I wish I was there

I wish I was there today instead of at home with 37 degrees and no air conditioner. I wish I was walking on the warm sand zigzagging across the long beach and dipping my feet into the water just enough to feel the cool. I wish I was lying there face up feeling the sun rays on my skin and sweeping the soft sand around me with my hands, holding a fistful of sand and letting it go slowly. I wish I was swimming in the cool ocean, hearing the waves crushing down on me and floating back up after they are gone. I want to kick my legs in the water and feel how easy it is to move them around. I wish I was seeing the sun setting in the horizon, feeling my dry lips and skin after a long beach day and still hear the sounds of the waves forever breaking. I wish I was lying down on the cool sand face down falling asleep listening to the distant conversations dying away in the breeze. But I am home with 37 degrees, no air conditioner and with the prospect of a full working week ahead. I'll be there soon again. It's a promise to myself.

Me gustaria estar ahi hoy en vez de en casa con 37 grados y no aire acondicionado. Me gustaria estar caminando en la arena calida, zigzagueando a traves de la larga playa mojandome los pies solo lo suficiente como para sentir la frescura. Me gustaria recostarme ahi boca arriba sintiendo los rayos de sol en mi piel y moviendo la arena de alrededor con mis manos, sosteniendo un punado de arena y dejandolo escapar granito por granito. Me gustaria estar nadando en el oceano fresco, escuchando las olas romper sobre mi cabeza y flotar otra vez cuando ya me pasaron. Quiero patalear en el agua y sentir que tan facil es mover las piernas alrededor. Me gustaria estar viendo el atardercer y sentir mis labios y piel seca despues de un dia largo de playa y sentir como las olas siguen por siempre rompiendo. Me gustaria estar acostada boca abajo en la arena fresca y quedarme dormida sientiendo las conversaciones viajando en la distancia y en la brisa. Pero estoy en casa, con 37 grados y sin aire acondicionado y con el futuro cercano de una semana completa de trabajo. Estare ahi pronto otra vez, es una promesa que me hago a mi misma.

Back to work

It wasn't the holiday that I was looking forward to, so much stress and worries plus university study, but even though I didn't enjoy it I don't want it to end. Ric and I went to Westerfolds Park and sat there in the cool breeze to enjoy the last minutes of freedom. It was really nice and it sort of broke the day. Now I have to try to get into bed and get some sleep that will never come. Tomorrow I will see everyone from work and meet new people and a whole lot of things will be set in motion again. I am not ready for it, I never am. No house yet, no car and heaps of things swirling in my head. One thing I know for sure, I don't want to get sucked into a world of weird behaviour and meaningless stress. I will remind myself that what matters is somewhere else and just keep reminding myself. Hello work, goodbye holiday, will catch you back soon!

No fueron las vacaciones que estaba esperando, tanto stress y preocupaciones ademas de estudio, pero asi y todo no quiero que terminen. Hoy fuimos al parque (Ricky y yo) y nos sentamos a tomar unos mates sientiendo la brisa fresca y disfrutando los ultimos minutos de libertad. Fue re lindo y como que corto un poco el dia.. Ahora tengo que tratar de irme a la cama y esperar que me agarre sueno...llegara? Manana vere otra vez a la gente del laburo y conocere gente nueva y un monton de cosas se pondran en movimiento otra vez. No estoy lista para eso, nunca lo estoy. Todavia sin casa y sin auto y un monton de cosas nadando en mi cabeza. Una cosa se con seguridad: no me quiero enroscar en el boludeo, el comportamiento raro y el estress sin sentido. Me recordare a mi misma que lo que importa esta en otro lado y me lo seguire recordando. Hola trabajo, adios vacaciones, te veo pronto otra vez!

Cool Friday

Friday was a cool day on the coast. We drove to Lorne thinking it was going to be a beach day, but it turned out quite different. After an hour and a bit of freeway driving, we stopped at Anglesea for a toilet visit and we felt the breeze on our skins for the first time since we left Melbourne. It was cool. It didn't matter because we just wanted to go away and be elsewhere. We walked more than usual and we went into unusual shops, looking at everything. We had a ball finding unusual things and had a nice cappuccino on the main road. We went into odd places and bought a 'magic towel' for my niece. On the way back we walked along the beach. I love walking along the beach when the tide is low and there's hardly anybody there. There is a special kind of magic at the beach when you see it at its natural state, without the colourful decorations of beach umbrellas, big towels and tents. The light was really good for Photography; soft and golden and at the right angle. I tried to look at Lorne in a different light; I focussed on the patterns and vastness of the beach.There is a kind of symbiosis between the sea and the sand, they need each other to live and to draw patterns on the beach. The sand felt cool under my feet, the sun warmed my skin and the water sway in and out of the ocean barely wetting me. It is a good way to awaken senses to try something different in a familiar place. Closing your eyes and trying to hear sounds that will be unnoticeable with your eyes open can change the direction of your thoughts and perception....I saw new patterns, new textures.

