Hoces del Duraton - Have a great day!

Alberto (NA):

Last Sunday J. Luis´s family, my girlfriend and myself went to the wonderful Natural Park named “Hoces del Duratón”, sited in the marvellous province of Segovia, where I come from, and which I invite all of you to visit. I’m not looking for any publicity because I don´t work on commission, but seriously, if you have the opportunity to go, do not miss it.

The weather on Saturday was horrible, as it rained all day. However on Sunday it was much, much better, even better than we expected. The day started early in the morning because Salamanca is a little bit far away from Sebúlcor (the place where Hoces del Duratón is). We arrived at 10:15, left the car and drove an off-road to “Monasterio de la Hoz”, nothing to do with the “wizard of Oz”. We put on the right equipment (a life jacket and a paddle), and after a short explanation of “How to manage the kayak”, we went to visit the natural park.
Yes, dear readers! Kayaking, we went kayaking! It is not very difficult due to the fact that there are no white (“brave”) waters, waterfalls, rapids, etc. and because the kayak is very stable. We saw a lot of griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures and other kinds of birds whose right name is impossible to know in English.
We also could see Saint Frutos shrine, whose style is Romanic, and the “Monasterio de la Hoz”, which, though not as famous as Saint Frutos, is still in ruins.

After this amazing journey through the canyon of “Hoces del Duratón”, we decided to have a mouth-watering suckling lamb (lechazo, I didn´t know the word) and chops (chuletas) for lunch, of course with wine and a little water … or was it the other way around?

Finally, we visited Sepúlveda, a lovely, picturesque village in the southwest of Segovia. It´s not a very big place, about 1,200 inhabitants, but you can find 7 churches, 35 restaurants and a lot of people from Madrid. Sepúlveda is known for its awesome views, delicious gastronomy, a rich cultural heritage and its ancient fueros. The fueros are special laws by which this place had some advantages with respect to other places, and that´s why it was the border with the Muslim area, which means that a thousand years ago it was a very dangerous place and to attract people to live there the king had to give the population some privileges.

If you like the countryside, nature, cuisine, birds, silence and peaceful places, I strongly recommend a nice walk in Sepúlveda, where you will discover very special corners and charming places, just step by step.

Come on, try this unforgettable experience. I do not mind being your guide there. It will be a pleasure and we can try to speak in English if you want.

Maria Iglesias: Roger Waters' "The Wall Tour" in Madrid

OUTSIDE THE WALL by Maria Iglesias (C1):

Tickets were sold out (there had been none left for months!) but we were there! Last Saturday we were privileged to enjoy Rogers Waters’ The Wall Tour in Madrid. This event, which I will never forget but I will distinctly remember, it is up there as one of the best shows I have ever witnessed.

As you may know, The Wall, a fantastic rock opera released in 1979, is one of the best-known and best selling albums by Pink Floyd worldwide. Summing up the album’s main concept, it talks about a character named Pink, based on Roger Water's own life. Pink's life is stained by the loss of his father during the Second World War and the tyrannical treatment he suffered from his schoolteachers, as well as by his excessively protective mother and his failed marriage. All these disturbing issues become “bricks” that shape into a metaphorical wall which finally isolates Pink from society. Now, mix this story with drugs, hallucinatory episodes, abusive political and religious references and tons of paranoid video projections created by Gerald Scarfe and you will get the essence of both the album and the live show, which ends with the wall being demolished and, hence, the reunion of Pink with the world.

The concert follows Pink's story through 26 songs, some of them not only songs but almost icons in rock history. The first part of the show started with “In the flesh”, while fireworks started to fill the atmosphere with red lights, and Roger Waters appeared dressed up in black leather on the stage, dominated by an enormous flag with two hammers in red & black. The message was clearly written on the starting wall: “Them, not us. Us, not them” and, simultaneously, we could hear the perturbing noise of submachine guns and the terrible sound of an air plane crashing. We were so excited! The concert had barely begun!

While “The thin ice” and “Another brick in the wall - Part I” were being played thunderously we could see on the stage dozens of photos of missing or murdered people in conflicts all around the world, like soldiers, activists or even children, since Waters had started a project before this tour called “Fallen loved ones”, and invited his fans to send in photos of their beloved ones murdered or abused by violence. Then, a choir of kids appeared on the stage wearing black t-shirts with the message “Fear builds walls” and the song “Another brick in the wall - Part II” brought on a sort of “connection” which made the vibrant crowd sing along like in a kind of anthem. From this moment on, step by step, brick by brick, the building of the wall started across the stage between the performers and the eager audience. Roger Waters was rising up the wall in Madrid thirty years after Pink Floyd did in New York for the very first time.

The radiant performance of “Mother” was one of the most moving, intimate ones: while the real Waters was singing on the stage, we could watch the young one on the screen delivering the same song thirty years ago. This delightful song finished with the projection of a very well known quote by George Orwell, “Big brother is watching you”, which changed into “Big mother is watching you”. Outstanding visual elements took precedence over the sound in “Goodbye blue sky”, as the song was accompanied by the effective images of big war planes throwing missiles in the shape of famous icons of political, economic and religious powers: dollars, Mercedes Benz, Shell, Christian crosses and Jewish stars.



At this point of the concert, you can imagine the hypnotic spectacle of watching the progressive building of the wall across the stage - more than 60 metres wide and 10 meters high! - until it got almost completed with “Goodbye cruel world”, the nostalgic song that marked the end of the memorable first part of the gig, with Roger Waters showing his head through the a tiny hole on the wall.

