Back from the Brink
Of Lake Leman, that is :)
The weekend was great, good to see our old friend (old as in more experience than the rest of us put together) Laurent before he sets off for Angola. It will definitely be a change of lifestyle...let's just hope he stays safe there. On this trip we also made some new friends, and Jordi noticed how beautiful some of the swiss women are, for a change (some?? he was noticing them all !!!).
Now for a bit of news.
As always somebody else is to blame, which is why Italy is blaming Switzerland for the electricity blackout they had the other day.
As most of you will know by now, we English are a bit strange. Now you can have some proof, as the cathedral choir of one of our southern cities (Portsmouth) have stripped off for a calendar. Okay, they are raising money for the church after all...
Now for something you really have to read. A man's mechanical lifesize dog which, let's say, has 'wind problems' was stopped and thoroughly searched at an american airport following their sensors going off for high explosives.
Well, that's how the world stands at the moment. Just left for me to say that Ruben (the andaluz) is off tomorrow back to the sunny parts of Spain, so let's bid him a fond farewell.
Ciao for now
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Friday, October 24, 2003
Farewells
Probably the most international goodbye goes out to Concorde, who's last journey is due to take place this morning. And to think I never even got to ride in it once !
More locally, a brief goodbye goes to Mainz, because Luca, Jordi and myself are off to Switzerland to see our main man Cortega celebrating his graduation before he goes off to, where was it again? Iraq, Israel, never mind, somewhere dangerous, for sure.
And finally, we have said goodbye to the moderate weather of autumn (did it really exist this year?) as the frost has finally arrived and we walk with frozen feet, noses, ears and hands through the streets. Now where did I put my mittens...
that's it for now, got to pack,
Au revoir
Probably the most international goodbye goes out to Concorde, who's last journey is due to take place this morning. And to think I never even got to ride in it once !
More locally, a brief goodbye goes to Mainz, because Luca, Jordi and myself are off to Switzerland to see our main man Cortega celebrating his graduation before he goes off to, where was it again? Iraq, Israel, never mind, somewhere dangerous, for sure.
And finally, we have said goodbye to the moderate weather of autumn (did it really exist this year?) as the frost has finally arrived and we walk with frozen feet, noses, ears and hands through the streets. Now where did I put my mittens...
that's it for now, got to pack,
Au revoir
Monday, October 20, 2003
Breakfast News
What would you say if I told you that a man encased himself in a perspex box and hung it from a tower bridge for 44 days and only drank water? Impossible? No, illusionist David Blaine has just walked out of it (with the aid of a stretcher)
In Buenos Aires an arsy bit of art has been put on display. Images of 600 bottoms are shown in the exhibition by Chilean visual artist Catalina Riutort.
Now we all know that women never like their own bodies (despite the fact that men like women's bodies very much) . But after a survey of forty-five thousand women commissioned by AOL, the figures are staggering. Sixty percent couldn't stand the way they looked, and nearly ten percent said they would change their whole bodies if the cosmetic surgery was free !!! But the most important figure is that of twenty-six percent of women find shopping for clothes makes them more unhappy about their bodies. Well, there's a simple solution to this one, which men have being trying to tell their wives for centuries - that they don't need any more clothes !!!
And finally, another strange story from this land that is Germany. A judge found in favour of the Mainz coucil, that it should not have to pay for a new toilet seat for a person on social welfare, when it broke through normal usage. Very important decision, wouldn't you say so?
Post-note: Olguis plane had electrical difficulties and so she's waiting for a new one. Let's hope she gets back fine, safe, and above all soon !
What would you say if I told you that a man encased himself in a perspex box and hung it from a tower bridge for 44 days and only drank water? Impossible? No, illusionist David Blaine has just walked out of it (with the aid of a stretcher)
In Buenos Aires an arsy bit of art has been put on display. Images of 600 bottoms are shown in the exhibition by Chilean visual artist Catalina Riutort.
Now we all know that women never like their own bodies (despite the fact that men like women's bodies very much) . But after a survey of forty-five thousand women commissioned by AOL, the figures are staggering. Sixty percent couldn't stand the way they looked, and nearly ten percent said they would change their whole bodies if the cosmetic surgery was free !!! But the most important figure is that of twenty-six percent of women find shopping for clothes makes them more unhappy about their bodies. Well, there's a simple solution to this one, which men have being trying to tell their wives for centuries - that they don't need any more clothes !!!
