Thursday, September 17, 2009

Joaquin Cortes-The King of Flamenco








On September 14th a friend and I went o Kallimarmaro Stadium to watch the last performance of the ultimate king of Flamenco,Joaquin Cortes. To be honest, I wasn't so sure I'd appreciate Flamengo dancing but I was happily surprised.



The performance began at 9:45 due to late arrival of some ticket-holders as usual. In the beginning, he performed traditional flamenco dances accompanied by 16 musicians. His graceful movement, the expressiveness of his face and body mesmerised us. He also had 10 female dancers who performed with him. They seemed to flow across the stage beautifully.



Unfortunately, some people didn't appreciate the performance and began leaving the stadium but they missed out because he was amazing. We moved closer to the stage as he spoke to the crowd in his sexy Spanish accent,thanking us for coming to his farewell performance. All of a sudden he jumped off the stage and began running across the Stadium and up the stairs. The audience went wild, hugging and kissing him. Upon reaching the stage he began dancing with such vibrance and passion that all the women were screaming like groupies;-)(ME included)

The man looks amazing for a 40-year-old. I love the new look with the shorter hair and trimmed moustache. If this tour comes out on DVD I will defintely get it.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

No need for words.


The power and beauty of nature- a Celestial butterfly.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

I think I'm more of a spring person

According to a quizz:

You Are a Summer Person
You are energetic, outgoing, and active.You love to be out and about... hanging out with friends or getting things done.Summer is the perfect time for you to be as hyper as you want to be.In fact, during the rest of the year you feel half-asleep!

It is true that I feel half-asleep during the autumn and winter but I love the spring for some reason. I enjoy being able to enjoy a nice long walk in the sun without feeling hot. I love the smell of freshly cut grass and the blossoming of the trees even though I sneeze. I believe Nature is at her most vivid and vibrance at that time.The sky seems bluer, the foliage greener and the flowers brighter.

Florence-The flower of Italy



The second big stop in my journey was Florence. It is a breath-taking city surrounded by magnificent architecture and unbelievable masterpieces.I could have easily lived there for a year just taking in the sights and admiring the art. I was overwhelmed at the beauty of the paintings in the Uffizi gallery and wondered how these great painters managed to create something so divine. It was a very spiritual experience which I will forever cherish.


This is one of the paintings which I thought was amazing.It's from a postcard though since we were allowed to take photos in the gallery. Magnificent artists such as Botticelli, Lippi,Raphael to name but a few can be found in this gallery.
Florence is a must if you are planning a trip to Italy especially if you like art and architecture. Besides this, the city has a lot to offer. Lovely cafes and restaurants,nightlife, fantastic street performers from all over the world and very friendly people.Let's not forget it's also a great place to shop;-)

Roman Holiday






This summer, I decided to visit Italy for my summer holidays. I have always wanted to go as I have been intrigued by its vast history and culture. My first stop was Rome which was amazing. I fell in love with the historical centre and I could almost feel myself going back in time(if it weren't for all the tourists). I couldn't believe how well-maintained their historical sights were. Each piazza (square)had something new and amazing to see. No matter where you looked,you'd see sth of interest. I was mesperized by the beauty and craftmanship of their churches. Just sitting in them you feel a sense of serenity and peace.



The city at night was rich with a spicy aroma of savoury dishes. Unfortunately it was quite hot and sticky and we didn't have much of an appetite except for refreshing gelato;-) We walked along the Tiber river which runs in the middle of the city. During August small kiosks and bars are set up so that the Romans who are unable to leave the city and enjoy their evenings. It was a great opportunity to meet and get to see the Roman lifestyle.
The Trevi fountain was one of my favourite sights. It is said that if you throw a coin into a fountain and make a wish then it will come true and you will return to this place with the one you love. There were hundreds of people there and it was very difficult to take a good picture.

I can't say that I was all that enthusiastic about the cuisine though. We didn't really eat out that much as it was quite hot and we were never in the mood. We tried to find tradional restaurants to eat at but I have to say that my pizza is better;-)

On a whole,it was an amazing experience and I would like to go there again one day.