Nothing in particular...

Hmmmm, have rewritten parts here over and over, and yet don't know what to say really.
It's just amazing to realise how someone can ruin your mood absolutely and completely time and again, and I therefore am not too much in the mood to be writing a lot here. I'd prefer not to write then, than starting to be diplomatic!

Had a great weekend though, which brought something of a smile back, and have been practicing my Spanish a lot. Think I might have spoken more Spanish (oral and written) this weekend than ever before. Very enjoyable actually (as it went quite well), as I met new faces and as well realised how some things and feelings won't change, even when reaching back many years, and crossing many kilometers.

Anyway, as I am moving over the next couple of weeks, will have some friends visiting for the weekend, the U2 concert, plus starting a new part-time job, clearing up my life here, and lot of not-done-yet-administration crap, I won't be writing much for a while I think. Will have quite a number of other things on my mind!

You know how to reach me though ;) I'll be back! Don't worry! I'll keep you updated on beautiful Copenhagen...

20th of July and a bit of the 21st...

Sometimes I have these days where I am busy with all kinds of fairly trivial things, and yet realise in the depths of my crooked brain that this day is somehow important to me, or in history. Someway, somehow.
Yesterday was one of those days.
It wasn't until today actually I realised its significance. For several reasons, actually.
Most people will obviously think of one of the largest human achievements in history so far (I still have hopes for more), the landing on the moon in 1969, of which I don't think I need to say anything, just check out the photos. ;)

But more things happened in history. On that fatal day in 1944 the plot by German army officers to kill Hitler was put into motion, and as we all know, miserably failed unfortunately.

What else? One of the most famous songs of the last 40 years was released on this day, Bob Dylans' 'Like A Rolling Stone'...

Right now I am searching my living big box of memories (also called a brain) for any memories. But not specifically for that day though. I can vaguely remember teenage holidays, trips to Greece with old friends, and more recently: walking the streets of Paris with Ana (the brilliant pianist who will always play the theme of Amelie Poulain whenever Guillaume and I ask for it!), or arriving in the station of Sevilla a few years ago and then...

...on the other hand: Italy, 4 years ago, on the 21st of July. At this very hour I was in a bus from Bergamo, Italy, going to Turin, with 3 Italians I had met the night before, on our way to the U2 concert in the Delle Alpi Stadium (for football fans: I was on the pitch where Juventus usually plays!!).
The reason I went with some friends of Andrea, my friend who I was visiting and actually got my the ticket, was that his uncle had died more or less the moment I arrived from Spain (no, it wasn't me), and the funeral was on that 21st of July. So obviously he wouldn't go.

I have shivers running down my spine thinking of that day. What an experience.
70.000 crazy Italians and me.
U Due, U due, U due!! ("what are they singing??" "U2, but in Italian..." "Ahhhhhhhh!!")
The stadium was packed from around 1 pm already, and the concert starting at 21.30 or something. The atmosphere was electric, it was hot and sunny and I realised many Italian women realllllly needed to shave their armpits... ehheeemmmm...
We had 4 warm-up concerts, including a band from Bergamo that my companions were really proud to see and hear there. There was the 'famous' Italian artist Jovanotti, and then the coolest one (for me): the Fun Lovin' Criminals. Quite funny to see that there actually. Previously everyone had been singing to the Italian songs, but with this band I think I was one of the few. Seriously cool music though, straight out of New York.

Thinking back I realise there is no way I can ever describe the feelings that rushed through me in the concert, listening to music you basically grew up with, listening to music that had become so much part of you (in DK even more, one day I'll describe the whole evolution of the 'With Or Without You' thing), evoking such strong emotions because of the significance of some lyrics, of some songs, that all you can do is stare at the night sky, reaching for the stars.

Great concert, but Bono's voice wasn't that good that night, as he had a cold, and had serious problems with for example 'One', but I think the energy of the people carried him through (I heard on of the next concerts was actually cancelled).
One specific one: they actually finished with 'Out Of Control', their very first single. If I remember correctly, because it was the 20th anniversary of its release or something like that.
Since that awesome day I have actually found recordings of the concert on the internet. Both sound AND video! Some guy apparently on the 2nd ring had filmed the whole thing (easy to understand), had transferred it all to his computer (still, ok, I can follow him), and then shared it over P2P networks (quite hard to understand by then!)

