BIG BEN IN LONDON

When one speaks of visiting London, Big Ben is a must-see. This four-faced freestanding clock is the third largest clock tower in the world. 

It was in 1288 when a clock tower was established at Westminster. The Chief Justice of King’s Bench at that time, Ralph Hengham financed the construction of the tower using the money accumulated from the fine collected. When the old Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire on that fateful night of October 1834 everything was destroyed. So the palace instructed their chief architect, Charles Barry to design the palace using Neo-gothic style as inspiration. Hand in hand with Augustus Pugin who designed the present 316-ft clock tower, the new palace was built.

It may be one of the most well-known tourist destinations in the world, but the insides of the tower remains unseen by the general public because of security reasons. However, at certain times, press people and other personalities are given right of entry.

The faces of each of the four clocks are placed in an iron frame, which measures 23 ft in diameter. It owes its stained-glass window look to the 312 pieces opal glass embedded on the face. At the bottom of each clock “Domine Salvam Fac Reginam Nostram Victoriam Primam” is written, which means, “O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria First.”

This magnificent and picturesque clock tower attracts a lot of vacationers and guests annually. 

THE BRITISH MUSEUM IN LONDON

One of  the most interesting place to see in London is the British Museum. The British Museum displays a wealth of British masterpieces which include some of the famous antiquities and documents that are related to British history. The four most common masterpieces that attract the world are the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles and the Great Court.

The Rosetta Stone is more than 2,200 years old and stands one meter high. It was discovered in the year 1799 which led the Hieroglyphics Decoder. The same message was written on the Rosetta Stone in three different languages.

The second most important tourist attraction is Elgin Marbles. All the ancient sculptures in Elgin Marbles were Greek. However, in the 19th century, Lord Elgin brought them to England. The critics say that since these sculptures were originally Greek, it should be returned to Greece.

Another great attraction is the Great Court. This is a sizable court of Queen Elizabeth II and is a sight worth visiting. The court also has a reading room, which is in the middle of the courtyard. It looks more like an old fashion library that has high ceilings ad long tables. The court is now open for public viewing. All these interesting historic facts make the British Museum worth a visit.

Official British Museum Website: THE BRITISH MUSEUM

CAMDEN MARKET - LONDON

One of the biggest attractions in London are street markets.

Camden is the best of all London street markets.

The largest street market in the UK, Camden’s markets attract around 500,000 visitors each week. The various markets located in Camden Town, collectively known as Camden Market, are Camden Lock Market, Camden Stables Market, Camden Canal Market, Inverness Street Market, and Buck Street Market. 

Camden Lock Market, located by the canal, was originally a craft market, but now has a much wider range of goods on sale. The popular Camden Stables Market is the center of the alternative fashion scene and is world renowned as the place to shop for alternative clothing. No visit to Camden Town is complete without stopping at one of the many pubs, clubs and bars which vary in range from the trendy fashionista hang-outs to the good old family joints.

SONG: I BELIEVE I CAN FLY - Yolanda Adams

Yolanda Adams and the Soul Children of Chicago directed by Walt Whitman sing "I Believe I Can Fly" at the Concert for World Children's Day in 2002. 
Fantastic song.

"I Believe I Can Fly"

I used to think that I could not go on
And life was nothing but an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I'm leaning on the everlasting arms

If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

[Chorus:]
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly

See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me, oh

If I can see it, then I can be it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

[Chorus]

Hey, cause I believe in me, oh

If I can see it, then I can be it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

[Chorus]

Hey, if I just spread my wings
I can fly
I can fly
I can fly, hey
If I just spread my wings
I can fly
Fly-eye-eye 

 

MACHU PICCHU DISCOVERED 100 YEARS AGO

On July 24, 1911, American archeologist Hiram Bingham gets his first look at Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the world's top tourist destinations.

Tucked away in the rocky countryside northwest of Cuzco, Machu Picchu is believed to have been a summer retreat for Inca leaders, whose civilization was virtually wiped out by Spanish invaders in the 16th century. For hundreds of years afterwards, its existence was a secret known only to the peasants living in the region. That all changed in the summer of 1911, when Bingham arrived with a small team of explorers to search for the famous "lost" cities of the Incas.

Traveling on foot and by mule, Bingham and his team made their way from Cuzco into the Urubamba Valley, where a local farmer told them of some ruins located at the top of a nearby mountain. The farmer called the mountain Machu Picchu, which meant "Old Peak" in the native Quechua language. The next day--July 24--after a tough climb to the mountain's ridge in cold and drizzly weather, Bingham met a small group of peasants who showed him the rest of the way. Led by an 11-year-old boy, Bingham got his first glimpse of the intricate network of stone terraces marking the entrance to Machu Picchu.

