Boston, the elegance of the east coast.

The beautiful Boston, capital of largest city of Massachusetts in the United States, is worldwide known as a cultural center, and world leader in innovation. 
The city was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by puritian settlers from England. It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tee Party, The Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston.

In the Boston's area there are many important colleges and universities, and may students from all the world come to the city to improve their knowledges or to work with some of the best brains of the world.

Boston, Back Bay area and Charles River at sunset.

But Boston is also a very elegant city, and perhaps the most european city from the United States; we can realise of that, if we appreciate the french and italian influence in some of its architecture, the design of its parks, the elegant decoration of  its hauses, and even in the lifestyle of people. Boston is not so noisy as New York or Chicago, and people can walk around the city without taking the subway, and at the same time ejoying its parks, the Charles river, and the Atlantic Coast.

Funny squirrels can be seen at the Boston Public Garden during all the year.

The best seasons to visit the city are probably in autumn and in Christmas season.

When the autumn leaf color takes place, the beauty of the nature is stunning. This phenomenon affects the normally green leaves of many trees, which they take on various shades of red, yellow, purple, balck, orange, pink, magenta, blue and brown. colours. During a few weeks, tourists and inhabitans from the city enjoy this wonderful natural picture. 

The Boston Public Garden in Autumn is a very nice place to walk, and enjoy the leaf colour and the nature. It was stablished in 1837, when philanthropist Horace Gray petitioned for the use of land, as the first public botanic garden in the United States. The 24 acres landscape, which was once a salt marsh, was designed by George F.Meacham, the paths and flower beds were laid out by the city engineer James Slade, and the forester John Galvin. The plan for the garden included a number of fountain and statutues.

Autumn is also the time to watch the whales in the ocean, which approach in this season to the east coast, and they follow and play with the tourists and fishing boats in the surroundings.

The port of Boston is a major seaport located in Boston Harbor and adjacent to the city. It is the largest port in Massachusetts as well as being one of the principal ports of the east cost of the United States.


After this romantic season, the autumn, shortly the first snow will come on the scene, and the landscape will turn into a Christmas postacard, as you can notice in the picture below.

These are typical hauses in Back Bay East Area, and in Christmas season. This neighborhood is the most famous for its rows of Victorian brownstone Homes, considered one of the best preserved exemples of 19th-century urban design in the United States. As well as numerous architecturally significant individual buildings and cultural institutions.

As I mentioned above, Boston is a very cultural city, and its Boston Public library stablished in 1848 is a very well known exemple, as it's the oldest library from the United States, and the first large free municipal library of the country. The present Copley Square location has been home to the library since 1895, when the architect Charles Follen  Mckim completed his "palace for the people".

In fact it's a very pleasant and welcoming place for people all over the world.

New story time area for children at the Public Boston Library.


Boston is also a city with a healthy life style.
The famous Boston Celtics are an example about the sport activity of the city. Through the year important sporting events take place in the capital of Massachusetts.

We can also notice the french influence in Boston, looking at its elegant fashion boutiques, and art galleries, specially in Newbury Street, where the first  french fashion designers have their boutiques, and also in this place, small and pleasant  french and italian restaurants are located. This is also a retail and tourist destination. The street has taken on a life and meaning far beyond its achitectural design. It serves as Boston's representative of fashion and style.

Newbury Street has long been the place to see and be seen. The street is lined with Chanel, Vera Wany, Valentino, Diane von Furstenberg, Armani and Burberry among others.

This picturesque street is a window shop at upscale designer stores.  You can also visit the prudential Center or Copley Place for the larger chain stores.

Autumn in New England.

Parks from Boston in Christmas season.

