DESIGNING FREEDOM / ADVERTISING/ GADGETS / Diseñando Libertad / Publicidad / Aparatos.

Hi my dear friends, here we are again, today to look at some different news about: Designing, Advertising, Gadgets and more! Here we go!

Hola mis queridos amigos, aquí estamos otra vez, hoy veremos noticias diferentes sobre; Diseño, Publicidad, Aparatos, y más. ¡Allá vamos!


Info from: Speak Up magazine.
Photos from:  designboom.com / history.com / youtube.com / neatorama.com  /  wikipedia.com

DESIGNING FREEDOM

An exhibition at London's Design Museum, which opened in a new location on Kensington High Street at the end of last year, pays homage to California as the world centre of design and technology for the last 70 years.  "Designed in California" (24May to 15 October) reveals how the US state defined a modern culture of design and technology based on the concept of personal freedom, from 1960s counterculture to the tech revolution of Silicon Valley.  Political posters, personal computers and self-driving cars are on display, while the exhibition also examines California's global reach, showing how user interface designers in the Bay Area are shaping some of our most common daily experiences.
www.designmuseum.org

THE EMPIRE STATE AT 85

US cultural icon the Empire State Building commemorates the 85th anniversary of its opening, on May 1st 1931.  The lights of the 102-storey Art Deco skyscraper were first turned on by President Herbert Hoover, who pushed a button from Washignton D.C.


VOCABULARY

-TO PAY HOMAGE: rendir homenaje.,
-SELF-DRIVING CAR: coche autónomo.
-TO BE ON DISPLAY: exhibirse.
-REACH: alcance.
-TO SHAPE: determinar.
-OPENING: inauguración.
-TO TURN ON: encender.
-TO PUSH: pulsar.



ADVERTISING  /  HONEST SLOGANS

This honest slogan for YouTube "Don't Read the Comments" could apply to all social networks and online publications.  It isn't worth it;  the Internet is full of people who have nothing better to do with their time than write irrelevant and meaningless comments.  Of course some people do make useful observations, but they are in a minority.  And then there are trolls, those loathsome individuals whose main aim in life is to sabotage sites and provoke their readers.

GADGETS  /  THE REDUNDANT CLOCK

Graphic designer Ji Lee was born in Korea and grew up in Brazil, but he now lives in New York.  He created the "redundant clock" as a joke, but it has been a great success.  Basically, it shows what time it is and each hour is indicated by its clock form, rather than by a numeral.  It costs $49:  to buy one, simply go to Kickstarter.com and type in "redundant clock".  Redundant instructions are also included!

VOCABULARY

-IT ISN'T WORTH IT:  no vale la pena.
-MEANINGLESS:  sin sentido.
-LOATHSOME: odioso.
-AIM: objetivo.
-REDUNDANT: redundante, superfluo, prescindible.
-JOKE: chiste, broma.
-TO TYPE: escribir (en un teclado).

INSPIRING IDEAS

Developing inner values is much like physical exercise.  The more we train our abilities, the stronger they become.  The difference is that, unlike the body, when it comes to training the mind, there is no limit to how far we can go. 

VOCABULARY

-INNER: interior.
-TO TRAIN: ejercitar.
-UNLIKE:  a diferencia de


HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

SEE YOU!!!

CARPOOL KARAOKE - SING AS YOU DRIVE/ CANTA MIENTRAS CONDUCES.

Hi my dear friends. Have you ever sung in your car while driving or as a passenger with family or friends? For sure! In my case, I have! Carpool Karaoke is a very popular television entertainement because  the people who sing into the car are "celebritites". We are going to see more about this famous programme!

Hola mis queridos amigos. ¿Habéis cantado alguna vez en el coche mientras conducíais o como pasajero con familia o amigos? ¡Seguramente! En mi caso, yo sí. Carpool Karaoke es un programa de televisión de entretenimiento muy popular porque la gente que canta dentro del coche es "gente famosa". Vamos a saber más sobre este famoso programa. 

CARPOOL KARAOKE   /   SING AS YOU DRIVE

Info:  from  Speak Up  magazine.
Photos: eonline.com  /  vanityfair.com  /  nme.com  / mundotkm.com


Carpooling is the practice of two or more people travelling in one car to reduce their travel costs and because it is good for the environment.  Karaoke is a form of entertainment in which people sing along to music.  What do you get when you combine carpooling and karaoke with the world's biggest celebrities?  You get CARPOOL KARAOKE, one of the most popular online series of all time!

AN ENGLISHMAN IN L.A.

The man who invented Carpool Karaoke is James Corden.  Originally from Buckinghamshire in England, Corden started acting when he was a teenager, first in theatre and later in television and film.  He became a successful actor, producer and television host.  Then, in March 2015, he became the new host of the popular American talk show "The Late Late Show".

Corden wanted to create a new segment for the show.  In 2011, he did a segment for a British television special in which he sang along to old Wham! songs with George Michael in a car.  He wanted to sing along with other celebrities to other songs in a car.  But every celebrity he asked to participate in the segment said :  NO.

