Lorca Conference Chronicle

I got up early on Saturday; it had snowed heavily on Friday but the roads were clear and Beth got me to the airport in time for my flight to Chicago; everything was on time. On the flight to Spain (Iberia) I saw two films, one a bad revenge film and the other something called "Juliet Naked," about a British woman whose boyfriend is obsessed by a singer-singer writer (played by Ethan Hawke), whom the woman herself eventually becomes involved with through her boyfriend's fan site. It was ok. I slept a bit between the two movies.

Got to the Residencia de Estudiantes, where Lorca lived and where they are putting us up, at around 9 on Sunday. Of course they didn't have my room ready until 11. I had a coffee and read the paper: a story about Machado in Colliure.  Nothing yet about our conference on Lorca! I slept a bit then went down to the dining room at 2.  Didn't know anyone.  I had pea soup, veal, and a glass of wine. Went downtown and bought a few books at FNAC. A collection of Isla Correyero, a book of essays by Jorde Doce.

When I came back a guy was playing the piano, and a woman was singing some Lorca songs: 'La Tarara" and a version of "Romance sonámbulo." There were good and the sound of the piano was marvelous (earlier they had not let me play it when I asked and had two hours to kill.). There was a group of people listening and drinking coffee. When I asked they said they weren't here for the Lorca conference that starts today. Which raises the question of where my people are? Now I have to wait until dinner starts at 10, two and a half more hours. Of course, since my talk is tomorrow, I had to get here today, a day early. Everyone else is probably coming tomorrow.  I think I will practice my talk now.