day eleven: it's nice to go trav'ling

After six days in Madrid, Toledo, and Segovia, I flew back to London today for the final night of my trip. Spain was work. I enjoyed it, but I need a vacation from my vacation. I can't wait to get home and get back to relaxing. Culture is hard work, man.

For my final night I had dinner with two British friends who live on the same road, went to the same high school a year apart, have known me for several years, listen to much of the same music, and had never met before tonight. Small world. Or is it?

I saw an enormous amount of art in the UK and Spain, perhaps too much. I have lots of material to write about and lots to think about. And I will do that. But what really made this trip special was the company of my good friends in London. Whether it was blasting through the UK karaoke catalogue with the LDN Posse or watching Six Feet Under dvd's at home with Dan and Ruth, I am lucky to have friends to share good times with.

The maddest props ever to British Soul Brother Number One Dan Fugallo for hosting me and sharing an excellent adventure in London. He and Ruth have six episodes left to watch in the final season of Six Feet Under. I am sure my entire readership envies them for getting to watch it for the first time.

Tomorrow, January 9, I will be home again and loving it. How spoiled I am to get to plunder the cultural riches of the world and then have New York to come home to. Don't think I don't know how lucky I am.

So, nothing profound tonight. If you would, please join me in thinking of that classic song It's Nice to Go Trav'ling, written by Sammy Cahn & James Van Heusen and made famous by Frank Sinatra on his 1958 album Come Fly with Me:
'It's oh so nice to go trav'ling,
But it's so much nicer, yes it's so much nicer, to come home.'

I couldn't agree more.