BIG NAMES

Then Mariah Carey, who was a big fan of George Michael and had seen the 2011 segment, said YES. The first Carpool Karaoke was created, and it was an enormous success.  Since then, Corden has also done episodes of Carpool Karaoke with Justin Bieber, Elton John, Britney Spears, One Direction, Rod Steward, Bruno Mars, Take That...



SENSATION

Each segment is about 15 minutes long and is on The Late Late Show and on YouTube, where the series has had hundreds of millions of views.  Adele's episode, for example, got about 100 million views in its first six months.  In July 2016, Corden did an episode with First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House.  It got more than 40 million views in its first month!

Carpool Karaoke is filmed in Los Angeles.  The city is famous for having bad traffic, but it has special lanes on the freeway for cars with more than one person, to encourage people to carpool.

So next time you're driving in Los Angeles, look out for Corden with his famous friends!

VOCABULARY

-CARPOOLING:  compartir coche.
-HOST: presentador.
-TALK SHOW: programa de entrevistas.
-LANE: carril.
-FREEWAY: autopista.
-TO LOOK OUT: estar atento.

DO YOU THINK CARPOOLING IS A GOOD IDEA?
AND CARPOOL KARAOKE?


SEE YOU!!!

CHASING TORNADOS / STORM BUSTERS - CAZADORES DE TORNADOS.

Hi my dear friends, today we're going to look at "tornados". Unfortunately, Hurricane Harvey has just devastated the State of Texas in USA so hurricanes and tornados are extremely dangerous for people and everything they are finding on their way! However, Storm busters dedicate their lives and they sometimes lose them to chase these tornados! Pure adrenaline!

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a mirar a los tornados. Desgraciadamente, el Huracán Harvey acaba de devastar el Estado de Tejas en USA ya que los huracanes y tornados son extremadamente peligrosos para la gente y para todo lo que encuentran a su paso. Sin embargo, los Cazadores de Tormentas dedican sus vidas y a veces las pierden a atrapar estos tornados. ¡Adrenalina pura!


CHASING TORNADOS   /  STORM BUSTERS

Info: from Speak Up magazine.

It is storm-chasing season in Tornado Alley, USA.  Tour companies offer courageous, and possibly insane, tourists the chance to see a tornado from a distance of only 300 metres.


DANGEROUS TERRITORY

Tornado Alley is famous for its thunderstorms and tornadoes.  It's located between the Rocky and the Appalachian mountain ranges:  hundreds of miles of flat, open plains.  It runs through Northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.The buildings in this region have reinforced roofs, solid foundations and storm cellars.  Local people rely on storm warnings to avoid disaster.

ADRENALINE!

Tornados are very dangerous, so why do people want to chase them?  Documentary-maker Sean Casey says:  "It's addictive!"  His driver Byron Turk agrees: "It's the adrenaline...the ultimate challenge!"  Casey built a Tornado Intercept Vehicle.  It weighs 680 kilos and has steel-plated armour. Its windows are 4 centimetres thick.  Casey and his team filmed as a tornado hit the vehicle.  You can see his documentaries on the "Discovery Channel".

Unfortunately another storm buster, Tim Samaras (55) died together with his son Paul (24) and the meteorologist Carl Young (45) on 1st June, 2013 in El Reno, Oklahoma when they were chasing a tornado and making a documentary for the Discovery Chanel, too. Their car became totally destroyed! They had no chance to survive!

A BIG RISK

Are you still interested in storm-chasing?  Well, it's very important to find expert guides.  A company like Storm Chasing Adventure Tours (SCAT) can guarantee tourists' safety.  They have years of experience, and understand how storms develop.  They use advanced computer systems to predict the location of the storms.  SCAT chief, Todd Thorn says, however: "Guides cannot rely only on the technology. They must have the ability to read the sky."

The SCAT team aren't simply tourist guides.  They also provide important information to National Weather Centres on the position and strength of storms.  They help save lives.

UNBELIEVABLE

Storms usually occur in the late afternoon, early evening.  Teams must drive hundreds of miles to arrive at storm locations.  So they leave their base in Amarillo, Texas in the morning.  The chase often continues until late in the evening.  What is it like to chase a storm?  SCAT driver Kevin Harned says: "It's one thing to see a tornado on TV,  but totally different to see it with your own eyes!"

FROM THIS BLOG I STRONGLY SUPPORT AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM TEXAS BECAUSE OF THE DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY HURRICANE HARVEY!!!

WE ARE WITH YOU!!!  

EASY ENGLISH / ARE YOU OK? /

Hi my dear friends, here I am again. Today we 're going to explain the origins of a word. Are you OK?


Hola mis queridos amigos, aquí estoy otra vez. Hoy vamos a explicar los orígEnes de una palabra. ¿Estáis bien? ¿Todo OK?


Info:  from Speak Up magazine.

