Travels With My Shoes

Getting out of London proved to be as challenging as getting in. First the taxi to pick me up was late because it went to the wrong address. Then the BA counter people at bag Drop/ Check in told me that if I did not have evidence on me of a ticket or printed boarding pass to LEAVE Spain that I could be returned on the next plane. Well I did have a reservation but certainly no printout. I told them I had never had a problem. ¨

“Well, luv, every thing has changed now. They have got very strict.” -Did I have a Blackberry that could show them my reservation? EEK!

They called upstairs to see if the computer there had a printer. No. Anyway I thought the best thing would be for me to at least write down my reservation code for the 27th.

That done, I got a sandwich.

Now, a clear warning to all who might use this airport: There are NO ANNOUNCEMENTS! My first look at the Departure screen I saw no listing for my flight at all. The very next time I glanced it said FINAL CALL!
I must have misread something… So I took off and at the gate realized I’d left my blue linen jacket on the seat in the waiting area. Mid-flight I realized my Tilly hat was missing as well! Two down…

During the flight I worked on putting together a reasonable explanation for my trip to Spain. I didn’t care to make the same blunder I’d made coming into London. So, I must tell them that I am coming to Chinchon, NOT to work, but for the transport of my shoes to Santander, which is true actually. In line waiting I was on pins and needles, but I was waved through as if there was a breeze at my back. Retrieved my rollies. Made my way to Pza. Conde de Casal where it was a grey windy day. I had to keep stopping since my scarves were blowing dangerously off my neck, finally tied them down and wended my way to the last bus, 3:37 to Chinchon.

As I bumped down the streets with the badly behaved and unbalanced rollies, I felt pretty wiped out but knew I was on the final leg. Walked up the 2 floors to the piso and got a shock when I opened the door.
The first thing that caught my eye was THE CHAIR… Oscar had transformed it into a work of art. About ten years ago, while walking in Quito, he’d found a group of negatives just strewn across the ground. They were haunting portraits of unknown young men. Fascinated, Oscar had printed up dozens of them. Now he’d taken one of those lovely prints and placed it behind glass into the back of the chair. Stunning -I want a set of 12!!!

Oscar had gone all out getting things ready for my arrival. Light fixtures where there had been wires dangling. No shoes armada on the floor. THEY WERE GONE! I thought: “Great, they picked them up already.” But then I turned round to find shelves had been built and up to the ceiling they were filled with shoes.
And over here: A KITCHEN SINK. No more dishwashing in the bidet! But most of all, a beautiful chair that had
been there forever was now finished with a photograph behind glass for the back. All my paintings on the wall. The table I bought last year was put together for the class. All things I had meant to do. Everything white and immaculate, it could have been photographed for Architecture Design Artist studio. It was an OASIS!
I had dinner with Carla and family, and set right to work organizing for the arrival of my students Thursday morning.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 7:11 am