3:10 am

Such great stories here... if they don't kill me first! So this was my last night in Spain. First I said good-bye to Javier at Annelies' house. He made it one of those horrible, dragged out, verge-of-tears good-byes. Annelies said he really liked me. Se nota. Then Frank, Fernando, De, Annelies and I went to Donde/Bolivia. Still never saw Joel again. Anyway, De and I went back to Donde to watch a great blues band perform. There was a black woman singer who was fantastic. I really enjoyed it. How special for my última noche. Then De came over and I gave her my radio and extra food rations. We exchanged addresses and bid good-bye. She walked down my steps and up hers to her door. I made sure she had the key in the door, then turned off the light and closed the door. But it wasn't over yet. I heard this rattling sound on the steps. Was she beating her carpet? No, she couldn't get her door open! So I climbed along the ledge to her place and tried the key. No luck. We thought we could try the small window from the terrace. So we went out to my terrace to climb over to hers.. I got a broomstick to reach better, but we couldn't get the door handle to turn. The neighbor on the other side came out with some pliers and advice. Her advice didn't work, but the pliers did. I was just able to reach the handle through the window with the pliers. What a great ending!


8:25 pm

Yes, there were tears in my eyes as I left Frank and Annelies at the airport. And also when I watched Málaga fall behind me from the airplane. I had avoided thinking about it much, but it caught up to me. Then I kept myself distracted by reading about the election. I'm in a Youth Hostel in Brussels, not feeling much like writing. I haven't gotten much sleep the past two nights, but I don't feel like sleeping, either. Too early. Too uncomfortable. I hope I sleep well because tomorrow will be a long day. I can't believe I've left Málaga -- possibly for good. I already miss Annelies. Once again, I'm scared and apprehensive about the future. Life is hard. Life is easy. Just depends on how you look at it. Always advantages and disadvantages to every choice. Right now missing Málaga is outweighing the excitement of being with my friends in Detroit. Different from June. Matt's getting married in a week. Don't know why that just popped in. You know, there were so many people I didn't say good-bye to. What a shame. So many people have touched my life in the past 9 months.

10:30 pm

I'm sitting here in the Youth Hostel bar having a Duval and reading my journal. And I'm wondering... Is this the same place I stayed at 8 years ago when I met that Australian from Perth and we went to an outdoor movie and got so drunk that we had to crawl upstairs to bed? Is it? Nah, I don't think so. But I did find the park I slept in the first night in Brussels. This bar is set up the same as the one 8 years ago, but the reception is different, I think. Oh, who knows? Who cares? By the way, Duval -- 8.5% alcohol -- $2.00.