All Together Now

I met my colleagues in the airport taxi. I got in saying "God, I´m so happy, I could just FLY"! They didn´t get it. OK. The next thing we had to deal with was airport security. I knew I wouldn´t have a problem because having an Israeli passport, you usually don´t. When security asked me for what purpose was I going to Spain, I answered -for an interfaith conference. The security girl pulled me away from the crowed - Does that mean you are in a conference with Christians, Moslems and Jews?" Yes. She took my passport and ran to get her manager. "Are you the organizer of this group?" No, I´m not - SHE is" pointing to the secretary, who was called over and gave them the list of the entire group. I don´t know what they thought. They stuck some kind of sticker on my airline ticket. I don´t know if I´m now a security risk or not but Karmela was put into a room, asked to take her shoes off, walk around. She spend a good amount of time with the security person, she nearly got her to join our group. After check in I ran upstairs to airport Duty Free. I was looking for a hair brush. I could buy tons of liquor and chocolates. I could get as drunk as a skunk or as hyper as ever, but have neat hair? Faggedaboutit. The Iberian flight was tough as it took them a few hours before they´d give us anything to drink, unlike El Al where they run to feed you a few minutes after take off. I went to get a drink of water, feeling very dehydrated, but the flight attendants said to wait because they were serving food in 15 minutes, which turned out to be a half hour later. Stupid me should have prepared myself. After all, I´m not in "kansas" anymore, I´ve got to go with the flow and brought my own damn water bottle. After landing we spent several hours waiting for them to tell us where we were staying. Hubby doesn´t know this yet, but we were put up in Carmelite nun´s convent. He´ll be thrilled. The windows are so high - about 14 feet up - that you never want to see a man again, you wouldn´t have to. No views to the street from my room. And of course, no male guests. Karmela was worried about the crucifix in my room. "You can take it down, you knowl" she said to me in the morning, as we tried to navigate the Barcelona metro. Nah, why bother taking a painting of Jesus on a cross down, just because I´m a nice Jewish woman in a nice Catholic convent. It would offend the hosts, I am sure, I told Karmela. It´s ok. I´ll deal with it. I´m ok with it. But it was nice of her to be concerned about my comfort, nevertheless.

I haven´t seen much of the forum yet. I´ve done a bit of walking around the old part of the city, took in a cafe and went to the forum in the afternoon. I was trying to find my group among the 5,000 participants. Information told me to try the place down by the beach where the Sikhs were feeding everyone for free. I went to this giant tent and had to take off my shoes, and put on a white head covering. I really know nothing about Sikhs and was intrigued. Why were they feeding everyone? And why was their food so good? I was feeling dehydrated by the heat, went straight for the water and thought I saw a mirage. But it wasn´t a mirage. It was my Palestinian friend, Ibrahim! What a great welcome to Barcelona. ...to be continued...