April 28, 2008 10:45 PM

I've had a lot of pictures in my mind's eye about my recent time in Italy and Spain. I think the highlights for me in terms of a sort of mystical energy in the air were Venice and Florence , Italy and Alicante, Spain. It was fascinating to see Cordoba and again spend time in Barcelona and Madrid, also. The Great Mosque of Cordoba , a wonder of the medieval world is built on a Visigothic site that is said to be that of a Roman temple. Construction of the mosque began around 784 during the reign of 'Abd al-Rahman I, who came to the Iberian Peninsula after the massacre in Syria of his family by a rival dynasty.

I attended the Ministry/Meshuggah concert several nights ago and enjoyed it. My first time seeing both and Meshuggah were musically eloquent in places that were Bach like in the way I hear most prog/math rock.

After so much traveling and exertion, with the crash/end to that nonstop physical activity, I now have burning poison ivy rashes with no idea how I came in contact, a mysterious bronchitis, and also experienced intense pain at the dentist . Interesting to have three sources of discomfort all at the same time. Feeling well again will be a beautiful thing.