My mind is full of projects lately, so I have decided to start from the beginning. Here it is the next blog I will be writing from, hopefully every day (wherever I am)
Landing among the stars
advertising
Or how to promote a spanish film frightening away the tourism. Welcome to France !
I can imagine, they were angry: Roland Garros, Tour de France, Euro2008...
(Translation in English: this summer, avoid Spain!)
El rey de la montaña - Gonzalo López-Gallego (2007)
VIVA LA VIDA
Coldplay. Bercy, Paris, 9th September
I couldn't miss it while in Paris, and even more when they chose La liberté guidant le Peuple de Delacroix for their album cover.
It would be a long chronicle and it seems to me that the nights are getting shorter, so lets just post some videos.
I couldn't miss it while in Paris, and even more when they chose La liberté guidant le Peuple de Delacroix for their album cover.
It would be a long chronicle and it seems to me that the nights are getting shorter, so lets just post some videos.
a year in the merde
For anyone moving to Paris, I highly recommend to read this book. I have truly enjoyed it, feel absolutely identified with the main character and I have loved the faces of the french in the metro while I read it :)
Stephen Clarke is a British journalist and writer working for a French press group in Paris. A Year in the Merde is an almost-true account of things that may or may not have happened to him in the ten years he has lived in France, depending on who is asking the question. He originally published the book in an edition of 200 copies, with the intention of selling them through his website, giving them away to friends or offering them as fuel for his neighbour's Bastille Day barbecue. However, after a reading in a Canadian bookshop in Paris and a write-up in a French newspaper, the book turned into a surprise hit. He has previously written comedy sketches for BBC Radio 4 and jokes for a stand-up comedian. He is currently working on the next volume of Paul West's adventures.
Stephen would like to thank the French government for introducing the 35 hour week and giving him time to do more interesting things on Friday afternoon than work. Merci.
modern art
it took me some time to discover what it meant.. this is the last piece of art exposed in the Tuilleries, better explanation here... anyone want to try to guess what it truly is? Three elements are combined here... Richard Serra sculpture, the fountain and the obelisk (sorry cause the quality of the picture is not that good...)
Versailles
The date is approaching. The bigger the quantity of work I get, the lazier I become. The closest the end is, larger the number of posts I think of, and fewer the words I can articulate.
Sometime in between this long summer I thought of writing about my favourite plans in Paris. I was discouraged by the idea of the Lonely Planet syndrome, thinking that somehow, my favourite and secret places would be spoiled. Unfortunately the are not that many things to do in Paris that the mass of tourists and expats haven't discovered yet.. but tonight I go for one thing that surprised and filled me for the next week. 
Walking along the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles in the sunset is closer to be one of the best plans I can think of. The usual visit is during day time, but you can book it for the evening (Le Parcours du Roi) from 18.30 to 21.30, on Saturdays during summer, experiencing what Marie Antoinette may have seen every evening.
Afterwards, you may even consider paying extra and get to reach the gardens. At nightfall the Grand Musical Fountain Display. As it is described, a sparkling and melodious promenade among the fountains and Bosquets of the Gardens, subtle light (torches), perfume setting (bubbles) and fireworks to conclude. A priceless evening...
Pablo!!
Today it was a long day: from tears to laughs, but finally Pablo came to this world surrounded by (almost) all the people that love him. I will be able to witness the miracle on Thursday, till then, here he is (let's forgive the photographer, his nervous grandfather) isn't he cute???
about ends and beginnings
I was feeling sad about endings. Small endings and big endings. It was the end of the Opera season, which I had largely enjoyed this year (uuu, yeah kinda get into opera dude ;) It was the end of the Rugby season too (have a become a fan? 3, 4 matches in a row... ?)Luckily there is no end for the music scene in Paris. In fact, I could say the summer started with music.
First concert in Madrid ;) and afterwards the Jour de la musique, widely critized and hardly never enjoyed. I have no recommendations for the future in such big event: just improvise! I was lucky to listen to a great trio just under my place which kindly got me. Have a look at the picture, just like that, in the middle of the street... what a world!
Then, I kept with the musical mondays. First with a big mistake, Counting
Crows, just for the old times.. The only good thing was when somebody throw at them a tshirt of the Spanish football team and they seem to recognize and understand it ;) and played their Holidays in Spain.The weekend we went for Solidays, one of the biggest festivals in France, and then it came one of the most expected, Death Cab for Cutie.
The first signal of the slowing down mode was when I stopped buying tickets (plane and train tickets). The second when I stopped with the concert tickets. Fortunately I still keep some in my agenda till the end of September. It scares me to have such a "busy" schedule for the next two months and then a big "nothing" starting on October...
