Tuesday 31 March 2009

Uncanny story: Driving faster than Fernando Alonso!

Did I ever tell you about the time I met Fernando Alonso?
No!! So, here you have my uncanny adventure.
A few years ago I was waiting for my girlfriend, Susan. I was upset because she was arriving late and I didn’t like waiting for her. I was really excited because we were getting married next summer and I was going to meet her parents.
It was 8 o’clock and I was just standing next to my car, minding my own business.
I didn’t realise that a car had parked near me. Then suddenly I heard a claxon and I could see the driver. I just couldn’t believe my eyes!! It was Fernando Alonso!!
Without thinking what I was doing I decided to follow him. What an intelligent decision!!
I didn’t want to get too close, I just keep moving until he arrived to a restaurant. While he was parking I took my camera and got into the restaurant.
So there I was, in that fancy restaurant without knowing what to do. Another wise decision was to hide myself behind a table.
All of a sudden, somebody sat in that table. It couldn’t be true! I could listen Fernando Alonso talking with a girl. I felt really nervous.
Suddenly I got a call from Susan. Luckily, I had remembered to silence my mobile but I had to answer the phone because she would be worried about me.
Well, what happened in the end is obvious. While I was talking with Susan, Fernando Alonso picked up the tablecloth. I will never forget his face!!!! Then I jumped and started to run. Fernando Alonso shouted at me. He flipped his lid!! I thought he wanted to kill me but I got to my car and drove faster than any other man in the world, even faster than Fernando.
It was one of the most stupid things that has ever happened to me!!

Thursday 19 March 2009

Jokes!

Little Johnny was sitting in class doing math problems when his teacher picked him to answer a question:
- "Johnny, if there were five birds sitting on a fence and you shot one with your gun, how many would be left?"
- "None," replied Johnny, "because the rest would fly away."
- "Well, the answer is four," said the teacher, "but I like the way you're thinking."
Little Johnny says, "I have a question for you. If there were three women eating ice cream cones in a shop, one was licking her cone, the second was biting her cone and the third was sucking her cone, which one is married?"
"Well," said the teacher nervously, "I guess the one sucking the cone."
"No," said Little Johnny, "the one with the wedding ring on her finger, but I like the way you are thinking."


One day the teacher was walking into her classroom and announced to the class that on each Friday she would ask a question to the class and anyone who answered correctly didn't have to go to school the following Monday.
On the first Friday the teacher asked: "How many grains of sand are on the beach?" No one could answer the question.
The following Friday, the teacher asked the class: "How many stars are in the sky?" and again no one could answer.
Frustrated little Johnny decided that the next Friday he would answer the question and get a 3 day weekend.
So, Thursday night Johnny took 2 ping pong balls and painted them black. The next day he brought them to school in a paper bag. At the end of the day just when the teacher said, "here is this week's question," Johnny emptied the bag to the floor sending the ping pong balls rolling to the front of the room. Because they were young kids, the entire class started laughing.
The teacher said, "ok, who's the comedian with the black balls?"
Immediately, little Johnny standed up and said, "Bill Cosby, see you on Tuesday!"

Tuesday 10 March 2009

My friend Bouk!

In April 2005 I was having a coke with some friends in Michael Collins pub when I met Bouk. Since that day, Bouk has become one of my best friends because he is the most funniest person I have ever know.
He has travelled all over the world and, although he is Dutch he speaks a perfect English. He has been in England many times and when he travels he needs to use English to communicate with other people.
Boudewijn Anne Joseph (this is his full name) arrived to Barcelona in 2002. He is going to stay here for a long time, depending on how his life goes.
Bouk came to Barcelona to enjoy himself. He had studied mechanical engineering and he wanted to travel in order to find a good job anywhere. Nowadays he is working in a technical commercial company near “plaça Tetuán” and living alone in a flat in Canyelles. He had shared his flat several times but now he lives alone.
He loves Barcelona, admires Barcelona’s nature, beaches and mountains. I know he is a good dancer and an authentic “casanova”.
When he came to Barcelona for the first time, he felt in love with a girl. He came to Barcelona 5 times in the same year but when love stopped, the travelling stopped.
Bouk speaks Spanish and understands Catalan. I wanted to know about English at his country.
In The Netherlands people speaks English, but it is not an official language. There is only an official language in The Netherlands, with many dialects. Bouk speaks English perfectly; he uses it for everything and does not have any problem when he has to speak with someone using this language.
I would like to speak English as he does but I have to practise a lot. Sometimes when all my friends are together we practise our English but at the end we finish speaking Spanish because some of them don’t understand English.
I know the best way to improve my English should be going abroad for a year but this is something very difficult for me because all my life is here, in Barcelona.

Friday 27 February 2009

Advantages and disadvantages of legalizing cannabis for medical purposes!

It is a fact that cannabis is actually considered a drug (the dictionary definition says it is an illegal drug usually smoked in cigarettes). Its use is illegal and could imply a fine and a few days in prison too, depending on the quantity of this substance that you bring.

