BCN WEEKEND

So once more I flew down to Barcelona, just like Julian is flying to Bali instead...

This time I went for a good saturday night eurogames party, then the usual Chaps on sunday, to see family on monday and celebrating Angel´s birthday on tuesday, which was a laugh!

Sunday was particularly good, blue skies, no clouds, my family was busy, my brother too, so I had the PERFECT SUNDAY one can have in a city like Barcelona.

First a stroll down to the Cathedral, where every sunday locals dance the Sardana, traditional catalan dance where everyone holds hands doing a circle. Music is provided by a live orchestra which we call La Cobla.

A bit further down into Ciutat Vella I stumble accross a Vintage Volkswagen Rally... the eldest models all on display in Plaça Sant Jaume:

And how about this spot for lunch: can one beat that? 12 euros for a hot ham and cheese sandwich (bikini) with fries and a nice cold beer!

I then headed to the harbour, to yet again see the boats up close and smell the Mediterranean.

Grimaldi Lines arrival direct from Genova, Italy.

And I saw this little bird take off from the harbour heliport, near the "rompeolas"

see ya soon, BCN!

VISITANTE 5000

Estamos en casa de Angel, celebrando su cumple, y zas! somos el visitante número 5000!
Llevamos media botella de Martini cada uno y los invitados todavía sin llegar -y la cena por hacer!- bueno, fotos cuando pueda, ahora no doy tartajo! saludos a tutti.

1 ANY - 1 YEAR - 1 AÑO

Today it´s one year since I started this blog...

AUTUMN - TARDOR - OTOÑO

Only a few yellow leafs left on the trees down my road. Winter is here. It´s cold. Central heating full on when I´m in. Got a new cheap coat from Matalan to wear on top of my suit jacket. Work is boring. Should I maybe go back to Barcelona for the weekend? Barcelona here I come! Who is in Barcelona this weekend? let´s party!

Ja queden poques fulles grogues als arbres del meu carrer. L´hivern és aquí. Fa fred. A les quatre ja es fa fosc. La calefacció al màxim si sóc a casa. M´he comprat una caçadora al Matalan per portar per sobre l´americana. A la feina és avorrit. Me´n torno a Barcelona aquest cap de setmana? Quedem?

BCN: SALÓ NÀUTIC - BOAT SHOW

sooo on this quick trip to Barcelona we had the opportunity to visit the Barcelona Boat Show. Well my friends... we were astonished to see the megayachts. We were not allowed to see them inside, you needed to book a visit with the company that owned the ship, and of course, one cannot afford such toy therefore we were too embarrassed to ask and pretend yes we´ll buy two of this please.
So seeing no possibilities and watching those young boys and girls looking really bored on the boats, probably thinking to themselves what the hell were we doing there... a ray of light came through when I jokingly said to one of the girls... "ah! so which one of these is yours?" she laughed (bingo!) and said they all belonged to the company she worked for. So I just enquired about the company and where was it based and then I dropped the question.. "so... can one visit the yacht inside?" she politely replied we needed to book with the man at the stand, and I politely replied that I really did not want to do that because, well, I didn´t think I was going to buy.... but that I would really love to see it inside as I have never been on board one of these megayachts. She said "oh.. wait a minute..." and ran to see the man. My heartpalpitations accelerated. I looked to my brother and said pray the Lord! 30 secs later she said... "follow me!" AND then I fell in love. (not with the girl!)
We went aboard the San Lorenzo SL88 TAURO. These are custom made yachts so no two are the same. We did not want to look too excited, so we did not take any pics inside, we followed her onboard... (Ana hit her head when coming back downstairs from the bridge hey! have you never been on a yacht before?). I am still dreaming about it. 4 luxury cabins, jacuzzi, flat screen TV everywhere, a zodiac, a jet ski, fab kitchen, huge fridge with ice at the press of a button, nespresso machine, swarovsky crystal lamps, sun deck,
B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!


And trying to recover from it all, feet back on the ground, we decided we did not like the TAURO after all, we much preferred the TICKLED PINK. My charm did not work on this one though...

www.sanlorenzoyacht.com if you fancy one...
(watch the SL88 video on the web)

WWW.ESPAÑOLESENPELOTAS.COM

Antes de irme, unas fotos de unos super-modelos internacionales.

