So today is my last day at the school. I will likely come tomorrow morning to show the family around, but all classes end today. It´s a bittersweet kind of feeling, a part of me is really going to miss the ambiance of the school. Everyone hear shares a similar passion for the arts whether its flamenco dance, the guitar, or the duende (flamenco singing). Almost everyday someone is practicing the guitar in the lobby or someone is clapping the beats, or someone is stomping away in the dance studios. It´s been really magical. Life is good. : )
I hope to post a video soon. Don´t expect too much, I´m a beginner at this! : )
At the same time, I do not want to hold on to these last two months. I´m open and ready to see what other adventures await me. Neerav, Arpan, and Ritesh are arriving later this afternoon in Granada. So while I´m sad school is ending, I´m elated to see my family.
This morning, I had my last compas class and it was amazing. A local singer from Granada sang in our class while my teacher played the guitar. It was a great way to see the flamenco rhythms and beats in action. We all had a great time laughing, asking questions, and just watching the interaction between the guitarist and singer. The singer´s voice was amazing. He had so much control over his voice that he could raise and drop it many times over. In some ways, similar to Indian ghazals. Believe me when I say that it is something completely different to see these singers perform live. It can give you goosebumps! I mean they sing their hearts out. Hands go up in the air sometimes, faces squinting to pull the voice from within, faces turning red, nerves popping from their neck and forehead; it´s a very impressive and passionate art form.
One of the highlights of this week was a trip last night to the Baños Arabes. It is a spa-like place built similar to the old Muslim Hammams. The place has 7 different shaped pools with varying degrees of temperature. One of the pools is cold water. You are supposed to alternate between the cold and warm pools. The place is dimly lit with only candles. There are several beautiful muslim archways, Moroccan lamps, soft music and a sitting area for people to sip Moroccan mint tea. The Baños were not as quiet as I had hoped since so many people were there last night, but nevertheless it was very relaxing. And oh yes, you also get a 15 minute back or foot massage with your visit. My roommate and I felt sooo good after we left. We topped off the night with dinner at a nice pizza restaurant. A big treat for me as I´ve been eating mostly at home. This was a great way to end my last week in Granada. The baños were a wonderful treat especially after two months of dancing, walking around town, and climbing up and down monsterous hills.
Thanks to everyone whose been reading or following along. It´s been fun writing the blog. Entries from here on out may be more sporadic as I´ll be traveling from place to place for the next two weeks.
Life is good!
