During sleepy afternoons in my office in Seoul, I always tried to always keep awake with a cup of iced cafe mocha that I would buy from a kiosk at the Sinyongsan Subway Station (in the Yongsan District) that was connected to the food arcade of our office building's basement.
During hot summer days, I didn't need to get out of a building to buy coffee. I would leave my jacket hanging on my duo-back chair (the chair is very good for those with bad back and scoliosis!), and just took the lift going to the ground floor and the escalator to the basement.
On freezing winter days, I didn't need to wear my overcoat, just a jacket.
A few times during winter, the lady who took my order would ask me if I indeed ordered iced cafe mocha. She might have wondered why would somebody buy a cold drink when it was freezing outside. She obviously didn't know this customer that well.😄
But amidst the financial reports that I needed to work on, there was an FM radio station based in London that kept me company: Classic FM.
I would just put on my earphone that's connected my laptop and listened to the classical music of Classic FM.
Since classical music has no lyrics, the music did not interfere with what I was reading. The music kept me relaxed while the coffee kept me awake.
And a few times during the week, there was one piece of music that always distracted me. The music, mostly of classical guitar, led me to imagine the Spanish countryside as it played. The song? Concierto de Aranjuez.
Concierto de Aranjuez was composed in 1939 by Joaquin Rodrigo, a Spanish composer. There was something in the music that led me to imagine I was exploring the Spanish countryside on a train. The slow tempo at the beginning plus the strums of the solo guitar and the notes of the flute all brought me to provincial Spain, and at times, I could even visualize in my mind flamenco dancers performing to the tune.
So, when I was planning on my trip to Spain years ago, I made sure I rode the Renfe train (read blog here).
But when I was finally in Spain, and riding the train and sitting by the window, how come I didn't hear Aranjuez in my head? 😂
My trips to the countryside included rides to Alcala de Henares from Madrid (read blog here), Madrid to Santiago de Compostela (read blog here), Santiago de Compostela to A Coruña, Santiago to Barcelona, and Barcelona to Monserrat (read blog here). I guess Aranjuez would only be heard when I am actually tuned in to Classic FM!😊
I always told myself that riding the train was part of the tour, and as I was travelling alone, it was even an adventure! And the few times I got lost made the trip even more memorable! I wasn't afraid to get lost since I spoke basic Spanish, letting me chat with locals on the train, with fellow pilgrims at churches, and even with strangers from whom I asked directions one late night when I realized I was lost!😆
But before I left for home, I was happy that I was able to buy at El Corte Ingles CDs of Paco de Lucia, one of Spain's most famous classical guitarists, featuring his performance of Concierto de Aranjuez. This was recommended by my friend, Kiko Reimundez, with whom I reunited in his hometown, A Coruña. Kiko is a musician, too.
I have always said that things happen for a reason.
Classic FM introduced me to Concierto de Aranjuez, and the song gave me the dream of seeing the Spanish countryside from a train, which then gave me an idea to visit Spain.
I still have the CDs, the photos, and most important, the memories of the Spanish countryside. And of course, Classic FM still plays on my laptop.😎
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If you want to listen to the hypnotizing music of Concierto de Aranjuez, do click the video below.😐
And if you want to also tune in to Classic FM, do click the link:
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