Comprar bicicleta de ruta

Durante la dos semanas pasadas aprendí mucho de bicicletas (de ruta especificamente) pues en mi busqueda para comprar dos (una para mi y otra para mi hermano) visité infinidad de almacenes e hize montones de cotizaciones y averiguaciones. Quiero resumir aquí lo que aprendí respecto a:

¿Como comprar una bicicleta de ruta?

Seguramente hay muchos más aspectos a los que voy a mencionar, pero para un comprador de a pie, alguien que apenas comienza a introducirse en el mundo del ciclismo de ruta, la ecuación que dominará su compra pienso que será la siguiente:

Diseño + Beneficios + Marco + Grupo

1. Diseño

Creo que es bueno comenzar por lo mas irracional, pues aunque uno no lo crea, eso marca diferencia: Que "este color asi no me gusta", que "me gusta mas aquel diseño", o x o y marca. Esas cosas cuentan, y al menos desde mi perspectiva vale la pena revisar las marcas disponibles y sus diseños para empezar a simplificar la elección. Por ejemplo en mi caso aca en Medellín tenia las siguientes opciones:

• GW: Muy buenos precios y unos diseños muy bacanos, especificamente el marco Lumen
• Giant: Precios razonables, pero el diseño del marco no me gustaba, en particular la barra diagonal del marco me parecia muy feita
• Trek: Precios razonables en los modelos 2013 pero diseños muy pobres. Sin embargo, las 2014 tienen mejores diseños (para mi gusto, obviamente) pero los precios ya subian de nuevo
• Specialized: A pesar de sus altisimos precios, la bicicleta en el entry level tiene un precio muy competitivo y tienen unos diseños impresionantes.

Para mi caso entonces, reduje mis opciones a GW y Specialized

2. Beneficios

Sucede que los almacenes y/o marcas suelen ofrecer beneficios por la compra de una bicicleta, estos suelen ser:

• Seguro contra robo (cubren cierto porcentaje)
• Mantenimientos 
• Garantias

En estos aspectos, GW no ofrece nada, solo garantia de un año por el marco, mientras que Specialized ofrece garantia de por vida en el marco, 3 mantenimientos durante un año y 50% del valor de la bici en caso de robo, o si pagas 5% más al momento de la compra, el seguro aumenta a un 75%.

3. Marco

Algunas veces las marcas suele tener diferentes calidades de marcos en el mismo diseño, por decir algo, el mismo diseño pero todo en carbono, o solo el tenedor en carbono, o toda en aluminio, o con inserciones de cierto material que absorve vibraciones o asi. Generalmente hay tres o cuatro niveles, por ejemplo, para el caso particular de Specialized los niveles son asi (4 siendo entry level y 1 el mejorcito): 

1. Roubaix: Toda de carbono (mercadeada como mas comoda que la Tarmac)
2. Tarmac: Toda de carbono
3. Secteur: Tenedor (lo que sostiene la llanta de adelante) en carbono e inserciones contra vibraciones
4. Allez: Toda en aluminio

4. Grupo

Esta puede ser la variable que mas influye en el precio y en la elección final de la bicicleta. El Grupo el el conjunto de los platos delanteros, bielas, piñones traseros (pacha), frenos, cables, cadena y palancas de cambios. El grupo suele ser la parte más cara de la bicicleta, ¡superando al incluso marco!

Aunque hay muchas marcas de grupos, en Colombia las bicicletas vienen casi todas con grupos Shimano, y dentro de Shimano estan los siguientes modelos:

1. Dura-ace. (el más caro y con más lujos, obviamente)
2. Ultegra
3. 105
4. Tiagra
5. Sora
6. 2300 (el más barato y más básico, obviamente)

Para el caso de mi hermano, escogimos el nivel básico Shimano 2300 de 8 velocidades, pues mi hermano apenas entra al mundo de la bicicleta de ruta. De esta forma la bicicleta que compramos para mi hermano fue una Specialized Allez negra con grupo Shimano 2300. Esta:

Para mi caso, yo estaba buscano un grupo con mejores caracteristicas y encontré una bicicleta Specialized de segunda en perfecto estado con todas las garantias de por vida propias de la marca con un marco fantastico y un grupo aun mejor, asi que terminé comprando una Specialized Secteur Comp con grupo Shimano 105 de 10 velocidades, este bebecito:

They way I like to read

Yesterday, after a nice talk with a friend about the different types of books available I decided to write a little post about the way I like to read them. However, it is important to clarify that this post is not dedicated to describe the most comfortable way to sit in order to read (which, btw, is one of the hardest things to find in this world), this post is rather to describe the sort-of-algorithm that describes the way I like to organize my readings.

The image above is just a snapshot of the little library of my study. There you can tell titles as diverse as Pocker for Dummies, Simon Bolivar, HP48G User Manual, Essay about Blindness, Lonely Planet Middle East, and History of Rock (just to mention some). This image is then powerful enough to expose the fact that there are plenty of types of books available for reading. Therefore I consider that it is important to have clear the personal priorities about own taste and preferences.

Personally, I tend to divide them into 4 categories: (1) Literature (2) Curiosity (3) History (4) Not-for-reading or Reference.

The categories number (1) and (3) are self explanatory. Then let's elaborate on (2) and (4). About (2) Curiosity, I could say that are those books that are explaining interesting science experiments, or fun management theories, or that are in general informative, easy to digest and fun. About (4) Not-for-reading or Reference, are those like travel guide books or technical stuff.

The most refined of all those are without any doubt (1) Literature, and more in my particular case that I like to read classics. Hence I consider it is not convenient to read two literature books in a row, as the perception of one might influence the perception of the second one. I use to put the example the situation of buying colognes: It is not fare to smell two colognes in a row, it is suggested to smell coffee in between.

Something similar is what I do with books, as far as I can, I like to read a book type (2) or (3) between each type (1). Happily I have a Kindle again, where it is very easy to get super interesting Curiosity and History books.

Es la vida y nada mas ...

 La Peste - Albert Camus

Es el segundo libro que leo de Albert Camus, el primero fue El Extranjero, que justamente leí cuando comenzaba mi carrera universitaria, situación opuesta a la actual: el final de mi maestria.

Como siempre digo, estos resumenes mios no son criticas ni analisis del libro, por eso tiendo a poner una foto con el resumen que trae el librito por detras.

