Falmenco Night and Departure

Miro Tile in Las Ramblas

 We got home and from Montserrat, and we had the whole afternoon to sight see and pack for our departure.  Jean,Dick and I went to the Ramblas.  It is a street for pedestrians traffic only to be used as a shopping "Mall."  It is a major street that has hotels, theaters and shops and goes on forever. We went to get a soccer t-shirt for Jeans' nephew and to sight see.  We also wanted to see the Miro art work done in tile on the street.  We ended up going all the way to the marina and watched the yachts come into the harbor.

When we returned, I went up to my room and found Meg had already packed and was reading her book for the second time.  Not me, as I wanted to go the beach and check it out.  JJ had walked to the beach the previous day, and said that the women were top-less. When Brian's eyes lit up, she said to him that it wasn't that interesting as the women didn't look like Playboy pin-ups!  I remember singing in my head, "Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro..." not thinking about ears at all! Well, I needed to see for myself and I needed the run.  I figured if I didn't get lost I could make it there in ten minutes.

I put on my running shoes shirt and shorts and I was off.  The streets around our hotel were not very clean and you had to watch where you were going.  I tried to remember things along the way so I would not get lost.  I only had to ask directions once, and I was glad I did as I was heading for the Ramblas again.  Finally, I saw the bridge leading to the marina and after I passed a McDonalds I was there starring at the Mediterranean Sea.  We all said that we wanted to place our feet in the Mediterranean sea before we left and this was my opportunity.

I went down by the water and took off my shoes and socks and went in to my knees.  The water was cool but swimmable, and there were some people wading in to their chests. Now I can say that I was in the Med Sea!  I sat on the beach relaxing when I spotted a windsurfer way off in the distance. I was surprised to he a windsurfer, since it wasn't very windy.  I have to have enough wind to kick up white caps when I go windsurfing, as I do not like to pull up the sail out of the water and prefer doing a water start.  I sat until he came close to shore, then I could see he had a large wide board used in regattas, and about a nine meter sail.  He did a successful tack by walking around the back of his board while swiveling the board around with his feet.  He grabbed the boom on the other side, and when he had the wind in his sail, he hooked in, and was off to the wild, blue, yonder again.

I felt I had enough sun and started back.  After walking on the I stopped to wash my feet in the foot wash.  I put my socks and shoes on and headed for the McDonalds restaurant following the street back to the hotel.  I only got lost once, then make an abrupt change of direction getting back to the hotel in time to take a shower and get ready for Flamenco night.

I walked into the room and Meg was already dressed in the lovely dress she had bought the day before. She was ready to go down to the lobby.  I said I would meet her in about fifteen minutes.  I checked my wardrobe and found a red, silk blouse I had not worn, and my black performing skirt with a belt. That would do it.  When I was ready to go, I decided to put a red flower in my hair for the final touch, and headed for the elevator.

When I got to the lobby, everyone was there dressed to the hilt.  This was our last night, and we were all ready to party!  The bus arrived, and we were off.  We had to walk across the Ramblas from the bus lot to get to the flamenco show.  I remember passing by the theater that afternoon. The walk was not as bad as I thought in my little heels. We were seated right away and given bottles of wine.  The meal was a buffet so we went to the buffet tables and were amazed at all the food that was on display.  I usually create mound of food on one plate when I go to buffets.  So this time I decided to take a small salad and come back for the protein later. The food was delicious, and I was so stuffed and thought I didn't room for dessert until I saw the fabulous spread of goodies.  I decided to splurge and take a little of each. Now I was really full!  We all went around taking pictures of each other, and I could see everyone was enjoying themselves.

JJ, Dick, Jean, and Carolyn

Kim, Pat, and Renee

Yours truly Mary, Brian, Meg, and Bill

Ann, Phill, and Fran

Kevin, Tim, and RJ

Amy, Doug, and Paula

We then went into the cabaret style theater and took our seats to the left of the stage.  It was an intimate theater almost in the round so we were up close and personal to the performers.  I sat in the front row thinking it was going to be the best seat, but I was mistaken.  I should have been farther back and gotten more artistic distance.  Ed and Sharon also sat close just a few seats from me right in front of the stage. They might have thought the same thing about being too close once the show began.

