Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Spinnaker Tower.Portsmouth.UK.Feb 05

This joke has gone too far... I read in the newspaper : "Pay us 2m pounds more or tower misses the big party. Portsmouth City Council has been told by builders Mowlem that there is a 'significant delay' to the Spinnaker tower project. But the May 25 completion date could be met – if the council pays a further 2m pounds. The council is desperate to have the tower open by June as the eyes of the world will focus on the city for the Trafalgar 200 celebrations and the International Festival of the Sea".

As I said, this stupid joke has gone too far. This tower should have been built for the Millennium celebrations. That's five years ago. Now, after many problems and delays, we are told the tower will only be ready if the City Council (meaning the citizens purses, of course!) cough up more money to the builders. What a shame! That sounds like blackmail to me!!
And please, 'the world will focus on the city for the Trafalgar 200 celebrations'?? The world? Really! I bet the world has many other things to focus its eyes on than in a battle fought 200 years ago between the French and the English!


La 'bromita' ya ha ido demasiado lejos...Leo en el periodico : " Pagadnos 2 millones mas o la torre no se acaba para la fiesta. La empresa constructora Mowlem ha comunicado al Ayuntamiento de Portsmouth que habra un 'retraso de importancia' en el proyecto de la Spinnaker Tower. Pero la fecha de finalizacion se podria cumplir - si el Ayuntamiento paga 2 millones de libras mas. El Ayuntamiento desea inaugurar la torre en Junio, ya que la ciudad sera el centro de atencion mundial durante las celebraciones del 200 aniversario de la Batalla de Trafalgar y el Festival Internacional del Mar".

Ya digo, la bromita ha ido demasiado lejos. Esta torre tenia que haber estado construida para las celebraciones del Milenio. De eso hace ya 5 anios. Ahora, despues de multiples problemas e interrupciones, resulta que solo estara lista si el Ayuntamiento (es decir, los impuestos del ciudadano de a pie, al fin y al cabo) paga mas a los constructores. Que verguenza! Puro chantaje!!
Y eso de que la ciudad estara en el punto de mira del mundo entero por el aniversario de la Batalla de Trafalgar...a ver...permitanme que lo ponga en duda! El mundo tiene otras preocupaciones mas importantes que celebrar una batalla naval de hace 200 anios entre ingleses y franceses!


The weather today:

Mostly Cloudy
3C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the North at 20 mph
Dew Point:-3C
Humidity:61%
Visibility:Unlimited
Barometer:1,013.2 mb

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

It snows today. It's a snow that makes you laugh, it's so bland and mild.It melts in seconds when touching the ground. I was walking down in Commercial Road and suddenly it started snowing. I felt like a character in an old Hollywood movie, with fake paper snowflakes flying everywhere. I imagined a couple of men with buckets full of fake snowflakes, pouring them from the top of a building. I turned to the next street...and hey! it was sunny and it had stopped snowing. Obviously I was in the studio set for another movie.


Hoy nieva. Es nieve que da risa, de lo poquita cosa que es. Se funde nada mas tocar el suelo. Iba andando en Commercial Road y de pronto, empezo a nevar. Me senti como un personaje de pelicula antigua de Hollywood, con nieve falsa de papel volando por todas partes. Imagine a un par de hombres con cubos llenos de nieve de papel, subidos a un edificio, tirando nieve falsa a la calle del estudio. Gire a la proxima calle y...ey! hacia sol y ya no nevaba. Era como entrar en el decorado de otra pelicula.


The weather today:
Haze
4C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind:From the Northeast at 23 mph
Dew Point:-2C
Humidity: 61%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer:1,013.5 mb

Monday, February 21, 2005

Easter Eggs.UK.Feb 05
One month to go for Easter...but we can stuff ourselves with eggs right now! The same applies to Xmas, starting on the 1st November, the winter sales, on the 26th December, St Valentine on the 1st January, Halloween the 1st of October and summer, starting just after Easter! Confusing? No! It's just the UK for you.

