Wow the selection for the spanish photos are so poor.....haha.....and a bunch dont work....i am gonna have to write the company and complain....i dont feel like i am getting my moneys worth......anywho's......well last i left i was off for some spanish food and that i got......a tapas and palas (sp?) yeh tres prolly knows.....the tapas was a sort of fish....wish i knew what but my waitor was a nonenglisher.....the palas was a vegan one.....from the pic it looked like it had cool things in it but it definatly turned out to be vegan.....really good none the less......so then i wnadered....considerably......all over the town......found this huge construction site right in the middle of the town.....huge hole with not so much protecting people from walking in.....maybe for a parking garage which they seem to like to put underground around here.......then wandered a bit of apt streets and such but it started getting sketchy looking so i headed back to the campground......ended up passing through the ritzy neighborhood.....well as i am entering the street a middleaged guy on a moto bike pulls up to ask me a question about the beach.......which is intresting cause a lot of people have tried to ask me directions and i ahve to come back with the i dont speak spanish.....well this guy wanted to struggle through the barrier......sure i would give it a go......well his question was not so ¨tasteful¨.....he was wondering if it was a nude beach....now two things are going through my head......ben mental note your in spain it is common so maybe this is a logical question......also i am worried cause this guy is nott he most sightly of persons......but who am i to judge......well then the conversation turns sour and possibly the true intentions come out as he asks if i want to get on his moto bike......i just walked away......then he beeps and a makes....lets just go with a rude gesture......then i think i figured out what he was talking about before.....anyway didnt bother me so much.....well then i went made myself some dinner and a really good one i might add......i ahd to make my own sauce for the pasta and it was quite tasty......i added bacon as well cause there was no other meats to add and i forget that their bacon here is a lot saltier so that and me adding a bit to the pasta and sauce.....lot of salt.....eeek....but it was really good......so then i guess i was feeling like i wanted to call over the big lake.....well there was two payphones right outside the campgrounds.....neither one accepted my phone card though.....so i decided to make a walk to try to find another that might.......it was like 830 so still light out......well i walked to the beach (which is all of 20 yards away) and i started walking down thinking they had to have a phone near here but none in sight......so i gave up and headed back......well there was this group of guys playing basically in the road......as i had passed them before they were kicking the ball and it seemed like they were kicking it at people to try to get them to get it for them......umm fun game......well then as i come by one of the guys calls for the ball and he is looking at me and i know what is coming......umm spain.....well he was 20 feet off so i wasnt worried and just kept walking....he kicks the ball and it comes no where near me and i just keep walking.....well he points to the ball and there is no way i am fetching it for them......i just keep walking and he comes running over yelling some incoherrant banter......well i of course turn into nonconfrentational ben and just say i am trying to walk down the street and that i dont speak spanish......he wants me to g get the ball.....now he is not large......small in fact....maybe 5,8 or 5,9......well he had been in front of me kinda blocking my walking but hen he grabs my bag to pull me down the road.....well i get his hand off the bag and just say to leave me alone.....and actually quite unagressive i wanted to leave not teach this kid a lesson.....he was maybe 18ish....and his other 6 buddys were not so far away so unagressive was the way to go......well then he gets in my way again and says a bunch of stuff who knows what and grabs the bag again......umm not cool so i grab his wrist and prolly really tightly as i was not happy about this and he looks at me says something and spits......i should deck him........i have not ever gotten into a fight and i today didnt seem like a good day for number 1.....well i just kept walking and he goes to call for his buddy to get him the ball.....but i was so close to the campground if i needed to run i coulda.....he kicked it and missed me horribly and by then i was at the entrance and headed back for my campsite......i played that all out but it was prolly only a minutes and a half long....not a huge deal.....and though the whole deal bothered me what bothered me more was the way i handled myself.....and it was stuck on my mind for some time.....still is i suppose......i have always known i am not aggresive and avoid conflict at most costs but sometimes i wish i would stand up a bit more.....i think i handled the situation quite well and i got out safly so all is well......but the thoughts that run through my head were what if i were to raise my voice and actually made my presence known.....would it have been different.....who knows but i suppose it is something to think about.....such a soap opera...haha no worries all is well...well then did some arts and crafts and hit the hay.....

