Enjoying the Life!

San Martí de Empúries Beach, L´Escala, Girona.

2010-08-31T15:31:00.000+02:00

A very nice village:

A lot of restaurants to enjoy Spanish food:

A small but nice church:

We went here with Montse and Patxi, we had enjoyed a great beach day and ate so fine with few money.

Café del Parc, Girona.

2010-08-30T15:24:00.000+02:00

This is a place I like a lot. It´s in Girona, Spain.

They have a very variated menu with a great tea selection.

You can enjoy the place at the restaurant or at the terrance, where you have great views to a small lake with ducks.

Address:Cl Migdia, 17003 Girona (Gerona), Spain.

Phone: 972202414

Enjoy also the video:

I love it!

Dublin´s Wall of Fame. My photos.

2010-08-28T15:20:00.000+02:00

Walking in Dublin you find this Wall of Fame with Dublin´s famous people. My favorite: Bono! Of course! :D

My nails for a wedding.

2010-08-22T14:06:00.000+02:00

The pics aren´t good enough, but here they are:

I had use:

Crisnail French Pink, the base is the normal one for a french manicure.

For the top of the nail, I used a design of the Konad´s plate m56:

And a thin line with:

The roses are stickers, but I´m afraid I don´t rememeber where I bought them, sorry.

Pals Beach.

2010-08-17T13:55:00.000+02:00

A great day! :D

Auditorium Spa: the jacuzzi private room.

2010-07-28T13:50:00.000+02:00

So great! :D

Spain vs. Netherlands, the game.

2010-07-21T13:42:00.000+02:00

It was incredible how Netherlands played this so important game:

Spain woooonnnn!!! :D

Iker Casillas kissing Sara Carbonero.

2010-07-20T13:36:00.000+02:00

So lovely!

Madrid celebrating the Spanish success.

2010-07-19T13:33:00.000+02:00

It was a great party!

The Empire State with the Spanish colors.

2010-07-17T13:27:00.000+02:00

This was a great detail! Was for celebrating that Spain won the World Championship. :)

Más vídeos en Antena3

Images of the Spanish Football Players after wining the World Cup 2010.

2010-07-12T18:24:00.001+02:00

Author: sopitas:

From other authors:

The moment when a fan jumped into the field. Match Spain vs. Germany, World Cup 2010.

2010-07-11T01:48:00.002+02:00

This was the moment when the fan jumped into the field:

It´s so corious, but the players of both teams just watched him! :D

In some news are saying that it was Jimmy Jump... but I don´t think so...

Map of the route that the Spanish players will do in Madrid celebrating the World Cup resoult.

2010-07-10T20:45:00.002+02:00

No matter the resoult, this is the route of the players comming back home (I have done it in Google maps and can´t took out a part close to Ronda de Atocha that will not take place):

Ver mapa más grande

Scrabble Tourney in Canyamars, Photos and Videos.

2010-07-10T17:21:00.000+02:00

Spain celebrating going to the finla, first part.

2010-07-10T17:16:00.000+02:00

In Picadilly Circus, London:

In Lima, Perú and in Madrid, Spain:

Andorra:

Logroño:

In León:

Barbate, Cádiz:

Fuente del Milenio, Algeciras:

Murcia:

Barcelona

Valencia:

Torrevieja:

Valladolid:

A Coruña:

The octopus Paul already predicted Spain will win the World Cup 2010!

2010-07-09T15:25:00.000+02:00

Here the precious moment:

Paul is a very brave octopus, he had done the prediction even after receiving threats like the following one: (ALERT! The following video contains images, which can hurt sensibilities).

So! Spanish! We can start to prepare the celebration!! :D :D :D

That´s how Spain got into the final! Match Spain - Germany, World Cup 2010

2010-07-09T01:35:00.000+02:00

Several "versions" of the match Spain vs. Germany, World Cup 2010. (As usual, I´m puting them in order of my preference, being the last ones the best ones for me).

That´s how Canal+ of Spain commented it:

Here the resume done by ESPN, including the image of Sara Carbonero celebrating the goal:

Spanish players making a conga while Shweinsteiger was giving his impresions.

2010-07-08T21:36:00.000+02:00

No comments! :D

The Queen congratulating the players. World Cup 2010, Spain vs. Germany.

2010-07-08T20:01:00.000+02:00

YEEESSS!!! We won to Germany! Spain is at the final!

2010-07-08T00:39:00.013+02:00

Here some videos as celebration.

Fans of both teams before the match:

That´s how people at Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, celebrated the goal:

Here in Plaza de España in Ferrol:

Here the Queen at the moment of the goal:

Spanish people watching the match at the streets:

at the beach:

Villa saying: "this is to make history"

Del Bosque, finally emotionated ;P

Spain is celebrating:

In Albacete:

In Barcelona:

In Madrid:

Tres Cantos:

Sara and Iker in the field (in the game against Paraguay):

In the moment I find more interesting videos I´ll include them, maybe in this same post.

The German Octopus Oracle already said Spain will win!

2010-07-07T00:24:00.000+02:00

I wouldn´t ever think Germans could belive in this kind of things... but! I won´t be the one telling them not to! ;P ;P ;P

Paul already said Spain will win:

Here Paul´s prediction in the match Germany - England:

Here his prediction in the match Germany - Argentina:

So! Germans! I´m afraid you have nothing to do! ;P

World Cup 2010, Uruguay commecials.

2010-07-06T17:05:00.000+02:00

Actually today I really don´t know to which team to cheer! But as far as I had already placed the ones of Nederlands, here you have the Uruguay commercials:

Brazilian commercials. World Cup 2010.

2010-07-02T01:30:00.002+02:00

Here some Brazilian commercials:

Next 2 ones aren´t about the World Cup, but great ones:

This one is from ´86, but I like it a lot due how simple and short but giving perfectly the idea:

Propaganda Coca-Cola (Copa do Mundo do Mexico 1986) from Futcomolegusta on Vimeo.

I almost cryed with this one:

A real pity the World Cup is something so serious as for making his wish to come true...

Brazilian Dance Copa do Mundo. World Cup 2010.

2010-07-01T01:11:00.005+02:00

The Brazilian football passion is incredible! They even have a World Cup 2010 Dance!

Here the making of:

Would you like to learn it? Here you have! :D

Budweiser offers us great commercials!

2010-06-30T01:32:00.003+02:00

This wave is fabulous!

Budweiser and how to distract the oponnent:

Spain vs. Portugal History.

2010-06-29T01:22:00.000+02:00

Here a couple of historical futbol matchs between Spain and Portugal:

1945:

Eurocup 2004:

England commercials. Football World Cup 2010.

2010-06-27T01:29:00.005+02:00

Well, it´s not that I prefer England than Germany, I like both and actually in this game I´m with Germany, but I enjoy U.K. commercials anyway :D

For the match vs. USA:

For the match vs. Germany:

World Cup 2010 for Iphone

2010-06-26T03:31:00.000+02:00

This is a free download aplication that gives you a precise information about the matchs, the teams and also diferent nice curiosities.

Here some images for you to have an idea about how it is:

Spain in the Futbol World Cup History

2010-06-25T02:18:00.000+02:00

Bad refereeing:

Mexico ´86, vs. Brasil:

Korea - Japan 2002, vs. Korea:

In English:

USA ´94,vs. Italy:

Sudáfrica 2010, vs. Honduras:

But we don´t want to keep bad feelings, so let´s see some images about the best of Spain:

In 2006:

Eurocup 2008:

Going to the World Cup 2010:

Because... we can!!!

Controversy due the way Villa celebrated his first goal against Honduras.

2010-06-24T18:17:00.000+02:00

I´m talking about this moment:

The gesture is making a reference about this commercial:

And it´s being a controversy due Villa himself explained that his gesture was due a promise he made to his marketing agency. This is the first time in soccer that a goal celebration comes from a commercial.

Actually this is something common in other sports and in other countries, but, you see, talking about soccer goals, it comes to distort a little the excitement and spontaneity of the magic moment of a goal.

My best wishes for Villa celebrating a lot of goals, specially against Chile, but please, do it with your heart, not thinking about your pocket.

Honduras commercials World Cup 2010.