Falta aun un mes para Semana Santa...pero ya podemos hartarnos a huevos de Pascua! Lo mismo pasa en Navidad, que aqui empieza el 1 de Noviembre; y las rebajas de invierno, el 26 de Diciembre; San Valentin, el 1 de Enero; Halloween el 1 de Octubre y el verano, que empieza justo despues de Semana Santa! Que causa confusion? No! Esto es, a fin de cuentas, el Reino Unido.

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
6C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind: From the North at 8 mph
Dew Point: -1C
Humidity: 64%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer: 1,008.8 mb

Friday, February 18, 2005



As it can be seen here there are new gigs for The Tears in spring in the UK. SD sent me an email with the link and the question : "Do we want to go?". I immediately replied using font 40 and capital red letters : "YES!!!". Now it is done. We have bought our tickets and we will be going to the gig.

All this enthousiasm may surprise you. Who are these 'The Tears' then? Well, once upon a time there was a British band named Suede .
They were damned good. When I discovered them I really really liked them. And it was a long time since I had been enthousiastic for any band. The years and albums went by...And then they flopped and disappeared. I was happy as their last album had been terrible. I was ashamed, really. That was not the Suede I knew. But now Suede's singer Brett Anderson and guitar Bernard Butler (BB in Suede only until 1992) are back together, under the name The Tears. They have new songs to offer. Some more information about their last gig can be read here : The Morning News .

With this plus the Finn Brothers (ex-Crowded House) gig, we'll be having a very entertaining spring!


Como se puede ver aqui se han anunciado nuevos conciertos de The Tears en primavera en el Reino Unido.SD me envio un email con el link, diciendo :"Vamos?" y yo inmediatamente conteste (con fuente 40, mayusculas y en rojo) : "Si!!!". Hecho. Ya hemos comprado nuestras entradas online y vamos al concierto.

Todo este entusiasmo y excitacion quiza os sorprenda. Quien son estos 'The Tears', pues? Os cuento. Erase una vez una banda britanica llamada Suede .
En mi modesta opinion eran geniales. Cuando los descubri, hacia anios que no me entusiasmaba tanto por una banda. Pasaron los anios y pasaron los albums...Pero llego un punto en que no daban mas de si y desaparecieron. Francamente, me senti feliz cuando esto ocurrio. Su ultimo album habia sido terrible. Sentia verguenza ajena solo de escucharlo. Pero ahora, el cantante de Suede, Brett Anderson, y su guitarrista (hasta 1992), Bernard Butler, tienen algo nuevo que ofrecer. Han vuelto juntos y se llaman 'The Tears'. Mas informacion (en ingles) sobre el ultimo concierto en Londres, en el The Morning News .

Entre estos y los hermanos Finn (ex de Crowded House)vamos a tener una primavera bien entretenida!


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
8C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind: From the West at 17 mph
Dew Point: 4C
Humidity: 76%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,017.9 mb

Thursday, February 17, 2005




These are the books I was refering to on Monday. And let me insist... don't know what to do with those books you keep in your shelves and will never read again? Be generous! Be daring! Go to
Bookcrossing and set them free!


PS: Although I accept Nfer's remark that this system may or may not work depending on the country. It is quite successful in the United Kingdom, USA, Australia and New Zealand. The number of Bookcrossers in Spain is increasing too. And your country?



Estos son los libros a los que me referia el lunes. Y dejadme que insista... no sabeis que hacer con esos libros que se os acumulan en la estanteria y que sabeis que nunca-nunca volvereis a leer? Sed generosos! Sed valientes! Visitad Bookcrossing y liberad vuestros libros!


PS: Aunque como bien me apunto Nfer, este sistema puede o no funcionar dependiendo del pais. Hasta ahora, ha tenido exito en paises como el Reino Unido, Estados Unidos, Australia y Nueva Zelanda. En Espania los bookcrossers aumentan dia a dia. Y en tu pais?



