My super boring journal I would like some more pressed duck.

Si hay un problema con la vuelta de Tejas alrededor y asperje el mar.

SPAIN | Monday, 19 February 2007 | Views [3636] | Comments [13]

Hola,

Mel and I have returned form Espanol! It was a super great trip and we had a great time (I did anyway).

Spain is very beautiful. There are many beautiful buildings. The Gaudi buildings are particularly beautiful. You can see some pictures in the ‘Barcelona’ section. In Spain not many people spoke English which was a bit difficult but was also kind of cool because we could work it out without too much trouble. Our beds at the hostel were very short. I think this is because the Spanish people tend to be shorter.

The weather was lovely. It was 20+ degrees everyday (except for the day we left when it rained).

We went to the Picasso museum which had a lot of his early paintings. The things he did when he was 15 were seriously good. I was very impressed.

We ate Spanish food. Paella and seafood. We also drank Sangria which was awesome. It reminded me of Lou Reed.

We also had Japanese while we were there which was cool because there was a real Spanish spin to it.

Along ‘La Rambilas’ which is the main shopping street in Barcelona there were billions of Pet shops. These were outdoor stalls that sold all sorts of animals. The best animals were turtles and tortoises and ducks and giant snails. I loved them all and would have spent all day there had Mel not rightly gotten sick of it.

We went to ‘Guell Park’ and ‘Segrada Familia’ which are Gaudi constructions. Segrada Familia is a temple that has been under construction since 1904. It is amazing. There are lots of mosaics and curved angles.

Guell Park was a very beautiful Park that had lots of really unique features. The most famous bit is the mosaic lizard which the guy was fixing while we were there so we couldn’t see it. But we sat and listened to a guy play the mandolin(I think it was a mandolin) in a magical park in Spain.

It was a great trip. I miss you Mel!

Tags: Sightseeing

Comments

1

Juan is dead, dead!
RIP Juan. You served mightly with strength and courage.

Super sad Susan Feb 21, 2007 2:11 AM

2

If there is a problem with the return of Roofing tiles around and sprinkles the sea.

How did he... pass.
I feel awful being all the way over here when precious Juan has passed. He will truely live on in our hearts.

Just out of curiousity, why did we call him Juan when he is an Astra?

Ebony Feb 23, 2007 4:24 PM

3

Yope Sue. Everything is quite super and a little bit dooper as well. Here's everything I know:
Don't lend Year 9's your USB stick, or they might get into your private document folders.
Mr Gabrielson last service was last Sunday. He is retiring.
They never show any good movies at La Premiere.
Sing Star coaxs the most reluctant out of tune singer into a full blown rock-opera god.
Ebony is a cake MASTER.
Eating half a chicken in one go is a bit much.
Rainy, wintery weather is the best thing ever, ever, and forever. Perhaps in about four months time, I shall say the opposite.
Middle aged teachers don't know how to rename computer files, let alone put files into a folder. (Herrumph.)
When cooking rice in a rice cooker, remember to turn it on.
I hate ironing.
Girls don't iron.
Girls are smarter than boys.
Mum and Dad made me hand over my keys to their house. Tim didn't have to. Not saying anything out loud. Just makes you think...
Uma Thurman in bright yellow jumpsuit taking on the Crazy 88 is pretty spectacular.
Two years olds prefer to unwrap presents rather than deliver them to the people they belong to.
That's all I know.

Simon J Mar 1, 2007 8:34 PM

4

Tim didn't have to hand in his keys because he has a car and got an iron for his birthday!!!!!

Mrs J. Mar 2, 2007 4:35 PM

5

Guess what the cool, new game at Cannington Community College is... Susan Poker!

Even though Ebony says she invented it.