Tout Le Bonheur Du Monde
I always feel proud when I say: "I went on an erasmus when I was 22", it is like you said you went on a bizarre trip (and so it was) But I feel more proud when I say I still keep my friends from there! Some I have even been at their places: Thijs (Valencia), Al (London), Piet (Brussels).. when the wind takes me there. But there are some from who I get news every day. As any other group it is heterogeneous, it changes, both elements and relationships, but there is still something that sticks us together.Doesn't matter if we meet in Madrid, in Barcelone, in Oviedo, or in Paris... there are always stories to remember and stories to get into. Doesn't matter if it took us 3 years to be back together the 6 of us. We proved that 48h weren't enough to catch up... we proved how long had we been waiting for the long chats by the sea or in the chill out in the beautiful Ampurda...
I loved to get back with you to what we were three years ago and to what we had become. I loved to talk about future as we had never done before and I loved to laugh and hug you. I feel lucky to be in this part of the world and having been able to share this weekend with you.
I loved to get back with you to what we were three years ago and to what we had become. I loved to talk about future as we had never done before and I loved to laugh and hug you. I feel lucky to be in this part of the world and having been able to share this weekend with you.
Discover Sinsemilia!
la marmota ha muerto
Esta mañana me quedé dormida (por fin!) me levanto y me pongo un vestido rojo para ir a la Oficina. Leo la muerte de la marmota y no puedo reprimir la risa.
Qué felicidad celebrar una victoria así y que alegría me produjo experimentar la complicidad de tanta y tanta gente con la que me crucé ayer. Casí como si yo hubiera ganado el partido! París ayer fue español. Y los franceses demostraron como nunca que su antipatía por Alemania es mayor que su recelo a lo español.
Y es que ayer España dio una lección, Europa no acaba en los Pirineos!
Thanks to all of you who supported Spain and thanks too to all that didn't but thought of me and sent me some congratulations :) good to hear!
tv shows
There are so many lifes I would love to live.. truth is that, in one life I can't have it all...
can't it?
My answer is yes, that's why I love tv shows: I have already been one of the Oceanic 6, studied medicine, had a wicked adolescence, lived in NY, been a serial killer, scaped from prison... and still so many stories to live...
Here is my next hunch for summer: SWINGTOWN
and the one I may be waiting for autumn FRINGE
can't it?
My answer is yes, that's why I love tv shows: I have already been one of the Oceanic 6, studied medicine, had a wicked adolescence, lived in NY, been a serial killer, scaped from prison... and still so many stories to live...
Here is my next hunch for summer: SWINGTOWN
and the one I may be waiting for autumn FRINGE
Stockholm
Again, better late than never... here is my post about Sweeden.
We got to Stockholm late friday evening, but there are no big surprises in such overdevelopped countries. Getting to Melani's was as simple as expensive and there we had tortilla, jamón, spanish wine and an awesome group of people waiting for us.
No big surprises in Stockholm: there wasn't any big checklist full of museums and monuments to see, just some hanging around and parks. Seems that summer arrived to Stockholm the same day we did. Pictures, laughs... We even took part in a wedding in a beautiful place... I mean, if I ever get tricked by a Swede and it is a life or death situation, I will definitely get married there :)
Then we had our botellon over (literally) the lake, great great, no big surprise for some spaniards. I love civilization and I loved too not being able to enter any of the posh discos we tried to, money wisely saved.
And then, a sunny sunday in a park. We had our BBQ assembled, just the american way and we spent the day there, in between baths, Absoluts and laughs.
11PM, a group of ICEX on a sunday night who bet to go out that night and actually do, isn't it surprising? It is, indeed, to leave the disco at 4am, with a complete open day, just as the summer nights I love in Spain.
Monday morning: grasse matinée, which means sleep in till you wish :) and then a walk in the land of H&M, nice meal with my colleagues and back to Paris.
No big stories, perhaps a couple of topics that died, but it was, without any doubt, one of the best weekends I had so far. Thanks to Melani, Maria, Eneko, Oscar, Javi and Adolfo, great great hosts, hope to see you in the future!
And Starlight by Muse to end this post, cause I listened it back at Adolfo's after a long time and I really want to keep it in mind!We got to Stockholm late friday evening, but there are no big surprises in such overdevelopped countries. Getting to Melani's was as simple as expensive and there we had tortilla, jamón, spanish wine and an awesome group of people waiting for us.
