Venice, the queen of Italy

Definitely the queen of Italy..
A city that makes us instantly evoke this sweet and magic country.., a place that makes us evoke Vivaldi, Bellini, Tiziano, Tintoretto and Marco Polo..

I know I didn't get to visit Florence in spring, but certainly Venice was my favorite place..

In the north of Italy, in the coast of Adriatic Sea, we can find one the most attractive and peculiar cities in our planet, that was one of the most important commercial power that has ever existed in the Mediterranean.

Venice traded with the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim world, becoming the most prosperous city in the whole Europe in 13 century, that's when they built all those superb palaces and support the work of the most talented and greatest artists..

What a history from V century!, when Germanic invasions lead some Roman citizens to take refuge in the islands.., its marvelous height and the sad decline, as history repeats..
Now, while I take a walk through the Great Canal, it just doesn't seem to matter how many times Venice was totally devastated.., nothing compares its majestuosity..

And Piazza San Marcos was magic.., standing in the same heart of the Renaissance Venice, I felt I was in another era, living some moments I watch once in a while in movies.., maybe in a fancy party with a superb dress, or in a colossal concert with multiple choruses and instrumental groups..

Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to travel alone to this exceptional place, but timing was not good and I was not sure if I was going to be again so near Venice as I was then..
So, I enjoyed it to the maximum and all I did was painting some memories and images in mind, to share them with you some day.., and maybe, just maybe, I will also have that romantic gondola tour I refused to take this time..

The Great Canal

Venice Lagoon

My moments, pictures and thoughts in Venice

My father told me Piazza San Marcos was incredibly beautiful, and he wasn't wrong..,

I think here I had one of the greatest moments of my whole trip.., coming back to Renaissance, as I described in my last post..

My moment in Piazza San Marcos

It was so beautiful to be in a city without any roads at all, something totally different for me..
Cars just doesn't exist there and actually gondolas are only for us, romantic turists, cause taxi botes and private botes are the transportation used in everyday basis..

Going in botes through the Great Canal, walking through some of the 400 bridges and passing by some of those 177 small canals that make 118 islands.., I keep thinking it would have been great to have some great company.., but in this moment of my life I can totally use some time alone to think about all what comes: like applying to MC Peru before January 6th, meeting my boyfriend in Rome, trying to get to Ukraine without dying in the attempt, build some LCs there, make my way to Poland and PEACE project.., then Belgium and Netherlands, for mention some..

Yes.., my Venice time was only for me, an even if I missed taking that gondola with someone special, I think it was a sweet and a deep trip on my own..

I know someday I will take that 'romantic gondola or bote', maybe not in Venice but in some other exquisite place.., maybe Turkey, Greece or Thailand, or maybe in Peru.. :)

Rediscovering 'Billie Jean'

Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' was great without a doubt..

Always liked the lyrics and the story behind.., 'real life' for Michael Jackson when a fan claimed he was the father of her son.. 

In some way, for me, the lyrics just didn't match the rhythm.., but in 2008, Chris Cornell, ex-Soundgarden and ex-Audioslave made a great cover. 

And later, David Cook rocked on stage during American Idol 2008 competition, becoming the favorite to win that year competition..

Before listening these 2008 new versions, I never really felt how amazing Billie Jean was.., but it has become my favorite 2008 song, I just can't get enough of the sweet pain in my stomach and high emotions that take my breath away during his high vocals and amazing arregements..

Can't decide which version is the best, or which singer is the best..

Chris Cornell vs David Cook.. impossible to decide for me..

Una de aquellas cosas que me dejó Mario Benedetti

No te salves

"No te quedes inmóvil al borde del camino,
no congeles el júbilo,
no quieras con desgana,
no te salves ahora ni nunca.
No te salves.

No te llenes de calma,
no reserves del mundo,
sólo un rincón tranquilo,
no dejes caer los párpados
pesados como juicios,
no te quedes sin labios,
no te duermas sin sueño,
no te pienses sin sangre,
no te juzgues sin tiempo.

