Song of the day: Lemonade - Neptune

Lemonade - Neptune

Song of the day: Grand Canyon - with Tracey Thorn

Grand Canyon - with Tracey Thorn

Boy I think you've come home
Open up the door and step inside
So many people who feel the way you do
Their sweetest dreams have always been denied
Lock the past into a box and throw away the key
And leave behind those days of endless night
Everyone is waiting
Everyone is here
Step out of the woods into the light

Everybody loves you here (x4)

Boy you've been on the wrong road
Wearing someone else's shoes
Who told you you were not what you were meant to be?
And got you paying someone else's dues?


This is the place for you just look around this room
Is anybody here made out of stone?


Down among the heretics, the losers, and the saints
You are here amongst your own
You've come home (x5)

Look at this hole inside your heart
No one can ever fill
It's like the Grand Canyon
Look at this gap that's opened up
Between you and the world
It's like the Grand Canyon
Look at this hole inside your heart
It's like the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon

Everybody loves you here (x4)

You've come home (x5)

Entre repechines y bajadines

Asturias offers a wonderful challenge to bikers:
a constant up and down terrain,
not a single flat kilometer:

roads, paths, mountain trails ...
heart,
lungs,
legs -
brakes!!
heart,
lungs,
legs -
brakes!!

Take good care of your brakes' system!!

My body and me simply love it!

Unweaving the rainbow

“We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential people who could have been here in my place but who will in fact never see the light of day outnumber the sand grains of Sahara. Certainly those unborn ghosts include greater poets than Keats, scientists greater than Newton. We know this because the set of possible people allowed by our DNA so massively outnumbers the set of actual people. In the teeth of these stupefying odds it is you and I, in our ordinariness, that are here. We privileged few, who won the lottery of birth against all odds, how dare we whine at our inevitable return to that prior state from which the vast majority have never stirred?”
Richard Dawkins - Unweaving the Rainbow

Video: Marianne Vos Tribute

Video Marianne Vos Tribute - The Best - CyclingFever

Autumn

My days here, since i arrived at my home-town, are amazingly sunny. No, we are no englishmen here but the topic of this extraordinary autumn is worth mentioning: it's the best beginning of autumm people remember and swimming in this hazardous ocean in october is truly extraordinary!

Two sunny activities make me feel like a virgin: learning to make cookies, bread and some pastry wonders - for the time being, faaaaar away from being wonders, anyway i've been more of a baking assistant and it's high time i change this role.
Baking implies patience, will and performing an-almost-sexual-intercourse with that magic, growing, lively being: Dough.
Mr. Dough Sánchez, Mr. Dough Wilson ... it's definitely a he and at times a punk, at times a gentleman, at times a teenage drama. I proudly show you my first cookies in the pic attached: butter stars with plums' jam. Something tells me some stars up there wink a eye on me all the time.

The second virginal task is biking around places both familiar and foreign: 20 years of absence make a difference in cities' lanscapes, in roads and intersections, in slopes, hills and sightseeings. I'm 20 years older than that girl who would weekly ride a green GAC with no gears, and, to men's astonishment, at quite an impressive level. However, sights have not changed substantially, except for the better equipments of the fellow bikers ... i was the only girl on pedals then and i'm
the only woman on pedals now. I cannot say i dislike this, somehow i feel unique, as if performing, deep-breathing, heart-beating, sweating and panting with all the female cyclists worldwide.

Song of the night: Michael Gray - The Weekend (Official Video HQ)

Song of the day: Nautica (Wagon Cookin Remix)

Nautica (Wagon Cookin Remix) by D.EDGE RECORDS

Cyclopunk: What's with... Alto de l'Angliru?

Cyclopunk: What's with... Alto de l'Angliru?

Cyclopunk: What's with... Marianne Vos?

Cyclopunk: What's with... Marianne Vos?: Marianne Vos: what's not to like? Unless you want to beat her in a race, that is. (© Eddy Fever CC2.0) Marianne Vos vs. The World. More...