No big surprises in Stockholm: there wasn't any big checklist full of museums and monuments to see, just some hanging around and parks. Seems that summer arrived to Stockholm the same day we did. Pictures, laughs... We even took part in a wedding in a beautiful place... I mean, if I ever get tricked by a Swede and it is a life or death situation, I will definitely get married there :)
Then we had our botellon over (literally) the lake, great great, no big surprise for some spaniards. I love civilization and I loved too not being able to enter any of the posh discos we tried to, money wisely saved.
And then, a sunny sunday in a park. We had our BBQ assembled, just the american way and we spent the day there, in between baths, Absoluts and laughs.
11PM, a group of ICEX on a sunday night who bet to go out that night and actually do, isn't it surprising? It is, indeed, to leave the disco at 4am, with a complete open day, just as the summer nights I love in Spain.
Monday morning: grasse matinée, which means sleep in till you wish :) and then a walk in the land of H&M, nice meal with my colleagues and back to Paris.
No big stories, perhaps a couple of topics that died, but it was, without any doubt, one of the best weekends I had so far. Thanks to Melani, Maria, Eneko, Oscar, Javi and Adolfo, great great hosts, hope to see you in the future!
Discover Muse!
about addictions
I know that many people will smile while reading this post, and I know it very well cause many have laughed with me when talking about the topic. I most of the times use this to make fun of me, but I wanna beg you to read it seriously cause my addiction is a true one...
We get to an age where you start having your small (or big) habits, obsessions and addictions...
I remember my first day. I tried it in the campus cafeteria and after some time I loved it. That time has an specific souvenir: the library in the UAM and the flavour of my lemon coke. Life was easy then. Afterwards I graduate from my MBA, thanks to Lili and the lemon cokes in the vending machine of Icade.
Once, I even confirmed I was in love the day he came to pick me up at the airport with the biggest smile and a car full of cokes, ready to start our own roadtrip.
Life at CECO was a little bit harder, mainly cause there was only vulgar diet coke there, but I survived, thanks in part to Isa, such a brightful girl who really shares my tastes :)
And then I came here. One of the positive things I wrote down when I moved was that this is a great country, and lemon coke is everywhere. Thanks to that I have kept with the unwritten tradition of my Office that the macro intern has diet coke for breakfast (guess that you need more than that, but we still face it with dignity just with cokes)
And then.. it happened. First I thought it was going to be something accidental, but day after day, the shelf of the supermarket remained empty till the fateful day the name of my lemon coke disappeared. I found myself going from one supermarket to another looking for the precious product. It has even disappeared from the shop of my pakistani friend.
or even sometimes a gentle friend get me one :)
but I know the end is close.So here is my tribute to the habits and addictions. For those who have one and accept it and for those who hasn't found their addictions yet. Because I am addicted to so many things and because I love them all.
Discover Robert Palmer!
temblando
ayer cumpli un sueño, aunque no puedo contarlo todavía de la emoción...
os dejo con el artículo y la foto...
Se busca
Se busca mensaje para llevar en una pancarta el domingo próximo a Roland Garros, se aceptan ideas y sugerencias ;)
Looking for message to write in a banner next sunday in Roland Garros (especially suporting the spanish team)
Paname
You may have asked yourself, why once in Paname? wasn't it Paris?
Well the answer is that Paris is usually know as Paname.
My favorite explanation (and probably not the truest) is that Paname evokes the hidden face of Paris. In this case: the contraction of PAris and macadAME (tarmac in english, asfalto en español)
Paris has many faces, that's true and I started to fear today I won't be able to meet all in a year.
Anyway for the last weeks I felt I was living in a different city (which I think is common with most of my colleages in other european cities) and truth is that I like this new city, I love Paname.
Well the answer is that Paris is usually know as Paname.
My favorite explanation (and probably not the truest) is that Paname evokes the hidden face of Paris. In this case: the contraction of PAris and macadAME (tarmac in english, asfalto en español)
Paris has many faces, that's true and I started to fear today I won't be able to meet all in a year.
Anyway for the last weeks I felt I was living in a different city (which I think is common with most of my colleages in other european cities) and truth is that I like this new city, I love Paname.
I can't wait
I couldn't stop crying when I first heard about him. I still don't know his name but I can't wait to see him... for the fans.. here the best pictures so far...
it is a BIG country
I have been a couple of days thinking about how to write about Moscow...
Russia is too big for a short post, and three days are not enough to be fair to the city, but I will try to explain a little bit how was it.
The trip to Moscow started long before the 1st may. It started when I arrived to Paris in october and began to look at the world map. I have always wanted to go there, somehow the stories about the part of my family that emigrated there, had kind of weight during my childhood. So, by december I had already bought the flight and got a couple of colleagues to go with to visit my friends there: Paco and Mèrce.