After what seemed an endless break, Waters and his talented musicians returned on stage to perform the album's awesome second disc in its entirety, leading off with a fan favourite, “Hey you”. From that point on, Waters and his musicians stayed behind the wall, so you must imagine the fervent crowd acclaiming an empty stage just dominated by the enormous, breathtaking presence of the impressive white wall. “Bring the boys back home” was, doubtlessly, the most politically charged song of the night, during which harsh images of war tore into starving children. “Comfortably Numb”, the stoner hymn, was perfectly accompanied by tons of stunning psychedelic visuals.



For “The show must go on” the entire band, dressed in black, came out from behind the wall. Roger appeared dress like a true fascist, a machine gun in hand, for two powerful renditions of “In the flesh” and “Run like hell”, when there was a sequence of political imagery, including pictures of world leaders like Bush, Hitler, Mao, etc. At the same time, a giant, remote-controlled black pig was flying out above our heads, fully covered in slogans like “What's wrong with people?”, “Trust Us” and “Them, not us”.

As the concert was getting to its end, “Stop” and “The Trial” had everyone resoundingly yelling back "Tear down the wall, tear down the wall!" And down came the wall in Madrid as “Outside the wall” put a glorious final. Each section of the stadium keenly cheered Roger with great excitement and a deafening applause. I can honestly say that the show blew me away. I have nothing to complain about Roger as he didn't miss a note and sang in a phenomenal voice, punctuated by a fantastic sound system which was powerfully clear.

What can I say, as classic literature, great music is absolutely timeless. Do you want some living proof? First and foremost, regarding the audience at the concert, it was effortless to appreciate there was no age to enjoy the show as you could easily see that groups of expectant teenagers, animated fans in their sixties, lively middle-aged couples or entire families were attending Roger's gig enthusiastically. As Pink Floyd’s founding member briefly mentioned in the middle of this once-in-a-lifetime concert, many people present hadn’t been born the year The Wall was first published, which is certainly true: there is no age at all to rejoice in the show. Secondly, what really impresses me is the fact that The Wall’s lyrics are still relevant these days. Why am I saying this? As I have already remarked, the album sets out to explore human facts like solitude or deception and, what is more, the way we face them, and, on the other hand, it revolves around abusive matters like militarism, as well as religious, economic and political issues, so it is clearly a criticism of a system ruled by such oppressive powers. Do we not still live in a world full of wars, anger and poverty? Is The Wall’s message not alive yet?

To conclude, while writing this review for you, dear mates, I have been listening to The Wall (what else?) and I can honestly confess that the astonishing concert is certainly over but the memories will linger almost forever. After reading this humble review, may I have persuaded you to give the magnificent Pink Floyd a try? Haven't I? ... Is there anybody out there?

Cuenca: An enchanting city

Belén (NA):

Last carnival holidays I was in Cuenca. When I arrived in this town I was pleasantly surprised. It is an extremely charming, beautiful town in the center of Spain which is worth visiting.

The historic district is situated on a craggy rock surrounded by two great deep gorges carved out by the water of the two rivers: Júcar and Huécar. So, the spectacular scenery of this city is determined by these gorges. In fact, you can’t miss the marvelous view of the amazing façade of the Huécar from the city’s state-owned hotel parador. In this part of Cuenca there are a variety of constructions such as collections of popular dwellings in the San Martin quarter and the daring floating balconies of the famous restored Hanging houses.

The façade of Jucar is different since the original houses have not survived the passing of time. Now, these have been turned into green areas, wonderful for taking in the gorge’s views.

Another important area in the old town is the main square, where both the city hall and the cathedral are located. Cuenca’s cathedral was the first gothic one in Castile.

Consequently, with so many attractions, it is hardly surprising that the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 7, 1996.

Not far from Cuenca, about 30 km away, we can indulge in “The Enchanted City”, characteristic for the strange forms that its stones have. About 90 million years ago, the enchanted city was part of the botton of the so-called Thetis Sea. Calcite (CaCO3) from animal skeletons and water was deposited in its botton. When the water disappeared, calcite was converted into limestone. As time passed, the limestone, which is permeable and soluble, was eroded by the rainwater. As a result, these distinctive landforms were produced. You can walk around these really fascinating forms for more than an hour.

For the same reason, in the south of Cuenca we can find one of the most important collections of sinkholes in Spain: “Las Torcas de los Palancares”. There are 22 large holes on the ground because of the chemical dissolution. Since there aren’t too many tourists in this area around you can have a good time in the heart of the nature.

As you can see, Cuenca and its enchanting surroundings offer so much of interest to make it a fantastic travel destination that I strongly recommend you.

International Women's Day

"I think that the time is ripe to make fundamental changes in our civilization. But for real change, we need feminine energy in the management of the world. We need a critical number of women in positions of power, and we need to nurture the feminine energy in men. I'm talking about men with young minds, of course. Old guys are hopeless, we have to wait for them to die off. Yes, I would love to have Sophia Loren's long legs and legendary breasts. But given a choice, I would rather have the warrior heart of Wangari Maathai, Somaly Mam, Jenny, and Rose Mapendo. I want to make this world good. Not better, but to make it good. Why not? It is possible. Look around in this room -- all this knowledge, energy, talent, and technology. Let's get off our fannies, roll up our sleeves and get to work, passionately, in creating an almost perfect world. Thank you."