Pero si, pese a todo, no puedes evitarlo;
y congelas el júbilo,
y quieres con desgana,
y te salvas ahora,
y te llenas de calma,
y reservas del mundo,
sólo un rincón tranquilo,
y dejas caer los párpados
pesados como juicios,
y te secas sin labios,
y te duermes sin sueño,
y te piensas sin sangre,
y te juzgas sin tiempo,
y te quedas inmóvil al borde del camino,
y te salvas;
entonces no te quedes conmigo".

Mario Benedetti
Un luchador, un soñador, un hombre con una sensibilidad y capacidad de amar inigualables,
.. el mundo necesita que te recordemos..
1920 - 2009

PD: Yo te dejo, esta noche de insomnio, de pensamientos desesperados que calmaste con uno de tus poemas, y por supuesto.., una lapicera..

Celeste..

My sixth sense was right..

Exactly 1 month ago, my sixth sense told me so but I didn't want to listen because it seemed so incredible.., I couldn't believe thoughts or feelings can 'change' that quickly..
Is it a matter of selfishness?
Was that the real reason I didn't travel there??
Is really all around so freaking amazing that makes EVERYTHING ELSE look as the borest thing in the world???
Am I?
No, definitely I'm not!
I don't think it's 'real' if people change values, priorities, feelings, sense of responsibility, likes and dislikes in 1 month, not even in 2..
Is fitting in so important?.., we are not 15 anymore..!

Nevertheless, I understand..
I understand it cause I know the power of vanity, the power of membership and the power of those incentives that make life so new that you just want more and more, as if you don't realize that nothing is 'new' forever, and nothing is freaking amazing forever..

So, my sixth sense was right..
It hurts to feel that right now, trivial things are more certain and more important than deep ones.., when I never asked a choice to be made.., when you can have both.., when I can have both..
Yeah.. it hurts to feel I'm not enough or not that freaking amazing..

But that's it.., that's love..
Cause we all grow up in the process and we all have the right to be selfish, to doubt, to be afraid, to make mistakes, to learn, and to say 'I'm sorry'..
Love isn't always fair for both parts at the same time, and it is a whole package..
Love is to accept that sometimes when you win, you loose..
You'll maybe loose a little part of your freedom; but you win the best reason to smile..
You win a person with whom you'll share your losts, your tears and your successes.., withouth any mask, withouth any repairs..

But how lucky would we be if we can have both!
I think not so many people can say that.., and I totally believe I give that in my relationship, when did we deny each other some freedom?.., we have that, we give each other that great balance.., so.. isn't THAT freaking amazing???

Nobody said it would be easy though..
I discovered that in a crisis we both can not be selfish at the very same time..,
and I understand it's not my turn to be selfish now..,
So I will shut up cause that's my best shot to make my point.. ;)

A night with Marc Anthony..

From Puerto Rico, with an impressive talent in one of my favorite genders of music, Marc Anthony was here in Lima tonight, with his perfect voice that creates amazingly melodious arrangements..

Me quedó cortísimo su concierto y sentí hervir mi sangre por más.., definitely I can not just listen to his musci, dancing is a MUST!

A pesar de que se esperaba mucho más de este concierto por la presencia de Willie Colón, quien no pudo estar por razones de salud, Marc Anthony, con su sencillez de siempre se ganó al público al decir que trataría de compensar la ausencia de Willie lo mejor que pudiera..

Sí, quizá yo esperaba un concierto de 3 horas donde estos 2 astros cantaran a dúo muchos clásicos y apasionaran a la gente con sus voces..., sin embargo, cuando escuché: 'Valió la pena' se me olvidó todo y lo único que quería era crear una super coreografía para bailar esa canción..

Volví a constatar que 'Te conozco bien' es una de mis favoritas y casi me muero cuando la escuché hacia el final del concierto.., me fascinó el arreglo de piano que escuché en 'Hasta ayer' (que me fascina también) y los timbales de 'Contra la corriente'.., realmente impresionante..; pero extrañé muchísimo la versión salsa de 'Ahora quién'..

Dejo aquí una de mis canciones favoritas y un clásico con la India :)