Randy Elrod's Blog, page 16

My First Tantric Massage (What a Surprise!)

Weary and sore from lugging heavy suitcases and assembling furniture, one of my goals when a free day arrived was to find a Chinese massage therapist like my therapist Wen in Dunedin, who walks on one’s back, a practice called Ashiatsu. After an extensive search online, I finally located a Chinese lady who offers Ashiatsu....

Sexy Fun—Our Trip to the Erotic Museum Barcelona

Warning: If you are offended by explicit sex acts, photos, and paraphernalia, do NOT read or visit this page. No kidding, do not go further. I have no intention of offending anyone, but I have every intention to enlighten and entertain those who feel free to express their sexuality and erotic desires.  Upon learning Barcelona’s Erotic...

Our Most Magical Day In Barcelona So Far (Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna and Maitea Tavern)

We finally had a free day and determined not to waste it, and voila! it was our best day here yet. Many years ago, I watched Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé perform the song Barcelona at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna. As I wept profuse tears of joy, I vowed one day to go there. Today...

Thoughts After One Month In Spain

It has been a fast and furious thirty days in Barcelona. When we settled into our temporary apartment, we received a message that our furniture was arriving overseas six weeks earlier than we thought. So, the scramble began to find the perfect permanent home.  Our real estate agent, Eva Gonzales from Engel-Voelkers, was a delight...

Why This Christmas Was My Best Ever

As Gina and I reflected on this holiday season while enjoying a festive cosmopolitan a few evenings ago, I told her it was my best ever. She asked why. Here are a few significant reasons. —I love new things. And moving to Barcelona has provided a multitude of them: new languages, new routines, new foods,...

A Day At The Barcelona Opera (Gran Teatre del Liceu)

I am still processing this magical day. Somehow, I got unbelievable seats to a performance of “El Conte De Nadal De Charles Dickens” (A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens) at the iconic Gran Theatre del Liceu in Barcelona. Honestly, I thought we would be most impressed with the grand theatre’s aesthetics and the incredible seats,...

Our First Week In Spain

Joyful. Scary. Romantic. Confusing. Apolitical. Tapas. Peaceful. Vermut. Surprise. Walking. Acceptance. Running. Freedom. Anonymity. Future. Ancient. Pleasure. Idioms. Excitement. Colloquialisms. Savour. Kissing. Slow. Anxious. Delight. Excitement. Culture.  Yes, we are in the honeymoon stage of life in Barcelona. And we are loving it. We have almost as many friends and acquaintances here in one week...

Our First Day In Spain

At long last, we are here—the beautiful and seductive city of Barcelona, Spain. I plan to chronicle the first day, the first month, and each month after that to see if this dream of life in Spain matches the reality.  I asked Gina her thoughts on the first day this evening (we are six hours...

The Joy of A Lonely Thanksgiving

I am fourteen years and thousands of miles away from my last nuclear family Thanksgiving. I could never have comprehended the massive toll my affair, divorce, subsequent marriage, and renunciation of Christianity would have on my relationships—from thousands to a handful.  And those precious few are mostly younger and still in the frenetic pace of...

Songs That Shaped My Life

Note: Jeff Tweedy, frontman for Wilco, one of my favorite bands, recently published a memoir by the post title’s name, inspiring me to write this post.  1963—“Dear Jesus, Abide With Me,” as a five-year-old local celebrity child singer, this song was my standard. I sang it solo at my kindergarten graduation and many other churches,...