Fiestas... Chicos y chicas... ¡Nos gusta! ;)

What would be a party, a trip, or simply an evening walk without a good friend?! We want to share some pictures of dear people to us - some of them who have visited us here, in Madrid, and the others - whom we met only in Spain! ¡Viva la fiesta! :]



Kas gan būtu pasākums, ceļojums vai vienkārši - vakara pastaiga bez laba drauga?! Mēs vēlamies padalīties ar bildēm, kur ir redzami gan tie mīļie, kas mūs jau ir apciemojuši Madridē, gan arī mūsu jauniegūtie draugi! :)

Snap Shots

Introducing Snap Shots from Snap.com

I just installed a nice little tool on this site called Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site, interactive excerpts of Wikipedia articles, MySpace profiles, IMDb profiles and Amazon products, display inline videos, RSS, MP3s, photos, stock charts and more.

Sometimes Snap Shots bring you the information you need, without your having to leave the site, while other times it lets you "look ahead," before deciding if you want to follow a link or not.

Should you decide this is not for you, just click the Options icon in the upper right corner of the Snap Shot and opt-out.

Uus abimees blogis - Snap Shots

Snap.com on teinud mõnusa abivahendi, mida nüüd saab kasutada ka meie blogi lugeja. Snap Shots vähendab linkidega mässamist, kuna siitsamalt lehelt näed eelvaateid nii leheküljest, millele vastav link viitab, paljudest Wikipedia artiklitest, MySpace profiilidest, IMDb filmitutvustustest ja Amazoni toodetest; samuti saab otse Snap Shot aknakesest näha videosid, RSS uudiseid, kuulata MP3 muusikafaile, vaadata pilte, aktsiahindu ja palju muud.

Snap Shots võib sulle vajamineva info sulle kiiremini kätte tuua - ilma juba avatud veebilehelt lahkumata -, teine kord jällegi aitab otsustada, kas soovid lingile klikata ja uuele saidile liikuda.

Kui sulle tundub, et Snap Shots pole sinu silmadele mõeldud, klikka Snap Shoti eelvaateakna ülemises paremas nurgas olevat nuppu Options ja tühista Snap Shots akende näitamine siin lehel.

Sunday, bloody Sunday - VIDEO of traffic light people

The weird title? Ah yes, our Sunday wasn't THAT bad actually - it's just borrowed from the oldish but still unforgettable U2 song (Sunday Bloody Sunday). And if you haven't yet listened to it, then better do it ASAP, because it's one of the best songs out there ;) And talking about the best things out there - you just have to SEE OUR VIDEO (link below) - "Pedestrians in Avila" :-D

Now to the point - last Sunday we (me, Kristīne, Ilze, Witek) rented a small matchbox of a car and made a 372,8km tour around the region to the west of Madrid. Ávila and Talavera de la Reina were the names of the 2 cities we visited. The first one is probably famous because of its city walls that go around the central part of it, and if you pay some euros you can even walk on top of those walls a bit. The second, Talavera, also had city walls, but not as impressive. As we walked around the historic center, we also saw a strangely curved bridge (kind of goes straight, then has a turn to the right, then a turn to the left... we got lost in the dark and didn't manage to cross the river); the local lovers' square (2 couples spending their evening time next to a cathedral or smth); open-air toilets (sorry for the indecent misuse of one empty construction site), etc...

As you probably can feel from above, the cities were not the backbone of the excursion for me :) The main attraction of the trip was the cool people, the curvy up-and-down mountain roads, the lunch next to a river, and the driving into the sunset while listening to Estonian and Latvian music!!

Although the cities weren't my favourites, we still have VERY funny memories from Ávila, for example. CLICK ON THE LINK TO CHECK OUT THE VIDEO OF THE "Traffic light people"!

The 4 good citizens - Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody

An important job had to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

~London~

Pagājušās nedēļas nogalē (10.-13.nov) mēs ar Eiko bijām vienā no fantastiskākajām Eiropas galvaspilsētām – Londonā!
Mēs veicām nelielu ceļojumu no Vestminsteres katedrāles līdz pat Tower Bridge, pa ceļam apskatot Vestminsteres abatiju, Big Ben un parlamentu, London Bridge, kā arī ielu muzikantus, skrituļotājus, nesteidzīgos tūristus un vietējos...
Palikām pie Pauliusa, kas ir beidzis SSE un tagad strādā Canary Wharf (iespaidīgā finanšu augstceltņu rajonā). Man noveicās, jo svētdien, kamēr puse no mums strādāja (un te es domāju – Eiko), ar Pauliusu aizstaigājām līdz Grīnvičai un redzējām arī aitas, kas ir viens no angļu lepnumiem... ;)
Check-in lidostās gan te ir dikti nepatīkama procedūra. Manas somas saturu pilnīgi iztukšoja un pārbrauca vairākas reizes ar nepazīstama rakstura priekšmetu. Pats labākais, ka man pajautāja, vai es nepārvedot asus priekšmetus, uz ko skaidri un gaiši atbildēju, ka – nē! Bet tikai Madridē, izkravājot mantas, pamanīju, ka no brāļa Kārlēna skolas laikiem somā saglabājušās tādas lietas, kā lineāls-trijstūris un salauzts transportieris, kas abi ir pietiekami asām malām... ;)