And finally, another strange story from this land that is Germany. A judge found in favour of the Mainz coucil, that it should not have to pay for a new toilet seat for a person on social welfare, when it broke through normal usage. Very important decision, wouldn't you say so?
Post-note: Olguis plane had electrical difficulties and so she's waiting for a new one. Let's hope she gets back fine, safe, and above all soon !
Sunday, October 19, 2003
South American Special
Not really that special, but the only news is of South America, so why not call it that?
Bolivia now has a new president, and the rioting has at last calmed down there. Let's hope he can succeed where the last one failed.
After citing the article on my spanish webpage about the positive effects of coffee on potency in men, it is therefore surprising to find that one of the largest producers (and consumers) of coffee spends so much on other methods of aid.
And to finish off this trans-atlantic posting, Olguis will be coming back tomorrow. Bon voyage !
bye
Not really that special, but the only news is of South America, so why not call it that?
Bolivia now has a new president, and the rioting has at last calmed down there. Let's hope he can succeed where the last one failed.
After citing the article on my spanish webpage about the positive effects of coffee on potency in men, it is therefore surprising to find that one of the largest producers (and consumers) of coffee spends so much on other methods of aid.
And to finish off this trans-atlantic posting, Olguis will be coming back tomorrow. Bon voyage !
bye
Thursday, October 16, 2003
News Titbits
Most importantly, Alberto went home back to Spain yesterday. Let's hope his Seat Ibiza got hime there safe and sound, and that the 3 cases of beer arrived without a bottle being opened...
Now onto some more international news.
One of the main leaders of the rebel group FARC in Colombia has made moves towards a peace talk. What with the hostages still being held near Santa Marta, and the continued attempts on the lives of mayoral candidates before the elections, let's just hope this new move is taken seriously by both sides.
Something a bit closer to home now (ie Germany) in that a man has been arrested on suspicion of teaching his dog to do the Nazi salute. It could only happen here. Oh, and the dog's name is Adolf.
Well that's about it for now, although congratulations are in order to the chinese for being the third nation to put a man up in space. In fact, they were meant to be the first nation to put a man and his dog in space, but when the sweet-and-sour-pork packet burst on take-off there was no other option...
Also, congratulations go out to Olgui who has now been excepted on her course in psychology here. As everyone knows, it's very difficult for foreigners to get on these limited-entrance courses, so well done to her !
Better get back to putting variables into my program (yes, it really is that interesting).
As the new governer of california says:
Hasta la vista, baby :)
Most importantly, Alberto went home back to Spain yesterday. Let's hope his Seat Ibiza got hime there safe and sound, and that the 3 cases of beer arrived without a bottle being opened...
Now onto some more international news.
One of the main leaders of the rebel group FARC in Colombia has made moves towards a peace talk. What with the hostages still being held near Santa Marta, and the continued attempts on the lives of mayoral candidates before the elections, let's just hope this new move is taken seriously by both sides.
Something a bit closer to home now (ie Germany) in that a man has been arrested on suspicion of teaching his dog to do the Nazi salute. It could only happen here. Oh, and the dog's name is Adolf.
Well that's about it for now, although congratulations are in order to the chinese for being the third nation to put a man up in space. In fact, they were meant to be the first nation to put a man and his dog in space, but when the sweet-and-sour-pork packet burst on take-off there was no other option...
Also, congratulations go out to Olgui who has now been excepted on her course in psychology here. As everyone knows, it's very difficult for foreigners to get on these limited-entrance courses, so well done to her !
Better get back to putting variables into my program (yes, it really is that interesting).
As the new governer of california says:
Hasta la vista, baby :)
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
Back to School
Well, I managed to do it again. It's been over a month since I last posted, but I'm not even going to explain why ! That's because you'll already have read that I went off to Colombia for 3 weeks. Yes, my final continent has at last been conquered, another place to tick off my list...hold on...that's not true. There is really so much of it to see, and if it wasn't for political reasons (hehem, kidnappings) I would have loved to have seen more. I have at least promised that I will return soon and see as much as possible that I missed.