Right. This quote is not obviously mine, but Chilean / naturalized American writer Isabel Allende's, one of the most widely read Spanish-language authors. Some years ago she started a foundation which is renowned for supporting programmes that promote the basic rights of children and women.

Well, as you know today is the International Women's Day and on such occasion Maria, one of my C1 students, has sent me this passionate lecture that Isabel herself delivered in 2007 at one of these TED annual conferences. It ends with the excerpt I quote at the beginning of this entry and you can watch in its entirety right down below. It comes only handy to celebrate a meaningful day like today and the often underrated role of women across the globe.

Actually Maria remembered Isabel's talk when she saw the video I forwarded you guys featuring, funnily enough, another Latin-American icon, Colombian superstar Shakira, who's been of late the talk of the town in our country as she's been spotted around with FC Barcelona player Gerard Piqué. Here she addresses the prestigious Oxford Union, one of the oldest debating societies in the UK, to talk about her own foundation, Pies Descalzos, which helps the poorest children in Colombia by providing them with a decent schooling. I must admit that beyond the often frivolous façade of the music artist ("she's no dumb bimbo", a very suitable comment reads on YouTube) lies a great personality who has a lovely message to spread: the true value of a good education in today's society.

Who wants to be a Millionaire?

Let me first say that this is very much for my NA students, as we've talked in class about the rise of the TV quiz show, in particular the ever so popular "Who wants to be a Millionaire?"

The craze all began in the US in the 50s with this pioneering show, The $64,000 dollar Question. Those were the days of B&W television!

As popular as 64,000 was Twenty-One, which pulled huge ratings until a shocking scandal (which went all the way, can you believe it, to the US Congress as you can watch on the video down below) undermined the audience's faith in the programme, and made quiz shows go into decline temporarily.

But like the mythical Phoenix firebird that is reborn from it own ashes, quiz shows grew again in the 70s and so did the prizes, which got bigger and bigger. But it was not until the late 90s that a key breakthrough came, to be precise when "Who wants to be a Millionaire" first appeared on British television, and the rest is history. And history was made when an American by the name of John Carpenter (a tax agent himself, isn't it funny!) became the first contestant ever to win the staggering sum of 1,000,000 dollars. This is John on his way to success:

And click on the link for the precise moment that made television history, November 19th, 1999.

Nearly a year later, on November 12th 2000, Judith Keppel first won one million pounds on the UK version of the quiz - and became the 12th "millionaire" across the world:

Last but not least, there's the story of English "professional backpacker" Paddy Spooner, who won 250,000 dollars on the Australian quiz show in 1999 (as shown in the clip below) and the same amount in sterling pounds at the British show a year later, before he eventually trusted his luck (and lost) to the toss of a coin in Ireland.

So what do you think of these "big money" quiz shows? Would you like to appear on one of them? Post your comments here, will you?

Oscars 2011: The highlights / The winners' reaction

The 83rd Oscars are history. All in all, British talent was acknowledged yet again, thanks to both The King's Speech and Inception, which scooped 8 awards altogether. Obviously the former was the big hit of the night, winning accolades for Best Film, Best Director and Best Leading Actor, while the latter won the technical categories, namely, sound and visual effects.

Having said this, I watched - as I've usually done the last few years - the ceremony live, and I told my C1 students this morning that I got bored to death. The hosting by Anne and James was appalling. To me they lacked chemistry on stage, as he looked totally uninterested while she was overexcited and, at times, sickly sweet. Nothing to do with the good old days of the great Billy Crystal - or even the acid humor of Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes for that matter. If they were trying to appeal to a younger, hipper audience, the ceremony producers failed to do so - and with a loud crash. To make matters even worse, every odds-on favourite won the Oscar in each category across the board, so there was no space for surprises - Javier Bardem? - that might have spiced up the event a little.

Anyway, enough of my words. An image is worth a thousand of them, it's said, so down below I'm embedding a couple of CNN clips. Firstly, a quick recap of the ceremony's highlights:

Then, the reactions backstage by the joyful winners:

Do you have any comments about the much-hyped annual event? Were you surprised / disappointed by any of the prizes awarded this year? Post your thoughts here, will you?

US TV Series: Gossip Girl

Luis (C1):

Last summer, I had to look after an old relative (my aunt Mercedes, an 89-year-old woman), so I spent many hours in the Clinico Hospital. A friend recommended me the series ‘Gossip Girl’. What amused me was juggling my old aunt with the youth of the main characters in the series. What would my aunt have thought if she had realised how the young girls in the series have fun?

Gossip Girl is an American teen drama, set in New York City. Narrated by an omniscient blogger, known as ‘Gossip Girl’, the series is about the lives of privileged young people from NY’s Upper East Side. It’s said that it doesn’t live up to the hype, but there’s no doubt that Gossi Girl has influenced some of the tastes in fashion, music and culture of adolescents in the US.

Each episode begins with a page on the Gossip Girl’s blog. Then, a recap of events relevant to the upcoming narrative is shown and the plot of the current episode is developed.

This is a YouTube trailer from the serious:

Gossip Girl is now in its fourth season. I must reckon that I just saw the first one and part of the second, but I am hooked on it. So I hope to post another entry by May, with some additional comments about forthcoming seasons. Probably by then I won’t get on well with any of the characters and I’ll be more objective. The main ones are:

- Serena Van der Woodsen, a finely-modelled blonde whose return to NYC unleashes a storm of events and wakes some feelings that were previously slept; her scandalous past is always implicit in the plot.