Tengo que admitir que me tomó mucho tiempo leer la primera mitad (como dos meses), mientras que la segunda mitad salió en una semana (justo el tiempo que tengo mi nuevo Kindle).

Aunque lo termine hace unos pocos minutos me encuentro corto de adjetivos o depronto tengo tantos que no se como sacarlos.

La falta de continuidad en la primera mitad del libro sin duda influye en la dificultad que encuentro para hablar de él y en no tener una calificación contundente, le doy entre un 3.5 y un 4. ¿lo recomendaría? sí, pero me reservo el derecho.

Es un libro de Post-Guerra (1947) y creo que eso hace que el autor presente unas partes existencialmente fuertes, puntos de vista a cerca de la religion, la actitud hacia la vida, las condenas a muerte, las razones para las guerras, el pudor y la desinformacion.
Personalmente esas partes me hacian pensar que La peste y la ciudad de Orán (donde todo sucede) no se referian más que a la guerra, el mundo entero y los tiempos modernos. El modo de vivir de todos ahi, sentía que podía ser mapeado a muchas de las actitudes modernas.

Un libro que hace reflexionar, hace pensar que esa peste es simplemente una caricatura de la vida misma, asi como uno de los personajes lo dice al final:

Pero la cosa es así. Los otros dicen: "Es la peste, ha habido peste." Por poco piden que les den una condecoración. Pero, ¿qué quiere decir la peste? Es la vida y nada más.

De igual forma el libro cierra recordando (¿profetizando?) que a pesar de la felicidad de la gente despues de la peste, todos olvidaban que la historia ha mostrado que la peste no muere, simplemente duerme y que puede llegar el dia que despierte de nuevo.

Highlights (Gracias al Kindle de nuevo :) )

La peste (Albert Camus)

quería contarle al doctor Rieux cómo durante todo este tiempo había en cierto modo olvidado a su mujer para entregarse enteramente a buscar una brecha en el muro que lo separaba de ella.

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—Sobre el valor. Bien sé que el hombre es capaz de acciones grandes, pero si no es capaz de un gran sentimiento no me interesa.

==========

Así, durante semanas y semanas, los prisioneros de la peste se debatieron como pudieron. Y algunos de ellos, como Rambert, llegaron incluso a imaginar que seguían siendo hombres libres, que podían escoger.

==========

Pero, de hecho, se podía decir en ese momento, a mediados del mes de agosto, que la peste lo había envuelto todo. Ya no había destinos individuales, sino una historia colectiva que era la peste y sentimientos compartidos por todo el mundo.

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Las familias pobres se encontraban, así, en una situación muy penosa, mientras que las familias ricas no carecían casi de nada. Aunque la peste, por la imparcialidad eficiente que usaba en su ministerio, hubiera debido afirmar el sentido de igualdad en nuestros conciudadanos, el juego natural de los egoísmos hacía que, por el contrario, agravase más en el corazón de los hombres el sentimiento de la injusticia. 

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"Pero lo peor —escribía Tarrou— es que están olvidados y lo saben. Los que los conocen los han olvidado porque están pensando en otra cosa y esto es comprensible. Los que los quieren los han olvidado también porque tienen que ocuparse de gestiones y proyectos para hacerlos salir. Esto también es normal. Y en fin de cuentas, uno ve que nadie es capaz de pensar realmente en nadie, ni siquiera durante la mayor de las desgracias. Pues pensar realmente en alguien es pensar minuto tras minuto, sin distraerse con nada, ni con los cuidados de la casa, ni con la mosca que vuela, ni con las comidas, ni con las picazones. Pero siempre hay moscas y picazones. Por esto la vida es tan difícil de vivir, y ellos lo saben bien."

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El sueño de los hombres es más sagrado que la vida para los apestados. No se debe impedir que duerman las buenas gentes. Sería de mal gusto: el buen gusto consiste en no insistir, todo el mundo lo sabe.

==========

He oído tantos razonamientos que han estado a punto de hacerme perder la cabeza y que se la han hecho perder a tantos otros, para obligarle a uno a consentir en el asesinato, que he llegado a comprender que todas las desgracias de los hombres provienen de no hablar claro. Entonces he tomado el partido de hablar y obrar claramente, para ponerme en buen camino. Así que afirmo que hay plagas y víctimas, y nada más.

==========

—Es posible —respondió el doctor—, pero, sabe usted, yo me siento más solidario con los vencidos que con los santos. No tengo afición al heroísmo ni a la santidad. Lo que me interesa es ser hombre.

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Pero la cosa es así. Los otros dicen: "Es la peste, ha habido peste." Por poco piden que les den una condecoración. Pero, ¿qué quiere decir la peste? Es la vida y nada más.

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Exactly two years later...

Two years ago, 21st of August of 2011 while I was reading The Old Man and The Sea I took a train that was going to take me from Geneva to Grenoble, a train that was going to take me back into the academic life, a train that was going to drop me in a new stage of my life: a Master degree.

Today, two years later,  20th of August of 2013 I have the pleasure to declare that this stage of my life is closed. I have finished all my duties regarding the MSc Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship as I completed my Final Management Project, a.k.a Dissertation or Thesis three days before of my personal deadline. Below you can see the cover page.

More details about the dissertation itself and about that stage of my life will come later, although for the time being I can summarize it as: EXCELLENT!

I would like to close this post and this chapter of my life with the credits and acknowledgments I offered at the end of my dissertation:

"It would not be fare to finalize this work without presenting my sincere thanks to all of those who participated in this research and to those who made from the last two years an unforgettable period of my life.

To Mathieu Chuat for his time, for his always kind guidance, feedbacks and remarks tutoring this project. His experience in technology and innovation management were extremely important in the development of this study. I am glad I had the chance to have him both as teacher and as tutor of this project, where I could appreciate his insights and vision about innovations.

To all the experts who accepted and participated into this Delphi forecast: Mr. Roy Freeland, Mr. Aaron Lemieux, Mr. Michael Perrotta, Mr. Jean-Frederic Martin, Mr. Brad Chisum, Dr. Jan Kunzmann, Prof. Alex Weddell, Prof. Libor Rufer.

I want to present my special thanks to Mr. Fabrice Poulin. Not only for his active participation

during the research, but also for giving me the amazing opportunity to make part of his organization (Infinergia Consulting) during my internship. There, I had the chance to learn about consulting in technology and to learn about Energy Harvesting. To him my most sincere thanks.

