Noticias de David y Nuria!!!

Hola de nuevo a todos!!!

En primer lugar siento no haber escrito nada sobre nuestro viaje chino pero creedme cuando os digo que ha sido totalmente imposible!!! La primera semana estuvimos de vacaciones en Shanghai, una ciudad muy a la europea: con muchos rascacielos, calles de compras y un centro historico muy bonito. Nos llamo la atencion la enorme polucion que hay asi como una humedad que te hace sudar todo el dia. Por otro lado, nuestro primer contacto con la cultura oriental no nos ha decepcionado puesto que hemos aprendido un monton de cosas. Aqui van algunas que nos han llamado la atencion:

- En China no hay ni un solo perro.
- Tampoco hay gatos, pero hay grillos mascota, conejos y serpeintes !!!
- En China no hay calvos (q suerte !!)
- En China no hay rubios, pelirojos, gente con pelo rizado, ondulado y rara vez tienen mucho pelo blanco. Vamos que todos son morenos. Gus hubiera llamado la atencion.
- Eso si, no tienen ni un solo pelo (literalmente) en brazos y piernas. Sobre otras partes no me atreveria a asegurar.
- Aunque se supone que cada vez estan mas abiertos a otras culturas, todavia se te quedan mirando como si fueras un bicho raro. O eso o es que estoy terriblemente bueno para los estandares chinos ;-))
- Algunos precios son realemte de risa. Un Rolex (o mas bien pseudo-Rolex) los puedes sacar por 5e y la comida mas o menos igual.

Tras nuestra semana en Shanghai nos hemos venido a la SSP07 en Beijing.

Bueno, ahora ya puedo contaros que la buena pinta que tiene el programa cuando indagas en su web se ha confirmado totalmente. En solo una semana he conocido gente realmente importante en este mundo del espacio. Uno de nuestros profesores es Jeffrey Hoffman, uno de los astronautas que reparo el telescopio Hubble. También he conocido grandes empresarios del turismo espacial, científicos referencia en su campo, un astronauta que estuvo mas de 6 meses en la Estación Espacial Internacional, etc… el elenco de personas que ha pasado por aquí ha sido extraordinario, y esto no ha hecho mas que empezar. Además, estamos gente de 25 países diferentes conviviendo en el campus, trabajando juntos, jugando al fútbol, y compartiendo muchas experiencias.
He hecho mis primeros fichajes chinos para la cantera china de Patxanga. Estan muy entusiasmados con la idea de jugar en el equipo. Ademas uno es karateka y reparte mucha leña asi que nos vendra bien. Jorge, eres el siguiente en venir a promocionar el equipo, eh!!!

Tengo un monton de fotos pero todavia no he podido descargarlas y tal y como funciona la red aqui, no creo que pueda subirlas a ningun sitio antes de que esto se acabe a finales de Agosto.

Por otro lado no se que habreis escrito en el blog porque esta censurado en China asi que no se absolutamente nada de vuestra vida. Estaria bien que me enviarais a mi cuenta davi_ex@hotmail.com vuestros datos de contacto por que seguro que alguno ya no esta disponible en la ESA (al menos Gus). Sobretodo me interesa vuestro email personal y datos de skype.

Espero poder contaros cosas pronto.

Un saludo!!!

David y Nuria

Hola hola hola!

Hola! ;))

como va todo??
pues os podeis creer que entro hoy en el blog por primera vez ;)
soy tan despistada q ya se me habia olvidado q existia! :P

Bueno, pues os cuento!
el viaje de vulta fue muy bien.. aunq al llegar aqui a Barcelona la verdad es q estabamos los dos un poquillo tristes!
No nos podiamos creer q no volviamos a Leiden! Deciamos.. " ya está?!?!!?!" Pero bueno.. es lo que hay!

Despues todo de coña, la adaptacion muy rapida y el tiempo genial.
Los dos trabajamos ya..y VAMOS DE CULO, porq el follon q convella un trabajo nuevo ( trabajo de verdad, no un spanish trainee, jejeje, que pena.. se acabó el chollo) y oraganizar toda una casa y mudanza.. pues es increible...

la verdad es no q hicimos nada mas q limpiar, montar muebles y colgar cuadros durante 1 mes entero! pero bueno, ya CASI esta ;)

Pues nada... ahora lo que queda es planear las vacaciones y disfrutar del sol y playita todos los dias :P

Un beso para tooooooodos y hasta pronto!


Laura.

Diary of a bicycle trip

Hi all!

