Happiness in a tube

My work buddy Juampi just returned from a month´s vacation in Sweden. He was euforical about the water, the air, the trains, buses and ferries. Imagine how lucky he was to manage to be there on the sunniest and hottest weeks of the entire summer. And he didn´t forget to bring me my special request, kaviar. The tube was the center of interest at the lunch table, where I invited my colleagues to taste it. Suddenly, we all got along fabulously, smiling like never before. They glanced at me with great comradery,
... or were they looking at the tube?

A long time ago, in Thüringen, Germany...

... a child was born to Ambrosius and Maria Elisabeth. Ambrosius was, aside from a gifted singer, very able with instruments, handling trumpets, violins, the organ and drums. He was the musical director of the municipality. Life seemed pretty good, until Maria Elisabeth fell ill and died at 50 years of age and when their youngest was only 9. This was a hard blow to Ambrosius, but some eight months later he found a new spouse to ensure the well-being of his family in Barbara, the daughter of a former local mayor. She was twice a widow herself. However, poor Ambrosius had been severly weakened by the latest troubles in his life and perished not long after their wedding. Barbara didn´t seem to have any luck with the men in her life.
The youngling that he and Maria Elisabeth had brought to the world was left in the custody of Barbara, and the economic situation was worrying to say the least.
However, in his short time together with his father, the boy showed to have inherited the following qualities: musicianship and organizational skills.

The boy was Johann Sebastian Bach, and before loosening his grip of the goose pen, 255 years ago today, he would give us love, beauty and joy.

Hurra!

I´ve become 26 years old!

A quick reflection is in place.
Age is a strange thing. I´m less than 1/3 as old as my grandmother. Proportionally, she will become less older than me in the future.
When giving birth, parents are hundreds of millions of times older than their baby. Then, at one point they´re only twice as old, and at the age of 80 they could be just 0.25 times older.
Maybe this dramatic change is why older people always say that you´ve grown so much since last time. What was once a little bundle becomes a peer, standing tall beside you and looking into your eyes with superior intelligence and strength. (I´m not talking about aliens.)

Birthdays are uncomfortable to some people, who see them simply as an incrementation of a 1, 2 or possibly 3-digit number. I see this day not as a celebration of getting older, but that you survived the preceding year!
Nothing is certain in this life, let´s never take a sunrise for granted... Every morning is a victory.

Every time the atmosphere ignites a falling star, it protects you.
You are here thanks to it.
And thanks to everyone who was here before you.

We are lucky to be born on this planet, because on another planet we would die before even drawing our first breath.

Mobile Wisdom #43:

How to conceal poverty while talking on your cellular phone

When you´re low on mobile phone minutes, always maintain a certain level of hostility and aversion to the person on the other end. This way, if your call is interrupted they might think you just hung up! (Also applies to pay phones)

Sabiduria Móvil #43:

Como disimular pobreza hablando por el telefono movil

Cuando le quedan pocos minutos para hablar, mantenga siempre un cierto nivel de hostilidad y aversion contra la otra persona. Asi, si su llamada es interrumpida, el o ella podra creer que fue Usted que colgo!

(Tambien aplicable a llamadas de telefono publico)

I´m experimenting with a dual language version of the blog, after noticing that there is a huge community of spanish-speaking bloggers. I also noticed it can be quite fun to do direct translation of a text, something of a challenge... So, all spanish-speakers, enjoy!

Estoy experimentando con una version bilingua del blog, despues de notar que hay una comunidad enorme de bloggers de habla hispana. Tambien descubri que puede ser bastante divertido hacer traducciones directas de un texto, algo de un desafio. Asi que disfruten, latinos!

Santiago oddities/curiosidades:

Español
Llevando el pensamiento ecologico mas alla
Se te ha ocurrido alguna vez plantear un arbol en el asiento de atras de tu auto?
- No, me parezco a un plantador de arboles a ti? podrias estar contestando.
En todo caso, el dueño de este Volkswagen penso distinto. Quiza el o ella cree que puede anular la contaminacion del vehiculo con el arbol!
Por lo que me dicen el van se ve en movimiento de vez en cuando y el arbol esta creciendo!
Viva esta improbable union y la mente libre que la concibio!

English
Taking ecological thinking one step further
Have you ever thought of planting a tree in the backseat of your car?
- Of course not, what kind of a tree-planting person do you think I am, you might be responding.
Well, the owner of this Volkswagen thought differently. Perhaps he or she believes the tree cancels the contamination caused by the vehicle!
From what I´m told the van is seen in motion now and then and the tree is growing!
Long live this unlikely union and the free mind who concieved it!

Window sticker says: "Prototype for a better life #1"

New facade, same ol´ content

I´ve just completed a new graphical header for the page, merging several pictures I´ve taken during my trips here. I hope it pleases your eye!

Fly to the Perito Moreno glacier

That´s right! With a simple click (and Google Earth installed on your PC) you´ll be auto-piloted to the majestic Perito Moreno glacier in argentinian Patagonia. It is one of the very few glaciers of the world that still advances. I was there on the 8th of January this year, and I strongly recommend it. To stand on the tounge of land opposing the glacier is not only a visual experience, you also hear the constant ruptures and movements inside the 40 m high and 3 km wide ice wall before you. Every few minutes a lorry-sized ice block breaks off and plunges into the lake below, to the cheer and applause of the spectators. But don´t venture too close, warning signs tell of flying ice shards wounding fatally dozens of people...

Sunset over Santiago, seen from Cerro San Cristobal.

The blushing Andes with the city at it´s feet.

Shaken!

Today we had another one. A small tremble, that is. Happens about once a month. This is how it feels:
You sit by your computer and suddenly you feel dizzy. This is because your brain isn´t expecting the world to start moving, so it thinks you´re out of balance. Then, about one second later, you get that it is in fact the computer screen that´s vibrating and moving slightly from side to side. The walls also creak a little. And I felt the vibrations from the ground in the floor, like sitting on a moving vehicle of some sort. The one we had today lasted 30 seconds and was registered to 4.8 on the Richter scale. Sounds pretty mean, but it wasn´t a big deal really, so no need to worry.

Just added this pic to my profile.
I identify with the guy because I also like milk.

Find my location in Google Earth!

If you haven´t tried out Googles new interactive 3D-atlas, you´re missing out on something spectacular. Fly wherever you want in the world! Rotate the planet as if you had it in your hand. Once you´ve found something you want to show someone else, you can send them an e-mail containing that exact point.

Once you´ve installed the software (free) click on this link and choose Open. You will be taken to the exact building where I spend my working hours!

Let´s see your location!