Daniel Mar 2, 2007 8:32 PM

6

Yopey dopey Suse.
So out go Sir Tim and Lord Simon, off to search near and far for a small abode that they may purchase with their saved pennies, to call their very own. They travelled up knells and dells, highways and byways, and down of course, some liquorice sticks. But nare did any such castle meet their approval, and they spend many the day alooking.
Until.
After looking at their seventh? eighth? ninth? house, they decided to call it a day, and go back to living in a ditch. However, smart, wise and bodacious Lord Simon spies another apartment, a mere fifty houses down the street from where they are parked. Surely, they could go a coupla blocks and squeeze in another?
Surely they could.
Upon arriving at quite a newly built apartment block, Sir and Lord realise that there are no real estate 'Home Open' signs, and a large gate is blocking their entrance. A gate that could only be opened with the buzzing of a buzzer. After much hesitation, the buzzer is pushed, a voice is heard, and the gate doesn't open. Minutes later, a girl in pink shorts, thongs and a tank top comes to open the gate. This is slightly less formal than other real estate agents previously encountered.
Pink Shorts Girl says something in broken Russian English as she lets us in and leads us through another gate. Lord nods and then exchanges the universal "I have no idea what the hell she just said" glance with Sir. Fearing nothing, our intrepid duo boldly go forward in their quest.
Up three flights of stairs, the two are led into Apartment Number 7. Upon opening of the door, our Lord and Sir are greeted with the sight of a man wearing only a fluffy blue bathrobe, lounging about in the lounge room. It is about this time that Lord Simons and Sir Tim’s warning bells start going off so loudly that they break and only make a weird clacking sound. Perhaps the culture in Eastern Europe is different (what with hundred of years of rich history behind them) from Australia, but here, real estate agents generally don't hang out in bathrobes whilst selling houses, and generally ask anyone else in a bathrobe to go and grab a coffee for half hour whilst potential buyers traipse through. Trust me, I just know these things.
"Is this the home open?"
Puzzled glances.
"Is this house for sale?"
"Take a look around"
"You want to take look around?"
Pink Shorts Girl shows Lord Simon a name on a typed document, presumably asking if he matches the name. He isn't (but wonders what might have happened if he said yes).
About thirty seconds of slow-motion hyper-speed dialogue takes place, in which the four take it in turns creating sentences from English words that no one else understands. Finally, escape-mechanisms kick in, and Lord and Sir state that they are leaving, as they simply must have the wrong house, and they've left the children in the car, and have left an iron on in the oven.

There is more...

Simon J Mar 12, 2007 10:16 PM

7

You would THINK that THAT is where the adventure concludes. But, oh my friends, there is so much more to digest.
You see, at the bottom of the stairs, just as they hit a large black gate, it occurs to Lord and Sir that Pink Shorts Girl let them in with a key. A key that you would need in order to get back out. With no way in Clarence that they are going back up stairs, Lord and Sir have a mild freakout- until they spot a white 'gate open' button that frees them from their imprisonment.
There is however, one more gate to pass, and it has no luxury of the magic white 'gate open' button. Before Lord Simon has time to gnaw off his arms in order to fit through the bars, Sir Tim has located another gate, this time with no lock attached. Tra-lee, tra-la, the illusion of freedom is swiftly shattered when the pair realise that they are in the apartment car park, which is sealed off from the logical world by a ubiquitous black gate- the sort that needs a detector thing to open. Lord and Sir not having one on their persons, they are indeed trapped in what has become an enormous guinea pig experiment.
Piercing Lord Simon and Sir Tim’s plan to escape by constructing a hot air balloon from a teabag and a three legged raccoon, is a lady parked in her car on the other side of the black fence who says
“Are you here for the Home Open?”
Stunned that anyone should ask a question of such clarity and precision in the midst of such madness, Sir and Lord reply
“Yes.”
Clarity Lady picks up her mobile phone and calls the real estate agent. Meanwhile, Sir Tim and Lord Simon decide that there is only one thing to be done. Climbing the fence was not as tricky as first thought, considering the convenient brick half-wall next to the fence. The long black medieval points decorating the top of the fence did make it quite a fearsome proposition, as one slip and a bit of planning, you might end with your ears pierced. On the sweet sweet ground on the other side of the car park, Lord and Sir are informed by Clarity Lady that she is on the phone with the real estate agent, who is parked out the front, and has been trying to contact the tenants all day. We quite confidently inform him that we know exactly where the tenants are. And what they are wearing.
We leave Clarity Lady to it- if she wants the house, she can have it. We have too many visual-image scars to be able to live there. We walk around the block, back to the front of the house (noting the agent who is going through the gate up to the house. Lucky him.) where Sir Tim’s automobile is awaiting. We get into our ride, and decide that that was the best house opening we have EVER been to. Perhaps a little TOO open.
One thing that has been bothering Lord Simon since, though, is the distinct memory of laughter from the two Russians as we closed the door in our hasty exit outta there. Were they much more clued in than what we thought? If you have no intention of moving out of your Vic Park apartment, what better way than to not answer calls from the estate agent, affect a broken English speech pattern when talking, and greet potential home buyers in pink shorts or a blue bathrobe? Pure genius. Try it next time the Jehovah’s Witnesses come to the door.

Simon J Mar 12, 2007 10:46 PM

8

Hi Susan

I, as an eyewitness and participant in above adventure, can concur the facts as presented by Lord Simon, but also must stress that the surreal vibe of the whole situation has been immaculately captured.

