Whitby
After York and the bus trip across Yorkshire, we arrived at Whitby.
Whitby is a fishing port on the North Eastern Yorkshire coast. The sea invades every corner of Whitby and fills it with the exotic flavours of dreamed lands. The History of Whitby is rich with the adventures and misfortunes of its sailors.
Whitby's undoubtedly most famous sailor is Captain James Cook.
This is one of the most embarrassing moments of my week, and, dear reader, if you have followed me up to here, then you deserve to watch it. Feel free to click in and have a laugh.
(It is astonishing what a content-generator needs to do to keep up the view ratings!)
The following day the two litte travellers set their way back to London. First, we followed the coast down to Scarborough, passing the tiny, cosy Robin Hood's Bay. As you may appreciate in this video, it was a pretty windy day, and the North Sea hinted its strength. went to
Sunday, 10 June 2007
Noche de Liga
Si Van Nistelrooy marca otra vez y vemos a Tamudo celebrando otro gol, me subo a la ermita de Santo Toribio de Liebana de rodillas!!
Alvaro Alvarez, minuto 40 de la segunda parte del Zaragoza-R.Madrid
Good morning from London.
This Saturday has been one of the best nights of football in my short life. After suffering like any 'colchonero' (if Madrid won La Liga, they should wear red and white shirts next year), disappointed with another Liga lost again, this time so close to the Cibeles, I've ended up getting to my knees and yelling 'gool, gooool' and hopping and screaming 'Tamudo, seleccion!!'. Three years with no trophy is too long and I needed one of these exciting impulses of limited hooliganism.
You can read any Spanish paper today, Sunday June the 10th, for a detailed description of what happened, and I have to go to bed so I'll only say a couple of things.
David Beckham is an idol here in England, and Brits are happy that madridistas respect him a lot and would like him to stay. He might not be the best player, but he fights every ball and sweats his shirt every single match, and that's the first thing requested to deserve playing at the Santiago Bernabeu.
And that Dutchman, 25 goals, no promises at the beginning of the season like Ronaldo. He simply scores, scooping every ball that happens to be on his way, he is simply the new Raul Van Nistelrooy.
Everyone in Spain recalls those 3 leagues that Barcelona won on the last match: 2 lost by R.Madrid in Tenerife (Buyo's nightmares) and the other one lost by Deportivo de la Coruna (Djukic's own nightmare). It could still happen the same this season, but people expected Zaragoza to be the most difficult hurdle for Madrid.
Estoo... Si el Madrid gana la Liga, me subo a la ermita de Santo Toribio de Liebana de rodillas!!
Alvaro Alvarez, minuto 45 de la segunda parte del Zaragoza-R.Madrid
See you next Saturday!
Saturday, 9 June 2007
THERE ONCE LIVED, in a sequestered part of the county of Devonshire, one Mr Godfrey Nickleby: a worthy gentleman, who, taking it into his head rather late in life that he must get married, and not being young enough or rich enough to aspire to the hand of a lady of fortune, had wedded an old flame out of mere attachment, who in her turn had taken him for the same reason. Thus two people who cannot afford to play cards for money, sometimes sit down to a quiet game for love.
Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby
I've started reading Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, the 1867 English edition as published by Oxford University Press.
Around 1,000 pages. I'll be happy if I finish it before next year!
Thursday, 7 June 2007
York Minster
Good morning from London.
As said in a previous post, the York Minster is a majestic Gothic cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of York, who is the second highest office in the Church of England. Visiting the site, I learnt that this estate had hosted five different buildings: a Roman fortress to defend the Britannia Inferior's capital, a wooden church to baptise King Edwin of Northumbria, a stone structure for Saint Wilfrid and the Benedictines, a Norman cathedral, and, finally, the Gothic cathedral that we know, which has been repaired several times due to fires and collapses.
Furthermore, I learnt that it was in this Minster that Constantine Augustus was proclaimed Emperor by the legions following his father's death. In 313 A.D., the Emperor Constantine the Great would promulgate the Edict of Milan in the Western Roman Empire (and Licinius Augustus in the East), establishing religious freedom for all in the Roman Empire.
Although Romans had been very liberal in general with the religions of the conquered peoples (they even included the new gods into their pantheon), they persecuted the Christians from an early stage. With the Edict of Milan, the right to observe one's own religious beliefs openly and freely was granted formally and for all within the limits of the Roman Empire. As another example of History's spiral path, please mind that we are still struggling to understand that right and make it universal 2000 years later. However, I should underline that this right was conceded by the Roman Emperors for the sake of the peace of our times and due to a number of factors.