NOSTALGIA

Recuerdos de Bali. Que terrible el cambio-vuelta a la realidad. No puedo y por ello me escapo a Barcelona... Mama, que faras per dinar?

Remembering Bali... It is terrible to sink back into everyday life. So hard I can´t cope so I am going to Barcelona to see my folks... mum I am coming!

KATRINA´s 50th BIRTHDAY

KATRINA´s 50th BIRTHDAY BASH... I will be 50 in 13 YEARS... hmm... :o(

LA KATRINA EN FA 50!! Per molts anys!! i jo els faré...

d´aquí 13 anys... no massa eh?

OBAMA

Congratulations to Barak Obama on becoming the 44th President of the United States.

YES, WE HEARD THAT!: Obama gives the gays a shoutout in the opening moments of his victory speech:
Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama—as prepared for delivery Election Night Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America."

HOWEVER:

We made a huge step backwards because Arizona's ban on gay marriage passed, and so did Florida's. Arkansas approved an adoption ban for unmarried couples. Proposition 8 in California is still undecided, but proponents of the measure are claiming victory. So no gay marriage still in California!

K.L. - LAST SUPPER

Last day in KL. Oscar came all the way from the US and did a detour to KL on his business trip to join us for the last 2 days! We went up the Petronas and crossed the glass bridge.

Drinks at Julian´s before heading out to the Restaurant. Manuel and Rafa, spanish friends of Julian who also live in KL joined us and so did Shah, aka DJ Diego Garcia!!

... and it was Oscar´s birthday... Happy Birthday boy!! How old you said?? You´re a daddy!

AIR ASIA DENPASAR-K.L.

mis amigas, que no me dejan dormir! 3 horas y algo de Bali a K.L. con http://www.airasia.com/ , vuelos baratos por todo el sureste de Asia! 12 ringgits (2 euros y algo) por un Nasi Goreng (arroz frito) con Pepsi Blue (Pepsi azul, literalmente!)

Pepsi blue on board: it´s blue, literally!

volcán humeante en algún rincón de Indonesia! - Volcano somewhere in Indonesia!

KU DÉ TA

...without a doubt, this is the best restaurant I have been to in a long while. Well worth a trip back to Bali to lunch, watch the sunset sipping cocktails with chill out music or dine. We spent two millions rupees... not much, really. A must...

...sense cap dubte, un dels millor restaurants als que he estat mai. Val la pena tornar a Bali per dinar, pendre cocktails a la posta de sol amb musica chill out o sopar en aquest magnífic lloc!...

BALI: MIXWELL BAR AND THE GO-GO BOYS

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Fauzan and Hengky our go-go friends... if you go to Bali, check out the bars in Jalan Dhyana Pura, in Seminyak. Kuta is for the tourists. Our favourite and the busiest is Mixwell bar. And everybody truly mixes very well indeed... specially if your skin is white...

Julian and Ilham... his now best friend in Bali!

TEHBOTOL... MI BEBIDA FAVORITA!

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Sipping Tehbotol (tea bottle!) with my friend Hengky, some bar in the backroads of Kuta...

Un trago de Tehbotol con mi amigo Hengky, en un bar perdido por Kuta...

BALI: MT AGUNG - LAKE BATUR - TANAH LOH

This is Mount Agung... 3000m high it is usually hard to see as it gets always sorrounded by clouds. It is an active volcano, its last eruption was back in 1964, with nearly 1,000 casualties and several villages destroyed. Besakih temple was not destroyed and it is at 1100m high. This is cinsidered a sign from the Gods. Besakih is the trailhead for the hike to the summit. Definetely a must do on my next trip to Bali.


Having lunch at Lake Batur, with mount Batur at the back, a smaller volcano... also a hike I´d like to do. Angel wanted a picture with all the staff! We ate well, except Jordi, who did not eat a thing.

Rice Terraces... a common view in interior Bali...

Tanah Loh Temple, at sunset....

and Ahmed beach, which we did not have time to see...

BALI - SEMINYAK - HOTEL PURI WIMPI

It never felt like a Hotel, more like our own little palace, with our servants and all.