End of Year 2015!

A year has passed and we have grown many things together.

THE ICE MAN

"IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU ALWAYS DID, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE WHAT YOU ALWAYS GOT"

Now it comes to my mind many expressions learnt that have made me move my thoughts. 

Everybody has moved from where they were, I'm sure. Knowledge has turned out to be part of our experience together as well as strong emotions and bonds that are getting stronger and stronger.

Let's get together, Let's onroute!!

My November Guest

My November Guest

Robert Frost (from A Boy’s Will, 1915)

My sorrow, when she’s here with me,    Thinks these dark days of autumn rain Are beautiful as days can be; She loves the bare, the withered tree;    She walks the sodden pasture lane. Her pleasure will not let me stay.    She talks and I am fain to list: She’s glad the birds are gone away, She’s glad her simple worsted gray    Is silver now with clinging mist. The desolate, deserted trees,    The faded earth, the heavy sky, The beauties she so truly sees, She thinks I have no eye for these,    And vexes me for reason why. Not yesterday I learned to know The love of bare November day Before the coming of the snow, But it were vain to tell her so, And they are better for her praise. Behind we leave the summer laughs. There they rest our instant emotions, the fragile happiness of all those senses put together... Autumn comes back again undoubtedly to make all that seem the light that guides us towards the narrow and dark paths of the winter towards the longed spring. Now more than never before, I'm so happy to meet up again! With new ventures, renewed energy and hope. All those little things that make life a little more fair. See you at La Tequería every Thursday at 19:30 Onrouters!!

Lunch at Peter and Irene's

Dear Carmen

Today is my last day with my Mother and Father before I leave for London and then back to Dubai next Monday. Before I left I thought it important to write to you to thank you for a really enjoyable Sunday afternoon at Peter and Irene’s house. It was great to meet you, Berna, the twins and all those who are in your club. I know Mum and Dad are very enthusiastic and my Dad has talked a lot about his ambitions for your song project.

I’ve given my parents something that I know they will share with everyone should you go to the beach soon or at any future event. I will remember my happy afternoon with you all and now you should accept that your club has its first international member.

All my best wishes

Francesca Krachai

BARBEQUE AT JOHN AND JACKIE'S

I would like to thank the kindness with which John and Jackie welcomed us into their home. We enjoyed a magical evening thanks to the environment and good company. We were able to enjoy a good barbecue as well take a bath to calm the high temperatures. SARA

Dinner of friends without pass...only present and future BERNABÉ

Dear Carmen Maria

A note to thank you and all of the other ‘On Routers’ for contributing so much to yesterday’s very successful social event. The food was delicious plentiful and varied, the drink was without end and the companionship tremendous and memorable.

We have so many good memories that will stay with us for a very long time:

The twins helping Jackie to make the pizza’s and their choreographic entertainment in the pool

Dani, his magic and his obvious skills in managing a barbeque

Seeing Estrella again and remembering  she came  all the way from Puente Genil to be with us.

Berna and his mobile bar and those terrific blue gin and tonic’s

Sara and Maria Jose being so very happy that they had passed their B1 examinations, (B2 will be easy now)

The group photographs and people being so happy using the pool

Your ensalada Rusa. I don’t know your mother and her version but I have been seriously thinking about opening a small factory to make your recipe in commercial quantities. There is a market out there for food of this quality and distinction.

 Perhaps most important for us was the fact that this was a happy, relaxed and enjoyable party that was neither English or Spanish but a wonderful blend of out cultures. From last night we propose two further events before summer comes to an end:

We would like to have a weekend pool party with a buffet and bar and special entertainment, a specific performance from Dani and his magic and the twins developing another amazing pool routine with of course  plenty of music and dancing .

Second, we think we should all help to plan a day on the beach. My suggestion would be Torre del Mar simple because it’s easy to get to, has some good chiringuitos, a terrific gin and tonic bar and is a quiet and pretty seaside town.

So thank you all. Last night is evidence of our belief that On Route is an exclusive club, where the more effort and thought you put the greater rewards for all the members.

Of course you decide whether or not to put this note on the blog.

See  you soon

Besos Fuertes

John and Jackie

A Night at La Cuadra

I wonder how you can possibly find the way to make people disconnect from their daily lives and let themselves flow. It would be great to find the magic potion to do that. That happened on Tuesday when we went to La Cuadra, the onrouters blended in the atmosphere of music and talk.

We all brought our beverages and best dishes to share, prepared the place which Pascual had previously watered to make it cool. He said there was a surprise waiting for us, but he couldn’t keep it a secret for long. We were going to listen to an authentic musician, grandson of the most popular breed of bagpipe players in Galicia.

