English noun/noun phrase that refers to the things people chat during dinner Hello, I have a question regarding a noun or a noun phrase that refers to the things people chat about during dinner. I couldn't remember that word and it seems that it has eluded me. Your help is highly appreciated.

La Soledad Por lo menos según mis experiencias, en este mundo no hay otras relaciones excepto la soledad. Algunos podrían argumentar que una relación se basa en varias personas, pero en soledad solo hay una. Pero pienso que nuestra existencia está camuflada en la ilusión de la apariencia física. Hay tantas socialización sin sentido, hay tantas personas tóxicas, y hay tantos dramas días tras días. No son relaciones, son bromas! Cuando estas sola, y sola serás en el día de tu muerte, sientes tranquila, sin fingimiento. Y en la soledad siempre hay al menos dos personas: tu, y tu entendimiento de tí. Es una conversación entre el mismo y el ego.

El Virus y El Equilibrio El nuevo coronavirus de Wuhan continúa con su preocupante avance. La curiosidad que tengo yo es que se parece que China es una cuna de enfermedades y trastornos, tanto física como mentalmente. No sólo es por la demasiada población y la polución, sino también el desequilibrio entre la modernización y la naturaleza. El sarcasmo para mí es que la mayoría de población es equivalente a polución, y no tengo fé en la humanidad. El mundo, de hecho, no nos necesita, y cada desastre natural es su intento a mantener el equilibrio.

Andalusia -- A Song for Heart and Soul （Granada Part 5） The clicking of castanets and waves of guitar conversed with the mournful songs of gypsy, and in this ecstasy of poetry and music, people danced all night long despite the rain. “Let me tell you, my dear friend,” said Lorca to a journalist, “this contest is beyond comparison, for it is the contest between the moon and the rain, between the shadow of sun and bullfighting.” By the end of October 1934, Lorca had started to compose the longest poem in his lifetime: Lament for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías. Ignacio Sánchez Mejías was not only a famous matador but also a poet himself, doubtlessly a walking piece of charm. The poem was composed during his sojourn in Granada and Madrid and was finally completed in the apartment of Neruda. The turmoils in Spain were like a monster, devouring all vibrant souls and colours, including Lorca, who was threatened and detained by Falange Fascists. It was in a gloomy decadent morning on Aug. 18th, 1936 that Lorca was shot dead in the woods of olive trees, under the desperate stare of Andalusian mountains. “As I have not worried to be born, I do not worry to die.” thus said he. His remains were not found, nor was his grave, but his name is remembered through the air of Andalucia. It took me approximately 20 minutes to walk from Lorca’s apartment to Granada Archaeological Museum. The entrance was free of charge, and the style was typical Moorish. The exterior construction was finished in 1593, and it became an established museum in 1879. The relics ranged from Carthaginian, Punic, Roman to Arabic and Andalusian period. Surprisingly there were other unique exhibits such as the skull from a Neanderthal infant, an armour of an Iberian warrior, combs, and bands used by prehistorical humans and so forth. The charm of the Moorish atmosphere and the elegance of renaissance echoed with each other in this old museum, and it belongs to the people, protected by the people, and remembered by the people. Later I had lunch in an Arabic restaurant and then headed to Albaycin. Since I was already in Albaycin, I definitely didn’t want to miss the scenery in the mountains of Sacromonte. Treading along the mountain trail under the scorching sun, I didn’t come across any human being, but why would I? It was 50℃and who would wander around the mountains at 50℃? Not everyone was as crazy as me. With perspiration, I started to feel exhausted and drained, and there was no water left in my bottle. to be continued

Andalusia -- A Song for Heart and Soul （Granada Part 4） He. His name is known by each grain of dust in Spain; his death is mourned by each verse of poem in Spain. He. He is the personification of old songs and poetry, and with a burning passion, he flies like an eagle, dominating the sky. He. He was born in Granada, the son of Andalusia. And his name is Federico Garcia Lorca (June. 5, 1898~Aug.18, 1936) Walking in the meandering streets of Granada, I arrived at Lorca’s old apartment at 9 o’clock. The dwelling was modest and plain, sitting in the corner of a city garden. The locals were quite gentle and urbane, treating animals and plants with care and love. Patches of forests and grasslands refreshed the air with the scent of nature, and flowers were beaming with the delight of poetry. I sank into a stage of trance when standing at the door of Lorca’s humble apartment, because never had I thought of being so close to this poet. The interior remained unchanged, honestly reflecting the setting during his time. The furniture in the kitchen, bedroom and living room were well-attended, though worn-out in the relentless flow of time. The manuscripts, paintings and correspondence were presented in glass cases, but the aroma of ink still lingered around. “Ella es luz hecha canto de ilusiones románticas. Ella es firme y suave llena de cielo y mansa. Ella es niebla y es rosa de la eterna mañana. Miel de luna que fluye de estrellas enterradas.” (She's a shaft of light, made for singing of romantic illusions. She is firm and soft, full of sky and meek. She is foggy and she is pink from the eternal morning. Honey of moon flows From the stars that are buried.) The desk, the bed, and the stained window softly spoke the monologue of this star-cursed poet, and even the whirlpool of time was not able to dilute his songs. Garcia Lorca initiated a new genre of poetry, featuring with melodious rhythm, mesmerizing yet sorrowful imagery, beaming with bold imaginations and the colours of Andalusian folklore. At the age of 23, Garcia Lorca was influenced by the local gypsy deep song of Granada. Not only did he attend the deep song contests, but he also composed more than 30 literary works within 10 days, which were further compiled into “Poema del Cante Jondo ”. The contest took place a week after he recited his Cante Jondo in a local hotel in Granada, and it attracted 4000 audiences. to be continued

