Friday, January 13, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Musicians and USA
The following pictures were taken with famous
musicians or my friend Layla whilst in the USA
Christmas 2005
As usual I really enjoyed the Christmas holidays – I had two weeks off work altogether and it was a really enjoyable and relaxing break before the worst part of the winter. The days leading up to Christmas were busy with last minute gift shopping etc and I visited all my family one by one to exchange gifts, and on Xmas eve Colin and I went to his second son's home where lots of family members were gathered for an excellent meal. The whole evening was really great. Colin and I spent Christmas day and Boxing day quietly just the two of us which was wonderful. Those were the only two really quiet days in the whole two weeks and really restful and nice. We cooked Christmas dinner between us and later in the day my son Justin visited which was good as we don’t get to see him very often. After leaving us and taking with him a plated Xmas dinner for Tristan, he collected Tristan and took him to a friend's house where they cooked a Christmas dinner. I had also given Tristan everything to make a Christmas dinner for himself and the Greek guy who has a room in the house share where he lives, so altogether he did well for Christmas dinners!!!
The day after boxing day Colin, his sister Mary and I went to the wetlands centre at Slimbridge for the day. It was a great day out because we stopped at a lovely pub in Slimbridge village for a nice lunch and then spent the afternoon enjoying all the birds - my favourites being the Hawaiian geese who are gentle and friendly and come readily to take food from your hands. Some act like sentries on the gates so that you feel as though you are 'paying' to pass by offering a handful of grain. They are so unbelievably cute. The day after that I had a friend over to lunch and in the evening Colin and I went to a family get together at my sister Tracy's house, this in addition to another one just before Christmas at my sister Kathryn's house.
Then on 29 December my Peruvian freinds Jorge, Vivi and Pedro came down from East Grinstead and I cooked a special Trujillan dish for them which they immediately recognised but did not know how to make so I was able to pass on the recipe. We spent all day on the 31st as tourists in Bath, including visiting the Roman Baths and Museum of Costume and walking around seeing other sights. We also visited my Mum in her lovely cottage in a village outside Bath because she was so taken with Jorge on his last visit. (Last time she told him that if they were all like him in Peru she'd consider going there herself!!!). Altogether Jorge took 120 photos on his digital camera that day and I hope to get them on CD soon so look out for them in a couple of weeks time. After saying goodbye to Jorge, who was driving on to London to celebrate the new year with his cousin, Colin and I made tracks to my sister Kathryn's house as we were cooking for our menfolk that evening. I had dropped off my share of the ingredients earlier in the day and she had prepared everything and then we got busy together and prepared a super meal which the four of us really enjoyed. Our niece Kerry and her husband popped in for a visit too and we played a few games of scrabble as well. Then at 11.30 we watched the build up to new year and the amazing fireworks display in London on television.
New Years day we went to the pub where our friend Reggie's jazz band always plays each year as an annual event. We had lunch and stayed listening to the band all afternoon. My last day off was Monday 2nd when my son Adam treated me to a nice indian lunch at a restaurant in Bath. All in all it was a great two weeks. Even on the 3rd we continued celebrating in the evening because it was my sister Kathryn's birthday, which was also celebrated in an indian restaurant.
I thought that was it, but last Thursday night Aquiles phoned, said his brother was over from Switzerland and they were thinking of visiting Bath at the weekend and they did. We had a great couple of days. They arrived on Saturday and we spent the day as tourists in Bath plus visited Kathryn and Bob for a couple of hours, and then back at Colin's I got busy and cooked a super meal for them - Malaysian chicken and king prawn soup, Turkey steaks in wine with fresh mango, and Cuban cocktails - Mojitos - made with white rum, fresh lime juice, fresh mint, sugar, a little club soda, all well blended and poured over crushed ice - yummy! They had to go back early next day because Carlos was flying back to Switzerland but we had time for a long leisurely breakfast before I dropped them off at the station.
The end result of this visit is that next month I am going to Switzerland as I've been invited to Carlos's 40th birthday celebration. I am flying on 23rd February and the party is on Friday 24th. Three of us will be travelling together - Aquiles, Ivan and me (Ivan being a mariachi musician who will be one of the performers at the party). Carlos’s birthday is this month but the celebration for about 150 guests is next month and is being organised by colleagues of his. We will have 6 days in Switzerland altogether so I am hoping there might be an opportunity to try skiing for the very first time in my life whilst there. Jetting off abroad so soon after Christmas is something to look forward to in the grey days of February. Whilst in town on Saturday I bought a stunning evening dress in the sales which needs me to lose about 10 pounds for it to be a perfect fit - so this week I am eating up all the chocs and then going on a 5 week crash diet to try and lose a stone before Switzerland so that I can wear that dress (but I do have another new evening dress that already fits in case I don't succeed, one I bought to wear at Christmas but ended up not wearing it because it was just too dressy for the events we went to).
Back at work I am really happy because I have just got a new computer - an apple mac G5 with a 30 inch flatscreen monitor which is absolutely amazing. Working on it is really a pleasure! The technician told me I now have the best computer in the whole university - wow! This happened because my previous flatscreen monitor failed and I put in a request for the larger one. Then when they realised that my G4 wasn't powerful enough to support the monitor, my line manager agreed to the new computer. You can imagine how excited I was when this was ordered just before
Christmas.
