Miles and smiles

This is not the first time that I type an entry (which I will post later when I have a chance and a connection) from an airport or a train going to Berlin or something like that. Well, this train is not taking me there now, but back to Frankfurt after an unforgettable weekend in Zürich instead. And just like in the other times, it's not that I am waiting to sit down in a train or a waiting-room to receive the muses' visit and type something that makes sense. It is that I really don't have much time when I am at home between one thing and the other... when I stop at home, I mean. So I try to make the most of these hours to hit the keyboard. If you asked me what the most strange place is where I've been to lately, I'd answer that my flat, hahaha! Since mid June to mid September, I will have been in Frankfurt with nothing to do only two weekends. Well, “with nothing to do” is not really true because I actually have a lot of pending stuff, everything I don't do the rest of the time. Apart from the usual trips to Cologne and Berlin, I have to add now Zürich, 10 wonderful days in the US in good company (New York, New England and Provincetown), and my “compulsory” annual visit to Manchester, which will be awesome this year. But let's go step by step...

I keep going to Cologne to party and to visit friends. Besides, I've taken a couple of times the bike on the train to have some fun and cool rides with great Robert, a lovely friend and excellent guide who rides his bike with passion everywhere. In Berlin I also have friends whom I visit often; it was the second time this year and soon there will be a third and maybe even fourth (the guys from the basketball team are thinking about a tournament). I went to attend one of the most eagerly awaited concerts of my life: Desechos. They are a small band from Madrid whom I have worshipped for about 10 years now in his previous phase (known as Hechos Contra El Decoro) and I had not yet had a chance to see in live concert since I saw them for the first time performing in the local festivities of Vitoria when this millennium was barely started. The concert and themselves were unforgettable, such a good natured band when I told them the anecdote.

The thing of the US was something unexpected and hardly planned, an invitation impossible to refuse to visit a bit of the NE part of the country. There I went, first to the city that never sleeps, then quiet Portland (Maine) to taste the delicious local lobster and finally Provincetown, a little town very close to Boston and with a vast majority of gay visitors and locals. It was taken place those days one of the biggest bear events in the US and so my friend Paul and me went there, without hesitation. Needless to say that the town was really beautiful (like every town on that stretch of seaside) and the weather was excellent, maybe even too warm for me... But it is not so important when on holidays. (Photos, yes, I know, I know...)

Now I have just spent the weekend in Zürich to meet that friend I was with in the US, Paul. He has to travel a lot for work, so it is good to meet here and there. I was looking forward to this trip because I'd never been to Switzerland before. It is a pity that it is summer and the weather was so warm because it didn't really feel like having a fondue, and I was so happy with the idea... Switzerland must be cool in winter, with a warm hot chocolate. But what a wonderful and beautiful city Zürich is, my goodness. And next weekend will be Manchester's turn. They celebrate pride and I am dying to party there, see the people, my friends, more party and more friends and more people. I don't give a damn if the weather is not good, I am willing to crash partying, full stop.

Those weekends when I remain in Frankfurt are usually full of fun too and reasons to celebrate this or that event, gay pride and the visit of some relatives who will come ready for everything: my oldest nephew, my oldest sister and my mother. Woohoooo! I had two, I counted them, with nothing planned so I could at least rest a bit and go at my own pace (you don't think that all the other travelling is relaxing). As for the rest, always busy and always happy.

There is still a month or so of summer and I am definitely going to do the most of it. Then the autumn will be here. It will be probably more quiet than this glorious months that I am giving to myself as a present, but I won't be totally quiet. That's something that you, me, my backpack and my frequent traveller cards know.