Well, to finish here (and realising I wrote a whole story about this concert before): U2: T - 10 days.
The 31st of July in Copenhagen.
With Guillaume, Sara, Michael, Alvaro, Matthieu and many more. Absolutely brilliant.
Can't wait!
(Although I have to admit I had a worrying thought going through my head yesterday: bombings are 'promised' in Denmark if they don't pull back their troops by the 15th of August. This would be an opportune moment to put some pressure... bwaaaaaaahhhh!! Idiots...)

And I will only listen to U2 until the concert... ;)

Into the big box of memories

Well, there we go. Packing down more and more things.
Yesterday I got hold of some more moving boxes, and even though I still have some weekes to go, it is not a bad idea to start packing, as these weeks will be busy enough.
I am bumping into all kinds of things, even in a fairly small room as I have now.

One realisation is that (consumer electronics) technology has advanced, a lot, since I moved here in 1999 (!!).
When I came here I had my stereosystem, with tape recorder and all, no cd-burner, no speakers for the computer etc etc.
And now? A dvd-burner, more video RAM than I had normal RAM when I came (I think), my great stereo is packed down into a box, very likely never to be used again, and I just found a big bag with cassette tapes under my bed.
Some dating back to holidays in 1996 and 1997 when an old friend (Rogier) and I would sit down for a full week (I remember my dad: "guys, shouldn't you go out and enjoy the sun? Naahh, we want to finish this"), just to prepare mix tapes for a 2 week trip (Actually there is a large body of popular and more scientific work written on the 'art form of mix tapes).

But what else then? No more mix tapes, but mix cd's. Or cd's filled with mp3's. Mp3players with a bigger capacity than the hard drive of my old and trusty Penitum II. A grand collection of digital music playing of my computer with surround sound speaker system. No more normal radio. A flat screen that was half the price of my original 17" trinitron screen monstrosity. No more watching movies on tv in the comfy sofa's on the 4th floor, but seeing them in the privacy of your own room (so no more excuses afterwards: "yeah, now we are going to watch some MTV..." Uhuhhhh...)
High-speed internet as opposed to a shitty 33k3 modem dial-up connection. Etc etc etc...

Crazy how time flies!

Then... the last box I am filling now is the big box of Emdrup memories. An honesty weird box with things!
With street numbers we 'tripped over' once a loooong time ago (Jelle, Roco and Bjorn...); a photo of Mark, Elena and Sara attempting to sing Coldplay's Yellow (when I say 'sing', I mean screaming like a couple of drowning cats); Dani's homemade schedule of the World Cup 2002 (not updated after the 19th of June, the day he returned home); Domenico's 'Scream' mask (all the blood has dried up by now); a veeeeery gay boa and morning gown we used at some Halloween parties (pictures on request...); the biiiiig Tuborg banner that we 'found' in the cafe in Dalgas; the poster from the Valentines Party in 2002, where people could leave their messages of 'love' ("Rob, Naps and Lee, you have a small cazzo. Love, Massimo and Alberto"); a really cool Bacardi ice bucket 'acquired' during a fantastic gin-fuelled night with David, Maite, Scott and Jaime, a night where I needed to let some much wanted fresh air into my still broken heart; or a broken piece of the street sign that should say 'Tuborgvej' (a 'gift' from Benoit, who in a very drunken state had been driving up and down that whole street just to find me a good birthday present!), and of course, of anyone wants to see them eventually: I have all the postcards that people have been sending back to Emdrup from wherever they were travelling, or from wherever they had to go back to.

Well, again, etc etc etc...

All kinds of things, an odd collection of objects that all have a story, a meaning and definitely a lot of sentimental value to me.
They all go into a big box, and I probably won't open it for quite a while, but they'll be right there in the heart.
...I almost can't wait to show my grandkids! "Grandpa tells a story..." ;)

Aaaaaaaaaaannnyway... No, I am not sentimental now, not at all actually. Guess that will come some day soon, but for now... no. I just threw out my old and so very much worn down pair of Airwalks, without much of hesitation. Ooooff, I have had them for more than 10 years for sure, and still even remember which shop I bought them in...
Hmmm, Rotterdam had it's good places too ;)

Well, I am off, my new bed is being delivered at this very moment!

A new one!

"The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others."
William Lyon Phelps

Well, sometimes I realise that some thoughts, and some things I come across are not for this specific site. Trying to keep it real, or something like that. Call it what you will. This one is specifically for and about my friends, and the treasure hunt they cause me and each other...
And yet, while going around my things, I hear something, listen to something, or read a certain quote, phrase, or saying that just hits home, straight to my heart. Lifting me up, making me think, melancholic or just put a smile on my face for the memories.

