Fiestas Patrias

Hi Blogheads,

Today I’d like you to write about what you did over Fiestas Patrias. I must admit, I had a quiet time. For me, the most interesting thing out this time of the year is the fact that I get time off work. I’m not a big fan of Fondas so I rarely go, however, this year my wife and her friend Coni talked me into going to one close to my home which was raising money for a Cat Refuge. Actually, as a Fonda it was quite poor. There was some Chilean music playing and Chilean decorations but no Cuecas or people in National costume. They solo wine, chichi, empanadas and anti-cuchos but apart from that it could have been any day of the week, If I think about it, I think the only good Fonda I went to was in Algarrobo in about 2005. One of the reasons I don’t enjoy Fondas is because I don’t eat meat and the other is because, in my experience, in Santiago they tend to be over-priced and over-crowded. Ideally, I would travel out of the city at this time of the year but there are lots of traffic jams and too many drink-drivers. I think the best thing I did was catch up on my sleep and see a few friends so my Fiestas Patrias was more about relaxation than excitement. What about you¿ What did you do?

Write about your Fiestas Patrias.

Say:

What you did

Where you went,

Who you shared,

What typical activities you did (if any).

Mention anything else interesting or important. Write at least 200 words. Leave a comment on my blog & on the blogs of at least 3 classmates.

Something You Did Last Weekend

Hi Bloggers,

Today I'd like you to write about something you did last weekend. I actually went to a rather crazy gathering to celebrate the birthday of a friend called Pancha. I went with my wife and there were about 15 or 16 other people, mainly Pancha's friends and a couple of cousins, Pancha is a guitarist so she'd organised a mini-concert involving some of the guests. There was a full line up of instruments (drums, guitars, bass, vocals) and so we gave an impromptu concert. We jammed away for about an hour doing versions of songs by The Velvet Underground, Nancy Sinatra and Bob Marley. There were two drummers who took turns. I played guitar and bass, It was lots of fun. I hadn't played amplified music with other people like that for 2 or 3 years so it was nice. The other musicians were really good players and we enjoyed ourselves swapping instruments and styles. Later, one of the guests (an actress) did a sort of mini-comedy set with her taking the role of another character. It was quite bizarre at times but also funny. I hadn't been out socially for at least a couple of months so it was nice to meet some new people and share an entertaining evening.

Write about something you did last weekend.

Say:

What it was,

Where it was,

Who you were with,

Why you did it.

Mention anything else you think is important. Write 200 words. Leave a comment on my blog and on the blogs of at least 3 classmates.

A Concert or an Exhibition

Hi Blogsters,

So, with the strike officially over, I thought you could catch up on your blog writing. Please try to complete this post BEFORE our next class.

The concert I'm going to write about is when I saw Nina Simone. I first hear Nina in the late 70's. If I remember rightly, my younger brother played me a track called "My Baby Just Cares For Me" and it was love at first listen. A couple of years later, I borrowed a compilation tape from a library (Walworth Road, SE1) called Nina Simone and was hooked on the first listen and I became a big fan. She had an amazing vocal range that was full of passion and emotion, as well as being a classically trained pianist who played jazz and reggae and folk and blues.
The first time I had a ticket to see her the show was cancelled. Nina was booked to play a Jazz club in London every night for 2 weeks I had a ticket for the last night but she became ill and had to cancel. Luckily, 2 or 3 years later in 1988 Nina played the Dominion Theatre in London, and I was there. I went with my then girlfriend and 2 other people and we had great seats in the 3rd or 4th row. There was a very special atmosphere, I think many people realised that not only were we in the presence of a really talented musician but also a true "artiste". She had lost a little of her edge over the years but she still had a spark. I thing the songs I enjoyed the most were "Young, Gifted & Black" and "I want a little sugar in my bowl."
Nina is considered a musical legend who explored different styles and sounds to create amazingly truthful music and I was lucky to have the honour to see her live.

Write about a concert or exhibition you enjoyed.
Say:
Who or what it was,
What you knew about the event before you went,
Where you saw it,
Who you went with,
Why you enjoyed.

Mention anything else you think is important or interesting.
Write at least 250 words. Leave a post on my blog and on the blogs of at least 3 classmates.

Here are a couple of my favourite Nina songs: