Efike, kaj kiel unu da mia vivpasioj (lernanta lingvojn), ĉi tie vi havas retĉeneron al tre interesa video, subtitolata en la Angla lingvo, ĉirkaŭ kio estas Esperanto kaj kio estas ĝia uzo (komparata kun kelkaj naturala lingvo, tio estas).
("Esperanto is a language with many features/uses"). Effectively, and as one of my life passions (learning languages), here you have a link to a very nice video, subtitled in English, about what Esperanto is and what's its use (compared to any other natural language, that is).
Esperanto estas lingvo kun multaj tratoj
(En español: Esperanto estas lingvo kun multaj tratoj)
Aŭ vi povas vidi ĝin ĉi tie:
Or you can watch it here:
Mi esperas ke vi ĝin ĝojas,
I hope you enjoy it,
saluton!
Por la pli bela! (a.k.a kallisti!)
2007-08-28
Father Wolf (or maybe not) and Father (or Mother) Bear
Well, while Revolt! keeps moving ahead over the 60Kw boundary, and we are getting ready for some fun, I'm revisiting an old theme with a fresh look, and I'm afraid I'm getting fond of my digital camera, so it's picture time!
This is the Romantic conception of Attawulf, or Ataulf, the first Visigothic king, founder of the Kingdom of Tolossa, in Gallia. It's displayed in the Oriental Gardens in Madrid, in front the Royal Palace, in the so-called Austria's Neighborhood, in the center of the town. A beautiful visit, with the Opera Palace and the Cathedral of the Almudena in its vicinity, this palace, and its gardens, has seen a great deal of Madrid's history, before, but specially during and after, the Independence War, where the Spanish civilians, police, and military fought Napoleon Bonaparte's garrisons in the (in)famous May 2 uprisings, which set, nowadays, the Official Festivity of Madrid.
The place is really pleasing, and the environment is soothing, specially during the sunset, where lights over the sky play with its reflections on stone and green leaves. The Garden itself is dominated by a huge water font and a labyrinth of green bushes on one side, and the walkside in front of the Palace, Bailen St., with lots of space to walk about, enjoy Madrid's lifestyle in the terraces or bars and the spectacular views of the Sabatini's Gardens attached to the Northwest side, and the view of Spain Sq. (if it were not because the trees in nearby parks we could be the Temple of Debod from this location as well). The Spanish Senate is a mere 100 meters from this place, and walking towards the East you get to the famous Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate) and the center of the city.
Another interesting characteristic of this place is that's full of History: from Ataulf, we get the whole of the Visigothic kings, and then the first 'Reconquest' kings, in an artistic way of legitimating the Monarchy through time. We can see the first dozen of Visigothic kings (in Tolossa and then in Toletum) in the picture, as well as some trees and walkers. The Royal Palace is at the right side of the paved way, and the Opera Palace is just at the left at the far end of the way. We can see Ataulf, then Winseric, and so on. The fun thing is that the dresses change from a vaguely late Roman style to a full medieval style as we walk. At the opposite side the timeline keeps going on, in a counterclockwise movement. We can even find some wueens as well.
Finally, walking up Arenal St. (where arenal is a sandy landscape, and refers to the virgin of the Arenal Conception, yes, "uh?", well, it's one of the classical streets in Madrid, anyway), walking past the Opera Palace, we arrive in Puerta del Sol, where, among many other famous Spanish items, it's the (un)official symbol of the capital of Spain, the Bear and the Madrone (Arbutus). From the bush-tree we get a characteristic liquor and it's the proof that Madrid was inhabited by bears in the past, although nowadays is, I think, basically impossible to find any outside the northern mountain ranges in the Cantabric or the Pirinees. Recent movements state that the bear (oso in Spanish, el Oso y el Madroño) is actually a she-bear (which would make it la Osa y el Madroño). This, besides feministic, seems fit: the Autonomous Community flag sports seven stars like the seven main stars in the Ursa Major (astronomy U Ma) or Great Bear constellation, which in Spanish is la Osa Mayor, like in Latin--ursa > osa, while the masc. ursus > oso). I have decided this is logically consistent enough that it deserves the change of sex, despite popular wisdom or preferences, which I frankly don't really mind... :-P
And well, I don't have a picture handy, but the Royal Palace is in dire need of some serious cleaning up! Walls are dirty and I wonder where the money of the General Direction of Patrimony is going, while we debate about the yearly money assignation to the Royal House, which is not supposed to maintain our Patrimony. Sigh.
KALLISTI!
This is the Romantic conception of Attawulf, or Ataulf, the first Visigothic king, founder of the Kingdom of Tolossa, in Gallia. It's displayed in the Oriental Gardens in Madrid, in front the Royal Palace, in the so-called Austria's Neighborhood, in the center of the town. A beautiful visit, with the Opera Palace and the Cathedral of the Almudena in its vicinity, this palace, and its gardens, has seen a great deal of Madrid's history, before, but specially during and after, the Independence War, where the Spanish civilians, police, and military fought Napoleon Bonaparte's garrisons in the (in)famous May 2 uprisings, which set, nowadays, the Official Festivity of Madrid.The place is really pleasing, and the environment is soothing, specially during the sunset, where lights over the sky play with its reflections on stone and green leaves. The Garden itself is dominated by a huge water font and a labyrinth of green bushes on one side, and the walkside in front of the Palace, Bailen St., with lots of space to walk about, enjoy Madrid's lifestyle in the terraces or bars and the spectacular views of the Sabatini's Gardens attached to the Northwest side, and the view of Spain Sq. (if it were not because the trees in nearby parks we could be the Temple of Debod from this location as well). The Spanish Senate is a mere 100 meters from this place, and walking towards the East you get to the famous Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate) and the center of the city.
Another interesting characteristic of this place is that's full of History: from Ataulf, we get the whole of the Visigothic kings, and then the first 'Reconquest' kings, in an artistic way of legitimating the Monarchy through time. We can see the first dozen of Visigothic kings (in Tolossa and then in Toletum) in the picture, as well as some trees and walkers. The Royal Palace is at the right side of the paved way, and the Opera Palace is just at the left at the far end of the way. We can see Ataulf, then Winseric, and so on. The fun thing is that the dresses change from a vaguely late Roman style to a full medieval style as we walk. At the opposite side the timeline keeps going on, in a counterclockwise movement. We can even find some wueens as well.
Finally, walking up Arenal St. (where arenal is a sandy landscape, and refers to the virgin of the Arenal Conception, yes, "uh?", well, it's one of the classical streets in Madrid, anyway), walking past the Opera Palace, we arrive in Puerta del Sol, where, among many other famous Spanish items, it's the (un)official symbol of the capital of Spain, the Bear and the Madrone (Arbutus). From the bush-tree we get a characteristic liquor and it's the proof that Madrid was inhabited by bears in the past, although nowadays is, I think, basically impossible to find any outside the northern mountain ranges in the Cantabric or the Pirinees. Recent movements state that the bear (oso in Spanish, el Oso y el Madroño) is actually a she-bear (which would make it la Osa y el Madroño). This, besides feministic, seems fit: the Autonomous Community flag sports seven stars like the seven main stars in the Ursa Major (astronomy U Ma) or Great Bear constellation, which in Spanish is la Osa Mayor, like in Latin--ursa > osa, while the masc. ursus > oso). I have decided this is logically consistent enough that it deserves the change of sex, despite popular wisdom or preferences, which I frankly don't really mind... :-PAnd well, I don't have a picture handy, but the Royal Palace is in dire need of some serious cleaning up! Walls are dirty and I wonder where the money of the General Direction of Patrimony is going, while we debate about the yearly money assignation to the Royal House, which is not supposed to maintain our Patrimony. Sigh.
KALLISTI!
2007-08-19
Naval mine
One of the things that I like the most about my little town is that it has a wide variety of oddities in a very little place.
I have shown you the medieval bridge built à la roman fashion, now I'll show you a naval mine that appeared floating along the fishing ships in the harbor before I can remember (and considering I arrived to my town around 1978-9...)
