The San Francisco of Europe

I have never been in San Francisco so far. People told me that it is an amazing city, with a Meditarranean weather and open mind culture. Well, if London is the New York of Europe. What city is the San Frascisco of Europe? There is no doubt: Lisbon.

Last summer, I spent two days in Lisbon with my friend Iraia after we enjoyed 16º Super Rock Super Bock festival. Our accommodation was in the town center, in the neighborhood called Baixa. The hostel was a renovated old building, pretty clean and with a nice staff who could speak several languages including Spanish and English. If you are planning a trip to Lisbon, I recommend this hostel. Here is the link to check and book:

http://www.mylisbonhome.com/section/home

Hostel's area was a nice place to shopping and walk around. There was one elevator (I don't remember the price, but I think it was about 3€) from we could get a view of the whole city. Also, we walked until Rossio Square, where we saw the Arco da Rua Augusta and we had a nice view of the Lisbon Estuary, with its two big bridges: Ponte Vasco de Gama, the largest bridge in Europe, and the Ponte 25 de Abril (the red one, that remind me the Californian city). We were there at 3 in the afternoon and the warm weather was unbearable so we decided to have a drink in one of the beautiful terraze near to the port.

Lisbon is a city situated between hills, so if you have planed to go there, probably you will finish weary (but with a nice buttocks). Iraia and me were tired after three days of party and concerts. Anyway, we were walking to everywhere. Lisboa is a place to discover by walking in the street. We went up in every street to arrive to San Jorge's Castle.

 Close to Baixa, there was another neighborhood called Barrio Alto y Chiado. There was a big fire two decades ago where around 20 buildings were destroyed by the fire. Now, you can walk there between the reconstructed buildings.

We found Barrio Alto, the best place in Lisbon to spend a summer night. There were many bars to eat and drink. We spent one night there, drinking Caipirinha and Mojito while it sounds chill out in every street.

Next day, we visited Parque de las Naciones, the place that hosted the EXPO in 1998. It is the new neighborhood and financial place of Lisbon that make you feel like in a completely different city.

Some Spanish people have not yet been in Lisbon, and I recommend to go there,  it is not necesary go very far to see an amazing place and our neighbouring country is one of them.




mmmmm uh! Super Bock !!!

Everything is relative.

It worth the wait. Angles, the fourth album of The Strokes is here. The album will be out everywhere  next week, but it is possible to find it for free on their official web:  http://new.thestrokes.com/ or on the internet in a "non-legal way"

It have been five years without an album of The Strokes, maybe because some of them recorded solo albums as Julian Casablancas or Albert Hammond Junior or maybe becuase they have had a lot of problems with the recording. Julian Casablancas said that it was because they pretended to do an album better than Is this it. Did they get it? No, they didn't . Is this it is one of the best albums of the 21th century and I think that it is next to impossible  beat it. 

Previously, we could heard  two songs of the album: Under Cover of Darkness and You' re so Right. The first one, demostrated the guitar playing, the garage rock and the essence of the Strokes and the second one shown a evolution of the band more mature that make me forget the young rhythm which I used to heard.

Some songs, as Machu Picchu and Metabolism sound completly strokes, like if they belong to another previous album. Gratisfaction is a song that give me a smile and a good feeling about the life. Call me Back it is maybe my favorite song of the album with the brilliant voice of Julian. And I am sure that Two Kinds of Happiness will be one of my songs of the summer.

The album's cover looks ugly when you look it for the first time. I think, it is the feeling they want to transmit. The album is called angles. And the cover is full of angles. Can be another angle our opinion about the cover or the album? Everything is relative. Also I think it is a wink to Escher, a graphic artist who created impossible constructions. I like it more each time.

Hopefully, this summer I will go back to Super Bock Super Rock Festival and I will see them on live. Last year I saw Julian Casablancas and it was not as good as expected. But I am sure with the whole band and the excellent songs the concert have to be amazing.

"...making fools out of the best of us"

London, the second time around

First time I visited  London, was not as good as it should have been. It was in July 2005, so I have to say not much about it. But how did I decide to back to London?

The answer is very easy, Jimena and Devin convince me in about ten minutes. (I have just returned the favor to Jimena, she will go with me to Krakow and I have needed just five minutes to persuade her. Devin, brace yourself!)

