Bye bye 2011...

I guess it's time to think about New Year's resolutions, huh? I have two: The first and most important one is to take care of my health (both body and mind) and the second one is to try to clear the house a little bit, it's so full that soon I won't be able to walk around! I would make a third one (keeping my present job), but -unfortunately- that one's not in my hands!

I wish you all a very happy & healthy 2012!!

It came, it stayed for a day and now it's gone...

Yes, that's what Christmas is all about: waiting for 364 days and then, when it finally arrives, everything's gone in a day. I could say I'm sad about it, but I'd be lying. The (sad) fact is I don't enjoy Christmas anymore, so I won't lie... I'm glad it's gone and I will feel even better when the new year gets here... I´m in high hopes that this one will be THE ONE!! I have a deep belief it's going to be a real life changer (for better, I hope!!)

"Whatever" (Oasis)

I'm free to be whatever I
Whatever I choose
And I'll sing the blues if I want

I'm free to say whatever I
Whatever I like
If it's wrong or right it's alright

Always seems to me
You only see what people want you to see
How long's it gonna be
Before we get on the bus
And cause no fuss
Get a grip on yourself
It don't cost much

Free to be whatever you
Whatever you say
If it comes my way it's alright

You're free to be wherever you
Wherever you please
You can shoot the breeze if you want

It always seems to me
You only see what people want you to see
How long's it gonna be
Before we get on the bus
And cause no fuss
Get a grip on yourself
It don't cost much

I'm free to be whatever I
Whatever I choose
And I'll sing the blues if I want

Here in my mind
You know you might find
Something that you
You thought you once knew
But now it's all gone
And you know it's no fun
Yeah I know it's no fun
Oh I know it's no fun

I'm free to be whatever I
Whatever I choose
And I'll sing the blues if I want

I'm free to be whatever I
Whatever I choose
And I'll sing the blues if I want

Whatever you do
Whatever you say
Yeah I know it's alright

Whatever you do
Whatever you say
Yeah I know it's alright

 

http://youtu.be/BEhd2S5GbUg

December

I can still remember when this time of the year came and I was incredibly excited. I must be getting really old, because now it makes me feel incredibly miserable. Still, I'm going to try to think about the good things this season brings to my life instead of foccusing on the upseting feelings and situations it awakens.

WSR : Weird Sunday Reflection

Ups, downs, wrongs, rights, lefts, mergers, elections, decisions, random moves, ankle that hurts, brother getting older (wow!), healthy food, music discoveries, failed reading plans, creativity, inspiration, "El Barco", new people on the net, same people at work (for now...), tons of invoices, balance reports, painful memories, the sight of unavoidable Christmas celebrations, iPhone photographs, basketball, cold weather (loving it!), time passing by relentlessly,... That's what I call life these days!

Enlightening week

This week I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Everything I made was then "tested" at the office and I have been given rave reviews! My work colleagues have even suggested that I should try to open a raw & vegan place to share these "inventions" (as they call them) on a larger scale. That was funny for me to hear. I have been "seriously" thinking about it, trying to imagine what it would be like... Not an easy decision to make, that's for sure. Still, while giving it some thought I have discovered there might be "light" beyond my present job.

 

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf with Honey Glaze

 

Macadamia Cacao Raw Pudding



Quinoa-Banana-Coconut-Cacao Cookies

By taking my baked (or raw) goods to the office I'm not trying to say "do what I do". I'm just saying "this is what I've chosen to do and I want to share it with you". So, if you freely decide to join me, all I can say is: Welcome to my world!

"For whom the bell tolls"

No, I'm not going to write about one of my favourite Metallica songs or even about that other lovely ballad from the Bee Gees. This entry is about the book.

I think I'll finally have the time to catch up on some reading.

There are some literary jewels that I have been wanting to read forever and this is one of them. Some might think it is unforgiveable not to have read it yet (I do!), because... Gee! It's Hemingway! And it's about the Spanish Civil War... but things are not always as easy as they seem and, as with most matters in life, there's is a right time for (almost) everything.