Finally some pictures of my bike-trip, which is already finished.

Last week I came back to Málaga by plane from Lyon, as my time was finished, I didn´t reach Barcelona, but anyway I was happy, because for two weeks and few days I reached far enough: Grenoble.

I will try to summarize my trip here with a picture per day:


Day 1, Sat. 19 May,
Leiden --> Sleeuwijk (next to river Rhin),
85 km (total 85 km).

I took me longer than expected finishing the preparation of the bicycle, thus I didn´t left Leiden until 14:30. Anyway the good weather allowed me to reach the river Rhin.

Intermediate cities were Gouda and Gorinchen.





Day 2, Sun. 20 May,
Sleeuwijk --> Horn (next to Germany),
163 km (total 248 km).

I was a long day, lots of kilometers in natural parks, with forests, lakes and bicycles paths without paviment crossing them. It was very nice to get into some nature in the Netherlands.

Intermediate cities were S-Hertogenbosch, Eindoven and Weert.




Day 3, Mon. 21 May,
Horn (Netherlands) --> Köln (Germany),
100 km (total 348 km).

Very nice day today, leaving The Netherlands and riding into Germany, almost without realizing it, as I cross from one country to the other through a Natural Park.

Finally in Köln I slept close to its wonderful Cathedral!




Day 4, Tue. 22 May,
Köln --> Bonn --> Koblenz,
112 km (total 460 km).

Now, I am really following the river Rhin... great bicycle paths and views.
I slept in that castle with that view of Koblenz (rivers Rhin and Mossel)

Day 5, Wed. 23 May,
Koblenz --> Mainz,
111 km (total 571 km).
Foggy day, but beatyful landscape: castles and vineyards all around.

Typical German day, with currywurst included.






Day 6, Thu. 24 May,
Mainz --> Worm --> Heidelberg,
129 km (total 700 km).

First part of the day following the river Rhin crossing more forest... second part, crossing to the East side of the River in the city of Worn and riding direction to Heidelberg... beautiful city with almost everything: river, castles, mountains, old-town... it worths visiting it!






Day 7, Fri. 25 May,
Heidelberg --> Karlsruhe --> Strassburg (France),
160 km (total 860 km).
Another long day!

It did seem that I would never reach Strassburg... even 5 km earlier than reaching the city a had got a flat wheel!
It was getting dark and the youth hostal was closed because of constructions, but everything ended well.




Day 8, Sat. 26 May,
Strassburg (France) --> Breisach (Germany),
94 km (total 954 km).
During the morning I visited Strassburg, during the afternoon cycling following the river... still lots of vineyards.

Incredible but true, today I got two more flat wheels!!!





Day 9, Sun. 27 May,
Breisach (Germany) --> Basel (Switzerland),
69 km (total 1023 km).

First goal reached today: Switzerland, from today I won´t follow the river Rhin. I also reached 1000 km.

Interesting the bridge of the three lands and the point shared by France, Germany and Switzerland.



Day 10, Mon. 28 May,
Basel --> Bern,
123 km (total 1146 km).
First day cycling in Switzerland... the path is not anymore flat, in the picture a slope of 3,5 km with 9% average drop and really bad weather: a lot of rain and cold!!!

But anyway, the landview and the roads are beautyful.




Day 11, Tue. 29 May,
Bern, Rest day!!!
0 km (total 1146 km).

Ten days cycling and all my clothes still wet from the previous day... I need a rest. I use the day to eat, sleep, visit this nice city and eat and sleep.


Day 12, Wed. 30 May, Bern --> Friburg --> Laussane, 117 km (total 1263km).










I am really enjoying in Switzerland, it is wonderful to visit this land by bicycle. However, it isn't so easy moving in here, even when I am right now in the "flat" part of the country, the bicycle path do zig-zag and goes up & down visiting every hill and every little village in the way.
Anyway it is amazing this green landscapes with the white Alpes in the background, or the the lake of Laussane, totally surrounded by high mountains... with the sunset on one side and full moon in the opposite.


Day 13, Thu. 31 May,
Laussane --> Geneve --> Traverse (France) --> Annecy
120 km (total 1383 km).

All of them cities next to a lake surrounded by mountains... Beautiful!

Today I have left Switzerland and gone in France... it is a crazy afternoon it is rainning as cat and dogs, really it isn't rain but a shower of few hours, low visibility and a big slope between Traverse and Annecy... one of the hardest day! It seems that the man in the youth hostal thought the same, because the meal I got from him for dinner was so huge that almost even myself wasn't able to finish it.


