let's celebrate spring and throw a HUGE party.

I am suffering greatly. The internet has been out all day, and so I am currently writing this as a word document. Internet has taken over my life completely. I am “plugged in.”

Sorry for the lack of writing lately. I am making a promise to myself to put up at least three blogs a week now.

This weekend was the Granada “Spring Party.” Party, as thought of by most US Americans would be between 10 and, at the very maximum, 100 people. Rather than try to build effect, because I don’t really think I need to, I will just tell you that at this party, there were around 30,000 people.

It was held in an area that has been permanently designated the only place one can legally drink in the street in Granada. About ten years ago it was not against the law to drink where you pleased here, but because of the thousands of youngsters that would flood public places on weekends, and the extreme mess they would cause, and the enormous amount of ruckus…well, quite obviously someone complained and got a law enforced. Now, in this place called the Botellodramo, people get together to drink, laugh, listen to music, enjoy the outdoors, but without being a menace to the entire city.

Friday, around one p.m. some people started showing up…though not me. Paula, Vitty and I went around six with our backpack of supplies. Drinks, snacks, toilet paper, and jackets for when it got cold. Toilet paper, for the record, should never be taken for granted readers. When in Spain or South America, I have found that you are lucky to find a place with toilet paper. Some bathrooms don’t even offer the luxury of a toilet seat. The longer you put off going to the bathroom, the more intense your workout.

When we got there we spent a good amount of time wandering around looking for some classmates of Paula. When we found them, we were proudly informed that they had in fact managed to bring a table along so we could play beer pong. They were teaching some Spaniards the art of putting a high arc on their ping-pong ball. Globalization at its best!

We soon realized we had to go to the bathroom. Now, here’s an equation for all of you:

30,000 people + 3 full bladders = _________ desperation

Extreme desperation is the answer folks. Especially after spending almost a half hour wading through all of the people just to find out that every public bathroom around is locked. But you can’t lock a bike trail authorities! And that is where everyone who wasn’t just dropping trou amidst the crowd went. This is obviously very rude, but for some reason in Spain portapotties don’t exist. At least this kind of non-sensical contraption has not made an appearance at this party yet.

Then, there was the garbage. Literally, hundreds or maybe thousands of pounds of garbage were left on the ground. And the fights. Lots of them. Never stopped by any police. I can’t imagine anything like this would ever be able to happen in the US.

This Spring Party was mind boggling and, I had a ton of fun. As gross as it was in certain ways, it was so great to be surrounded by thousands of people having a good time. In the future I would just make sure to stay on the outskirts of the crowd, that’s all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSTvHmtjVx8

IF u are interested in getting an idea of the amount of garbage there was.

Blessing: Making memories.