I know I haven´t been ready to read this book until... now!

I've always been far more interested in the American Civil War than in our own. I simply didn't understand the reasons that lead to our crazy blood spilling conflict. Thirty-some years later in my life, I'm beginning to understand some of them (yes, I know, I'm "kind of" slow...)

I also wanted to read this book in English, because, from what I hear, the expressions Hemingway uses when trying to translate directly from Spanish idioms and the swearing are fascinating. I guess I'll soon find out!



Back to reality

I thought that coming back to work was going to be really hard. Instead, it has turned out to be a nice and gentle experience...

The adjustment-makers (whoever they are) are delaying the decision about what is going to happen to all of us after December. So what I have "chosen" to do is not to worry, be happy and enjoy my job while it lasts. Why am I going to get desperate right now over something that I don't even know if it's going to happen or not?

Yesterday was a confusing day, but I find that to be extremely normal, considering the amount of days that I've been disconnected from paperwork and discussions. However, when I got home I had enough energy to cook a vegan "Blueberry Bliss Cheesecake" that I brought to the office today (huge success, by the way!).

Here's the link to the recipe:

http://jlgoesvegan.com/veganmofo-29-saturday-book-review-vegan-pie-in-the-sky-a-recipe-and-giveaway/

(you should know my work colleagues are all non-vegan and everyone loved it!)
  

Today I had a non-stress work morning (with cake!), a nice lunch with a nice colleague, a magnificent home-made vegan latte and I've come back to work in the afternoon (most Thursdays I have to work afternoon/evenings as well).
I've also had great success avoiding the negative energy that some people were giving off and now I'm taking advantage of my little break to write this short blog.

This evening, once I get out of the office, I'll relax at home and will enjoy Mario Casas on tv...

Somehow I forgot to "always look on the bright side of life"!!

This week I've felt like Picasso, evolving from a "blue" period to a much "pinker" one.

Several factors have influenced this change, but mainly two: For one thing, not having to go to work has been a huge help. For another, seeing an nice old friend really cheered me up!

So... I might not be a completely unhappy person after all. I guess when I was writing my last blog the clouds were completely hiding the sun from me. Unfortunately, part of what I wrote is still true, I painfully have to admit that.

Today I can declare that being happy or unhappy is not a way of life, just a simple state of mind. And, in my case, states of mind obviously vary from one day/week to the next.

Of course, if I had to choose, I'd pick this happier mood any day of the week and twice on Sunday! (you gotta love "A few good men"!)

When unhappiness becomes the way of being happy

Two days ago I caught a huge cold and I've been feeling pretty sick and miserable. I had to stay at home for a couple of days and had time to do a lot of thinking (basically, the only thing I could do).
The cloud that filled my head led me to feel that I am completely unable to live a happy life. Unhappiness seems to be my usual state of mind these days. Maybe the problem is that I have become happy feeling unhappy. Isn't that sad? I've come to be isolated most of the time and I am not making any efforts to change this situation anymore (would I even know how to change it if I really wanted to?). My friends have gone on with their lives and are focused in their own families, which is the "normal" thing to do (I've always had problems understanding what that word embraces and when something stands out as "normal" ↝ There you have a pretty paradox!). Somewhere along the line I got left behind and now it's going to be hard (if not impossible) to catch up again (whatever it is I need to catch up on). I've always had my ups and downs, in fact, my life is basically a mental roller coaster, but I cannot recall ever feeling this lonely. When they talk about single people they don't explain how hard it can be to keep living a normal life (there goes that word again!) when all your acquaintances have moved on to a different path and you come to be not only single, but completely alone. I haven´t allowed myself the freedom to explore the real world (always dreaming, hardly ever living) and been tied up to the (imaginary) "fidelity to an idea". I am, once again, the perfect example of "the road not taken"... My whole life I've told myself and others that I was independent and that I loved being single. The first part still holds true, but not the second. I know I can manage on my own, but I don't want to be alone anymore (although through experience I'm getting unhappily used to it↝Does that make any sense?).