To all professors during my classes in GGSB particularly those who challenged my points of view

and woke up my passion for innovation management: Prof. Michele Coletti, Prof. Edward Roche, Prof. Jose Gotzsch, Prof. Isabelle Chaboud, Prof. Mark Esposito, Prof. Federico Pigni and Prof. Paolo Saviotti. From GGSB I also want to thank Marie-France Derderrian for facilitating the MSc ISE degree and to Emilie Personnaz for her endless kindness, support and willingness to help in any management issue of students.

I want to thank Beca Desafios and COLFUTURO for granting me the scholarships and providing

me the economic support, without which my last two years of study would had been impossible.

This work is dedicated to my mother and brother whose unconditional love, support and encouragement have brought me where I am right now. You both are the lighthouses of my life.

To my friends and classmates for making the most of the year we spent together, for resisting my  working style and for the endless laughs and memorable moments. To Alex, Guillermo, Agostino, Nick, Jose Manuel, Alejandra, Aparna, Din, Mohammad-Joud, Marlotte, Ioanna Yiasemi, Keegan, Zackis, Amit, Kabir, Julian, Clement. To all of you eternal thanks!"

Infinite thanks to all of them!

2 years without Magyarország

Tomorrow it will be 2 years since I left Budapest. A city that changed my life and that will always be in my heart and memories. I just had it in my mind today and I couldn't help myself from listening to some magyar music, here, my two favorite hungarian songs

"8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest and 8 hours of partying!"

Palinka Sunrise

Take care with what you read

It felt weird these days when I started taking decisions as if I was part of the plot of several books I have read, as if I was on the book and I knew the final and I had still a chance to change it.

Feeling at the same time like as Raskolnikov knocking at the door, or as Harry Heller getting an invitation to visit "the hell" or as old Govinda listening at old Sidhartha at the side of the river...I felt illuminated, but confused too.
It was weird to feel that Raskolnikov crossed the door, and although killed the old woman did not kill her sister, or that the wolf took power of Harry Heller and made him leave the dance-floor after joining Herminda shortly in "the hell"...or that indeed Sidhartha talks to you but not at the end of his life, but just when he is young and when he is getting to know Kamala.

It was weird to feel that my Steppenwolf took a decision based on fear about a possible punishment in Siberia, but ended up acting different thanks to a suggestion that Sidhartha gave me while crossing the river on his boat...

Whatever I have done or not, the conclusion is; Take care of what you read, for good or for bad, your life might end up on the books, on several of them at the same time!

Sin palabras pero con algo en el estomago

Hace unos pocos momentos ví "La Piel Que Habito", y hace unos muchos años no veia una pelicula que me dejara tal sensación de no-sé-que.

Me veo en la necesidad de escribir, vomitar, esbozar, escupir o lo que sea para descifrar que "coño" es lo que siento.

Como en problemas de ingeniería o física, comencemos resolviendo lo extremos, lo simple, las condiciones de frontera; ¿Me gustó o no?.. Sin duda me gustó, siempre he dicho que me gustan aquellas peliculas donde el yo antes y el yo despues de ellas son diferentes.
Sin tener que hablar de Sartre ni de Camus ni del existencialismo, basta decir que me gustan esas peliculas donde mis sentimientos y mi estado de animo cambian, donde la pelicula deja de ser un haz de luz proyectado en una superficie y pasa a ser un vehiculo que me transporta a otra dimension y me deja alla tirado: a one-way-ticket. Y esto incluye a las peliculas que me alegran pero tambien a las que no lo hacen. Millon Dollar Baby o Match Point son dos claros ejemplos.

Ahora, teniendo claro que La Piel Que Habito me ha cambiado el animo, es imposible negar que me haya gustado. <españolete> -¿Que si me ha gustado? -Joder tio, que sí! </españolete> Primer tema resuelto.

Pero siento la necesidad de hablar más al respecto, pues valorar de esa forma tan binaria a esta pelicula siento que es injusto. Depronto ese es otro adjetivo para la pelicula, Injusta o más bien Enferma: "Ey Pablo, que pensas de la pelicula?" "Pues, que te dijera: es una pelicula buena, es bastante enferma y un poquitin injusta" (uhh, creo que de critico de cine me muero de hambre)

Teniendo claro que no soy muy bueno con las palabras, creo que tendré que resumir y ahora que mencioné a Sartre, recordé uno de sus libros. Y creo que su titulo describe el estado en el que quedé despues de la pelicula, describe el no-sé-que que tengo en el estomago: una NÁUSEA!

Algo mas o menos asi, solo que con un poco mas de rojo, amarillo y caos al fondo de la pintura:

El caso es que valió la pena la pelicula y el intento por expeler lo sentido.

too much tea and books

My blog has became a bit flat; I just talk about books and tea. Although today I wanted to write about tea again, I decided to talk a little bit about science...The following TED talk is a very interesting one about an mysterious behavior seen in animals...just take a look

The ferryman with a smile

Siddharta is the second book of Hermann Hesse I read in less than two weeks. I liked more the other one, still this one deserves a 4.00/5.00 or even a little bit more.

It is a book that I would call Hors Catégorie  not because its structure or technique but for its content.  The reading of the book is not hard at all. The narration is quite simple and easy to follow, as well as the story itself, nevertheless you feel that behind that simplicity hides a potential source of reflecto to change your life or at least your interpretation of it. A potential that seems, at least in my case, to be higher than my reach of understanding.

Similarly to The Steppenwolf, Siddharta is a book about a man finding its way out of spiritual crisis and unsatisfaction. It might seem like a depressing topic but in my opinion both books are all the opposite. I feel both books are quite positive and filled with hope.

I loved about Siddharta how it makes it beautifully clear that the way to happiness is unique to everyone and that no one can explain you the way to it. No one, even who already achieved happiness can guide you to it. It has to be yourself who take a journey to discover the path, let yourself experience and live. It shows how you shall not to stop seeking, the importance of voicing your interior and the importance of voicing the nature.

It is a book about individuality but also about unity, about love and about the importance of living and experiencing life by yourself. Others experience will never show you the path to your happiness.

For madmen only: Between great and amazing

It was a while since I didn't read a book that shocked me this way, it was a while since I didn't read a good book. This one enters into my top ten books!

Steppenwolf from Hermann Hesse has been an incredible book in which I could see reflected the personality of my best friend, and, without being pretentious, some times even myself (or at least some episodes of my life).
Although it could be felt as a rather negative and sad book for me it was completely the opposite. For me it was about the existence of hope to winning the personal struggles, hope to enjoy life and about the option to find happiness in the life of a modern man.