Car accident

Well here we go...this is the damage to my car made by an idiot young Asian girl who did not look at the car in front but at the cars coming from the right...the photo doesn't really show the extend of the damage, there are other photos I took of the details. Thanks to my tow-bar the car did not sustain much damage, but the bumper will need to be replaced, both lights are broken, the tow bar is bent and the boot does not close...so I am pretty annoyed and must admit seriously upset about the inconvenience...anyway at least nobody was hurt and we don't have to pay for the damage.

Bueno aca estamos...esta foto muestra el dano hecho a mi auto por una chinita estupida que se concentro en mirar a la derecha a ver si venia algun auto pero se olvido de mirar para adelante. La foto no muestra los detalles del dano que sostuvo el auto, saque otras donde se ven los detalles pero me deprime ponerlas. Gracias a el coso para enganchar el trailer donde ponemos el coso para llevar las bicicletas (no se su nombre en espanol) el auto no se jodio tanto, pero el paragolpe trasero tiene que ser cambiado, las dos luces estan rotas, la tapa del baul no cierra...asique estoy bastante malhumorada y debo admitir seriamente caliente por la inconveniencia que esto me causa...por lo menos nadie se lastimo y no tenemos que pagar nosotros el arreglo...mucho auto para la chinita (BMW) a quien se le jodio mucho mas que el mio.

20 & 20

Hace 20 anos hoy que llegue a Australia. En este abrazo se solidifico nuestro amor y desde ahi crecio y crecio. Que viaje aquel, sin saber casi nada de ingles, sola, 20 anos y atravese el oceano para encontrar a mi vidito. Mi primera vez fuera del pais...trato de acordarme cuales eran mis emociones y si tenia miedo y la verdad que creo que miedo era lo menos que sentia. Recuerdo estar en Nueva Zelandia caminando por el aeropuerto y ver esos policias con gorros altos y peludos y yo solo temia perder el avion por no entender la voz en los alto parlantes. Todo era una lluvia de sensasiones nuevas, cada lugar, cada objeto, olores, sonidos...todo tenia una manera tan diferente de percibirse....cuanto daria por sentir eso otra vez. Creo que es solo posible viajando a un lugar alien, donde nada tenga sentido porque la vida es diferente ahi, no se, tal vez Japon o China o Alaska.

En la otra foto estoy posando sobre la Great Ocean Road (Gran ruta oceanica) en uno de los primeros lugares inolvidables que conoci y que aun hoy me sorprende cada vez que lo miro. Hace 20 anos yo creo que tenia mucho mas sentido de la aventura, pero el resto es igual...excepto por los kilos de mas y la artritis. Por nada cambiaria mi vida, te amo vidito.

20 years ago today I arrived in Australia. In this embrace our love solidified and from there it grew and grew. What a trip that was, alone, 20 years old, and without more than 10 words of English, I crossed the ocean in search of my vidito. My first time outside the country...I tried to remember what my emotions were...was I scared? I think that scared was the least of my feelings. I was excited, alive. I remember bein in New Zealand airport and looking at those guards with high fluffy hats and I was only worried that I would miss the plane for missing the call on the loud speakers. Everything was a sense awakening, every place, everything, every smell or sound. Everything had a different way of being perceived...how much I would give to feel like that again. I think that the only way is to travel to an alien place, where life doesn't make sense or is completely different...maybe Japan, China or Alaska.

The other photo depicts me posing on the Great Ocean Road, one of the first most beautiful places I ever saw and one that still surprises me every time I see it. 20 years ago I had a lot more sense of adventure, but the rest was the same, except for the kilos and the arthritis. I wouldn't change my life for anything. Thank you, I love you vidito.

Fairhaven

Hot day today, we drove to Fairhaven...oh my god! The sea was angry my friend!!! Big waves, warmish water and huuuuge beach...so beautiful. I will post more tomorrow, I am dead now.

Dia de calor, manejamos hasta Fairhaven...dios mio el mar estaba enojado!!! Olas enormes, aguas caliditas y playas enormes....tan lindo!! Manana posteo mas, ahora estoy muerta.

Chips with Mayo? Bring in the tomato sauce!

Snacking after a swim at the Lorne's beach restaurant was a treat, but who likes chips with mayo? Bring in some tomato sauce please I asked the waitress. I think it was too much of a brain-tease for her to try to remember orders with all the commotion of the latin music in the background. I understand her it was even hard to eat the chips with that racket...but it was funny to watch though how a bunch of people were trying to learn to dance salsa in a very small area near the restaurant. The instructor: a big aussie bloke yelled out the instructions to the students as the music played..."salsa basic....one and two....salsa basic...turn, clap...salsa basic". It was hilarious! He tried, I mean, to have a 'latin rythm' but it just wasn't in his blood I guess, nor was it in the students who totally uncoordinated tried to follow the very fast moves. The music was worse, if only they understood Spanish, the lyrics were so bad that the mayo went sour. Waitress please bring the tomato sauce!