The weather today:
Haze
4C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 1 mph
Dew Point: 1C
Humidity:79%
Visibility:5 miles
Barometer:1,026.1 mb

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

A curiosity, a website with a tool you can use to generate anagrams . You can check it here. People who are really into this and have become 'experts' in this 'non-'official' sciences affirm answers to people's personalities, our past and our future can be found in anagrams. Of course you need a bit of imagination and have the time and patiente to pore through a long list of probably meaningless anagrams. For instance, I tried with my name in Spanish. One of the results was 'Astronave cruz he' (Starship, cross, I have). It might indicate my interest for science-fiction? And how about the cross? Does it represent the Christian symbol? Does the anagram mean I believe in science instead of in religion? And how about the most famous anagram for Elvis (Presley?) Did you know it is...yes! 'Lives'! Elvis Lives!! See... with a bit of imagination...

I surfed a bit more looking for this topic and found a forum where 'anagrams' where called 'lexigrams'. A forum member created anagrams using Osama Bin Laden's name. Another forum member added his contribution : anagrams using Bin Laden's name in Arabic. The results were surprisingly accurate :
DISHONORED THE NATION (DANNAS AL OMMA)
NOW OSAMA HAS NO NATION (AL ANN LA OMMA L OSAMA)
NO PEACE WITH OSAMA (LA SALAM MEN OSAMA)
BLOOD FLOOD (DAMM SAL)
OSAMA SHALL NOT REMAIN (MA DAM OSAMA)

How bizarre!....


Curioso : una pagina web a la que proporcionas una frase y te crea todos los posibles anagramas (en espaniol). Lo podeis comprobar aqui . Segun entendidos en estos temas de las ciencias 'no oficiales', los anagramas pueden darnos respuestas a todo. Digamos que escribo mi nombre y apellidos y el generador crea todos los posibles anagramas. Los entendidos aseguran que en esos anagramas encontrare respuestas a mi personalidad, mi pasado y mi futuro. Claro que hay que tener cierto grado de imaginacion y entresacar el oro de la paja..dicen. Por ejemplo, uno de los muchos resultados de mi nombre es 'Astronave cruz he". Indica quizas mi aficion por la ciencia-ficcion? Pero y lo de la cruz? Representa al cristianismo? Y entonces...me esta diciendo el anagrama que antepongo la ciencia a la religion? Y el mas famoso anagrama de 'Elvis' (Presley)? Es 'Lives'. Elvis vive. Ya veis, con un poquito de imaginacion...

Investigando un poquillo el tema, me encontre un foro en ingles donde llamaban 'lexigramas' a los anagramas. Un forero creaba anagramas con el nombre de Osama Bin Laden. Otro forero aniadia que era mejor hacer los lexigramas usando el nombre en arabe. Los lexigramas que aparecian entonces eran :
DISHONORED THE NATION (DANNAS AL OMMA)- Deshonro a la nacion
NOW OSAMA HAS NO NATION (AL ANN LA OMMA L OSAMA)- Ahora Osama no tiene nacion
NO PEACE WITH OSAMA (LA SALAM MEN OSAMA) - No hay paz con Osama
BLOOD FLOOD (DAMM SAL)- Inundacion de sangre
OSAMA SHALL NOT REMAIN (MA DAM OSAMA) - Osama no permanecera

Ya digo, curioso, muy curioso....


The weather today:
Cloudy
4C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind:From the North Northeast at 8 mph
Dew Point: -3°C
Humidity:61%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer:1,028.1 mb

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

After several inactive months, I have today released three books. I refer of course to the Bookcrossing system. Read a book. Register it in Bookcrossing. Stick a Bookcrossing label with explanation on the book. Leave the book in a public place (anywhere you like). The idea is that somebody else will pick the book, read the label and realise they have just a free book in their hands. The book it's theirs to read and enjoy. The only thing the ex-owner asks is for the new owner to go to the Bookcrossing website and make a note saying the book is now safe. The new owner can then keep the book or release it again. I have to say in the majority of the cases, the new owner doesn't bother to continue the chain. A shame, after all it doesn't cost any money and there is no committment at all.
I think Bookcrossing is a great idea. If I have some spare books which I don't want to keep, I always release them. I never have many books at home as I normally borrow them from the Library. But this system it sure makes me value the few books I have!


Update: I retract my words! One of the books I released was caught 15 minutes later and the new owner has already left a note in Bookcrossing. It happens this person had seen a tv programme about the book and wanted to read it. What a coincidence!