2010-06-24T02:12:00.001+02:00

This commercial done by Univision gave some troubles:

as far as they had to give apologyses:

This one was done by ESPN, you see, Honduras at least got the space to play at the World Cup, other countries didn´t did even that...

"Nos vamos al mundial" from Heinz Kobernik on Vimeo.

BBC rainbow of colours. Football World Cup 2010.

2010-06-23T01:59:00.004+02:00

With a lot of colours and great images:

Football World Cup 2010: Nike write the future.

2010-06-21T01:18:00.002+02:00

Great!

Best moments of the game Germany - Australia, World Cup 2010.

2010-06-17T13:40:00.003+02:00

Enjoy it!

Football World Cup 2010: Oh Africa! Pepsi

2010-06-17T01:04:00.004+02:00

I just love it!

Coca Cola, history of celebration. Football World Cup 2010.

2010-06-16T14:44:00.004+02:00

Let´s celebrate!

Spanish commercials. World Cup 2010.

2010-06-16T01:25:00.000+02:00

Of course, TODAY IS THE SPANISH DAY! :D

Here my selection:

Cruzcampo:

Mahou

Cepsa:

I want to be like the wind...

WE CAN!!

This one was for the Euro Cup... Impossible is nothing!!

Another great one for the Euro Cup:

Este me encantó:

y que está recordando este más que histórico momento:

Pero ahora tenemos un reto más importante...

Watching the game Italy - Paraguay at Grazie Mille, Madrid

2010-06-15T20:28:00.002+02:00

Of course my team is Spain! But I also have other favorites. Italy is my second favorite team, after Spain, of course.

I was wanting to live the experienc of going to watch a match into a place where the fans of that country would be, trying to experience the game as if I would be in Italy... and it was like that! The selected place was Grazie Mille, that is a mix of restaurant, pizza, cafeteria y cocktail bar.

When I called to do the reserve, it was no possible to reserve more tables, we could go there but to watch it being standing. We went anyway, a bit earlier to try to get a good place.

We tried the tiramisu + capuccino offer, it was ok and a very good price.
Close to the time the match will start, they told us we should pay a minimum compsuption of 5 Euros per each one. It was ok, but if I would know that before, we would wait to take the tiramisu + capuccino. Anyway the prices there are quite ok. In general, I like the place a lot, the food is ok, I can´t tell this is the best Italian restaurant I know, but it´s is the one with best prices and as far as the quality is ok, great! :D

It was my first time watching an Italian game with Italians. I really felt like if I would be in Italy! Even the match was in Italian!

When the match started, everybody sang the anthem with proud. It was so impresive to saw them, they were so respectful when Paraguay made the first goal, of course not glad with that, but not giving a lot of importance to it. I also saw them getting excited when a good play was going on, and to claim when it failed, but in a very civilized way. I saw them yelling and hugging, kissing and congratulating themselves when Italy did the goal. Also was impresive to saw them clapping when the game was over, no matter it was a draw.

Here a resume of the match:

Marco Nurro and Fede Chicou were there doing a report for elmundo.es, yes! Sil and I were at the video! :D

I liked a lot the experience, but I can´t tell if I would do it again... at least I´m sure I won´t if the case is to be stand again. The place was great, the only negative thing was that time to time the signal was break. The point is that I can watch the games at home, in my great sofa, with a 42 inches t.v. and in HD... but living the excitment of the own country fans was also great! So, I should think about it! :D

Visa commercial. Football World Cup 2010.

2010-06-15T13:26:00.003+02:00

Really good!

Horchatería Daniel: the best Horchata in Valencia!

2010-06-15T01:09:00.000+02:00

This place is a whole temptation! Better don´t go if you are on a diet! ;P

It´s Horchatería Daniel... placed at Avenida de la Horchata No. 41, Alboraya, Valencia.

We went with Topo, the same day he prepared us the Pasta with schirms :D

We went to pick up Pochola first, then we walked a bit in Valencia and then we went to this place.
The building is a 3 levels house, all ocupied, at least that´s my impression, by the horchatería. It has different rooms, all very nice, and a great terrance.
Here the video:

It was a great moment with friends!

Netherlands´ commercials. World Cup 2010.

2010-06-14T13:28:00.000+02:00

A lot of humor! :D

You see, I love dogs... but... ;P

Adidas at World Cup 2010.

2010-06-14T01:04:00.000+02:00

Wow! Great advertising done by Adidas! :D

Star Wars Cantina: a place to watch the World Cup games.

2010-06-13T14:09:00.002+02:00

Amazing! If you are still looking for a cool place where to watch the World Cup, Addidas gives us the chance to experience it in a "galactic" envyroment! : D

You can even have the good luck of finding there experts like Beckham or Beckenbauer... watch it by yourself!

I just love it! Great mix of passions! : D

Mexico Commercials Football World Cup 2010

2010-06-13T02:41:00.003+02:00

Some mexican commercials:

A successful Mexican busines in South Africa:

Football World Cup 2010 Curiosities.

2010-06-12T18:48:00.008+02:00

I´ll be actualizing this post once I know more curiosities.

Mexico:

An historical success: the player Javier Hernández Balcázar, also known as Chicharito (little pea), is Javier Hernández Gutiérrez son, known as Chicharo (pee) that was also selected for playing the World Cup 1986... but... is also the grandson of Tomás Balcázar! That has played the World Cup in 1954! :D

In the game Korea - Greece

The player Jisung Park, that plays with the nummber 7, has done the first goal in the minute 7th of the first part of the game... and the second one in the 7th. minute of the second part!

In the game Argentina – Nigeria

Nigeria was the one that made Argentina to loose the gold medal during the World Cup in 1996.
The only one goal of the game was done by Heinze, one of the players that people in Argentina were claiming that shouldn´t be part of this year World Cup Argentinean Selection.

Lodging

In some cities there are no enough hotels for the turists... so, some families are offering their own house with "packs" including meals. : D

Johannesburg Stadium

This is originally a rugby stadium, conditioned for being a soccer stadium during this World Cup. In this stadium was the game in 1995 that was the inspiration for the movie "Invictus".

Makarapas

Those are the "hats" the fans wear, not just for the World Cup, seems to be an older invention. It´s done using as base a plastic miner´s helmet, that is "tuned" for being some kind of personalized escenary for chearing your team. It´s also symbolic due mining is one of the most important economical activities in South Africa.
Here some pics:

England - USA

The first goal of the game was done by Gerrard, wearing the nummber 4... in the minute 4!! : D

The second goal is giving a lot of troubles to Green, before the game people in England wasn´t agree with him at the selection, after this error, everybody says it was a mistake to have him playing there. It´s sad, because yes, he did a mistake, but also a great job the rest of the game.

Slovenia

While watching the game, the commentators said there was a slovenian player that plays with FC Koln, that haven´t gone to an important training due a celebration party in Slovenia... just I´m afraid I didn´t got the name and I had search it in internet to confirm it, but haven´t find anything.

Zidane was watching the game suporting Argelia, here a pic crom elmundo.com:

Ghezzal made a new record!

I´m afraid he choosed the worst waty to get into history! He got a yellow card a minute after getting in the camp... but also the red one at the 12th. minute! :(

Slovenia won

Not just their first game during this World Cup, but also in their World Cups´ history.

Serbia - Ghana

The Gahna´s coach is from Serbia!

Lukovic from Serbia was the third player with a red car in this World Cup.

A Ghana´s fan celebrated the goal running across the field! :D

Germany- Australia

Klose with his goal joined the maximum German player with more goals in a World Cup.

Slovaquia - New Zeland

The player Marek Hamsik, plays and lives at Napoli... some time ago, someone stole his Rolex. It was on the tv news... and the thief gave it back, quite ashamed... the thief was a Napoli fan!

ESPN commercial with Bono voice. Footbal World Cup 2010.

2010-06-12T13:46:00.002+02:00

Wow!!! How good!

The World Cup commercials in Argentina. Football World Cup 2010.

2010-06-12T01:10:00.001+02:00

Yeap! No dubts! The commercials tell a lot about the culture of every country!

This one is just great!

World Cup 2010: commercials all over the world.

2010-06-12T01:07:00.006+02:00

Of course every country at the World Cup has faith about the possibilities of its own team for being the champion this year… and their respective sponsors also have the mission of making them to believe it.

So, I´m sharing with you my own selection of commercials in other countries… btw: if you know a spot that would deserve to be here, please let me know! :D

The countries I found interest commercials are:

(Once the post is online you could access to it clicking on the country name).

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

Chile

England

México

Netherlands

Paraguay

Uruguay

US

Here my selection of Spanish commercials:

(Under construction)

Here my selection of international commercials:

ESPN with Bono´s voice

Star Wars Cantina
(Under construction)

The Anthem of "La Roja". World Cup 2010.

2010-06-11T02:36:00.001+02:00

A great video with the Poland - Spain friendly game escenes:

We can! :D

Football World Cup 2010. Introduction.

2010-06-11T01:19:00.001+02:00

Well, it´s not that I watch all the soccer games during the year, but the World Cup.... this is something I never miss! :D

I think it started due my father, for him the World Championship was some kind of party... and this exactly how it is for me as well!

I´m wanting to share with you my World Cup passion with some posts related with it.

Laser cosmos. My gadgets and other thingamajigs!

2010-06-10T02:05:00.000+02:00

I think this is the king of my gadgets. We like to use it when we have guests at home, we usually ask them to stay at the sofa with the eyes closed for some minutes till all is ready, with New Age music at the background, all the windows closed... this is more or less what they watch when they open their eyes:

And this is more or less how they look while watching it:

You can buy it at IWOOT per 126 pounds or at latienda per 185 Euros, in both cases plus shipment.

We already have 3 years with it, actually right now is starting to give troubles, after a while of use, it start to double the lights (I mean, if you were following one dot, in a moment it turns into 2 dots moving together). Anyway, I strongly recommend it! : D

The video of Bon Jovi Concert, Rock in Rio 2010! :D

2010-06-09T00:56:00.004+02:00

Yeeessss!!! I found the video of the whole concert! Maybe not the best quality, but enough for me as for remember that great night! :D

I found it at the blog: http://www.taringa.net/posts/musica/5707263/bon-jovi---rock-in-rio-madrid-2010.html

Here the web where the video is placed: http://www.megavideo.com/?v=VVVF832L

Today is the first strike. While passing by...

2010-06-08T12:46:00.001+02:00

As usual, with a big difference between what the unions vrs. the govermment says, today takes place in Spain the first strike convened by unions.

Here a pic I took while passing in front of one of the institutions:

What can I say about this? I´m afraid a strike (or several) won´t be something to really make the govermment to change their mind... but! It´s something that should be done, the problem is that it means a day that they won´t be payed for and that won´t help anybody. Just the kind of things that should be done no matter if you already know it really won´t help and even maybe the whole opossite.

My sofa! My gadgets and other thingamajigs!

2010-06-07T14:01:00.001+02:00

This sofa is a crack! Everyone that meets it, loves it! :D Just I´m afraid no pic really shows how it really looks in real life, the point is about the space, but well, I tried with 2 pics for you to have an idea of how it is:

Maybe the second pic shows it better, but I didn´t knew how to arrange the pic for not showing the lines of the different pics, sorry.

We bought it at La-Z-Boy. It´s in some how a puzzle because you can place them all together as the pics above or to place them separately:

It´s great for resting! But I´m afraid this is the kind of things your should try by your own, what I could write won´t be fair enough! :D

Rock in Río Madrid 2010

2010-06-06T20:31:00.000+02:00

Here some of my pics and videos:

Bon Jovi in Rock in Rio Madrid 2010!

2010-06-05T18:32:00.003+02:00

It was GREAT! FANTASTIC! THE BEST! :D :D

Here you can see the video of the whole concert, just I´m afraid the quality is not excelent.

Pasta with Shrimps and Pedro Ximenez from Eufrasio Millán. Special Recipes.

2010-06-04T04:58:00.006+02:00

This time the special recipe comes from Topo, Eufrasio Millán, a great Scrabble player that in 2009 had the first price of the Duplicates mode at the Scrabble in Spanish World Championship. But specially: a great friend.

He prepared this recipe for me and Curro on May 21st. We had been at his home during that weekend, also with Pochola. It was great!!!

The recipe is at the video:

Update of June 8th: a friend of the Scrabble web redeltras.com, Tonecha, used oregano instead of thyme and it was great as well! : D

Massage pillow I-need. My gadgets and other thingamajigs!

2010-06-03T01:33:00.000+02:00

This was one of the most succesful gadgets the recent weekend that some of my Scrabble friends were at home.
I bought it 3 years ago at the Miami Airport and yes, I´m so happy with it! :D

It suposed to be just for the lumbar area but everybody tries it in other places as well, with very well resoults. Here you can see Montse using it at the head, for example:

Here a video that shows how it works:

You can buy it at Brookstone, the usual price is 59.95 US$ but! Right now is on sale at 29.99 US$!!

Of course I recommend it! :D :D

First International Night Tourney “Igotita´s Home”

2010-06-02T19:56:00.003+02:00

Hehehehe I know! A big name for just some games at home, but you see, the way that all matched was deserving a big name! :D

On one hand, Patxi and Montse were sure about coming to play the Madrid Tourney just few days before. Otoh Héctor Klíe, the current President of the Scrabble in Spanish International Federation, was in Spain due vacations. The really special thing was that by coincidence Patxi and Montse went back to Girona on Monday 31st. morning… and Héctor also was going back to his home in USA the same morning! How could I resist to try to arrange some games at home then?? :D

Héctor has his day so busy already, so we should talk around 9 at night to see if it was possible to play a bit. Due different reasons, Héctor arrived at home at 11.30 that night. Topo was also at home but ill, so he can´t play.

So the tourney was between Montse, Patxi, Héctor and I.

No matter we were playing just a few friendly games, we took it very seriously.

Here the resoults:

Héctor had the first place, Patxi the second one, so they play the final match… starting at 2.20 a. m.!! :D

Patxi won that game, 473 to 453, 3 and 2 scrabbles. So, they decide to play the revenge…

Héctor won this one, 550 to 378; 4 and 3 scrabbles. So… they decide to do a new revenge! Starting at 4.14 a.m.!!! :D

Héctor also won that one. 497 to 452, 4 and 3 scrabbles.

I was the public, the judge and “the coffee girl” hehehehe.

Actually it was so nice to watch Patxi playing, afterwards I asked him some whys and was so nice for me to note that I would took some same decisions. :D

Of course it was a Price for the first place! : D

At 5.00 in the morning we were telling good bye to Héctor and I went with Patxi to talk a bit while he was smoking… to talk about scrabble! Of course! Hehehe. Patxi and Montse went out at 6.00… Montse should go straight to work from the airport!

We also concluded that Héctor has some kind of “cameras sensor” Every time I made a click, he was smiling to the camera! :

Pics of Madrid Tourney last day and the night before at home

2010-06-02T01:22:00.000+02:00

We had the honor of having the visit of the current President of the International Scrabble in Spanish Federation, Héctor Klíe and his wife, by chance they both were on vacations with their family in Spain. :D

Deers at Hogue Veluwe Park

2010-06-01T02:50:00.000+02:00

Hogue Veluwe is a precious park in Netherlands. Quite big and with wondering things like a museum with Van Gogh paints... or the red deers as the ones at the pic. I took this photo on April, this year.

Madrid Scrabble Tourney 2010 First Day

2010-05-29T21:43:00.000+02:00

A new playing weekend!

2010-05-29T21:41:00.001+02:00

During this weekend we´ll have the Madrid Scrabble Tourney.

Some of my friends from other cities will come: Pochola, Topo, Patxi, Montse, Gloria and Santi will stay at home.

On the next posts I´ll share the pics of the weekend.

Lazienki Park, Warsaw, Poland. My photos.

2010-05-27T01:56:00.001+02:00

Yeaph! This time I´m sharing with you 2 pics instead of just one :D

Both had been taken at the Park Lazienki in Warsaw on August 2005. Warsaw wondered me a lot with magic places like this one. The park is big, beautiful and peaceful. A great place for spending a day! :D

Prague Astronomical Clok. My photos.

2010-05-26T01:55:00.001+02:00

I took this photo in Prague exactly 5 years ago, this is something really amazing because I didn´t notice about it till I wrote this post! : D

The astronomical clock of Prague was made on 1490. I enjoyed quite a lot to watch it and felt great admiration for the ones that created it with the technology they have at that time... and it still works perfectly!!

Videos related with Lost

2010-05-25T03:21:00.000+02:00

The last 4 minutes of Lost:

Sawyer´s world:

Other finals (parody):

Intense moments:

What they do now:

What Dharma recommends to do now:

The end of Lost in Spain

2010-05-24T02:53:00.000+02:00

About my own case:

I had been a t.v. adict years ago. Now I have few things I like to watch on t.v. but I´m not exactly the kind of coming back home in a hurry because something is about to start on t.v. Time to time with Curro we spend the weekend watching movies or all the episodes of a serial in order to not to have to wait for the conclusion so long.

In the last 10 years was being really dificult to find a serial that makes me to be hooked. I think in part this is because a lot of previous deceptions with serials in the past. What made me to be disappointed usually was the feeling of people behind the serial trying to make it to last more just due it had a success they haven´t prevent and want to get as much money as possible from that situation.

Lost hooked me during the first 2 seasons. I was really surprised about all the diferent new situations in each episode. But also in a moment I felt they were just trying to make it to last more due an unexpected success. Also because they were against the "laws" of the serials that mean things like not ever to kill a character who is having success with the public unless the actor wants to go out of the serial, so they kill him in a way that will "help to accept his death" to the fans. Not ever it was like that in Lost.

So, as I said, I thought it was just another serial with producers trying to enlarge the serial in order to get more money and I left it. It was my friend Edu the one that told me, after the end of the 5th. season, that it was worth view, that everything was being explained and that all matchs perfectly. So we saw the 5 serials in
several weekends and we were hooked again. We finish to watch them around September 2009, so we had to wait till February 2010 to watch, week by week, the last season.

The presentation of the last 2 episodes: a marketing hit

I am so impresive about the great way to present the last 2 episodes. I do think it will set a before and after for future successful serials. Just to submit the last 2 episodes simultaneously in 59 countries was already quite an event, but in some how we had already seen that with This is it! the Michael Jackson tribute. Here the special point was to do it exactly (or almost) at the same time all over the world. That made history. Plus that, to play them in cinemas, giving merchandising products for free and, in Spain, also giving chocolate with churros... wow! Great! (Yes, I have to admit it, I work in marketing).

The only one detail that I think they didn´t took really good care about was the day to do it. You see, maybe it was the best day and time in USA, but it meant in Europe to watch it at 6.00 in the morning of a Monday. I do think if they would do that on a Sunday morning instead, the quantity of people watching it would be at least 20 times more.

Trying to understand that end:

Ok, it would be impossible to find an end that would like to all the fans. Point is that at least in Spain seems most of fans are dissapointed with it.

I think here a clue that almost everybody in Spain is not taking into account is that the serial is done in USA. In Europe all related with religion and heaven is in some how obsolete. In USA they still have religion as something so important. A wink is the name of Jack´s father: Cristian Shephard.
About all the unsolved questions of the serial, I found in internet (but in Spanish) a blog that gives a lot of hints for understanding that end and part of the comments of the blogger is: "about the unsolved questions, I insist, they are part of the game of Lost. This serial wasn´t ever been a free buffet of solutions but a misteries mix. To resolve the misteries would be to prostitute Lost, actually the strenght of the serial is the oposite".

I also think part of why the fans are disapointed comes from one of the answers of the producers some years ago, saying the island wasn´t a purgatory, point is they didn´t said they wouldn´t die.

Broadcasts on Fox and Four channel in Spain:

A lot of people is complaining about Fox failing to broadcast the subtitled version... point is it means quite a lot of complex work. From my point of view someone at the Marketing department hasn´t preview how many people would be awake watching this end in a Monday at 6.00. Of course that was a big mistake.
About channel Four, the complains are due some lost minutes and a moment of lost subtitles (but it was for no more than 2 minutes and the conversation wasn´t that important anyway). I repet: it meant a lot of work, I don´t think it´s a reason why to blame that hard to the channel.

I also liked that they made a forum after the chapter finished also with images at the cinemas. Just I would apreciate quite a lot if they would select better people to be there talking about the end, at least people that could have a real professional point of view.

Will the producers explain a bit more the unsolved questions?

Most of fans complains are about the unsolved questions. Seems the producers said at the presentation of the last episodes that it was the real end. Nothing else suposed to come later on. Problem is that a lot of fans are really feeling now: lost! ;P So I could bet after all ABC will push the producers to give something more with explanations to the fans.
My own conclusion:

I really admire a serial that in this time, with all what we already had seen, founds a way to captivate the public. To finish it with that great marketing not seen before, deserves my respect. The end? I still don´t know. Maybe for me the problem was that I felt it extremely accommodating to the public. All dead but with their loved ones. I also don´t know what to think about Kate. The whole serial was now it´s Jack, now it´s Sawyer, now again Jack, now I have to go back for Sawyer and at the real end she tells Jack she loves him. What I could say? I don´t know if I hate her or if she´s my heroine! ;P Yes, the end admits a lot of different interpretations... but that´s exactly the hallmark of lost! Actually I think I should watch it again (all the episodes) so I would enjoy more the final.

Here some links:

Lostpedia

ABC Lost official web

Hotel Marriot Guatemala

2010-05-22T00:51:00.002+02:00

Hotel Marriot Guatemala

Known “in my times” as El Dorado, also one of the hotels with tradition at the City that I´m afraid had change the chain quite a lot of times, but it didn´t affected the good quality of this good hotel.

I have already talk about this at the post "Breakfast in Guatemala: Sunday Brunch" but someone advised me it will be more useful to place them in different posts, so here is it, it contains exactly the same of that post, in case of new comments about this place, I´ll write a new post.

BBQ La Chopera in Calatayud, Spain.

2010-05-21T01:04:00.002+02:00

As I mentioned in my post about Termas Pallares Spa, this Eastern we went to spend some days to Alhama de Aragón.

The day we went to the Monasterio de Piedra, we went to eat to the BBQ la Chopera, in Calatayud. As far as the previous days we had seen the restaurants at that region were so crowdie and even in some places we weren´t able to go in, I made a reserve the previous day. At the phone the guy that attended me was so kind.

We had some troubles finding the place, because the I-phone works with google maps a s GPS and the address of this place was wrong located there, so we had to call several times to finally find the place.

Wondering, it was almost empty. It was our first time at this grill and we went due a recommendation found at 11870.com. The food was really good, that far the prices also wondered us. For example, I took this:

and it was no more than 7 Euros.

Irene, the lady that attended us, told us that she can remember better days with the place full every day. The problem was when the new road had open, their house stayed a bit apart and since then they don´t have the same quantity of public than before.

Due quality, prices and excellent attention, I do recommend the place to you! :D

Roma, Italy. My photos.

2010-05-20T12:57:00.000+02:00

I like this photo because it gives a very different view of what usually you find when you search pics of Rome. I took it very close to Piazza Navona in December 2004.

My nails at the National Championship 2010. I love my nails!

2010-05-19T00:35:00.000+02:00

This was the decoration of my nails at the Scrabble National Championship Spain 2010:

I used for them:

Nail Lacquer: MAC Cream Shirelle:

Konad plate No. 79 in white:

Yeap! They were a success! :D

Spain Square, Sevilla. My photos.

2010-05-18T01:24:00.001+02:00

This photo was taken in Sevilla in 2004. I think it´s a different view of the Spain Square, but actually it was taken like this in order to have a better view of interesting details that usually are not shown on pictures.

Yuly and Ramon Marcano visited us!

2010-05-17T01:28:00.001+02:00

Yuly is a Scrabble player from Venezuela. She was part of the great organization group of the World Championship 2009.

Ramon, her husband, has cycling as hobby and his team will do the Santiago de Compostela route cycling, starting from Burgos.

We enjoyed a great night with them, also came Carlos, Clara and Antonio.

Of course we played a bit of Scrabble!

We also went to dine to the restaurant Vino Tinto, btw great food, normal prices for the area it´s located, great attention. They had to wake up so early the next morning, so we can´t go to the karaoke that was a real pity because Carlos and Ramon make a great duet signing Serrat songs.