Images of broken light

Words are not "flying out like endless rain into a paper cup"...

I'm finding it very hard to express any of the things I want to say lately. Instead, I have gone back to my Fotolog again. Sometimes it seems easier to speak through my camera, even if it is the one from my iPhone...

http://www.fotolog.com/edermac

I was dreaming of the past...

Thump... Thump... Thump... Thump... Thump... Thump... Thump... Thump...

"... And my heart was beating fast..."

(John Lennon)

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

 

This is one of my all-time favorite poems and it makes more and more sense to me as time goes by... Although the roads to take are getting "blurrier" by the minute. I just wish things got clearer in my life!!

Pretty Good Saturday Night

My social life nowadays is so dwindled that I thought it was already dead, but last night something happened that brought it back to life . I was invited to a friend's birthday party and I had a great time.

I'm not going to analyze here or now how I've come to this situation, but I'm glad some people still count on me to celebrate moments of joy.

I made a raw/vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Cake for the occasion. It tasted great, but was a little too "thick" after all we had had for dinner. I'm not sure my friends enjoyed it as much as I would have wanted them to (that's the impression you get when they keep saying "it's too thick, way too thick", instead of "it has such a great taste"!!). If you want to try it, here's where I got the recipe from (maybe I didn't measure the ingredients properly):
 http://www.thewannabechef.net/2011/08/15/hazelnut-chocolate-cake-rawvegan/

Our "shared" Spanish blood is thicker than all the water in the Atlantic Ocean...

I was an only child for 12 years. Then, life gave me one brother & five sisters over a very short period of time...

Only my brother is blood-related (on my mother's side) and I adore him (yes, even when he gives me a hard time!!). He's probably the best thing that has ever "happened" to me.

My three step-sisters arrived when my mother remarried.

After that, I found (*or did they find me?*) my two soul-sisters -formerly known as my "host-sisters". I lived with them (and their wonderful-generous-loving parents, María & Gary) the year I spent studying in the States... I love them so much! It's hard to believe how I can feel this close with someone when we have an Ocean (and a whole country, for that matter) between us!! We were "disconnected" for a while, but thanks to modern technology we were able to "reconnect" (Thank you social networks!!). I wonder if our Spanish blood (mom-María is from Sevilla!) has anything to do with that feeling... Probably not, but it is a cool thought, isn't it? I had a chance to spend a few weeks with these beautiful human beings again last Summer and I cannot wait to see them again soon!!

I´m still here...

It's been a nerve-wracking period since I last posted something in here. I was not in the mood to write about what was going on in a blog. These last few weeks were better for "tweeting" (& retweeting!) than anything else. Once more, I have to thank my friend Brooke for introducing me to that (birdy) world...

I had big plans for today. You know, it is not often that Monday comes and you don't have to work (today's the festivity of Santiago, the Saint Patron of Spain). I wanted to take advantage of it, specially because it was also my first day back eating after a ten-day lemon & maple syrup cleansing diet.

But... Alas! By noon I was already lying in my couch with the tv on. To be honest, I wasn't even paying attention. I was changing channels like crazy (wasn't that the title of a "Supernatural" episode...?) until I came across Gale Harold and I couldn't resist, I had to stop and really watch. I hadn't seen the show before, but I guess I got there at the right time. Supposedly, he was describing the things he liked about the girl he was with (not before pointing out that she was "like an advertisement for a male's midlife crisis"...!! Gee!!) and I thought to myself: "I wouldn't mind being described like that", but of course that only happens on a tv show (besides I'm not a blonde and I'm not in my twenties anymore... I'm about to start my very own midlife crisis, for crying out loud!!). You would think I'd write the words down, wouldn't you? Well, of course I would! Here it is:
"You are a fascinating, occasionally maddening woman. You have a quicksilver mind and a gigantic heart. You love your friends to a fault and despise injustice with a white-hot intensity. You resist authority, not because you're an anarchist, but because you're a leader by nature. You refuse to be bullied, and will not allow me to win an argument if you know you're right. And you're not afraid to laugh at yourself...".