woke up and had a plan to head for zargoza.....i had this book of things to do in the pyronees......well to get intot he pyronees the train from zargoza goes right through to france so i thought that was the best way but once i got there and hit the internet to do some research at the listed websites it was clear my plan was poor......the websites provided no info and i prolly needed a tourist office.....that and the better town to be in for my activities was looking more like it would be in lleida rather then zargoza......the maps didnt line up so well.....they were different sizes and just parts of spain.....well i found the next train to lleida and it was a few hrs away so i could go see the town a bit......now for a sat afternoon it was dead......no one out nothing open.....dead....never seen a city on a sat so dead......went to a restaurant for food and they were open but for drinks only.......buthe said he could do a ham and cheese sandwich for me......cool that works and i got to eat it outside of this huge cathedral.....could never do that in the states.....i went in but church was in session and though there were other tourists i feel weird about looking around during mass......just not right or respectful......so i jetted and wandered a bit more......this town was so weird.....it was like the government gave them 5.8 billion dollars to make this town nice and they sorta did but there was still so much run down......there were new fancy things everywhere.....all the landscaping was modern and random peices of art all over but yet it was really run down....and then other places hadnt been touched.....weird....the train station was huge.....i cant even describe it......it puts the US to shame it was so big.....and the service.......quite impressive.....but seemed quite useless as there was no one anywhere.......well then i grabbed some groceries and remembered to price my fruit and everything......and then got on the train and headed to lleida.....a town not listen in the guidebook so i prayed by its size that it was big enough for a hostel.......asked at the station and it looked doubtful......uh oh.....well i am walking around asked this older couple and they point me in a direction and seemed like they thought there was one in town.....well i come across this hotel.....i figured i would give it a shot....even just for a backup.....the reception was on the second floor so i almost left but i went up anyway.....the room for 15 bucks....with shower....and no checkout time.....casual whenever......i was beside myself......i didnt need to keep wandering.....got the room and wandered the town......went to the station to get info on the trains to where i wanted to go and all was well......well i didnt find the things in the brouchure but i found the trains that brought me to the pyronees.....the town was nice....city but cozy and not fake like zargoza......got dinner at this little restuarant that was about the only thing open at 930.......cant these places make up their minds.....some saty open all night...others close for lunch.....sat in zargoza is apparently dead.....and this town shuts down early......there was also this little festival going on so it might have had something to do with it......st james day i gathered from some of the locals......it was basically just a bunch of people walking and talking down a main shopping street.....all the kids had candles in paper lanterns it was cute......well grabbed dinner and hit the hay around 1130.......now the room was great shower which doesnt always come with rooms here....but the window opens up to the center of the building where there could potentially be a courtyard but it is just a large shaft like 2 meters by 2 meters....so the air movement was not so great and no AC..... at 1130 it was so hot.....i was dying......i finally fell asleep to be awoken by a couple....ummm doing their taxes....yeh.....and then they showered afterward and the pipes go rigth through the courtyard and made so much noise for just water......15 bucks for a reason......i actually took a cold shower at whatever time it was after being awoken and couldnt get back to sleep due to crazy heat.....woke at 730 quickyl packed up and headed to get the first train at 855 to this little town la paobla.....the whole 2 hr ride i was so psyched to be going hiking.....couldnt even sleep a bit more.....though the sketchyness of this train was rather high.....everytime it stopped and started the cars crashed into eachother and the rail itself was uneven making for a less then smooth ride........but i was going to the pyronees (and spelling it wrong each time).....well i got into this nice little town and had a potatoe tapas for lunch......grabbed some water and i was off........on my way i passed a gear shop so i ahd to stop.....there was a girl working there and was really helpful......well sorta......she tried to be.....i noticed a flier for a festival and asked about ti and it is happening in the next town.......well i was thinking i could walk through the mountains to it.......milage wise it was dueable.....she had a free map of the mountains i would be walking.....not that great and actually meant for bikers so turned out to be not so good for me.....but yeh i had a good plan......so i exited and was on my way.......found the trail head and i was hiking again......i needed this....a day with no costs, a day alone, a day without anyone to ruin it for me.......Well the trail was poorly marked and i ended up taking a wrong turn and had a bit of bushwaking to do casue i refused to turn around....so stuburn sometimes......it was really hot....i cant even describe it....but i once again met up with the trail as i knew i would cause all i had to do was go up......and from then on i was feeling my better.....trail was marked well and it was gorgious......and i was alone......had a bit of lunch even figured out how to take a pic of myself using the timer on my camera......well as i continued i noted that the 3 liters of water was not gonna work......it was just too hot and i was needing too much....well i conserved a bit better then but i need to either find this town or head back......i gave myslef a time of 430 or turn back......at 345 it wa clear i woudlnt hit the town so i turned it around.....that was a little depressing cause i hate backtracking.....i wanted new sites......my hope was to find the new town get water camp and hitch or walk back to la poabla on the road the next day.....butt hat wasnt gonna work......oh well.....it was a nice downhill walk back but it took a toll on my feet......got a bad blister right on the bottom of my foot.....and on the way down it occured to me i could catch the train into lleida and get off a stop before the actual city and campout somewhere there.......i made the train painfully but with 2 minutes to spare...what timing.....two hrs ride back and got off just with 8 miutes left via train into town.....it was all farmland so there had to be somewhere i could hide myself....well i didnt even think about that i should get permission and all will be well.....hopped off the train and head to the nearby farmhouse where a man was out working.......he was really well dressed and looked