Celebration Gran Via, 100 Years

2010-05-16T14:02:00.001+02:00

On May 15th. Gran Via has the best celebration for its 100 years. Here some videos and pics of the celebration.

They also tried to do a flashmob... watch the video and you´ll understand why this "tried" ;P

Concert with music of the 80s´at Plaza de España:

Some stores were open till midnight and with special discounts:

In fronto of a teather a DJ had been playing some hits:

A big cake:

Ending with fireworks:

Some people stayed there drinking:

2005 Sun Eclipse. My photos.

2010-05-15T02:02:00.001+02:00

I took this picture at the sun eclipse of October 3rd. 2005. It was midday in Madrid but the sky turned black for some minutes and the view was incredible. :D

A bin in fire. While passing by…

2010-05-14T01:55:00.012+02:00

As I said at the introduction of this section, sometimes I´ll write about not nice things. This is the case today.

Few days ago I went to the bank. As it´s usual, I spend a bit of time talking with the ladies attending there. I came in around 13.30 and was there no more than 20 minutes. Once I said I was leaving, one of the ladies told me she will go with me to the door to close it (in Spain the banks close at 14.00). Then we saw it. The bin outside the bank, was burning! We were quite wondered because that agency has all glass, we were talking no more than 4 meters away of the door, we should see something, but nothing at all.

For me was also wondering that the ladies of the bank immediately went to close the door, I thought about that later, and of course they should, it could be a distraction for robbing the bank.

We were also wondered about how fast all happened, as I said, I haven´t been there more than 20 mins. but let´s think it was half of hour. When we saw it, the bin was liquid plastic with some cans inside (colas´ cans). That gave me the impression that the bins are made with a very bad material, actually I wonder why they don´t put fireproof bins. A car was very close to the place where the bin was burning, I really think the owner has no idea that his car is ok because the wind was going to the opposite direction; otherwise maybe the title of this post would be a bit different as well.

What really made me to be proud about was how quickly the fire department and the police were there. Or well, I´m not so sure if it was quickly enough, as I said, the bin was already liquid. But for me, they were there so quick.

Nothing else happened, just the bin fire.

From my point of view, I would say it was someone that accidentally threw a burning cigarette inside. I think no matter the reason; anyway they should put fireproof bins there.

The funny part of the situation was when we were watching it burning and the firefighters came... we at the bank were just females! :D We agreed that the fire department was better than the police one in Madrid! ;P The pity is the firefighters don´t extinguish the fire dressing the same they do at the calendars! ;D ;D

Dunkin´ Coffe ad. While passing by…

2010-05-13T04:57:00.001+02:00

I saw it in Mallorca, when we went to visit the Scrabbalear Scrabble Club. We were walking at the old part of the city and once I saw this ad…

I burst out laughing!!!

For the ones not living in Spain, I´ll explain this. Some years ago a very well known t.v. presenter has done a t.v. program called “I have a question for you” where several normal citizen where invited for making some questions to the current President, Zapatero. In one program, a man started talking about how prices changed once the Euro started being the new currency, but not the salaries and then asked to Zapatero “do you know how much a coffee is?” Zapatero replayed: 80 cents… at that moment in Spain a coffee was around 1 euro and specifically in Madrid, around 1,20… and I´m not talking about fancy places.
You can watch it here, but I´m afraid it´s in Spanish:

Of course a lot of people all over Spain made quite a lot of jokes about Zapatero having no idea of the prices. That´s why it made me to laugh to see how, some years later, Dunkin´ Coffee uses this for their ads. I haven´t went inside to ask for a coffee, so I can´t tell if I would recommend it or not, but laughing… I laughed for a while, yes. :D

While passing by…

2010-05-13T03:22:00.002+02:00

Yeahp! New section! :D

This time was while walking at the street, sometimes you watch at the street things that are nice, funny, strange, weird or even sad, you feel like sharing them and now that I´m with the “chip” of taking out the camera asap as far west holster ;P I thought… that´s it! New section for the blog! :D

As I said in the previous paragraph, I had been so loyal with the principle of this blog of sharing with you some of the things I enjoy the life with, having just few exceptions like what happened with the tours in Margarita Island or with the bill at the Termas Pallares Spa, but in this section sometimes I´ll place no positive things if I feel it´s needed to talk about something like that, and well, maybe a bit of claim time to time won´t be that bad or even due sometimes even at sad moments you find a reason why to smile a bit.

Incident with the bill at the Spa Termas Pallares.

2010-05-12T02:23:00.003+02:00

As I mentioned at the post “reserving”, we went to this Spa with a sale I found on internet. You should do the reserve before March 18th. I did it by phone on March 16th. and the total price per room, including taxes, was 278,20.

My friend has done the check out of her room around an hour before me.

When I made the check out with Curro, there were several people and we heard some of them complaining due the bills. Actually I haven´t pay attention to them, but Curro says usually the problem was due the bills.

Once it was our turn, it was wondering for me the total of the bill because even taking into account that you should pay the robe, sandals and the bathing cap as extra, any way the bill was more expensive of what I thought it should be. I asked the person that attended me to please explain me the reason of that and then I released the price per person of the room was 165 Euros instead of the 130 of the sale. I insisted to him this wasn´t the price so she showed me the papers they have of that sale and there it was 155 Euros per night instead of 130. I had nothing to probe that the price of my reserve was 130 so I had to accept to pay that.

Once out of there I asked my friend about the price she had pay, and actually they had charged just 130 Euros per night to her. I asked her to please leave me the bill for complaining. We were already far away from the Spa, no point to go back to complaining.

On the next Tuesday I had call and tried to explain the situation to a lady of the reception desk. She talked to me in a way that made me feel stupid. She insisted that the price that they had applied to me was the right one, I explained again to her it was a sale price for people doing the reserve before March 18th., she replied that then the mistake was what they charged to my friend because not ever in their story they had that low prices for Eastern time and that it was better to leave it like that because if I insist complaining what she should do would be to charge me the difference of what my friend pay less!!!!! (!!!???). Of course I was quite surprised and feeling powerless, having her still at the pone I searched again the sale banner at their web but I didn´t found it. So, at last I just told her that it would be a good idea if they include as a polite to send a mail confirming the rates, she replied they do but just if the client requires it.

Feeling so upset with the situation, I searched in Google, in Spanish “Eastern sale Termas Pallares” and… voila! There it was! At their blog, the banner with the price I made the reserve. So, I called again. This time the one that attended me was Eva, I told her that just few minutes ago I had been talking with a colleague of her and if it would be possible to talk to her again. Eva told me the other girl wasn´t there so I had to explain the whole situation again, adding that I had found at their blog the banner of the sale… and… Eva turned cocky with me! She told me so cocky, I insist, that those situations should be claimed at the reception desk when you do the check out, not once you aren´t there, otherwise a lot of people would claim a better rate because they found out an offer on internet after being at the hotel. I had to insist her 3 times to please stop and listen to me and once I told her that the one that have done the reserve for both rooms was me and that to my friend they charged the right price but not to me, then she controlled her tone and finally she accepted to give the extra money back to me. Not even once she said the magic word “apologize” or any other alike.

Finally I received the money back in my account on April 14th. but I had sent another mail before asking about it again.

MORAL: always ask for a writen confirmation and take it with you.

Defenetely this kind of “small” details are the ones that can spoil your experience in a place like that at all. Well, anyone can do a mistake (or 3… or 10… or 100…) but at least to tell “sorry!” Instead of that, once I placed my story with the bill at 11870 web, what I got was a mail of one of their managers telling me she was wondered about this comment at that web as far as in my survey I said all at the hotel was ok. Well, you see, I have answered the survey before doing the check out and… having everything at the hotel “ok” doesn´t mean this hotel made a “click” on your heart. As I already said at my post about the hotels of the Spa, yes, all was ok, just it wasn´t the style of hotels I like to stay in. Anyway, I still confirm I liked the Grand Hotel Cascada, the thermal lake is really nice and the region has a lot of amazing places. So, don´t be surprised if I stay at this place again… just it´s not like I´m dying for staying there again.

More pics of the National Championship.

2010-05-11T01:35:00.002+02:00

The building of the old casino at the Spa Thermas Pallares.