I will not bore you with notes from my diary there, though I will mention a couple of things that will stay with me for a long time. Firstly, arriving with hurricane Florian was a bit of an experience, although the flight itself had already put me a bit on edge (within an hour of taking off from Frankfurt, the air hostess managed to spill orange-juice over my trousers, shirt, and book that I was reading (Noticia de un Secuestro - Garcia Marquez, very apt). We then had someone smoking in the toilets (very safe...).
What amazed me was the variety of the people, food, climate, and how despite all the problems that this country endures, how relaxed, happy and friendly the people were (in fact, I only got called "Gringo" once, and that was by a schoolkid in the library of Bogota). It really is dificult for me to put into words what I experienced there, but suffice it to say that I enjoyed myself a lot, and will definetely return.
Another thing I will remember, is Olga's driving. I don't mean this in any form of bad way, just that she gets very frightened of the big buses (with good reason, I've seen how they drive, and the consequences! It isn't for nothing they're called "Borradores" - erasors). Also when we hit a big hole (and there are numerous to hit in the roads of Barranquilla, in fact, it's harder to find a bit of road which isn't part of a hole!) and the engine caught fire...that was something I won't forget quickly! (see, it had nothing to do with her driving, just that she was driving at the time these things happened).
So all in all, an amazing time, and can't wait to go back (possibly when the weather gets back to normal - 32 degrees Celsius at midnight with 100% humidity requires about 3 showers a day minimum).
Back in Mainz we have a different problem. It's freezing !!! Snow in the south, snow in the north, but here everything looks the same, except we can feel the cold entering our bones. It really has skipped autumn and gone straight into winter. I feel sorry just looking at the new Spaniards thinking of their homes....
What else is new...many people have finally gone back to their home countries, and many more have arrived to start their Erasmus year here in this village, sorry, should that be town?
And finally, as many of you already know, I'm looking for a place to live. I have until the 20th of this month to move out, so if anyone hears of a place, you can use the form on this website to email me. Thanks.
Okay, that's all for now, better get some shopping in before I starve again.
we'll meet again
Well, I managed to do it again. It's been over a month since I last posted, but I'm not even going to explain why ! That's because you'll already have read that I went off to Colombia for 3 weeks. Yes, my final continent has at last been conquered, another place to tick off my list...hold on...that's not true. There is really so much of it to see, and if it wasn't for political reasons (hehem, kidnappings) I would have loved to have seen more. I have at least promised that I will return soon and see as much as possible that I missed.
I will not bore you with notes from my diary there, though I will mention a couple of things that will stay with me for a long time. Firstly, arriving with hurricane Florian was a bit of an experience, although the flight itself had already put me a bit on edge (within an hour of taking off from Frankfurt, the air hostess managed to spill orange-juice over my trousers, shirt, and book that I was reading (Noticia de un Secuestro - Garcia Marquez, very apt). We then had someone smoking in the toilets (very safe...).
What amazed me was the variety of the people, food, climate, and how despite all the problems that this country endures, how relaxed, happy and friendly the people were (in fact, I only got called "Gringo" once, and that was by a schoolkid in the library of Bogota). It really is dificult for me to put into words what I experienced there, but suffice it to say that I enjoyed myself a lot, and will definetely return.
Another thing I will remember, is Olga's driving. I don't mean this in any form of bad way, just that she gets very frightened of the big buses (with good reason, I've seen how they drive, and the consequences! It isn't for nothing they're called "Borradores" - erasors). Also when we hit a big hole (and there are numerous to hit in the roads of Barranquilla, in fact, it's harder to find a bit of road which isn't part of a hole!) and the engine caught fire...that was something I won't forget quickly! (see, it had nothing to do with her driving, just that she was driving at the time these things happened).
So all in all, an amazing time, and can't wait to go back (possibly when the weather gets back to normal - 32 degrees Celsius at midnight with 100% humidity requires about 3 showers a day minimum).
Back in Mainz we have a different problem. It's freezing !!! Snow in the south, snow in the north, but here everything looks the same, except we can feel the cold entering our bones. It really has skipped autumn and gone straight into winter. I feel sorry just looking at the new Spaniards thinking of their homes....
What else is new...many people have finally gone back to their home countries, and many more have arrived to start their Erasmus year here in this village, sorry, should that be town?
And finally, as many of you already know, I'm looking for a place to live. I have until the 20th of this month to move out, so if anyone hears of a place, you can use the form on this website to email me. Thanks.
Okay, that's all for now, better get some shopping in before I starve again.
we'll meet again
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