% of the nuns we saw were Asian.  Things like this blow my mind.  There is no better stereotype killer than travel.  Last night while taking pix and throwing coins into the trevi fountain, i saw a gorgeous Somalian women in full Muslim robes and head covering posing in front to the fountain while a man (her husband perhaps?) took her picture.  I told her in Italian that's she was "molta Bella" (very beautiful) then went back to taking pictures with la morena.  While doing so the Somalian women stops me mid sentence, "where are you guys from?" She asks in an accent much like mine.  "We are from Atlanta in the US."  She immediately throws open her arms "I'm from Minnesota!!"  You have no idea how much I loved that.  We chatted for a while and wishes each other happy travels before parting ways.  The world has changed to much and people are in the move world wide, the days in which you can look and assume a person's nationality and life story are dead.  While here in Rome we've been asked repeatedly but sooo many people if we are Brazilian, people are shocked when we say no.  I asked a few people when Brazilian? Some say because we are beautiful and ALL Brazilian women are beautiful.  The men here are extremely flirty and seem to have equal love for all races, sizes, and nationalities.  They know how to make a gal feel pretty.  We are no longer safe to assume and categorize and I love it.  It is a different world.  

After sunbathing and chilling we decided on the coliseum just a few train stops away.  Unfortunately it closed 8 minutes before our arrival, so the next best things to do was to eat!!  And we did just that once again.  The food once again was delicious and satisfying.  After that's meal we jumped back on the train to the opera house train station then walked to the Spanish steps again.  We talked, window shopped, and laughed.   After another few hours of Rome-ing we decided to eat again before going to our home in Rome.    Roast chicken and roast potatoes as recommended by my BFF were the delight of the night.  My flight was the next morning at 9:15am and in would have quite a trek to get there by 7:15 check-in. 

At home in Rome

Once we landed in Rome our next step was to take a 4€ shuttle to the Rome city center. There we would get in the metro's A line to the Cornelia train station.  Our host Daniela would be there to pick us up in front of the bank on the corner at 1:30pm.  We got there exactly at 1:30 and Daniela (Dany) was there waiting for us in her car.  Her house was a 10 minute drive from the train station and she explained to us in a mixture of English and Italian how to take the bus to and from her house.  Now if you know me well you know that I'm a natural born polyglot and I absorb language at an abnormal rate.  I'm fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese so Italian is not that hard for me.  I can guess most if what in saying and at the least be understood.  The funniest part of the drive to our new home a as la morena looking at me confused from the backseat and asking "Echo, since when do you speak Italian?!"  That really cracked me up because in my mind I really think inknownwhatnimnsaying and talking about!  Anyway i understood all of our instructions, asked a variety of important questions and had a good convo with Dany about why she host people from all over the world.  

Dany's apartment was beautiful, like old school roman perfection.  She showed us around the kitchen, and our suite, gave us a key and headed back to work.  

I couldn't wait to jump in the shower,  change clothes, and take a nap so I did all 3 in that order! 

That nap was sooo good and sooo needed.  I woke up at 4 so we could leave the apartment by 4:30!for a walking tour in the heart of Rome.  

Even though we somehow missed the tour we made the best of our time.  We first bought more memory for my camera. Then we found a corner cafe and we ate.  Now when I say we ate... I mean we ATE!!  We didn't necessarily eat a lot or eat quickly but we ate the way you would imagine one would eat in Italy. As we bit into each note of our insalata, cardonara spegheti, and margarita pizza we moaned and groaned at the flavor and detailed seasoning.  It was spectacular.  I had mixtures of ingredients and flavors that I'd never had before.  I are things I hate but due to the mastery of the food hate turned to love and olives and tomatoes made my taste buds dance like the staccato notes the nearby street band played to mozart's rondo.  This may have possibly been the best meal of my life.  It was so good that Felt compelled to eat as many different dishes offered in Italy in the attempt to not repeat meals or miss out on something that inevitably had to be within the same realm of deliciousness.  La morena teased me that the delicious birthday meal was a good attempt in making up for the bullfight rating as the most traumatizing horrific bday present ever.  I hope I made up for it and that she was enjoying her official birthday in Rome.

After we are we walked.  We bought post cards and finally ended up at the fountain of triva.  It was like no other fountain is ever seen and made me wish I had someone there to explain its history, origin, and purpose to me.  Hundreds of people were there sitting in its glowing radiance and relaxing.  We joined the crowd with pleasure and accompanied by gelato.  