ARE YOU OK?

Millions of people all over the world use the word "okay".  In fact, some people say the word is used more often than any other word in the world.  "Okay" means "all right" or "acceptable".  It expresses agreement or approval.  You might ask your brother, "Is it okay if I borrow your car?"  Or if someone asks you to do something, you might say, "Okay, I will."

ETYMOLOGY

It may be common, but language experts do not agree about where the word came from.

Some people say it came from the Native American Indian tribe known as the Choctaw.  The Choctaw word "okeh" means the same as the American word "okay".  Experts say early explorers in the American West spoke the Choctaw language in the 19th century.  The language spread across the country, but many people dispute this.

THAT'S CORRECT

Language expert Allen Walker Read wrote about the word "okay" in reports published in the 1960s. He believed that people first used the word in the 1830s.  It was a short way of writing a different spelling of the words "all correct".  Some foreign-born people wrote"all correct" as "o-l-l-k-o-r-r-e-c-t"  and used the latters OK.

Other people say that a railroad worker named Obadiah Kelly invented the word long ago.  They say he put the first letters of his names -O and K- on each object that people gave him to send on the train.  Still others say a political organization invented the word.  The organization supported Martin Van Buren for president in 1840.  They called their group the OK Club.  The letters were taken from the name of the town where Martin Van Buren was born -Old Kinderhook, New York.  Not everyone agrees with this explanation, either.  But experts do agree that the word is purely American. And it has spread to almost every country on Earth.

THE SPACE AGE

Then there is the expression A-Okay.  This means everything is fine.  A-Okay is a space-age expression.  It was used in 1961 during the flight of astronaut Alan Shepard.  He was the first American to be launched into space.  His flight ended wheh his spacecraft landed in the ocean, as planned.  Shepard reported:  "Everything is A-Okay."

THE SIMPSONS!

However, some experst say the expression did not begin with the space age.  One story says it was first used during the early days of the telephone to tell an operator that a message had been received.

There are also funny ways to say "okay".  Some people say "okey-dokey" or "okey-doke".  These expressions were first used in the 1930s.  Today, a character on the American television series, The Simpsons, says it another way.  Homer Simpson's irritating neighbour Ned Flanders says, "Okely-dokely".

                                     **************************************

VOCABULARY

-AGREEMENT: acuerdo.
-TO BORROW: pedir prestado.
-I WILL:  lo haré.
-TO SPREAD:  extenderse.
-FOREIGN-BORN:  extranjero.

                                    *****************************************

EXERCISES

1.-CHOOSE THE WORD FROM THE LIST THAT BEST FITS THE GAP.

expression  /  story  /  word  /  language  /  letters  /  spelling.

a) The ________"okey" is used by millions of people all over the world.
b) Some experts say it comes from the _______ of the Choctaw Indians.
c) Others believe it was short for a different _____of "all correct".
d) Some foreigners wrote the _____inaccurately, to spell "oll korrect".
e) The _______ A-Okay comes from the space age, used by Alan Shepard.
f) Another _____says it comes from the early days fo the telefone.

2.-DECIDE WHICH WORD DOESN'T BELONG IN THE GROUP.
a) explain, say, state
b) express, describe, articulate
c) dispute, argue, ask
d) authorise, agree, concur
e) invent, create, adopt
f) make, use, apply

                                        *************************************

SOLUTIONS
Exercise 1
a) word   /   b) language  /  c) spelling  /  d) letters  /  e) expression  /  f) story
Exercise 2
a) explain  /  b) describe  /  c) ask  /  d) authorise  /  e) adopt  /  f) make

SEE YOU MY FRIENDS!!!

LEONARDO DICAPRIO - HOLLYWOOD INSTINCTIVE ACTOR / LEONARDO DICAPRIO . UN ACTOR DE HOLLYWOOD CON INSTINTO.

Hi my friends, today we're going to look at Hollywood and at  Leonardo Dicaprio. He is not only a handsome man but a marvellous actor and a better person.

Hola amigos, hoy vamos a mirar a Hollywood y a Leonardo Dicaprio. No solo es un hombre guapo sino un actor maravilloso y mejor persona.

HOLLYWOOD OUTSIDER

A fluid and instinctive actor with the face of an angel, according to "Entertainment Weekly", Leonardo DiCaprio was, at the age of 22, the most famous actor in the world. Now 42, the once precocious adolescent-looking star has matured into a 6ft-tall powerhouse, a first-class actor who demands to be taken seriously.

In 2016, DiCaprio won his first Oscar, although he had appeared in many Oscar-winning films.  Yet the secret to his success, as he confessed to "Time Out", was to always feel like an "outsider" in Hollywood!

THIS BOY'S LUCK

Born in the neighbourhood of East Hollywood to a legal secretary and a comic book artist, creative, cute and cunning DiCaprio initially saw acting as the easiest way to make cash.  After doing some ads, the teenager landed parts in big soaps "Santa Barbara" and "Growing Pains".