2010-05-10T02:50:00.001+02:00

According of what people of the staff told me, it was a time when people even lost fortunes at this casino. Now it´s not a casino anymore, its facilities are used for: meeting rooms, game room with pool tables and ping-pong, cafeteria with terrace.

I really liked this building a lot. When you are there is so easy to imagine the ladies with fancy dresses and the gentlemen in top hats.

The terrace really invites to stay there a bit enjoying the sun.

I just felt they could use this space a bit more. I think they could do more activities there… like a dancing space in one of its rooms. Even to have art exhibitions. I also think they could give especial attention to the views from there, in front of it is the parking area and a hotel, I do think they could arrange a bit better the garden no matter if it keeps on being the parking entrance and to give a bit of attention to the part of the hotel that you can watch from the casino, to makeup it a bit. :D

This is an emblematic building of the Spa and it even identifies it. Here some of my photos:

Retiro´s Park, Madrid. My photos.

2010-05-09T02:35:00.002+02:00

This time I´m sharing with you a Curro´s photo. It was taken in July 2004, at Retiro´s Park, Madrid. It was a great afternoon and we had the very good luck to be there at the sunset, when the sky became a magic canvas touched by a wonderful artist.

The Candy Grabber. My gadgets and other thingamajigs!

2010-05-08T08:21:00.003+02:00

I start with the gift we gave to Curro´s father at the father’s day: the Candy Grabber.

It´s a very well done fair´s Candy Grabber´s replica but small version, for having it at the living room. So cute! :D

It works with batteries, has its own coins (and you need them for making it to work), even includes the fair music. You just have to buy the candies.

The best price I found was in IWOOT for 19,99 pounds, plus shipping costs. This company is located in UK, but they ship to several countries and takes no more than 2 weeks.

Here our video:

Seemed to be an easy cake! ;P

My gadgets and other thingamajigs! Introduction.

2010-05-07T05:35:00.000+02:00

In the summer of 2008 I had the pleasure and honor to have at home several of my Scrabble friends. The whole story really deserves its own posts! But the point is that they freaked out with my gadgets and other thingamaigs ... yeah! I must admit it! I'm a gadgets fan! : D

So! New section! I´ll talk about my gadgets and other thingamajigs that are curious and/or very practical, many of them are for being use at the kitchen, but don´t be surprised to find nonsense things with not practical uses ... but that made a "click" on me once I saw them! : D

In the weekend I mentioned, Gloria named me as “lady gadgets”… yeaph, I am! ;P

Thermal Lake, Spa Termas Pallares.

2010-05-06T03:06:00.002+02:00

Let´s give a look to their web´s explanation:

“THERMAL LAKE, THE ONLY ONE IN EUROPE

The hotels are surrounded by 68,000 square metres of parks and gardens, with a hidden thermal lake, which is unique in Europe and whose waters flow constantly at 32ºC due to the multiple thermal exsurgences on the bed.

With an average depth of 1.50 m and two peaceful islands on the interior, it is the ideal place for swimming at any time of the year, whilst your body enjoys the virtues of its mineral-medicinal waters.

BENEFICIAL EFFECTS FOR HEALTH

The temperature of the water means that the lake can be enjoyed at any time of the year. The enormous flow volume that comes from its multiple springs means that the water in the lake is renewed entirely every 32 hours. Furthermore, the Thermal Lake is considered as another treatment due to the effects that the mineral-medicinal water produces on our bodies.”

If you see it carefully it doesn´t really explain much about the water properties or why is supposed to be unique in Europe. I searched a bit in internet and I haven´t found those reasons. Anyway, the place is precious. The day I went was cold and no matter it was already 10 am, no one was there, I was there till 11 and came just few people, but they stayed on the sun beds. I swam a bitt. I was really excited with the idea of meeting this place, so not to swim wasn´t an option for me. I didn´t last long, because the sensation of water temperature, it wasn´t really warm enough.

I think the best is going there when it´s not so hot neither so cold. In my case at least, due I can´t manage to swim on it when it´s cold and I think that water when it´s summer time, would be so hot then.

I f you want to enter to the lake without staying at the hotels, you can do, it costs 20 euros per day, but you are not allowed to eat inside the lake space.

I like the lake a lot! :D

Here my video:

Termas Pallares: the Spa.

2010-05-05T01:51:00.000+02:00

They have a lot of spa services, with prices starting from 25 Euros and on. About spa circuits, besides the Aquatherma that I talked about in a previous post, they also offer the termaspa with: aroma shower, warm hydromassage pool, toning pool, humid thermal bath, dry or finnish bath, cauldron, crosscurrent pool. This costs 50 Euros and last an hour and 15 min.

Rosa tried a massage with a cream with pearls. I was waiting her advice to decide to take an herbal massage or something, but finally I haven´t done it.

Something I liked a lot was that they also have a free doctor service. Sil had to go because cough problems and she was so kind, warm and professional.

The pity is that the Price of the room just includes one access to the Aquatherma, I asked if it was possible to exchange it and to have a termaspa instead, no matter if I should pay the difference of the price, but it wasn´t possible.

It´s a bit complicated for me to tell you if I would or not recommend the Termas Pallares Spa. The whole area is nice and close to it is the Monasterio de Piedra (I´ll talk about this place in other post), that place is precious and worth view. So, if you are going to Monasterio de Piedra and you want to stay at the area for several days, then it´s nice to go to this spa as well. Better if you stay at Gran Hotel Cascada. But, to do it as we did, that actually our aim was to have some relaxing days in a beautiful place and to enjoy the spa, no, that´s not something I would do again there. The reason is very simple: for me it means to travel from Madrid, 3 hours going and 3 hours coming back in a car. The prices of this spa are ok, I´m not saying they have so expensive prices, but as far as I already have in Madrid great options with cheaper prices, I don´t feel like needing to go to Termas Pallares for enjoying a relaxing weekend. Also is that I really didn´t like the detail of having included just hour and a half of one of their spa circuits and to have to pay extra for the robe and sandals.

But yes, I would go again, just in a travel where my priority would be to visit the Monasterio de Piedra, to enjoy a bit the whole Calatayud area and maybe to spend a night at Gran Hotel Cascada or at least to go to the Gastroteca to eat and to stay a bit at the thermal lake.

So! I´m still searching that marvelous place, out of Madrid, with spa, for going to enjoy a fantastic relaxing weekend time to time! :)

Last Moments, Scrabble in Spanish National Championship, Spain 2010

2010-05-04T13:09:00.000+02:00

Antonio Alvarez and Joan Lázaro:

Neme Moreno:

Serge Emig:

Patxi Navarro

Final Classification Scrabble in Spanish National Championship, Spain 2010

2010-05-02T16:05:00.000+02:00

First places of the National Scrabble Championship, Spain 2010:

1 Patxi
2 Serge
3 Neme
4 Antonio
5 Lázaro

Scrabble in Spanish National Championship, Spain 2010

2010-05-01T17:35:00.000+02:00

Afternoon of the Second Day, National Scrabble Championship in Spain.

2010-05-01T14:59:00.000+02:00

Susy tell us what she think about her own development in this championship:

First Games of the Scrabble in Spanish National Championship, Spain 2010.

2010-04-30T17:15:00.001+02:00

Some pics from Alonso:

Scrabble in Spanish National Championship, Spain 2010

2010-04-30T16:22:00.001+02:00

Some pics and videos of the first day:

Grand Hotel Cascada, Termas Pallares Spa.

2010-04-29T01:13:00.004+02:00

As part of the tourist complex of the Termas Pallares Spa, they have a five stars boutique hotel that is marvelous!

From their own site:

“Surrounded by 68,000 square metres of parks and lush gardens, including a hidden private thermal lake, this new boutique hotel near the city of Zaragoza offers guests the perfect place to escape and relax.

The 25 spacious rooms are both stylish and innovative and equipped with every modern convenience. The onsite gourmet restaurant is a must as are the soothing treatments of the Termas Pallares Spa. This is truly a place in which to escape the worries of today.”

We went to meet this hotel due they had very interesting tasting announced in different places of the spa.

As far as the county state where the spa is located is huge and they had placed this hotel far away from the road, you find a lot of peace there. The lady of the reception desk was so kind and really concerned about our welfare.