So, I decided, instead of boring you here with (mainly) my music taste and for example the poetry one needs to read to 'develop', I will put it (mostly) on a new & simple site I have created. It's called 'The Heart & The Soul', named after the beautiful song by the Dutch band Hallo Venray.

No, it won't cost me more time, as the posts there, are unedited and mostly copy-paste from where I found it. Simple, just a few careful, lovely and gentle words, to 'feed the soul', as I wish to think of it.

It's a short read, think of it as your thought of the day or anything like that, and maybe let the words inspire you too.
Hope you will enjoy it!

Coming down from the clouds

...That shower really helped! ;)

And now... some relaxing, and then off to the airport once again!

Mecano - Aire
Una noche de resaca
Al tratar de despertar
Noté que por el ombligo
Me empezaba a desinflar
Que mi cuerpo se arrugaba
Como un papel de vegetal
E iba pasando qué curioso
Al estado gaseoso.

Y tras la metamorfosis
Me sentí mucho mejor
Era un aire gris oscuro
Y con bastante polución
Se notaba en cualquier caso
Que era aire de ciudad
Que si bien no es el más sano
Lo prefiere el ser humano.

Aire
Soñé por un momento que era aire
Oxígeno, nitrogeno y argón
Sin forma definida, ni color
Fui aire volador.

Como yo soy muy consciente
Hasta en esta situación
Decidí ser consecuente
Con mi nueva dimensión
Y probé a ser respirado
Por la que duerme a mi lado
Sin entrar en pormenores
Yo sé hacer cosas mejores.

Como no me satisfizo
La experiencia sexual
Se me inflaron los vapores
Me convertí en huracán
Di unas tres o cuatro vueltas
Y a la quinta me cansé
Este cuarto es muy pequeño
Para las cosas que sueño.

Aire
Soñé por un momento que era aire
Oxígeno, nitrogeno y argón
Sin forma definida, ni color
Fui aire volador.

Y lo siento por mi novia
Y el cristal que me cargué
Me escapé por la ventana
Y en picado me lancé
Pero tuve mala suerte
Y cuando iba a remontar
Me volví otra vez humano
No falteís al funeral.

Aire
Soñé por un momento que era aire
Oxígeno, nitrogeno y argón
Sin forma definida, ni color
Fui aire volador.

Just fun, plain fun...the whole (well, almost..) account

So, sitting sipping a new danish wheat beer on Kultorvet yesterday afternoon with Jochem (whilst enjoying the views of Copenhagen...), Guillaume calls up to ask if I wanted to have some dinner that evening, with him and Sara.
Sure, why not?
I mentioned that some people were considering going out to Club Mambo again, the salsa place where we had been some weeks before too. Apparently there was some special offer for the night or something. Anyway...
After declining at first, a few minutes later the sms cicus started. If we actually wanted to make it a improvised boys night out, as Guillaume was up for it anyway, and Sara wanted to stay home. Well, you know I am always veeeeery hard to convince, so... after calling and message around a bit, we scrounged up some guys that would join (not that everybody came in the end, but ok... and Michael, sorry, we didn't invite you, thought actually that Guillaume had talked to you... next time! and anyway, you don't like Latin music anyway! hahahah!)

Then a pasta meal cooked by an Italian woman is always good (thanks again Sara!), and then...
Getting ready for the evening I played looooud the two songs that Guillaume and I always played whenever getting ready for a party; U2's 'Bad' (the 12 min. version from the original Live Aid) and U2's 'Where the Street Have No Name' (also some incredible live version). So I was ready to go after that! (and anyway, we have to listen to a lot of U2 these days, getting ready for the concert in a few weeks!! That story will be a looooong post!)

We obivously did our routine of having a couple of rum and lemon before leaving ('Cacique 500' for the connaisseurs) and in the end we were 2 Brazilians, 1 French, 1 Mexican, 1 Dutch and moi.
A perfect mix for trouble!! ;)
Then the salsa club, Club Mambo (the old Sabor Latino) with some Brazilians playing some music, with again a dance performance of this group I have seen as well at the carnaval a few weeks ago, and also when we were there a few weeks ago. I have to admit I am quite taken by one of the dancers. Because everybody knows everybody, I ran into her a couple of times and spoken a few words. Unbelievable dancer...
She's from Chile, amazing dancer, smart (according to my Brazilian friends a psycho therapist or something), cute, a smile that would have melted the ice berg that sank the Titanic... and mostly, reminds me of a special certain someone in Colombia...
Hmmm...
"I think the word you are looking for here is: aaaaaanywayy...."

