RUMBO ESTE

A good friend of mine, a traveller and a teacher, is daydreaming on a trip all over Eastern Europe and is writing a fantastic blog I recommend everybody:

http://rumbo-este.blogspot.com.es

Good luck on your trip!

Also 2 good friends are writing another travelling blog:

http://viajesybuenosratos.blogspot.com.es/

Good job!

AUTUMN (Br. English) / FALL (Am. English)

Summer is my favourite season  although many people like Autumn. Well, it is a romantic time, the country looks beautiful, there are mushrooms, pines, acorns and leaves on the ground that crack when you walk on them. The  leaves of the trees get a bunch of warm colours yellow, orange, red and brown.

Many years ago I got a SCHOLARSHIP as a TEACHING ASSISTANT at a University in the US. I had finished my DEGREE in English Philology and I had the unforgettable expirience to work and live in the most beautiful area of the States in FALL: New England. There the colours of the trees range from light yellow to bright red even orange, pink and golden brown. The forests shine as if they were on fire. It is a phenomenon called the INDIAN SUMMER which is probably unique in the world. I worked at Williams College, Massachusetts, a quiet town surrounded by colorful mountains with a smell of wet wood that comes to my senses every Fall season wherever I am.

Here are some photos of that Fall in 1993.

 But there are also beautiful Autumn scenes in Spain, too. Enjoy the season!

San Pedro de Rocas, Galicia, 2003

Soria, 2001

BOSTON

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

I lived in the US for one year. I got a scholarship at William College as a Teaching Assistant for Spanish. Williamstown is a beautiful university town in the middle of the purple mountains in Massachusetts. The capital of this state is Boston, which is said tio be the most European America city. I agree with that: The only skyscraper is the Hancock Tower, there are lovely residential areas like Beacon Hill There are many places of interest such as the Prudential Centre, which is a meeting point for Bostonians and tourists, the Boston Common, a peaceful park in the middle of the city full of squirrels, the romantic port where Europians arrived in the country to fulfill their American dream, the bay, impressive brigdes to cross the river Charles or the river Mystic, the famous bar Cheers. Boston is a very warm and cosy city. It's not the cold American city one can think of. The River Charles separates Boston from Cambridge, where Harvard University is set. Cambridge means to me peace and wisdom. There are beautiful buildings on green fields with trees full of colourful leaves and students going to and fro on their bikes or walking. The most intelligent brains of the States study at IT in Cambridge.

I can't believe what is going on there these days. People running a marathon were killed in front of their own children, a child died waiting for his father's end of the race, a policeman was shot in Cambridge... What the hell is happening in our world? Do the squirrels know how wild humans are?

Boston

Cambridge

BRAVE

I saw the film Brave the other day. Disney is always amazing, really. In the film you can see a nice portrait of the landscape, customs & magic of Scotland, one of the best places in the world. The music is fantastic. Celtic tunes with pipes, fiddles, lutes and other instruments. There is an example here: Learn me Right (Birdy & The Mumford & Sons)

PROYECTO: 6. GLENDALOUGH AND CLONMACNOISE

ACTIVITY FOR MY CONVERSATION GROUP

Describing a place before and now.

You are going to watch and listen to a video about Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, two medieval monasteries in Ireland. It deals with the history of these magnificent monuments. In the past the monks lived there. Now they are beautiful ruins visited by thousands of tourists. The background of both monasteries is impressive: green fields and mountains, waterfalls, lakes, rivers. Nature is all around. Enjoy the video and then answer to the following questions:

1. In which part of Ireland are the two monasteries located?
2. What is the most important element of their architecture?
3. Who was the founder of Glendalough?
4. What did the founder of Clonmacnoise see in a vision?
5. What is the meaning og Glendalough?
6. Did you like the monasteries and the settings? Why?
7. Why do artists usually go to these places?

HESKETH FARM PARK

For children, travellers and ACCESO students (You must read a lot!)
Please, have a look at this link. We were in this farm last Summer. Sergio said it was better than Disney (& cheaper, I tell you!- I should have known this before!)
It is a lovely farm park in one of the most beautiful places in England: Yorkshire. It's next to Boltom Abbey.We also went to the Lake District, which is beautiful, too. You can look for information about these places in Google...in English, of course. I'll insert photos and videos soon...I'm learning.
Hesketh Farm Park:
http://www.heskethfarmpark.co.uk/Hesketh_Farm_Park/Hesketh_Farm_Park_-_Home.html

LOOKING FOR INFORMATION: TRAVELLING

TRAVELLING ON LINE
ACTIVITY FOR MY CONVERSATION GROUP
We have worked about travelling and tourism during the first term. You know that Tuscany is my favourite place in the world. Read about Tuscany in this page: http://www.discovertuscany.com/ and bring a summary to the class next Monday 20th February writing briefly about:

1. Tuscany's history
2. Towns to visit
3. Places to stay
4. Restaurants
5. The landscape
6. Typical meals and drinks in the area

Thanks and enjoy it
ANA