Something Typical

[Alelou]

Water women? (I had to ask.)

Meanwhile, over here, we have a ceremony that can be summed up as President Obama to country: Okay, guys, time to start acting like grown-ups.

[Alelou]

Finally checked out the vids. So do these kids ONLY learn drum, or do they just put all the instruments away for this particular holiday?

[Asso]

Escriba, really our countries are close!

[Escriba]

Water women? (I had to ask.)

Well, apparently, women that used to sell water to people, or, in this case, to bring water to the soldiers fighting. I think it's a feeble excuse to put women in the parade (instead dressing them like men, like soldiers.)

There is another figure even more laughable, the "kantinera". In the video about the children, they are the girls with short skirts that wave to the people. Apparently, being a "kantinera" is an honor. A "kantinera" represents, supposedly, those women that used to go with the troops. Now, I don't know much about that age's history, but I could swear that a woman that went with the troops and whose title wasn't "the cook", was a pro-- a woman with the task of raising the men's morale

Meanwhile, over here, we have a ceremony that can be summed up as President Obama to country: Okay, guys, time to start acting like grown-ups.

I've seen it. I envy you Americans for your politicians, they can be real idiots like any other country's, but at least, they know oratory (there are exceptions, of course, *coughcough*BushJr*coughcough*)

:lol: Finally checked out the vids. So do these kids ONLY learn drum, or do they just put all the instruments away for this particular holiday?

Well, yeah, they only learn drum. I mean, they aren't students of sol-fa (music theory), just random students, and drum is the easiest instrument to play (and still, they do it horribly wrong sometimes.)

Escriba, really our countries are close!

I know I think it's because we share a lot of history

[JadziaKathryn]

By the day, this day is tiresome not just because people go from one point to the other playing the drums, but because they're always playing the same seven songs! (believe me 24 hours listening the same music can drive you nuts.)

I'm weird like that, but I like listening to the same song(s) over again. *Goes off to start "The Forgotten Years" again* I do pick the song(s) though. That makes a difference.

Meanwhile, yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. day. Which we at uni all celebrated by sleeping in because we had no classes. This is our preferred way of celebrating federal holidays. I fear we aren't very good at doing much about the reason for holidays, although I reckon King would've been very pleased to have an African-American president.

[Asso]

Fortunately world goes ahead, not infrequently more than men.
I was stunned seeing the feast that people made in this "Obama Day"!

[Alelou]

Quite a few of us are very, very happy that this day has come.

[justTripn]

Something typical. Here is something typical of Pittsburgh. Celebrating a Steelers Superbowl victory. I'm watching streaming video of the victory parade here from work. Here are pictures from last time:







Steelers fans are the greatest fans in the world. My Chris is down there now at the parade, because his school is downtown.

[Alelou]

Congratulations. For some reason (well, the black and yellow) this reminds me of swarming bees... but in a nice way.

[Asso]

Surely those image are very typical.
Beautiful.

[Asso]

This winter is indeed uncommon.
Do you know Alberobello's trulli?
Look at this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberobello

And now look how snow makes Trulli during this winter.

[Asso]

I think some of you can enjoy the view of the paddy fields, in Piedmont, on this season.

[anaM]

Beautiful pics! I just wonder, is there not any danger for the waters to rise just a bit and flood everything?

[Linda]

Are those hot air ballons in the one photo looking down on the paddy fields?

[Asso]

Beautiful pics! I just wonder, is there not any danger for the waters to rise just a bit and flood everything?

You can't even imagine which work of engineering are these paddy fields.
They are connected to each other by means of tiny canals. Water replenishes all of them the one after the other, exploiting the ground's inclination and a system of locks.
Water, even if it doesn't be evident, is very shallow, but, in any case, it's possible to empty the paddy fields rapidly and also to flood everything, if you want to do it.
In fact, this was the way Piedmontese army has barred the Austro-Hungarian troops' march, during what we name as "First Italian War of Independence."

Are those hot air ballons in the one photo looking down on the paddy fields?

I don't believe, Linda. Simply, they are frequent, here.