ASIAN HAIRDRESSER'S & ASIAN SUPERMARKET

The other day I went with Doug to the hairdresser's to get a hair cut (notese lo raros que son aquí van a la pelu a "coger" un corte de pelo). The hairdresser was a woman from China. You can se the hairdresser's in the photo  Ok, there wasn't so many people (bad thing I thought) but in the other hand there wasn't either any blood puddle (charco de sangre) or ear in the floor. In any case I was there and I am fearless (=sin miedo = intrepido) traveler, so I said:

- Doug, after you.

In 15 minutes he got his haircut. It was Ok. No blood and the ears were in their place, what more I can asked for. It was my turn.

Later we went to the Asian Shop. They have a nice vegetables and every so often (de vez en cuando) there was like a rain over the vegetables.... como un sirimiri.

And we went to the Fish Shop, there was lots of fresh fish, well no all was  very fresh but we bought a trout (trucha) that was very fresh and Doug and Scott cooked it for dinner ... No, Ana I don't know how to cook a trout... Because I know that after this travel I'm going to have to cook so many tortilla de patatas in Bilbao, but no more things. We saw a sea bass (lubina) but it was the most huge fish that I saw in all my life, and it was cut into a lot of pieces .....

There were more fresh fish, but I didn't know what they were and they looked like so happy there..

 

BASEBALL, SOFTBALL AND YARD SALES

YARD SALE:
Here in the US you can see quite a few times signs saying: YARD SALE ... but no they are not either selling a piece of grass or the whole yard (jardin). They take off all the old stuff or piese of junk (trastos) they own and try to raise (recaudar) some bucks (dollars) selling them. This morning I took this photo at 7:00 am...

By the way, the first time I saw in my live OPEN HOUSE I tried to go in the house, thinking that was like a museum, showing how an american family live ...but it means CASA EN VENTA.. jajaja

BASEBALL & SOFTBALL: Both are more or less the same. But in softball you use a soft ball ... is easy to understand. And the ball goes slower than in baseball.  Today one of the guys that I played poker with the other day invited me to try and practice softball . So tonight, after had dinner (so at 8:00 pm) I practice softball. It's quite a few difficult but I hit almost every balls... and there are photos but we have to wait to see them. We can see the photos I took of my friend. He hit all the balls around 150 balls and he controlled the direction of the ball after hitting them.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY .....

I sick of telling you my life every day, so that I decided just to show my pictures of the they and a short comment about them.

SOY YO: como hace tiempo que no salgo en ninguna foto me hice una ayer... con mi corte de pelo americano (no se ve la cresta) y mi polo-shirt made in america (10 $) ... talla M... y hace un año usaba XL. Lo que sujeto no es una copa de vino ... es la camara..

PARTIDA DE POKER: el viernes fue la segunda partida de poker perdi 12$ .. pero gane una bonita mano con poker de ases....

P.D: hasta aqui me han llegado noticias de una fiesta ibicenca espectacular .... que pena que me la perdí. Si puedo conseguir los derechos de autor de alguna foto la publicaré.

DIANA'S PARTY in MEEHAN'S HOUSE: AWESOME

On Saturday I was in my first american party.
The party was in Betsy and Joe's house and all was perfectly managed.
The house , the yards, the tent (carpa), the ligth, the antorchs, the guest (25 people), the hosters ... all was so perfect.
The yard was superb whith the antorchs along the stone way, the perfect lown, the tables, the wonderful tent, the lights. It was a hard and long work for the hosters (Betsy and Joe), but some of us tried to give a hand. And for me was enjoyable to help a little.

There were about 25 people. All of them made and brought some thing to eat or drink. I brought two Spanish omelete, red peppers and made my first sangria (with red wine and Seven Up so that I had to mix a little rum and apple, lemon, peaches and icecubes). It was OK, no great, but OK to be my first.

I tasted a delicious paella (cook for Ric he told me how he made and I´m sure I can't do it better ... was superb), the BBQ meat was delicious too (but the cook was Lutz, from German and the meat's recipe from Korea... so I have to wait to taste an Authentic American BBQ).