The excited Bingham spread the word about his discovery in a best-selling book, sending hordes of eager tourists flocking to Peru to follow in his footsteps up the Inca trail. The site itself stretches an impressive five miles, with over 3,000 stone steps linking its many different levels. Today, more than 300,000 people tramp through Machu Picchu every year, braving crowds and landslides to see the sun set over the towering stone monuments of the "Sacred City" and marvel at the mysterious splendor of one of the world's most famous man-made wonders.

FIRST MAN ON THE MOON

On 21 July 1969, American Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon.

Eagle landing craft.

As he put his left foot down first Armstrong declared: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

He described the surface as being like powdered charcoal and the landing craft left a crater about a foot deep.

Take off

On 16 July 1969, the Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 11 into the sky from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

The Crew

Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Michael Collins

The Lunar Module

To land on the moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used a lunar module nicknamed Eagle.

When they landed Neil sent the following message back to Earth: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

Everything is achievable

A remarkable achievement especially as no human being had ever been in space prior to 1961. Within a short space of only 8 years, we had learned not only how to send someone into space but also to land safely on the moon.

PETER TOSH

Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh (19 October[1] 1944 – 11 September 1987), was a Jamaican reggae musician who was a major member of the musical band The Wailers (1963-1974), and who afterward had a successful solo career as well as being a promoter of Rastafari.

Peter Tosh was born in Grange Hill, Jamaica with a father and mother too young to care for him properly. He was raised by his aunt. He began to sing and learn guitar at an early age, inspired by American radio stations. After a notable career with The Wailers and as a solo musician, he was murdered at his home during a robbery.

BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
LYRICS

JETHRO TULL

Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967.[1] Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.

Initially playing blues rock with an experimental flavour, they have also incorporated elements of classical music, folk music, jazz, hard rock and art rock into their music.

One of the world's best-selling music artists, the band has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide[1] in a career that has spanned more than forty years.

HISTORY
JETHRO TULL WEBSITE
LYRICS









"Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die"


The old Rocker wore his hair too long,

wore his trouser cuffs too tight.

Unfashionable to the end --- drank his ale too light.

Death's head belt buckle --- yesterday's dreams ---

the transport caf' prophet of doom.

Ringing no change in his double-sewn seams

in his post-war-babe gloom.


Now he's too old to Rock'n'Roll but he's too young to die.


He once owned a Harley Davidson and a Triumph Bonneville.

Counted his friends in burned-out spark plugs

and prays that he always will.

But he's the last of the blue blood greaser boys

all of his mates are doing time:

married with three kids up by the ring road

sold their souls straight down the line.

And some of them own little sports cars

and meet at the tennis club do's.

For drinks on a Sunday --- work on Monday.

They've thrown away their blue suede shoes.


Now they're too old to Rock'n'Roll and they're too young to die.


So the old Rocker gets out his bike

to make a ton before he takes his leave.

Up on the A1 by Scotch Corner

just like it used to be.

And as he flies --- tears in his eyes ---

his wind-whipped words echo the final take

and he hits the trunk road doing around 120

with no room left to brake.


And he was too old to Rock'n'Roll but he was too young to die.

No, you're never too old to Rock'n'Roll if you're too young to die.

SAN FERMIN GAME

 

START GAME AND HAVE FUN!

WRITER, JOHN HEMINGWAY, IS AWARDED THE “GUIRY DEL AÑO” 2011

North-American writer, John Patrick Hemingway received the VIII Kukuxumusu Guiri del Año Award  at Key West (Florida). This award is bestowed each year on a foreigner in acknowledgement of his passion and fervor for Sanfermin fiestas and his connection with the popular fiestas in Iruñea/Pamplona. It so happens that this year, 2011, is the 50th anniversary of the death of Ernest Hemingway, the paternal grandfather of the award winner.

Mikel Urmeneta, founder-member and creative director of Kukuxumusu, went down to Key West (Florida-USA) to personally hand over the award at an event which took place in what was once the house of Ernest Hemingway himself, in Key West. Mister Testis, the Kukuxumusu blue bull, did not wish to miss the party and he also managed to make his way there for the award ceremony which was held in the very same office -now closed to the public- where Hemingway wrote his Taurino book - Death in the Afternoon (1932), inspired by the bullfights he had first seen in the Pamplona bullring during Sanfermin.