Four fabulous weekends in February

I always find the beginning of January to be too overwhelming a time to attempt resolutions or set goals; the Christmas hangover still prevails, the prospect of the longest wait for monthly wages begins and for those of us currently residing on the Emerald Isle the greyness of the skies sets a dreary stage. My solution to this set of circumstances: wait till mid-February, the days begin to lengthen, the early remnants of Spring tease the air and once upon a time I was born.
February has always seen moments of joy and anticipation of the year ahead until the next birthday. I am also always reminded at this time of year of how lucky I am with people in all four corners of the globe sending me birthday wishes. Last year I was privileged to spend my birthday with Tim, Chris & Luke and the Duffleberries in DC and finished off February in NYC with Ruanne and a very dear family friend Marilyn. I set myself two February resolutions in DC both of which I saw through including the completion of the PhD. But onto more important things and the title of this post. I didn't plan it as such but the four weekends have all unfolded full of fun and laughter.

Carcassonne:
I had not been to my mum's place in Carcassonne since August 2010 where I ended my train travels of the summer. I have been to the town countless times over the years since 2003, but this was the longest period I had been away. The short weekend trip with my mum Jo overwhelmingly reminded me of the wealth of history both within the four walls of the 11th century house and in the La Cité up on the hill. Jo and I were delighted in meeting Jackie and her son Cody who hail from Brooklyn but have been guests of the house since September. For me, a person who is astutely guarded when I first meet people, my shell was shattered in an instance by their warmth and friendly banter. A student of spiritual history Jackie was a wealth of information and Cody at the tender age of 19 was deliciously content in his wonderful persona. We ate, we drank and we inhaled the air of history both past and present in this divine location. I unfortunately did not capture any photos this trip but I have selected a picture from the 100s of previous visits.  

The wonderful view from the terrace of the house

Film Fatale:
I cannot admit to having had the occasion to partake in the first Film Fatale evening two years ago but I was delighted to be a part of their second birthday celebrations. Film Fatale is the brainchild of three young women who seeing the resurgence of interest in the 1920 to 1950s in fashion, music and dance, added in the dimension of film. It is certainly a necessary addition as these decades saw immense change in the moving picture business.
I began going to Film Fatale in July 2010 when they were held but once every two months, but demand  has increased this to once a month with the frequent regular addition of special nights/events. The idea is based on practices that are common in Seattle and Portland where cinema goers sit at tables rather than in rows and can order drinks, popcorn and in days gone by cigarettes throughout the evening. Dublin's Film Fatale has the delightful addition of 'The Andrew Sisters', two DJs who once the film is over provide an evening of dancing to the swinging music of previous eras. Many of my regular companions to the films have left Ireland's shores for 'greener' pastures but I was in fabulous company of two of my fashionistas Alyson and Ruanne. In addition the film was 'Singin' in the Rain', one of my favourites and based on my ultimate favourite era of the roaring 1920s. We laughed, we sang (quietly!) and we danced till our feet hurt. Happy Birthday to a welcome addition to Dublin's social scene.

Working the 1920s fashion

Bella España:
Many of you will know that I started learning Spanish back in October. I have been enjoying every moment of it fulfilling a wish I have had since the days of visiting wee Di in Barcelona. To put the lessons to work and to explore another part of the world I have wanted to experience, myself and Ruanne set out for Malaga on the 15th. The sights, sounds and wonderment of the next week could fill countless pages so I offer you my patient reader simply a snapshot. Ruanne was to stay with me until Tuesday morning when work duties beckoned her back but I continued my journey on to Granada and Cordoba. These two places are so rich with history and culture I will write a separate entry for them.
The things that strike one first in Malaga, and this ran true in all the places I visited, is the incredible mixing of cultures. Both in terms of the regions Muslim/Moorish period mixed with Catholic Spain, but also in terms of the mixture of European and Mediterranean cultures and traditions. Having only been in Barcelona and Bilbao previously this was acutely obvious to me. The second thing that struck me was the incredible warmth and friendliness of the people, particularly when I was determined to use my limited Spanish. Even those who could speak English humoured me and were very gracious, a situation vastly different from the French experience.

Blue skies!!!

The amazing Place Espanya

View over Malaga city

Moroccan birthday dinner

Our wanderings in Malaga took us down to the beach promenade, the wonderful little Picasso Museum, the Gothic cathedral and the Castillo de Gibralfaro on top of the hill overlooking the city. The best aspect of the city was the ability to meander along the narrow streets enjoying the cool sunshine and blue skies. We experienced several different local wines, a delicious array of Spanish cuisine, saw a Flamenco show, danced the night away in a local nightclub and chatted to lots of local people. I found I could understand so much of what was being said as long as people spoke slowly - this was handy when the postcard vendor asked me where I was from and told me a was beautiful all in Spanish :-) On the Sunday we took a little jaunt on the train to Seville to see the famous Place Espanya, the Alcazar and the world's largest Gothic cathedral where Christopher Columbus is supposed to be buried. Unfortunately we could only see from the outside as they were filming a special service all day Sunday, but it was still mighty impressive! The long weekend would not have been complete without a birthday dinner which was had in the cutest Moroccan restaurant down a side street near the seafront. It is run by a Spanish couple who had a Moroccan chef 30 years ago who taught them everything he knew. Yes as you can tell we got to know the owner, who was the sweetest man, rather well. On Tuesday morning the rain arrived and so it was time to move on from Malaga, Ruanne back to Dublin and me onto Granada and the world famous elhambra.

Odean dancing:
The birthday I remember most clearly from my childhood is my 9th birthday, I think it is that so much changed after that, but most of all I remember my mum telling me that I told her 10 girls were coming over and 35 showed up! Birthdays have always been about bringing people together, a chance to see people when all our lives are so busy that we rarely catch up. I have kept my 9th birthday tradition up every year with birthday parties in many different countries and with many different people. Last night was very different but in a way it was exactly as it should have been. This time I'm in now, is a process of transition specifically transitioning out of the PhD and my life here in Dublin which is coming to an end. My four and a half years since I came back to Dublin have been fabulous but as each day passes now I feel more and more like a guest here. I have wonderful friends here and lots of acquaintances but my life has separated from all of theirs really since I left for Canada in August 2011. So rather than feel sadness that friends and acquaintances could not join me last night, I see it as an important part of shedding further my ties to the city and moving forward. BUT in saying all of that I must stress what a FABULOUS night it was with the wonderful Alyson, Ruanne, Tansy and to Melanney, Tine and Reza for joining us. We danced the whole night away - I got into bed at 4am - and we met lots of friendly people including a men's hockey team!

Birthday girls on the way out

And so we enter the last week of February and the ever growing promise of spring - today was a beautiful day where the sun came out for the first time in weeks! It is not over yet but it has been a fantastic February for me in so many ways and I hope you have enjoyed reading about all my adventures. Tomorrow I'll share the wonders of Granada and Cordoba.
I end this entry with a great quote that I heard on an interview on the radio today: "Today is life. The only life you're sure of. Make the most of today."