In 1993 he hit the bigtime when Robert De Niro picked him out to play lead in the film "This Boy's life", a life-changing experience; "Watching De Niro on set, seeing his dedication, was one of the most influential experiences of my life", he said in an interview with "Time Out" and in 1995 he was called by the director Scott Kalvert  to play the main character  in the film "Basketball Diaries" because River Phoenix who was going to do this movie,  died before the filming started!

ROMEO

That same year, the 15-year-old was to take on another phenomenal role:  that of the mentally handicapped brother of Johnny Depps' character in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape";  he was, extraordinarily, nominated for an Academy Award -his first of many nominations.  In Baz Luhmann's "Romeo + Juliet" (1996) a punk adaptation of the Shakespeare romance, DiCaprio played leading man opposite Clare Danes and in James Cameron's "Titanic" (1997) he played the doomed Jack Dawson opposite actress  Kate Winslet.

It is to his credit that DiCaprio was not swept away by the  hype generated by the film.  His tongue-in-cheek part in Woody Allen's "Celebrity" (1998) was nicely timed, and although a couple of dud films followed, "The Man in the Iron Mask" (1998) and "The Beach" (2000), DiCaprio successfully emerged as much more than a "flash in the pan" Hollywood icon.

SCORSESE'S MAIN MAN

Steven Spielberg was the first to recognise DiCaprio's ability to play fictionalised real-life figures, casting him as teenage conman Frank Abagnale in "Catch me if you Can" (2001).  Yet it is his collaborations with director Martin Scorsese in which DiCaprio has excelled.

After 2002 historical drama "Gangs of New York" he played lead in Scorsese's biopic of the eccentric director and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes in "The Aviator" (2004).  In mobster movie "The Departed" (2006), Scorsese cast him as an undercover cop, and he played detective in the melodramatic thriller "Shutter Island" (2010).

Scorsese and DiCaprio work together again in the upcoming crime film "The Devil in the White City".

Other recent performances of note include that of a diamond smuggler in "Blood Diamond" (2006) and of a wimpish husband in domestic drama "Revolutionary Road" (2008).  In 2013's "The Wolf of Wall Street" he plays the obnoxious Jordan Belfort, and in one of his most memorable roles to date DiCaprio plays  "J. Edgar Hoover" in Clint Eastwood's 2011 biopic about the controversial FBI director.

A STORY OF SURVIVAL

It's an extraordinary Oscar-winning performance from Leonardo DiCaprio in Alejandro González Iñárritu's "The Revenant" (2015), a gruelling epic drama set in 1832.  DiCaprio plays real-life fur trapper Hugh Glass, who is left for dead in the Rocky Mountains when he is mauled by a bear.  DiCaprio, a nature lover, was put through his paces to make the film...which has received widespread critical acclaim!!


VOCABULARY

-POWERHOUSE:  fuerza motriz.
-OUTSIDER: forastero.
-CUNNING: listo.
-TO HIT THE BIG TIME:  tener un gran éxito.
-MENTALLY HANDICAPPED: disminuido psíquico.
-DOOMED: desafortunado.
-TO HIS CREDIT: en su favor.
-SWEPT AWAY: afectado.
-HYPE: bombo publicitario.
-TONGUE-IN-CHEEK:  irónico.
-DUD: malo, de mala calidad.
-FLASH IN THE PAN: flor de un día.
-CONMAN: timador.
-SMUGGLER: contrabandista.
-WIMPISH: tonto, con poca personalidad.
-OBNOXIOUS; odioso.

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

LA PÉNINSULE DE KII, JAPON, UNE PERLE SACRÉE. PENÍNSULA DE KII, JAPÓN, UNA PERLA SAGRADA.

Salut  tout le monde, aujourd'hui nous allons savoir un peu plus à propos d'un lieu très lointain et exotique, La Péninsule de Kii au Japon. Bien que nous connaissons beaucoup de choses du Japon, au même temps,  c'est un pays très inconnu pour les européens. principalement parce qu'il est très éloigné de l'Europe. J'espère que cette information vous plaira et ce que vous aurez envie d'y aller!!!


Hola a todo el mundo, hoy vamos a saber un poco más de un lugar muy alejado y exótico, la Península de Kii, en Japón. Aunque conocemos muchas cosas de Japón, al mismo tiempo, es un país muy desconocido para los europeos, principalmente porque está muy alejado de Europa. Espero que esta información os guste y que os den ganas de visitarlo.

PÉNINSULE DE KII   /  LA PERLE SACRÉE DU JAPON 

Info:  PARIS MATCH


Ses paysages montagneux couverts de cèdres cachent les sanctuaires mythiques de Kumano, où les pèlerins affluent depuis plus de mille ans. Et dans la baie d'Ago, la perliculture et les plongeuses "ama"  révèlent aussi leurs traditions secrètes.  Par Anne-Laure le Gall.