All the women were wondefull well dress up,   the men (all of us) just were.

One very curious thing for me: all the guests after finish the party grab their remaining food (cogen las sobras de su comida) and take back to their houses.

PHILADELPHIA with Betsy

I spent the whole day in Philly. I got there by train (as you can se in the first pic). I went to the Visitors Center where I met later con Betsy.

She introduced me to the city ... and this time, yes this time I knew the city and  I loved Philly.

When you travel usually you feel like a tourist, because you are a strnage in the city. But when a good friend, like Betsy, is showing you the city.. you feel like if you were one more in the city, o perhaps, better said, like if you were a guest, a guest more among thousands, but a guest...

We began visiting the Benjamin Franklin press. We saw how they pressed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776. (In 3 weeks I hope see the great parade and the fireworks)

 Then we walked along Market Street and Betsy found a cozy and authentic Philly bar to taste a famous Philly Cheesteak. Sonny's Famous Steak.

So we took seat outside and Betsy wanted me to order the lunch, so I went into the bar. I order:

- What's up?. Can I get an cheesteak with mushrooms, onions, split in two parts and shoestrings fries, one nestea and a water bottle....

and I got them. But the bar tender asked me: Where do you come from?

Please, wactch the pictures and you can ses the machine that they use to cut the meat very very thin.

It was so juicy and so pretty delicious ¡¡¡¡¡ Yummm¡¡¡¡

Then Betsy guided me to a very old and famous candys shop. It was close for cleaning and redo the shop after more than 100 years open .. so we had an icecream in other original shop.
 See the cash machine in the pics.

After that we walked around the river, the historical, the Independece Hall, Carpenter Hall, etc... all the places where during June and July of 1776, the 13 american colonies decided to declare the Independence from their Mother Country.
Thank you Betsy ¡¡¡¡¡

Some of the pictures (the night pictures) I took on monday when I wwas in Philly again to attend an English
meeting from 8 to 10 PM. 

NEW HOPE

I had a good day. I attended the college an after that I met Betsy and we had lunch (she is a very good cook) with Diana in Betsys´s yard (wonderfull). Betsy is picky cooking and eating.

After that I saw the new wooden floor in Diana's condo . It was very nice .. and they were so satisfied. For me was moving see Diana and her daugther Daniella looking at their new wonderfull floor ... they were so excited. Daniella said: " Oh..que hermoso ¡¡¡¡

After resting for a couple of hours, we went to New Hope.

New Hope is a very nice town, along de Delaware river. There are lots of people having a fun time in the streets, in the pubs and in the restaurants. Nice shops.

I was there with Betsy, Joe, Diana, Lucas, Daniela, Kim and Lutz... oh, all of them are very fun and we spent a great time. The dinner was incredible tasty. I ate: Fried Green Tomatoes (whith lemon alioli), Duck whit salad and Chicken (smokey and chili glazed). Awesome ¡¡¡ 

It was very funny when after had dinner Diana began to talked to Joe in Spanish and Joe asked him: What?; and Diana insisted again talking more aloud but again in Spanish .. I laughed and advided her Diana: Sorry but, do you realize that you are talking to Joe in Spanish? LOL

Look the views from the restaurant:

P.S:  What a coincidence ¡¡¡ I was on New Hope, in the same pub, in the same place in the bar ... just 4 days before, when I went there with Deb and Doug and I was alone wandering for the town. So i have more photos to show.

HECTIC DAYS....

I write just to say thanks for reading again the blog and for your coments.... and I hope write more tomorrow, or the day after...

Another thing, as you know this area is completly full of squirrels (ardillas). Please stare (mira fijamente) the picture......

What is the difference between their squirrels and our rats?
Just, the tail .... so why don't I get afraid when I see a squirrels?

Another, about animals. Today I learnt how to distinguish one shark(tiburon) of another. The shark bellow is called Jim ..... I promise. My Macroeconomic teacher told us. He took the photo this weekend.

AS I WAS TELLING YESTERDAY ....

