I love Madrid

Madrid starts coming to life after Easter. All over the city, waiters are busy putting out the tables and chairs at the pavement cafés, getting ready for the never ending demand for cold drinks. Afternoons slip by over languid lunches in shady squares, while when the heat is really on, in July and August, the locals lie low until well after dusk, then emerge in their thousands to share some tapas and a bottle of wine at a terraza table.
From May onward  the cultural festivals come thick and fast, with concerts and theater in outdoor venues. At the height of summer, fiestas turn the most traditional downtown neighborhoods into one long open-air party.

Top sights YOU must to visit in Madrid

Madrid has really revamped itself in the past couple of years. The Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums have all got bigger and better, while the centre of the city is smartening up with new boutiques, delis, cafés and gastrobars opening up every week. It’s perfect for a culture-rich long weekend or city break, with great food and a lively atmosphere at night.

You could spend weeks just visiting the three big-hitter museums, but there are plenty of lesser-known places that are well worth visiting too. That said, even the best-laid plans tend to get forgotten after a couple of days as you slip into the swing of the city.

Prado Museum 

One of the greatest museums in the world, the Prado displays superb works by Spanish masters such as Velázquez, El Greco and Goya, but has wonderful Italian and Flemish collections, too, with paintings by Raphael, Titian and Tintoretto, Bosch and Rubens. There are usually at least two temporary exhibitions running as well.

Reina Sofía Museum 

The rehang of the permanent collections at the Reina Sofía modern art museum was completed in late 2010, with new displays on the fourth floor. Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica attracts the biggest crowds, but don’t miss the excellent works by Dalí, Miró and Tàpies.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum 

Superlative collections of Western art from the 13th century to the present day, built up by the Thyssen-Bornemisza family and housed in a neo-classical palace. Highlights include paintings by Dürer, Titian, Raphael, Degas and Kandinsky, and there is usually at least one temporary exhibition running.

Royal Palace 

The opulent 18th-century palace stands on a strategic site with views across the countryside. Used for official events, it is crammed with paintings, sculptures, tapestries and antiques. You can also visit the Royal Pharmacy, the Royal Armoury and the Sabatini and Puerta del Moro gardens.

Real Madrid Bernabeu Stadium 

Walk down the players’ tunnel and out on to the pitch, visit the Presidential Box and have a look at all those trophies up close. Madridistas big and small will be in heaven here.

Retiro Park 

Originally the gardens of a royal palace, the Retiro is now Madrid’s main park, with a boating lake, cafés and exhibition venues. Particularly popular with locals on Sunday mornings.

Plaza Mayor and Los Austrias 

Get a flavour of Madrid’s history in the Plaza Mayor, which dates back to the 17th century and is framed by red-brick buildings and slate turrets. Then wander along to the Plaza de la Villa, the oldest square in Madrid. Walk down to Cava Baja, which traces the line of the old city wall and is now lined with tapas bars. Then go past San Andrés church and through to Plaza de la Paja, where the medieval atmosphere contrasts with the lively vibe at the pavement cafés.

San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts Museum 

This museum is never crowded, despite being situated just off the Puerta del Sol. Housed in an elegant 18th-century building, it contains a fine collection of paintings by Goya, El Greco, Zurbaran, Picasso, Van Dyck, Tiepolo and other major artists. You may well have the whole place to yourself.

Debod Temple 

More than 2,000 years old, this Egyptian temple was given to Spain in thanks after Spanish archaeologists helped save Abu Simbel from flooding when the Aswan Dam was built. It stands on the western edge of the city centre and is a romantic spot to watch the sun go down.

La Vida de Piscine Molitor Patel

Un libro fascinante, aunque viendo ayer la pelicula me he podido ver lo que me imaginaba con unas buenas imagenes visuales, dos pulgares para la directora Ang Lee y cuatro pulgares para Yann Martel.

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La historia relata que en esta barca hay un niño, una cebra, un gorila, una hiena y un tigre. La hiena se come a la cebra y al gorila. El tigre se come a la hiena. Entonces sólo quedan el niño y el tigre, náufragos, en una barca en mitad del océano. Y el niño debe evitar por todos los medios que el tigre le devore. ¿Cómo? Demostrándole quien es el animal alfa de ese territorio. Debe pescar para los dos y conseguir agua dulce. Debe buscar una forma de que les rescaten. Debe, sobre todo, mantener su cordura en el intento.

