LONDON / LONDRES

Hi my dear friends, today I'm going to write about London because a friend has asked me, so I'll try to tell you how to get there and what to do there too. Although I have written several times about this beautiful capital, there are always new things to discover!  So, let's go to London!

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy voy a escribir sobre Londres porque una amiga me lo ha pedido, así que trataré de contaros cómo llegar allí y qué hacer también allí.  Aunque he escrito varias veces sobre esta bonita capital, hay siempre cosas nuevas que descubrir.  Así que ¡vamos a Londres!

DEDICATED TO "LACULTA"
Dedicado a  "Laculta".

Foto: http://www.escapadasescapadas.com/

**A visit to London at any weekend it's always a good option for people who live in Europe.  If you live in USA or South America, you'll need more days, but in a week you can make a good idea about London if you stay all the time in, of course!

Una visita  a Londres cualquier fin de semana es siempre una buena opción para la gente que vive en Europa.  Si vivís en USA o Sudamérica, necesitaréis más días, pero en una semana os podéis hacer una idea de Londres si os quedáis todo el tiempo allí, ¡claro!.

**Low Cost flights are the best suggestion.  In my opinion EASY JET is the best company. All these flights arrive at GATWICK Airport.  If you are not taken to your hotel, the mean of transport from the airport to London is by train. These trains called AIRBUS, normally arrive at Central Stations such as Victoria Station or Euston Station which are  located in the centre of the town.

Los vuelos de bajo coste son la mejor recomendación.  En mi opinión EASY JET es la mejor compañía.  Todos estos vuelos llegan al Aeropuerto de GATWICK.  Si no os llevan a vuestro hotel, el medio de transporte desde el aeropuerto hasta Londres es en tren.  Estos trenes llamados AIRBUS, normalmente llegan a Estaciones Centrales como Victoria Station o Euston Station que están ubicadas en el centro de la ciudad.

**TO STAY- HOSPEDARSE.
Any B&B  in London is perfect to stay.  They are cheaper than hotels but comfortable and beautiful. More info:  http://www.bedanbreakfastlondon.com/

Cualquier B&B (bed and breakfast) en Londres es perfecto para quedarse.  Son más baratos que los hoteles pero cómodos y bonitos.

**HOTELS -  HOTELES
There are plenty of hotels in London capital.  Many of them are new but a lot of them are old too.  My advice is that is preferable to stay in an older hotel in downtown.  New hotels are sometimes very far from the centre of the city.

Hay cantidad de hoteles en Londres capital.  Muchos de ellos son nuevos pero muchos son viejos también.  Mi consejo es que es preferible quedarse en un hotel más viejo en el centro de la ciudad.  Los hoteles nuevos algunas veces están muy lejos del centro.

** A RECOMMENDATION - Una recomendación
THE ZETTER TOWNHOUSE.  It's a real and authentic British house.  It has got 13 rooms and it is a lovely place.   But if you like a bigger hotel, THE ZETTER HOTEL is your destination.  There you will find "The Bistrot Bruno Loubet"  where you can eat well or simply have a typical English tea.
For more info:  http://www.thezetter.com/

**TO HAVE BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER. (para desayunar, comer o cenar)
In London, as it's an international city, you can find a lot of "fast food" restaurants to have a hamburger, hot-dogs or pizzas as well as Chinese or Indian restaurants.
But if you're looking for a typical English food, you must go to SOHO and visit "THE SHAKESPEARE'S HEAD" which is an English Pub.  There you can have lunch, taste the typical fish and chips and the most famous English dishes.  It's situated in Carnaby Street and your underground station is "Picadilly".

**MEAL TIMES:  Las horas de las comidas.
BREAKFAST- Desayuno:  from 7 a.m.  to 10 a.m.  You can have the "Full English breakfast" about coffee or tea, cereals, milk, sausages (salchichas), bacon, eggs, salad and bread with butter (mantequilla) and jam (mermelada)  or "The Continental Breakfast" which is  similar to ours with juices, coffee, buns (bollitos)  bread with butter and jam.

LUNCH:  from 12 p.m. to 14 p.m.
TEATIME: between 16:00 and 17:00 p.m.
DINNER:  from 18:30 p.m. to 22:30 p.m.