Shortly after, the show was over. I started day-dreaming for a while and now I just decided to sit down, listen to some Billy Joel and write a few lines even if it's just to show a couple of people and myself that I'm still alive. Now more that ever I have to let those around me (or far away) know that "when the going gets tough, the tough get going".

Eres / You are

I just felt the need to make an "ad libitum" (free) translation of this song. Read the lyrics and maybe you'll discover why...

http://www.goear.com/listen/ccdf22a/04-eres-dani-martin

Eres ese caramelo que quería    (You're the candy that I wanted)
Eres ese gesto lleno de valor    (You're a courageous gesture)
Eres como la primera parte de mi vida    (You're like the first part of my life)
Tan salvaje, tan amor, tan extrema como yo    (As wild, as full of love, as extreme as me)

Eres como una princesa sin tonterías    (You're like a princess without the foolishness)
Eres Beatles, eres un Rolling Stone    (You're the Beatles, you're a Rolling Stone)
Eres como la perfecta melodía    (You're like the perfect tune)
Que te llega al corazón    (That gets to your heart)
Eres paz... Eres león...    (You're peace... You're a lion...)

Es que eres la mejor sensación    (You're the best feeling)
Los besos sin miedo, amor    (The kisses without fear, love)
Como los de los niños    (Like the ones from children)
Y es que siento que eres superior    (And I feel you're way more than me)
Que me haces guapo    (You make me handsome)
Y que puedo irme a volar contigo    (And I can go flying with you)

Eres esa mano suave que me cuida    (You're the soft hand that takes care of me)
Eres una realidad en mi interior    (You're a reality within me)
Eres todo lo que alguien imagina    (You're everything anyone could imagine)
Tener cerca alrededor    (Having close around)
Eres paz... Eres león...    (You're peace... You're a lion...)

Es que eres la mejor sensación    (You're the best feeling)
Los besos sin miedo, amor    (The kisses without fear, love)
Como los de los niños    (Like the ones from children)
Y es que siento que eres superior    (And I feel you're way more than me)
Que me haces guapo    (You make me handsome)
Y que puedo irme a volar contigo...    (And I can go flying with you...)

The small things that still make me happy

Taking tons of pictures each day, The Beatles, friends that are far far away but feel very close in my heart, writing about foolish things, tomatoes, books that make me lose track of time, staring at the sea and listening to the sound of waves, a song that reminds me of good times, the smell of the sea in San Sebastián, walking barefoot, having one family on each side of the Ocean, Friday evenings with nothing to do, sleeping in on Saturdays, weekend breakfasts, sunny winter Sundays, summer storms, autumn colours, long spring days, fresh orange juice, big trees, comfortable sneakers, snow, engaging in a fantastic conversation with my sister Loretta while enjoying a "Blue Moon" and forgetting the ribs were on the barbecue, movies that make me laugh, movies that make me cry, singing in the shower, a good night's sleep,

apple crumble with custard, the scent of Grandma Nicolasa's red roses and rockrose on the hill, believing that time goes by and I stay the same, soap bubbles, discovering new wonderful places, laughing until it hurts, looking through the window on a starry night, full moons, theatre plays written by Alejandro Casona, Paul's voice, having drinks with friends, Stella's perfume, wandering around with nowhere to go, frogs, handwritten letters, meeting with friends at home for hours and hours, buying presents for people I care about, strawberry ice cream, thinking aloud, Scottish landscapes, chilling on the sofa,

little villages in Castilla y León, throwing stones in the lake, the sand in "La Concha", foulards and scarves, a good Martini, sweet and sour flavours, basketball, cheesy movies, olives, stuffed toys, big hugs from people I love, Harrison Ford, naff dresses, purple things, "Leffe" beer, black & white pictures, eating with my fingers, riding my bicycle in Pozuelo, screaming in the mountains and hearing the echo coming back, fruit salads, heavy rock music, strong colours, Navarra and its people, dusks & dawns, crossing bridges, stepping on dry leaves, fireworks, thinking that everything will be alright...