- Blair Waldorf, a long-haired brunette with a cruel, inquisitive look, and Serena’s longtime friend turned rival.

- Chuck Bass, a textbook bad boy; a womanizer and a charming, privileged party animal who has reasons to be so bad: a tormentous past as well as a set of giant complexes he has to face with.

- Nate Archibald, the cute, perfect ‘Golden boy’ brought up in a wealthy family, which has driven his footsteps to a life he doesn’t like. Chuck’s best friend and Blair’s significant ex-boyfriend.

- Dan Humphrey, a sort of outsider in this context; a boy with ideals, a great heart and manners, in love with Serena.

Apart from these characters, there are some parents, brothers and sisters, which significantly influences the events occurring in the drama: a domineering, absent father, a brother coming "out of the closet", a rebellious sister, etc.

Like in other TV series set in NY (e.g. Sex and the City), the city itself has a prominent role. Its crowded streets, its superb boutiques, its charming cafes and the glamourous night parties show us the intimate side of such an apparently well-known city. The city that, as Sinatra used to sing, doesn’t sleep.

Well, I’m afraid I have no choice to say goodbye but with this quote from the series:

“You know you love me"
X0 X0
Gossip Girl

The Road to the Oscars

As many of you probably know - and it makes me mad that I forgot to mention this in class, too many things in my head! - the 83rd Oscars are slightly over two days away, as the glamorous ceremony will be held this Sunday evening in L.A. , hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco.

You may also remember that Javier Bardem is nominated again, this time for the top notch award of best leading actor, no less. Yet, he doesn't seem to stand many chances - nor does Biutiful in the Foreign Language Film category - since King's Speech star Colin Firth is the odds-on favourite in all bets. It remains to be seen how many accolades the box-office hit, critically acclaimed British flick will scoop, apparently quite a few on paper ...

Anyway, I've just watched this interesting feature called "The Road to the Oscars", which I'm embedding down below courtesy of the official web oscar.go.com and I urge you to visit if only to see a wealth of film clips in original version.

I was wondering if you would also like to enter a small competition, just for the sake of fun, you know, though I can spice it up with an enticing prize, maybe a DVD or something, like I did foe the Christmas quiz, remember? The thing is that, why not, I'll email you a printable ballot containing the 24 main categories so that you can play the prediction game and see how many winners you guess right, right?

Then you would send me a message by Sunday evening - a word document, say - with your own choices, and we'll see who was more accurate in their predictions, right? Let me just say I'll be recording the ceremony live on Pro7, the German TV channel - as I've been doing for the last 6/7 years - so that you'll be able to see it too when I edit the stuff.

Fair enough, to whet your "Oscar appetite", here's the short feature I told you about at the beginning of this entry. I just loved listening to British director Kenneth Brannagh, an Oscar nominee himself in the past, with his precise, elegant English accent, appraising this year's nominees in the live action short film category. Will you hear the piece too?

Raquel (C1): Variety is the spice of life

I am really fond of TV series, specially American ones, and I´m sure most of you have heard of or watched productions such as The Sopranos, The Wire, The Big Band Theory, MadMen, How I Met Your Mother, Lost, Six Feet Under, The Walking Dead… I must confess that I have seen some of them in the dubbed version instead of the original one. Nevertheless, I try to keep watching at least one English speaking series on a regular basis. As you may have noticed about the titles above, I do not concentrate on a particular theme, as I usually take advantage of viewing a chapter to escape from the daily routine, forget about the issues I´ve been working on all day long and relax while travelling to a completely different world.

Having said this, as far as watching TV series is concerned, it is variety (hence the title of this entry) that helps you find the adequate series for each moment. Now, the real reason why I’m writing for the blog is that I’ve recently come across two amazing British series that I feel I should recommend you. I’ve watched the first season of both of them in original version and they are entirely different from each other. They have nothing in common but the fact that they are both set in England; they are called Downton Abbey and Misfits.

Downton Abbey is set in the years prior to First World War and is about a well-off family and their servants. It perfectly reflects what life at the beginning of the 20th century was like. The plot can be divided into two parts which are necessarily interconnected: The vicissitudes of an upper class family who needs to find an heir to their fortune (at that time girls could not inherit) and the daily routine of their servants, who fight to increase their power at the house and improve their future. The wardrobe, the setting, the atmosphere, as well as the language are all magnificent. It follows the style of Jane Austin’s novels or the film Gosford Park.

Misfits takes place nowadays and the main characters are five outsiders who are struck by lighting during a thunder storm while they were doing their community service. After being thunderstruck they suddenly gain special powers such as reading people’s thoughts, becoming invisible, turning back time or looking younger. Mind you, this is not the typical superheroes’ series, but it deals with the troubles of five young delinquents who are not such “bad boys” though of course none of them is a saint either. Apart from the plot, I find it really interesting because of the language itself. The characters’ accents are not “the Queen’s English”, and they use a wealth of slang words. However, it is not that difficult to understand them and a great opportunity to get used to a wide variety of accents. Click on this link (unfortunately the clip cannot be embedded) to see the series promo on E4, a digital pay-TV channel in the UK.

So if, all in all, you enjoy watching TV series, I hope you give them a go because I believe they deserve it.

Is this Lady going "Gaga"?

Happy Sunday everyone!

