When I booked my airline ticket the girl asked: "Do you only travel to places beginning with M? On May 3rd I set out from Montana via Miami to Medellín to give the keynote speech in the Centro Colombo Americano's six week lecture series on the Lost Generation. My days were filled with talks, interviews, and workshops at the Centro and three universities in the beautiful mountain valley where sunshine and rain showers are sisters. I was greeted with enthusiasm and appreciation and noted a lively interest in the arts and promotion of culture in Botero's home town. It was agreed by all that Medellín is a place to return to soon.
From Medellín I flew to Málaga where I was given a rousing welcome. I attended the Encuentro Internacional/Mayo 2009 HEMINGWAY Un Verano Peligroso, MÁLAGA 1959 marking the 50th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway's stay at La Consula when he was gathering material for The Dangerous Summer. The setting for my talk was the stately former home of Bill and Annie Davis where I spent a total of eight months over a two year period (1959-60) with the Hemingways. Now one of Europe's finest culinary schools, La Consula's conference room was filled to capacity. After my talk we were invited outside and feted with a very fine selection of tapas and local wines. The conference was sponsored by the Fundacíon Manuel Alcántara and directed by the genial Andrés Arenas Gómez.
Málaga is vying to become the European Capital of Culture 2016. If you have any affinity for this Andalusian coastal city, please send in your vote.