Dani Martín

It had been a while since my last concert. I think it was Bruce Springsteen's.

Last night I went to see Dani Martín (the former lead singer of the Spanish band "El Canto del Loco").

Leaving aside the controversy over it being an election "manoeuvre" from the town's mayor, I had high hopes for this concert. I had seen  ECDL  at the Valladolid Latino Festival in May 2008 and there he communicated so much energy from stage!

My perception yesterday was quite different.

I didn't like the chosen premises (the "León arena").  First, there was too much "echo" and second, I had to shake off  two spiders that were going down my arm while I was there... They seemed to be everywhere!! Eeeek!!

Besides, something happened to the lights during  the first part of the concert and we couldn't see a thing!
He chose to go for a "slower" selection of songs (his solo album "Pequeño" is more intimate, I guess). Not exactly what I was expecting...

Although it looked as if everything around was meant to ruin the show (including the weather), I enjoyed it.

This music is supposed to aim for a younger public. I guess that makes me -at least- young at heart...

I took some pictures with my phone (awful quality, but I had to try).

Now all I can say is: I hope I can go to another concert soon!!

Special meal for a special day.

The first Sunday in May is Mother's day in my country.

This year (to make it even more special & healthy) I have prepared a raw meal for my family: Brooke's raw tacos as a main course and raw strawberry cake for dessert.

I received smashing compliments and they (specially my step-dad) are not even vegetarian!

It's not that I'm trying to "convert" anyone, but I think this could be a really good experience (both my mom and my step-dad suffer from serious heart problems) and I want to prepare some healthy and tasty dishes for them, even if it's only two days per week.

Today I want to share this Strawberry Cake recipe with you.

Ingredients for the crust:

- 2 cups of raw almonds

- 1/2 cup of pine nuts

- 3/4 cup of pitted dates

Ingredients for the filling:

- 4 to 5 cups of thinly sliced ripe strawberries

- 4 pitted dates, soaked for 10 minutes in warm water and drained

- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice

Place the nuts in a food processor and grind. Then add the 3/4 cup of dates and process until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into a very lightly oiled pie plate. Arrange 4 cups of the sliced strawberries on top of the crust and set aside.

Combine the remaining cup of strawberries with the 4 soaked dates and lemon juice in a blender. Mix until smooth. Pour the sauce over strawberries.

Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour before serving.

This is the result:

My blog was never intended to be about food, but my eating habits have become a wonderful and interesting journey (across the raw food universe), so it looks that I will be writing about that every now and then.

I already went through a veggie phase years ago, around the time I moved to London. I think it was shortly after my lovely visit to Scotland, when I went to meet my friend Elaine (she's a vegetarian too, although not a raw foodie). Those were the healthier years of my life. I "gave up" a few months after I returned to Spain, due to work and my need to catch up with the "ordinary" social life again... This country was not prepared for vegetarians, though the Mediterranean diet has always included lots of fruits and vegetables. Luckily (at least for me), that is beginning to change (slowly, but surely).

After reading about some of my friends' experiences with raw food, I unconsciously began to feel re-educated and I have found myself becoming almost completely "green" again.

If you really want to be inspired and learn more about raw lifestyle and fantastic recipes, I recommend you to follow Brooke's blog:
http://mooshymama.blogspot.com/ 
She's both a great cook and a wonderful human being. She's my raw food guru. I feel so lucky for having her in my life!