You know, last night I timer-recorded on my DVD, as I usually do at weekends, Jay Leno's Show on NBC, which I've seen this morning with my kids, and LGG was Jay's special guest on St Valentine's Day. You know I'm not that fond of the Gagas and the Biebers but I can honestly say she's becoming a total freak, both physically as much as a person, kind of the self-destructive transformation M. Jackson went through in his prime. Let me explain why I've got this weird theory. This is, courtesy of DailyMotion, the same interview I recorded last night, featured barely a week ago, the day after her much-hyped recent appearance inside an egg (actually a vessel, according to herself) at the Grammies, where she scooped 3 awards:

Then, this is her again, but 14 months earlier, talking to the same host on the occasion of launching Bad Romance from the Fame Monster album:

I don't know what you guys think, but at the time she looked to me like a "fresher rose", so to speak, a healthier-looking person, you know. The look in her eyes, her physical presence, the way she sings ... nothing to do with her somewhat ghoulish, I daresay, image today. I mean, I really couldn't care less how she goes about her business or what she does to herself, but I just wonder ... if this is the price to pay for worldwide fame, I take pity on these showbiz celebs, I really do.

OK folks, sorry to bore you with my reflections on the glitz and glam of music mega-stars but at the end of the day, believe me, it's all for the sake of English! And Jay and Gaga speak the language, don't they? Will you post your comments anyway?

Now, as far as Gaga's work is concerned, what's all this controversy that she's ripped off Madonna's 1990s hit "Express yourself" in her latest single, Born this way (which Teresa duly emailed me a couple of days ago)? Mm, interesting lyrics the song contains ... I don't like the music, though. Fancy listening to the stuff? No worries ...

Actually, now you can watch the long-awaited, much hyped videoclip of the song, which was premiered only yesterday on YouTube (where else!?). "This is the manifesto of Mother Monster", Lady Gaga recites ... "As the wombs numbered and the mitosis of the future began, it was perceived that this infamous moment in life is not temporal, it is eternal. and thus began the the beginning of the new race, a race within the race of humanity, a race which bears no prejudice, no judgment, but boundless freedom", she explains in a voiceover with dramatic scenes of a child birth in space. "But on that same day, as the eternal mother hovered in the multiverse, another more terrifying birth took place: the birth of evil." Wow, I guess this lady might one day soon become the master of the ... multiverse? But enough of this speech. Just watch, a scary sight to behold, this latest Gaga videoclip!

This video I've just found on the BBC claims that Lady Gaga is also a savvy business woman. With an army of more than 8 million Twitter followers, she seems to understand the digital media better than most artists today and has arguably taken product placement and marketing tie-ups to a new level. Her latest venture is to promote a range of cosmetics which helps fund AIDS research. This woman (lady, more like!) will stop at nothing to eventually become the first woman President of the USA, mark my words!

MY FIRST VISIT TO LONDON by Javier Torres (NA)

Last week, some friends of mine and me went to London to spend some days after a period of nerves and sleepless nights because of our January exams. This was a trip which we had prepared for months and one on which we had pinned all our hopes.

We left Spain on a Wednesday morning. From the moment we took off, we knew that London was going to surprise us, but not as much as it eventually did. After having been on a plane and suffered the tedious London traffic jams, we finally got to Picadilly – the place where our hostel was -, at seven in the evening, or thereabouts. We made ourselves comfortable and decided to go to Covent Garden, a bustling, crowded area near Picadilly where very different street performances take place. The day had been completely tiring, but after all the evening wasn’t a waste

of time.

Being university students, we didn’t have much money to spend, but we discovered that there are many things to see for free, so we weren’t going to find a gap in our pocket at the end of the trip. London offers a lot of fascinating cultural events with its various historical buildings and monuments, but above all its splendid museums. The National Art Gallery has many beautiful paintings, for example by Rubens; The Tate offers you the latest in modern art; The British museum is well known for its Egyptian and Greek sections, with mummies and the Parthenon rebuilt inside the museum; and last but not least, the Science museum, which shows how we (human beings) have been developing technologically in the different periods of history.

Apart from museums, London is a multicultural city where a vast variety of nationalities (from Indian to Chinese) and styles live together, which gives it a special atmosphere. Picadilly Circus is the area that

never sleeps; Covent Garden is the place where street art and performances take place; Camden Town is the lively suburb that you can’t fail to visit. Its extremely original shops and the street markets (selling clothes, books, food, etc) will compel you to buy a souvenir; and if you can afford anything, you shouldn’t leave London without going to Oxford Street and world-famous Harrods.

As you see, London lets you enjoy urban life in many ways. But you can also go sightseeing because there are many buildings and monuments steeped in history. The best places I visited were:

Trafalgar, an enormous square where you can find the prestigious National Art Gallery - the equivalent to the Prado Museum in Madrid - and which contains many monuments celebrating the English victory in the namesake battle.

Near Trafalgar and close to the river Thames are some of London't most recognizable landmarks: Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben – the latter with a golden clock on the top. These buildings represent the harmonious coexistence between history, elegance and modernity in the same city.

Crossing the river Thames is London Eye, a huge wheel that boasts an awesome panoramic view of London – if you want my advice, going at night is the best bet.

Other sites worth visiting are the magnificent Tower of London - displaying the Queen’s lush Crown Jewels and where Anne Boleyn was locked away - and indeed the iconic Tower Bridge.

Buckingham Palace is nice too, but personally I liked the lovely surroundings better than the palace itself; last but not least, if there’s time to go on a picnic, Hyde Park is a haven of tranquility and the ideal place to chill out.

