the swiss bear

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

trip to Prague

I had a very nice weekend in Prague with my friend Paolo.
I did not see that much of the city but I can give a list of the best clubs!
A lot of dance, parties, and fun!
These are two very good places: Bombay and Infinity.
It is a very good place to have fun: a lot of clubs, a lot of nice people,
very cheap prices. A cocktail is just 3 euro. I think I had 20 over the weekend!!!
Last but not least nice, friendly and beautiful women.
So far, the best place in Europe to have fun.
Great weekend break!
Let see if Amsterdam next week is going to be better.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

diamond

Yes, I bought a diamond. It is terrible, I know.

I could not resist because she is special for me. I met her 2 years ago. Few appointments later, I did it. I still could not believe it.

Five years ago, I bought another diamond for a girl. We were supposed to get married. We did not marry.
After that, I promised myself that I would never bought another diamond again.

But, she is special.

I had some ethical concern. You know, the "blood diamonds" made famous by a movie.
So, I bought a synthetic diamond. Not beautiful as a diamond and less expensive, I know. I explained that to her and she understood the reasons behind my choice.

In any case, it is more appropriate taking in count where I have to wear it.
She is going to implant that in my mounth instead of a loosing tooth.
A fantastic diamond fake tooth.
She is my dentist. What were you thinking about? :-)

Sunday, February 11, 2007

a save place

I started thinking that Swiss would be very upset if something happens and they is not ready for it.
Friday, there was a test for general alarm across the entire Switzerland. All tall buildings have sirens on top. Friday, they were tested.
My grandfather told about those sirens in war time, the rush to find a shelter, the sound of the bombs, the people praying all together.
During the test, the atmosphere was surreal. I hope I will never experience a war.

In any case, the Swiss are even ready for a nuclear war. By law, every Swiss (and expatriate, I hope) has the right to a place in a nuclear shelter.
I have one at work and one at home, in the cellar. The door is 40 cm thick, I have air filters, ...
I still prefer to die than stay in that shelter with my neighbours!!!
You don't believe it, don't you? See this article

puedo escribir...

I would like to share with you I poem I love:

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.

Escribir, por ejemplo: "La noche está estrellada,
y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos."

El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Yo la quise, y a veces ella también me quiso.

En las noches como esta la tuve entre mis brazos.
La besé tantas veces bajo el cielo infinito.

Ella me quiso, a veces yo también la quería.
Cómo no haber amado sus grandes ojos fijos.

Puedo escribir los versos más tristes esta noche.
Pensar que no la tengo. Sentir que la he perdido.

Oir la noche inmensa, más inmensa sin ella.
Y el verso cae al alma como al pasto el rocío.

Qué importa que mi amor no pudiera guardarla.
La noche esta estrellada y ella no está conmigo.

Eso es todo. A lo lejos alguien canta. A lo lejos.
Mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Como para acercarla mi mirada la busca.
Mi corazón la busca, y ella no está conmigo.

La misma noche que hace blanquear los mismos árboles.
Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero cuánto la quise.
Mi voz buscaba el viento para tocar su oído.

De otro. Será de otro. Como antes de mis besos.
Su voz, su cuerpo claro. Sus ojos infinitos.

Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero tal vez la quiero.
Es tan corto el amor, y es tan largo el olvido.

Porque en noches como esta la tuve entre mis brazos,
mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.

Aunque este sea el ultimo dolor que ella me causa,
y estos sean los ultimos versos que yo le escribo.


Pablo Neruda

In English, it sounds like this:

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is shattered,
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, and sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes?

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her,
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
That night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that is certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. Like my kisses before.
Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes,

I no longer love her, that is certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer,
and these the last verses that I write for her.

Monday, February 05, 2007

good weekend

Finally I good weekend here. Well, not really here but in Zurich.
I was looking for a way to find new friends and found this website: www.meetup.com
The idea behind it is simple but genial. Do you want to do something but you don't know nobody interested? yes, you have to options:
  • search in meetup is somebody is organizing it in your city or nearby, or
  • set up a meetup, somebody will join you!
So I signed up for the party rabbit meetup group of Zurich and I showed up in the news bar in Zurich. Here you find some pictures of the event:
pictures

But before the event I met Sioban's mother and system for a tradition swiss meal in Zurich!
Great time. You are just fantastic!!!!

I still think that Switzerland is a great place to live. The only problem is Basel: it is a really boring city!
The other problem of Basel is that everybody speaks the Basel dialect, no way that a foreigner is going to learn it. For the first time in Zurich (where they speak high-German) I was able to use the little German I know and I was proud of it.
I think I may move there, or maybe in Geneva, or Amsterdam, or ...
I'm thinking about Geneva because of this gig. You may find me there!