Where in the World is Tim?

So when my study abroad experiance began, and I had only just moved into my dorm, there was one Saturday that I just went out and walked around the city. That very same day two girls from my dorm, Trish and Ellie, went to Montserrat.

For all of you who don't know, Montserrat is a thousand year old monestary built on the top of a mountain. The composition of the mountain itself is enough to keep me interested for a day. It is sedimentary rock that has erroded in the strangest way. But the monastic cathedral also makes my nerd sense tingle in all sorts of fun ways. (I any of you took that as dirty, I suggest you seek mental help) There is also an infamouse, and if you're a Cathol, miraculous, statue of the Black Virgin at Monstserrat. The idea is that you wait on line for way too long, with Catholics glaring at you any time you open your mouth, and telling you 'silencio' whenever you breath, so that you can look at a black stone statue of Mary and Jeesey Chreesey at the back of the church. The statues supposed to have healing powers, but I wont believe it until I see Mary sporting some adamantium claws.

Of course I didn't need to read that paragraph because I'd already been to Montserrat. I went the first time I came to Spain in 2004. It was a really foggy and rainy day that made the monestary look particularly old and... erm... whimsical. I even remember what CD I had in my now dead discman at the time, it was a mix CD I called "Monday", referring to Monday April 12th, 2004. That was also the day I dicovered I hated "Benny and the Jets". I know this level of detail seems superfluous, but I really want to get the message across that I had been to this place before.

When Trish and Ellie came back to the dorm after visiting Montserrat way back in September, they were so excited that they wanted to describe the place to anyone that was willing to listen. I was willing to listen. And as they tried to describe it to me, I explained that I remembered, that I'd been there too. But this information must have sounded like a foreign language to them. No matter how many time I told them that I too had touched the Black Virgin's Ball (also not dirty), they would not, could not understand me. So eventually I gave up and just started to pretend that I'd never been there before.

It was a little white lie that I should have know was going to come back to haunt me. When I went to Montserrat again today for the first time, I suspiciously seemed to know a lot about the monestary. Not only did I know the history, and basic lay out of the Monestary, but also where to find bathrooms, where the cafe was, and where to get on line for... anything we wanted to see. I tried to pass it off as if I had a REALLY good guidebook, but I think people may be onto me.

Although, I think something I heard recently is true. Going somewhere new is fun, but I find it much more interesting and enlightening to re-visit places. Perhaps one day I will get back to Montserrat. Perhaps, once again, it will be for the first time.

-Tim

PS.

Pictures:

This is the Monstserrat Facade.


Now look at those rocks. Someone find Bouley so he can tell me why those rocks are so nifty.


Now I'm not usually one for taking or posting pictures of myself. I know what I look like, so what's the point? But I guess I have to admit that this blog isn't really for me. So here I am selling out for my fans. I think the filename for this photo says it all. That's Spain Behind Me.jpg