On les surnomme "le Compostelle nippon" et, comme les chemins de Saint-Jacques, les sentiers de pèlerinage de Kumano ont décroché le classement par l'Unesco en 2004 ce qui a boosté la notoriété de cette région protégée au  patrimoine naturel et religieux extraordinaire.


La Péninsule de Kii, au sud-Ouest d'Osaka est le coeur spirituel du pays et rencontre les deux principaux cultes: LE SHINTO et LE BOUDDHISME.  

Au Mont Koya, on trouve un monastère fondé il y a mille deux cents ans et il y a 120 temples et 700 moines. Les sept routes, tracées au fil des siècles par les pèlerins chéminant de Kyoto, sont connues sous le nom de Kumano Kodo.  Les sentiers parcourent monts escarpés et sombres fôrets de cèdres. On dirait que c'est un voyage entre la terre et le ciel!

On peut organiser une escapade de deux ou trois jours et on peut rester dans une luxueuse retraite de la chaîne Aman ou dans l'un des nombreuses maisons pour pèlerins nommées "shukubo" qui offrent hospitalité contre quelques dizaines d'euros seulement. On doit respecter les règles strictes édictées par le moine hôtelier mais c'est une experience de vie!

Le plus populaire des itinéraires pédestres relie la ville de Tanabe au site sacré de Kumano Hongu Taisha en 40 kilométress. La randonnée s'effectue en deux jous sur un sentier bordé de reliques historiques, stèles et statues de divinités.

LES PERLES DE CULTURE

C'est ici, dans une baie tranquille du Pacifique qu'au XIXéme siècle Mikimoto inventa la perle de culture.
D'autant que la péninsule de Kii cache aussi dans ses eaux tranquilles les précieuses fermes perlières de Mikimoto, enfant du pays et inventeur de la perle de culture.  Un trésor à découvrir dans la région côtière de Toba, sa ville natale.

Kokichi Mikimoto, né en 1858 se passione jeune pour les perles d'Ise, naturelles et sauvages, parmi les plus convoitées au monde.

Face à la surpêche des huîtres par les "ama", les fameuses plongeuses apnéistes, il construit le premier parc à huîtres et ça sera sa fortune.

L'archipel nippon a longtemps été le premier producteur de perles de culture dans le monde.  On peut découvrir son histoire sur la Mikimoto Pearl Island, l'île même où l'inventeur mit au point sa technique, de l'élévage à l'infilage.

Et en plus, c'est l'émerveillement des spécimens et des bijoux spectaculaires exposés dans un petit musée. Considerées comme un patrimoine vivant, "les ama", 2000 encore en activité, ne pêchent plus de perles, mais des ormeaux, vendus 30 dollars pièce, ce qui les poussent à plonger deux fois par jour, par tous les temps.  Ici, la plus âgée a 82 ans!!!!

**COMMENT Y ALLER!!!
Avec ANA, la première compagnie aérienne japonaise.
Vol quotidien Paris-Tokio à partir de 532 €.

Avec ANA, des vols directs Madrid-Tokio.

**SEJOUR EN MONASTÈRE
On réserve sa chambre, de 50 à 75 € la nuit.
Le site regroupe pas moins d'une soixantaine d'adresses
www.eng.shukubo.net

**LE JAPON ABORDABLE COMME JAMAIS!
Un taux de change à l'euro et des billets d'avion à leur plus bas historique, c'est le moment de s'envoler pour l'Empire du Soleil-Levant. Contrairement aux idées reçues, on peut dîner pur 5 euros, même à Tokyo, et les hébergements à prix doux existent aussi.  Il est de plus en plus facile de louer un appartement ou une maisonnnette, via AIRBNB ou l'agence spécialisée VIVRE LE JAPON.
Le taxi est très abodarble.


                                                     *****************************

À BIENTÔT!!!

VISITERIEZ-VOUS LE JAPON????

LEÓN, THE CITY WHERE I WAS BORN / LEÓN, LA CIUDAD DONDE NACÍ. A GOTHIC WONDER / UNA MARAVILLA DEL GÓTICO

Hi again my friends, today it's very special to me because this post is going to tell you a lot of things about the city in which I was born, León (Spain) a beautiful and very special city in Castilla and León. I hope you'll like it and so you will visit León as soon as possible!

Hola otra vez amigos, hoy es muy especial para mí porque esta publicación va a contaros muchas cosas de la ciudad en la que nací, León (España) una ciudad bonita y  muy especial en Castilla y León. Espero que os guste y que por tanto visitéis León tan pronto como os sea posible.

LEÓN, SPAIN.

HISTORY

León is the capital of the province of León, located in the northwest of Spain.   It was founded as the military encampment of the Legio VI Victrix around 29 B.C. The Romans established the site of the city to protect the recently conquered territories of northwestern Hispania from the Astures and Cantabri, and to secure the transport of gold extracted in the province, especially in the huge nearby mines of Las Médulas.

The post-Roman history of the city is largely the history of the Kingdom of León which resisted the attacks of Visigoths until AD 586 when it was taken by Leovigild.