Some people asked me what was happening with my blog ...
My brother Ignacio asked me if Memorial Day in USA is a whole week ...lol (=jajajaja)
Sorry. I had a hectic week and my first american college test of Macroeconomic .. and I had to study... in English.
I realised that most of you prefered the first blog design .... perhaps me too, perhaps that's why I was so lazy to write. Any way, I'm here again, in my first design blog and  ... with a lot of things to write about ... interesting and amazing things.

But, let me began with breaking news: DOUG CAME BACK HOME ¡¡¡ Wellcome home¡¡¡¡

He had a nice time (14 days) in Bilbao, he visited San Sebastian (famous Bilbao's neighborhood), Lekeitio, Elatxobe, EA, Plentzia .... and Lomana (famous town in Burgos, with a wonderful major (Doug's words).

He told us a lot of things about Bilbao, some of them were weird things for him ... but very normal for me: the blinds (las persianas), la merienda, have diferent oranges (de zumo y de mesa), don't have "cereales" for breakfast, we don't use a lot of spices to cook, we have a lot of "yogures", we plan the day around the lunch time, the people get dressed pretty smart in the city and for working in the garden (huerto), we spend a lot the time out home (in the bars, in the parks...), we have dinner around 10 pm, we have a lot of greenhouses (invernaderos), we use clay roof tiles (tejas), the streets are narrow and we don't have  houses with backyard .....

But, I disappointed because when he unpacked his luggage .... Ana wasn't there, I hoped she was in the suitcase ...jajaja.

But today I talked on the cell phone with Ana, she was very happy, because she was in Jaca and her photinias and bambues are awesome (impresionates).

Fotos del día: la estación de tren y como he pasado la mañana en el jardin de casa, tomando el sol 3 minutos, no he aguantado mas ... asi que a la sombra. El calor aquí es sofocante, mas que en Bilbao y no hay brisa....

P.S: I don't forget I have to write about progressive supper, hikes and Philly great visit ... but all of these will be tomorrow....

TODAY IS " MEMORIAL DAY"

Today all America remember all their people died in wars, even their Civil War (Guerra de Secesion) ...
P.S.; tomorrow I'll write about the hike and the great progresive dinner....

I HIKING ON HYSTORIC COOL WALK

Today I had breakfast with Den, Patricia (here they say Patrisia) and Mark. We had pancakes.. delicious ¡¡¡


Deb
taught me how to cook pancakes ... so long and difficult, I think is more easy go to Florida in Bilbao and aske for them jajajajaja (Perhaps Doug and Scott are now there ...jajajaja)

After that I went hiking, we were 40 people as you can see in the picture ... I was almost all the time talking in English. We were from 12 to 5 PM, and I had to take my return bus al 6:10 PM, so I went to a pub, sit down in the bar and in 2 minutes all the people were talking me and they recomended to have cheese burger with sweet potatoes, "Ok, but the burguer con onions and bacon", I said. I was talking them all the time until got my bus.... I had a shower and now to rest, because before at 9:00 AM have another hiking..... and tomorrow is MEMORIAL DAY ¡¡¡¡¡

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESME ¡¡¡

Have a great day and great weekend ¡¡¡¡¡¡

I hope you have a nice weather and all of you can go to the beach ¡¡¡¡ If the weather is not nice at least  you can walk along the beach and after that you can have some beers .... ohhh ¡¡¡¡

I would like stay there ... have a good time and drink a toast to me ¡¡¡¡

Yesterday , was a great day. In the morning I was speaking English with Mac, from 10 AM to 12:30 AM ....
And when I was bored at my house, Betsy phoned me (to my new american cell phone) and we worked in her garden, after that we went  to a ZUMBA class in the Gym. It was AMAZING and very very fun... the music was great and 30 people dancing all of them following the beat (siguiendo el ritmo), but I was not able to keep time to the music ... but was a great time ... an hour dancing, well in my case clumsily moving my feet. Most of the music was salsa. The trainer is Diana (and she is from Colombia), she is a very good trainer and she chosen music like: salsa, flamenco, tango ...  and create a awesome choreography

After that I had a very nice dinner in Betsy's house, with Joe (her husband), Diana, Daniela and a Betsy's friend. All of them are charming. I taught Betsy how to cook Tortilla de Patata. But here you have to cook too much, because they are afraid about the eggs, and the omelete went dry for my taste.