We made wishes in the fountain then moved on to the twisting small connecting street.  There we were sucked in by great prices and Italian leather.  I bought a much needed travel purse that wrapped around me, a business card holder, a new global print travel carryon (almost identical to the one I often photograph, that's also falling apart) an and Italian jacket.  I'm never such a big spender, but I couldn't help myself today.  After all our purchases we walked talked and decided to head "home" so we could properly rest and enjoy the next day.  On the bus ride we joked about how we felt so comfortable in Rome and what we'd do at home.  We've been here les than 12 hours and we've already made ourselves at home in Rome. 

Rome the world

After seeing a few Fallas burn last night we went to bed at about 1:30.  I didn't actually fall asleep until 3:30 because I was updating the blog and YouTube channel.  We then woke up at 5am got dressed packed up and left Guillermo's place in Valencia.  It was time to head to the airport for our 9:05 flight to Rome, Italy. We had to be at the airport by 7am.  When we stepped out to the street of Valencia it was completely silent. After days and weeks of firecrackers and 24 hour celebrations it all stopped on a dime.  It was easy to imagine the whole town exhausted in a coma-like sleep trying to recover from such a huge event.  The streets were cleaned to perfection there were no signs of the fallas or the burnt piles left in the aftermath. It was like it never happened.  I joke with la morena asking if I'd dreamt it all and was somehow confused, she verified that it was all really but definitely creepy that it all disappeared without a trace.  The walk to the metro station was short and straight into the airport.  We had tobwait for a while but finally we boarded out Ryanair flight to Roma as two extremely tired, extremely excited women.  What was waiting for us in the other side was yet another adventure and yet another way to celebrate our freedom to Rome the world. 

New friends, mascletas, and killers

After seeing a few of the beautiful fallas in our barrio, I decided we should head to the city centro to see the huge fallas.  In the way there we ran into our Australian house mates who were headed in the same direction.  We all immediately got it off and walked and talked for a long time in search of mascletas.  

Las mascleta are the noisy firecracker displays set up in each barrio.  Some are bigger than others but all are loud enough to rattle your inner eardrum and shake up your heart.  The deafening sound is like none other.  

After missed a few mascleta by mere minutes we finally found a small one and waited here for the explosions.  It was well worth it.   Our housemate were so cool.  Originally of chinese and Malaysian decent they lived in Australia and were recently married.  Their plan was to spend 2 years traveling the world, a year in Europe and a year in Asia!  I LOVE meeting other travelers!!! After a few hours we parted ways.  Our plan was to go to a bullfight, which they'd done the previous day and enjoyed, and they were in the search for more fallas and mascletas.  The bullfight would be la morenas one day early bday present from me!

La morena and I made it to the bull fighting rink bought our tickets and grabbed a delicious quick lunch and a Spanish sandwich fast food joint.  Before we knew it we were af the bullfighting rink  watch or first of 8 matches. Of course the first match had to be the most traumatizing.  The bull was not going to be an easy win and was a true champ.  After being repeatedly stabbed he fell in dispair, while the matadors tried to deliver the final blow by stabbing him in the too if his head. He didn't die.  The matador continued to stab him 5 times to be exact but the bull refused to die, he bravely stood up and began to charge again.  Every single one of us was in shock!  Finally the bull couldn't take t anymore and dropped only to be stabbed several more times as his body quaked and quivered.  I was traumatized and sick all at once.  To make matters worse there were 7 more matches to follow.  This is one of those cultural

Differences that I find it almost impossible to appreciate.  It was bloody, cruel and unfair.  Right next to us however wa a very sharp older man who was a former matador and explained so many thing to us in detail.  He spoke so passionately about the kill that it was like poetry.  The matador (or killer, from its Spanish meaning) is supposed to be skilled enough to have a clean kill in which the bull is not repeatedly stabbed as we saw in the first fight.  After so much killing and conversation we'd made a new friend Carmelo Espinosa.  After the bullfight he led us to a restaurant that had the best paella in town and went in his way back to Madrid.  

After a nice long super delicious dinner we stepped out of be restaurant to see the smaller fallas were being burned already!  It was amazing.  After seeing some small fires we decided to take a taxi home to rest before leaving to see the bigger fallas but at midnight.  We hulled at home for about an hour then headed out with our German housemate Julian, just to see the larger fallas in our barrios burn.

Today was everything Spanish, everything Valencia, everything fallas.   Having la morena to share it all with also meant everything to me.  Feliz Cumpleaños nena!!!!