London is a wonderful city where you can do whatever you want. It’s a good idea to travel there to have fun and practice English too, so I encourage all of you to go, and if you have already been, why not go again?

Javier Bardem talks to Jay Leno

Jay, one of the most famous late night hosts on American TV, congratulates Javier Bardem on the arrival of a baby boy with Penelope while our international actor tells Jay that he doesn't like cars and actually hates to drive (to Jay's amazement!)

I know Cristina López, one of my C1 students, is a diehard fan of the Spanish heartthrob, but I'm sure many of you will have fun watching the interview too.

It's always nice to hear a fellow countryman speak rather fluent English despite the occasional mistakes, isn't it? The interview is split into two parts so this is the second excerpt. Well, in this bit Javier recalls how he used to play rugby (a much better sport than the Super Bowl, Jay!) and once he got his nose broken in a bar fight ("a guy decides to have fun with my face" - Jay looks a bit puzzled, because in L.A. "it means a whole different thing" - he he!)

Isn't it funny when he says he cannot speak Spanish any more because he doesn't know the meaning of the word "flasher" in his own language. Fortunately someone in the audience knows better!

The song of a generation: Don McLean's American Pie

A day like today, 52 years ago, "the music died". That's how Don McLean put it in 1971, as he wrote one of the most famous songs in rock history, remembering the death, 12 years before, when he was only a teenage paper boy, of one of his musical heroes, the great Buddy Holly. He tragically was killed in a plane crash together with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and Jiles Richardson. It was indeed an untimely death, at the tender age of 22, and the news had a big impact on McLean.

To understand the importance of American Pie in US culture, suffice it to say that it was included by the American government within an educational project called "Songs of the Century" and listed at #5 no less.

Legend has it that the song summarizes the history of R'n'R from 1959 to 1970 as it seemingly contains numerous references to rock stars, from Bob Dylan to the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin ... the list is endless, as well as to landmarks in American history, like the Vietnam War, the hippy movement, the space race ... You know, Don has been asked constantly about the meaning of the song's lyrics, but he's always refused to do it by simply saying (quote): "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me ... sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence." Which has only added more legend to the song, I guess.

Well, judge by yourselves by watching the clip below. I'm sure you've heard the tune many times, but probably not paid much attention to the lyrics, except maybe the famous chorus. I dare you try to find all the references I mentioned above ...

An 8-minute jewel that I never get tired of listening to. Enjoy!

Spain's Health Care system

Last Wednesday my C1 students and me were listening in class to Cathy, a British GP talking about her job in the NHS, the largest publicly-funded health service in the world and, it is said, the fourth largest employer no less.

Then, as you all know, the Health Care reform is a controversial big issue for the Obama administration, in a country where private insurance has traditionally exerted a big influence.

How about our health system in Spain? Funnily enough, on April 25th 2011 it will be 25 years since the Spanish government presided by Felipe Gonzalez enacted the so-called "Ley General de Sanidad", which regulated the measures aimed at protecting our health as established in the 43rd article of the Spanish Constitution. The law created the "Sistema Nacional de Salud", which is the name given to the universal health assistance provided by the state and, later, its autonomous communities.

25 years later, recent surveys appear to find considerable dissatisfaction among Spaniards with the country's health care system and substantial support for reforms going beyond the government’s law in '86. To my mind, we can be relatively proud, compared to many other Western countries, of its success in achieving a more equal access to health care for its lowest-income citizens. Studies show that, although evidence of some barriers remains, low-income Spaniards are actually seeing doctors far more often than those of higher incomes, which might reflect their higher burden of illness but also their trust in medical services to provide certain other social services. Experts seem to suggest that these data are impressive, given the comparatively low level of per capita health expenditure and the percentage of gross national product which is invested in health care in our country (see video down below)

However, there's an increasing pressure on both the national and regional administrations to extend the availability of high-technology in medicine (specially in the prevention and treatment of cancer), as well as to reduce waiting lists and lengthen the time that health professionals spend with their patients. As Spain’s per capita income grows similar to that of the rest of Europe, so will the size of its middle and upper classes and, accordingly, a greater demand for better health care. The ever so ageing Spanish population is also a factor not to be sneezed at.

To cut this short, it seems evident that Spanish citizens have some expectations that are not, and will not, be easily satisfied by the efficiency of the current health system, however good it may be.

But what do you think? Are you satisfied with the medical assistance you're given by the state? If not, in what ways could our health service be improved? Perhaps you decided to go private and hire medical insurance? Does this work any better?

Hey, why not post your comments on this blog and exchange your views with your classmates?

Jeff Goldsmith is President of Health Futures, Inc. He is also Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia.

A great song: David Gray's Babylon

Six years after commencing his music career in 1993, Manchester-born, Welsh-raised singer songwriter David Gray released his fourth studio album called White Ladder, the work that would earn him worldwide recognition as a top act. Not surprisingly the album contains some of David's most famous songs to date, as well as being, arguably, his best recording so far. To me at least it is, definitely.

Gray's musical beginnings could be placed within folk-rock, as he would perform his songs on his acoustic guitar and, rather occasionally, on piano. But gradually he started to introduce computer-generated arrangements and orchestrations, a technique that made him sort of different from many of his contemporary fellow folk artists.