But the dinner was very very nice.

Betsy's lessons:

She doesn't let anything get past me
She doesn' let anything get by me ..... No me pasa una
Grub / grubby .... sucio / mugriento
Hut ....choza
mulch.... manto de cortezas sobre la tierra de las plantas

SORPRESA Y AVISO A NAVEGANTES

Surprise, surprise !!!!!!
No os habeis equivocado, es que he cambiado el aspecto del Blog. Decidme que os parece a la derecha de estas lineas.

He detectado que hay mas gente que lee el blog que la que esta apuntada como FOLLOWERS.
Para los que no se han apuntado comentaros que:
a.- Follower significa solo seguidor
b.- Es gratis
c.- Se tarda  2 minutos
d.- No obliga a leerlo todos los dias, ni todas las semanas
e.- me hace mucha ilusion saber que estais ahi

Asi que, por favor, id apuntandoos. Es mas podeis haceros Follower y no volver a conectaros al blog (peor para vosotros).

Si no lo haceis por problemas tecnicos, haced al menos un comenatrio para que sepa que estais ahi .... estoy hablando con Bill Gates para resolver los problemas.

A los que ya estais GRACIAS y animo que ya soys 11 followeros. Enhorabuena!!!!!
A ver si alguno mas pone su foto que ya no me acuerdo de como sois.

WHERE WE WERE YESTERDAY? ¿Dónde estabamos ayer?

I'm sorry for no writing my blog in the last days ....Sunday, Monday, Tuesday .... I decided write it today, just because I've never known how to spell Wednesday .... Oh, great¡¡ I did it¡¡¡¡ Now I know how to spell Wensday.. Oh, nooooooo¡¡¡¡¡¡

Well, let me remember:

SUNDAY: A nice hiking along the bech and the boardwalk. Ocean City is a nice city .. but it began to rain and I don't know how my new camera-phone got a little wet and now it's dead... so there isn't pictures.. so sorry. I'm dissapointed because this. Well, anyway I was 13 hours speaking English... good¡¡¡¡

MONDAY: I went to College. The teacher did again the same thing. He taught about half classtime.... I got so dissapointed .. that I decided to dropp this course too .... and when I went out of my classroom I saw another room where a techer was teaching, oh what surprise¡¡¡ So I waited to the class ended and I asked a student what was the subject and the techer`s name..... Macroeconomic by Kevin Blaird.

So I went to the Student Advisor to exchange my courses ...but I needed take and pass and Math exam ¡¡¡¡ I could believe what she was telling me.. I shown her how dissapointed I was so she told me: "Ok, Talk to the teacher if he accepted you.....it's ok".

TUESDAY: College and later Diana picked me up and we went to Betsy´s house to help her in her beutiful garden. We were gardening and talking. Nice time. From 730 PM to 1000 PM, Trivial in Blue Dogs. I answered 3 question (over 50) and one of them I was the only that guessed it. I figured out who was in a cover-eyed police picture (vaya inventada que me he dado aquí). He was MADOFF, Madoff, who is Madoff? Oh, sorry Medoff.

WEDNESDAY: College and later Carolyn lent me a prepaid cellphone ...great. And we went to COSTCO.. Amazing, Awesom ¡¡¡¡ It's like Makro bat in american size .... I think they sell the whole cow if you order a filet mignon (= solomillo. Esto lo traduzco porque es muy útil cuando se viaja. Si veis filet-mignon en una carta no os corteís pedidlo, pero pedid: RARE (rer) filet-mignon, no RED, como alguno hemos hecho en el pasado .. ).

The pictures of the day:
Fotos de la Uni, mi clase, el profe Kevin Blaird (el de pantalón corto.. se sabe que es el profe porque no lleva chanclas ... como los alumnos, los compis de clase, y la super pantalla que usan para todo: videos, internet, PC, apuntes....