Fue un placer comer un aperitivo en el restaurant sobre la playa de Lorne, pero a quien le gustan las papas fritas con mayonesa? Moza por favor traiga el ketchup, le pedi. Me parece que era demasiado para ella tratar de acordarse los pedidos con la conmocion de la musica latina sonando de fondo. La entiendo, hasta era dificil comer las papas fritas con ese ruido...pero era divertido mirar como un grupo de gente trataba de aprender a bailar salsa en un cuadradito de verde al lado del restaurant. El instructor: un australiano grandote gritaba las instrucciones a los alumnos mientras la musica sonaba..."paso basico...uno y dos...paso basico...vueltita...aplauso...paso basico". Era graciosisimo!. Pobre, el trataba, quiero decir, de tener ritmo latino, pero creo que no estaba en su sangre ni en la de sus estudiantes quienes totalmente descoordinados trataban de seguir los rapidos movimientos. La musica era peor, si solo pudieran entender espanol, las letras eran tan malas que la mayonesa se puso agria...moza: por favor traiga el ketchup!

Coffee at the banks of the Yarra

Hoy fue otro dia hermoso. Me encanta andar en bicicleta, me encanta disfrutar del aire cuando te pega fuerte en la cara ( pero odio tener que usar el estupido casco que da calor). Es especialmente lindo cuando cruzamos el Yarra y empezamos a andar por el costado del rio...los arboles hacen sombra fresquita y se empieza a percibir una onda ciudad limpia, fresca pero cosmopolita. Hacia un lado del rio estan los galpones de las universidades y colegios que tienen kayaks guardados ahi y muchas veces se ve a la gente meterse al rio para remar. Del otro lado esta la vuelta al mundo y los cafes de Federation Square. Cuando pasamos el puente por debajo, cruzamos hacia el otro lado donde hay gente que va y viene y cafes, restaurants y heladerias. Los domingos esta area (Southbank) se llena de curiosos y artistas que hacen shows a la gorra o que tienen un puesto en la feria artesanal...Hoy fuimos sin Anton y tomamos un capuccino.

Today was another beautiful day in Melbourne. Bike riding to Southbank awakens the senses. With the wind in my face, the smells of food in the air and the noise of the cosmopolitan city it's an experience that I gladly repeat whenever possible. It is especially nice once we leave the hustle and traffic of Richmond to venture into the more clean, fresh and modern banks of the Yarra river. Riding along the banks one can start to perceive the aromas and sights of Melbourne CBD. Along one side of the river there are the boat houses which store the kayaks that belong to certain elite universities or colleges...often one can see a group of people dragging the long canoes onto the river and paddling they go...On the other side there's the fairy wheel and coffee shops of Federation Square.

Once we cross under the bridge there's more people coming and going, there's cafes, restaurants and ice-cream shops...on Sundays this place comes alive with artists and curious spectators watching the performances or buying stuff at the Arts and Crafts market...today it was only the two of us....we had a cappuccino and enjoyed the view.

Mi esmalte verde

No se porque se me ocurrio hace ya unas semanas que queria conseguir esmalte de unas verde. Pero un verde especial, no cualquier verde. Me gusta mucho el color verde...digamos que por muchos anos fue un color que ignore. Pero hace meses que me gusta mucho. Por supuesto todas las companias cosmeticas vendian verdes horribles, en realidad no habia demasiadas opciones de verde, pero las pocas que habia eran como verde fluo. Un asco. O esmaltes nacarados. Busque y busque pero no encontre. Este verde que ven aca en mis unas de ano nuevo, es un verde que se acerca al que yo quiero, pero no es exactamente el que yo buscaba. Asique mi busqueda continuara...que cosa tan rara porque generalmente yo ignoro las unas...pero bueno fue un berretin ja ja.

Sometimes I feel like puttin nail polish on, not often, but when I do it has to be of a colour I like. Lately I have been chasing a particular green colour...kind of olive green, but lighter...anyway I couldn't find the one I wanted. This one is close to the one I was looking for but not quite. So the search continues...

MTV Shows

Happy 2010

Happy New Year...2010 has to bring us happiness...it has to...the signs were there. We started off with stormy weather which beats the 35 degrees of hot steamy evening of 2009. We are moving house too. We are enjoying the holidays, listening to good music and enjoying each other's company. Let's work hard at making 2010 the year where everything will be our way.

Feliz ano nuevo....el 2010 nos tiene que traer felicidad....tiene que hacerlo, las senales estuvieron presentes. Empezamos el ano con tormenta y lluvia, lo cual es mejor que como terminamos el 2009 con 35 calurosos grados. Tambien nos vamos a mudar de casa...estamos disfrutando las vacaciones, escuchando buena musica y disfrutando nuestra propia compania. Trabajemos duro para hacer el 2010 el ano donde todo sale como queremos. Felicidades.