Despues de unos largos meses de inactividad, hoy he vuelto a 'liberar'tres libros. Me refiero, por supuesto, al sistema internacional de 'intercambio' Bookcrossing (pagina web en ingles, aunque tiene tambien versiones en otros idiomas como espaniol). El sistema es bien sencillo. La idea es compartir libros sin animo de lucro. Lees un libro. Lo registras en Bookcrossing. Le pegas una etiqueta explicativa de Bookcrossing. Dejas el libro en un lugar publico (donde te de la gana!). La idea es que alguien recogera el libro, leera la etiqueta y se dara cuenta de que ese libro es para ellos/as...gratis! Lo unico que el ex-propietario/a pide es que se deje una nota en la pagina web de Bookcrossing, diciendo que el libro esta en buenas manos. El nuevo propietario/a puede hacer lo que quiera con el libro. Quedarselo o bien 'liberarlo', para que otros/as tengan tambien la oportunidad de leerlo. Hay que decir que, en la mayoria de los casos, los nuevos propietarios/as no se molestan en postear la nota en Bookcrossing. Una lastima, la verdad, porque no cuesta nada, es gratis, y no hay ninguna obligacion posterior.
Creo que Bookcrossing es una gran idea. Si tengo algunos libros que no quiero conservar, siempre los 'libero'. Nunca tengo muchos libros en casa porque acostumbro a tomarlos prestados de la biblioteca. Y tengo que decir que Bookcrossing me hace apreciar los poquitos libros que compro y me quedo!


Update: Retiro lo que dije! Hoy ha habido exito con los libros! Uno de los que 'libere' fue encontrado 15 minutos despues y el nuevo propietario ya ha dejado una nota en Bookcrossing. Parece ser que estaba interesado/a en leer el libro despues de ver un programa de tv sobre el tema. Que coincidencia!

The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
7C
UV Index: 1 Low
Wind:From the North Northeast at 16 mph
Dew Point:-5C
Humidity: 43%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,024.0 mb

Monday, February 14, 2005

Bread and Ham


bread and ham1
Originally uploaded by chipmonk.



The photo above shows our meal on Saturday night at MacSteve 's birthday party in Germany(photo courtesy of Chipmonk ). MacSteve had this extraordinary idea for a meal when he heard that it was possible to bake a York ham inside a huge loaf of bread, all at the same time. I can now confirm it is delicious!



La foto de arriba es nuestra cena del sabado cuando celebramos el cumpleanios de MacSteve en Alemania (la foto es cortesia de Chipmonk ). MacSteve tuvo esta extraordinaria idea para la cena cuando se entero de que era posible hornear al mismo tiempo una pata de jamon York dentro de una enorme hogaza de pan. Y puedo confirmar que es delicioso!



The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
6C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the North Northwest at 13 mph
Dew Point: -3C
Humidity: 53%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,017.9 mb

Friday, February 11, 2005

I heard voices. The voices told me to do it. They put pressure on me, they made me do it!....

I guess now you think I've become like Norman Bates in Psycho . With Bates' multiple personalities, the horrid mum on his head telling him to kill the motel's pretty client. Its' not the case, though. My craziness has reached higher levels than poor Norman, but as I was saying, this is not the case. The voices were real. I had to do it.... We are going to Barcelona on the 15th-17th April. "They" made me do it!!!


Oi voces. Las voces me dijeron que lo hiciera. Me presionaron, yo no queria hacerlo, pero las voces me obligaron...

Ahora me imagino que veis como a Norman Bates en Psicosis . Con doble personalidad, oyendo la voz de la madre ordenandole que asesinara a la guapa clienta del motel. No es el caso. Norman Bates se quedaba corto, con dos personalidades, a mi lado. Pero ya digo, no es el caso. Las voces que me presionaron son bien reales. Asi que tuve que hacerlo! Y si... vamos a Barcelona del 15 al 17 de Abril. Las 'voces' me obligaron!!!