And now I should be getting ready to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day at work and I need to be rested to face it.

Good Night!!

To Celebrate, or Not To Celebrate: That Is the Question...

Today is Workers' Day (or May Day, if you prefer). It's supposed to be a national holiday in Spain, but... Is there anything to celebrate with almost 5 million people on the dole in this country? I think not! I get so angry when I think about it, that my mind gets blocked. I will leave my comments for another day, when I have a clearer head. Words don't work any longer, we need actions, but nobody around seems to be ready to do anything about it. Get real, people! This is an unsustainable situation!

What's the story...?

Harrison Ford has been "with me" since I was... What? 5-ish? Well, since I went to see "Star Wars" for the first time, anyway. I was a Han Solo fan from the very beginning, although everyone around me seemed to be unconditional Luke Skywalker followers.

I feel he's almost a member of the family by now. He has "earned" that right! Paul McCartney is another "honorary" member too (don't you just love my family!!). I guess that's why I keep watching his movies over and over (and over and over again).

I watched "Morning Glory" again yesterday and I liked it (again). It did not get good reviews from the critics when it was first released in Spain, but I have never been known for "following the crowd", least of all critics.

The first reason I like it is because it shows his grumpy side, although... The third worst person in the world? Come on!

And the most important reason why I totally enjoy it is because it tells you a story about first opportunities and new opportunities... which everybody should have.

It's also about loving a job that becomes weary over monotony, some jealousy on the part of a few not-so-nice colleagues and bosses who undervalue you. Anyone familiar with that situation? Me! Me! Me! Me!

If you had been working with me for the past 12 years, you would have seen me change. I used to be soooo nice at work! And now I'm becoming a grouch. Does that mean it is time for a change? Maybe!

That's something to think about over the weekend, huh? (Just kidding!) I hope everybody has a nice one!! Don't think too much!!

What you need is there, you just need to focus.

Sometimes you try to look too far for what you think you need and you don't notice the opportunities that surround you.

I'm not one to give advice. My head and heart are full of unachievable dreams all the time, but I'm also learning (veeeery slowwwwly) to seize the day, that is, focus and enjoy what's near instead of longing for the things that are hard or impossible to reach. "Carpe Diem", they call it.

I don't want to miss what's right in front of me. Maybe it's not what I want, but it might be what I need.

When life points you in two different directions… Which one do you follow?

I'm still trying to answer that one!!

Usually my head will lead me one way while my heart pushes me hard in the opposite direction...

Letters: Nostalgia over a piece of paper

Am I the only one to miss slow-long-old-fashioned-handwritten messages?

Letters are becoming a thing of the past, but when I got back home from my holidays, I had a nice and shiny postcard waiting for me :) :)  It was such a wonderful surprise that I got inspired and decided to write something about it.

A personalized, thoughtful message stands out from all the e-mails, junk mail and text messages I usually receive. Handwritten letters can demonstrate that people care, because they require effort (although, apparently, that’s not considered something very “fashionable” these days). They show that somebody has thought about you and what to say to you carefully, taking some time out to do it. That’s why they come across as something genuine and meaningful.

I remember being young (yes, I do) and writing letters that were 6 or 7 pages long. It took them a while to get to their destination plus an equal amount of days (if I was lucky) to get an answer back from the recipient (yes, most friends and family did reply). My friends still compliment me these days for my perseverance back then. In fact, having moved around so much from an early age, it was this persistence of mine what made me keep most of my long-distance friends. I admit that waiting for those significant pieces of paper was patience-consuming, but I loved the thrill of getting to the mailbox. I would always be the first one to go downstairs to check if there was any inside the box. Just seeing that there was a letter for me already made me happy and reading  “adventures” from people I cared about gave me such joy… I just loved it! (I still do).