Boston events, holidays, celebrations, parades, and festivals take place during every month of the year. 
Some of them are the Boston flower and Garden show, Columbus Day Parade, Halloween,  and the well known Thanksgiving;  in this date, the Boston's best restaurants go all out to prepare their best meal of the year.
Of course families and friends celebrate in December Christmas. They decorated their hauses with Christmas ornaments, and also many of the trees of  the Boston Public Garden are decorated with lights of colours.  Many firs are placed in strategic places in the park, as well as in important places and streets.

                                             

  Christmas season is a very nice time to visit and enjoy the town with your partner, familiy and friends,  and to know much better the traditions, discover the beautiful lights, Christmas ornaments,  and the heart of this elegant city.

Flix, records de la meva infància // Recuerdos de mi infancia // Memories of my childhood.

Feia ja alguns mesos que volia escriure sobre alguns records de la meva infància a Flix, i sobre aquest bonic e interessant poble de la Ribera d'Ebre. En un principi el post, el volia escriure  en tres llengües diferents. En catalè, en castellá i en anglès, ja que Flix és molt català, i a la vegada des d' abans de que vinguès en aquesta vida,  molt internacional. A més aquest senzill bloc es visitat per lectors de diferents països i cultures llunyanes. De tota manera al final he dicidit esciure aquestes línies en la llengua catalana, que és la llengua intima  dels records, i de comunicació  amb les persones e indrets més propers i estimats. Segurament però al final també deixare algunes frases escrites en castellà i en anglès, perquè també formen part del records i de la cultura de la meva infantesa.

Començaré dient que A Flix tenim la meravellósa reserva natural de Sebes, amb moltíssimes aus migratòries, al costat del riu Ebre. La seva pesca, la seva fauna,  els sorprenents i bells cavalls blancs de la Camarga, envoltat tot pel bosc de la Ribera i la seva multicolor flora, que va canviant el bell paisatge, segons l'estació de l'any. Tot plegat fa que visitants d'arreu, i reconeguts especialistes, ornitòlegs nacionals e internacionals, aficionats a la pesca, universitaris, i escolars visitin la reserva i els seus voltants, organitzant-se diferentes activitats al llarg de l'any.

Photo by Mont CarrMi.

La natura ha estat sempre present en la meva infància, abans ja de la creació del parc natural. Van ser els avis i el pare, qui em van ensenyar a estimar, cuidar i gaudir de la naturalesa. L'avi em va ensenyar molt sobre els ocells i les seves peculiaritats. Les àguiles, les perdius, els tords... em va ensenyar a cuidar els arbres, els ametllers, les oliveres i altres arbres fruites, ensenyaments impartits sempre amb alegria i respecte cap a la natura i les persones.

Vaig començar a fer llargues caminades i pujar muntanyes, seguint els passos del pare, era bona caminadora, respiràvem l'aire pur dels pins, el romaní, i la farigola, en recollíem per la mare. Tots plegats, família i amistats buscàvem bolets a l'època de la tardor. Em recordo jugant al costat d'una cascada, fent una petita cabana pel meu petit ninot. També jugant amb la germana i les cosines en mig de les oliveres, i Laster el gos llop corrent feliç gaudint de la seva llibertat, un gos que estimava a les nenes i als adults, com ja és habitual en molts animals; i mentre les estacions i els colors passaven, nous aromes arribaven.

Photo By Mont CarrMi.

En concret l'aroma dels jardins a la primavera. L'aroma autèntica de la rosa em recorda sempre als jardins de Flix, ben cuidats i amb la seva explosió floral multicolor, recordant a algunes persones especials, veïns i familiars que cuidaven, i cuiden  els seus horts i jardins, obsequiant a les visites i encara ara, amb un petit o grand ram de flors que ens alegra el dia.

Y així al bell mig  de la primavera arriba puntualment, cada any el dillums de pasqua,  un brillant  día festiu per gaudir, amb familiars i amics, acompanyant i visitant  a Maria, la Verge del Remei. D'aquest dia normalemnt assolellat, recordo la música i el ball de les sardanes fins al migdia, y la música y el baile alegre de la jota después de la comida campestre, por la tarde, ya que Flix se encuentra emplazado muy cerquita de nuestra vecina comunidad de Aragón. És doncs aquest dia una jornada bonica de germanor, de retrobament i d'alegria.