The weather today:
Fog
9C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the South at 7 mph
Dew Point: 8C
Humidity: 93%
Visibility:2 miles

Thursday, February 10, 2005

I read in the newspaper (and think what a bunch of brutes those were): "Several people were hurt in the crush as thousands flocked to the midnight opening of Ikea's newest store. The shop stayed open for just 30 minutes because of safety fears at the store in Edmonton, north London. Five people were taken to hospital, one with chest pains, and up to 20 suffered from heat exhaustion.Police said the stabbing of a man, in his 20s, near the store at about 0130 GMT was unrelated. He was also taken to hospital where his condition is stable.
Ikea said its flagship store, the biggest in England, had to close because of an "unforeseen volume of customers". People became agitated and eventually they started trying to charge the doors Eye-witness Patrick Passley. An Ikea spokeswoman said the company was "deeply shocked, upset and concerned" and blamed a queue "surge" for the crush. Bargain-hunters even abandoned their cars on the A406 north circular causing severe traffic problems, the Met said. Advertising announcing cut price offers over 24 hours attracted between 4,000 and 6,000 people to the store, according to the London Ambulance Service".

Just as well that we go to the Ikea in Bristol...not closer than London but about the same.



Leo en el periodico (y pienso...'pero que bruta es la gente...'): "Londres. -- Varias personas han resultado heridas en una marea humana que ha invadido esta madrugada un nuevo hipermercado de muebles IKEA, el mayor de Inglaterra, en un barrio de Londres. Entre 4.000 y 6.000 personas habian acudido al centro comercial atraidas por una publicidad de la empresa sueca en la que anunciaba grandes rebajas durante 24 horas desde la pasada medianoche. A consecuencia de la aglomeracion de publico, cinco personas resultaron heridas, una de ellas con un amago de infarto, y tuvieron que ser trasladadas al hospital, mientras que otras 20 sufrieron malestar provocado por el calor asfixiante del interior del establecimiento. Algunos consumidores que acudian atraidos por las grandes ofertas anunciadas llegaron a dejar sus coches abandonados en las carreteras de acceso al hipermercado, lo que provocó grandes problemas en el trafico. La estampida se produjo de manera inesperada apenas media hora antes de las 00.00 horas de hoy, momento en que estaba prevista la apertura de los grandes almacenes".

Yo, por eso, me voy al Ikea de Bristol. Total, nos queda igual de lejos..

The weather today:
Cloudy and Windy
9C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 32 mph
Dew Point: 8C
Humidity: 90%
Visibility:4 miles

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

What was the number 1 hit in the UK Charts the day you were born? If you've spent your life wondering about this question, now you have found the solution! Look here !!


Que cancion ocupaba el puesto numero 1 en las listas de singles (Reino Unido) el dia en que naciste? Si vives atormentad@ por esta duda, ahora tienes facil la solucion. Mira aqui !!


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
10C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind:From the West Southwest at 13 mph
Dew Point: 5C
Humidity: 71%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer:1,025.1 mb

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

How many days since I wrote about holidays and travelling? I think... ages! too many! So it's time to reveal that this weekend we are going to Germany to celebrate MacSteve's birthday party and our Easter vacation will be a four day stay in Lisbon, Portugal. I love holidays, don't I? With regret I have to admit we have not planned our next trip to the US. Maybe we should start planning...now! Because when one lives in a country like ours, with this PERMANENT crap weather, the only thing that REALLY keeps you going is the prospect of holidays abroad. Sad but true.


Cuantos dias hace que no hablo de vacaciones y viajes? Yo diria que...hace un siglo! Asi que ya es hora de revelar que este fin de semana vamos a Alemania para celebrar el cumpleanios de MacSteve . Y que en Semana Santa nos vamos los cuatro dias a Lisboa, Portugal. Lamentablemente, aun no hemos planeado nuestra proxima visita a los USA. Tendriamos que empezar...ya! Basicamente, si se vive en un pais con un clima tan miserable como el nuestro, lo unico que te mantiene vivo y con esperanza es la posibilidad de vacaciones en el extranjero. Es triste decirlo, pero es la pura verdad.