I have fond memories of the songs in that 1999 album, White Ladder: "Sail Away", "Please forgive me", This year of Love", to name a few. But no doubt my fave one was and still is Babylon, the album's second single and his biggest hit to date internationally. The story of a guy whose girl has left him but decided to return over the weekend (dumps him on Friday but is back on Sunday). You know, it's hard to say where the song's title comes from. I think I read some years ago a biblical interpretation, like Babylon was a symbol of "exile" or something, but I'm not too sure. Anyway, I couldn't care less. I just love the heartfelt lyrics, the sweet melody and, above all, David's intimate voice, which reminds me of the great Van Morrison.

I played the song to my C1 students only this morning as a "pick-me-up" and I'd like to share it with all of you. This is a fantastic live cover which includes the lyrics scroller so that you can, as usual, read David's inspirational words. Hope you enjoy it!

THE TRANSFORMATION OF BRITISH LIFE: 1950-2000. A SOCIAL HISTORY

Natalia (C1):

After reading this book one has a clear idea of how British life and customs have changed in only fifty years. This change, which is the main plot of the book, is explained in detail throughout some 200 pages. Several aspects of the UK’s daily life have been taken into account, like food, education, work, home or religion.

The changes in food habits concern both the way of eating and the way of buying food. By the second half of the 20th century, Britain starts to try the new exotic food brought by immigrants from all parts of the world, but also a new way of shopping due to the increasing use of the car and the building of enormous shopping centers in the outskirts of cities, which provided (and still do) both leisure and the possibility of doing the shopping in the same building. It is also important to mention the increasing quantity of foreign restaurants opening all across the country.

Regarding education, there have been various remarkable changes. The education given to children was decisive for their future, and a sign of social class. This fact has not completely changed, as there still exist schools for the “higher social classes”, but the education system was gradually reformed, reducing these differences. The idea that the British are strongly concerned with social class is repeatedly mentioned throughout the chapters. More remarkable was the immersion of women and of ethnic minorities in higher education. The access to university studies led to a huge amount of skilled workers, more and more demanded in a “de-industrialized” Britain, while the unskilled workers, who were the majority in the first half of the century, were losing their jobs.

Religion was not the center of British life any more. Orthodox institutions, such as the monarchy, religion and marriage, experimented a deep decline in popular support.

The necessity of a quick reconstruction of Britain after the war led to European architects to construct high-rise blocks of flats, which sparked the refusal of British architects, at least at first. All in all, Britons have always preferred the traditional detached houses, which maintain their privacy.

In the background, the radical change in the British mentality is also stressed, particularly from the 1960s on, and the economic situation of the people and of the government after the Second World War. The arrival of the American culture, its food, clothes and music, together with the sexual freedom of the 60s, resulted in a more flexible, diverse society. Measures taken by the different governments in different areas made the rich richer and the poor poorer.

The writer of the book, Andrew Rosen, is considered an authority in the fields of history, education and social studies and trends. Throughout his career, Rosen has embraced an outcome-based approach to education, focusing on student achievement and success. As Chief Executive Officer of Kaplan Higher Education, he brought online and campus-based learning opportunities to working adults, becoming a pioneer in the burgeoning education market.

In his book, Andrew Rosen explains this complex transformation in a way that no other historians have done. All these aspects of the standards of living, housing, food and transport, as well as social, cultural and moral values, are normally not taken into account by historians, who consider these issues as supporting roles. The sources which his knowledge are based on are actually extensive, stretching from newspapers, such as the Financial Times, to periodicals, reports and articles or books from other important experts on these issues. Of course his arguments are completely objective, based on actual facts, evident and patent to those who have visited Britain.

My opinion as a reader is that perhaps the way in which the writer presents the information might turn out to be linear, meaning “always in the same way,” although perfectly comprehensible. It is written in a standard vocabulary, easy to read even for non-native English speakers. Andrew Rosen writes with fairness and balance.

I would recommend this book to all those interested in recent history or social trends, but looked from another point of view. The book is written specifically for Great Britain but, when you read it, you realize that the same history is, in many senses, common to many countries of the European Union. This work is not focused on the Kings and Queens, or wars... but chiefly on the people's life, on how this was influenced by prosperity, on what is really important for daily routine. It is true that, apart from historians, sociologists, students of English Studies or British people themselves, this book cannot be too interesting to any other people, because of its mere informative nature.

For those who want to or have to read it, I would advise them to do it slowly, paying attention to the figures that the author offers, and re-read them if necessary, as they are an important part of the book, because these figures demonstrate the trends.

Once you have finished the book, you will draw your own conclusions, perhaps different from the previous idea that you had about Britain. My own is that Britons are still concerned with social class and are proud of their country, as they are now much wealthier than fifty years ago, but also they feel less respected, especially after their entrance in the European Union.

ANDREW ROSEN -

THE TRANSFORMATION OF BRITISH LIFE: 1950-2000. A SOCIAL HISTORY.

Manchester and New York

Manchester University Press – 2003

Javier Bardem, a stunning “biutiful” actor

Cristina López (C1):

I know it is not in English, but why not enjoy an awesome film in our mother tongue?

I had always felt admiration for this actor's interpretations in films such as "Mar adentro" or "Los lunes al Sol". After watching him in this one, I stand by what I have said and add that he is one of our best actors in Spain (together with Luis Tosar, amazing in "Celda 211").

During the promotion of the film, I saw an interview in which Carlos del Amor, a TVE journalist, asked Bardem about the possibility of winning an Oscar for his role as Uxbal in Biutiful. The actor answered that should that happen, he would broadcast the weather in the news that day. He was obviously joking, but I think that he stands many chances of being awarded the prize.

