Alhambra

This was my second and consecutive visit to the Alhambra, and was so different compared with the once before.

I didn´t take notes about Emilio´s talk, but I clearly saw the images he wanted to share with us.  Sitting on carpets all along the floor, smelling medicine herbs and taking pleasure in what the water reflected would have been like touch the sky with the fingers.

After the peace and quiet lived in the Palatial City, I was overwhelmed with the deafening noise from the streams of The Generalife.  I´ve never seen The Generalife through this feelings before.

ELIZABETHAN TRAGEDY

Once upon a time there was a cursed King who was really keen on strolling about the graveyard that surounded his castle.

This place was plenty of his lost loves: his father, his mother, his siblings and his soul.

One day, while he was walking around the place, he saw an opened tomb with a pillow inside, and his name written in the tombstone.  Suddenly, a beautiful girl, who seemed to be his ancient died love, started to call him.

In that moment, he opened his beautiful eyes and only saw sand.

At the end, the curse became true.

A thundering storm started outside because of the anguish of the beautiful girl, and a wonderful and tiny flower was springing.

Thanks to Pilar and Esther, for your romantic view.

Here again

I hope to stay here for long...
To begin with, here it is something to think about.  Have a nice weekend!!

Aphorisms, thoughts, learnings...and more.

Vote for the best of them.

- Moaning only gives you more reasons to moan.  Change your mind and learn from the situation.

- Sit down. Breathe.  Look at the grass growing.

- Ask yourself: What do I need of this situation?

"The Impossible" is possible

The Impossible is the dramatic story of the Bennett´s family, directed by J. A. Bayona in 2012.

It is adapted from a radio interview, listened by chance by the director, in which María Belon told her experience in the tsunami and how her family and herself could have survived.

            The story is set in Thailand in 2004.  The Bennett´s family is holidaying in a resort during Christmas, and are shown as the perfect parents and their equivalent perfect three sons.  While an awkward conversation is made about future plans, in the middle of a paradisiacal pool, a gigant wave cuts short thousands of lives and shakes others up.  As a consequence, Maria (Naomi Watts) suffers stunning shocks beside her eldest son Lucas (Tom Holland).  Miraculously, they survive.

On the other hand, this miracle is followed by devastation, the feelings of isolation and the wounds.  María has half of her leg scrapped off and the infection starts to make trouble.  So the decide to find help to move them to a crowded hospital.

Meanwhile, Henry (Ewan McGregor) puts his two sons in the care of other people in order to look for his soulmate and eldest son, through the devastation.

            As far as the plot is concerned, I find it moving and totally absorbing, but quite predictable, because you know the end of the story. 

The staggering special effects make you feel as you are drowning beside María in this filthy water, plenty of daily-use objects.

The soundtrack helps to create an atmosphere of isolation including some dots of hope.

Regarding the script, it is contrived in the aspects concerned to coincidences, making the impossible become possible, although, there is no doubt regarding the thought-provoking aspects of the movie.

With respect to the performances, Naomi and Ewan made an absolutely powerful job, but I must highlight the spectacular acting of Tom Holland.

            Taking everything into account, The Impossible is a predictable film with stunning special effects that shake your way of seeing life up.  It´s well worth seeing again and again, in order to remember the important things of life.

Something to think about...

Maybe, we are losing the perspective.

EASTER HOLIDAYS IN ZANZIBAR (2016)

Here you have the details of our next trip to improve your English skills. You have the opportunity to get involved in other culture, improve speaking skills, and relax in a magnificient environment.

We have booked a charter flight from Malaga to Zanzibar City at 5a.m., 20^th of March. Because of the flight, we must take the bus at 1a.m. from the stop in front of the School of Languages.  In addition, you must notice that we must stop in Amsterdam and Nigeria, in order to full the flight. So, it is expected to step on Zanzibar Airport the day after, 21^st of March.

The way back will be 27^th of March, in a charter flight from Zanzibar City to Málaga, with stops in Nigeria and Amsterdam, again. So, we´ll be in Malaga on Monday, 28^th of March.

Furthermore, we have booked an all-in package including B&B accommodation in Zanzibar City and the transfers from the Airport to the accommodation, because of the early hours of the flights.

Next, you can look over the scheduled activities at Zanzibar:

Sunday, 20th March	1am School of Languages 5am Malaga Airport to Zanzibar Airport
Monday, 21st March	1am Zanzibar Airport Transfers 3am Check-in B&B Rest and sleep (if you can) Sightseeing Stone Town I:             -The Old Dispensary             -Livingstone´s House             -The House of Wonders             -The Peace Memorial Museum             -Bazaar Free time
Tuesday, 22nd March	Sightseeing Stone Town II:            - The Arab Fort             -Market             -Carved doors guided tour Free time
Wednesday, 23rd March	Nungwi: fishing village.  Guided tour and meeting with craftsmen of dhows Scuba-diving/ snorkelling/relax on the beach
Thursday, 24th March	Crossing day to Prison/Changu (offshore island):             -Aldabra tortoises             -Visit the jail Sightseeing Stone Town at Night
Friday, 25th March	The Jozani Natural Forest Reserve. Guided Tour (prepare your cameras!) Free time
Saturday, 26th March	Kizimbaki: fishing village             -12th century mosque The Rock Restaurant : reservation at 3pm Free time
Sunday, 27th March	12pm Check-out B&B Transfers 15pm Zanzibar Airport to Malaga Airport
Monday, 28th March	10am School of Languages

Specific activities in order to improve your English skills:

-         - Functional language in every travel activity, such as the airport, the check-in and check-out of the B&B. It would be useful as long as the accommodation is not full board, and all of us have the three-time-eating habit per day, minimum.

We are going to move from town to town by public transport (another opportunity to develop your speaking skills)

-        -  Brainstorming session every  day at 23pm at the lobby (compulsory activity)  In order to make a better journey, everybody has to talk with the locals and look into the best way to move and worthy restaurants to eat, in the place where we are going to visit next day.  Every day at 23pm, we´ll have a meeting in order to organize in advanced the day after, with your investigations about the places.