The weather today:
Haze
9C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind:From the West Southwest at 10 mph
Dew Point: 6C
Humidity:82%
Visibility:4 miles
Barometer:1,024.0 mb

Monday, February 07, 2005

Curiously enough, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in the UK classified the active ingredients in magic mushrooms (psilocybin and psilocin) as Class A drugs, but not the fresh mushrooms themselves. A widely circulated letter from Ian Breadmore (Home Office drug licensing section, 17 February 2003) stated that ‘it is not illegal sell or give away a freshly picked mushroom provided that it has not been prepared in any way' and has been taken by vendors as official permission for their activities. In July 2004 Customs and Excise confirmed that psylocybe mushrooms were taxable at 17.5% VAT because they are not a food but a drug. Recent news, however, point out that the British government is attempting to ban the mushroom outright through a proposal on Page 21, Paragraph 21 of the new Drugs Bill. While the bill is not passed, though, UK citizens and residents can still buy their perfectly legal mushrooms in shops like The Psyche Deli (on the internet) or in market stalls in Camden, Portobello and Covent Garden in London, for instance.

Es curioso el caso del tratamiento que da la ley del Reino Unido a las setas magicas (hongos alucinogenos). En el Misuse of Drugs Act de 1971, se clasificaron los ingredientes activos de las setas (psilocybin y psilocin)como drogas de la clase A pero no a las setas por ellas mismas si eran frescas. Una carta de Ian Breadmore del Ministerio del Interior en su seccion de legalizacion de drogas mencionaba que 'no es ilegal vender o dar/regalar setas (magicas) frescas, mientras no hayan sido preparadas o tratadas de ninguna manera'. Lo que propicio la creacion de negocios de venta de setas, ya que incluso en Julio de 2004 el Ministerio de Hacienda confirmo que las setas psylocybe estan sujetas al impuesto sobre el valor aniadido del 17.5% ya que no son un alimento sino una droga (legal y por tanto, sujeta a impuestos!).
Sin embargo, informaciones recientes indican que el gobierno britanico esta intentando prohibir las setas pasando una nueva ley que las reclasifica en la pagina 21, parrafo 21 de la nueva Drugs Bill (Ley sobre las Drogas). Mientras la nueva ley no se aprueba, los ciudadanos y residentes en Gran Bretania pueden seguir comprando sus totalmente legales setas magicas en tiendas online como The Psyche Deli o en puestos en mercados como Camden, Portobello y Covent Garden en Londres, por poner un ejemplo.

The weather today:
Haze
9C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind:From the Southeast at 8 mph
Dew Point:5C
Humidity: 76%
Visibility: 3 miles
Barometer:1,020.7 mb

Friday, February 04, 2005

On the way back to Washington. North Carolina. Jan 05

My favourite fast food restaurants while in the US are Dennys and Cracker Barrel

I repeat, my favourite fast food restaurants! What a scandal, eh? Fast food! But yes, we had meals in many independently-owned restaurants but I don't despise good old fast food restaurants. I wonder how horrid companies like McDonalds and Burger King happen to be everywhere in the world, whereas good quality for value restaurants with decent food and service at the table have not made it abroad.

For instance, Dennys is a 'modern'chain of traditional-looking 'diner' restaurants. I made a point of ordering a different meal every time we went to Dennys as I was so easily tempted to order the 'Super bird' with soup again and again. The 'super bird' was a simple but delicious turkey, tomato and lettuce sandwich with french fries accompanied by the clam chowder soup, one of my favourite soups ever. I also became a 'float' fan, a concoction of different layers of coke and vanilla ice cream served on a long coke glass with a straw. Call me naive, but I didn't know you could do so many strange things with coke! As for Cracker Barrel , it is again a modern fast food chain with a very clever combination of shop (all 'made in China', ha ha!) and old country restaurant. The food was OK, simple and filling. I was very amused when reading a note after the list of vegetables you could order. The note said, more or less : 'our vegetables may not be suitable for vegetarians as we cook them in the old traditional way'. Vegetables not suitable for vegetarians, ha ha!


Mis restaurantes fast food preferidos cuando vamos a los USA son Dennys y Cracker Barrel .

