Checking things out! http://www.checkingthingsout.com Steve's blog posterous.com Sat, 23 Jul 2011 04:06:00 -0700 Tiendas en Alicante http://www.checkingthingsout.com/tiendas-en-alicante http://www.checkingthingsout.com/tiendas-en-alicante
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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 25 Jun 2011 09:47:57 -0700 At the spa in Alange http://www.checkingthingsout.com/at-the-spa-in-alange http://www.checkingthingsout.com/at-the-spa-in-alange

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A quiet afternoon in Alange, just outside of Merida, enjoying the thermal waters, the same as people have done since Roman times. Well, at least the water source is the same.

First, a cold shower, then a hot bath with hydro masaje. After half an hour of soaking in the warmth, 20 minutes in the cold bath. Aargh!

And to top it off, a Scottish shower. This little aquatic treat brings back memories of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. While you stand under a cold shower, an orderly hoses you down with 2 jets of water: one hot and one cold.

With that little bit of torture out of the way, your free to spend a couple of hours out by the pool.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:46:41 -0700 An afternoon in Zafra http://www.checkingthingsout.com/an-afternoon-in-zafra http://www.checkingthingsout.com/an-afternoon-in-zafra

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Zafra is a medieval town in Extremadura, about 60 km from Merida, 140km from Seville. They have hald a fair for St John's day (today) since 1395, so the town square was full of stands, waiting for it to cool down to start the fun.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:17:39 -0700 Fotos #19Jmani en Madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/fotos-19jmani-en-madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/fotos-19jmani-en-madrid

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Fotos de la marcha de hoy contra el pacto del Euro. Desde la Puerta de Toledo hasta Neptuno, pasando por Embajadores y Atocha.

Hubo mucha gente, mucha indignación, pero tambien mucha alegría por ver a tanta gente mostrando su disconformidad.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 21 May 2011 15:01:11 -0700 A few more pics from the #spanishrevolution http://www.checkingthingsout.com/a-few-more-pics-from-the-spanishrevolution http://www.checkingthingsout.com/a-few-more-pics-from-the-spanishrevolution

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 21 May 2011 07:53:02 -0700 Day of Reflection in #Acampadasol http://www.checkingthingsout.com/day-of-reflection-in-acampadasol http://www.checkingthingsout.com/day-of-reflection-in-acampadasol

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I went for a stroll through the Puerta del Sol this afternoon. I particularly enjoyed reading the signs and seeing people participating in debates. The Campers are very well organized and are making every effort to involve everyone in discussions.

A thought that kept running through my mind was that we can't just blame politicians for our problems. As a society (and this covers the US as well as Spain), we have left everything in their hands, and haven't really been participating. When was the last time you went to a public meeting? A town hall meeting? A school board meeting?

We've left everything in other people's hands, and now we're surprised that the world isn't the working the way we'd like.

The system can be improved, but the system isn't really the problem. The problem is our apathy.

Anyway, in the spirit of #acampadasol and the #spanishrevolution, there's my 2 cents.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Tue, 17 May 2011 14:33:48 -0700 #acampadasol protest in Madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/acampadasol-protest-in-madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/acampadasol-protest-in-madrid

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Lots of people, very calm. A ridiculously large police presence.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 12 May 2011 08:23:01 -0700 Dinner cruise on the Chaophraya in Bangkok http://www.checkingthingsout.com/dinner-cruise-on-the-chaophraya-in-bangkok http://www.checkingthingsout.com/dinner-cruise-on-the-chaophraya-in-bangkok

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 01 May 2011 11:52:20 -0700 Birdsong and clouds http://www.checkingthingsout.com/birdsong-and-clouds http://www.checkingthingsout.com/birdsong-and-clouds

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Up in the hills just past Molinaseca, during a break in the rain...

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sun, 01 May 2011 11:41:07 -0700 Rainy day in El Bierzo http://www.checkingthingsout.com/rainy-day-in-el-bierzo http://www.checkingthingsout.com/rainy-day-in-el-bierzo

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Molinaseca and Lombillo en El Bierzo, on a rainy May day weekend.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:01:32 -0800 Las 1001 noches http://www.checkingthingsout.com/las-1001-noches http://www.checkingthingsout.com/las-1001-noches
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Taken at Riad Al Assala

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:14:43 -0800 En La Piperna http://www.checkingthingsout.com/en-la-piperna http://www.checkingthingsout.com/en-la-piperna

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Great Italian wine, great company

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 12 Feb 2011 04:34:12 -0800 Glorious sunny Saturday in Madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/glorious-sunny-saturday-in-madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/glorious-sunny-saturday-in-madrid

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:54:00 -0800 Dilbert http://www.checkingthingsout.com/dilbert http://www.checkingthingsout.com/dilbert
 

Why is Dilbert so close to real life?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:51:57 -0800 Nero D'Avola http://www.checkingthingsout.com/nero-davola http://www.checkingthingsout.com/nero-davola

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:36:11 -0800 Christmas lights in Madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/christmas-lights-in-madrid http://www.checkingthingsout.com/christmas-lights-in-madrid

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 11 Sep 2010 06:04:00 -0700 La noche en blanco 2010 http://www.checkingthingsout.com/la-noche-en-blanco-2010 http://www.checkingthingsout.com/la-noche-en-blanco-2010

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The 2010 version of the all-night cultural extravaganza in Madrid was a bit disappointing. The event website was very difficult to use for planning a route and choosing the things you wanted to see in advance. The event brochure wasn't easy to get hold of prior to the event, and quite honestly it wasn't ver helpful in planning a route either -- long texts to read for each activity, in the dark. Tiny maps crowded with numbers. That left us with the option of just wandering around to see what we would run into. And, well, what we ran into wasn't all that interesting. One final comment before I stop moaning, in what is billed as an all night event in a city known for its all-nighters, it's disappointing that most things are done by 2am. The streets were still packed with people at 3am, wandering aimlessly and hoping to run across something of interest. So, what did we see? An installation of a recycled materials wall in front of the royal palace. See the pics above, not really sure what to say about it. An industrial playground built along the Gran Via. Slides, swings and see-saws made from construction materials. The slide was closed, which seemed odd. A huge scaffolding structure just sitting there to look at. Although i read in this morning's paper that someone was injured on it - that's why it was closed. There was something massive going on in Cibeles, but we didn't feel like getting into the massive crowd to find out what it was. A night-time gardening in project just behind the Gran Via. i saw more people walking off with plants than people actually planting them. A lesson on how we treat the planet?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:33:47 -0700 Morella http://www.checkingthingsout.com/morella http://www.checkingthingsout.com/morella

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Beautiful medieval walled town in Castellón.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:22:02 -0700 Countdown: 1 week 'til vacation http://www.checkingthingsout.com/countdown-1-week-til-vacation http://www.checkingthingsout.com/countdown-1-week-til-vacation Connie Francis - VACATION (Japanese)

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:48:40 -0700 Testing autopost to Facebook http://www.checkingthingsout.com/testing-autopost-to-facebook http://www.checkingthingsout.com/testing-autopost-to-facebook Flowers in the gardens AT Versailles

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Enviado desde mi iPad

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/438764/myphoto.jpg http://posterous.com/users/eIKH96Xyoh Steve Joseph Steve Steve Joseph