The book has some elements that make me love a book such as change of narrator, change of planes/dimension, a superb fluency to describe situations, surprises and huge invitations to think and to challenge my points of views.

I am very glad I read this book. Sometimes I feel it would have been nice to had read it while I was teenager. Still, it is better late than never.

A book I will probably re-read one day, and a book I recommend to any who at any point has felt this world is too absurd and that there is a beast inside of you.

Tea-ing around

Through out this blog I have made it very clear that I really really love tea. Sadly these days I ran out of my tea provisions I brought from Europe, some other I brought from India and some other my brother brought from USA. It was moment to buy some tea here in Colombia, the land of Coffee...challenge!

In that sense I am a bit sad to notice how expensive loose tea is in Colombia, although I understand the reason why: As Adam Smith would say "it's just a matter for the invisible hand, a matter of offer and demand". In Colombia, people hardly know what tea really is, no one drinks that.

Any ways, I managed to buy some and I have some stock now, let's see how long it lasts.

But today I really wanted to write about a magnificent tea I brew today.
Lately I've been experimenting adding some drops* of alcohol to me beloved beverage. I started first trying with my grenoblois alcohol speciallity: Chartreuse, a herbal stuff. Although it is a rather sweet liquour, it fits pretty well in a mixed brewing between black tea (Earl Gray in particular) and green tea (Gun Powder, my favorite one). All those brewed together with the omnipresent slice of lemon (Central-Europe style ;-) ). This blend gets superb exchanging the black tea for some mint leaves, it is perfect before going to bed.

Still I haven't talked about my tea today, but I still need to talk about other experiments, such as brandy, rum and whiskey. Let me tell you that with those it gets actually better and better, I realized that tea (black one pretty much) goes pretty well with those liquors that were kept in a wood barrel for a while (haven't tried wine yet, but I have the feeling it would work). To remark: a Second Flush Darjeeling tea with whiskey (My lord! after drinking that I could die happy!!)

Well let me tell you that today I brew what we could call a Mexican Tea, because I put some Tequila on it, and WOW it was simply as if god or all the gods of all the times were in that cup all together. The blend was pretty simple:  a TeaSpoon of Ceylon black tea + a bit less than a TS of Gun Powder tea + a slice of lime (not lemon) + 2 TS of tequila. I wanted to cry of happiness with that tea, and then I almost cried of sadness when it was over.

I can already forecast that this Tequila bottle in my place wont last much ;-)

This post was a mess, I know, I apologize...I just wanted to write, no thinking about structure, no thinking about nothing, just writing about my magnificent drink tonight, hope someone, some day, some where can give it a try and let me know what they believe about it...if you like it, feel free to send me some loose tea here to Colombia :P, it will be highly appreciated hehehe.

Long live to Tea!

*drops: It could actually be more than just a "drop" ;-)

Two songs for two moments of my life

It is hard to summarize four years of my life with just two songs. But these ones are representative as every time I listen to them I think about my time in Budapest and Grenoble. Here they are, respectively:

For Budapest

For Grenoble 

About coming back home

It's been more than three months since I came back home after living abroad during 4 years.

My family organized a summer* weekend when I arrived 

Although it is a short time still, several important things have happened. Among those I could remark the death of my grandmother (she was 91 yo) and the creation of my own start-up.

Regarding the first one:  Despite it is very sad news, there are two things that make me glad about the situation: 1) I was lucky enough to return on time to see her alive and to mourn her together with my relatives and not all alone in France. 2) It was beautiful to see how all the family gathered around her in a matter of hours when we knew she was in the hospital, I feel happy we (as a family) had the great chance to enjoy her all these years, I am glad her death was peaceful and surrounding by her children, by their love and that she passed away during a pray of her religion. I believe she passed away very happy and satisfied with what she did. I am proud of being one of her grandchildren, and I am proud of carrying her last name (sadly very far away in the ID but very close in my hearth).

I am glad this is not "my last memory" of her.

Now let's talk about the second remarkable thing: the start-up. Before, it is necessary to put some context:

The first month was like landing in a pile of dust. You know that you have arrived where you wanted, but the cloud of dust does not let you see where exactly you are standing, nor what is around you nor in which direction you should move. That's how I felt the first month. You are staying in your house, but it feels somebody's else home, you feel like a visitor. You see all familiar faces but you feel you are just getting to know them.

I knew it was a matter of time, so it was just about waiting. But what to do meanwhile?? I was not spreading CVs as I knew I wanted to create my own company, just that I didn't know what about. What I knew was that I had very few money that was not going to last much. I just said to myself, "well, I speak a good English, I know some stuff about Colombia and Medellin so I guess I can make some bucks giving some tours to foreigners. It won't take me lots of time so I'll have enough time to keep thinking about a company, and to write my lovely* dissertation"

With that line of thinking I just started giving some walking tours around Medellin. Then within the blinking of an eye I was already applying marketing, branding and business model concepts. Just without noticing I was already building a start-up www.realcitytours.com.

Real City Tours in action

Real City Tours has given me enough joy, entertainment, responsibilities and money to overpass with relatively ease these famously-known hard days of returning home. I am close to my family (what I wanted),  I am building a company in my country that "brings" money from abroad (what I wanted), I am still in contact with people from all over the world (it was something I was sad about returning: loosing the multiculturalism of Europe) and things seem to have an interesting future.

I was told coming back was going to be tough. I saw many ex-pat friends returning and crying about having done so.  But so far I can say I have had a pretty smooth adaptation. Without any doubt Real City Tours has helped, but I believe my mental preparation before coming was very useful as well.

When I left Budapest I learnt that leaving a city was like mourning a dead relative. When I went back to visit my Budapesti friends some months latter, I confirmed the importance of circumstances. Therefore, since summer I started  preparing my mourning of France and to understand that my future circumstances in Colombia were all going to be new. Nothing was going to be like when I left, hence I should expect a complete new country, not the one of my memories.

Indeed, that was the attitude I came with. I thought as if I was moving to an unknown country (as when I moved to Hungary and France), a place where I knew nobody, a place where I had everything to build up from zero. It is not that simple to apply as it is to say, but I believe this attitude has helped me to not to get disappointed nor frustrated.