I spoke with one of the bartenders as well. A guy called Andrés, from Venezuela. We both had this dejá-vu thing, we know we have met before, and no idea where. I hate that! Memo, our Mexican, had the same feeling. I guess we have met so many over time, that sometimes you forget where we have met people! Nice guy, guess we'll run into each other soon again, as I will go both to a celebration of the Colombian national day, as well as the Peruvian one, a week later (going to enjoy some great foods again! Can't wait!)

After a few hours it was slowly emptying, and we decided to go to our 'home', Dakota. The place that is bascially ours :)
While walking over there, two Danish girls come up to us, and ask if we know a place to go dancing, so we're like "sure, just join us"
Then...
In that 5-10 min. walk our Brazilian friend got along marvellously with the one (quite cute btw) Danish girl, so he never even entered the next club. Now, that was easy! Hahahah...
And the other, well... I'll give a literal rendition of what she said to me (it has a certain shock value...):
"So, you're from Holland? I used to have a Dutch boyfriend once. He had a big dick. Do you have a big dick too? Do all Dutch guys have that?"
I am sure some readers are now sitting with their mouths open, so I guess you have an impression of how my face looked when asked that question.
What the f...?? I have been 6 years in DK now, and yet, everytime you learn something new here, huh??
Anyway, Jochem, Guillaume and I entered pretty quickly to the lovely old place, Dakota, not even saying goodbye to the girls and our Brazilian friend I realise now, but ok... No big loss there actually... Pfff!
So, a brilliant couple of hours in our 'home' too. Partying, dancing and generally having a lot of fun.
Dancing with girls that were either too young, too dumb, too drunk, or completely unable to dance (quite a change from the previous club...). Or all of the above! (but no Moby Dick for Jochem this time) Hahah! Oh yes, and we did our usual thing, of pretending we didn't speak Danish, always fun...
(Actually in the train home, when it was bright daylight already again, I saw one of the girls I had been dancing with. Let's not offend anyone, and just put politely that she wasn't as attractive in the bright morning light after a long night of partying as I had thought initially... Eheeemmm...)

So, after finishing with the obligatory Burger King visit, we witnessed a whole bunch of police that was around. Small busses and everything. Seemed like (I hate to say it) some immigrant guys ('New Danes' in Politically Correct speech) had gotten rowdy in Absalon (a shitty club that is open 7 days a week and where the last alcoholics go on a Sunday night. I heard something about that it's built on the ancient burial site of some Danish historical figure).
One scrawny Arabic looking guy was standing there and shouting drunk at the police that "I am not small!! I am not not small!!" It was quite fun to see actually, as suddenly one even more drunk Danish guy steps up, stands next to him, takes the same ridiculous pose the first one had, and starts shouting "I am huge, I am huge!!"
I was just laughing! The whole situation just was de-fused by this instant humorous intermezzo.
But... for some reason yesterday was all about "Size does matter". Iiiiii don't know...

Oh yes, then there were some Arab guys fighting with some Danes as well on the central square (whyyyyyyyy????), all running after each other, grabbing for the throat. The police was there anyway, so they quickly threw all of them in the police van. No discussion! Looks like the police is finally learning, I (and many other foreigners here) have always considered them quite naive actually.
Guillaume and I were just watching, and laughing, as neither of us have that testosterony incline to start fighting at nothing (American undergrad frat boys are really good at that...). Good remark: "Funny, how we don't even consider right now to try and break it up." Guess it's just self-preservation, I don't want to get a knife in my by accident or something. You never know, right?

By the way... sorry... maybe I wasn't at my most subtle here in this post, lots of testosterone flying around...but I guess the above writing reflects my stupid grin on my face now. A little bit hungover, a bit tired and smiling again for sure. I just really needed a dumb fun night out like this! Plain fun, nothing more nothing less. Now I feel a lot more relaxed again!

Actually, a Danish friend, Laura, might go tonight to Club Mambo, with her brother and will try and convince me to go again.... Noooooooo! He just came back a few days ago from travelling 7 months throught Central America. She has lived 1 year in Colombia when she was 15... Hmmm, I don't know any 'normal' Danes!!