P.D.: En buena me he metido, como está la economia en España y me apunto a Macroeconomía. En la primera clase, a final me animó a participar, en la segunda me hizo una pregunta en público:
- Who regulates the inssurance in Spain, Alberto?
- Well, let me explain to you and to my colleagues, in Spain bla,bla...
Cuando llegue a la lección EL DEFICIT DE UN PAIS, me veo en patalón corto y en la pizarra mano a mano, explicando las diferencias entre USA y España ...jajajaja. Mandadme apuntes, fast¡¡¡¡¡

A DAY IN PHILY, and tomorrow the Ocean

Today I went to Philadelphia. I only visitied one part of the city. I took advantege of my visit to went shopping. Here you go, pictures from Philly. I changed the system because I have so much pictures.So you have a link to all the pictures. Let me know if it is ok or if you prefer the other system. (I decided to add some pic, just three)

Anyway: you are going to see Amish (pero hay que mirar con cuidado), a guy waiting for someone to play chess, famous college clubs of Penn University, un acto de solidaridad con Haiti (pronuncian Heidi), y dos fotos dedicadas especialmente a Ana.... Who knows what pictures I´m talking about?

Instrucciones: clickar en el link de abajo y luego en PRESENTACION COMO DIAPOSITIVAS (podeis hasta ver dónde estan sacadas)





Tomorrow, I'm going to hike to Ocean City. You can see the place ( beach, lagoon and an Italian Restaurant) in Google Map.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=bakeries&gl=us&hl=en&cd=1&ei=mffeS5CuG5KCNPaj7dgL&sig2=4MLgYbQNb8-flR4vdVp8oQ&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=7127474487534538698&ved=0CE4QpQY&hq=bakeries&hnear=&ll=39.280205,-74.573951&spn=0.023818,0.032701&z=15&iwloc=A

POKER NIGHT: 8 bucks down

I played poker last night. We were 6. We had a great night. I only had 8 $ down.
We had the appointment at 7:00, had supper (with potatoes omelete) and from 800 PM to 1100 pm, we played poker. I think that perhaps we played 15 differents pokers....

2º DAY IN COLLEGE: I DROPPED MARKETING

Today was better than yesterday. The weather was pretty better. It wasn't raining all the day like yesterday.

I  got up at 6.00, had a shower and had breakfast and then I walked 13 minutes to take the bus to the college. My books weight a lot. It took me 35 min to get the college. I got my classroom at 7:55 AM.

The class is suppose to start at 8:00 AM to 9:45AM (105 min). My teacher taught only 70 min. He always arrived late and finish soon. He is so lazy. So I decided to drop (dejar) Marketing (Marketing book is the heaviest, great¡¡) and get "American History: from 1877 until now" (two little books very light).  

I have to take advantage of my time ... and Chiquito de la Calada is so lazy for me. In that way I can try go to 2,5 courses and pay only two.

The classrooms are very simple but they have a very awesome system. The have an special whiteboard (pizarra blanca) but is a very big PC's monitor. When the teacher write on the whiteboard, he is writting in the PC and the computer show the writting (like the weather system on TV). Then they can file and send the class-notes to all the students. Great ¡¡¡ They don't have to take notes all the time.

I asked about the students club (to meet people). They told me that there are a lot. "Great ¡" I said. He reply: - But now in Summer season all the clubs are close....But there are tutor to help other students.

Today I was with one of them, it's great. I talk to her about half hour and is free ¡¡¡¡¡ I'm sorry for them I'm going to go every day. They are very charming.

After dinner I was to next door neigbours to exchange Spanish and English. I had a nice time. She speaks fluenctly spanish. After her husband jointed us to talk in English. He fancys USA History. On Friday 7:30 I have  poker in their house.

Fotos del día:

Una casa preciosa la de los Srs. Huff & Kakjer Funeral

TODAY IS A VERY IMPORTANT DAY IN USA & FISRT DAY IN COLLEGE

It was ok. I enrolled in two courses: Bussines and Marketing. The teacher is the same.
He looks like Chiquito de la Calzada, he walks like Chiquito ... I was all the class waiting and alert to listen to " ...and that sinner that goes for the prairie of United States (... y ese pecador que va por la pradera) Heahhhh¡¡¡¡"

But a Breaking New: I'm no the oldest in my class, no .... Chiquito es older than me. I understood him fairly well. I understood 70% when he speaks ... but when my classmates speak I don't understand more than 30% .... but It's OK is my first day.