So we booked the flights, the buses and the hostel and in two weeks, we were on the way lo London (after a crazy flip cup tournament)

As usual, I flew from Skavsta Airport, I think I should dedicate a post to this airport, so many hours I spent on it... And after two hours and nine Ryanair's lottery ads we arrived to Stansted airport, where we  realized (irony on) that the women who work there, love to make life easier for the travellers. (irony off)


First day in London was amazing, we were tired but there were so many things to do, that we drawn strength from every part of our bodies. We decided to participate in the free tour of London, I joined in the Free Tour of Berlin before, and it was pretty interesting so there was no doubt about it. The girl who did the tour was a little bit crazy and she explained to us about things that you don't learn if you travel like a  conventional tourist: Now, I know that I can't die in the British Parlamient (because it is forbidden) or how can I make me friend of the Queen Elizabeth if I decide to break into the palace.
There are 13 cities in Europe with Free Tours, I definitely recommend enjoy these tours. And it is a great chance to meet new people. If you are thinking about travel to one European city, check this link:
http://www.neweuropetours.eu/es/


After ate fish&chips we went to The White Ferry Hostle, it was in a good situation, about five minutes from Victoria Station. It has not been one of the best hostels of my life but to be London, the price was quite good, the room and the bathrooms were clean and the people and staff were nice. If you have planed to visit London, you can book in this link: 
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/The-White-Ferry-Bestplace-Inn-Victoria/London/39761


The same night we join the pub crowl. I don't remember the names of the pubs and discos (I was sober) but the night started not so funny and according to the night went on, it finished great. Even I met three girls from Zamora, my small hometown (We are in everywhere)


The second day, was more relaxed, we was in the city center, Picadilly Circus, Oxford Streat, Trafalgar Square... We were shopping and each of us got something from the amazing London shops. The same day we visited the British Museum. It was my second time there and I have to say that it is one of the most amazing museums I have ever seen.
Some people think that the sculptures, archeological pieces, etc. should be in their original countries.  I understand this opinion. But in the other hand, it is so great to enjoy seeing pieces from Japan, the ancient Greek, mummies from Egypt or pieces from Babylon in the same place!


I have just realized that talk to a blog it is different than talk to my neighbour in the elevator. I have not write about the weather yet. And it is London. So the weather (to be February) was really good. The temperatures were about 5ºC (in Sweden the same week was about -10ºC) and the only time that rained was when we were in the British Museum. We were lucky.


After a visit to Soho, we went to Chinatown where we had the dinner in a Chinese Buffet. And it was the worst time of the trip. I started to felt bad. I started to be sick. So we returned to the hostel where I spend one of the worst nights in my life.

Some people say me that it is a signal, if the first time a was in London there were attacks and the second time I was sick, maybe I should rethink about come back to London. I will ignore them, and I will go again. I just hope to don't die in the British Parlamient.


Our third day arrived and I felt better than the day before. I was lucky, because the lovely Jimena and the lovely Devin took care of me. That day we visited the National Gallery. I don't understand how everybody is surprise about "The Sunflowers" by Van Gogh. In my opinion there are many more awesome pictures. But it is just my opinion.


The same day we saw the London bridge, St, Pauls Cathedral where the Chorus was singing when we arrived (it was really nice) and Coven Garden where we ate while a girl was singing with an amazing voice.

And our trip said goodbye with the musical of Chicago. The actors and the actress were pretty good and the musical was nice, but i started to feel bad again, so I couldn't enjoy it how I would want it.


We spent the last night in the airport of Stansted, and we were close to miss the plane, but Jimena awoke up just in time!


The trip was really good but it was frustrating that I was sick and I couldn't be 100% energic, so I guess I will return again. Does anyone have dates?


¿Tienes chicle?

Can a Blog make a difference?

A long time ago, I decided to create a Blog and I did it, but I never posted anything on this side. Now it is time to change it, I will not be lazy. Because in every trip I have done, in every place I have lived, I got a lot of memories are in my head. Most of these memories are not just mine, they belong to everyone that have been  with me in every moment of my life. It is time to share them. 

I will try to write in English and Spanish and I know that my level of English is not awfully good, but the most important  is be able to communicate with all of you. Even I can take the advantage and improve my English with this blog. My parents will be very proud of me ;-)

Can a blog make a difference?