During the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, in 715 Tariq advanced from the area of La Rioja towards Astorga and León. Iberia rebelled against the Arabs and gave up their positions to join the revolt around 740.  Towards the year 846 a group of Mozarabs  (Christians who did not flee from Muslims and lived under the Muslim regime) tried to repopulate the city  but a Muslim attack prevented that initiative. Finally Alfonso III of León and García I made León city capital of the Kingdom of León and the most important of the Christian cities in Iberia.

In 910, León became the capital of the Kingdom of León and took  an active part in the Reconquista against the Moors.  In 1188, the city hosted the first Parliament in European history under the reign of Alfonso IX.

In 2010 León was named as the craddle of Parliamentarism and the Decreta of León was included in the Memory of the World registered by UNESCO in 2013.

León historical and architectural heritage as well as the numerous festivals hosted throughout the year and its location on the Camino de Santiago, which is ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, make it a destination of both domestic and international tourism.

LANDMARKS

Some of the most important buildings are the Cathedral, the finest example of classic Gothic architecture in Spain, the Basilica of San Isidoro, one of the most important Romanesque churches in Spain and the resting place of Leon's medieval monarchs, the Monastery of San Marcos, a prime example of plateresque and Renaissance Spanish architecture, and the Casa Botines, a Modernist creation of the architect, Antonio Gaudí. An example of modern architecture is the city's Museum of Contemporary Arto or MUSAC.

The Walls, built in the 1st century BC and enlarged in the 3rd and 4th centuries.

The Palace of Guzmanes, the site of the provincial parliament. It contains "a patio" in the plateresque style by Gil de Hontañón.

La Plaza Mayor, Plaza del Grano, the Barrio Húmedo (the partying and drinking area).
The Palace of Marqueses de Prado, a 17th century Baroque building, currently the Hospital of Ntra. Sra. de Regla.
The Palace of Conde Luna (14th century).
Church of San Salvador, the most ancient in the city (10th century).
The Church of San Juan and San Pedro de Renueva dating to 1944-1970 but including a 18th century Baroque façade taken from the ruined monastery of San Pedro de Eslonza.
The Museum of León which contains a collection of prehistorical tools and art from the Roman, Medieval and Modern periods.
The Museum Sierra-Pambley, a house from the Age of the Enlightment.
-The University of León.

FOLKLORE AND CUSTOMS

Leonese customs include the Semana Santa (Holy Week) featuring numerous processions through the centre of the city.

The San Juan and San Pedro festivities are also remarkable, celebrated during the last week of June. During these days (between June 23-29) several concerts and festivals take place and the whole city is occupied by terraces and street markets where Leonese people celebrate the beginning of the summer, especially on San Juan's night.

And many more...

FOOD

Within the wide range of Leonese cuisine the most representative dishes are: cecina (cured, smoked beef), morcilla (a variant of blood sausage), botillo , garlic soup and cocido leonés among others.

A very important part of the gastronomy in León are "the tapas", which are usually given for free with the drinks, unlike in the rest of Spain.  It's very common to go "de tapas" or "tapear" just before lunch or as a form of dinner.

THE PEOPLE

So, visit LEÓN and you will be received by friendly and lovely people.
Hotels, bars, restaurants, markets are full of friendly people who want you to go and see the wonders of León!

What are you waiting for?  León is waiting for you at any time!

As I have said at the beginning I was born in León and I'm very proud of this although I have to say that it was because of my father's job and when I was a little child (two years old)  my parents moved to Madrid, where my family was living and it has been my second birthplace since then! I love León and Madrid too!!! They are both my hometown!

SEE YOU IN LEÓN MY FRIENDS!!!

ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND EXERCISES / Gramática y Ejercicios.

Hi my dear friends, today we are going to practice some grammar exercises. First, an article to complete and then another one to choose the best option. Are you ready? Let's go!

Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy vamos a practicar algunos ejercicios gramaticales. Primero, un artículo para completar y después otro para elegir la mejor opción. ¿Estáis preparados? ¡Pues vamos!

EXERCISES

1.- DECIDE WHICH OF THE CHOICES BELOW WOULD BE BEST TO COMPLETE THE ARTICLE IF INSERTED IN THE BLANKS. Circle the appropriate letters.

                                                 

                                             TOO MUCH FAST FOOD?

According to a recent survey, Hong Kong consumers (1)______ more money on convenience foods since the economic downturn. Because companies are trying to make do with fewer staff, employees (2)_____harder than ever before.  More women (3)____ the workforce as well.  They (4)____ less time to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals for their families.  Instead, families (5) ____out or (6) ____ convenience foods, such as frozen pizzas and instant noodles.
These foods (7)____ more fat, salt and sugar than home-cooked meals.  Experts say that eating too much of them (8)____ the risk of serious health problems, including diabetes and heart disease.