Si, repito : mis restaurantes fast food preferidos. Que escandalo, eh? Fast food! Pues si, hemos comido en muchos restaurantes normales y corrientes, pequenios negocios con propietario y reputacion local pero, al mismo tiempo, no desprecio los restaurantes de fast food decentes, que los hay. Y me pregunto como carajo es que horrores como McDonalds y Burger King se han establecido en todos los paises del mundo y otros restaurantes fast food con comida de calidad y buen precio, con servicio en la mesa, no se han expandido fuera de los USA.

Por ejemplo, Dennys es una cadena moderna de restaurantes con aspecto de tradicional 'diner' americano. Me propuse pedir un plato diferente cada vez que ibamos a Dennys porque era demasiado tentador caer una y otra vez en mi preferido, el 'Super bird', un delicioso sandwich de pavo, tomate y lechuga con patatas fritas, acompaniado de sopa, que normalmente pedia de almeja, mi preferida. Me aficione a los 'float' una bebida que me recuerda a las pociones que creabamos en la infancia, con capas de helado de vainilla y Coca-cola en un vaso largo de Coca-cola y que se bebe con una pajita. Me llamareis inocente, pero no sabia que se pudieran hacer 'experimentos' tan raros con la Coca-cola! Y en cuanto a Cracker Barrel , es tambien una cadena moderna de restaurantes fast food y tienda (todo 'Made in China, ja ja!) con la astuta imagen de un antiguo restaurante del Oeste americano. La comida es sencilla y se ve claramente lo que es un filete de pescado o de carne, por poner un ejemplo. Lo que me hizo reir fue la nota que venia despues de la lista de verduras. Decia asi, mas o menos : 'nuestras verduras podrian no ser adecuadas para vegetarianos, ya que las cocinamos segun el antiguo estilo tradicional'. Verduras no aptas para vegetarianos, ja ja!


The weather today:
Haze
8C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind:calm
Dew Point:7C
Humidity:92%
Visibility:1 miles
Barometer: 1,029.5 mb

Thursday, February 03, 2005

View from the hotel. Jekyll Island.Georgia. Jan 05

This is the seaview from the hotel where we stayed at Jekyll Island in Georgia. We loved Jekyll Island for its peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. As soon as we crossed the long bridge that connects the mainland with the island, it was like stepping in another world without traffic noises, less people, no advertisements and not a junk food outlet in view. Jekyll Island still preserves the retreat atmosphere which attracted so many millionaires at the end of the XIX and beginning of XX century, when the bridge didn't exist and holidaymakers could only get to the island by ferry. It became a real millionaires holiday club, with many well known names at the time : the Rockefellers, Goulds, Macys all came to Jekyll Island, built their 'cottages' and spent the winter in Georgia. Later on they abandonned the place and moved to pastures new, the state of Georgia bought the island, built the bridge, refurbished the derelict houses and now it is open to any nostalgic visitor wishing to escape for a simpler and very relaxed vacation. By law only 35% of the island can be developed. So there is 65$ dedicated to natural conservation area.


Esta es la vista desde el balcon del hotel donde nos alojamos en Jekyll Island , Georgia. Nos gusto Jekyll Island por su atmosfera tranquila y relajada. Tan pronto cruzamos el largo puente que conecta la isla con tierra firme, nos encontramos en otro mundo. Sin ruidos de trafico, menos gente, sin publicidad en las calles y ni un solo restaurante de fast food a la vista. Jekyll Island aun conserva la atmosfera de pacifico retiro que atrajo a tantos millonarios a finales del siglo XIX y principios del XX, cuando el puente no existia y solo se podia llegar a la isla en ferry. Se convirtio en un club privado de vacaciones para los millonarios de la epoca : los Rockefeller, Gould y Macy, por poner un ejemplo, construyeron sus 'cottages' y vinieron a pasar los inviernos a Jekyll Island, escapando del frio del Norte de USA. Anios despues las modas canviaron y los millonarios se fueron con la musica a otra parte, abandonando los 'cottages'y el club. El estado de Georgia compro la isla, reconstruyo los 'cottages', construyo el puente y abrio la isla a los visitantes nostalgicos deseosos de escapar por unos dias del mundanal ruido en busca de unas vacaciones sencillas. Por decreto ley solo se puede construir en 35% de la superficie de la isla, asi que el 65% es area natural preservada.