Anyhow look out for the series of touristic pictures of Bath in a couple of weeks and next month the description of events in Switzerland and photos.
The day after boxing day Colin, his sister Mary and I went to the wetlands centre at Slimbridge for the day. It was a great day out because we stopped at a lovely pub in Slimbridge village for a nice lunch and then spent the afternoon enjoying all the birds - my favourites being the Hawaiian geese who are gentle and friendly and come readily to take food from your hands. Some act like sentries on the gates so that you feel as though you are 'paying' to pass by offering a handful of grain. They are so unbelievably cute. The day after that I had a friend over to lunch and in the evening Colin and I went to a family get together at my sister Tracy's house, this in addition to another one just before Christmas at my sister Kathryn's house.
Then on 29 December my Peruvian freinds Jorge, Vivi and Pedro came down from East Grinstead and I cooked a special Trujillan dish for them which they immediately recognised but did not know how to make so I was able to pass on the recipe. We spent all day on the 31st as tourists in Bath, including visiting the Roman Baths and Museum of Costume and walking around seeing other sights. We also visited my Mum in her lovely cottage in a village outside Bath because she was so taken with Jorge on his last visit. (Last time she told him that if they were all like him in Peru she'd consider going there herself!!!). Altogether Jorge took 120 photos on his digital camera that day and I hope to get them on CD soon so look out for them in a couple of weeks time. After saying goodbye to Jorge, who was driving on to London to celebrate the new year with his cousin, Colin and I made tracks to my sister Kathryn's house as we were cooking for our menfolk that evening. I had dropped off my share of the ingredients earlier in the day and she had prepared everything and then we got busy together and prepared a super meal which the four of us really enjoyed. Our niece Kerry and her husband popped in for a visit too and we played a few games of scrabble as well. Then at 11.30 we watched the build up to new year and the amazing fireworks display in London on television.
New Years day we went to the pub where our friend Reggie's jazz band always plays each year as an annual event. We had lunch and stayed listening to the band all afternoon. My last day off was Monday 2nd when my son Adam treated me to a nice indian lunch at a restaurant in Bath. All in all it was a great two weeks. Even on the 3rd we continued celebrating in the evening because it was my sister Kathryn's birthday, which was also celebrated in an indian restaurant.
I thought that was it, but last Thursday night Aquiles phoned, said his brother was over from Switzerland and they were thinking of visiting Bath at the weekend and they did. We had a great couple of days. They arrived on Saturday and we spent the day as tourists in Bath plus visited Kathryn and Bob for a couple of hours, and then back at Colin's I got busy and cooked a super meal for them - Malaysian chicken and king prawn soup, Turkey steaks in wine with fresh mango, and Cuban cocktails - Mojitos - made with white rum, fresh lime juice, fresh mint, sugar, a little club soda, all well blended and poured over crushed ice - yummy! They had to go back early next day because Carlos was flying back to Switzerland but we had time for a long leisurely breakfast before I dropped them off at the station.
The end result of this visit is that next month I am going to Switzerland as I've been invited to Carlos's 40th birthday celebration. I am flying on 23rd February and the party is on Friday 24th. Three of us will be travelling together - Aquiles, Ivan and me (Ivan being a mariachi musician who will be one of the performers at the party). Carlos’s birthday is this month but the celebration for about 150 guests is next month and is being organised by colleagues of his. We will have 6 days in Switzerland altogether so I am hoping there might be an opportunity to try skiing for the very first time in my life whilst there. Jetting off abroad so soon after Christmas is something to look forward to in the grey days of February. Whilst in town on Saturday I bought a stunning evening dress in the sales which needs me to lose about 10 pounds for it to be a perfect fit - so this week I am eating up all the chocs and then going on a 5 week crash diet to try and lose a stone before Switzerland so that I can wear that dress (but I do have another new evening dress that already fits in case I don't succeed, one I bought to wear at Christmas but ended up not wearing it because it was just too dressy for the events we went to).
Back at work I am really happy because I have just got a new computer - an apple mac G5 with a 30 inch flatscreen monitor which is absolutely amazing. Working on it is really a pleasure! The technician told me I now have the best computer in the whole university - wow! This happened because my previous flatscreen monitor failed and I put in a request for the larger one. Then when they realised that my G4 wasn't powerful enough to support the monitor, my line manager agreed to the new computer. You can imagine how excited I was when this was ordered just before
Christmas.
Anyhow look out for the series of touristic pictures of Bath in a couple of weeks and next month the description of events in Switzerland and photos.
Jacco noreen me dallas
With Jacco and Noreen at a brilliant Mexican sea food restaurant in Dallas, November 2003.
Jacco me dallas
Jacco is the main guy in the band Vision Andina - whilst staying with Layla in November 2003 I went on a 4 day visit to Dallas to see Jacco.
Chano Aquiles Dante
Chano, Aquiles and Dante at the Peruvian Christmas party in London, December 2004.
Julio me Eddy
Julio (Johnny's band, Johnny's dad and guitarist and singer of Kausary. Taken with Eddy who is proprietor of El Inca cafe on the Brixton Road in London.
Toti santiago me london
Toti and I came across Santiago of Shanty whilst in Portabello Market, London. Santiago is the guy who plays the part of the inca at Carnaval del Pueblo each year.
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