New years eve international dinner

Happy new year to everyone who may read this post!!!
I wish you all the best in 2009
This new years eve, i had a international dinner at my place. It was truly international. There was so much food from different parts of the world, Australia, Poland, Germany, Japan, Norway, USA, Sweden and Venezuela. This was our menu:
-Australian roast bush kangaroo with native spices
-Ze German meatballs
-Polish 'Spongy' Bigos
-Red Cabbage
-Potato salad (only german style)
-Plus some German "Kässpätzle"
-Country Roast pumpkin pieces
-Famous Hugo Chavez's Lentils
-Satokos's ninja sushi
-Pan de jamon
-Viva La France surprise dessert
-Håvard's fantastisk norwegian bergen nisse man cinnamon rolls

It was a very relaxing dinner. Then, we waited for the new year to come along with the fireworks. The fireworks were great and watching from my balcony, was a terrific experience, a perfect view!
A new year has come. New expectations, goals and dream will come as well. Last year was at last over. I left it behind with a feeling that even thought some things can go wrong, it is just a matter of time to get back on track for a new all life. I will recall 2008 as the year when my life went thought so many changes that made me a new person.
"I have learned that no matter how thin you slice it,
there are always two sides"


Mi primer "pan de Jamon"

Perceiving the world

How can two people perceive the world in different ways?

Their world, their homes…
How two people can grew up in different places and feel the same way about their home.
Not matter where you hometown is
Nor matter whether this place is a small town or a big city
I spend 6 wonderful days in a small town in The Netherlands, where a good friend of mine grew up. His house is located in front of a river. You can image the view. It is beautiful. From his room, you can see a river flowing everyday. You can hear ducks and birds swimming around the river or just resting after a long day. Every time, I woke in the morning and look at the window, i said to him: you are so lucky for growing up in this place! But he always answered me back, saying: This view is quite boring! And I just say what? Are you serious? This place is so calm, quite, beautiful and peaceful. But when he thinks about this place, he always says that He doesn’t like his hometown. He feels that he cannot breathe…And then I laugh and say: This is funny; you got the same feeling I get every time I think about my hometown; but the difference is that, I come from a very big city!
I am just saying that, two people can look at the same thing but have different opinions and perspective about that thing. And then, at the same time, feeling the same way about two different things, in this case, a town or a big city.
http://picasaweb.google.com/S.A.Valero/HolandaGissemburg#

Okinawa

After a long trip back from Okinawa, finally I got back to Europe and I said finally because it is such a long trip, it takes almost 12 h by plane from Osaka to Amsterdam. Other than being tired for such a long trip, I feel happy that I got the opportunity to see Okinawa. Okinawa is an island located far far far in the east coast of Japan. It is sub-tropical which means that it has a very nice temperature during the winter. While I was there the least temperate was 18°C it got beautiful white sandy beaches and the ocean is turquoise. The course took place at the OIST (okinawa institute for sciences and technology) sea side house. The view from there was gorgeous. I had an incredible view from my room and I could find a nice beach just down the hill. In this beach I took a break after each lecture session. I could tell you many many experiences. Everything it is new in many ways, fascinating and special in Japan. Hopefully, i get the opportunity to get back again. Even thought i know it is not easy to get there...I will come back!

View from OISTs sea side house. there was a nice beach just donw there where i was staying. It felt pretty much like back home. It looks very tropical with palms trees, mangrove forest, sandy beaches and nice weather.

Okinawan traditional dish. It looks like ice cream to me but it isn't this dish was the strangest thing i have had in my entire life. The name, well i do not actually remember it but i can describe you what it is. It is a cup with beans on the bottom. It has crushed ice on top and it is covered with green tea syrup. It sounds a strange combination, in fact it is very strange, but i have to admit that i liked the taste in my mouth.

Cover in snow

I got up from bed this morning and looked through my window and wow!!!!
It was snowing a lot!!!!!
It was pretty dark and the entire city was cover in snow.
The colors were special. All kinds of grays were mixed in many different ways. It was truly beautiful!! I guess you could see it in both pictures. If you are wondering how the temperature was (because i did it this morning); it was -1 degrees Celsius. Yes, it was cold. Actually, it's kind of cold for this time of the year.
I got my "proper clothes" because Norwegians always say: there's no bad weather only bad clothes" or something like that. I put on my "proper clothes"and, i will make a list for you so you get an idea: warm wool underpants and shirt, wool socks, a thin sweater and then a thick one, warm pants, a nice warm coat, globes, a hat, warm winter shoes and finally, do not forget your scarf !!! Yeah, you must put on a lot of clothes!!! but it keeps you warm and isolated.
After this complicated part, i was on my way to the door and wondered whether i needed skis to go down the hill, or was it slippery? perhaps icy? So, i opened the door and carefully step on the floor. I stared walking and realized that i did not needed skis. The cars made a trail so you could walk on it. However, it wasn't that easy. I forgot about something, the wind!!! It was bloody windy. The wind could blow me and then, the snow was coming in any direction. I couldn't see. I opened my umbrella but it was hopeless. There's no umbrella which could resist this wind!!!! Never mind, i just had to get to work, right? So i walked under this conditions. I stopped from time to time and took pictures here and there. It took me 30 min to get to the University and i live close to it... Uff!!! I got so tired! You have no idea! What a experience! Walking in a snowing, windy and cold day in Bergen; it is a challenging experience! and I love challenges!!!