The pitures of today:

Left: I at Delaware river (this saturday)

Right: Mira si son listos los americanos que ponen los bomberos debajo de la empresa de fuego ( FIRE COMPANY)

FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS PABLO ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

Today, May 18th is a very important and very famous day in all United States of America.
All the people is waiting this day.
The president Obama is making an important speech. He is saying:

"The people of United States of America, and the people of the World are happy.

We are very, very happy ... because today May 18th is Pablo's day. Today is Pablo's birthday.
And all of us want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY  PABLO... Happy birthday to you¡¡¡¡¡"

Today the pictures are dedicated to Pablo.

FIRST DAY IN COLLEGE

It was ok. I enrolled in two courses: Bussines and Marketing. The teacher is the same.

He looks like Chiquito de la Calzada, he walks like Chiquito ... I was all the class waiting and alert to listen to " ...and that sinner that goes for the prairie of United States (... y ese pecador que va por la pradera) Heahhhh¡¡¡¡"

But a Breaking New: I'm no the oldest in my class, no .... Chiquito es older than me. I understood him fairly well. I understood 70% when he speaks ... but when my classmates speak I don't understand more than 30% .... but It's OK is my first day.

The pitures of today:

Left:  I at Delaware river  (this saturday)

Right: Mira si son listos los americanos que ponen los bomberos debajo de la empresa de fuego ( FIRE COMPANY)

YESTERDAY I HAD A NICE DINNER

We were 9 people. We were from 6 to 11 having dinner. It was a great experience for me, 8 diferents american accents. I understood fairly good. I mean I understood but I have to improve.

DAYS ARE GETTING HECTIC (ajetreados)... COLLEGE & POKER

Last two days my life is getting more and more hectic (ajetreado). I kept an appointment with International Student Advisor of MC3 (universidad). I explained to her my problem: I wanted to attend like and audit the credit courses, but they said no and I dont understand why.... In the end she said:
-"Ok, AlbertO (pronuncian así) you can do it. But for one of  the class you need to pass an English as a Second Language (ESL)Exam"
-Ok, When can I take this exam? . I said
- "If you are ready right now (ahora mismo)"
I could believe it. The exam lasted (duró) 3 hours. The 2 first hours were English questions ... but almost the last hour was Math and Algebra in English. I coudn't understand what I was doing there resolviendo quebrados,ecuaciones de segundo grado, problemas de geometría, series geométricas ... but I thought that I would be better don't ask about it ..... hasta que aparecio un logaritmo en base 5 (que ya no sé ni para que sirve)....anyway I figured out all the problems. I did my best. Here we go, the Test Results:

ESL Language Use        8,9
ESL Reading Skills        8,6
ESL Sentence Meaning  9,2
Algebra                         7,2
College Level Math       3,4 (Oh my God,I have to review log5 (x-3)3.....)

Now I have to wait until Monday 3:30 to another appointment, but I hope (espero) I can enroll like audit to any american course, even to Introduccion to Speech Comunication and Macroeconomics. Great ¡¡¡¡
And I was in the College (universidad) talking with about 5 people I understood almost all. Later I was with Ranvir for 2 hours.

Then Doug and I went to Caroll & Brian house. We had a great dinner: cheese, pasta, a nice chicken, asparagus and two bottle of Marques de Riscal ¡¡¡¡¡ Awesome¡¡¡¡ (Imponente). All of them are charming. We laughed all the time... and I lernt how to pronunce WOMAN .... no es wuman, ni woman, ni weman, ni guoman, ni guman, ni nada de na ( I tried all the ways) Then I thought deeply how to solve my problem ...... ...and at last I got it. Now I say : l-a-d-y and all the people understood me.

And then they taught (enseñaron) how to play poker to me. I suppose you are thinking, don't you know how to play poker? Well, I know how to play 2 or 3 kinds of poker .... but they taught about 10 different poker to me.

It will be continued tomorrow ....... HOW TO PLAY AMERICAN POKER (mil y un maneras)