What is true is that it reduces many of the side effects and pain of some illnesses and treatments. For instance:

- It relieves nausea and many of the patients who suffer cancer would eat and live normally (chemotherapy produces weeks of vomiting and nausea).

- It stops muscle spasms and reduces tremors to people suffering from multiple sclerosis.

- The appetites of Aids patients with wasting disease are stimulated.

-It reduces the paining of menstrual cramps and childbirth.

- Paining of menstrual cramps and childbirth may also be relieved.

-It could also reduce fluid pressure in the eye; consequently, it may help in the treatment of patients suffering from glaucoma.

In fact, as it is a plant with relaxing effects, it would help in other illnesses, but it has not been proved yet.

However, people who are against the legalization of cannabis say that it reduces the ability of concentration and could also imply many other unpredictable side effects, depending on the ingredients that the drug contains (it contains about 400 active ingredients, many of them with unknown side effects).


What is more, cannabis could create addiction for young people. They usually have it as a drug, but it could suppose an addiction, just like tobacco and alcohol do.

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Stereotypes and nationalities!!

In Spain, we are said to be reliable. It means that we are usually talking with unknown people at discotheques, pubs, etc. in order to know them, have fun and flirt. Spain is known due to its paella, ham and bullfighting. This is a mistake, a bad stereotype about Spain. We sometimes eat pizza and ham, but not as something usual. Bullfighting isn’t our preferred “sport” though.

In USA, a lot of people are over weighted. In my opinion, a reason for that could be because they usually eat at fast food’s restaurants. This is why they don’t have a healthy diet and have problems with their weight.

In France for example, men are really romantic. It is also said that they love champagne, but I don’t know if they drink a lot of this drink or not.

Italians love pasta, pizza and football. Football is the most common/famous sport of this country, like in Spain. In my opinion, the Italian diet is the healthiest and the most balanced diet in the world, like here in Spain too.

German people are intelligent, bigheaded and strict. When they come to Spain, on holidays, in Mallorca, they are always making noise and getting into trouble; although I think this is something normal because they only want to have fun and alcohol could make people change or even put you in a bad mood.

English people are really punctual. They love tea and they don’t usually drink coffee. In Spain we are always late. We should learn about English people.
Do you agree with me?

Tuesday 3 February 2009

Matilda!

Last year, I read one of happiest books I have ever read. The book is Matilda. Have you read it? If the answer is no and you want to have fun and enjoy reading, I recommend you to read this book.

Matilda, written by Roald Dahl, is considered one of the most popular children’s books of the World. It is a fiction book where a little girl – called Matilda – will show us how geniuses children can be.

Matilda will start reading and learning new things alone, by herself. She learns how to go to the library and reads books. She even takes them to her house in order to read them, instead of watching television. One day, her parents decide to take her to school to make her learning new things. Matilda will show her teacher – Miss Honey – how lovely, imaginative and intelligent she is. She will learn faster than her classmates. However, she will face new problems soon and everything will become more difficult. The headmaster – Mrs. Trunchbull – and her parents will make things more complicated. Matilda will surprise everyone and her intelligence will help her in her dayly problems. Miss Honey and Matilda will share their own secrets but that is something that the reader must discover by reading the book.

The book is mainly written for children, with many drawings and funny anecdotes. However, it could perfectly be read by adults, making them viewing life from another point of view. In fact, it is a children’s book that everybody should read.

Wednesday 28 January 2009

Night life in Barcelona!!

A typical night out in Barcelona could be going to have something to eat and drink until 3am and then going to dance at any of the city’s discotheques.

There are a lot of people in the snaked streets of the Barrio Gótico and Las Ramblas. You will find a lot of places to have fun there. In Plaza Real, with all its bars, clubs and people everywhere, there is a lot of activity at night.

In El Born you will find lots of bars and clubs. You could stay the whole night here if you wanted, after having some “tapas” or dinner in any of its fancy restaurants. Near Port Vell and Port Olímpic you can choose between Maremagnum and the pubs/discotheques of Port Olimpic. Both zones are popular.

The modern zone of L’Eixample is also an excellent place for going out at night, and with fewer tourists. Aribau Street has a wide variety of pubs and bars, especially near Roselló Street. You can also find a gay zone, particularly between Aribau and Muntaner Street and Casanova, near the Rome Avenue.

Between Mariá Cubí Street and Diagonal you will find more Spanish people than tourists, with all kind of bars and clubs.

The Gràcia neighbourhood is a place with many options. It has a few small squares with bars that try to offer a relaxed place to have some drinks. The Square of the sun (Plaza del sol), Virreina Square and Rius Square have a lot of activity. It is the preferred place of foreigners living in Barcelona.

In general, places near Tibidabo and Montjuic are more expensive. If you want to have a good view of Barcelona you should go there. Their pubs play good music.

Here you are!! If you don't know what to do this weekend, please, read again my article!!