2 days to go

It is nearly Easter. Which means Semana Santa in Spain... or rather in Sevilla. I already noticed it yesterday when I had a wonderful 45 min. bus ride in a crowded bus. Sweating like a nutter, carrying my notebook and a huuuge bag. So Semana Santa tourism started.. And we don't talk about a few busses.. We talk about an increase in population of 1.000.000 people. Wowi! All the brass bands are already rehearsing for weeks along the river, trying to march synchronized. The costaleros (carrying about 60 kg each on their neck) had their rehearsals and even andi and me get informed. Got this free booklet which contains all the 59 processions which take place in the city. Starting this Sunday till next Sunday. And now it comes.. Each of the processions have their "crowd". The band, the "penitente" (sinners carrying wooden crosses), the "ciriales" (church members dressed like priests carrying silver staffs with candles) and the "nazarenos" (the white guys in the picture).

BUT the nazarenos are not 10, 50 or 100 per procession.. no! starting with 400 and ending with incredible 3000 of them escorting the Virgen de la Macarena from Thursday 0:30 till Friday 12:00 a.m. OVER 12 HOURS of carrying a 2500 kg Virgin Mary through the narrow streets of Sevilla. Followed by 3500 members of the church. So probably you can see that we get a bit scared there... Will be a weird feeling seeing each night about 6600 of these cone shaped hoods marching through the town. Some of them not allowed to speak.. the smell of incense, the sound of the mourning music... Hell, that's exciting!

Wood

I like it, when the white bark shows through the wood.

msn at night in Sevilla

i think it's worth blogging it. As it was a long time ago. Sorry, german austrian only.

andi sagt:
ich brauch ein buch
andi sagt:
ich glaub ich muss wieda mal ein ganzes buch lesen
andi sagt:
hast du ans für mi?
andi sagt:
a deitsches?
simone sagt:
ähm.. ja alexis sorbas
simone sagt:
hihihi
andi sagt:
pfäh
simone sagt:
müsste eigentlich gut sein
simone sagt:
heeeeeeeeeee
simone sagt:
Griechen mit tschick und meer
simone sagt:
wos wüst

The day I fed Pitt, Pat, Polly, Pia, Pero, Peggy, Pelle, Pan, Pelin and Prince

The Whitsundays is an island group offshore of the Queenslandic East Coast. One of the islands has a beautiful beach called Whitehaven Beach. The sea is blue and the beach is bright white and fine as flour ... but really, I want you to pay attention to my brand new swimming suit, in matching colour to the stunning nature that surrounded me.
I stayed overnight on one of the islands and in the morning, while I was having breakfast, dozens of bright coloured birdies were chatting away in the trees. They sat in the trees until I threw the first breadcrumb (hehe) and suddenly they all came down and started to eat my toast. Now I know, I know: Feeding wild animals is pfui, pfui, pfui! But I couldn't help it.
And besides, nature punished me for that anyways, cos that afternoon, I was bitten by a goldfish. A big goldfish. While snorkeling in a reef, I swam too close to a boat where they were feeding the fish (with toast). And one of the little bastards thought that a whole in my stinger suit - showing my white skin - was a piece of bread and bit me. Well, nature is a flowing cycle of life and the motto is: "Bite or be bitten, or stay away."

naughty Koala

In Noosa I saw a Koala in the National Park and he was waving at me. He stared at me for a couple of minutes before he slowly started to raise his hand. Very slowly he pointed in my direction and looked at me. I said hi and asked him how his day was. Obviously it hasn't been very good so far, because he ignored my question, grabbed a leaf and started to smell it.
But I like Koalas, they are cute little animals. The always have good breath from eating Eukalyptus all day. They are always relaxed, which makes them true Australians and - how interesting - they like to give head.

In times of need: Bas Rutten

While traveling through Australia, I was mostly on my own. Although we all know that I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself, there were a few moments when I wished for someone bigger than me to take care.
Because one day, in a beautiful but dodgy national park near by, I had a strange encounter with a barefeet guy who followed me from the nudist beach through the brushes all the way to Rainbow beach. At first I didn't feel very safe, but then I remembered what I learned from Bas.
So I turned around and said:"I'm sorry!" and I saw a window (and if there's a window, you can through someone out) and I threw him out and I said: "I'm sorry? NO I'M NOT!!"

What about Sydney?