At the time of Constantine, the power of the Roman Empire was already languishing and it wasn't capable to enforce any longer the state religion that supported the emperors' god-given right to rule and hence the Empire's unity. Immigrants, barbarians and conquered peoples practised their own customs, uses and beliefs. At the same time, the moral of most pure Roman citizens decayed but many others were appealled by new faiths claiming for more orthodox lifestyles. In contrast with the existing trend for lust and power, the Christianism offered a religion of love and justice as well as solidarity and sacrifice. After having been persecuted for 300 years, the admirable behaviour of the first Christians finally convinced Emperor Constantine to adapt to the reality for the sake of the Empire. Firstly, the observance of the Christianism was admitted; secondly, it was accepted that Christians were in the power; thirdly, the Emperor himself converted and was baptised; finally, the Christianism was institutionalised as the new official religion by Emperor Theodosious.
All these steps were taken wisely by the late Roman governors as it could be seen after the fall of the Western Roman Empire less than 200 years later. The Germanic tribes admired the Roman culture and accepted the pre-eminence of the Christianism and so they adopted both. However, the new occupants were divided and under their rule, the culture decayed dramatically. In this depressing situation, the supremacy of the Catholic Church helped conserve the Roman legacy. On one hand, the unity of the Church supported a certain degree of homogeneity in the traditions among the European nations, as there was no other power strong enough to impose its own leadership. On the other hand, the labour of the monasteries as islands of wisdom and custodies of the knowledge prevented from losing most of the classic culture (although it is true that much was not added). The Catholic Church always considered itself the Roman Church (with its connotations of universality) and thus the attached Roman culture perdured through the centuries.
As said in a previous post, the York Minster is a majestic Gothic cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of York, who is the second highest office in the Church of England. Visiting the site, I learnt that this estate had hosted five different buildings: a Roman fortress to defend the Britannia Inferior's capital, a wooden church to baptise King Edwin of Northumbria, a stone structure for Saint Wilfrid and the Benedictines, a Norman cathedral, and, finally, the Gothic cathedral that we know, which has been repaired several times due to fires and collapses.
Furthermore, I learnt that it was in this Minster that Constantine Augustus was proclaimed Emperor by the legions following his father's death. In 313 A.D., the Emperor Constantine the Great would promulgate the Edict of Milan in the Western Roman Empire (and Licinius Augustus in the East), establishing religious freedom for all in the Roman Empire.
[...]it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wishes to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation.[...]we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation is made we that we may not seem to detract from any dignity or any religion.
Constantine Augustus, Edict of Milan
Although Romans had been very liberal in general with the religions of the conquered peoples (they even included the new gods into their pantheon), they persecuted the Christians from an early stage. With the Edict of Milan, the right to observe one's own religious beliefs openly and freely was granted formally and for all within the limits of the Roman Empire. As another example of History's spiral path, please mind that we are still struggling to understand that right and make it universal 2000 years later. However, I should underline that this right was conceded by the Roman Emperors for the sake of the peace of our times and due to a number of factors.
At the time of Constantine, the power of the Roman Empire was already languishing and it wasn't capable to enforce any longer the state religion that supported the emperors' god-given right to rule and hence the Empire's unity. Immigrants, barbarians and conquered peoples practised their own customs, uses and beliefs. At the same time, the moral of most pure Roman citizens decayed but many others were appealled by new faiths claiming for more orthodox lifestyles. In contrast with the existing trend for lust and power, the Christianism offered a religion of love and justice as well as solidarity and sacrifice. After having been persecuted for 300 years, the admirable behaviour of the first Christians finally convinced Emperor Constantine to adapt to the reality for the sake of the Empire. Firstly, the observance of the Christianism was admitted; secondly, it was accepted that Christians were in the power; thirdly, the Emperor himself converted and was baptised; finally, the Christianism was institutionalised as the new official religion by Emperor Theodosious.