I can't really tell you a lot about it, but I think I've heard it could be a WWII mine that moved from wherever it was deployed (maybe the Channel?)...
Anyway, we made a kind of shrine for it, and put it well visible between two of our 4 beaches, and ever since it has been there, acting like a weird sort of beacon and limes... A couple of years ago we put a statue (right in the middle of the sea, at least when the tide is high) of a local mermaid-like meiga (which are a kind of witches, I guess) therefore they mark a high contrast line between our legends of life and death of the sea peoples, and the death instruments of yore...
Things are kinda frozen in the writing front, but I'll get to it, eventually... Lots of travelling around, and I have a small infection in an eye, it's pretty uncomfortable and I'm really sleepy :-P
Anyway... Kallisti!
PD: although it's clouded, we did really have some 4 o 5 days of sun during July holidays, promise!
I have shown you the medieval bridge built à la roman fashion, now I'll show you a naval mine that appeared floating along the fishing ships in the harbor before I can remember (and considering I arrived to my town around 1978-9...)
I can't really tell you a lot about it, but I think I've heard it could be a WWII mine that moved from wherever it was deployed (maybe the Channel?)...Anyway, we made a kind of shrine for it, and put it well visible between two of our 4 beaches, and ever since it has been there, acting like a weird sort of beacon and limes... A couple of years ago we put a statue (right in the middle of the sea, at least when the tide is high) of a local mermaid-like meiga (which are a kind of witches, I guess) therefore they mark a high contrast line between our legends of life and death of the sea peoples, and the death instruments of yore...
Things are kinda frozen in the writing front, but I'll get to it, eventually... Lots of travelling around, and I have a small infection in an eye, it's pretty uncomfortable and I'm really sleepy :-P
Anyway... Kallisti!
PD: although it's clouded, we did really have some 4 o 5 days of sun during July holidays, promise!
2007-08-07
Stones
Well, you probably know by now about my fascination for stones (specially those made by our fellow humans of yore).
These are some samples of some stones I have photographed in my last safaris:
This is a ponte romana do Bao (the Roman Bridge in O Bao), in my hometown, a medieval bridge constructed following the examples of Roman bridges in the Province, like those in Lugo (Lucus Augusta) and other places, in Gallaecia, Hispania. It's a beautiful bridge that crosses the river Cobo, and for a long time was the only means to easily transport animals and loads from the harbor towards the center of the parroquia (parish): Nowadays there's a new, bigger, car-ready bridge closer to the river mouth and a bigger one for the train, that cannot be seen on the picture. The other only way of crossing the river (and not getting soaked, that is) was a stones way that crossed it, and only when the tide was low (it's covered in high tides). That's my S.O. over the bridge, who graciously offered herself as a way to compare its size. I took the picture from the middle of the river as it flows as we can see in the picture when the tide was (very!) low, in some rocks that were handy. There's a sign, a snake, made on the right pillar, between the holes you can see in the bigger picture (click it to zoom in) but you'll probably won't be able to detect it. I will probably try and get better pictures for you all to enjoy. The snake (and other marks) are probably the architect's signature of some kind.
Next if the castle of Manzanares El Real, in Madrid, a beautiful medieval castle in the mountain range of Madrid, which has been partially restored and where the current Estatute of Autonomy of Madrid was signed in June, 1982. In a way, it looks like a fairy tale castle, it's quite cute, actually. The place dominates a huge plain with lakes and ways towards the 4 directions.
Finally, we went to a concert last Saturday, where a quartet called Shir gave a recital of classical shefardi romances (shefardis were the Jews who lived in Spain --kingdoms of Castilia and Aragon at the time-- before they were expelled by the so-called Catholic Kings in March, 31, 1492; romances where the traditional, popular poems and songs of the time) and other traditional jewish songs, thus they sung in Mozarab (or español yudió), in Yiddish, Hebrew and English (I think), in a beautiful scenario: the Temple of Debod, in Madrid. The temple was created ca. 2200 BCE by Pharaoh Ptolomeus IV Philopator, and transported to Madrid in 1968 after the rescue missions to protect the remains in the site where the Great Dam of Aswan is nowadays. Here's a picture of it when the night fell and the lights were on. I'll probably write an entry about it later on, with more pictures and so, I'd like to go in daylight and visit its insides!
