Yes, after over 16 months on the road my trip has finally ended and I am back in Madrid. I can't truly say whether I'm happy or sad, because I think my heart is a mix of both feelings. I'm happy that I'm back in my homeland, with my family and all my friends. Seeing all these people that I love around me, caring for me and bombing me with thousands of questions is, without a doubt, the best thing about being back home. I´m also happy to have a place to stay for more than a few days. Happy to have my own clean bathroom (with flushing toilet and toilet paper :) Happy to be able to finally take EVERYTHING out of my backpack. Happy to drink water from the tap. Happy to be able to see ALL my pictures in a big screen. Happy to enjoy again all the delicious food I haven't had in so long. Happy to be able to do again most of my favorite sports.
But I can't help feeling sad and nostalgic about a lot of things. Sad about all the people I've met and the new friends I've made, most of whom I will never see again. Sad to think of my trip as a memory, rather than something that will go on tomorrow. Sad about opening my window to the same view everyday. Sad about having to pay European prices again. Sad about not seeing different people, cultures and foods around me. Sad about not having a reason to shoot 100 pictures everyday. Sad about putting my guidebooks back in my bookshelf. Sad about ending this blog.
And I can't end this blog without thanking all of you, whom I've met on the road, because it is you that have made this trip a truly memorable one for me. Thanks to all of you, who have followed my trip on this blog and who have sent me endless emails even when I couldn't reply: you've always been my company, even when I was alone.
I can't believe this trip is over. The fact that I will probably never be able to do something like this again is, without a doubt, my saddest thought. The game is over, and I can't help thinking...should I insert a new coin?
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Friday, July 08, 2005
OK after London´s terrorist attack
I just wanted to let all those of you that were worried after yesterday´s terrorist attack in London that I´m ok. London yesterday was chaos, with the underground network closed down and many buses unable to run, but fortunately I was at my friend's house when it happened. I just hope all of you that were also in London, or have relatives or friends there, are OK as well.
As a "madrileño" from Madrid I know exactly how all people in London and England must feel, so I send you all my condolences and support. At least I´m glad that, unlike what unfortunately happened in Spain, terrorists have not succeded in dividing the major democratic parties after the attack. Davies has said that he's 100% with Blair in the fight against terrorism and that the parliament will stay together on that issue. That´s very important and shows the kind of political maturity that Spain, apparently, lacks.
Terrorists (of all kinds) must know that they will never achieve their goals with bombs and blood and that no democratic government will bend their knees before them or negotiate with them unless they pursue their objectives in a democratic, pacific manner and terminate the attacks.
I'm sure there are people in the the world who still believe that terrorists have honest goals and that they are simply "poor" people attacking "the rich" for the way they treat the "poor" Arab world. Unfortunately I know that the fact that more Arab citizens are murdered by their own governments every year than those killed by any Western country, the fact that most Al Qaeda members come from rich well-established families and the fact that both the Madrid and London attacks took place on public transportation (not in golf clubs or parliament buildings) will do little to open the eyes of these blind people to the real intentions of these murderers. As the Al Qaeda press release says, these people are fighting a holy war and EVERYONE that is not fundamentalist muslim is their target (the recent murder of the Egyptian ambassador to Iraq is another sad proof). But, as we say in Spain, "there's no one more deaf that those who don't want to hear".
Going back to yesterday´s attacks: London and England, we're all with you today, and especially with those who lost dear ones on the attack.
As a "madrileño" from Madrid I know exactly how all people in London and England must feel, so I send you all my condolences and support. At least I´m glad that, unlike what unfortunately happened in Spain, terrorists have not succeded in dividing the major democratic parties after the attack. Davies has said that he's 100% with Blair in the fight against terrorism and that the parliament will stay together on that issue. That´s very important and shows the kind of political maturity that Spain, apparently, lacks.
Terrorists (of all kinds) must know that they will never achieve their goals with bombs and blood and that no democratic government will bend their knees before them or negotiate with them unless they pursue their objectives in a democratic, pacific manner and terminate the attacks.
I'm sure there are people in the the world who still believe that terrorists have honest goals and that they are simply "poor" people attacking "the rich" for the way they treat the "poor" Arab world. Unfortunately I know that the fact that more Arab citizens are murdered by their own governments every year than those killed by any Western country, the fact that most Al Qaeda members come from rich well-established families and the fact that both the Madrid and London attacks took place on public transportation (not in golf clubs or parliament buildings) will do little to open the eyes of these blind people to the real intentions of these murderers. As the Al Qaeda press release says, these people are fighting a holy war and EVERYONE that is not fundamentalist muslim is their target (the recent murder of the Egyptian ambassador to Iraq is another sad proof). But, as we say in Spain, "there's no one more deaf that those who don't want to hear".
Going back to yesterday´s attacks: London and England, we're all with you today, and especially with those who lost dear ones on the attack.
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