Senin, 12 Maret 2012
Minggu, 11 Maret 2012
Reasons to Love Spain number 8, 9, 14,16,20....
8. Beautiful Palaces
The Royal palaces of Spain are some of the most beautiful in Europe. There are the Palacio del Oriente in Madrid, the palace in Aranjuez, the palace in La Granja (Segovia), and the palace and monastery at El Escorial. Each of these is very different from each other. In Andalusia, there are the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Alcazar in Seville. There are private palaces like the Palacio de Liria in Madrid and the Casa de Pilatos in Seville, all filled with beautiful art and history. Their architecture is magnificent and many of these palaces could not be reproduced today, even with modern technology. They are to be savored slowly and appreciated.
9. The White Towns of Andalusia
Most of Andalusia has white towns or "pueblos blancos", where most of the houses and buildings are whitewashed. They preserve the heritage of the Moors and look very much like the towns of northern Africa. The most beautiful white towns are the white towns of Malaga, which are Ronda, Mijas, Nerja, and Frigiliana. Hemingway called Ronda the most romantic town of Spain. Its location above the surrounding countryside above steep cliffs is dramatic. All of these towns are frequented by visitors, yet they remain very Spanish in character. They are prepared for tourism and have beautiful restaurants and stores, and yet they maintain their Andalusian charm. Thousands of people have fallen in love with them. Robert Redford is known to have lived in Mijas for a year with his family. Artists of many countries live permanently in these white towns.
The province of Cádiz has a number of white towns too - Medina Sidonia, Vejer de la Frontera, Alcalá de los Gazules, Arcos de la Frontera, and the Sierra towns of Bornos, Villamartin, Olvera, Algar, Grazalema ... They are just as beautiful as the Malaga towns but there are fewer tourists because they are further from the Costa del Sol where most visitors to Andalusia go.
14. Beautiful Women
Spain has some of the most beautiful women in the world. The mixture of races and cultures during Spain's long history has produced a very strong race of survivors, and that is exemplified by the beauty of the women. The women from Andalusia probably have the largest mixture of races and are known for their beauty. All of them have flawless skin, big eyes, and long and large amounts of hair. Besides this, they have a charm and spice that enrapture visitors. Many of the winners of national beauty contests hail from Andalusia, and one can see them on TV as hosts of programs. They have an innate ability to speak and charm people, and together with their beauty are perfect for TV. Many are in show business as singers and dancers.
16. Flamenco
Flamenco is an art form that reaches its maximum height only in Spain. The stomping of the feet, the movement of the body and the arms, and the music are captivating. Other people may study flamenco, but they cannot duplicate the performances that can be found in Spain, especially by performers with Gypsy blood. They are the best because they start dancing when they can barely walk, and they dance everyday. Their parents encourage them and they see the people around them dancing flamenco too.
Tourists can have an introductory course by going to popular flamenco nightclubs. However the best flamenco is seen only in theaters and one has to be a resident of Spain to see these, because tickets have to be bought one or two months in advance, since they sell out immediately. Performances by people like Cristina Hoyos are unforgettable. She danced in the movie Carmen, directed by Carlos Saura. Today she directs a flamenco ballet group. Those who enjoy flamenco can buy the movie on DVD and see some of the best flamenco ever seen in a movie.
There are new flamenco stars like Sara Barras and Joaquin Cortez, who only appear in theaters, and who give electric performances.
20. The Spanish Language
Some thoughts on the Spanish language; English may now be the universal language, but Spanish is also a universal language. English is more direct, but Spanish has more nuances and is more suave. Spanish is a Romance language and is very pleasant on the ear, especially when a good speaker does it right. Spanish is known as the language of love.
When one goes to Latin America and speaks Spanish, one feels right at home in that country and one is accepted immediately as part of the Spanish family. Also there is a great amount of literature in Spanish, written by great writers.
If you learn and love the language of a country, you can understand how the natives feel and how they think. Language after all is a medium of understanding, a way to transmit thoughts and ideas.
have you guys enjoy this....
muchas gracias
The Royal palaces of Spain are some of the most beautiful in Europe. There are the Palacio del Oriente in Madrid, the palace in Aranjuez, the palace in La Granja (Segovia), and the palace and monastery at El Escorial. Each of these is very different from each other. In Andalusia, there are the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Alcazar in Seville. There are private palaces like the Palacio de Liria in Madrid and the Casa de Pilatos in Seville, all filled with beautiful art and history. Their architecture is magnificent and many of these palaces could not be reproduced today, even with modern technology. They are to be savored slowly and appreciated.