Russia is too big for a short post, and three days are not enough to be fair to the city, but I will try to explain a little bit how was it.
The trip to Moscow started long before the 1st may. It started when I arrived to Paris in october and began to look at the world map. I have always wanted to go there, somehow the stories about the part of my family that emigrated there, had kind of weight during my childhood. So, by december I had already bought the flight and got a couple of colleagues to go with to visit my friends there: Paco and Mèrce.
Getting the visa was not as difficult as we had thought, being invited by them I didn't even have to pay. Getting there was a little bit more difficult... that's what happens when you travel with a serious company. Lufhtansa made us lose one day on our way to Moscow... (this never happened to me with all the low cost flights I have taken!)
But there I was! Brave (and a little bit unconscious) as I am, I found myself lost in the underground from the very beginning. I had to say that I was lucky that two guys decided to help me (in their 20s, with a beer in their hand hehe).
I tried to avoid them but they were kind of insistent and they could speak a little bit of English. So, trusting them, and trusting the girl next to us, that couldn't stop laughing at the situation, I followed them. There I learnt from them, that speaking English is something they don't like to do, cause it is (still) the language of their enemy, but they are curious about everything and knew loads of things about Spain (even though I found them a little bit confused about the relation between Spain and Mexico..)
Finally I reached the civilisation, that is the team waiting for me: Mèrce, Paco, Rodrigo (Bucharest), Isa and Jon (Berlin), Dani (Dusseldorf) (and a little bit later the last two: Gonzalo (Berlin) and Paula (Madrid))
From the beginning I thought that I hadn't expected that Moscow was so capitalist-like. There are not big differences from Western Europe. They drink Long Islands and Cosmopolitans too!
But I still could point some things that shocked me. Religion is one of those. I was surprised to see people so young and so devoted in the various cathedrals and churches we entered. I really thought comunism had finished with all that, but it is still a religious country. The second big difference for me is that it is a sad country, they don't smile, and that is scary. Even if I tried (and I tried hard) they never smiled back at me. Poverty also shocked me a couple of times. Not surprising considering the gdp per capita and the prices of Moscow !
We did it all. We walked and WALKED. We saw loads of underground stations. We listened to wiki-paco and all his explanations. We had a great cheesecake in the Cafe Pushkin and I felt as if we belonged to the high class. We tried the gastronomy of Georgia and had our SHOTS of vodka. We took taxis and wondered whether he wanted our kidneys or he was just lost. We walked along the Red Square and saw it completely EMPTY to our astonishment. No need to talk about them (Russian girls) cause he has done it already, and much better than I would never do it.
In all.. I loved the city, and this country deserves more. It is one we will hear more about in the future, and there are still a lot of things to discover about it!
War is a big part of the history of Russia
Macdo picnic in the developped Moscow
Team group in the beautiful Saint Basil
The empty and hair - raising Red Square
my living room
again I am not updating as frequently as I would like to, but I will try to do it in the next couple of days (before I take off again) PROMISE
Anyway, I couldn't wait to post a picture of my living room. I had to wait till I got my fished eye camera to make a GOOD PICTURE. So here you are, just sit down, relax, and feel at home!
Anyway, I couldn't wait to post a picture of my living room. I had to wait till I got my fished eye camera to make a GOOD PICTURE. So here you are, just sit down, relax, and feel at home!
mi querida España
desconozco si la morriña está directamente relacionada con la distancia, imagino que algo sí tendrá que ver, pero quería compartir con vosotros una lista. Por más que aquí se encuentre (casi) de todo y que todo lo que hay aquí es (casi) igual de bueno, siempre gusta tener de cosas de casina... Recojo aqui algunas de las peticiones que he oido:
- cola cao (no hay y no hace falta que os explique que no es lo mismo que el nesquick)
- chistorra, porque sin ella no hay chistorrada posible, ni hojaldritos de chistorra (cocina de fusion)
- embutido de todos los tipos, especialmente: jamón para los bocatas del viernes y para los picnics y chorizo para las lentejas
- queso manchego, que de verdad se echa de menos aqui..
- horchata chufi
- cajas y cajas de Rioja (si, traemos, y mucho!)
- filtros de cigarrillo
- fregonas
- ron Brugal / Cacique
- vaselina de Gal
- galletas Chiquilin
- galletas Maria (hay gente pà to)
- gulas
- licor cafe
- zapatillas Victoria
- pan de torrija
- hongos (de comer... estos vascos! mmm pero que ricos..!)
- chicles orbit
- ....
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