Molts són encara els records que em vénen de Flix, de les seves festes i tradicions. Però abans d'explicar alguna més d'elles, també m'agradaria recordar que la gent de Flix és molt laboriosa i treballadora.

It was in the middle of the night (two o'clock, three, four...) when the phone rang, father got up and answered the phone, listening and giving instructions on how to fix the breakdown in the chemical factory. But this was not all. He dressed and went out into the fog and cold. Other workers did the same. Smells of gas were not very good for their lungs, but despite this and the winter cold, and harsh conditions, together, they managed to fix the breakdowns.

Photo by Mont CarrMi.

Christmas day, Saturdays, Sundays, hot summer days... these men were and are always ready to work very hard at night and during the day. The noises of this factory never bothered me.

After working eight or more houres,  they continued to work in their business, or farming their fields and fruit gardens. So  I also remember the apple trees in spring and the aromes of all tree fruits, and flowers that the men could grow in these times.

In addition there were and there are a strong culture in the village, such as the music culture, children and I enjoyed singing and learning to play different instruments in concerts, which took place in different cities, and countries. We also learned and played in music camps in the middle of the nature  during the summer.  On the other hand, the sport culture has been always important in Flix, and important medals, and records have been achieved through the years.

Photo by Elena Abello.

Sobretot a l'estiu tenen lloc les regates i campionats de puntones que se celebren a diferents llocs de Catalunya, i també a Flix atraient especialment durant les festes majors,  i la festa del riu a molts visitants i turistes.

Durant tot l'any les joves i els joves de Flix, així como les veteranes i veterans s'entrenen amb esforç, per aconseguir quasi sempre els millors resultats.

Photo by Elena Abello. 

Finalment dir que el riu Ebre ha marcat sempre la vida, i la cultura i fins i tot el caràcter de Flix. El riu Ebre inspira a escriptors, músics i artistes de la comarca i del més enllà, anima a l'esforç, i a la vegada  la seva contemplació ens dona pau, bellesa, i l'oportunitat de gaudir i apendre de la natura.  El menadre que dibuixa el riu, al seu pas per Flix, ajuda a preservar les  tradicions, valors i cultura de la població, a la vegada que ens convida a seguir-lo i a anar més enllà descobrint altres entorns, sense perdre la nostra autèntica essència.

Fashion designers from Ibiza, moda Adlib, estilo ibicenco.

Fashion is about dreaming and making other people dream. "Donatella Versace".

Moda Ibicenca, design by Charo Ruiz.

Ibiza is not only internationally well known for its wonderful beaches, stunning sunsets, pleasant weather, its lifestyle... Ibiza is also well known for its fashion style, whose name is called Adlib. 

La moda Adlib was born in Ibiza in the 70s, with influences of the hippie moviment and inspired by the dresses of the Pitusas islands, a native style that cautivated to the newcomers.

The fashion designers from Ibiza have developped over time an own style, whose main features are : the use of ligther fabrics, laces, ruffles for blouses, dresses, and wedding gowns; the predominant color of this Adlib fashion is white.

Every fashion designer has her/his own wonderful creations, ideal to wear specially in summer and in different situations, in the street, on the beach,  in a boat, in a party, at a wedding, at also in the red carpet, as some very well known actresses from Spain and Europe wear dresses of fashion designers from Ibiza when they collect a film award.

The Adlib fashion is an style, which was thought for not suffering the high temperatures, and enjoy the warmth with elegance. This kind of fashion today is present in more than twenty countries.

Sunset in Ibiza.

Dresses designed by Pepa Bonett.  A well recognized fashion designer from Ibiza. Her clothes are elegant, comfortable and fresh.