Song of the day: Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground

DE VERTI 7-DORPENOMLOOP AALBURG dames 2011. in HD

Aunque no entienda "ni papa" de holandés, me encanta la atmósfera tan simple de las carreras de ciclismo femeninas ... ¡quién diría que estas chicas son las mejores ciclistas en ruta del mundo!

Song of the day: The Killers - Human

The Killers - Human by big.dave1984

When death strikes, sadness is felt in many ways. This time, i sigh and listen to Human by The Killers.
It's beautiful to think about life and death being part of each other, coming hand in hand, laughter and pain, energy and stiffness, in nature everything dies to live.

This is my little homage to the amazing process of life and death


"I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes
Clear your heart...
Cut the cord

Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?

Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance,
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye
Wish me well..
You've gotta let me go

Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?

Will your system be alright
When you dream of home tonight?
There is no message we're receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating

Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer

You've gotta let me know

Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human
Or are we dancer?I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes
Clear your heart...
Cut the cord

Song of the day: Philip Glass/Allen Ginsberg

C o n f u s i o n e s

Este país donde vivo no deja de depararme estupendas anécdotas, y la que paso a relataros es una de las más curiosas y rinde homenaje al carácter ligero de equipaje (sí, las similitudes con mi querida Castilla son más que meras coincidencias) de las gentes rumanas.

La historieta comienza con una propuesta para dar clases de lengua extranjera a una persona (humana para más señas) en casa, a lo cual respondo afirmativamente sin tener demasiada información sobre el señor en cuestión, ya que el contacto me viene por terceras personas. Con las únicas referencias de que su nombre es A. (mantengamos el economato), que llega en coche y que su nivel de idioma no materno es cero, acuerdo un encuentro a las 12.30 horas en frente del bloque.

Siendo un vecindario tranquilo y bastante familiar, no tengo dudas de que el encuentro será fácil; ya se sabe que en estas citas a ciegas las partes implicadas se buscan atentas, expectantes y se encuentran habitualmente con gestos y básicas preguntas. Dicho y hecho, a la hora señalada me planto en la entrada, teléfono y llaves en la mano y enseguida veo a un candidato a alumno dentro de un coche mirando a su alrededor, inequívocamente buscando a alguien ... le sonrío, pero al tiempo veo a un vecino-amigo enfrente y me acerco a saludarle: medio minuto después, me giro para definitivamente presentarme a A. y veo que está marcando en su teléfono móvil. Soy persona cortés casi siempre, por ello le indico con un gesto y una amplia sonrisa: "tranquilo, acaba la llamada y después ya hablamos"

Me retiro hacia la entrada del bloque e inmediatamente recibo una llamada de teléfono de mi amiga-contacto: "A. acaba de llamarme: está enfrente del bloque esperándote ..."
"¿Cómo?? respondo "¿será idiota el tipo éste? ¡Ya he hablado con él, le estoy esperando yo!"

Vuelvo al coche y A. me recibe con una amplia sonrisa; me dirijo a él en rumanenglish, él pone cara de asombro y pide ayuda, entre sorprendido y divertido, a mi vecino-amigo con la traducción ... mi vecino-amigo charla con otro vecino, no entiende nada de lo que pasa, como es natural, y yo urjo a A. a que salga del coche, y él solícito obedece y hacemos, ahora sí, las presentaciones de rigor.