However, the trend towards convenience foods (9)____ some business sectors.  Supermarkets (10)____ to the higher demand for quick, easy-to-serve meals by increasing their selection of convenience and pre-packaged foods.  These products often (11)____ for higher prices than fresh food.  Restaurants also (12)____ from the trend:  most Hong Kong people now (13)____ out at least once a day.

Is convenience food just a fad or is home-cooked food (14)____ a thing of the past?
How is this trend (15)____ our health?

1 A are spending  B will spend  C spent  D spends
2 A be working    B are working C works  D worked
3 A is joining  B are joining  C will join  D joining
4 A have had  B had  C having  D have
5 A be eating  B eats  C eat  D eating
6 A bought  B buying  C buy  D be buying
7 A containing  B contains  C contained  D contain
8 A increased  B increases  C increasing  D increase
9 A are bebefitting  B benefitted  C will be  D is beneffiting
10 A responding  B are responding  C responds  D will respond
11 A sells  B sell  C selling  D sold
12 A be progiting  B profit  C were profiting  D profits
13 A were eating  B have eaten  C eat  D ate
14 A becoming  B become  C became  D is becoming
15 A affect  B affecting  C affected  D affects

2.- CHOOSE THE CORRECT FORM FOR EACH VERB

1 Marie-Claude isn't a Canadian. I _______ she comes from France.
A believe  B am believing

2 Look!  Junko _____ into the water.
A jumps  B is jumping

3 I ____ you're crazy!
A think  B am thinking

4 Don't give Jan any cheese.  She _____it!
A hates  B is hating

5 I _____ to Toronto next Thursday.  Do you want to come?
A go  B am going

6 Once a week, I____ to an art class at the college.
A go  B  am going

7 I_____ lunch in the cafeteria every day.
A have  B  am having

8 Peter is rich, he _____a Mercedes.
A drives  B is driving

9 You won't find Jerry at home right now. He _____ in the library.
A sudies  B is studying

10 It ____ quite hard. Perhaps we shouldn't go out tonight.
A snows  B is snowing.

                                     **************************************

AND NOW THE SOLUTIONS

EXERCISE 1
1 A      2 B     3 B     4 D     5 C     6 C     7 D     8 B     9 D     10 B     11 B     12 B     13 C

14 A     15 B

EXERCISE 2
1 A    2 B    3 A    4 A    5 B    6 A    7 A    8 A    9 B    10 B


                                     *****************************************

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

SEE YOU!!!

STAR WARS AT TUSSAUDS IN LONDON / STAR WARS EN EL MUSEO DE CERA DE MADAME TUSSAUD DE LONDRES

Hi my dear friends. Are you fond of Star Wars films and memorabilia? Today we are going to see a Wax Museum, one of the most important wax museums in the world "Madame Tussaud's" in London and we will look at Star Wars!


Hola mis queridos amigos. ¿Sois aficionados a las películas de Star Wars y todo lo que hay a su alrededor? Hoy vamos a ver un Museo de Cera, uno de los Museos de Cera más importantes del mundo, "el Museo de Cera de Madame Tussaud" en Londres y miraremos a Star Wars.


Information from Speak Up magazine

STAR WARS AT TUSSAUDS  /  AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE.

May the force be with you! This is because a galactic adventure has landed in London.  An exhibition at Madame Tussauds is an absolute must for "Star Wars fans".  This multi-million pound attraction showcases some of the most famous scenes and characters from the iconic movie series (particularly episodes I-IV)

The attraction was created in collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm.  A team of 180 sculptors, hair artists and colourists worked intensively over the course of a year.  The result is an entertaining interactive experience featuring authentic walk-in sets and 16 of the famous heroes and villains in exact wax replicas.  Visitors can pose for selfies with all of them, from the tiny Yoda in his swampy home, to the Wookiee giant Chewbacca.

The phenomenal success of the Star Wars  film series with the most recent edition, has inspired this permanent Star War exhibit.

Madame Tussauds is famous for its amazingly life-like wax figures so it was a challenge for the museum to create all the intricate details that the fans know and love about Star Wars.  The Chewbacca, for instance, was recreated with real yak hair and all those hairs are individually inserted so it took a team of six over a thousand hours to complete that figure.

The scenery is also impressive because everything is absolutely accurate at Madame Tussauds so they are the exact size that those people were in the movie, hair, eye colour, skin colour, obviously from Yoda, he's not human, so  h'es like a little three-foot tall creature.  Everything is absolutely authentic to the movies, so you'll feel like you're being immersed into those scenes.

The attraction isn't only a feast for the eyes because one of the most amazing things is the sound. They've got all the original scores from the movies and those iconic soundtracks that people know so when you enter the attraction, you're in the Duel of Fates' scene.  There's a double-height fibre optic tower that represents the large plasma, pulsing electricity cylinders. You can sit in the Cantina Bar and you get the very famous Cantina Bar music in there, there's fog effects, mist effects, there's smells in Dagobah...
In Jabba's Palace, the floor vibrates and the pattern on there is an exact replica of the one used in the movie.