I am in awe of my Lords storytelling prowess and renounce my knighthood in honour of serving him as his squire, living in a thatch roof hut and eating boiled cabbage.

Lowly, lowly Tim

Ex-Sir Tim Mar 14, 2007 12:35 AM

9

Greetings my Lords & Ladies,

How can I possibly follow Sir Tim & Lord Simon (I think it is time they set the bar much lower, so the feeble peasants can live in blissful ignorance & believe the things they say are somewhat interesting). Speaking of things not that exciting, Inspirations has finally moved! Into the shop next door (I'm not kidding, although in terms of shopping centre space, it could probably be considered 2 shops down, a huge move I know & I'm sure your all quite amazed)! The shop move stared at 6am (Melissa’s reaction to getting there at six, was I don't think so & promptly arrived at the slightly more sensible hour of eight) & we opened up the store at 12ish & were pretty much done (although the card reps were nowhere near finished, I think they must of been putting the cards up one at a time, to make sure it was perfect). The electrician came to disconnect the power, while we were still dismantling the shop, so it was kinda like dismantling by candlelight. Apparently there was a small explosion in the shop the other day & it almost set the shop on fire, the electrician said we must have been breeding rats in the roof (but now I must apologise to Nyssa for laughing at her obsessive compulsive checking that the kettle isn't left on in case the shop burned down, cause it just might happen).

Meli Mar 14, 2007 1:18 AM

10

What's the address of this place, Lord Simon?

Ezra Mar 14, 2007 12:15 PM

11

I didn't know the Dokic's were living in Vic Park now.

Ezra Mar 14, 2007 12:15 PM

12

as a very aged aunt i must reinstate your lordlyness dear tim as you have endured the tortures of house hunting and must be exceedly brave...it is not for sissies...oh royal ones..that is the most hillarious story I have heard lately..
only rivelled by the anecdotes my halucinating patients can relay!!
House hunting has never been the high spot in ones agenda for the week ..
i've found it on a par with drain cleaning and the close examination of drying paint.
forc`e ..(strength) good knights this business is not for the faint hearted so you'll bloomin' well need it.

Verily I say ..the paper bag at the edge of the road might be a favourable option.

a. cheryl 16/3 Mar 17, 2007 1:59 AM

13

Greetings Sue and all her devoted followers… I make my return to your illustrious journal with humble regret for not being here for so long. I could offer a thousand excuses… but I wont.

Firstly, let me say that I was impressed to see that, according to the stat counters here at World Nomad, it would appear that you, oh Gentlesue, are the second most prolific journal writer in the whole joint (that’s Aussie slang for house, not to be confused with another Aussie slang word referring to a hand rolled marijuana cigarette). Well done.

Now on to more interesting things. It would seem that Sir Tim and Lord Simon are not the only ones who looketh for an new abode in which to dwelleth. My fairer half and I are also treading the highways and the byways in search of a new place to call home, although not out of dire need but rather because we want to. It would seem that a growing family needs more space (although I can’t for the life of me see what is wrong with the cupboard space we provide for them now).

Anyway, in the interests of making a point, here being the best place I could think of to make said point, I want to publicly air my concern at the tripe that gets passed as advertising in real estate ads. For example, consider the following add which caught our attention…

Description
Attention Investors & First Home Buyers!!!
Neat 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home on 728sqm block in great location only 1 minute away from Primary School and just a short walk to Senior High School. This home features lounge room with wood burning fire, kitchen/ dining, laundry and enclosed patio/games area. Also has drive through access from the carport to the free standing garage. A little bit of freshening up would go a long way, making this home perfect for first home buyers and investors alike. For more information contact (name removed).

And now for the truth…

Deception
Attention people with more money than sense & First Home Buyers (read suckers)!!!
3 1/2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathroom home that needs a good clean on 728sqm block (which is not square), half of which is on a 45 degree slope and completely useless, in dodgy street only 1 minute away from Primary School if you cut across the storm water drain and just a short walk (brisk 10 minutes) to Senior High School. This home features lounge room with wood burning fire, complete with smoke stained wall, charred mantle and campfire smell, dining in kitchen, laundry out on the enclosed patio/games/car port/washing hanging area. Also has drive through access from the carport to the just standing garage (tilt door needs some attention ie. replacing). A little bit of freshening up would be an understatement, making this home perfect for someone with lots of time on their hands. For more information contact (name removed).

The search continues…

Master Patt Mar 20, 2007 1:25 AM