And just as I finish this absolutely unreadable verbal barrage I get a message on my phone: "I am clinically dead. And you?" Hahhah... what a night...

Just fun, plain fun...

Just came home from a hilarious night out. Unexpected, unprepared, and plain fun. I'll write about it tomorrow, as I reeeeeallly need to sleep now, but now this: even after all these years in CPH some new things happened!!

I am off to sleep. I'll try and make you laugh more tomorrow!

Sweet dreams ;) (it's completely light here btw, so how much I will sleep I don't know...)

A nightly lullaby

I just came home, actually was going to sleep. But thne, while reading some news headlines, a song came up on my playlist, a song that I have known for many years, and somehow feel it is mine, just a little bit...

So, then, of course I decided to write it down. Get it all down, right? As fast as possible ;)
It's the song 'Hurt (I wish)' of the (now defunct?) Dutch band Sjako. Late eighties, early nineties, something like that.
I am absolutely still in love with it, and then especially the version I have, an acoustic one, recorded in a session for the Dutch radio program '2 Meter Sessies'. Legendary. Defined 'unplugged' before it even existed on MTV...
Still have some tapes in a drawer back in Holland with the most amazing recordings, but anyway...
The version I have actually made it to cd-single, although I think I am the only one who actually bought it. Once I heard the original and it sucks. Guitar overload all around.
Seriously, check out this version (if you can...). The percussion section is awesome, slowly building up, giving an upbeat mood to the song. The bassline runs smoothly along too. Great stuff.
And because the guitar noise is tuned out in this live session the vocal stands out, perfectly for a nighttime listen.
Mmmm, am thinking, whether I could upload this somewhere. There is a lot of great tunes out there, and the mp3blog community is very active, but even then...

Well, while listening to the song another time, smiling while thinking back to some teenage moments, I wish you a good night from Denmark.
It's a lovely summer, let's enjoy it while we can!
I remember one year ago exactly now... mmmm.... Sweet dreams!!


Sjako - Hurt (I wish)
Hurt to get hurt
Stab or get stabbed
It won't help you much
Touch to get touched
Feat or defeat
Get beaten or beat
It won't get you none
Now go or be gone

Chorus:
I wish I could lift you up
I wish I could make you laugh
I wish I could lift you up
I wish

Try or defy
Cry or be denied
You look to be seen
But you're closing one eye
Get slandered or hate
Be silent or state
You still got none
Now do or be done

Hurt or get hurt
Touch to get touched

I'm not afraid
I know who you are
I fall ill from the cure
I doubt to be sure

I wish I could lift you up
I wish...

Could be useful!

If you have lived here in this place (most of my readers have;) ), you know what I am talking about when I say that the Chinese that were/are here, aren't the most social people I have ever met (except for one really great guy, Greg)...
Still, continuously trying to learn, even when they don't want to...

And what is this with finding and using idiotic and old-fashioned European names when you have a perfectly nice Chinese name? I hear the weirdest cartoon and kids story names, from Heidi and Gerda to Cherry and Garfield... (I am not kidding)
Well, ok... Sometimes it helps: we've got a guy here now who's name is Kok Yu... quite unfortunate :)

So, in order for us to get to know our 1,2 billion (!!) Chinese friends, a short language lesson:

1) That's not right ........................ Sum Ting Wong
2) Are you harboring a fugitive?............ Hu Yu Hai Ding
3) See me ASAP.............................. Kum Hia Nao
4) Stupid Man .............................. Dum Fuk
5) Small Horse ............................. Tai Ni Po Ni
6) Did you go to the beach? ................ Wai Yu So Tan
7) I bumped into a coffee table ............ Ai Bang Mai Fa Kin Ni
8) I think you need a face lift ............ Chin Tu Fat
9) It's very dark in here................... Wao So Dim
10) I thought you were on a diet ........... Wai Yu Mun Ching
11) This is a tow away zone ................ No Pah King
12) Our meeting is scheduled for next week . Wai Yu Kum Nao
13) Staying out of sight.................... Lei Ying Lo
14) He's cleaning his automobile ........... Wa Shing Ka
15) Your body odor is offensive ............ Yu Stin Ki Pu
16) Great .................................. Fa Kin Su Pah

Three times a charm???