As for the rest, I'm reading a book by a Catalan author, Martí Gironell, who first published it in Catalan (Els pont dels jueus) in its Spanish edition (El puente de los judíos, "The Bridge of the Jews") about the construction of the medieval bridge of Besalú, in Girona, Spain. Here's a picture courtesy of Wikimedia:
As you can see in this picture (and others on the net, Panoramio has a good deal of them) I must say it's a really beautiful bridge, indeed! The book's providing interesting, and it came in an interesting time, because I was planning about writing the story of the bridge in O Bao in galician for the next Nanowrimo... However, I have hardly found any information about its origins, so I guess it will take longer to research than I'd liked... Next Nano will have to go by another subject, but it's in my mind, anyway (not comparable, but my bridge is also very nice ;-)
Well, and I'm slowly learning my driving rules: it's fairly boring!
Revolt! is also shaping slowly, but actually even slower than I'd like, to be sincere. In my defense, it's very hot during the nights, and I'm tired of not sleeping well, and I'm thinking about driving (myself nuts, that is!).
I'll try to give it a boost, though...
Take care! KALLISTI!
These are some samples of some stones I have photographed in my last safaris:
This is a ponte romana do Bao (the Roman Bridge in O Bao), in my hometown, a medieval bridge constructed following the examples of Roman bridges in the Province, like those in Lugo (Lucus Augusta) and other places, in Gallaecia, Hispania. It's a beautiful bridge that crosses the river Cobo, and for a long time was the only means to easily transport animals and loads from the harbor towards the center of the parroquia (parish): Nowadays there's a new, bigger, car-ready bridge closer to the river mouth and a bigger one for the train, that cannot be seen on the picture. The other only way of crossing the river (and not getting soaked, that is) was a stones way that crossed it, and only when the tide was low (it's covered in high tides). That's my S.O. over the bridge, who graciously offered herself as a way to compare its size. I took the picture from the middle of the river as it flows as we can see in the picture when the tide was (very!) low, in some rocks that were handy. There's a sign, a snake, made on the right pillar, between the holes you can see in the bigger picture (click it to zoom in) but you'll probably won't be able to detect it. I will probably try and get better pictures for you all to enjoy. The snake (and other marks) are probably the architect's signature of some kind. 
Next if the castle of Manzanares El Real, in Madrid, a beautiful medieval castle in the mountain range of Madrid, which has been partially restored and where the current Estatute of Autonomy of Madrid was signed in June, 1982. In a way, it looks like a fairy tale castle, it's quite cute, actually. The place dominates a huge plain with lakes and ways towards the 4 directions.
Finally, we went to a concert last Saturday, where a quartet called Shir gave a recital of classical shefardi romances (shefardis were the Jews who lived in Spain --kingdoms of Castilia and Aragon at the time-- before they were expelled by the so-called Catholic Kings in March, 31, 1492; romances where the traditional, popular poems and songs of the time) and other traditional jewish songs, thus they sung in Mozarab (or español yudió), in Yiddish, Hebrew and English (I think), in a beautiful scenario: the Temple of Debod, in Madrid. The temple was created ca. 2200 BCE by Pharaoh Ptolomeus IV Philopator, and transported to Madrid in 1968 after the rescue missions to protect the remains in the site where the Great Dam of Aswan is nowadays. Here's a picture of it when the night fell and the lights were on. I'll probably write an entry about it later on, with more pictures and so, I'd like to go in daylight and visit its insides!As for the rest, I'm reading a book by a Catalan author, Martí Gironell, who first published it in Catalan (Els pont dels jueus) in its Spanish edition (El puente de los judíos, "The Bridge of the Jews") about the construction of the medieval bridge of Besalú, in Girona, Spain. Here's a picture courtesy of Wikimedia:
As you can see in this picture (and others on the net, Panoramio has a good deal of them) I must say it's a really beautiful bridge, indeed! The book's providing interesting, and it came in an interesting time, because I was planning about writing the story of the bridge in O Bao in galician for the next Nanowrimo... However, I have hardly found any information about its origins, so I guess it will take longer to research than I'd liked... Next Nano will have to go by another subject, but it's in my mind, anyway (not comparable, but my bridge is also very nice ;-)Well, and I'm slowly learning my driving rules: it's fairly boring!
