Day Ten January 11th Saturday

We hooked up with Gloria Galdon (“Gloria de Jerez” from Ensemble Espanyol days,  late 90s).  She is once again living in Jerez.  After Mala picked up a dress we met Gloria, her sister, Rosaura, and brother in law.  We spent the entire afternoon “tapeando,” drinking, singing and carrying on.  Mala and I managed to change a Romanian Gypsy’s world just a bit when we strongly lobbied for him to play (and sing!) his own music rather than the cheezy stuff he thought Jerezanos wanted to hear, as he roamed table to table.  When Mala sang “Djelem” it turned him around and they proceeded to sing a duet (Mala really blows my mind sometimes…).  It became a really joyous and inspired atmosphere.  Evening we all went to a milonga (yes, an Argentine tango dance) in Cadiz.  We had a great time and even danced a lot.  Same characters present as in milongas everywhere; tango is a world of personajes….

Day Twelve Sunday

Morocco!  We got up early and drove the magnificent (and hair-raising) route to Tarifa.  We caught the fast ferry and by noon we were in Tangiers.  We spent the next 7 hours combing the souks (zocos), hanging out in the Medina, drinking mint tea (and the best coffee yet…), and, of course, noshing.  We bought babuchas and amber and saffron.  The parallel universe which is Morocco never ceases to delight me!!  Mala was entranced.  This, my third time here, was my most benign vis a vis the Moroccan people and I have come to see them as kind and genteel overall;  even the hustlers did not bother me much as I now see them as not so different from me with tip basket or open guitar case at the Birchwood Cafe in Minneapolis.  Just a fabulous day (and a sunny 75 degrees!).  We drove home from Tarifa and met up with Gloria late—she took us to a club where we heard a Jerezano band (with female singer) doing rumbas, pop and Sevillanas.  Fun and interesting distinctions to make.  To bed really late.

Day 13 Monday 17 January

Too bad!  Time had come to vacate Jerez.  The drive back to Cordoba was very fine (and quick).  Spent an hour or two with Dani again before boarding the Socibus back to Madrid.  And back to the hotel for a moment;  we rushed out, caught the Metro to Club Clamores (another favorite spot of mine) just in time to hear el Torta (Juan Moneo) do a couple of really excellent sets.  Raining as we left but we made it back to the barrio and met up with David again, going to the irrepressible ArteBar.  Flamenco penya in session which we love!  Need I say we were out till late?