9. The White Towns of Andalusia
Most of Andalusia has white towns or "pueblos blancos", where most of the houses and buildings are whitewashed. They preserve the heritage of the Moors and look very much like the towns of northern Africa. The most beautiful white towns are the white towns of Malaga, which are Ronda, Mijas, Nerja, and Frigiliana. Hemingway called Ronda the most romantic town of Spain. Its location above the surrounding countryside above steep cliffs is dramatic. All of these towns are frequented by visitors, yet they remain very Spanish in character. They are prepared for tourism and have beautiful restaurants and stores, and yet they maintain their Andalusian charm. Thousands of people have fallen in love with them. Robert Redford is known to have lived in Mijas for a year with his family. Artists of many countries live permanently in these white towns.
The province of Cádiz has a number of white towns too - Medina Sidonia, Vejer de la Frontera, Alcalá de los Gazules, Arcos de la Frontera, and the Sierra towns of Bornos, Villamartin, Olvera, Algar, Grazalema ... They are just as beautiful as the Malaga towns but there are fewer tourists because they are further from the Costa del Sol where most visitors to Andalusia go.
14. Beautiful Women
Spain has some of the most beautiful women in the world. The mixture of races and cultures during Spain's long history has produced a very strong race of survivors, and that is exemplified by the beauty of the women. The women from Andalusia probably have the largest mixture of races and are known for their beauty. All of them have flawless skin, big eyes, and long and large amounts of hair. Besides this, they have a charm and spice that enrapture visitors. Many of the winners of national beauty contests hail from Andalusia, and one can see them on TV as hosts of programs. They have an innate ability to speak and charm people, and together with their beauty are perfect for TV. Many are in show business as singers and dancers.
16. Flamenco
Flamenco is an art form that reaches its maximum height only in Spain. The stomping of the feet, the movement of the body and the arms, and the music are captivating. Other people may study flamenco, but they cannot duplicate the performances that can be found in Spain, especially by performers with Gypsy blood. They are the best because they start dancing when they can barely walk, and they dance everyday. Their parents encourage them and they see the people around them dancing flamenco too.
Tourists can have an introductory course by going to popular flamenco nightclubs. However the best flamenco is seen only in theaters and one has to be a resident of Spain to see these, because tickets have to be bought one or two months in advance, since they sell out immediately. Performances by people like Cristina Hoyos are unforgettable. She danced in the movie Carmen, directed by Carlos Saura. Today she directs a flamenco ballet group. Those who enjoy flamenco can buy the movie on DVD and see some of the best flamenco ever seen in a movie.
There are new flamenco stars like Sara Barras and Joaquin Cortez, who only appear in theaters, and who give electric performances.
20. The Spanish Language
Some thoughts on the Spanish language; English may now be the universal language, but Spanish is also a universal language. English is more direct, but Spanish has more nuances and is more suave. Spanish is a Romance language and is very pleasant on the ear, especially when a good speaker does it right. Spanish is known as the language of love.
When one goes to Latin America and speaks Spanish, one feels right at home in that country and one is accepted immediately as part of the Spanish family. Also there is a great amount of literature in Spanish, written by great writers.
If you learn and love the language of a country, you can understand how the natives feel and how they think. Language after all is a medium of understanding, a way to transmit thoughts and ideas.
have you guys enjoy this....
muchas gracias
Jumat, 02 Maret 2012
my brother newest update....~
Xabi Alonso, La Barba Roja
Xabi Alonso is a player who probably doesn’t come up in conversations as often as he should. This is no surprise given the quality of the team he plays for, Real Madrid. As a veteran of the sport, Alonso has had a wonderful career and has already garnered a number of trophies but there’s more to this man than his statistics imply.
Born into a footballing dynasty that few players can match, Xabi found himself immersed in a Football environment from a young age. His father is Spanish legend Periko Alonso; a decorated player who won two successive La Liga titles with Real Sociedad – the club that began molding Xabi into the player he is today – and a third with Barcelona. He was also a valued player in the Spanish national team. Thus the elder Alonso certainly provided an environment that facilitated his son’s emerging love of the game.
