posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 14
I know I said I was going to take 10 days off blogging here, but this popped into my head this morning…
One of the most commented on elements of my recent recording about learning to live abroad, was the fact that when you up sticks to go and live far away from family and friends, it’s easy to feel guilty about those you leave behind. For many years I felt terrible about having voluntarily moved myself so far from my family, even though I’m just 2 hours from the UK by plane, and it’s just 8 hours door to door from here to my parent’s house.
One thing I neglected to mention is that there is one possible lifestyle choice, which although it may at first not seem open to everyone, can make a big difference in removing those feelings of guilt: being self-employed. In March 2006 my mother became very ill, eventually dying in April 2007. It was a horrendous year to say the least, and the one thing that I constantly thanked fate/luck/myself for was the fact that I was self-employed and able to travel to England regularly, and at the drop of the hat. Had I had a full-time job here with a contract, I would have been up against the horrendous rules that govern emergency days off in Spain. But I was working as a freelance translator and building our websites into a business, and as long as I took my laptop with me and summoned enough energy, I could keep things going from the UK while feeling really happy to be able to be around the family and lend a hand.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 12
Tomorrow and on Saturday will take place at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona the Asics Music Festival. 2 days packed with live music, performing among others international artists and groups such as Paulina Rubio, Pet Shop Boys and also Spanish groups such as Dover, Hombres G and artist Mikel Erentxun. It will be interesting to see how they perform between recreated shopping streets of Tokyo, Geisha houses and Zen gardens.
spaindreams.com
posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 11
Wine does not just limit itself to delighting the palate, it is now being considered to be more than a gastronomic accompaniment and has become a therapy for one?s health. It is the latest novelty in cosmetics; it helps you relax, makes you look younger, and moisturises the skin. The inventors of wine therapy centres were the French, Mathilde Cathiard and Bertrand Thomas, who opened the first establishment dedicated to this speciality near Bordeaux. However, it was in Italy where these so-called beauty farms rapidly grew in number, as the therapy treatments were applied in the same places where the grapes were produced.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 11
Colon Hydrotherapy
Preventive medicine consists of many methods and resources, however, one method that is fashionable today is colon hydrotherapy. Even the Egyptians had a therapy for cleaning out the intestine, the god Osiris, passed on an irrigation method to the priestly doctors.
The Ebers papyrus dated 3000 BC already hints at the importance of cleansing the large intestine. This custom moved on to Mesopotamia, Rome and Greece, and you would be surprised to know that these intestine cleansing methods were also used in India. Even Hippocrates 460-377 BC described the way in which colons were cleaned out.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 11
La Alberca?s origins are dispersed, as it became a chosen destination of King Alphonse IX for his resettlements during the 12th and 13th centuries. These resettlements involved sending Christians to those lands that had been occupied by Muslims who were then being driven out. However, it was not until the 15th century that the town became a must-see location for all Spanish people.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 6
There have always been two reasons why I like the band Radiohead. Firstly, I love the music (and started loving it before I was 28 which, apparently, is when our music tastes freeze for all time). Secondly, I went to the same school as they did, Abingdon school, and knew Jonny, the guitarist. He was in my French A-level class. I bought one of their fist demo tapes (eventually sold for 600 pounds on ebay to pay for my Charity India motorbike trip), and my friends and I went to all their early Oxford gigs, some before they were even signed and were still known as On a Friday….
Now I have a third reason to like them. They have just completed their latest album, to be released on October 10th. So what? So, they are releasing it on their own, with no record label involved, via their website. And guess what? You decide what to pay for the album. If you go for the digital download option and click on ‘view basket’ you see empty boxes where a price should be. Clicking a question mark next to the empty price boxes elicits a new page saying ‘You decide’, and again, another question mark links to a page saying, ‘No, really. You decide’… and so it is, the fans decide how much they want to give the band for their new record. I paid 5 pounds to pre-order mine (which I reason is more than the band would normally get from their cut of a CD sale), and will get an email on or before the 10th with my download link.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
The sea provides many healing advantages, not only applicable to physical problems, such as rheumatism, lung diseases or blood circulation, but it also helps to aliviate psychological ailments, such as stress, fatigue, insomnia and depression, among other psychopathologies.
Thalasotherapy is a healing method which is completely natural, since it is based on sea water, seaweed and air. Before applying the sea water, which has been extracted from more than 1,000 metres from the shore, the water is purified and sterilised to ensure the absence of pathogenic agents. That is why it is also applied in beauty treatments, as it improves skin texture, fights against flab, cellulitis and aging of the skin.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
Spread your wings while hang gliding, an exciting way to fly reserved for the most impulsive among us. You run along the mountain top, throw yourself off the edge and…you fly, reaching speeds of up to 12 miles per hour, similar to a bird. The feeling is one of freedom and pure euphoria, and the hang glider feels like an extension of your body. You?re securely fastened to it through your harness, while you also have a parachute on hand, just in case. Using your body and balance, you can fly in whichever direction you fancy, wind permitting. Depending on how it?s blowing, you?ll have to go one way or the other. Those who wish to try the sport must be reasonably fit, since to repeat your 30-60 seconds of flight, you must carry the 55lb hang glider back up to the top. One of the big advantages of hang gliding is that it can be done in almost every corner of Spain. If you?re fascinated by the legend of Icarus, why not sign up for some of the courses offered by different schools. Summer, naturally, is the best time of all.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
Some companies take care of documents, accommodation and other aspects that will make the foreigner feel at home. The current process of economic globalisation we are experiencing means that it is becoming more and more common for workers to move abroad. In Spain, anyone who wishes to study, work or set up a business must apply for a residence permit fifteen days after their arrival in the country. EU citizens who come to live here for an undetermined period of time will receive a ?community residence permit? for five years, whereas those who do not belong to the EU will be given a residence permit for two years or for the length of their work contract, which can be renewed if necessary.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
A full programme runs from the 5th to the 15th of October, ranging from the purely religious - reaching its zenith on the 12th with the traditional floral offering to the Virgin - to theatre, bulls, children?s and musical activities. This year?s fiestas have a popular feel, with grand theatre and musical acts all set on the street. The city council?s cultural section received multitudes of public requests for this type of entertainment, which is free and takes place throughout the city.
Among the highlights on view during the week are:
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