London/derry.

"Derry is a grey city where the houses have roofs made of slate and the dark skies threaten with rain. However, it is also a charming beautiful city with its 17th century walls, the green grass everywhere and the river Foyle, so wide that it looks like the sea. And the two cathedrals, the Catholic and the Protestant. Derry is a mirror city: it reflects itself. If you are in one hill, you will see the other one. When you cross the river, you will see the hill where you were before. But wherever you are, you will always see the spire of the two cathedrals and the Guildhall clok.

The people here are wonderful. They ask me what I´m doing here, as they can't understand why someone would come from Spain (which, according to their stereotypes is paradise and even more when they see the Elche posters I brought with all the palm trees in the world) to this godforsaken and manforsaken city. But I like Derry, I don't know why. And I like Northern Ireland, and I love the people, who are so kind, so hospitable and so chatty. I'm very fond of the landscape, so green, and the sheep, the cows, the goats, those rivers and forests, everything is really beautiful. When I get up every day, I know why I am here and why I want to stay, althought I can't explain it using words. "

I wrote this at the beginning of the year 2002-2003 when I was teaching Spanish in Northern Ireland. The photograph shows the river Foyle and you can see the spires of the two cathedrals: on the left hand side the Protestant and, on the right hand side, the Catholic.

En español aquí.