El libro no sólo va de eso, claro. Antes nos relata la vida de Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, un joven indio cuyas padres regentan un zoo y es aficionado al estudio de las distintas religiones de la india. Un tercio del libro es la vida de Pi antes del naufragio, cómo se relaciona con el mundo y evita que le troleen en el colegio. Un niño pequeño con una vida interior grande, un alma cándida a la que aún el mundo no ha contaminado.

Cuando sus padres se ven obligados a trasladar el zoo de su ciudad a Canadá para poder subsistir, venden una buena cantidad de animales y a preparan el traslado de otros en el barco, el mismo que naufragará en el trayecto.

Y entonces Pi se encuentra en medio de la nada y debe prepararse para sobrevivir sin tiempo de aceptar la pérdida de sus padres y su hermano. Es una novela hermosa, muy hermosa, tanto que desde la leí mantengo el libro a la vista en mi casa, porque me gusta pensar en la historia de cuando en cuando. Con un final estremecedor, cuando la compañía aseguradora del barco quiere hablar con el último superviviente de la tragedia y, renegando de la verosimilitud de su historia, le piden que les cuente una versión más creíble. Y él se la cuenta, algo que ellos puedan asimilar. Y entonces te das cuenta que lo importante de las historias no es que sean verdaderas o falsas, sino que sean buenas. Y esta es una historia extraordinaria.

Meaning of the Color of Flowers

Each color of the flower is related to certain emotions and moods. It expresses a meaning of relationships.

• Yellow: A yellow flower is a symbol of happiness, friendship, enthusiasm, luxury, success, pride and treachery. It also represents the jealousy.
• Red: A red flower is a favorite of youth as it represents an essence of emotions such as love and passion. It is also a symbol of courage, desire, admiration, constancy and respect. A red flower is a token of youth and enthusiasm.
• Orange: You can represent your strong love, or a satisfaction of attaining the success through an orange flower. It is also a token of desire and enthusiasm. This vibrant color conveys satisfaction, confidence and passion for life.
• Green: This refreshing color represents resilience, youth, health and good fortune. The green flowers send a message of pleasure, renewal and optimism.
• White: White color itself is a symbol of peace and purity. If you ask what is the meaning of white color, you will get the answer that it is a token of purity, humility, innocence and silence. It represents the heavenly, pious and sincere feelings. The white blossoms convey an elegance and modesty.
• Pink: The elegant pink flowers attract the lovers. Pink is a color of love. And hence, offering a pink flower expresses your love and passion for the other person. A light pink flower is a symbol of delicacy, gentleness, grace, admiration and confidence. A dark pink flower represents the emotions such as gratitude and appreciation.
• Lavender: A lavender flower represents beauty, solitude and admiration. The lavender flowers are a token of grace, refinement and elegance. The lavender blossoms convey a message of a feminine beauty.
• Peach pink: If you wish to express your sympathy, gratitude friendship or gentleness, then you can offer a peach pink flower.
• Purple: This color is associated with the royalty and ceremony. The purple flower is a token of pride, dignity and success. The purple blooms represent admiration and accomplishment.
• Blue: The blue flowers can reduce stress and worries. They represent serenity, openness and peace. A blue flower offers a cooling effect. It is a perfect gift that promotes the muse of an artist, poet or musician. The blue flowers can be a unique gift to boost the inspiration.

The Cool_Route List

• go to Amazon at least 1 month
• have my own African trip by 2014 between summer or autumn
• backpacking alone (or with friends) around the world before 35 [with my own money]
• have a successful travel agency
• have a tour organizer, event organizer
• have some restaurants
• have some hawkerfood stands
• have a Mini Cooper
• skydiving
• get diving open water license
• do a lot of snorkling
• bungeejumping 
• build good small free music schools in rural areas
• married to a loving husband
• own some hostels
• encourage Indonesian people to travel more
• encourage people i know to travel more
• get more people from around the world to travel in Indonesia
• traveling around Australia by car
• Trekking through the villages in Amazon
• watching cappadocia by air-balloon
• honey moon on the mountain rocks
• getting lost in Zahara dessert