Anyway, this week (mas o menos, I've been slacking on the blog, and things tend to blur together) in particular was relatively eventful and culture filled. First was the zarzuela (a comedic spanish opera) called "Diamantes de la corona." One of the last program trips left. Interestingly 3/4 of our teachers also made it to the show. Always fascinating to see teachs' out of their natural habitat as it were....
Shout out to one of my Spanish apt. mates, Marie, who's 21st bday was Monday. And of course we went out to celebrate. We hit up El Chapandaz, or "The Cave Bar" as we call it, because that's what it is, as if they made a bar inside a cave. They specialize in some sort of drink with milk that pours down from one of the stalactites...questionable? just a bit. So what if I had an art history paper en espanol due the next day? It was generally a good time.
So despite all the bumpyness of the past few weeks, with annoying schoolwork, crappy weather, and super-complicated traveling plans I don't mind it that much because it all gets balanced out by the utter film fest I've had.
First was my trip to Cine Dore. A small, old timey theater that plays classic and foreign films in original language, 2 euro for students. This showing was of Laura, por casualidad haha. I love old theaters, and good ole classic films as old as they are.
To top it all off, it's Almodovar week in our cine class, and I am loving EVERY minute of it! I used to think his films depicted his own little world, but the impression that I get from our prof is that he depicts an almost absurd but VERY real world of La Movida Madrilena after Franco's death, the world that our prof herself lived in. IT IS AWESOME!
I also get to watch and talk with people about my fave Almodovar films, always a good time. Let me reiterate once again how much we love our cine teacher, she's so nice but seems so badass at times, with her La movida youth and all. Apparently her son had tried out for the singing part of La mala educacion, didn't get it but got Almodovar's autograph. !!!! And during our class discussion of Mujeres al borde (sound familiar?) she stopped to tell us about an incident that happened with her car. She was at a crosswalk, about to go/run into a man. He seemed very casual, easy-going, and I think she let him pass. As he crossed and they waved to each other she realized that it was....
*chanchan CHAN - Viggo Mortenson.......
Frickin' Aragorn. I almost died...of disappointment that is. The whole time she was building up the story I was anxious, excited, nervous, imagining that she had met Almodovar, Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, Gael Garcia, SOMEONE that had SOMETHING to do Almodovar. JO-DER! I swear to God my palms were getting sweaty and I really didn't know what I was going to do if she said she had met HIM himself. I would've FLIPAR-ED like no other! But alas, it was Aragorn - good enough I guess. But damn, it would've been so cool if she had almost hit the most famous Spanish director of the last 20-30 years - something straight out of HIS movies.
So aside from that crazy, film-geek overload of mine, I've got less than 3 weeks to live up the rest of what I can in Madrid...goddamn I hope it will not disappoint. Something worthy of a scene from Almodovar, not necessary but always welcomed.
And seeing as I'm making my way to Barcelona next weekend, volcanic ash permitting, I feel this is quite appropriate.
*BTW "chan chan chan" refers to something our art teacher says all of the time. It's difficult to explain its context, but it's either used as if to say "well helloooo" or something surprising, something tongue-in-cheek like. En todos modos, always super entertaining and we say it to each other all the time. So be warned, it IS my new favorite thing to say.
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