La morena- old friends in new lands

By 3:30 am I was home in my PJs and just finished talking to my Australian roommates.  I figured I'd stay up and wait for la morena.  I go into bed and updated my YouTube channel with videos.  Starting at 4 I got up every 10 minutes or so to look over the living room balcony to see if la morena was on the street.  The last time I remember checking was at 4:45.  The next thing I know I'm waking from a deep sleep to the sound of someone stomping up the apartment building stairs.  I jumped up opened the apartment door and there she was.  My loooong time travel buddy!! She look exhausted and relieved all at the same time.  The taxi dropped her off blocks away due to las fallas blocking the roads, so she walked with her backpack several blocks in the crowded party street.  She finally found the building but couldn't get in.  She finally for in but didn't know the apartment number.  So her plan was to make as much noise as possible until I opened the door.. Her plan worked!

Las morena and I met our freshman year of college, when we were 18.  We were both participated in a university sponsored study abroad in Guayaquil, Ecuador with the intention of learning Spanish.  While there we became close and have shared adventures and host families in several places in Latin America. When she decided to change careers to teach English in Spain, she knew she could count on me to come visit and to participate in a great adventure.  

We wre so happy to see each other and excitedly chatted at a whisper.  We didn't want to disturb the other housemates, especially the German kids, Riva and Rosa.  We chatted til the sun can up and I think I literally fell asleep mid sentence at about 6am or so!  

La morena is one of my favorite travel partners.  She's low maintenance, don't require a lot of stuff, and has a great outlook on life and enjoying it to the fullest.  Reunited and it feels so good!

The next morning... Well almost noon we got up went down to a cafe for breakfast and we started her first day of las fallas.

Firework bonding

After my 4 hour map I woke up and was pretty content on staying in until my friend (we will call her "la morena") arrived at 4 am, however on the way to the bathroom my German housemate stopped me and insisted that I attend the fireworks display downtown.  He said the previous nights was amazing and this was supposed to be even better.  Since it was the second time someone recommended this to me today I said to myself ,"oh hell just go... You're not spending all this time and money to sit in the house and wait... You can wait after the 1:30am fireworks show" so off I went.

The German pointed me to the right and insisted that I couldn't miss the metro train station.  After asking 2 people on the street I was at the station in less than 5 minutes.  The streets were packed and it was 12:30.  Sleeping is not a priority here... At all!!  With the help of a metro employee I had a metro card and was on a jam packed subway car and on the way to the colon station, only 3 stops away.  At that stop 95% of us got off all together and headed above ground.  

Up there we joined with 4000 of our closest friends and headed to the bridges where the fireworks would happen.  

The streets were so crowded that I never made it to a bridge, I was standing between buildings in the vicinity and if seemed like a good enough place to be.  

Once the fireworks started we all began to cheer.  As they continued they became more impressive.  All phones and cameras were in the air, we collectively "ooh-ed and aahh-ed" and chattered about how beautiful it was.  About 7 minutes into the constant display of sparkling sky they turned it up another level of greatness, at that point everyone in unison without being told, lowered their camera and phones. We all stopped talking and we looked up... Captivated at the flashing lights.  The fireworks sounds rolled like infinite thunder shaking my heart and soul.  We we all in awe.  No one had to say anything because we all felt the same indescribable feeling.  We felt... beauty.  It was a strange feeling to have much less share it with so many strangers on a street corner in a strange land in the middle of the night, but it happened.  What we felt was as spectacular as what we saw.   

After the show I walked back to the station and bought Buñuelos.  They are like funnel cake calls sprinkled with sugar and rellenos, which are like churros stuffed with cream and topped with sprinkles.  I sat on a bench and ate them while I waited for the crowd to thin out on the way into the metro station.  I was home rather quickly.  At 3am the streets were more crowded than ever, but I still headed home to wait for la morena, who estimated she'd arrive at 4-4:30am

Ave and Las Fallas

When we arrived in Madrid I was ready for the next phase of my plan.  I deplaned and passed through immigration.  I wasn't asked any questions the guy just looked at the picture, looked at me, stamped the passport, Passed it back and said, buen viaje (have a nice trip).  Well that was easy!

  I found a place to change my dollars to Euros.  This magic trick turn $140 USD to 80€... I've never felt so much pain in my LIFE.  I've been in Europe 10 whole minutes and the euro is already kicking my ass!!  Next it was time to find a taxi.  Hundreds of them were lined up so I was directed to the front of the line where a very friendly taxista picked me up,  I explained that I needed to go to ave 05090.  He knew exactly where it was and after a 15 minute right through beautiful Madrid I was being dropped of at the bullettrain station.  I used my debit card to buy my 54€ ticket at the ticket machine and 30 minutes later I was on the bullet train heading to Valencia.  The train was identical to the bullet train in Tokyo.  The ride was a hour and a half and I slept a good portion of it.  