Day 14, Fri. 1 June,
Annecy --> Chambery --> St. Pierre de Chartreusse
90 km (total 1473 km).

It is getting serius in here!

If in Switzerland I avoided the Alpes, in France I am really crossing them. It started from chambery, where I took the road which cross the so call "des trois cols de la célébre "trilogie" de la Chartreuse". Today I have passed the Col du Granier and the Col du Cucheron... I don't know if they are considered easy or difficult, but believe me, raining and with all the luggage in the bicycle it is not so easy.
It was getting late and it was raining the whole day, so I decided to leave the last col for tomorrow morning, tomorrow was going to be a rest day.


Day 15, Sat. 2 June,
St. Pierre de Chartreusse --> Grenoble
35 km (total 1508 km).









Today after passing the third mountain: Col du Porte, I got my second goal, reaching Grenoble and visiting our friend Aude, with them I spent the whole evening enjoying the tasteful dinner they prepared!!!

Today I have reached 1500 km.



Day 16, Sun. 3 June,
Grenoble -->
ALPE D'HUEZ -->
Grenoble
122 km (total 1630 km).
















Last day on the bicycle... and of course it needs a proper end. For the last day I left the "Etapa Reina", 125 km and go up Alpe d'Huez. The weather has been too good, so good that I was prepared for more rain as the previous days... it has been too hard to ride up with my winter clothes... but it has been really emotive... such corners, such slopes and such landscape.

I really got happy when I reached the end of this legendary climb.


Day 17, Mon. 4 June,
Grenoble --> Lyon
by Train.










I went to Lyon another beautiful city, where I stayed for one day, preparing my flight for the next day: day 18 Tue. 5 June, when I flought from Lyon to Madrid and from Madrid to Málaga... the whole day travelling... I think it has been the hardest day.

I am already in Spain, with my family... more relax, but last Saturday, I met Jesús Fernández in Granada and we went cycling up to almost the end of Veleta (3392 m), the highest road in Europe!!!, we could only reach 3200 m, because of the permanent snow... but believe me... it is almost imposible to breath there... if you compere Alpes with it, Alpes is a game for children.

My best regards,
Gaspar

News from Pucela!!

Hi there !!

I think it is finally time to talk about life after ESTEC. Everything begun with the day after our farewell dinner. As Diana has mentioned we went to bed at 2.00 am and woke up 5 hours later to clean the house. It took us 4 hours of horrible hangover-cleaning time to get our house check-out ready for our landlord. Agggghhh !!!

After that we packed everything in the car and drove for 12 hours down to Orleans. It' a pity you didn't want to come with us in the car because as this pic depicts there was plenty of room for all of us:

After a couple of days in Valladolid (Pucela for friends) I went to Madrid to recieve the credentials of the scholarship that will sponsor my studies in London, from the hands of principe Felipe !!!! I met there a previous YGT (Laura Escudero) who will study a master in Technology and Politics in MIT.

The following day I went to London for the Admits weekend that my school organised for new students of the MBA program. I prepared some Lepe jokes to find my place and be as popular as possible from the very first day. You'd be surprised to know that nobody knows Lepe (nor Valladolid) outside Spain, so I guess my popularity has dropped to ground floor. Why the hell do they want a master if they don't know the location of Valladolid? Really wierd!! The highlight of the event was when were invited to see a cricket match in some kind of sanctuary (the Lord's stadium) for criket lovers:

Gosh !! I'm sure this is the most boring sport on Earth!! Did you know that matches can last for 4 days? Awful!! Anyway, I only stayed for some minutes and went with some other "cricket lovers" to have some pints of beer.

After 4 days in London I came back to Valladolid to prepare my other big trip to China!!! So now we are busy these days with the visa and other documentation.

We do miss you all and want to know more things about you guys. Keep us posted!!

A big hug and hope to see you soon.

David

Perdido en Graz

Hola a todos desde Graz (Austria). Llegué el pasado lunes a las 23:30, despues de un viaje un poco inusual que duró un poco más de lo esperado. Pero al fin ya estoy por aqui, explorando la ciudad y comprendiendo la cultura austriaca. Y sobretodo, buscando apartamento, abriendo la cuenta en el banco, y todas esas cosas que todos ya hemos encontrado alguna vez. Para que empeceis a ver la ciudad igual que la veo yo, aqui teneis unas fotos que estoy seguro os van a gustar:



Y el lunes que viene ya empiezo a trabajar, a ver que tal se me da :-). Ya ire contando, hasta pronto!