Mist-Market - a shopping trip to Eastern Europe :)

You'd think that you can't get things like that in Madrid:
- real russian salted/marinated cucumbers
- sourcream
- sprottes
- cottage cheese
- keefir/kefiirs/kefyras
- ukrainian juices
- Laima assorted chocolates
- etc
- etc

BUT YOU CAN!
Just go to the Atocha railway station, get out towards the south and up the hill on the taxi-lane, cross the street, and there you have it - MIST-MARKET!
It's a wonderful shop when you miss the things you can't live without back home :) More expensive, though, but still tastes good.

But I'm afraid they still didn't have cereals for cooking porridge. I had it brought from the Baltics each time we had a visitor... And luckily we had just enough to have an oatmeal porridge almost every morning! :)

Best of the Best 2007 ! !

EE: Siin on üks mõnus pildiseeria, kliki ja testi, kõik pildid peaksid järjest jooksma. Kui tahad 1 pilti kauem vaadata, kliki pausinupule ja liigu eelmisele-järgmisele pildile, klikates noolenuppudele.
EN: Below is the slideshow, just click and test, all the photos should just circle after one another. If you want to look at 1 photo longer, click the pause-button and move to previous/next photos, clicking on the arrow buttons. Sorry, comments only in Estonian at the moment - but you can skype me and hear the english comments :)
LV: Apakšā ir bilžu galerija, uzklikšķini un pārbaudi - visām bildēm būtu jābūt apskatāmām. Ja vēlies kādu bildi apskatīties ilgāk, nospied pauzi un turpini slideshow ar bultiņu palīdzību. Komentāri - diemžēl tikai igauniski, jo tā ir Eiko šīgada retrospekcija. Interesentus lūdzam atstāt komentārus ar lūgumu/vēlmi redzēt arī citas šīgada bildes, kas mums ir (un to nav maz!) un varbūt, ka tieši kādā no tām, esi redzams/a arī TU! ;)


http://picasaweb.google.com/eiko.kivisik/BestOfTheBest2007
EN: Click to see the web album, and to download.
EE: Klikka piltide lähemalt vaatamiseks ja allalaadimiseks.
LV: Uzklikšķini šeit, lai apskatītu galeriju un saglabātu kādu bildi sev uz datora ekrāna! ;)

Presentaciones

Te ir neliels ieskats tajā, kā mēs prezentējām savas valstis!
Nii me tutvustasimegi oma kodumaid!

Svarīgākais bildē: karogi (banderas), pelēkie zirņi un kartupeļi, kā arī lietuviešu meitenes ;) Āāā, un trešajā bildē esam redzami ar meiču no Polijas, kā arī ar diviem simpātiskiem jauniešiem no Spānijas (Carlos - ESN prezidents) un Francijas (Marion).
Kõige tähtsamad detailid, mida märgata: lipud (banderas), hallid herned, kartulid, leedu tüdrukud ;) Ahjaa, kolmandal pildil võid näha ka poola tüdrukut (valge jakiga), ning pilti raamib armas Prantsuse-Hispaania paarike. Kutt on Carlos, ESN (Erasmus Student Network meie koolis) president, tüdruk Marion (eelmise aasta vahetustudeng Madriidis - siis armuski Hispaaniasse ja hispaanlasse :)

Here you can see how we presented our countries! You should notice in the pictures: the flags (banderas), the grey peas and potatoes, as well as the lithuanian girls ;) And, yes, in the third photo you can see us with a girl from Poland, as well as with two people who took a great care of us - Carlos (Mr. President from ESN (Erasmus Student Network)) and his chica Marion from France.

Vasta kohe! Answer now! Atbildi tagad!

