It's been quite a while......

June 18, 2011  Rota, Spain

I've neglected my blog of late and am sorry for that.  As you probably know, Andrea and I are going through a divorce and she told me that she preferred not to know anything about my personal life.  So I didn't know how to write this blog without sharing that part of myself.  But finally I decided to try to share that part which isn't my personal life.....

I'm still living in Rota, but decided to get a house in a different neighborhood.  I was living in a tourist mecca - charming, but with no parking for guests and way too much noise from the streets.  There was an Irish bar just down the street that served drinks called "chupitos" - which were nothing other than shots of mixed liquours.  They had about 25 varieties of different colors and flavors.  Kids from the military bases would come and drink there, but not understanding the Spanish practice of eating while drinking, they would toss down about 5 chupitos before the effect really hit.  Then they were staggering through the streets, vomiting, cursing, and generally offending the whole town.  I can't imagine a scenario in the US where drunk foreigners could stagger around in the streets, shouting and cursing at 4AM without the police arriving in short order.  But the Spanish seem to be much more tolerant because the police never came.  And just a few hours after the last drunk stopped shouting, the beach people started passing my bedroom window on the way to the beach.  They were well behaved, but spoke loudly in the Spanish style.  It became too much.

So I rented a duplex (not an apartment) in a quieter part of town.  It is outside the old walled city, but still only about 3 blocks from the beach.  It has lots of parking on the street and I still have a closed garage.  The place is huge with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and I have my office with computers all set up.  To get to the old part of town is 10 minutes walking or by car and 5 minutes by bike.  I can visit my old neighborhood by taking a stroll down the beach.  As you can see, rent money goes a lot further in Spain than in the US.  To rent a duplex like this in Santa Barbara would cost 100% of my monthly income.  My half of this duplex is on the right side....

Here is the new house.

Other than the new house, life is about the same.  I continue to make new friends here and am an active and full member of the Peña (flamenco club).  I play guitar for the local singers every saturday afternoon and often for performances as well.  My accompaniment skills have grown considerably and my guitar playing has also grown nicely.  I am totally at home with the people from the peña.  They don't treat me like a foreigner, but as a respected fellow aficionado.  I feel more welcome there than any place I can remember in my life.  One of the older members told me that I was the "alegria" (happiness) of the peña!
I don't know why exactly, but my way of being seems to really work for me here in Spain.  People really seem to like me.  In the US, I always felt a little like an outsider.  I never felt like I totally fit in.  With the "artists" I was always too square - too much of a businessman.  With the business people, I was better accepted, but always as a sort of bohemian.  Here people I don't know greet me on the streets.  And people I do know treat me with such warmth.  I have been accepted into a group of artists (painters) and poets here - who are also important figures in one of the political parties.  So I'm not on the margins of society.
I am still close to the local gypsy community, but have pulled back a little and don't try to spend all my time with them.  In that way, I am different from most American flamenco enthusiasts.  Most of them come here to study; live in little groups of other foreigners; and try to get close to gypsy artists whenever possible.  I have gotten away from that.  I love Andalucia (the part of Spain in which I live) more than flamenco.  I love the annual rituals of Semana Santa (Holy Week), Feria (the spring fair), the pilgrimage to Rocio and all the other events which make Andalucia special.  I love the warmth of the people and their values.  So I don't run around with foreigners.  I have one American friend who is here from time to time, but the rest of the time I am 100% with the locals.  I see the gypsies and consider some of them to be friends.  But I have begun to avoid some of those who who don't control their drinking or otherwise behave poorly in public.  I apply the rule: Would I be friends with this person if they didn't do flamenco?  If the answer is No, then I am a bit more reserved with them.  I have begun to cherish my own space.  For a while, my old house was becoming Club Quijote - a place where you could sing all night with free drinks.  This new house has become more private and I like it that way.
I see my whole attitude about flamenco going through a change.  The great artists who I grew up with are mostly dead.  Those who remain are not at the same level and just don't excite me much.  Most of the young artists are trying to make a living with Flamenkito - pop flamenco mixed with whatever they can imagine.  It might be interesting music, but it's not flamenco.  And none of it will be remembered in 20 years.  So I am a confirmed dinosaur.  I like the old stuff and prefer to be with the few artists who still do it.  But I don't go to very much trouble to go looking for action.  I get all the satisfaction I want with the locals.  My current favorite is Paco Peña, a torero who also sings.  I believe you can hear him on some of the earlier posts or on my new webpage www.cantejondo.com.  He is a great guy and really fun to be with.
OK, time to get dressed for the regular Saturday tertulia at the peña.
Don't be afraid to write.....