It was magic, food and talk made us open our inner thoughts and feelings. All this was even better after the sound of music. Thanks to our gifted friends Pascual, Quisca, Vicente and Mariano, we enjoyed listening to songs from Mercedes Sosa, Víctor Jara or Silvio Rodríguez. We wanted to sing because it made us feel together on those lovely messages from our best songwriters.

At one point of the night, Peter asked me: “Carmen, is this for free?.” This question reminded me of the world we are creating and made me proud of a world we want to preserve. “Best things in life are free” was my reply and they should always be.

I would like to thank Pascual for gifting us with this magical evening as well as the rest of us, we are on the right track of the road.

On Routers Visit LA CASA DEL BURRO

Pascual Rovira, a peculiar character who is the president of the Association ADEBO, that stands for Associacion in Defense of Donkeys has been able to join his love for animals and the world of literature, politics, music and even journalism together. Everything for the sake of giving donkeys the place they deserve after so many years of suffering and now no longer useful for human beings.

The first thing that you find about Pascual is his great sense of humour, mainly by talking about the celebrities that have visited the reserve. I wouldn't be able to remind them all, but relevant figures in the world of literature, like Rafael Alberti or Camilo José Cela, noble titles like the Duchess of Alba or Queen Sofia, musicians like Amparanoia or theatre companies like La Fura Dels Vaus, have make it possible to come and foster a little donkey.




Young onrouters with "Nelson Mandela" the oldest donkey at the reserve

All of these bring anecdotes with them and Pascual makes people laugh easily by commenting upon the trivial but funny aspects .

 
Onrouters have enjoyed this experience very much and have promised to repeat it and make it at La Cuadra, where they will bring music, stories and humanity

ADEBO SANCTUARY

On routers, on their search for a path together, are planning to visit  the Donkey Sanctuary ADEBO.

Following the members' interest on the cultural links, visiting a place where animals are protected from human violence, was something easy to plan. Pascual Rovira, the project director and president of the association, has kindly offered to guide us on the history of the animals' reserve.

We have great expectations about this experience and feel sure it will enrich our project and the bonds that are growing among ourselves.

John's Suggestions

Quiero explicar mi forma de pensar sobre el significado de la canción y lo que se traduce en cómo puede soñar. Si eres un extranjero viviendo en un país diferente tienes dos opciones básicas: puedes vivir en un gueto o tratar de integrarte en la cultura, las costumbres y el ritmo de vida de tu país de adopción. La primera opción es fácil, la segunda es difícil.

Elegí la segunda opción. La canción comienza como un lamento y una reflexión sobre lo fácil que es estar solo, atrapado en una prisión de tu propia creación. Creo que de ese verso de apertura acometiendo un ritmo lento, solo de piano y voz, su melancolía. Hasta la mitad de la estrofa hay un canto muy tranquilo de la hipérbaton (fondo).

Como la canción que desarrolla hace el sentido de esperanza y crecimiento a través de la colaboración. De una sola voz otros se unen hasta que al final hay un coro de voces. Cada verso es parte de una conversación, entre extranjeros y los españoles tranquilizándose unos a otros a través de colaboración todos ganamos de muchas maneras diferentes. A medida que la canción se desarrolla manteniendo la melodía, crece el tempo.

Creo que escribir una canción desde el corazón es como escribir un libro. El primer versículo nos da la identidad de la canción, como con un libro para escribir la primera página nos da un sentido no sólo al libro sino lo más importante al carácter y las percepciones del autor.

¿Creo que por lo tanto debemos decidir cuántos versos, cuánto queremos ser en la conversación? Entonces tenemos que dibujar en esos versos lo que en realidad dicen.

En cuanto a los  instrumentos que creo que todos necesitamos es un piano, algunos violines, tal vez una trompeta y un saxo tenor. La combinación del sonido crece como dice la canción de esperanza en crecimiento.

There's no road on route, we do it walking

Remembering our precious poet Antonio Machado, on the making of our song I feel as if searching for the way as our poet said. John is right when he says we must believe what we are doing, what else could we do?


I agree John that we must believe or leave it. And we can see that by the contribution of all the wonderful people we are meeting we are creating something new, a new way. Our song is going to be the trenching foundation of this beautiful experience. Let's believe in it!!!

THIS IS OUR SONG PROJECT

FEEL OTHERS’ FEELINGS

Hot, not cheesy, put yours aside

Big finish (huge chorus, like an anthem)

(Memorable rhythm, catchy)

I’m tired of watching only, what can I do?

I hope your hopes (rift line)

Running for you and later when we stop we can feel again

Understand more

Easy language – heavy thought

What we are trying to achieve together. 

                                                                                It’s difficult to accept that the past will come back.

                                              Memorable – trying to learn from each other,

              Trying to  build something creative

        Creating a route to acommon destination

                                     We’re going, we’re going

                          Where are we going?

             A way out of our routines