Spain: This Time Three Years Ago

It was on October 2004 when John travelled to Spain. He was 23 at that time -- full of passion for visiting his ancestors' land. He also wanted to meet a luthier to ask him about the methods of building a guitar.

I remember he was very excited about the whole idea of traveling outside the States for the first time. This is our correspondence about this trip:

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004
Title: i am excited!

Dear John,
It is midnight here ( 11:53 pm !) and I can't sleep. I am so excited. Just think! You are going to Spain ! I feel as if something is going up and down in my stomach. It is like when I have to pass a difficult exam, but it is far more exciting! It is as if I am going with you too! I surprised myself. I cannot possibly manage to stay awake at this time of night, but I AM awake! lol! Thinking of you! I really feel as if it is my own trip as well. I just wonder how I would take it if after twenty years of our married life you had to go somewhere without me! LOL! I shall again feel excited for you! Just like now… I wanted to make it a bit more pleasant for you, so I tried to attach this audio file (I guess it would take me an hour to do so! My internet speed is low. My brother helped me modify the file, though. It was 6 mb first, but now it is 2 mb or so) and also I'm sending you the lyrics and Loreena Mckenith's explanation about the way she was inspired to compose this piece. She wrote it in Morocco , and when it was Ramadan…Just like the way you are going to experience it! I hope you like the piece.

Yours Ever,
Tina


John sent me an email from Granada, Spain, titled as "Espana!!!"
The date is Sat, 23 Oct 2004:

Dear Tina,

I made it through the flights. The worst is getting on, and taking off.. And maybe the take off. Flying in the atlantic also gets rough, cause every now and then they tell you tp pùt on your saftely belts, (because it gets bumped ) this scared the shit balls outta me! But other than that, it was no big deal. The second flight was a breeze. It was less than an hour long, and it was a smaller plane. It was much easier. I think the night flights are scarier. But I should be ok.
Other than that.. I am LOVING IT. It is 100 times more beautiful
than I had thought. Granada is such a breath taking city. Ive got plenty of pictures so far. My god.. the views. the history, the beauty is endless!!
Right now I´m at a internet cafe, and they are charging me an arm and a leg. so I have to make this brief. But I´ll write again.
My dear, I´ve been thinking about you a lot lately. YOU SHOULD BE HERE. Thats just about the only problem. This place is magical. The Alhambra... oh my god. There is also a renaissance cathedral. It is all very stunning and overwhelming. I love it here. I want to be here forever!!! AHHH!! But again. .. it would be nice if you were here. I will write again.

P.S.. please leave me your number. I forgot to bring it with me, because I left in such a haste. What was the correct country code again? I remember the one you gave me was wrong, and I had to correct it.

-Much kisses
-John


Sat, 23 Oct 2004
Title: bon voyage!

Dear John,

IT WAS WONDERFUL to read your letter from Spain ! I was checking my mail every two hours from the very moment you departed, so that I could discover any trace of you, and finally it was there! THANK YOU!
I am so cheerful you have found Spain that amazing! I knew you would enjoy it a lot…so you could make it, dear! The flight over the Atlantic and the rest!! And you talked about the "breath-taking" beauty of Granada . That's just marvelous to know that you are there to experience it all… I DO WISH I were there with you…maybe some day we would make it together (for a honeymoon, maybe, LOL, how's that?) I'm happy that you feel happy there, my love. I'm looking forward to seeing all the pictures you've got so far, and you will get later!

Take care,
Your own Tina

PS: [I had provided my phone number here] I'll be home everyday (except on Sundays) after 1 pm here, that means after 10 or 11 am your time in Spain (I guess we are 3 hours ahead here in Iran)…so, I'll be glad to virtually talk to you…well, almost everybody here knows you're going to call me up from Spain ! lol! So, feel free with anybody who may pick up the phone, and ask for me, dear. I'll be right there for you (as quickly as the jinni in the The Arabian Nights!!)
PSS: I keep praying for your happiness and joy. Enjoy doubly dear! *muah*


Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004

My dearest John,

It was such a blessing to talk to you this evening. Your voice was comforting as ever, and a bit tired. I am sorry if I got that impatient, I was waiting to hear your voice all day long and then Yahoo was on my way! I couldn't let it deprive me from talking to you! Thanks for your patience, with Yahoo and with me (lol!) as well… I felt you were exhausted trying to find a laundry and all. I wished I were there to wash your clothes with my own hands. I know how to do it, when there is no laundry around! Imagine it! I would love doing that for you, darling. Washing my little Johnny's clothes! lol! I would enjoy it, I'm sure, from time to time… Now, here is the good news I guess: My dad suggested that I call you up from here! I told him about the probs with Yahoo, and that it costs you a lot to call me from Spain , and that you can't use your phone card and all, so he said I can call you up with my own phone card. He gave me money to buy one! So, I guess we can do it this way, if you want to, of course. Let me know your phone number in the hotel you stay in …or the hotel in which you will stay in the next days…I don't know, any number which can connect me to you!

Take care my love,
Tina


Dear Tina,

Thank you once again for a lovely letter. I found a laundrymat... however, its a place where they wash it for you, and charge you a lot of money. 20 Euro! I was in shock, but had no choice. At least it should come back in top condition, all folded and such. (It better for that price!) But it is sweet of you for offering to wash my clothes by hand. It would be hard where im staying right now, because my bathroom is so small. ths sink alot is so tiny, there would be no room, and no where to hang the clothes. I´m staying at a hostel. A hostel is a budget hotel. I am by myself, and paying for a fancy hotel room could get costly. If i was with someone else, it would be easier. I have no bathtub in my current room. I have to share one with the one down the hall from me. (Bath in Spanish, is tina! lol) Also, I didn´t see any phones in the hostel. But I will look. I have a phone in my room, but I believe its just for call room service, and for room service to call me (they did yesterday, because i was supposed to be out of this one room (with a tina!) at around 11, it was 1, they called up when I got in from buying the guitar, pretty pissed off! lol.. However, maybe I can use that phone to call the outside world, which just dawned upon me. I haven´t retried using my calling cards.. But now that I had just thought that my phone might be able to call outside, I´ll try it, but no gaurentees. Ill be back on here to let you know. Dont buy a calling card, Ill try my best to contact you.
Thank you very much my dear. You should be named, Tina the kind.. or Tina the marvellous, or Tina the beautiful. But here in Spain.. they know you as Tina the bath.!
Just kidding. Take care sweetie.

Muah,
-John

There isnt much to do today it seems. And it also seems that I might be grounded in Granada for the rest of the time here.

***********************************

Well... reviewing all these emails after three years brought back the sweet memories of me being fresh in love, so energetic. The same about John.

Hopefully, next autumn John and I will be able to travel to Granada -- this time together.