**MEANS OF TRANSPORT -  Medios de Transporte.
- The best way to move around  is "the underground" (el metro).  Rush hour (la hora punta) is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. so we must avoid it (evitarla).  The system is more difficult than in Madrid, for example, you have to look at your destination and buy your ticket depending on it and when you are waiting for the train  you have to look at the destination on the train itself too.
- Another option is the bus.  They are slower and more expensive but you can have a better view of the city.  If you take the bus numbers 8 , 11 or 12  you'll see the town around.
- You can also take a typical London Cab (taxi londinense típico).  They are very expensive.  If the taxi is free you will see a "FOR HIRE" on the top (en la parte de arriba).


LONDON IS VERY EXPENSIVE IN GENERAL, SO WE WILL HAVE TO THINK OF IT BEFORE GOING TO.  However we can spend some wonderful days in this marvellous city!  

NEXT POST I'LL TELL YOU MANY MORE THINGS AND INTERESTING PLACES!!  DON'T MISS IT!

TO BE CONTINUED...
CONTINUARÁ...

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS / Adjetivos y pronombres posesivos

Good morning my dear followers, thank you so much for being there!  Today we will see a bit of grammar, possessive adjectives and pronouns. 

Buenos días mis queridos seguidores, ¡muchas gracias por estar ahí!  Hoy veremos un poquito de gramática, adjetivos y pronombres posesivos.


POSSESIVE ADJECTIVES
These adjectives always go with a noun.
Estos adjetivos siempre van con un nombre.

MY:  mi, mis.
YOUR:  tu, tus.
HIS: su, sus ( de él)
HER: su, sus (de ella)
ITS: su, sus ( de ello, animales o cosas)
OUR: nuestro/a/os/as.
YOUR: vuestro/a/os/as
THEIR: su, sus (de ellos/ellas).

IN SPANISH

*That's my new car.
*I can see her bike.
*Whose is this house?  It's his house.

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS.

As all pronouns, you can find them alone; they don't go with any verb.
Como todos los pronombres, los podéis encontrar solos; no van acompañando a ningún verbo.

MINE: mío, mía, míos, mías.
YOURS: tuyo/a/os/as.
HIS: suyo/o/os/as (de él)
HERS: suyo/a/os/as  (de ella)
ITS: suyo/a/os/a  (de ello)
OURS: nuestro/a/os/as
YOURS: vuestro/a/os/as
THEIRS: suyo/a/os/as  (de ellos/ellas)

WRITE IN SPANISH

*That's  my coat.  The coat is mine.
*Whose this car?  It's his.
*My feet are bigger than yours.
*I don't like your bag.  Mine is nicer.

SOLUTION
* Ese es mi abrigo. El abrigo es mío.
*¿De quién es este coche? Es de él.
*Mis pies son más grandes que los tuyos.
*No me gusta tu bolso. El mío es más bonito.

WRITE IN ENGLISH, PLEASE.

1.- ¿Quieres mi libro de inglés?  No gracias, tengo el mío.
2.- ¿Dónde tienes tu diccionario? El mío no lo encuentro. Aquí tienes el de Jane.
3.- ¿De quién es este ordenador portátil?  Es de ella.
4.- Me gusta tu nueva bici.  La mía está rota.
5.- Hoy no he comprado el periódico. No te preocupes, aquí está el mío.
6.- Nuestra casa en la playa es pequeña pero muy bonita.
7.- Vuestro perro es encantador.  El mío también.
8.- Mi perrita Venus se va a recuperar enseguida.
9.- Mis amigos vendrán esta tarde.
10.- Lucas es tu perro y Emilio es mi periquito.  Los dos animales son nuestros.

SOLUTION

WRITE IN ENGLISH

1 Do you want my book of English? No, thank you, I've got mine.
2 Where have you got your dictionary? I can't find mine. Here you have Jane's.
3 Whose is this laptop? It's hers.
4 I like your new bike. Mine is broken.
5 Today I haven't bought the newspaper. Don't worry, mine is here.
6 Our house at the beach is small but it's very nice.
7 Your dog is lovely. Mine, too.
8 Mi little dog Venus is going to get over at once.
9 My friends will come this afternoon.
10 Lucas is your dog and Emilio is my budgie. Both animals are ours.

SEE YOU!

JAMES DEAN /A CINEMA MYTH / James Dean / Un mito del cine

Hi my dear followers, today's reading is about a cinema myth, "James Dean" a very young actor who unfortunately died at the age of 24 when his career was just starting!
When James Dean died I wasn't born yet but in my agenda I have got his  photographs right now.  I have seen his films several times and I like him very much.   Nowadays you can find not only agendas but notebooks, folders, and books which have his face on them.  It was a pity! If he had lived more, his career would have been long and successful!  With only 24 he became a Hollywood icon! So, imagine... 