English - you understand all the answer options to the poll question about the Schengen area - pick your answer(s) now ;)

Uus päevakajaline küsitlus blogiserval!! Et keelebarjäärid ei segaks arvamuse avaldamist, siis väike juhend eestikeelsetele:

Küsimus: Kuidas mõjutab Sinu elu 21.detsember ja "Schengeni värk"?
-Loomulikult reisin rohkem passi näitamata!
-Reisin rohkem, kuid alles pärast 30.märtsi 2008 - siis kaotatakse ju passikontroll ka sadamates ja lennujaamades.
-Nooh, ma pole pärit Baltikumist (ega teistest tsooniga ühinevatest riikidest), seega ei plaani ma oma reisiharjumuste muutmist.
-Kesse krt on Schengen??!!
-Nojah, uudis iseenesest kena, aga ma pole eriti reisifänn, seega ei muutu midagi.
-Pärast 21.dets reisin vähem - mulle ei meeldi, et liikmesriigid jagavad omavahel reisijate infot.
-Schengen - see on mu lemmikkokteil!! Aga kas selle segamiseks mitte Havana rummi vaja ei lähe...
-Olen Hongkongis, neid eriti ei koti Schengen siin.

Valida võib ka rohkem kui 1 variandi.

Mūsu "mazais" dzīvoklītis. Our "small" flat. Meie "väike" korter.

Mūsu mazajā dzīvoklītī dzīvo 12 cilvēki - vakar saskaitījām! :D
Te ir visas pasaules kokteilis - pārsvarā puiši :) venecuēlietis, polis, peruānis, 2 krievi, 2 itāļi, 3 rumāņi + 2 traki Baltijas iedzīvotāji :P

Our home here, in Madrid, is like a coctail of the world countries. Yesterday we counted that in total here live 12 people - mainly guys :) from Venezuela, Poland, Peru, Russia, Italia, Rumania, and, of course, the crazy people from the Baltic countries :P

Aruanne meie korterist - seisuga 05.11.2007 :)
Paras rahvaste paabel:

• 1 eestlane (Eiko)
• 1 lätlane (Kristine)
• 1 venetsueela kutt
  
• 1 rumeenia lahke mammi ja 2 poolnoort veel sealtsamast, paaris omavahel
• 2 vene meest, mitte retsid, vaid ehitustöölised. 1 neist on prillidega.
• 2 itaalia noormeest
• 1 poola kutt, Erasmuse vahetustudeng, nagu meiegi
• 1 peruu mees, ka ehitusel tööl, väga muhe

Jah, kokku 12... Aga uskumatult rahulik selle kohta - kõik on nagu hotellis oma toas, viisakad-sõbralikud-tublid. Ainult et üks ei viitsi praegu nõusid pesta, kahtlusaluste ülekuulamine kestab, nõudevirn kasvab... Kahtlustame uut poissi (itaalia).
Ahjaa, Katani asustajaid elab siin ka parasjagu - aga need on enamjaolt oma lauamängukarbis :-P

..eesti keeles - kes veel pole märganud:

....blogi alaossa, paljude värviliste piltide vahele tekkis hiljuti eestikeelne reisikiri Granada-Malaga-Gibraltar. Mälestusi ja muhelusi parasjagu ;) Ühesõnaga vajuta nuppu "print", seejärel lülita ennast lõõgastusrežiimi ja monitor puhkerežiimi ja ampsa elamusi...

jah, veel uudiseid - mõned tunnid tagasi saabusime Sevilla ja Cordoba reisilt - selle kohta siis näete siin ka varsti pilte-jutustusi. Praegu ainult niipalju, et OLI VÄGEV!

Head uudised - good news - labi jaunumi

Esimene kysitlusvoor lõppes täna hommikul, ja tulemusi vaadates on puhas rõõm tõdeda, et mitte keegi vastajatest pole veel Madriidi metroos ära eksinud! :) (meeldetuletuseks, et küsimusele "Millal tuled meile Madriidi külla?" vastamiseks olid variandid:
- Juba piletid olemas;
- Igal juhul jõuan enne uut aastat;
- Üritasin tulla, aga eksisin metroos ära (0);
- Kardan, et ei õnnestu tulla.. ehk järgmine kord?
- Ma ei suuda otsustada jaanuari ja veebruari vahel
Allpool (või kuskil teksti kõrval) ka graafiline ülevaade :)


The first poll in our blog finished this morning, and, looking at the results, we are happy to see that none of the respondents have yet gotten lost in the Madrid subway system! :)
(to remind you, the question "When will you visit us?" had the following answering choices:
- I already have my tickets;
- Definitely before the new year;
- I tried to come, but got lost in the subway (0);
- I am afraid I won't manage.. maybe next time?
- I can't decide between January and February..
For the little statistics-addicts, there is also a graph somewhere around this text :)