So far I haven't regretted a single second about having moved back home. I miss some things obviously, such as friends, my bicycles, certatain circumstances, some independence at home, Decathlon, the champions league at night time, the kebbabs at night and my lovely "Le Saigon" (my favorite restaurant in France hahaha)...as you see, just minor things. I am fucking happy at home, building a future in my land, in my language, around my family. :D


* In Colombia you can get a Summer day any day of the year, you just have to drive an hour and you'll get to a place that looks like summer. Welcome to the tropic :) :)
* Is there a lovely dissertation ever???

Spiritual lessons from a not-so-good book

I just finished the book: Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior.

You may wonder why is there a picture of Michael Jordan? Well the book is written by Phil Jackson, the coach of that dream-team of basketball the Chicago Bulls. And it is about how important it is to create a bond in such teams, and to give a spiritual meaning to whatever we do in life, and how a game (this time Basketball, but I believe football is too) is more than a game, it's a representation of life itself. In general, how beliefs can lift you up. It is more than just a sports book, for sure!.

I would rate the book 3/5. It's not a gorgeous book, nevertheless it was a bunch of pretty interesting points of view and reflections. I saw myself very connected with the author (Phil Jackson) in the sense of being a person who puts a lot of pressure to himself and self-punishes a lot. I feel that way quite often, driving me to loose my peace and blur my vision.

He explains how he explored different philosophies until he felt represented and found peace with some taughts from the Buddhism, Zen, and Lakotas (native American's belief). In this sense the book has been interesting, in discovering different insights about the world and life, as well as how different philosophies and spiritual beliefs can accomplish so much in people at personal and group level.

Main lesson: Do the things for the internal rewards, not for the external ones. Give meaning to those things you do and you believe in. Accepting things as they are and not as I want them to be brings peace and joy, plus it allows to focus energies better.

My Book Underlines 

==========
The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. 
==========
The Associated Press reported that, in a survey of African-American children, Jordan had tied with God as the person they most admired after their parents.
==========
Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the “me” for the “we.”
==========
Lesson one: Don’t let anger—or heavy objects thrown from overpasses—cloud the mind. 
==========
Lesson two: Awareness is everything. 
==========
Lesson three: The power of We is stronger than the power of Me.
==========
“Arguing isn’t where faith is. That just feeds the ego. It’s all in the doing.”
==========
What pollutes the mind in the Buddhist view is our desire to get life to conform to our peculiar notion of how things should be, as opposed to how they really are. 
==========
The point of Zen practice is to make you aware of the thoughts that run your life and diminish their power over you.
==========
It’s not uncommon for basketball players, especially young ones, to expend a great deal of mental energy trying to be somebody they’re not.
==========
In Zen it is said that the gap between accepting things the way they are and wishing them to be otherwise is “the tenth of an inch of difference between heaven and hell.” 
==========
The jobs I was best suited for (according to the career placement test I took) were: 1) housekeeper, 2) trail guide, 3) counselor, and 4) lawyer.
==========
FISH DON’T FLY When a fish swims in the ocean, there is no limit to the water, no matter how far it swims. When a bird flies in the sky, there is no limit to the air, no matter how far it flies. However, no fish or bird has ever left its element since the beginning. 
==========
In other words, you can dream all you want, but, bottom line, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time. 
==========
Inevitably, paradoxically, the acceptance of boundaries and limits is the gateway to freedom. 
==========
Seven BEING AWARE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING SMART
==========
Peace of mind produces right values, right values produce right thoughts. Right thoughts produce right actions and right actions produce work which will be a material reflection for others to see of the serenity at the center of it all.”
==========
St. Augustine said, “Anger is a weed; hate is the tree.” Anger only breeds more anger and eventually fuels violence—on the streets or in professional sports.
==========
Bottom line: there’s no need to overpower when you can outsmart. 
==========
“You’re not doing it for money. It may seem that way, but that’s just an external reward. You’re doing it for the internal rewards. You’re doing it for each other and the love of the game.”
==========
B. J. Armstrong, Jordan’s closest friend on the team, said he was worried for him because now he would have “the two scariest things in life: a lot of money and a lot of free time.”
==========
“You see this goblet?” Chaa asked, holding up a glass. “For me, this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on a shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that this glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.” In its simplicity this story illustrates one of the basic principles of Buddhist teachings: that impermanence is a fundamental fact of life.
==========
There’s no percentage in trying to push the river or speed up the harvest. The farmer who’s so eager to help his crops grow that he slips out at night and tugs on the shoots inevitably ends up going hungry.
==========
The best part of winning, I once heard someone say, is that it’s not losing.
==========
Losing is a lens through which you can see yourself more clearly and experience in the blood and the bones the transient nature of life. 
==========
Walt Whitman got it right when he wrote, “I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.”
==========
Buddhism teaches us that by accepting death, you discover life. Similarly, only by acknowledging the possibility of defeat can you fully experience the joy of competition.
==========
obsessing about winning adds an unnecessary layer of pressure that constricts body and spirit and, ultimately, robs you of the freedom to do your best.
==========
That’s when you realize that basketball is a game, a journey, a dance—not a fight to the death. It’s life just as it is.
==========
The journey is the reward. —CHINESE SAYING 
==========

Happiness

I'm Feeling great today: I got the largest group of guests in my company (18 people) and had an amazing tour, then I went for a lovely lunch with my brother and his girlfriend, once at home I opened my new box of GunPowder Green Tea, brew a big cup of it together with some Darjeeling tea and some spoons of Chartreuse (with a slice of lemon on it of course!).

Then, while enjoying the magnificent taste of it my music player plays The Suburbs of Arcade Fire. Life was perfect on that moment, I couldn't ask for more...well, just for the moment to last forever and to be with a friend to share the moment!!! still it was amazing!!

Good work + Amazing tea + Fantastic music = Happiness :D

El final del juego (y del recuerdo)

Sobre El Final del Juego por Julio Cortazar

Este libro me lo terminé de leer en Palestina, y aunque gracias al Kindle lo pude "llevar" hasta alla, tambien gracias al Kindle lo pude olvidar tan facilmente. Pasa que con el kindle, pierdes el recuerdo de la portada y de la emocion que conectas a el,  olvidas el nombre mismo de este y asi es mas facil "olvidar" como fue el libro. Unas por otras con el Kindle, es genial, pero no perfecto.

