nonsense!

While I’ve been to the Bay area several times (most of them on Mountain View), I had  never properly visited the city. While the weather wasn’t the best (it was like Seattle, which is bad when you’re on vacation!), I really enjoyed doing all the touristy stuff in the city.  The city is quite beautiful and very picturesque.

One thing I really dig about the city is how bike-oriented it is. From my experience, it seems like a lot of people move around San Francisco in a bike, which rocks (even with all those hills). Also, people dress really sharp, especially in down town.

           

Click here to download:

4th_of_July_weekend_in_San_Fra.zip (5141 KB)

Pics: Wells-Fargo in downtown / Yerba buena garden / 'Quantic Man' in SFMOMA / Street car / Pier 39 / Golden gate bridge

- Ramiro

* There’s no such thing, but sure sounds cool ;)

Yesterday, my step-sister was pregnant; today, a brand-new girl came to live.

Albeit it being the one of the most common events on the planet,  I still can’t wrap my head around it. This is for sure an awesome moment, in the literal sense of the word.

- Ramiro

PS: She’ll be getting this book as a birthday present. Check out the video, is really cool.

Victoria is a really cool and relaxed city (something that seems to be shared by every island-city I’ve ever been to, something in the air maybe?), with a great park in the middle of the city (Beacon Hill), and a downtown perfect for an afternoon stroll (which includes Canada’s oldest Chinatown).  In general is a very lovely city, perfect for ditching the car and walking (or biking) around.

           

Click here to download:

memorial-weekend-on-victoria-bc-jwcJfzaFxlEusfkpuDqv.zip (21226 KB)

- Ramiro

PS: Parking near the ferry terminal in downtown for two days was cheaper than taking a cab. The ferry company has a great deal ($10 per day) with the parking lot in the corner of Wall St. and Alaskan Way. 

For the past few days I've found myself mentally repeating a couple of lines from Quevedo's 'Salmo XVII' disturbingly often (at least is not Lady Gaga, right?). The Salmo is one of my favorite poems, one which I vaguely remember having to memorize in one of my junior high classes. I've always like the sonority of it as well as the images it produces, albeit it's very dark subject, the dreading sense of the looming death.

Anyways, I've decided to share the poem here, in an attempt to exorcise it from my mind. I'm putting the Spanish version and below (couldn't make the two columns look good)  a very crude translation  (my own) for all of you who don’t speak Spanish. Hopefully you can get a sense of why I like it so much.

Salmo XVII

Miré los muros de la patria mía,
si un tiempo fuertes, ya desmoronados, 
de la carrera de la edad cansados, 
por quien caduca ya su valentía. 
 
Salíme al campo; vi que el sol bebía 
los arroyos del yelo desatados, 
y del monte quejosos los ganados, 
que con sombras hurtó su luz al día. 
 
Entré en mi casa; vi que, amancillada, 
de anciana habitación era despojos; 
mi báculo, más corvo y menos fuerte. 
 
Vencida de la edad sentí mi espada, 
y no hallé cosa en que poner los ojos 
que no fuese recuerdo de la muerte. 

  Franciso de Quevedo

English translation:

I watched the walls of my country,
at one time strong, now decayed,
tired by time’s race
for whom they bravery now fades.
 
I went to fields; watched the sun drink
the brooks freed from the ice,
and from the mountain the cattle lamenting,
which with shadows stole the light from the day.
 
I walked upon my house; saw that, stained,
it was now ruins of an ancient room;
my walking stick, more bowed and weaker.
 
Defeated from age I felt my sword,
and I couldn’t lay my gaze upon nothing
that wasn’t a reminder of death.

Hope you like it!
Ramiro