Captain of...

Motivation

When a stadium speaks:

A trip to remember

Yesterday I've posted some pics about my trip to Paris - Memories

Today I write the review of my 4 day stay there.

This was not my first time in Paris.  I don't like that much cities (I prefer the villages' peaceful life) but because of one thing or another I had to go there.

This time I knew it was going to be different. First because it was going to be the final stage of the Tour and second because I was going without a car (and I prefer to discover a city by walking).

And it was different. All I can say is that I had a really nice experience.

On Sunday I woke up really early and went to Creteil (14 kms from Paris but with tube connection) to see the start of the final stage. I had time to meet some staff from the Garmin-Cervelo Cycling Team, to take pictures of the Team Buses, the bikes and some riders. The start was crowded but many people were local.

Then just after the start of the race I just had time to grab a baguette and went to Paris. Wow it was crowded! The streets were full of people but I felt all that joy and enthusiasm atmosphere. I had to find a good spot to watch the laps on the Champs-Elysee and the final sprint and I did.

After the finish I went to the Team Buses where I waited for the riders to come. I had the opportunity to see famous riders so close to me like Cancellara and the Shlecks (now I know how many bubbles Andy has got in his face). I even waited for the last one and saw him in front of me - Cadel Evans - the winner of this year's Tour. More or less like this: Stage End

On Saturday and Monday I had time to take pics of the monuments like the Louvre, Eiffel tower, etc. to eat the croissants, the cheese, the baguettes (I'm a bit bored of eating white bread).

This time I felt a bit disappointed of Paris like a city. Because I had time to take the tube and walk in many parts of the city I felt like it continues to have an enormous disparity between the luxurious and the poor life. I see more and more Africans (not a bad thing but just saying it's growing the migration from the former French colonies) and more Chinese tourists.

Most of all it was a well spent mini-holiday. It will certainly be a trip to remember - mainly from Sunday.

Now time to get back to my dissertation work!

Memories

Arrived yesterday night from what I would say a dream. Watching all the atmosphere, the teams and the riders that I watch on TV and meeting some nice people was just incredible!

Today I only have time to upload some pics but tomorrow I come and write the review of the experience. 

This is the link to the album: Tour

The most part of the photos are from the start in Creteil. I couldn't take any pics from Paris although I had the opportunity to see some riders like 1 meter close.

They did it again

Summer?

I'm back to the british summer: cloudy, rainy and 12ºC!

Tomorrow I'm heading to the place of Baguettes, Croissant, Cheese and Wine. I'm going to spend 4 days in...Paris! 

Of Course to watch the Tour! I'm going to post some pics here on tuesday.

Continue to follow the Tour in http://tdftech.tumblr.com with pics, videos, websites and previews.

À biêntot!

Time flies...

and I didnt really see that happen.

When I was 11 years old a nurse wrote on my vaccine book that 10 years later - 2011 - I needed to take a vaccine. I laughed and said that's ages away.

Now 10 years have gone. Today came to the same place 10 years older. I feel different, more experinced but so much still to learn and to live.

Today I didnt laugh. But the nurse wrote in my vaccine book July 2021 - ages away.

Uff...

First draft of my dissertation handed in. Now I can relax a bit.

Next wednesday I'm back to the rainy weather. But can't wait for this Friday!

Friday trip

Keep you updated!

Enjoy Nature

He's now working in a new project: Project Himalaya is dedicated to documenting and telling the story of one man's mission to take alpine speed climbing to new heights. Literally.


http://www.himalayaspeed.com/

Observation

I only see the status quo around me. This means people want to keep the things the way they presently are.

To make this simple for example people eat things that harm them or do things that are bad for themselves and don't want it other way.

They fear change.  

So I bring you 29 ways to be creative:

Mount of Gods

I want to run through valleys, mountains, forests...

800 Beers

Can he do it?

Andrew Stroehlein, a 43-year-old from Morristown, New Jersey, is trying to become the first person in the world to try all of Belgium’s 800-some beers. In doing so, he’s put together one of the handiest Belgian beer references in English on the web.


http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2011/07/06/tasting-800-belgian-beers/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=brussels

Cake

Post training treat:





You can always substitute the flour if like me choose a GF diet. Spelt flour is the best option.

People know everything...

...without knowing nothing and are 100% sure that they are right. This is something that I see everyday:

The arrogance of willful ignorance

People have come before us, failed, learned, written it down. Scientists have figured out what works, and proven it. Economists have gained significant understanding about the long-term impacts of short-term decisions. And historians have seen it all before.

How dare we, then, decide to just wing it? To skip class. To make up history. To imagine that science is a matter of opinion, something optional, a diversion for the leisure classes... How can we work in the marketing tech field, for example, without knowing about David Ogilvy and Lester Wunderman and Claude Hopkins? Or Kaushik and Shirky? 

- By Seth Godin

Press Pause Play

This is a film about hope, fear and digital culture.

More and more we need to change the system we live in. It's not about making money but spreading an idea, a belief, a vision.

Team Spirit

Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we. Not only in cycling or triathlon but everywhere.



Don't only think about yourself but live for your community!

Pillars of French Cycling

Peloton Magazine and Michael Crook continue to deliver amazing stuff! Can't wait for the 11th of July!

New Tour de France blog

My new blog with pics, quotes, videos from the Tour!

http://tdftech.tumblr.com/

Now on the right side column!

What is the Tour? Tour de France Explained

Well spent weekend

Warriors

Remember my post about the promising film director Miguel Munha? If you haven't seen it here it is: Talent

Now he has a new short film coming soon. It's called "Uma Rosa no Deserto" (A rose in the desert). The link for the Facebook page with everything from pics to videos and interviews: Uma Rosa no Deserto

Therefore a big crew of photographers, actors, film directors and producers and assistants went to Alentejo. We went to Nisa for the film shooting and slept in a familiar house in Alpalhão.

I had the pleasure to take part of the film as a supporting actor. Some friends and me had to dress as warriors because this part of the film was a fighting with warriors against men riding horses.

I really enjoyed being filmed but for those of you that think actors (directors, etc.) have an easy life you are wrong. Many plans of shooting can take ages to film and with hot temperatures it's even worse.

By the way everyone said I was smiling during the shooting when I was supposed to put a face of angriness and fear but I guess that's my face!

I also enjoyed meeting some new people (really friendly), eating local products like cheese, black pork and chorizo, walking through some peaceful villages, taking a bath in a dam and running 16k on Sunday morning watching shepherds walking with their sheep.

These are some pics of my weekend. I'll post the making-off and some other pics when available.

Friends waiting for the breakfast in a typical coffee house

The coffee house with people drinking alcoholic beverages at 8am
while we were taking breakfast

The monument of Alpalhão representing a dolmen

We were getting the clothes for the shooting dirty to make
it look more realistic

The view from the house we slept

The historic part of Nisa

A man taking water from a fountain in Alpalhão

We miss you

We Miss You is a cool social campaign from three German film students. It deals with the relationship between humans and nature by asking an exceptional question: “What if nature cares for us or even misses us?” The online short film is intruiging and has a clear message: nature misses you.


The students used the project as a graduate film, which was awarded with three Young Directors Awards in Cannes.