It was a nice afternoon of spring,  when we could see  by chance a wonderful Ibiza fashion parade, and I was amazed for the elegance, beauty and freshness of the creations.

Next day was a sunny and a windy day, when I was decending from Dalt Vila through the steep  and fortified streets; at the same time, two italian women amounted the steep and narrow streets, one of them wore a long, floaty and red dress of Adlib fashion; when  they crossed my path, I noticed  that they were so tired, I looked at this long, floaty and red dress, which seemed to give to the woman,  the enough strength to continue on her way, and at the same time the elegance that she needed to express her determination.

I began to think that it can be a good idea to write about "La moda Adlib".
Later in the city, when we  visited the fashion boutiques and stores of moda Adlib, I felt glad to notice the friendliness of the shops' owners, and the beauty of the designs and dresses. So I  finally decided to write my post about the fashion designers from Ibiza.

Elegance is usually confused with superficiality, fashion, with lack of depth. This is a serious mistake; human beings need to have elegance in their actions and in their posture, becasue this word is synonymous with good taste, amiability, equilibrium and harmony. "Paulo Coelho".

Pepa Bonett avoids the shrillness and dresses with too many ornaments to focus directly, on a well cut dresses.

Lovely hat and dress designed by Pepa Bonett. Moda Adlib.

Fashion is architecture : It is a matter of proportions. "Coco Chanel".

Wonderful dress designed by Charo Ruiz.

Architecture is how the person places herself in the space. Fashion is about how you place the object on the person. 
"Zaha Hadid".

Every year takes place in Ibiza "La Pasarela Adlib", where the young fashion designers from de Balearic Islands, and other most recognized designers of this fashion style in the Island show their new creations.
Ibiza also participates in "La Pasarela España", there, well known fashion designers such as : Piluca Bayarri, Luis Ferrer, Ibimoda, Tony Bonet... and the prestigious Charo Ruiz also show their new dresses in this event, which is specialized in bridal and ceremonial fashion. 

Charo Ruiz designs and manufactures very beautiful, and sophisticated dresses, haute couture and bridal dresses, which wear well known actresses, celebrities and in important events such as "Los Premios Goya", or for exemple the actress Ruby O.Fee at the German Film Award "Lola" in Berlin, wore a gorgeous Crystal dress designed by Charo Ruiz Ibiza. Her dresses are sold in some of the most prestigious fashion boutiques in Spain, Japan, Mexico, Beirut ... and in well known departament stores such as Harrods in London.

Since I was young, the artistic expression embodies has inspired me. It's a way to communicate oneself.  "Maria Sharapova".

Dresses designed By Charo Ruiz from Ibiza.

Cala d'Hort and Es Vedra.
A wonderful place to be quiet in a small boat, reading the short stories of Niebla de Oriente by Montse Carranza Milián.  http://ow.ly/PBkId

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Fabulous dress designed by Charo Ruiz, parade in a catamaran.

Parade Ibi Moda in Ibiza.

Dress designed by Charo Ruiz next to the sea, and among the rocks.

Eivissa, a paradise in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Eivissa offers you its crystal clear waters and beautiful beaches which are internationally recognized for its fine, and white sands, and turquoise waters.

You will discover hidden inaccesible beaches and going deep into maritime caves.

You will also find in your way giant cactus, and gardens by the sea.

Sunny mornings or amazing sunsets, any time is perfect to enjoy your experience on the island.

Enjoying the flowers, all in a festive and relaxed atmoshere, you must test the delicious "paella ibicenca", with the typical side dishes like bread, aioli, olives and salad. For desert fruits or  flaó a typical  and delicious cake from Eivissa make of cheese. Sangria, beer and soft drinks, and of course café Caleta (special cafe from Eivissa),  there are just a few of the dishes to start tasting the authentic cuisine from this wonderful island.

ES VEDRÀ.

Meet me under the sea!, I will be very busy and happy playing with the intelligent dolphins.