A Cold Day in Arles, France

I should have realized bull fighting was going to be difficult for me to watch, but I didn't think about it until I got there. I wasn't even sure they were going to kill it, they don't usually in France. But then I saw blood streaming down from the several spear-ladden streamers it had been stabbed with. I cried watching the first bull go down. But I got desensitized watching the next four - kind of creepy how quickly that happens.

The bulls were so mad, fighting desperately, trying to get the spears unstuck from their back and trying to get the fuckers that put them there. It killed me that they kept going for the stupid red cape instead of the tiny man standing there fully exposed. This is a lesson in brains over brawn.

Watching something fighting with every ounce of its strength for its life and losing is intense.

At least it wasn't a gladiator fight. This arena is old enough that there have been gladiator fights in it.

The rest of the day was an attempt not to freeze to death. Yesterday I moved from my posh hotel to a youth hostel where they lock you out from 10am to 5pm. Today was a cold cold day.

I found temporary refuge in a basement-like internet cafe that turned out to be run and patronized almost exclusively by Arabs. I half-heartedly read the news and wrote some emails. I was more focused on listening to people speak and picking out what I could understand. The hourly price was worth it for the arabic and the shelter rather than the internet.

As I left the cafe I talked to the cashier and was instantly surrounded by 5 arabic-speaking men who were shocked to hear an American tourist speak arabic. This happens regularly. I think me being an attention whore is a significant part of my drive to learn Arabic.

An hour of walking around in the cold later I happened upon a PUBLIC LIBRARY!! This was a gift from god to a person who hadn't warmed up since sitting on a cold stone ledge watching a bullfight five hours earlier. Oh it was warm!! And had cozy couches!!! I can't tell you how fortunate I felt to be sitting there and reading a newspaper.

Now I'm here using internet at a crowded McDonalds on a rainy night. There is techno blairing just outside on the main street because of the torreador festival going on this weekend. I have one chicken nugget left.

I leave you for now..... Love, S E L A H