Sorprendentemente, no se presenta a sí mismo como A. ("ah, un mote", concluyo) ... subimos las escaleras comunicándonos en varias lenguas, es camionero y ha vivido en Portugal e Italia y ante mi pregunta "para qué quieres aprender inglés" responde que es muy importante para viajar por Europa y que su nivel es cero ... nos sentamos a la mesa con mis notas y apuntes y acordamos los días, horarios, tarifas y forma de pago de las clases ... todo muy normal, excepto su móvil que suena dos veces y al que responde sólo a la segunda.
Tras esta llamada, se levanta de la silla y me dice que ahora tiene que irse porque ha quedado con una persona enfrente ...
"Ah, bien, pero yo pensaba que hoy ya empezábamos con las clases", replico
"Bueno, si no te importa ya el próximo día según horario acordado, es que ahora había quedado con alguien y me está llamando" dice
"Ah, vale, nos vemos viernes a las 12 entonces ..."

A. se despide con prisas tras una tímida sonrisa ... pero la sorpresa mayúscula llega al día siguiente, cuando el supuesto A. llama a mi amiga-contacto bastante enfadado:
"Ayer estuve esperando media hora dentro del coche y la profesora no apareció ..."
Os podéis imaginar la expresión/reacción de mi amiga-contacto ... tras el intercambio de frases en shock por las dos partes, estallaron en risas: el verdadero A. había visto toda la escena en la calle, perplejo dentro de su Jeep, sin tener ni idea de quién era aquella chica que instaba al caballero a salir del coche y seguirla entre las miradas atónitas de dos vecinos ...

Song of the day: Vincenzo - Seduction (Album Edit)

Vincenzo - Seduction (Album Edit) by Dessous Recordings

Marianne Vos was born on bike

Marianne Vos i la màgia dels pedals

Sóc practicant de la religió ciclista des de molt petita: alguns dels records més vius i feliços de la meva infància habiten entre camins i carreteres del nord d'Espanya, a vegades solitaris a vegades plens de trànsit, a vegades familiars a vegades llunyans.

Als vuitanta, la visió d'una noia cabalgant dues rodes era força exòtica (encara ho és, i més en aquests temps on les notícies ciclistes són sinònim de dopatge) i aquesta sensació de unicitat continua intacta al 2011, encara que hi ha ciutats i països on els ciclistes són molt més respectats.

En els darrers mesos tinc la inmensa fortuna de disposar de temps per - a més a més de pedalear al belmig d'una jungla d'asfalt malmès pels camions i la manca de manteniment -, navegar virtualment a la búsqueda de dones ciclistes. Ja coneixia alguns noms mítics: Joane Somarriba, Jeannie Longo, Edita Pucinskaite i alguna il·lustre més que, molt excepcionalment, sortien un minut al telenotícies com titàniques guanyadores d'un Tour, una medalla olímpica o un campionat mondial.

I en el desconegut univers de les campiones actuals, m'he trobat una noia holandesa que destaca amb llum pròpia: Marianne Vos. És impressionant l'aparent facilitat amb que es mou sobre les dues rodes, el seu currículum als 23 anys i la seva innata alegria i naturalitat quan rep els trofeus, aplaudiments i entrevistes. Quina capacitat camaleònica en la carretera, la pista, el ciclo-cross. Gràcies, Marianne i et desitjo una llarga i feliç vida ciclista.

Transitions

Seasonal transitions seem to me the soothing, patient and caring phases of nature, who combines them with utterly dramatic demonstrations of power ... yes, She rules, She is the one in charge and we'd rather assume this secondary role in the drama of life and death.

Earth inhabitants, whether animals, plants or minerals, should enjoy four seasons in the year no matter their settlement: city, mountain, treetop, seaside, deep ocean, desert ... yes, human ladies and gentlemen: four seasons, with their correspondent transitions, transitions which we totally lack rushing in the heart of the underground or visiting the countryside as the exotic, fashionable adventure of the year ... "oh, dear, how beautiful and pictoresque are the views, let's upload them all as soon as we get to our cell and gain approval from our friends and acquantainces ... "

Anyway, i don't intend to display further fatalism now: i write to express my total amazement instead. I witness this slow transition into a gorgeous eastern european spring and i simply love it.

Song of the day : Javiera Mena - Acá entera

Acá entera by sebastiancandance

Simplicidad es felicidad