No hace 3 meses que lo lei,  y no recuerdo mucho de él, pero por lo que puedo ver por las notas que tome y ojeando de nuevo algunos de los cuentos que tiene, puedo decir que es otro de esos libros magistrales de Cortazar, le daria entre un 3.8 y un 4.2, pues hay algunos cuentos que no me parecieron especiales, pero hay otros que son magistrales. Particularmente quiero recomendar un par de cuentos llamados La Noche Boca Arriba y Autopista Del Sur.

Como no recuerdo mucho de él, dejare que Carlos Fuentes describa el libro y pondré algunas de las notas que tome con el Kindle. Pero sin duda, un libro que tambien recomendaría.

Final del juego es una de las colecciones de cuentos más importantes de la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Empeñado en transgredir las leyes de la narrativa convencional, en estos dieciocho relatos Julio Cortázar combina la intertextualidad, un uso inédito de lo coloquial y el juego interminable para hacer entrar al lector en un particularísimo universo donde nada es lo que parece. No se trata de simple literatura: a lo que nos invita el autor argentino es a sospechar de la seriedad y el racionalismo crédulo de nuestro mundo. Carlos Fuentes

==========

LOS AMIGOS

cuento sobre un crimen. tan bien escrito como el crimen en si mismo. rapido corto sencillo y frio

==========

TORITO

es como escuchar hablar a julio. interesante forma de relato. sin necesidad de clarificarlo es claro q el tipo esta postrado en una cama por las peleas

==========

RELATO CON FONDO DE AGUA

magnifico! un cuento oscuro manso y macabro. facilmente puede ser umo de los cuentos de Bestiario. es como un monologo de un amigo a otro, que le reclama por haberle recordado un tercer amigo. Todo se ve envuelto por un cadaver flotando en el rio.

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EL MÓVIL

Como un criminal de poca monta trata de vengar la muerte de un amigo, cuyo asesino esta huyendo en un barco. Un cuento amañador que te hace pensar un poco y completarlo otro tanto en tu cabeza. interesante!

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DESPUÉS DEL ALMUERZO

interesante como cortazar es capaz de escribir como un ninho o como un criminal. en este caso el primero. nunca se sabe quien es "El". un perrito o un hermanito pequenho. no se sabe. pero la descripcion puede ser para ambos. no entemdi bien la reflexion del final sobre el pañuelo q lastima a los papás

==========

LA AUTOPISTA DEL SUR

la forma en la q una situacion temporal se covierte en una rutina por dura q sea y q al final terminamos extranhando. ahora q lo pienso la transcision de mi vida en este momento puede ser como el final del cuento

==========

LA NOCHE BOCA ARRIBA

Un cuento fantastico!!!. nuevamente uno de esos cuentos con cambios de planos y de realidades magnificos dentro de una misma frase. y mejor aun. con un final que sorprende, asi como La Continuidad de los Parques

==========

FINAL DEL JUEGO

un cuentico mas bien con un final flojo aunque etretenido de leer. de nuevo sobre niños jugando, particularmente tres niñas que se dedican a hacerle muecas al tren que pasa siempre a cierta hora

Cesar, la reina de Bitinia e Imperator

Primero leí dos biografias de Bolivar, después una da Napoleon y ahora la de Cayo Julio César...a este ritmo, la proxima será de Alejandro Magno...en fin, entremos en tema.

Anexo la portada y contraportada de la edición que leí. Lo comencé a leer una vez llegué a Colombia, osea algo asi como dos meses atras. Pero hoy día festivo en Colombia fue cuando me leí de un tiron algo menos de la mitad.

Sobre el libro:

Le doy un 4/5 como calificación. Sería muy interesante que tuviera más mapas y una línea de tiempo al final (Como el de Napoleon Para Dummies) para servir despues de guía rápida. Sin embargo es un libro que me sentiría cómodo en recomedar a alguien que como yo, se embobe con la historia.

Al comienzo no me gustaba el tipo de narración; la cual es en tiempo presente adornado de algunos detalles que seguramente son ficticios ("...Y César sintio un frio hasta los huesos..."). Es como si el autor estuviera en la mente de César. Pero muy pronto me adapté y me termino gustando mucho el estilo, porque permite entender las jugadas politicas y estratégicas que César hace durante su vida.

Sobre César:

• La palabra César tiene su origen en el idioma Cartagines. Uno de los antepasados de Julio César luchó contra Hannibal cuando este intento invadir con elefantes a Roma, precisamente en una de esas batallas su antepasado mató a un elefante, que en cartagines se decia César. Para que su orgullo y logro perduraran nombro a su familia con esa palabra. Las palabras Kaiser y Zar ambas vienen de la palabra César tambien.
• Interesante entender que su gloria militar no fue lo que necesariamente lo lanzó "al estrellato". Uno suele pensar en el como un General, sin embargo, la gloria militar fue lo ultimo que consiguió, antes de eso fue más politico que un glorioso militar
• Conocido tambien como La Reina de Bitinia porque "se dejó comer" por el Rey de Bitinia (no una, sino varias veces!!). De hecho el tipo "jugaba para los dos equipos". Ademas de ser un avido conquistador de esposas de otros, conocido como "El Seductor Calvo" (entre ellas las de sus acreedores Crasso y la de su archirival Pompeyo)
• Al leer uno su historia y el ambiente politico de la epoca, se "tranquiliza" uno al ver que la corrupción y la podredumbre del poder no es cuestión solo de Colombia sino que es algo que viene desde Roma misma. Me recuerdan la cita de Bismarck "Las leyes, son como las salchichas: es mejor no ver como las hacen"
• Visualiza uno claramente la "importancia" del pillaje y el saqueo despues de una guerra. 
• Algunas veces pensaba, al leer las partes de las guerras y del exterminio de tantos pueblos, que el mundo en el que vivimos, aunque sumamente imperfecto, sí pareciera mucho mejor que antes.
• César, sin duda fue muy ábil. Me impresionó sobre todo como logro hacer el Triunvirato y usar a Pompeyo y a Crasso (ambos mucho mas poderosos que el) para multiplicar su influencia y más tarde obtener el poder.
• Me llamó la atención la forma en que usaba a los acreedores y los prestamistas. Normalmente uno cree que estar muy endeudado es muy malo. Pues César lo que hacía era perdir mucha pero mucha plata presatada a los acreedores más poderosos de Roma (e.g Crasso). De esta forma éstos se veian obligados más adelante a ayudarlo a entrar en posiciones del poder, para que asi César tuviera "mejores trabajos" y les pudiera pagar después las deudas.
• César no fue emperador, en el tiempo de su vida Roma aun era una Republica, no un Imperio. Aunque desde su punto de vista, la forma en que ésta funcionaba no era la adecuada para gobernar todas las nuevas provincias, por eso sus jugadas politicas para reducir el poder el Senado y sus nombramientos como Dictador.
• Equivocadamente tenia en mi cabeza que Cesar habia conquistado Gran Bretaña. Aunque él sí fue el primer Romano en entrar en la isla, su conquista mayor fue en Francia (La Galia) y no en UK. De igual forma, él cruzó el Rin, pero como diriamos por aca: "de pasadita no más".
• Se podria decir que sus dos máximos logros en batalla los obtuvo en la Batalla de Alesia donde derrotó y puso de rodillas al galo Vercingetorix (Ver: Super, Cingeto: guerrero, Rix: Rey) y en la Batalla de Farsalia donde derrotó a Pompeyo el Magno
• Lindo entender los significados y contextos de "Alea Jacta Est" (La suerte esta hechada) al cruzar al Rubicon, "Veni, Vidi, Vici" en la batalla de Zela al derrotar al rey de Ponto. Tambien entender el ambiente oscuro que cae sobra las Idas de Marzo (dia del asesinato de César)