After 378 hours on the plane, and a 20min. stop in Kuala Lumpur, I finally arrived in Sydney!
#1: Having a jet lag really sucks, exept for when the sunrise at 5 in the morning is exceptionally beautiful.
#2: It's easier to change a continent than a bad habbit. Me, posing with rabbit teeth in Darling harbour.
#3: One of the really cool things about Sydney is the contrast between a bustling city and the huge calm harbour.
#4: Except in the financial district, most buidlings are very low built. And don't they look oh-soo-cute!
#5: Sydney is a very green city, with lots of trees in the streets but there're also a lot of animals roaming the area. (I'll write more about that later)
#6: It seems that the Sydnese (inhabitants of Sydney?) aren't very creative when it comes to giving names. Everything's called after places in London (like Hyde Park, King's Cross, Oxford Street) or they used the (crazy) aboriginal names (like Woollahra, Tamarama or Woolloomooloo).
#7: And anywhere you are, there's a good chance to get a view of the Opera house, the Harbour bridge or something else that's pretty.
#8: Uuh, everything looks so not European!
#9: Original Australians by the beach. Notice the caps and shades! While I was traveling I saw the most ridiculous sunburns ever amongst my fellow tourists; Like tomato-red faces or dark red feet (yes, they burn). But I wasn't much better, cos I managed to burn my boobs in two big stripes (Now, how did I do that ;)

starting australia

starting australia
Originally uploaded by martina melitta.

This was my first hostel in Australia and on this picture one can study the peculiarities of a backpacker:
The bunk beds, here in classic blue, are found in every hostel. The mattrasses and constructions vary from thin and shaky to thick and shaky. Next to the bed are my flip flops a.k.a. thongs (!) The backpack is resting casually next to my bed and right next to the chair, the two things very dear to a budget traveler; Plastic bags and plastic bottles. The nomads praide themselves for knowing 200 different words for sand - I praide myself for being able to predict the half-life period of plastic bags, which doesn't sound very exciting. But anyone who's ever tried to gather squashed banana from his bag while on the bus after a 12 hours drive might reconsider his opinion. And to all others; eat carrots!

a new addiction

one of the chicas currently residenting in Madrid saved my day and pushed me into StudiVZ which made me laugh for hours and hours. I found freaks from my old school, BWZ colleagues, people I made out with a loooong time ago.... It's like Xing, Facebook, myspace and any other Web2.0 community thing, only better. why? Because I found this picture of Schorsch, Franzi and their classmate in it with the very appropriate and freely translated title "some can't keep up with the second week of final exam vacations":

Back to Life - Back to Reality

Blue is the new trend colour this summer and this is exactly how I'm feeling today. The positive thing is that I finally got released from hospital after having laparoscopic surgery on my kidney. It was like that, except for my tummy being more brown cos I've been on holiday before the operation. The negative thing is that winter is back in Austria. Not the nice'n'cosy Snowflakes-are-falling-on-my-head winter, but the cold and grey freeezin'my-ass-off weather condition.
And in order to lift up the mood, I'll start telling stories about my fab holiday tomorrow. Australia - The continent that's like paradise, except for that everything there tries to kill you in an instant. They're not waiting for the apple to ripe!

uno más?

Hi. Back in Sevilla after another superbe weekend in Isla Cristina. Staying at our friend's place, hanging out with our friend Miguel at "Casino" and always being confronted with a lot of party relaxation. Friday the "one beer" turned out to be an evening with cubatas and chupitos and todo.. including 100% spanisch village club where Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Manuel Carrasco and Melendi would be proud of their songs.. Culoooo!

Are you still my friends :)

Thanks to Tarzan who entertained Andi with beautiful conversations like: Sevilla - beautiful. Spain - beautiful, we didn't mind leaving the club at 7. ... Of course being aware of the disgusting hangover we would have the next day. Also knows as "Isla nausea".. didn't see the beach on Saturday but at least I made it to the supermarket.. And guess what we did at 1:00 a.m.? We went to have " a drink" with Miguel.. Kept on drinking and talking to Fernando and Pablo, a.k.a "el moderator" and "another guy who saw us months ago". At 4:30 we went to La Tata where we spent an hour being observed by locals.. They should really know us by now! At unbelieveable 5:30 we went with Miguel and Nadal to Kaos thinking that the party should already have started by that time.. and we were right. Dancing, cubatas and the impressing chest of a waiter - shaved, B-cup and with an enormous D&G chain.. Well we ended up at 8 having breakfast with all the waiters and bouncers Isla Cristina has to offer.. Andi got half a tomato, I got told that my hair looks like Meg Ryan's and tremendously handsome "Mr. Stick and hat" made us think really, really lustful thoughts just by sitting opposite of us.. Caramba!

more pics here

domestic goddess

That's what I fabricated the last 2 weeks... Pizza (2x), Snowflaked Brownies, Apfelstrudel, Beerfest, Tortilla de papas, Käsespätzle, banana choclate cake... and 2 guys.... my flatmate and Jorge in their new shop/bocadillo thing... looking good, ai? ;)

three reasons why this day is wicked

#1: I am going to the beach today.
#2: I am going to Isla Cristina today.
#3: I am going to Isla Cristina today.