Hola mis queridos seguidores, la lectura de hoy es sobre un mito del cine "James Dean" un actor muy joven que desgraciadamente murió a la edad de 24 años cuando su carrera estaba empezando.
Cuando James Dean murió yo no había nacido todavía pero en mi agenda tengo sus fotografías hoy.  He visto sus películas varias veces y me gusta muchísimo.  Hoy en día se pueden encontrar no solo agendas sino cuadernos, carpetas y libros con su imagen.  ¡Fue una pena!  Si hubiera vivido más, su carrera habría sido larga y de éxito.  Con solo 24 años se convirtió en un icono de Hollywood.  Así que imagináos...

A HARD CHILDHOOD
James Dean was born in a small town called Fairmount in Indiana (USA).  He was an only child and his mother died of cancer when she was only 29 years old . His father sent him away with his aunt and uncle who were farmers .  James Dean loved them very much but he never forgave his father for leaving him alone.

James Dean adored theatre, motorcycles and cars.  He was a very daredevil young man!

When James was 18, he decided to live with his father again in California.  He studied theatre in Los Angeles and he had some small roles on TV and in films.  In 1951, he decided to leave school to go to New York.

The first days in New York were very hard.  He felt alone and depressed! but he quickly found work.  And then, the director Elia Kazan gave him the role of his life in the film "East of Eden".

However, James loved speed and danger and he once told a friend: "Death is always there and I want to conquer it!"

THE PRICE OF FAME
In March 1954 he came back to Hollywood to work on "East of Eden".  Soon, he had a motorcycle and a sports car.  He loved to take his friends for fast rides and scare them. 

Love came to his life at that time too!  He fell in love with actress Pier Angeli and they wanted to marry but Pier Angeli's mother refused so she married another actor.  James Dean NEVER recovered!

"East of Eden" made Dean a star.  And the second film soon arrived.  In March 1955 he began "Rebel without a cause" with Nathalie Wood.  And  in June, a third  (and last) film  "Giant" with Liz Taylor.

James Dean received thousands of letters, he was followed and phtographed and he became very very nervous!

THE END OF THE ROAD
James Dean wanted a Porsche, so in September 1955, he bought a silver one.  He celebrated this fact at his favourite restaurant.  The actor Alec Guinnes was his friend and when he saw Dean's car said:  "Please, don't get into that car.  If you do, you will die"!   But Dean laughed.

One week later, on Friday September 30, James Dean and his mechanic were going to the races in Salinas.  Suddenly, a car turned left onto the highway in front of the Dean's Porsche which was running too quickly.  There was a terrible accident!
The mechanic survived but James Dean died instantly.  He broke his neck.

James Dean was buried in Fairmount, Indiana, on Saturday, October 8th, 1955.  But his photographs, his films and his legend live on!!

VOCABULARY
-CHILHOOD: niñez.
-TO MOVE: trasladarse.
-ONLY CHILD:  hijo único.
-DAREDEVIL:  atrevido.
-EVEN: incluso.
-FORGIVE - FORGAVE - FORGIVEN: perdonar.
-TO FALL IN LOVE:  enamorarse.
-TO RECOVER: recuperarse.
-TO SCARE: asustar.
-SILVER: plata, plateado.
-BURIED: enterrado.
-HIGHWAY: autopista.
-ONTO:  sobre.

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!!

SEE YOU!!

ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND EXERCISES COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES/ Gramática Inglesa y ejercicios

Good morning my friends, today we're looking at some English Grammar and some exercises for you to practice and to remember .  We're going to see THE COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES.

Buenos días amigos, hoy veremos algo de Gramática Inglesa y algunos ejercicios para que practiquéis y los recordéis. Vamos a ver LOS COMPARATIVOS Y SUPERLATIVOS.

**Comparatives and superlatives are done on adjectives only (on adverbs too if we have to) but the grammar  rules are about adjectives.

Los comparativos y superlativos se hacen sobre adjetivos solamente (sobre adverbios también si tenemos que hacerlo) pero las normas gramaticales son sobre adjetivos.

**Before doing a comparative or superlative, we have to look at the adjetive and see the number of syllables that it has because the way  of doing  is different.

Antes de hacer un comparativo o superlativo, tenemos que mirar el adjetivo y ver el número de sílabas que tiene porque la forma de hacerlo es diferente.

COMPARATIVES

**If our adjective is a short word (one or two syllables) we have to add to the adjective -ER.  Example:   short: corto   shorter : más corto.   