The train station in Valencia was full of an exciting buzz over las fallas., most people headed straight for the tourism center so I followed that crowd.  They had many magazines, maps, and itineraries for all the fallas activities.   I took as much as ai could and asked one of the assistance to point out my new residence on one of there maps she have me,  she circled it and drew a route in how to get to the center if it all from there.  She recommended I take a taxi to my new apartment. 

The taxi knew where to take me but was unsure if he could drop me off directly in front since many streets were blocked with fallas in the intersection.  He was correct in thinking that fallas would block our way but boy was I excited to see them.  He was able to get me within 2 blocks and I walked the rest of the way completely enchanted by the larger than life statues.

Las Fallas started during midevil times (600-1700AD). Each year neighborhood communities get together and construct these comical statues that poke fun at the years negative events.  The events will make fun of politics, entertainers, undesirable social constructs, and current events.  They are made if cardboard, paper mâché, styrofoam, and wood.  They are made with such detail that they are mind blowing many are as tall as 4 stories high.  Each day around 2pn is the mascleta.  La mascleta is the deafening firecracker display that rocks the city.  Each neighborhood has their own mascleta with the largest being in the city center. The thundering sound of explosives and firecrackers are strong enough to rattle your eardrums and this is music to the locals ears.  All day long children and families are setting off firecrackers, it's like New Year's Eve 3 months late.   I immediately started filming and photographing las fallas.  I used my iPhone GPS to get me to my apartment but had no idea which apartment to ring... So I rang them all, one at a time.

"Hola, se encuentra Ana y Guillermo?"

"No, estas equivocada"

Finally apartment 5 told me to try apartment 12.  Apparently I'm not the only one to have called each resident.  I walked up the narrow winding staircase to apartment 12 and knocked.  A lady opened the door. "Ana?!"

"No, no soy Ana.. But you're in the right place.  Are you renting here too?"  She asked switching to english.  

"Yes" I explained.  This must be your room then.  She pointed to the first room on the right.  It was definately the bunk beds from the picture, they were unmade though, as if someone just rolled out of them and left.  She explained that the previous guest had just left and Guillermo hadn't made it home yet to clean up.  I dropped off my bag and have myself a tour of the apartment and it's other temporary residents.  The lady who opened the door was there with her boyfriend and two young daughters.  They were from Germany.  Our other housemates, boyfriend and girlfriend, looked Asian but were from Australia.  The Germans spoke perfect English,of course, and even spent time in Atlanta as teenagers on a foreign exchange.  They all were helpful in helping me get settled in by pointing out important things and giving me the free wifi code.  Free wifi is like oxygen when you are traveling!

Since my bed wasn't made I saw that as a sign to freshen up and get out.  I took a quick shower while I charged my phone, changed clothes and headed out.  After filming the first set of fallas i saw a local pointed me to the city center.  I was immediately stopped by a black man who asked if I was also from Africa as he was Nigerian.  I told him that I was only visiting for las fallas and that I was from the US he almost jumped for joy when he heard me speak English. He insisted on leading me to the main fallas area, I accepted the offer and we walked and talked.  He appeared to be in his 40s.  He left Nigeria to study electrical engineering here in Spain but wa haunted I him studies due to his lack of Spanish language skills, he wa struggling with the language.  He's lived here 3 years and enjoys it, the people are very friendly to him, and help him when he needs it... This is why he felt compelled to also help a list visitor in the Valencia's spirit and as good training from his ibo mom back home in Nigeria.  Due to the economic crisis in Spain and most of Europe time were hard bug he was happy nonetheless.  We walked around for hours and he lead me time very place he knew a falla to be.  My travel angels are the best!  After about 5 hours the jetlag started to get to me, he walked me back to where I could find my way back home alone and he left me with his phone number in case I was in need of help or a free meal.  Thank you Kingsley for being a travel angel to me!  

I then stopped by a pizzeria for food and water then headed back home.  My bed STILL want made and Ana and Guillermo were nowhere to be found.  The German man was kind enough to point out the sheets for me so I took out the prettiest ones and made my own damn bed!  I got in my PJ and made sure I talked to everyone at home on skype and viber.  As I was drifting off to sleep Guillermo came home apologizing for not being here to greet me and clean up.  He had a great vibe,  I hope I get a chance to sit down and talk to him before I leave.  Here are some pix of las fallas: 

It's not after midnight and I'm

on my way to the huge fireworks display! I'm well restee after a 4 hour sleep and my friend should be arriving in about 3 hours!  I'll keep you all posted :-)