The seeds of his career were sown around his seventh birthday when his family moved to the Northern Spanish city of San Sebastian. Alonso and his peers would spend hours playing the game at Play de la Concha. It was there that Alonso would meet his long-time friend and later rival, current Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta. The boys, under the watch of Arteta’s father, were taken to Second division team CE Sabadell’s training ground to hone their skills.
Alonso took inspiration from his father’s playing style and emulated him by becoming a central midfielder. He seemed to get more satisfaction from playing an integral role in developing the play rather than going for goal. Early on, Alonso selected the defensive midfielder role as his preferred position. This decision surely helped develop his keen ability to deliver balls to advancing teammates, which is his defining attribute. Indeed today he is the prime example of a “Regista” or deep-lying playmaker.
A couple of years later, we find our emerging footballer playing alongside Arteta in the Antiguoko youth squad. Their thriving midfield partnership attracted the attention of top team scouts and led to the breakup of their nine-year friendship as Alonso moved to his father’s alma mater, Real Sociedad and Arteta went to Barcelona. Alonso progressed and his talent did not go unnoticed as he made his first team debut at the age of 18. A brief loan spell in the 2000-01 season at second division team Eibar gave Alonso an opportunity to improve his game and play a leading role in the team, due to regular playing time. This provided invaluable experience.
In the 2002-03 season, Sociedad and Alonso finished second in La Liga behind Real Madrid, thus qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, a first for the club. This hallmark achievement led to recognition as “Best Spanish Player” by a sports magazine and his selection for his international debut. After this season it became clear that Alonso was beginning to outgrow the limited environment of Sociedad. Despite interest from Real Madrid, Alonso’s price tag proved too high for Los Blancos. During the transfer window, Alonso and Arteta’s paths crossed once more as Arteta joined Sociedad’s ranks. The opportunity to revive their partnership was short-lived since English club Liverpool snatched Alonso away. However, they would later meet again on Merseyside when Alonso played for Liverpool and Arteta plied his trade for local rivals Everton.
With Alonso’s football nous, the Merseyside club entered a new era of success. Under then-manager Rafa Benitez, the club sought to revolutionize and redefine the approach of the team. Alonso suffered the first major setback of his career with Liverpool after an unfortunate tackle on Frank Lampard led to a broken ankle. Alonso returned to the squad in the second leg of the 2004-05 Champions League quarter final against Italian Serie A veterans Juventus. Filling in for an injured Steven Gerrard, he played the full 90 minutes in less than perfect shape, as he was fresh off the injury table. Despite a shaken squad, Liverpool was able to grind out a 0-0 draw and pulled through on aggregate to the semi-finals. Despite a lackluster 5th place finish in the Premiere league for the Reds, glory was beckoning in Europe where the club reached the Champions League final. During the game many have dubbed “the miracle of Istanbul”, the Spaniard found himself staring down AC Milan’s keeper Dida after the Merseyside club won a penalty while they were trailing 3-2. The Brazilian shot-stopper blocked Alonso’s first attempt but was unable to keep out the second as the Spaniard rocketed a volley into the top of the net. With extra-time yielding no winner, the penalty shootout crowned Liverpool as the Champions League winners. An ecstatic Alonso declared “This is the best moment in my professional career.”
During an additional four seasons at Liverpool, Alonso cemented his reputation as a world-class footballer and played an integral part in his team’s FA Cup success in 2006. One thing about Alonso that can’t be disputed is his loyalty. He truly loved Liverpool, despite claims that the club was attempting to offload him in the 2008 summer transfer window and bring in Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry. The move never materialized but the drawn-out transfer saga soured relations with Benitez and Alonso decided it was time to leave. He would eventually say goodbye to Anfield a year later.
After a transfer to Real Madrid said to be worth around 30 million pounds, Alonso received his number 22 and began the 2009-2010 campaign. For the past two years, he has often been the first name on the team sheet and he is without a doubt an integral cog in the Madrid machine. In his first season at the Bernabeu, he again helped his team set a new points total record in the league, after doing so with Sociedad and Liverpool (however Real still finished second in La Liga). Now wearing the number 14 jersey under manager Jose Mourinho, Xabi continues to see plenty of playing time and the current season is shaping up to be yet another one of quality from the Spaniard.
At 30, Alonso still has plenty to offer at the top level. He gives more than just football ability; showing loyalty, consistency, and love of the game. As the first player in the EPL to have completed 1000 passes in a season, Alonso’s accuracy continues to impress and only time will tell what is still in store for, as the Spanish press and teammates call him, La Barba Roja.
Gracias para todos...
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