Si nuestro adjetivo es una palabra corta (una o dos sílabas) tenemos que añadir a la misma -ER.

**If our adjective is a long word (more than two syllables) we don't add anything but we put before the word MORE.  Example:  Intelligent: inteligente, MORE intelligent:  más inteligente.

Si nuestro adjetivo es una palabra larga (más de dos sílabas) no añadimos nada pero ponemos delante de la palabra  MORE.

**As we're speaking about comparatives if we want to continue with the comparison  we will put THAN after.  Example:  My brother is taller than me:  Mi hermano es más alto que yo.   This film is more interesting than the other:  esta película es más interesante que la otra.

Como estamos hablando de comparativos si queremos continuar con la comparación pondremos THAN después.

SUPERLATIVES

**The grammar rule for  superlatives is very similar to comparatives.  If we have a short word we will add to the adjective  -EST  and if the adjective is a long word we will say THE MOST  before our adjective.  The difference  is that we have to say THE before the superlative.  Examples:  tall: alto, the tallest: el más alto.  Comfortable: cómodo, The most comfortable:  el más cómodo.

La regla gramatical para los superlativos es muy parecida a la de los comparativos.  Si tenemos una palabra corta, añadiremos al adjetivo -EST y si el adjetivo es una palabra larga diremos THE MOST delante de nuestro adjetivo.  La diferencia es que tenemos que poner THE delante del superlativo. 

**PAY ATTENTION
*If the short adjective is finished like that: consonant+vowel+consonant  we have to double the last consonant, example:  fat > fatter  > the fattest.  No matter if we have two consonants +vowel+consonant, we double the last one too.  Example:  slim  >  slimmer  >  the slimmest.

Si el adjetivo corto está terminado así: consonante+vocal+consonante tenemos que doblar la última consonante. No importa si tenemos dos consonantes+vocal+consonante, doblamos la última también.

*If our adjective is finished by a -Y, we'll write > IER  or  IEST.  Happy > happier  > the happiest.
Si nuestro adjetivo se termina por Y, escribiremos  IER o IEST.

** IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
-good     better     the best.
-bad       worse     the worst
-far         farther    the farthest (se puede escribir también  further  /  the furthest)

**ALL THE ADJECTIVES THAT WE FINISH BY  -ING, will do the comparative: MORE ... and the superlative:  THE MOST... Example:  TIRING  >  more tiring than  >  the most tiring.

Todos los adjetivos que terminados en -ING, harán el comparativo con MORE...  y el superlativo con THE MOST...

EXERCISES

a) LOOK AT THESE SENTENCES AND TRANSLATE INTO SPANISH
1.-I'm much taller than my mother.
2.-Mario is a bit older than his brother.
3.-Japanese is more difficult than Italian.
4.-A Volkswagen is cheaper than a Mercedes.
5.-In your family, who is the oldest?
6.-Who is the best at English?
7.-Mary is the most beautiful girl in the world!
8.-This house is nicer than that one.
9.-You are richer than me but I'm much happier.
10.-Brad Pitt is the best-looking actor I have ever seen!

b) DO THE COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE OF THESE ADJECTIVES
-FAIR >
-EASY >
-LATE >
-FINE >
-DIFFICULT >
-BORING >
-UNBEARABLE >
-YOUNG >
-SLIM >
-FAT >
-FUNNY >
-PRETTY >

c) WRITE IN ENGLISH.
1.-¿Cual es el mejor cantante del mundo?
2.-Lucy es más joven que Paula.
3.-Mario es mucho mejor que Pedro en matemáticas.
4.-Yo puedo correr más rápido que mi hermana.
5.-Este sofá es el más cómodo de la tienda.
6.-¿Quién es el escritor más interesante de tu país?
7.-El cine es más barato que el teatro.
8.-Este frigorífico es el peor del mundo.
9.-El cine está más cerca de mi casa que el teatro.
10.-¡Los deportistas españoles son los mejores del mundo en muchos deportes!

