Last week, my friend Martina and I were enjoying some ice cream on a park bench. When I looked up, I saw an old man coming towards me. I assumed he would ask for the time or a lighter. Instead, he looked me in the eye, reached out his hand and said "Hola, buenas tardes." (Hello, good afternoon). He repeated this twice and walked away. The old man didn't acknowledge Martina nor did he proceed to greet anyone else in the vicinity. He just shook my hand and walked away. I sat there a little bit befuddled, watched him weave through benches and people, and I just laughed.
A few days later, I was riding the bus back to my house while listening to music. An older man sat down in front of me and when I saw his lips moving, I took out my headphones to see what he was blabbering about. He gave me and the woman next to me a proper introduction by showing us his ID, shaking our hands and then kissing them. As he continued to chat, I noticed he was missing quite a few teeth. "Where I am from, I am very popular. And you two are very beautiful. So I bet that if you stick with me, you can be popular, too!" The lady beside me and I chuckled and thanked him. He said, "Well this is my stop." and got up. Well, it was not his stop just yet, so I listened to him greet all passengers near the doorway and start from the beginning.
Finally, the other day I was laying in my hammock outside of a park near my house. I noticed an old man on a bench and he had clearly noticed me. After an hour of baking in the sun while attempting to read, I took down my hammock and started to walk. The old man stood up and asked "Do you have the time?" "No," I replied "About 6:30, I'd say." And so, together we began to walk. "Where are you from? What do you do? When did you arrive? How long will you stay?"... The usual slew of questions. When he realized I had only been here a short while, he said "I am going to take you to a tower. Well, a castle. This way..." The man is an Italian who has lives in Granada for 20 years and is very knowledgable about the city and its history. He is also very animated when he talks so often times he would have to stop mid-sentence so he could fully explain himself and use a variety of gestures. Of the few Italians I know, I have noticed they talk a lot with their hands.
When we arrived to the castle, he said "Come here. You know, I work part time as a guide for Ellies who haven't been in Granada long." I followed him on to a ledge, worried that he was going to push me off, but he just pointed out a spectacular view and then we walked back down. He showed me a few churches in the distance and told me a number of stories. Then we said goodbye and went in opposite directions.
A few days later, I was riding the bus back to my house while listening to music. An older man sat down in front of me and when I saw his lips moving, I took out my headphones to see what he was blabbering about. He gave me and the woman next to me a proper introduction by showing us his ID, shaking our hands and then kissing them. As he continued to chat, I noticed he was missing quite a few teeth. "Where I am from, I am very popular. And you two are very beautiful. So I bet that if you stick with me, you can be popular, too!" The lady beside me and I chuckled and thanked him. He said, "Well this is my stop." and got up. Well, it was not his stop just yet, so I listened to him greet all passengers near the doorway and start from the beginning.
Finally, the other day I was laying in my hammock outside of a park near my house. I noticed an old man on a bench and he had clearly noticed me. After an hour of baking in the sun while attempting to read, I took down my hammock and started to walk. The old man stood up and asked "Do you have the time?" "No," I replied "About 6:30, I'd say." And so, together we began to walk. "Where are you from? What do you do? When did you arrive? How long will you stay?"... The usual slew of questions. When he realized I had only been here a short while, he said "I am going to take you to a tower. Well, a castle. This way..." The man is an Italian who has lives in Granada for 20 years and is very knowledgable about the city and its history. He is also very animated when he talks so often times he would have to stop mid-sentence so he could fully explain himself and use a variety of gestures. Of the few Italians I know, I have noticed they talk a lot with their hands.
When we arrived to the castle, he said "Come here. You know, I work part time as a guide for Ellies who haven't been in Granada long." I followed him on to a ledge, worried that he was going to push me off, but he just pointed out a spectacular view and then we walked back down. He showed me a few churches in the distance and told me a number of stories. Then we said goodbye and went in opposite directions.
The Alhambra
Early morning walk to work
Sunset outside my house
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