Chats and Meanderings
My trip can be divided into two types of experiences: chats and meanderings.
This week’s Chats:
In New York City, I stopped to chat with a hot dog salesman named Ahmad on 6th avenue; I spoke with my friend Aziz’s Uruguayan roommate in Madrid, who told me about his interests in global politics, the NBA, and food logistics; and on the plane from NYC to Madrid, I spoke to a flight attendant about her experience in the air and advice she has for young travelers.
Most of these conversations made it onto the radio show, and you can listen to my first Hello Sonoma Sister City Series episode by clicking here (choose either Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen). But some chats I’ve put into a new format, my Hello Sonoma Minute Interviews, only on Instagram but soon on TikTok (probably). You can check those out here.
This week’s Meanderings:
I like the word meander because it reminds me of rivers and the way in which they change direction based on the weather and the rocks around them. I’m a big meanderer myself.
While in New York, I meandered to the Metropolitan museum of art where I found, by some striking coincidence, that Sonoma’s Sister City, Aswan, was featured prominently: an entire temple, saved from the floods caused by Aswan’s high dam, was brought to New York City, and a dedicated building was put together around it. One of the Egyptian government’s prerequisites for sending the Temple of Dendur to the United States was that it would be on view 24/7. The Met, not wanting to disappoint, built a three-story glass wall through which Central Park-goers can view the temple, even at night.
In Madrid, I witnessed the magic of Flamenco dancing – a dramatic, sensual style augmented by the underground brick cellar. Tapping feet and strained singing echoed off the walls and filled the cavern with emotion.
In Bordeaux, I didn’t build up the courage to speak to anyone, but I had my eyes opened to the world of wine by the Cité du Vin, a museum dedicated to the history, culture, and practice of wine-making around the world.
My intention wasn’t to go to the museum, but the building’s architecture lured me in and in I went. As someone who still doesn’t know much about wine, despite my best attempts, it was a completely novel and exciting experience. I learned about the historical origins of wine; the way it spread across various empires through trade and conquest, and even the stature of wine as it changed from medicinal to clerical and finally to something you and I can buy off the shelf.
Now as I write this, I’m on a train heading south where a new adventure is about to begin. As the trees rush by and the rain streaks against the windows, I am thinking about what exactly this newsletter is for.
For one, this newsletter is unlike anything I’ve ever done before.
I consider myself a pretty private person and would say it goes against my nature to share what I’m doing with people – my friends could probably testify to that.
But this journey is also about pushing my own comfort zone; about experimentation; about trying new things with a high chance of failure.
So, I've decided that this newsletter is to share something about the people I've spoken to and what I've learned along the way.
Thank you for signing up to be surprised, and to take this journey with me of experimentation and newness. I hope we can both get something out of this – after all I’m writing this for you!
I hope you’ll bear with me as I test the waters of my creativity and offer suggestions if you see any room for improvement.
Ciao,
Francisco
P.S. I feel so blessed and grateful to have friends like Dan, Camilla, Math, and Aziz scattered around the world who are willing to host an itinerant traveler like me, and to open their hearts, minds, and homes to my wacky ways. Thank you!