Audience waiting in anticipation

"I think Ed is nodding off!"

Flamenco today has become a highly professional art form.  What began in Andalusia with the gypsy Romani people has become highly regarded as Spain's contribution to the world of dance.  It is no wonder that today there are more  Flamenco studios in Japan than anywhere in the world as its expressive form of theater taps the energies of all people who feel emotion to their core.

The guitarist undergo rigorous training in ability to play melodies as well as the intricate exiting rhythms that are the fundamental beat of the dance. Dancers study ballet as well as other dance styles to prepare for the dance.  In a performance like this one there would be at least three guitarist playing.  Also the clapping is an important part of the music as it excites the dancers and sets the basic rhythm.  The foot stomping may be a different rhythm completely, and if the dancer plays the castanets, another rhythm again.  Finally, the cantaores, singers are the heat and soul of the performance.

 The songs called palos are categorized by basic rhythm patterns such as mode, chord progression, form of stanzas and geographic origin.  One of the reasons why the music sung sounds a bit strange to us Westerners is that they do not follow a major or minor scale but instead use the Modern Phrygian mode.  They use an Andalusian cadence the harmonic scale that requires the 3rd degree to be sharpened.  If they happen to use a major or minor scale, it is limited in harmony. As to the singing most express sad and bitter feelings.

 The dance uses the stomping rhythm of the feet and the use of castanets clapping add to the force of the movement.  Along with the feet and hands the dances use isolation of the hips and chest as well as using the arms high above the head.  Arms are seen swirling in opposition as they flow up and down for emphasis.  The dance may also be influenced by Fandango which was a folkloric style of dances that began in the 18th century.  They  usually have a time signature of 3/4 or 6/8.  Another influence is the Tango that are slower dances like the rumba sung in 4/4 time rhythm.

The lights went out and we were bathe in darkness.  Then we heard the rhythm of the box player.  He sat on a box that he used for a drum, and played the box between his legs.  The lights rose and a heavy set woman entered wearing a beautiful flamenco gown.  She began singing, or more like yelling, a lamenting song about a lost love.  By now we are sitting on the edge of our chairs as her voice rose in decibels.  She left, and the guitarists entered taking their places. The clapping by two men began the next number as two dancers entered kicking the train of their dresses.  They added to the clapping.  These performers did not use castanets.  The dancers continue the stomping, and there was wild yelling that got the audience going.  The show continued without intermission and when the soft guitar started to play, some of us saw Ed nodding off.  He had had quite a day, and we don't disturb him as his head drops to his chest.  Then the stomping began again with a young stud stomping so fast that he almost sent vibrations through the room.  Ed suddenly was back in our world as the dancer stomped close enough to wake the dead! All the girls returned this time with flowing shawls, and added to the high level of movement on the stage for the finale.

All the dancers stayed and let the audience take pictures though some of us took pictures during the show because it was allowed.


We gave them a standing ovation, took our pictures, and left the cabaret moving our hips to the rhythm that still pulsed in the nerves.  When we got outside, we left the theater and began walking back to the bus when Tim suddenly started  his own song of lament howling in the night!  He did the heel stomping dance which was infections enough to get everyone moving in imitation.  Even Cassie was doing a wild thing with her hips.  It had been a great night!

The next morning we checked out of our hotel and had our bags placed in the bus for the trip to the airport.  When we got there, we noticed all the rubbish.  Like many places in Spain people were feeling the economic down slide, and they took it out in strikes and vandalism.  This was one way to show that the workers at the airport were fighting back.

We got on our plane for the seven hour trip back.  It would be enough to show two films and then get some sleep before arriving in New York and then transfer to Tampa. 

We said good-by to the snowbirds going home from New York.  By the time we got to Tampa, we were beat.  It would take a few days to recover though some would have to go to work of Friday. I cancelled my the exercise class I teach at the YMCA to give me another week to recuperate.

Two weeks was over and we had seen a lot of Spain.  I tried to document as much as I was able, but there were some things that will have to be left unsaid! We have a saying now that, "What happens in Spain... Stays in Spain!"