Sobre otros personajes que aparecen:

• Marco: tio de César y uno de los miembros de la primera guerra civil romana
• Aurelia Cota: Su madre y sumamente importante en crear su caracter y su convicción de estar predestinado para gobernar Roma
• Crasso: Acreedor de César. El hombre mas rico de Roma y acerrimo enemigo de Pompeyo, pues este ultimo se llevo toda la gloria de aplastar la revolucion de Espartaco, aunque fue Crasso quien logro más resultados. Hizo parte del primer Triunvirato junto con César y el mismo Pompeyo. Murió en hoy-dia Turquía (por su avaricia, le vertieron oro fundido por la boca) y perdió una de las águilas de los estandartes de los legionarios (Para los romanos era imperdonable perder un estandarte en batalle). Muchos tiempo despues, las águilas fueron recuperadas por Augusto.
• Pompeyo el Magno: Un militar con mucha gloria que por mucho tiempo fue más poderoso que César y por casi todo el tiempo fueron enemigos: Pompeyo generalmente estaba del lado del Senado y César por su tio Marco era mas populista. César lo llamo a hacer parte del primer Triunvirato junto con él y con Crasso. Para sellar el acuerdo, Pompeyo desposó a Julia, la hija de César. Despues de la muerte de Crasso y la muerte de Julia el triunvirato llega a su fin y se abren las puertas para la segunda guerra civil en la cual se impone César.
• Ciceron: Senador y patricio, muy bueno con la palabra pero cobarde y traidor. Siempre estuvo en contra de César aunque por momentos tuvo que adularlo.
• Caton: parecido a Ciceron.
• Bruto: Hijo de Servilia (Hermana de Pompeyo y amante de César). Es muy posible que Bruto haya sido hijo de César quien lo declaró hijo adoptivo. Combatió con él en Galia pero se fue para el bando de Pompeyo cuando la guerra civil estallo. César lo perdonó pero Bruto fue uno de los grandes conspiradores y tambien lo apuñaló en las Idas De Marzo. 

bueno, hay mucho mas pero dejemos ahi que esto ya se alargó mucho. En resumen, un buen libro :)

The end of the French experience

I went to Grenoble - France thinking about staying 8 months, but I ended up staying one year and a half.
Although I didnt like to live in Grenoble for the first months, later on I got its pace of life and at the end I really liked to live there. This is who we could blame the change on perception:

My beloved Métro-Vélo (city bicyle)

The first part of my staying there was the time of the University. I went to Grenoble Graduate School of Business to undertake a master degree on Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship. I have to admit that I was not very pleased at the beginning with some things about the program. But later I realized that it all went good, there were great challenges and I got to know and to work with amazing people. I am glad I can say I also made some good friends besides getting a different view of the world through the things learnt.

Some of the mates at the end of the program

When you think your time is over and you still meet AMAZING people! <3 these girls

My beloved Colombian crew <3

Getting a bike was a complete change on my staying there (actually I got two different bikes). The new bike came together with a change of circumstances: After I finished classes I started my internship right away at the beginning of the summer.

I wont deny my nerd tendencies, so when I am in school I become kind of a freak for the studies, it doesnt happen the same with internships though. I got more time for myself, no more homeworks, no more stress for group work and all that stuff... In simple words the quality of my life increased dramatically. I had a fixed schedule for work, I went to some French classes and I hada pair of bikes to move around pretty easily and to enjoy the beauty of the Alps during the weekends:

A lake 25km away from Grenoble

Le Neron. a mountain in front of Grenoble

I got pretty addicted to my bicycle, and thanks to that I accomplished one of the things I am most proud of: I ascended the Alpe D'Huez, on the the most mythic ascending in the world of the cycling.

At the top of the Alpe D'Huez

Other things I did in France: Snowboarding (I broke a rib btw), I went to the celebration of the 14th of July, I traveled to Italy, UK, Ireland, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, India, Israel, Palestine, Turkey and Romania. I went to Cirque du Soleil, I went to a football match of the Champions League ( PSG vs Porto) and another one of the Italian Calcio in Milan (Inter of Milan vs Juventus of Turin).

The matters of personal growth are tough to measure and thus tough to talk about them. Nevertheless I feel the time in France was as enriching as the one in Hungary. I lived first sharing a flat (which I think is one of the best things that make you grow personally) and later I lived just by myself in a little flat (which I LOVED!). I met two amazing girls and got the beautiful change to stay with them at two very different stages of my staying in France (the beginning and the end). The internship I found was also a perfect fit for my profile at that point (A consultancy firm in marketing of innovation and hi-tech, and I worked on a project related with electronics) I had a great boss and colleague.

I would say that 2012 was a year in which I learned the most about myself than in a lot of time before. I got (or I put to myself) a lot of pressure and accomplished interesting things.

All in all, I would say that the only negative thing about my time in France is that I didn't learn French fluently enough, besides that, everything was great and again, better that expected. I just have to say:

Merci La France!

et MERCI GRENOBLE!!!

The child inside us

A poem for the child inside us. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do

El llano, en llamas de blanco y negro

El Llano En Llamas

Solo se me ocurre describir el libro como una de esas magnificas fotos a blanco y negro que transmiten tristeza, pero que los contrastes, los volumenes y la composicion no te dejan quitarle los ojos de encima para seguir admirandola a pesar del sentimiento trasmitido.