I could keep doing it the old way, but e-mails and social networks make it unnecessary and silly. Besides, I don’t have as much energy, motivation or time in my hands as I used to have back then. This has got to be the biggest sign of me getting really (really!) old, because time runs way too fast in and around my life nowadays (it used to last a lot more not so long ago, didn’t it?).

Although I keep gathering "strength" and sending missives from time to time, I hardly receive any for myself anymore.  The only things that get into my mailbox are some invoices and pounds of junk mail, so now I tend to avoid being the first to go downstairs to grab them.

Christmas is peak season for me and my writings. If work is not killing me when the appropriate time comes (it's also my job's "peak season"), I even design my own cards and letters. Such fun! The only problem I find (with people I know moving around so much) is that some of my addresses are not updated anymore and, therefore, some of the letters are returned. It is then that I use the e-mail to check what’s going on, unless –of course- the letter gets lost and I think everyone got his or hers when they really didn’t (oh, well).

So even though technology has taken over, remember that there are still old-fashioned spirits who manage their way into old-fashioned customs from time to time... and that's a good thing to do!!

El Berenjenal

It is not often that I find my family in the mood for veggie food (not my case whatsoever). So when I mentioned the possibility of going to a new eco-vegetarian restaurant today and they said yes,  I was happy happy happy happy!!

Did you know that the word “vegetarian” comes from the latin “vegetus”, which means lively, fresh, vigorous,...?  And lively is exactly how I felt today!!

The place we went to is called “El Berenjenal” and it's located at Duque de Lerma, 2 (Valladolid). It is a teeny-tiny spot with a very peculiar decoration (children drawings all over the wall).

The name is very appropriate (I love  word-games!). Berenjenal is both an eggplant field and a word used in a Spanish saying that means to get yourself into a real mess (“meterse en un berenjenal”).

First thing we noticed: The bread had not been out of the oven for long. It was still warm when they brought it to our table… We all tried each other’s dishes and they were all d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s. I’ll write all their names down and then I’ll upload the pictures (of course I took pictures with my iPhone! What did you expect?). Your "mission" will be matching them (Oh, boy!! Am I in a joyful-playful-mood today!!), here we go:

·         Hummus with raw zucchini and carrot sticks

·         Veggie sushi with salad

·         Goat cheese crêpe with roasted red pepper salad

·         Cardoon-almond-cheese toasts with herbes de Provence

·         Cereal-pulse burgers

·         Red lentil croquettes with rice and cumins

 

 

 

Puente de Santa Teresa (Valladolid)

Today I went for a walk in Valladolid to see the city’s newest addition:  A bridge  that was just opened at the end of the neighborhood known as "La Rondilla”.

I must confess I loved it!!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera. Luckily, I had my iPhone with me…

The bridge has been built at the end of one of the most popular walks in Valladolid, locally known as the “Cholesterol Walk” (guess why!! LOL).



It is the first one in Valladolid to have a wooden walkway (although they’re re-building one of the old ones with this noble material), which kind of reminded me to the Brooklyn Bridge (sometimes you just see what you want to see!).




If you’ve never been to Valladolid, you don’t know how important river Pisuerga is for the city. There’s even a popular Spanish saying that goes:
“Aprovechando que el Pisuerga pasa por Valladolid...” (that would literally translate as “and now, since Pisuerga crosses Valladolid..." and it is used to introduce a new subject in a conversation that apparently has nothing to do with what you were talking about in the first place).

You can even see the tiny pier down the river. It has been there for ages, since the canoeing school is just a few feet away.

The walkway is one of the widest I’ve seen in Spain.

It even has wooden "benches" in case you need to rest somewhere along the way.

In a few weeks you’ll see flowers and plants everywhere!!




I really dislike Valladolid’s mayor, but I must admit he has done wonders for the city. And now was the best time for him to show it off, because the local elections are being held in less than a month and that means… Time to renew the city!! Valladolid’s “good looks” have increased by a thousand since I first came here. This area used to be skid row not that long ago!