Pffff... crap!!!
3rd time today my computer went down. "I'm going slightly mad..."
Lost some work, but ok, not too much...
Think it is simply because of the heat. The power bloc is seriously warm now. And perhaps the electrical system is suffering from some osciliations these days?

Damn, it's so hot today!!!

No duvets! Just simple bedlinnen for me tonight, and windows wide open...

Sleep well to all of you!

From London With 'Love'

Lovely unnuanced... :)

A Letter To The Terrorists, From London
July 07, 2005


"What the fuck do you think you're doing?

This is London. We've dealt with your sort before. You don't try and pull this on us.

Do you have any idea how many times our city has been attacked? Whatever you're trying to do, it's not going to work.

All you've done is end some of our lives, and ruin some more. How is that going to help you? You don't get rewarded for this kind of crap.

And if, as your MO indicates, you're an al-Qaeda group, then you're out of your tiny minds.

Because if this is a message to Tony Blair, we've got news for you. We don't much like our government ourselves, or what they do in our name. But, listen very clearly. We'll deal with that ourselves. We're London, and we've got our own way of doing things, and it doesn't involve tossing bombs around where innocent people are going about their lives.

And that's because we're better than you. Everyone is better than you. Our city works. We rather like it. And we're going to go about our lives. We're going to take care of the lives you ruined. And then we're going to work. And we're going down the pub.

So you can pack up your bombs, put them in your arseholes, and get the fuck out of our city."

'Masters' of war...

I feel slightly sick... even at the 'inevitable'.

When does the empty rhetoric stop and will we start talking about taking the fears away of the people who have become so hostile to a different way of life that they will try anything to hurt it.
So desparate in their opposition to a changing world that they will cling on to mediaval ways of juxtaposing religion & life and thus carving a deep divide, where building bridges towards understanding each other better would be in place, and by that way taking away the fears by removing the whole basis of their hatred...

I wonder, where does this utter contempt for life come from?
Why this? When will all this crap stop? Do those responsible really think this will be a 'good' and 'productive' way of achieving their goals?

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Bob Dylan, copyright © 1963

"One Day I'll Fly Away..."

A picture taken on a walk around the marshes close to me. Beautiful landscape... lovely, and relaxing. And we came across this! Cool...

Tomorrow: once again!

Tomorrow, at 12... The rockets will go up once again for the San Fermin festivities of 2005. If you are anywhere near, go and experience it!
It's the best party you will ever have been part of.
I'll be there in my heart once again! My thoughts go out to all old friends that live there, that will be there...

TXUPINAZO

"El 6 de julio, a las 12 del mediodía, en la Plaza del Ayuntamiento, empieza el caos con el txupinazo: el cohete que anuncia las fiestas.

Poco antes de las doce, alcalde o alcaldesa y concejales salen al balcón del Ayuntamiento. Abajo, en la plaza, miles de personas llevan horas esperando el momento; el ansia colectiva va subiendo grados a medida que se acercan las doce. Se descorchan cientos de botellas de champán, repartiéndolo a partes iguales entre el estómago y la ropa del personal. Calor infernal. No cabe un alfiler.

Cuando el/la baranda encargado/da del disparo se acerca al cohete, hay un rugido general del populacho: cantos, gritos, silbidos, palabrotas y, también, quejidos de algún que otro pisoteado. Con el estruendo apenas se puede oír el grito ritual:

"¡Pamploneses, Viva San Fermín, Gora San Fermin!".

Y entonces hay una especie de ataque de locura colectiva, y toda la ciudad da un vuelco en un instante: empieza el desmadre general y una borrachera colectiva matutina digna de verse. La fiesta dura desde el mismo día 6 al 14 de julio.

En pocas horas la cosa se pone dantesca y uno se pierde en los laberintos del alcohol y de los encuentros. Es un gran comienzo."


Picture taken in the 2001 festivities. Spot the non-Spanish... ;)

Shivers... :) Good ones!

It works!!

Thanks to Michel for that great picture :)

Yeeaaahhh

New function in Blogger... no more hassling with additional programs...

Picture upload! And now hope it will work...

"Extra, extra! Read all about it..."


(Update: nope, doesn't work... CRAP!)

A new experience...

I seriously never ever thought it would happen, but yesterday was the great day!

The girl behind the counter in the local Netto supermarket actually smiled, made eye contact and wished people a nice day...

So simple, so much how it should be, and finally someone new manages to break those stony faces...

I guess they slowly learn... and I am already happy with that little of courtesy that was shown...