Andalusia -- A Song for Heart and Soul （Granada Part 3） Walk along the Navas street, and then turn right, you will see The Royal Chapel of Granada (Capilla Real de Granada). It is an Isabelline style building, constructed between 1505 and 1517, and originally integrated into the complex of the neighbouring Granada Cathedral. These magnificent walls and vault guard the burial place of the Spanish monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand, known for their joint sovereign that secured the establishment of Spain as the first global power which dominated Europe and much of the world for more than a century. Behind it situates Palacio de la Madraza (Madrasah of Granada). Though not as famous as Alhambra, it is no less a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Madrasah of Granada was founded in 1349 by the Nasrid monarch Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada, serving as a mosque school. When I was wandering inside, the splendid interior design, muqarnas vaulting, arches, and decorative details reminded me of its counterpart in Iran. One major distinctiveness I noticed was the color-matching. Because of the influence of Moorish culture, the colours used here were mainly red and brown, nicely reflecting the preference of those desert-dwellers from North Africa, and surprisingly matching the colours of Andalucía. But Islamic elements were definitely not the only thing being presented here. The art of Jewish and Christian culture was as conspicuous, reminding the current generation of the diversity, prosperity, and tolerance of Arabic civilization. It was an era of great minds, it was an era when the West met the East, and it was an era when philosophers, scientists, navigators, artists, and poets were respected disregard of racial or religious background. The wisdom of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam together brought Andalucía to its apex, and this is why Andalucía is still remembered. Walking alone in the alleys, I let my thoughts blend into the sunset and finally felt drowsy. Indeed, I need to have a rest, after all, I am nothing but bone and flesh. The night of Granada belongs to its guitars and dances, and you can still hear the sorrow of love in passionate, arabesque Flamenco. But sometimes you will get confused: Is this the Andalucía of Spain, or the Andalucía of Arabia?

Andalusia -- A Song for Heart and Soul （Granada Part 2） The Umayyad conquest of Hispania brought large parts of the Iberian Peninsula under Moorish control and established al-Andalus. Granada's historical name in the Arabic language was غرناطة (Gárnata ) possibly means "hill of strangers". As the capital city of the province of Granada in the autonomous community of Andalusia, this city is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, sits at the confluence of four rivers, the Darro, the Genil, the Monachil, and the Beiro. People praise Granada for its breathtaking scenery, and flood here to pay tribute to the glorious Alhambra, and I was also one of them. After disembarking from the plane, I lost myself in the embrace of mountain ranges. Possibly there is a bond between me and mountains, because each time when I see mountains, I feel a stream of comfort and joy. Mountains and brown territory—this was my first impression of Granada. Carrying my luggage, I was searching for ALSA Bus, and a security pointed to the direction and I found the bus. Observing, and observing, I was like a curious child who tried to memorize everything along the way. After reaching the city center, I walked to the hotel with the guidance of Google Map. The skin tone of the locals in Granada definitely caught my attention. The scorching sun veiled their skin in bronze, while the heat and drought kindled their passion and vigor. I guessed 42℃ was the average daytime temperature here, so no wonder fruits and ice-creams were everywhere. The melodies of Flamenco echoed in the alleys, and who would deny that Flamenco is the heart and soul of Andalucía? After settling down in the hotel, I went outside again in search of tourist spots despite the fatigue of the journey. I had already listed the location of all the spots based on their proximity to my hotel, so each time I visited one, I ticked it off. Because of my inquisitive nature in historical sites, I gained much information along the way, and some people were very happy to share with me what they felt about history. Although Wikipedia is worshipped as an omniscient resource, the most valuable treasure in one place is always the people, especially the elderly. Chatting with the elderly is like reading an encyclopedia, they would unfold all the culture and bygone memory to you, just like rivers run into the ocean. (to be continued)

Andalusia -- A Song for Heart and Soul （Granada Part1） It was in the class of History of Western Music during my second year of college that I first heard this toponym-- Andalucía. During the class we were watching “Notre Dame de Paris”, mesmerized by the spectacular performance from “The Age of The Cathedrals” to “Bohemian”. “My mother told me tales of Spain; I think that's where she longed to be. Of mountain bandits she once sang, Andalusia's memory. There in the mountains she was free, my mother, father all are gone. And I've made Paris be my home. I dream of oceans rolling on, they take my heart where I must come. Andalusia mountain home. … Andalusia's streams, run through my blood, run through my daydreams. Andalusia's sky, when it calls me, I feel my heart fly.” And this, this was my first impression about Andalucía. My sojourn in Barcelona has been long enough for me to hate it, and I have always been at odds with its chaos, its arrogance, and its narrow-minded ethnocentrism. But life is short and my heart is not a grave, so why not pack up and go to Andalucía alone? The name of this region is originated from Arabic “Al-Andalus”, and was gradually known by poets and warriors both from the West and the East through the expansion of Umayyad Caliphate. By the year 711 A.D., both Arabs and Berbers had converted to Islam. Meanwhile, the army led by Berber Umayyad commander Taliq ibn-Ziyad headed to Visigothic Hispania in 711–718 A.D. under the orders of the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I. With the help of Julian, Count of Ceuta, who was determined to bring down Visigothic King Ruderic because his daughter was raped by him, the troops were convoyed and they safely crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from the North African coast, finally consolidating at what is today known as the Rock of Gibraltar. To Julian’s satisfaction, Ruderic was defeated and killed by Taliq ibn-Ziyad in the Battle of Guadalete. By the year 718 A.D., most part of Iberia Peninsula had been conquered by Muslims, which raised the curtain of a 700-year history of Caliphate conquest. No wonder some of my Spanish friends told me:” Islamic culture is an indispensable part of Spain.” （to be continued）