THE DUEL OF THE FATES

The "Star Wars Madame Tussauds" attraction covers two floors with 11 separate sets.  The largest replicate is the epic lighsaber battle involving Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Wader (the Duel of the Fates)


THE FRENCH CONNECTION

The Star Wars exhibit was launched last May. It was an interesting addition to a collection that has been entertaining Londoners since the early 19th century.  Marie Tussaud began making wax models of the decapitated heads of victims of the French Revolution.  She later took these models on tour around Europe and ended up in London, where she opened a museum (in Baker Street)  in 1835.  The emphasis gradually shifted to celebrities.  Today the nine themed areas include "Party" (with, for example, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney and Brad Pitt), "Film" (with Terminator Arnold Schwarzeneger, among others)  and "Royals" (Her Majesty Queen Elizabethh II, of course).

ONLINE

Madame Tussauds has been on Marylebone Road for over 100 years.  It's just a few minutes walk from the Baker Street Underground station.

Entry to Star Wars at Madame Tussauds is included in the main admission price.

You can book online, too : www.madametussauds.com/london 


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VOCABULARY

-TO SHOWCASE:  exhibir.
-HAIR ARTIST: peluquero.
-WAX: cera.
-SWAMPY: pantanoso.
-ADDITION: incorporación.
-TO SHIFT: cambiar, desplazar.
-TO OVERCOME: superar.
-LIFE-LIKE WAX FIGRE: figura de cera realista.
-SCORE: partitura.
-SOUNDTRACK: banda sonora.
-FOG EFFECTS: efectos de niebla.
-MIST: neblina.

                                  ****************************************

HAVE A NICE DAY MY FRIENDS!

SEE YOU  IN LONDON   AT MADAME TUSSAUDS!!!

THE LEGO EMPIRE / EL IMPERIO "LEGO"

Hi my dear friends, I'm here again  to speak about "Lego", the Lego empire and Lego bricks.  A lot of people are fond of these little bricks and constructions, so let's know more about them!


Hola mis queridos amigos, aquí estoy otra vez  para hablar de "Lego", del Imperio de Lego y de las piezas de lego.  Mucha gente es aficionada a estas pequeñas piezas y construcciones así que ¡sepamos más sobre ellas!

THE LEGO EMPIRE  /  BUILDING A BRAND

Information from:  Speak Up magazine.


The simple ideas are often the most successful.  Take one Lego brick and then another and another.  Build a house. Take it apart.  Then build a car. Or an airplane. Or a robot. The possibilities are endless! Lego has been one of the most popular toys since it was invented more than 50 years ago. And it's been revived in recent years.  According to the analysts Brand Finance, it is now the world's most powerful brand. This year it replaced Ferrari at the top of the list.

PLAYWELL

A carpenter called Ole Kirk Christiansen started making wooden toys in Billund, Denmark in the 1930s.  He called his new company "LEGO", the name comes from the Danish phrase "leg godt", meaning "play well".  Later, Christiansen made plastic toys. And in 1949, he invented the first version of Lego. Since then, the Lego Group has produced around 560 billion Lego pieces, including minifigures and accessories.  It produces Lego sets with a variety of themes. These include cities, space, robots, pirates, trains, castles and dinosaurs. It also has special sets for babies  and older children. One of the largest Lego sets ever commercially produces is fo the Star Wars Millenium Falcon spacecraft. It has more than 5,000 pieces.

AN EMPIRE

The Lego Group also produces board games, video games, books and films.  It has six amusement parks, eight Legoland Discovery Centres and 90 shops around the world. In 2014, Warner Bros released "The Lego Movie", about a Lego minifigure who has to save the universe.  The movie was an enormous success and a sequel is planned for 2018.

TALLEST AND BIGGEST

In June 2015, people in Italy broke a world record.  They built the tallest Lego structure ever -a tower 35 metres tall- using more than half a million bricks.  About 18,000 people built the tower in five days, and 50,000 spectators saw it. The biggest Lego model ever was of a Star Wars X-Wing craft.  It was made from more than five million bricks in New York in 2013.

The biggest Lego model ship is a replica of the magnificent ocean liner the Queen Mary.  It is around eight metres long and has more than 250,000 bricks. This summer, it was transported to the real Queen Mary in Long Beach, California and is there indefinitely.  So go to see it if you can, or get your own Lego bricks and start building. The sky is the limit!!!

                                          ***********************************


VOCABULARY

-TO TAKE APART: desmontar.
-ENDLESS: infinito.
-TO REVIVE: recuperar.
-BRAND: marca.
-SET: juego.
-SPACECRAFT: nave espacial.
-BOARD GAME: juego de mesa.
-AMUSEMENT PARK: parque de atracciones.
-TO RELEASE: lanzar, distribuir.,
-OCEAN LINER: transatlántico.

**ARE YOU FOND OF LEGO CONSTRUCTIONS???


HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

SEE YOU!!!