Es un libro de cuentos. Algunos son tristes y otros son muy tristes, pero entre todos forman una magnifica fotografia a blanco y negro de una realidad latinoamericana. En particular varios cuentos me movieron por su matiz gris, triste y tan cruelmente cercanos a la realidad como como "Nos Han Dado La Tierra", o tan tragicamente graciosos como "El Día del Derrumbe", o tan Macondianos/Comalianos como  "Luvina", o tan ignorantes y crueles como "Talpa" o simplemente tan magicos y grandiosos como "El Hombre".

Recuerdo que Facundo Cabral decia: "Cuando la gente le preguntaba, casi le reclamaba, a Juan Rulfo de porque hacia tanto tiempo no escribia el respondia: Porque la gente que me contaba las historias, se murió"

A continuacion, las noticas que tome en el kindle mientras lo leia:

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EL DÍA DEL DERRUMBE
excelente cuento. sobre la ignorancia y el verbo politico. la escena del tropel con el himno nacional de fondo es una caricatura fabulosa
==========
ANACLETO MORONES
que cuento mas gracioso!
==========
LUVINA
una suerte de comala en los cerros. un cuento triste con uma frase q muestra que "somos de donde estan nuestros muertos"
"Pero si nosotros nos vamos, ¿quién se llevará a nuestros muertos? Ellos viven aquí y no podemos dejarlos solos."
==========
TALPA
dolor sufrimiento y fe o creencias de curacion. tiene escenas asquerosas de heridas y de la pestilencia de estas
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EN LA MADRUGADA
la simplicidad del hombre campesino y su nula voluntad de defenderse
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EL HOMBRE
simplemente excelente cuento. un cambio de planos y narradores q me recordo a Artemio Cruz
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LA CUESTA DE LAS COMADRES
como la violencia para matar y rematar pueden venir de un hombre simple
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NOS HAN DADO LA TIERRA
el gobierno contra el hombre simple. la humillacion disfrazada de ayuda. un cuento triste
==========
PASO DEL NORTE
la rudeza de una naturaleza q hace a la familia nada pero conocidos

Free Walking Tour Medellin

FREE WALKING TOUR MEDELLIN

by Real City Tours (visit the official website)

Walk around Medellin's downtown (El Centro) with a local guide. Explore the historic districts and let this fascinating city come to life through stories, descriptions and urban legends.

The walking tours start at 10am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the ticket booth of the Poblado Metro station.

During the 4 hours of the tour you will discover the most traditional parks, squares and streets of the city. We will guide you through the history of Medellín, the culture of its people, The Paisas, and their stories. 

The free walking tour is based on tips, and therefore it is the best way to get to know the city no matter your budget. 

The tours are given in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Among others you will see:

• San Antonio's Park 
• San Ignacio's Park 
• La Playa Avenue
• Eastern Avenue
• Bolivar's Park and Metropolitan Cathedral
• Junin Pedestrian-walkway
• Coltejer Building
• Berrio's Park
• Botero's Square
• Carabobo pedestrian-walkway
• Cisneros's square (Light's square)
• City Hall
• Old railroad station

You can book your tour in advance writing us at: 

realcitytours@gmail.com

or calling at us at: 

(+57) 311 328 9905

Join us on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/FreeWalkingTourMedellin

By Real City Tours

My trip to Palestine and Israel

Bethlehem Check-Point to enter Palestine

My motivation to go to Israel was to see with my own eyes the reality* on the relationship between Israel and Palestine. And although I couldn't see much of it in the 6 days I stood there, it was enough to see and feel how sad and hard life is in the WestBank (I cant imagine how is it in Gaza Strip).

It's very sad to see the opportunities Palestinians have, to see how they are prisoners in their own land (protecting wall all around, barbed-wire all around, roads they can not transit in their own land, watching towers in their own cities, check points with metal detectors in the middle of their cities, their temples striped apart and under Israeli militar control, streets closed by militars...). It is sad to see the Jewish Settlements, it is sad to see that those are in the best lands in the middle of Palestine, to see the type of land they have left for agriculture...It was also very sad to see all the young people in Israel wearing an uniform, and being afraid of everyone who looks different that them.
It is sad to see how some of them have nothing, nor even the simple right to a nation and to move around their place, and it is also sad to see how those who have everything live with fear. It is sad to see how both parts grow up with hate and anger. In general it is very very sad to know this is the world we are living in, it's hard to see how lucky we are to live in the places we live in.
Don't expect me to judge or to explain the situation there. It's very complex to explain it here, just, as a person from this century, everyone should read and be aware of the political and social reality there.

t-shirt being sold in Jerusalem

The wall in the 21sth century!

Arriving to Israel from India felt like arriving to Europe. Israel itself looks great: Organized, clean, green in many places, nevertheless seeing all the young people in a green uniform and the locals with machine-guns in the middle of the street makes your thoughts start running and changes your mood.

I took the Old Jerusalem as my head-quarter. I stood there 6 days in a pretty old hostel that looked (and probably was) like 1000 years old. Although it has been the coldest hostel ever, people there were amazing and I got great time and indications from them!
I gave two full days to Jerusalem, mainly to the walled city.
The Old Jerusalem is divided into four quarters (Christian, Armenian, Jewish and Muslim). You can imagine which is the richest and which is the poorest. Although many sad realities there, the Old Jerusalem is one of the most incredible places I've been in, and I was lucky enough to see it covered by snow.

The other parts of Israel I went were Nazareth and Tiberias. Nothing special there, just it was nice to be in places I'd heard about since I was a child (My family is very religious and I went to a Catholic school).

Then I went to Palestine. One day I went to Bethlehem and Ramallah, the second day I went to Hebron (the situation there is horrible!) and to Jericho, next to the dead-see (the lowest point on earth). It was amazing to be in the west bank, and to see and live all the things there.

The view of Jericho from the mount where they say Jesus was tempted by the evil.

I am very glad I had the chance to go there, and I wouldnt mind to go again. Specially because the food is great. I just hope next time I go there, the political reality is better. That's the real victory for Israel, for Palestine and for the human kind as a whole. I just hope next time I go there, they follow the advice in this wall:

Make Hummus, not Walls

* I believe there are many realities, or at least I've seen several in the places I've lived in. But any of those realities I've seen with my eyes was always better than the one shown in the media.