Maybe you are wondering why the title of the film is written in that peculiar spelling. I will not tell you, so you will have to watch the film. However, in my opinion, this adjective describes a moving story in the easiest and simple way: a beautiful film.

At the end of the movie, you will surely think over many trascendental issues you’ll have been showed and others which sometimes you don’t pay special attention to.

I don’t want to reveal the plot of the film as I consider you’ll enjoy it more if you don’t have many clues of what you are going to watch. I’ll only give you some nouns: sadness, death, immigration, exploitation, love, childhood ... In another interview, Bardem confesses that playing this role in Biutiful affected him deeply in the sense that he thought over many things through this character (well, this is only a summary and my interpretation of what he said.) Of course, Iñárritu, the director of the film, is one of the most important pieces in order to achieve such a perfect work. I encourage you to watch Biutiful and then share your opinions and impressions on this blog. I hope you enjoy it at least as much as I did!

This is the trailer as seen in British cinemas:

Actually, this is an interview with Barden and Gonzalez Iñarritu when Biutiful was showcased at the London Film Festival at the end of last October:

Finally, Time magazine interviewed Javier after VCB was premiered and this feature gives an insight of him not only as an actor but also as a person as he answers questions from the readers:

Review: Lady Gaga's gig in Madrid (Dec 12, 2010)

Virginia (NA):

Almost a month ago, I had the fortune of being one of the 15.000 people that could see Lady Gaga live in Madrid, and not one of the cheated fans that couldn’t see her show.

When I went out of the subway, I could see the Palacio de Deportes but what surprised me was the queue, the longest I’ve ever seen. I’m not exaggerating if I say that there was 1 km of people queuing: no further comment. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait in an extremely long queue because I was able to enter through one of the sideway doors.

Still, I had to wait like 2 and half hours because when I went into the venue it was 6:30 and the show started at 9, but I didn’t care: I was incredibly excited and suddenly I felt really anxious, infected by the atmosphere. So I stayed in my seat, just in front of the stage, taking notes for this review, ha ha!

The opening band, Semi-Precious Weapons, left a lot to be desired. Sometimes, the main singer was really annoying, without taking into account that he was wearing the highest heels I’ve ever seen, I don’t know how he could walk and even run with them. When they eventually finished there was still 30 minutes more to wait till we could enjoy a spectacular concert. I was constantly looking at my watch, as if that could make time go by faster.

Suddenly, the lights went off. The crowd started to scream, and on the curtain that covered the huge stage a video was showed. The video was accompanied by a remix of “Dance in the dark”. At the end of the video there were some numbers, like the ones you can see in the old movies when they used to start with a countdown.

At that moment, the crowd went completely mad. A light turned on behind the curtain. Lady Gaga’s silhouette appeared. At long last the show started.

The concert’s plot is the story of Gaga and her friends attempting to get to the Monster Ball. Firstly, their car broke down. When Gaga opened the hood to see what the engine inside is like, we were surprised: the car was actually a piano. Have you ever seen someone playing the piano with their feet? (doing it well, of course). Then you haven’t seen anything.

After the car crash, they decided to take the subway, which dropped them in a mysterious location. Then a twister picked them up and dropped them in a dark forest, which could be perfectly the setting for Tim Burton’s next movie, where finally Gaga faced and destroyed the Fame Monster. In each location (which involved, of course, a complete change of the scenery), she sang 3 or 4 songs. The performances were heavily choreographed with at least ten dancers accompanying Gaga.

Concerning the playlist, all her hits were included. The first one was the catchy “Just Dance”, at the beginning of the concert (maybe the third song she sang). About halfway through the show, she sang “Telephone” in her underwear and just after that, the dancers and band left Gaga alone, with the Spanish flag and her piano, and she gave a breathtaking performance of “Speechless”, while the piano was burning. And the epic final, “Alejandro”.

My favourite songs? “Poker Face”, “Paparazzi” and the astonishing performance of “Bad Romance”, when everyone in the audience did the famous dance from the music video. The encore was again Bad Romance. She really aimed her performance at the true fans who know all the songs.

The public was great, singing all the songs, jumping and dancing enthusiastically. I could even feel the floor shaking below my feet! However, if the audience gave their 100%, Lady Gaga gave her 200%! What maybe some people could find boring or tedious was that between some songs she gave speeches: there was a lot of “live your life and love yourself”. In my opinion, there were some amusing anecdotes she told, like for example that in her first concert there were just 12 spectators or how people dismissed her when she started her music career, telling that she would never make it. Anyway, she talked about how you feel when you are different, when the rest of people don’t accept you because of any particular reason: you’re gay or a freak or simply different. Just someone that has lived that situation knows how important it is to hear that you’re important. In a few words, she empowered us to follow our own dreams. That’s Lady Gaga’s main goal in a concert: make people comfortable with themselves. However, I may be wrong; perhaps it is better to hear the typical “You guys are having a good time tonight?” and in that way, people won’t get bored (although I really doubt someone may get bored at those moments, except the journalist from “El País”).

In conclusion, if I were told to describe her concert with one word, I would say: superb. Whether you like her music or not, you have to admit Gaga is one of the most unique artists and performers in the history of music.

By the way, yes, she’s a genius at getting people to talk about her, and yes, she wears absurd clothes but if someone believes that she lip-synchs, I can tell you that this girl does sing and she has got a hell of a voice.

Great work, Virginia! The long wait has been well worth it. Actually, I daresay you should apply for the post the guy from El Pais is taking right now, ha ha!