All these steps were taken wisely by the late Roman governors as it could be seen after the fall of the Western Roman Empire less than 200 years later. The Germanic tribes admired the Roman culture and accepted the pre-eminence of the Christianism and so they adopted both. However, the new occupants were divided and under their rule, the culture decayed dramatically. In this depressing situation, the supremacy of the Catholic Church helped conserve the Roman legacy. On one hand, the unity of the Church supported a certain degree of homogeneity in the traditions among the European nations, as there was no other power strong enough to impose its own leadership. On the other hand, the labour of the monasteries as islands of wisdom and custodies of the knowledge prevented from losing most of the classic culture (although it is true that much was not added). The Catholic Church always considered itself the Roman Church (with its connotations of universality) and thus the attached Roman culture perdured through the centuries.
Spring Bank Holiday
The Spring Bank Holiday (May 27th, 2007) enables Londoners to head out for the countryside to breathe a lungful of fresh air or for the coast to get the cherished genuine tan (even the eternal supply of fake tan lotion runs out after a long winter). Thus, as good Londoners, Angy and I got up early last Saturday (with barely a 2-hour sleep after my last minute hard work) and took a cab for King's Cross station.
The Flying Scotsman train brought us quickly to York, the ancient capital of northern England. This beautiful medieval town is flooded with tourists eager to burn the buttons of their digital cameras at the sights of the famous York Minster or to splash out on the silliest souvenirs available at the quantly cobbled Shambles.
York Minster is a superb Gothic cathedral which truly deserves a visit to understand why it is called the "church of the windows". York's popular pattiserie, Betty's, offered yammy sweets which we smuggled into the Cafe Nero where we had a coffee while I completed my work. In the evening, we popped into an alternative cyber-pub, Evil Eye, before wandering around until all restaurants were closed in this early dining country. We ended up at an Italian restaurant with awful food and an even worse manager.
On Sunday we jumped on a bus for a trip through the North York Moors National Park. We stopped at the unexpected Castle Howard, just 5 miles from York, and it really amazed us: such a rich palace surrounded by gardens and lakes looked like a small Versailles in northern England. Unfortunately, soon after it started raining, so the picturesque villages and sheep-crammed landscapes appeared blurred through the windows of our old suffering bus, which rode up and down the hills until reaching the village where we would spend our second night: Whitby.
The Flying Scotsman train brought us quickly to York, the ancient capital of northern England. This beautiful medieval town is flooded with tourists eager to burn the buttons of their digital cameras at the sights of the famous York Minster or to splash out on the silliest souvenirs available at the quantly cobbled Shambles.
York Minster is a superb Gothic cathedral which truly deserves a visit to understand why it is called the "church of the windows". York's popular pattiserie, Betty's, offered yammy sweets which we smuggled into the Cafe Nero where we had a coffee while I completed my work. In the evening, we popped into an alternative cyber-pub, Evil Eye, before wandering around until all restaurants were closed in this early dining country. We ended up at an Italian restaurant with awful food and an even worse manager.
On Sunday we jumped on a bus for a trip through the North York Moors National Park. We stopped at the unexpected Castle Howard, just 5 miles from York, and it really amazed us: such a rich palace surrounded by gardens and lakes looked like a small Versailles in northern England. Unfortunately, soon after it started raining, so the picturesque villages and sheep-crammed landscapes appeared blurred through the windows of our old suffering bus, which rode up and down the hills until reaching the village where we would spend our second night: Whitby.
Monday, 4 June 2007
The 21st century's main question
Why are you still having this pointless debate about the abortion issue if that question will be answered individually by every woman at the very moment she faces it? Instead, you- men- should be figuring out what will be your mission in the 21st century's world. Women are finally at the same level as men and, even more, have begun to take the reins of the power. They have realised that the only way to obtain the same rights as men have (and anything they wish) is to demand and fight dismayless for them. Men, instead, are still either living in a unreal man-led bubble or bewilderly watching their resolute female counterparts acting.
Adrian el Romano during a chemistry lesson.
Once upon a time in my High School (a private, Catholic one), my chemistry teacher, Adrian, noticed that my classmates and I were still heated up by a discussion on abortion held in the previous lesson and said the words written above at the beginning of this post. Apart from some points with which I don't agree, the comment baffled me and led me to find out my own goals and mission as a man.
Although it is true that each woman will ultimately decide whether to have an abortion or not, it is always a good idea to spend a bit of time thinking about it. Considering that religious schools are always accused of lacking debate, I approved that ours showed a certain understanding towards the youth's pursuit of their true beliefs. We were young and those debate lessons were useful for exchanging opinions and making our minds up. Obviously, the priests took part and explained the Catholic Church's doctrine: the church has exactly the same rights to express their opinions as any other lobby since the 1977 Spanish Constitution allows the freedom of speech for everyone, even if they are wrong.