We went inside the bar and I liked a lot the atmosphere. With very comfortable coaches, calm music. Miriel was the one attending us, very kind and nice. We took the sushi tasting and some beverages. The surprise was that the one presenting us the sushi tasting was the chef, Juan José Morales Sanmartín (you can watch this at the video, but is in Spanish).

One of the things you still don´t know about me is that I had the very good luck of having a very well culinary culture from my childhood. A big part of this comes from the culture mixes that are in my blood, but also due my family was always a big fan of the good food. Of course that´s something I had taught to Sil as well… so, when she was just 10 y/o she already said her favorite food was sushi! :D And it still is. So, Sil had tasted sushi in a lot and different places all over the world (ok, of the part of the world she knows, we haven´t been in Japan already). For Sil the sushi that we tasted at the Gastroteca was the second best one of the world! For me it was the best one, but here the point is that she went to a great Japanese restaurant in Dallas where for her they have the best sushi all over the world, I haven´t been there already.

We were that delighted with the sushi experience that we were invited to go to the Italian tasting of the next day. Honestly it was ok but definitely the sushi one was quite better. Again the whole staff was great with us.

That day I felt with confidence enough as for asking them to please show me a room of that hotel and to visit the restaurant, the Gastroteca. I was really impressive about the kindness of everybody; talking with some of them I mentioned that and one person told me that actually they all are very happy with their job and the place, most of the workers are people of the village, of course there are also people from outside, but for the ones that belong to the village, they liked the spa before even thinking about working there. I´m quite sure that when a staff loves their work and is happy with the treat received by their bosses, you notice it and unwittingly they transmit it to customers. The result of this just can be a positive for everybody… but! I´m afraid there are just few companies that take this into account!

Giving a look to the Gastroteca I had the good luck that Juan José was there and he spent some minutes with me explaining me the style of the place and we even talk about his professional experience. You can see part of this talk at the video, but again it´s just in Spanish.

Part of what makes this hotel a charming place is that it´s located in front of the thermal lake. The hotel also has some thermal facilities and a natural thermal waterfall, but most of the treatments and spa facilities are at the other hotels… but they have a car that takes the clients of this hotel to the other ones.

Yes, I liked a lot this hotel, the restaurant and the people that work there. I just have to say it´s expensive, but I do recommend it. :D

Termas Pallares Spa: the Aquatherma.

2010-04-28T03:49:00.001+02:00

The Spa facilities are distributed among the buildings of the 2 hotels. The place is really big and one of the spaces they have is the Aquatherma, a place with jets, Jacuzzis… would be better if I copy the explanation from their web! :D

From the web of Termas Pallares:

“A large interior space where you can submerge into the thermal water and enjoy all its properties, with all types of leisure and relaxation installations: hydromassage chairs and beds, templarium, caldarium, frigidarium, flexible hoses, rain mist, waterfalls, heated loungers and flotation tanks.

Built over the old bath gallery of the Termas Hotel, original elements dating from 1863, such as the 7-ton marble baths and the authentic water outlets, have been rescued. Thus, the facility is been totally and continuously renovated.

Decorated entirely with marble mosaic and meticulously illuminated, the Aquatherma recalls the old Roman baths and it is, therefore, the perfect complement to the Spa's whole balneotherapeutic offer.”

This time I haven´t take pictures because it was complicated to be taking care of the camera.

For going to the spa area you should wear a bathing cap, sandals, robe and towels. If you don´t have your own stuff, you have to pay extra for using the hotel ones… even for the robe! That wondered me a lot due normal in hotels with spa is they to give you robe and sandals as part of what you are already paying due the room. Well, in this one you already know you have to take with you your own stuff, you can´t even take out of the room the towels.

In general people walk in robe at the facilities, for being at the two buildings is ok as far as there´s a gateway for going from one to the other, it´s a bit more complex when you want to go to the thermal lake (I´ll talk about it in another post) and it´s winter. Any way people go to the lake just in robe, but I wouldn´t! :D

The use of the Aquatherma is included at the price of the hotel, but in our case, going 2 nights, we had just one entrance in total. The Aquatherma has fixed times of use, you can stay there an hour and a half, and each group should enter and go out all together. The place is ok, just that when I went there were a lot of people, I can´t tell if that was due the dates.

I felt the lockers area a bit sloppy. In theory you can lock them with a key, but most of them didn´t have it so people just left their belongings there without closing the lockers. In my case, as far as the only one thing to left there was the robe, no problem, but we saw a man that had left the room key at the pocket of the robe.

When he went to pick up the robe, another guy had taken it out. The person in charge of the Aquatherma had to ask people to please check out if they had a key at their pocket… yes, I was glad about not taking with me the camera!

Do I would recommend the Aquatherma? Well, this time I prefer to evaluate the whole spa, but I´ll do it in my next post.

(To be continued.)

Hotels Termas and Parque. Termas Pallarés Spa.

2010-04-27T05:15:00.003+02:00

The first thing you see at the entrance of Alhama de Aragón, going from the road to Zaragoza, is the Termas Pallares Spa and you have no way to pass it without noticing, because they have 2 buildings at each side of the street, linked by a walkway with the name of the place.

The hotel has a private parking big enough. The reception is not really well indicated, but there is always someone at the parking area that welcomes and indicates you where to go.

At the reception desk gave us the wrong rooms, I mean, the room that should be for Rosa due the reserve code, they gave it to me and vice versa, but that was something we released about just due the name at the envelops of the welcome letter.

I honestly don´t remember if at the reception desk they told us again the prices of the reservation, you see, that´s something I use not to check once at the reception desk when I had a reserve code, to check out the welcome letter neither. But seems from now on this is something I´ll do, among other things, because in the letter of welcome from Termas Pallares, they gave us a coupon of 30 Euros for a future stay if made within six months and also reports of its new loyalty system if you recommend the spa; as well as give you the name of the Director of Operations as contact in case you have any problem not resolved satisfactorily.

The buildings are designed according to the style of the time were built in 1863. The decor of the rooms and halls of both buildings have a mix of styles, but always old. Here some pictures for you to see:

The two hotels share common facilities such as cinema, gym, lounge, restaurant. From all this, I emphasize the cinema, with enough seats in early 1900 style. We didn´t watch any movie, but they scheduled at least one film a day. This seemed an excellent detail especially thinking of the children who can´t (and shouldn´t) go to the spa, so, the hotel for them could be a bit boring, but they have planed things for them.

They also have a kids park and a Paddle field.

The restaurant surprised me with a great breakfast buffet that included eggs in different styles; this is not easy to find in Spain where people don´t have the custom of eating eggs at breakfast time. We had just the breakfast included, but you also can contract it with the dinner included. The first day we went to give a look to the lunch menu there, but it was 27 Euros per person, so we decided to go to explore the village and we found the restaurant Karlos that offers you a great menu that has nothing to envy the restaurant food, for just 14 Euros, but I´ll talk a bit deeper about that restaurant in another post.

What can I tell about the rooms? Very clean, all the needed facilities, well attended. Just that this wasn´t a hotel that made a “click” on me. Telling this in another way, all very ok, but if I should decide to recommend or not the hotel just based on the rooms, no, this won´t be a place I would recommend.

I haven´t seen the rooms at the Termas Hotel, but seems the ones at Parque Hotel are better due they remodeled them not so far away.

Here my video of the place:

(To be continued.)

Tulips in Keukenhof, Netherlands. My photos.

2010-04-26T05:54:00.002+02:00

I took this picture a week ago, at Keukenhof,Willem-Alexander pavilon. A lot of beauties there! :D

Reserving. Termas Pallares Spa.

2010-04-25T02:08:00.000+02:00

I usually check several places including the official web of the hotel I want to go previous doing the reserve. This is because sometimes you can find better deals in other webs. In this case, after checking in several places, the best price I found was this one at their own web:

It was an option for doing the reserve online, but it didn´t gave the prices for single rooms and I wasn´t sure if Sil will go or not, so I called them. It was so terrible! Several calls at different times but just the answer machine talking. I left a message with my contact details, but nobody called me back. After 2 days trying, I called late at night and wondering, I finally talked with a person.