Revolt! is also shaping slowly, but actually even slower than I'd like, to be sincere. In my defense, it's very hot during the nights, and I'm tired of not sleeping well, and I'm thinking about driving (myself nuts, that is!).
I'll try to give it a boost, though...
Take care! KALLISTI!
2007-08-01
Harrius Potter et Mortis Reliquiæ
Well, more or less, anyway...
My first Potter book was the Spanish edition of ... and the Philosopher's Stone. Then followed the second and third books, and then I switched to the English editions, as they were --obviously-- released sooner (way much sooner, I'll add).
Then I got Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis, the Latin version of the book. It's gorgeous. I haven't actually read it yet, only the first few pages, but it's on my list. I plan on getting the Irish edition as well: I need practising, and it's fun and easy to follow (besides I can compare the two editions, and cheat a bit, hehe :-)
Now it was the turn to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I managed to stop and not read it on a single seat, that was good, because they have a little bit more taste that way (books in gneral, I mean; last one I read it on one go: I got it Saturday evening, I finished it Sunday evening!). I won't spoil you the story if you haven't read it, thus I won't say more.
AFAIK, Bloomsbury is not plannig releasing any other HP books in Latin or Irish, but I have seen several of them in Galician (my other native language) so there's always hope... (ah, and an Esperanto edition would be cool! :-)
Anyway, things are going warm (it's actually damn hot in here, we had a Saharian hot air wave struck by the end of last week, and it's still incredibly hard to sleep in the nights) and I'm starting to study to get my car driving license. Yes, I know, but I'm a firm believer of public mass transport as a mean to be nicer to the environment and to save energy and get a nicer world, and I haven't really needed to drive a car in my life, but there are time when it may come handy and, well, I have been kind-of forced, anyway... :-P
Be well, Merry Lughnasadh (or Ostara if you are down there) to those who celebrate, we certainly have the Sun brighting over us!
KALLISTI!
My first Potter book was the Spanish edition of ... and the Philosopher's Stone. Then followed the second and third books, and then I switched to the English editions, as they were --obviously-- released sooner (way much sooner, I'll add).
Then I got Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis, the Latin version of the book. It's gorgeous. I haven't actually read it yet, only the first few pages, but it's on my list. I plan on getting the Irish edition as well: I need practising, and it's fun and easy to follow (besides I can compare the two editions, and cheat a bit, hehe :-)
Now it was the turn to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I managed to stop and not read it on a single seat, that was good, because they have a little bit more taste that way (books in gneral, I mean; last one I read it on one go: I got it Saturday evening, I finished it Sunday evening!). I won't spoil you the story if you haven't read it, thus I won't say more.
AFAIK, Bloomsbury is not plannig releasing any other HP books in Latin or Irish, but I have seen several of them in Galician (my other native language) so there's always hope... (ah, and an Esperanto edition would be cool! :-)
Anyway, things are going warm (it's actually damn hot in here, we had a Saharian hot air wave struck by the end of last week, and it's still incredibly hard to sleep in the nights) and I'm starting to study to get my car driving license. Yes, I know, but I'm a firm believer of public mass transport as a mean to be nicer to the environment and to save energy and get a nicer world, and I haven't really needed to drive a car in my life, but there are time when it may come handy and, well, I have been kind-of forced, anyway... :-P
Be well, Merry Lughnasadh (or Ostara if you are down there) to those who celebrate, we certainly have the Sun brighting over us!
KALLISTI!
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