I have to go to bed now, but I'll talk about all this in the future.
Sunday, 3 June 2007
La batalla de las palabras
Ante una desgracia como un atentado terrorista, la respuesta popular usualmente es "menos palabras y más hechos". Sería maravilloso que las fuerzas de seguridad desarticulasen completamente todas las organizaciones terroristas, pero es dificil detener a un hatajo de alimañas excitadas contra víctimas indefensas.
En cambio, no debemos subestimar el poder de las palabras, porque las palabras convencen a la gente y la mueve a obrar hechos. Las lenguas inculturizan, educan y esclavizan. Con el latín se romanizó el mundo; con el castellano se unificó España; con el catalán ricos empresarios apoyados por insensatos pobretones pretenden disgregar esa unión; la ETA y Batasuna nos consuelan diciendo que están matando a personas por el bien del vasco.
Dicen que no habia libertad de expresion durante la dictadura. Los gamberros que organizaron la banda terrorista ETA decian matar en defensa de la libertad de expresion del pueblo vasco. Hace un tiempo conocí un matrimonio jubilado de Rentería que me aseguró que vivían tranquilos porque a ellos, que no estorbaban la estrategia etarra ni tenían cargo público, no les pasaría nada. Vivian tranquilos porque no utilizaban su derecho a la palabra. ?Cabe mayor degradacion de la libertad? ?Puede alguien explicarme que mejora ha obtenido este matrimonio de Renteria con la Transicion? ?Que diferencia hay entre esto que sucede ahora en el Pais Vasco y lo que sucedia durante la dictadura franquista?
Los espanoles se atribuyeron el derecho a la libertad de expresion mediante la Constitucion Espanola de 1977. Yo no vivi la epoca de Franco, pero veo que en el Pais Vasco los mejores articulos de la Constitucion Espanola todavia no han entrado en vigor.
Esta respuesta del matrimonio de Renteria es la mayor victoria de ETA en la sociedad: ha convencido a la mitad de los espanoles de que la única forma de paz consiste en dejarle hacer, como los padres permiten a los niños hacer lo que quieran con tal de que no den la lata. Los nacionalistas y los etarras han ganado la batalla de las palabras y, dado que estos espanoles ilusos eligen la rendicion antes que la lucha bajo el imperio de la ley, los enemigos de Espana tambien estan ganando la de los hechos.
En cambio, no debemos subestimar el poder de las palabras, porque las palabras convencen a la gente y la mueve a obrar hechos. Las lenguas inculturizan, educan y esclavizan. Con el latín se romanizó el mundo; con el castellano se unificó España; con el catalán ricos empresarios apoyados por insensatos pobretones pretenden disgregar esa unión; la ETA y Batasuna nos consuelan diciendo que están matando a personas por el bien del vasco.
Dicen que no habia libertad de expresion durante la dictadura. Los gamberros que organizaron la banda terrorista ETA decian matar en defensa de la libertad de expresion del pueblo vasco. Hace un tiempo conocí un matrimonio jubilado de Rentería que me aseguró que vivían tranquilos porque a ellos, que no estorbaban la estrategia etarra ni tenían cargo público, no les pasaría nada. Vivian tranquilos porque no utilizaban su derecho a la palabra. ?Cabe mayor degradacion de la libertad? ?Puede alguien explicarme que mejora ha obtenido este matrimonio de Renteria con la Transicion? ?Que diferencia hay entre esto que sucede ahora en el Pais Vasco y lo que sucedia durante la dictadura franquista?
Los espanoles se atribuyeron el derecho a la libertad de expresion mediante la Constitucion Espanola de 1977. Yo no vivi la epoca de Franco, pero veo que en el Pais Vasco los mejores articulos de la Constitucion Espanola todavia no han entrado en vigor.
Esta respuesta del matrimonio de Renteria es la mayor victoria de ETA en la sociedad: ha convencido a la mitad de los espanoles de que la única forma de paz consiste en dejarle hacer, como los padres permiten a los niños hacer lo que quieran con tal de que no den la lata. Los nacionalistas y los etarras han ganado la batalla de las palabras y, dado que estos espanoles ilusos eligen la rendicion antes que la lucha bajo el imperio de la ley, los enemigos de Espana tambien estan ganando la de los hechos.
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