After knowing that the price of a single room would be very expensive, I decided that no matter whom, but we´ll find someone to share the room with Rosa. :D

I made the reserve at that same call; I had to give the complete info of each person. The person at the other side of the phone gave me a reserve code for each room. I really didn´t thought that having the reserve codes I should ask about a confirmation mail, so I haven´t ask for it. Afterwards I noticed that this person hasn´t asked my email address, but again, having the reserve codes, I didn´t give it importance.

Few days before the date, Sil was in a hurry due a lot of homework and we considered the option of her staying at home, so I called again to ask what would happen in case afterwards the room for Rosa should be a single instead of a double one, but again, I called several times, at different hours, Curro tried too, we left messages, but nobody answered neither called us back.

Finally, Sil went with us! :D

(To be continued.)

Inner Smile de Texas. Today´s song.

2010-04-24T07:13:00.002+02:00

I like a lot this song! I should confess it was due the "yeah! yeah"! hehehe but after reading the liryc I confirmed I like it.
So, let´s read the lyric:

(one, two, three, four)
Yeah, yeah
Oh yeah

You gave me something
Like loving
And took me in so soon
You took my feelings
From nothing
Came back at noon
Just meet me
I'm ready
To show myself to you
So if i lose my patience

You must try to understand
(try to understand)
If i lose my patience
Oh yeh

Cause you make me feel
Cause you make me feel wild
You touch my inner smile
You got me in the mood

So come on and make your move
And free me
You make my wishes
As much as
Your kisses make me blue
You've found my river
Now will you
Escape away too
but baby
I'm ready
I'm falling into you

So if i lose my patience
You must try to understand
(try to understand)
If I lose my patience

Oh yeh
Cause you make me feel
Cause you make me feel wild
You touch my inner smile
You got me in the mood
So come on and make your move
And free me
Free me
Free me

Wow wow wow
Cause you make me feel wild
you make me feel wild
You touch my inner smile
You got me in the mood
So come on and make your move
And touch my inner smile
Come get my inner smile
Smile Smile
Yeh yeh

Sometimes I need to be alone
There's times I need for you to phone
Sometimes you make me feel so high
There's times I ask myself why

Here the video of a real life concert of Texas in Paris:

My comment: ok, the lyric is not something out o this world, but I think the lyric plus the rhythm really express that feeling of uncertainty, excitement and expectation when you are meeting someone who gets you out of your bases, and at times you feel you can trust and fall in love again, then he does something that confuses you. The singer's voice is very nice.

What it makes me feel: willing to to be naughty! ;P

What it reminds me: exactly that, someone from other life that moved my bases. ;D But! The memory is a nice one!

Temas Pallarés Spa. Introduction.

2010-04-23T07:38:00.000+02:00

Rosa, one of the friends that shared with us the travel to Canaima, came to stay few days at home. Of course we went together to my favorite places in Madrid and surroundings (at least the ones we had enough time to go). Taking advantage of her stay and Easter, we went to the Balneario Termas Pallares that I had long wanted to meet.

The place is quite huge, they have:

Tree hotels:

- Hotel Termas 3 stars.
- Hotel Parque 3 stars and remodeled not long ago (but I don´t know exactly when)
- Gran Hotel Cascada, 5 stars hotel –boutique.

A thermal lake.
A park.
The Spa area is part of the 3 hotels.
Two restaurants:

- El Balneario.
- La Gastroteca del Balneario.

Two bars-cafeterias, one of them with summer terrace.
Games salon.
Small cinema.
Tennis and Paddle fields.
Small park for children.

With that many things to experience, even had being there just 2 nights, there´s a lot to tell! So it will take me several posts. As far as I´ll be a bit busy on the next days, I can´t promise to place them following one to the other, but anyway I´ll talk about all what we experienced at this place, including both: nice and not nice things.

(To be continued.)

Dusseldorf Airport almost empty at its first semi normal day after the ashes crisis.

2010-04-22T15:50:00.002+02:00

I´m already at home! :D But I should say I was having a good time in Germany… but you see, with the uncertainty of whether yes or no and for how long have to wait plus bothering people in their normal working life if I had to go to the airport, as well as being aware that we talk about an event with negative consequences quite an impact in many sectors, it wasn´t the best for enjoying a few extra days in Germany.

I got a seat at Iberia´s flight of 19.10 from Dusseldorf. I was in Dortmund and going to Dusseldorf Airport with time enough for doing the check in (check in online wasn´t available), cross the control and be on time at the respective door meant to leave the place I was no later than at 15.30.

I´d call several times to Iberia but they insisted that they really can´t give me warranties, that the first flight of the day was cancelled, the second one was delayed 2 hours, but it was due the plain going out from Madrid was delayed. The last time I´d called I explained my situation to the girl at the phone (btw: of all who attended the phone these days just had a nasty girl, everyone else, very kind and giving their best for giving me the best possible recommendations) checked and told me that actually the best for knowing if, from Iberia´s part, the flight would be ok or not, would be to check around 16.00 if the flight going from Madrid to Dusseldorf went on time, but anyway due the ashes problem, could be the airport the one that closes. For me to wait half of hour for knowing almost for sure if all was ok with the flight could meant to not to be on time and actually would be a terrible joke to lose the flight!

I decided to take the risk of going. I went by train because, I insist, it wasn´t a nice plan to bother a friend and not to fly finally. I also had already decided to follow my own recommendation and if the case was that this flight didn´t gone, to ask for a new seat in a weekend flight. I had the good luck of find an ICE train that goes straight to the airport (well, straight in this case means without having to move to another train, but this train does several stops in different cities).

Luckily I decided to go with more time, because since it was the first time I went by train to the airport, which had not foreseen is that from where I left the train to the respective terminal had to take the Sky train, something that actually I would have liked, of course, but I had the bad luck that was out of service and then had to go on normal bus, which found a stretch of traffic and this took a while to get to the terminal, besides that passed first to the parking. So, if I would go just in time, in a normal day that would cost me to be at the airport once the flight would be closed.

Other interesting place at the airport that I didn´t knew even after being there at least 5 times, is that in the part where you leave the train there is an observatory where you can see a panoramic view of the airport and departure and arrival of aircraft. Entry costs 2.50 Euros. And yes, I really was tempted about going to the observatory even just 10 minutes, but I didn´t want to risk.

Finally, I arrived at the terminal and was surprised to see the airport near empty. Even the queues at the counters of Iberia, with people, but far less than I expected. I could say that we were just the ones going to take some airplane. On the screen you could see that in general everything was normal, except for some Lufthansa flights canceled. Yes, I also was tempted about taking videos of the terminal near empty, but still believed that I will find crowdy lines at the control point, it wasn´t possible for me to give a look to it before going because it was one that is upstairs in Terminal B.
Once at the control point… it was empty! Well, I passed it and started to walk looking for the gate of my flight… it was like a ghost airport! See it by your own!

There were some plains taking off and arriving, but not so many actually.

In general the atmosphere was extremely rare.

I gave a look at different stores (I was with enough time to), I can say that in most stores I was the only one that entered. Took the opportunity to chat a bit with the staff of some shops and ask them how they had experienced the situation, they told me that in the preceding days they had been told not to go. I insisted on at least if they had been told to be aware to see if they had to go in the afternoon or something, they said no, that it was not going the whole day and until further notice. This puzzled me much, because in some way meant or that they knew the airport would not open the whole day (even if they were saying on the news that would open at 2 am, then at 2 pm, then at 6 pm ...) or even it it get open, passengers were not going to be able to eat and/or a drink at the airport and they haven´t reported that.

In the corridor I had the feeling that we were not many passengers, but when the plane was already in flight I got up to see the occupation of it ... there were many empty seats! I noted a few in this photo, but there were more.

I must say that I expected some comment from the captain at the microphone ... something like "Iberia laments the setbacks for the problem caused by volcano Eyjafjall ashes..." but no, not a word of this.

We arrived at Barajas, and yes, the T4 was quite empty. I mentioned it to the taxi driver and he agreed with me that there were few people.

About Dusseldorf I thought it was due being the first day semi normal and maybe just few people wanted to risk to do a booking without knowing for sure if they will really be able to fly, but about the T4 I really don´t know what to say.

I really hope the airports go back to real normal life asap and that someone gives economic help to those who had to pay expenses not foreseen due this situation.