in his mid 30's...i did a little pictionary drawing my tent and showing i would leave at 8am.....he was firm though saying no.....it was not like he didnt want to but more cause it was his stance on the idea......he mentioned his fruits and so i think maybe he had bad expereinces....who knows i thanked him and walked along the tracks.......well as i kept walking his land was huge.....i couldnt even guess but it was like all his.....100 acres.....huge and i got to walk it until i found somewhere else.......my foot hurt....not fun.....this day was so good and gonna be ruined by this......i even thought i should just hide myself as there is no way he could find me in his vast fields.....but i coulnt he said no so.....well as i am walking i hear barking......this is good and bad as with barking come new people but the posiblity of being attacked......well i could take my chances going straight or go right down this other road......one of the dogs sounded large so i decided on right down the other road.......found another house.....and people outside......excellant.......again game of pictionary and again shot down......ummmmm....they talked a bit about ti almost like they would let me but i think it was more like a comentary as to why they didnt want to.......they told me to keep walking and take a left and lleida was down that way.......i was gonna have to get a hotel and the 15 dollar one was full as i already had checked the night i checked in.....as i left i was not in good mood....why wouldnt these people let me saty they had acres of land....but it was the fact of the matter kinda thing i supposed.......well house number three wa snot far along and this was a home of younger people (the last being older folks)......i gave it a go again.....they had to get the dad as he was the only one that spoke some english......took a while to get the idea that i want looking for a campground but to camp their......he wanted to say no but he had a heart......he didnt just want to turn me away.....he todl me to get on the quad with him.....i had no clue where he was taking me but my foot was in pain so anywhere was cool.......we drove for 5 minutes or so down the road and came to another home.....he said to wait a minute.......comes out with an older hippie looking gentleman......this guys english was quite good and asked me what was my question......i asked again and he said yes this is of course a possiblity......he said goodbye to his neighbor and led me into his yard.......excellant i had a place......in fact there was a teepee set up in his yard too.......he was an organic farmer.....well as he is introducing his farm to me turns out it is almost like a boarding place......people in this WOF program come and work and get room and board.....much of his home was set up in mass quantity....the showers (must have been 12), the dining room looked like a small cafeteria, and the kitchen.....they were used to this and welcomed it with open arms......he was so cool telling me all about things......in fact there was this birthday going on at his house so there was hordes of 10 yr olds walking around.....guess the local people kinda rent out his place for bigger occasions......in exchange for help with the farm......the price for that party was three fruit trees......really intresting......well then i helped him with dishes and they hadnt eatten yet and so invited me to dinner......i was so happy......but not as happy as when he offered to let me shower......i had been hiking for 7 hrs and it was at least 90 out.....so i showered and felt like a new man....less the foot....had a great dinner.....parsely, cheese, milk, salt on top of potatoes..served cold......then this tomato and onion deal that was excellant......so good.....some bread and bacon......i needed this good day.....he offered to let me sleep inside or the teepee or my tent....the whole time he was offering me things and such so i opted for the teepee....didnt have to bust out the tent but it didnt put them out.......the whole night he had been talking about anything and everything and would teach me new words in catalonian.......good times......at dinner i met two of their echange people who were there currently......both french.....all of them characters in their own right......it is the nature of the job....i think you have to be as it does not pay well and they amuse themselves with a simple life but make the best of it.......really cool to see.......he told me a bit about the farm but his vocab started to wear thin and was had to get information across....questions got mixed up and i was feeling beat....but i had busted out the photo page and one of the frenchguys said we should play guitar......hell yeh....so we played guitar for everyone.....he was humble but he was really good.....far better then i......i introduced them to matt nathanson and he soloed over it.....fun stuff....and the one all europeans seem to know wonderwall.......and he like incubus so i played along with the one i knew...drive i think......yeh....then it was late so we all needed to go to sleep......i dint want to wake up too early or too late.....if i woke too early the dog would bark and wake everyone.....i say dog but mean 8 dogs who wander around......that is their job.....to bark when weird people like me are near the house.....waking up late would just be rude.....well after i heard some barking from someone else pressence i woke.....it was only the man and his son around as one frenchman was out working and the other in town with his girlfreind......he gave me some breakfast and since he was heading into town offered a ride......i wanted to help out on the farm a bit and wanted to get a tour and had mentioned so the night before and he excitedly agreed but i wasnt gonna say no to the ride.....so i took it and into town i went......got the next train to barcelona where i could hit this internet up to make some plans and type up the adventures......had some time to kill so i organised my literature a bit and these two romanians sit with me......i remember that this is common in europe but there were plently of open tables......then i found out their reasoning cause i had purchased something at the cafe and they had not.....and my place was in the corner out of the way......well for a whiel we didnt talk buit then they chatted a little.....well only one of them caus eth eother didnt speak english.......nice little talk but then at the end as i get up to leave they ask for money........just 5 dollars he says.....hummm no thanks.....they were not mad by it and i think ligitimantly neede the cash but.....and they were nice and took the no kindly and bid me farwell......so then i trained it to here......nice train too......they ahve a bunch of classes here in spain....this one was the high end train.....i didnt have much of a choice as it was the next availible one.......so anyway i am here and well and plans tbd......ryan air is pricy now to rome and we are still working on that so i think i am gonna eurail it to italy....i have been froogal with it so i can splurge and this will allow me to see maybe another town or two in france......so yeh all be good and i must be off to figure out the plans......benjamin