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
11C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind:From the Northwest at 5 mph
Dew Point:7C
Humidity:76%
Visibility: 5 miles
Barometer:1,034.9 mb

Wednesday, February 02, 2005




These are the states we've visited. You can create your own maps : here . And for today, no more maps!


En rojo, los estados que hemos visitado. Podeis hacer lo mismo aqui . Y se acabaron los mapas..por hoy!
From Washington DC to Key West and back

I should have thought about taking a photo of the map showing our last trip to the US. It was only when reading Hightoro's summary of his holidays than I saw a nice map he had added to the explanation, so I though I might as well steal his idea and do it myself! (although my map is not as professionally done as his) As you can see in the map, we landed in Washington DC, drove down to Florida and then up again to Washington DC, on the way back, following almost the same route than in our way down.


Como no se me ocurrio tomar una foto del mapa marcado con la ruta que seguimos en nuestro ultimo viaje a los USA? No cai en la cuenta hasta que lei el resumen de las vacaciones de Hightoro , cuando vi el mapa en detalle que complementaba sus explicaciones. Asi que pense, le copio descarademente la idea (aunque mi mapa es mas bien casero) y mas vale tarde que nunca! Como veis en el mapa, aterrizamos en Washington DC y conducimos hasta Florida, volviendo a Washington DC mas o menos por la misma ruta.



The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
7C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind:From the West Northwest at 6 mph
Dew Point: 2°C
Humidity: 71%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer: 1,035.9 mb

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

The most impressive ride so far : Spider Man at Islands of Adventure , the second Universal theme park in Orlando. It is the best ever done 3D animation I have seen. The nasty editor of the Daily Bugle sent us on a wild ride to chase Spider-Man in the streets of a very realistic cartoon New York. Unfortunately, we eavesdropped on some villains, Spider-Man arch-enemies, who were plannig to destroy the city. We were attacked by the villains, flew between skyscsrappers while escaping from them, saw Spider-Man fighting the villains and finally our little car fell from a skyscrapper to the street, only to be saved by a huge web that Spider-Man laid for us at the last minute. The flying between skyscrapers and our final hair-raising fall were so very real that we had to keep reminding ourselves that was only a 3D animation. 3D has not been, in my opinion, developed enough to be considered good..until now with the Spider-Man ride. I hope this will mean the further development of a very interesting type of new rides in theme parks.


La atraccion que mas me ha impresionado hasta ahora : Spider-Man en Islands of Adventure , el segundo parque tematico de Universal en Orlando. Es la mejor atraccion con animacion 3D que he visto en mi vida.
El malcarado editor del Daily Bugle nos envia a perseguir a Spider-Man en las calles de una Nueva York de comic muy realista. Desafortunadamente, nos encontramos con los villanos del comic, los archienemigos de Spider-Man, que planean un ataque a la ciudad. Nos descubren, nos persiguen y nos atacan mientras nuestro cochecito corre como loco y hasta vuela entre los rascacielos. Finalmente, Spider-Man lucha contra los villanos y nos salva en el ultimo momento, cuando vamos a estrellarnos desde lo alto de un rascacielos, tendiendo su red de arania justo cuando vamos a tocar el suelo. Este ultimo momento y el vuelo entre los rascacielos eran tan reales que teniamos que hacer un esfuerzo para recordar que 'solo' era una animacion en 3 dimensiones. La animacion 3D, en mi opinion, no se ha explotado y desarrollado lo suficiente.. hasta ahora, con la atraccion de Spider-Man. Espero que el exito de esta 'aventura' signifique mas inversion y mejora en las atracciones con animaciones 3D en los parques tematicos.


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
9C
UV Index:0 Low
Wind: From the North at 8 mph
Dew Point: 5C
Humidity: 76%
Visibility:6 miles
Barometer:1,033.9 mb