YIIPIIIIEEEEEH!!!!

three reasons why this day is crap

#1: left my flat 5 minutes before my flatmate's rehearsal with a sexy handsome sax player started.

#2: tried to be a good friend and put 10 € on Simone's prepaid card. Didn't know I had THE WRONG NUMBER. so, you're welcome stranger!

#3: although I might show up first in any phone book, it seems that I am the last person who is called when something's going on. especially when the beard man is going out. pfffff

Conclusions: I don't use to be at the right place at the right time (#1), further I am totally stupid (#2) and this is probably the reason for #3.

Beware of the spiders!

I just want to give you an impression of how freakin' big this huntsman spider was. And what I was fighting was a much more hairy fellow.

It's tough to survive in Austrlia

the "buy one get two"-party

It seems that I am the only person still blogging because Martina kind of disapeared in Australia (chica, I'm waiting for a detailed report!!!) and Simone is glued to the sofa watching Grey's Anatomy with Devon, her new flatmate. So it's up to me writing the resume of Simones graduating party which took place yesterday night on Simos rooftop. very cool, many drinks, much food. We actually coundn't merge the two groups that formed but as spanish people use to say: NO PASA NADA. to make it short I chose the 4 most significant pictures:
#1: food and....hm.... more food
#2: Devons fiesta crowd
#3: Simos fiesta crowd
#4: der letzte Rest vom Schützenfest

BBC documentaries

I am a bit agitated since yesterday. Everything began when I just stopped by at Simones to see how her wisdom tooth is doing when she convinced me to stay and watch a BBC documentary online. title: PRIVATE PARTS. Now I know some vagina tips and stories I actually didn't want to know before and guess what... I'll share it with you!

#1: don't rush out of the shower when the telephone rings and sit on a can of hairspray accidentally

#2: don't EVER get pierced down there

#3: there actually exists a "VAGINA DESIGNER" in LA, so if you feel you wanna change a bit down there, just go there, pay 10.000 dollars and say: "hey vagina designer, the playboy style please!"

so, enough. and I won't even start about the things we saw on BBCs "Perfect Penis". And I wonder how many google searches will end at this post..hihihi

flights and cars

big news: MAMA, I´M COMING HOME!!!

booked a flight to homeland Austria yesterday. Means that from 16.05 (REMINDER: which by the way is my birthday, so I expect a huge birthday cake and a birthday crowd at the airport) to 21.05 I´m in Linz... yippiiieeh! If at that time I am in a deep crisis or I just don´t want to go back I maybe stay. But as you know me, I just can´t make plans for more than 1 week in advance. So who knows what will happen in may??? Anyways, this vacations include a weekend, so I expect everyone currently living in Vienna to move their asses back home to hometown!!!

big news #2: JUST BOUGHT A MERCEDES

well, not for me, shit... but I bought it and buying cars is part of my new job which is great. My new boss pays me a lot for negotiationg with german car retailers, and I just made my first deal, a Mercedes C220!!!! How sad I can´t pick it up by myself :-(

the woes of a party queen

thinking about making a party is fun, planning a party is fun, especially when there is a real reason to celebrate like Simo being a "Frau Magisterin" now. thinking about a party and planning a party is fun UNTIL the point of time when the invitations are out. then it's like planning a party for .... tatatatataaaa ZERO guests. very motivating...

In the end there always show up more party clowns than expected, but I am afraid this time there'll be nothing left to drink when the party starts because little andi will empty all the bottles of rum by herself in the afternoon in order to calm down and to scotch (what a nice and matching word LEO gives me, eh?) the fear of a ZERO-GUESTS-PARTY.

people are just not capable of answering these days, neither in Spain nor in Austria! In the long run I don't care if you answer my emails or not, just COME TO THE FIESTA ON SATURDAY, VALE?

weekend

just letting you guys know that Simo and me are taking a sun bath on the roof. It's 25 degrees and we already have kind of a nice spanish tan.

njahhhrgh

This makes me a little bit ANGRY! Give him an Oscar and then redo the movie?? Hello? That's like buying a great painting and then adding "a few more colours".. tstststs... no, no d'accord. Read the damn subtitles!

...also includes English-language remake rights to Oscar-winning pic "The Lives of Others." The German take on the East Berlin secret police bowled over critics and notched a semi-surprise win Sunday in the foreign-language race. ... (www.variety.com)

.... "Wir möchten einfach furchtbar gern, dass dieser Film mehr Menschen erreichen kann", begründete Regisseur Sydney Pollack laut dem Branchenblatt "Daily Variety" (Donnerstag-Ausgabe) die Idee, das Stasi-Drama noch einmal auf Englisch zu drehen. ... (www.orf.at)