SOLUTIONS

a)
1 Soy mucho más alto que mi madre
2 Mario es un poco mayor que su hermano.
3 El japonés es más difícil que el italiano.
4 Un Volkswagen es más barato que un Mercedes.
5 En tu familia, ¿quién es el más mayor?
6 ¿Quién es el mejor en Inglés?
7 Mary es la chica más guapa del mundo.
8 Esta casa es más bonita que ésa.
9 Eres más rico que yo pero yo soy mucho más feliz.
10 Brad Pitt es el actor más guapo que yo haya visto jamás.

b)
fairer     the fairest
easier    the easiest
later      the latest 
finer      the finest
more difficult    the most difficult
more boring      the most boring
more unbearable   the most unbearable
younger    the youngest
slimmer    the slimmest
fatter        the fattest
funnier     the funniest
prettier     the prettiest

c)
1 Who is the best singer in the world?
2 Lucy is younger than Paula.
3 Mario is much better at Maths than Pedro.
4 I can run faster than my sister
5 This sofa is the most comfortable in the shop.
6 Who is the most interesting writer in your country?
7 Cinema is cheaper than theatre.
8 This fidge is the worst in the world.
9 The cinema is closer my house than the theatre.
10 Spanish sportsmen and women are the best in the world at my sports!

IF YOU HAVE SOME DOUBTS, TELL ME, OK?

HAVE A GOOD DAY MY FRIENDS!

THE CHEWING GUM STORY / La historia del chicle

Hi my friends, today we're going to see a new English story.  Do you like chewing gum?  Many of you are going to say: YES, we do.  But do we really know where chewing gum comes from?  How did all start? Is it a modern custom? Let's go and see!

Hola amigos, hoy vamos a ver una nueva historia en Inglés.  ¿Os gusta el chicle?  Muchos de vosotros váis a decir: Sí, nos gusta.  Pero ¿sabemos realmente de donde viene el chichle?  ¿Cómo empezó todo? ¿Es una costumbre moderna?  ¡Vamos a verlo!

** MEXICO AND THE MAYAS
An Indian people called "The Mayas" lived in Mexico more than a thousand year ago.  They collected the resin of a tree called "sapodilla" and they used to eat its fruit.  When the resin was dry, it formed a gum that they liked to chew.

When the Spaniards conquered Mexico, they followed the same custom.  They called the gum "chicle" and the people who collected it were called "chicleros".  So, it is from the Spanish word "chicle" that we get the word "Chiclets"!!

**THOMAS ADAMS
In 1869, a famous Mexican general named Antonio Lopes de Santa Ana visited New York.  He brought 250 kg of sapodilla gum with him.  The general liked to chew this gum and at the same time he thought that it could make him rich.  The gum was very elastic so perhaps it could become a substitute for rubber.  Thomas Adams became the general's assistant and he started to experiment but finally, he couldn't use the gum to replace rubber.  The general returned home to Mexico and gave all the gum to Thomas Adams.

**ADAMS CHEWING GUM
Thomas Adams once saw a little girl who was chewing paraffin wax in a pharmacy.  Suddenly, he remembered the Mexican general and his gum.  He talked to the pharmacist and showed him some gum.  Adams asked:  Why don't you sell this? I'm sure it is nicer than paraffin wax!

The pharmacist agreed.  Adams and his 12-year-old son, Horatio, made the gum into strips.  The pharmacist sold them for 1 cent each!
As it was a great success, so the Adams invested $55  to import new stock and build a factory.  THE ADAMS NEW YORK CHEWING GUM COMPANY  was created!  Young Horatio chewed the gum constantly and he was 102 years old when he died in 1956!!!

Many other people began to make gum.  William Whit flavored it with mint.  A dentist, put in naphtha , alcohol and liquorice and sold it as a substitute for toothpaste.
William Wrigley started a brilliant publicity campaign and chewing gum became part of the American way of life!!!

**EUROPE AND CHEWING GUM
American soldiers brought chewing gum with them in the Second World War in 1944 and gave it to European children.

One of the soldiers was so impressed by the general enthusiasm that chewing gum caused among children and population in general that when he left the army and came back to France, started to manufacture , in 1952,   "Hollywood Chewing Gum" flavored with chlorophyll. His name was C.E. Parfet.

**BUBBLES

But nowadays, what is new with chewing gum?  There are a lot of kinds of chewing gums:  with sugar, without sugar, fruit flavors, mix flavors, whitening chewing gum, new and strange flavors, etc.  but what do people like to do with chewing gum most?  BUBBLES, of course.  The record for the biggest bubble gum bubble was set by Susan Montgomery in 1985, in California, USA.  It measured 55.8 cm across!

In Britain, people spend around 120 pounds a year on chewing gum.
France is the second-largest producer of chewing gum in the world after the USA.

But not all countries are enthusiastic about gum.  In Singapore and Japan, if you bring your own gum and drop it in the street, you will have to pay a minimum fine of $500!


HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!!

SEE YOU!!