Iba paseando un domingo por el centro de Barcelona. Daba una vuelta mientras se hacía la hora del aperitivo pero había algo extraño en la ciudad, no había coches y el ruido atenuado típico de los domingos por la mañana era aún más tenue.
De repente me encuentro con un tipo corriendo, después otro y otro, cientos, miles de ellos, venidos de todas partes del mundo.
No lo recordaba, era el Maratón de Barcelona.
Me quedé impresionado al ver cómo tantas personas eran capaces de prepararse todo una año para correr 42 Km y pico un domingo por la mañana. Impacta ver sus caras de esfuerzo, el sudor, la respiración rítmica. Son personas que se levantan una mañana y deciden que tienen que correr una Maratón, 42 Km paso a paso en un tiempo de menos de 4 horas. Yo sólo lo hago en coche. No hay palabras que lo puedan describir sobretodo para una persona que, como yo, jamás había corrido si no había una pelota de por medio y se tomaba una cerveca bien fresca después.
Caminando aquella mañana entre aquella marea de corredores por Barcelona hice una promesa a la que hoy es mi mujer, “en dos años yo correré el Maratón de Barcelona”.
Al día siguiente me di de bruces con un libro de Murakami ” what I’m thinking about when I’m thinking about running” que es casi un manual de cómo empezar y cuáles son los obstáculos físicos y mentales para cumplir ese gran reto. Fue una señal, eso me gusta pensar porque empecé a prepararme al día siguiente.
Por el momento tengo la mitad del camino hecho, he corrido varias medias maratones, he dejado de fumar y corro asiduamente cada semana. Es una meditación magnífica y más en primavera. El año que viene será mi año.
Este fin de semana es La Marató de Barcelona, el Maratón de Barcelona, y me limitaré a verlo desde la barrera animando a esos osados corredores que tomarán la ciudad este domingo.
Many people say that the 9 has been a forgotable year, well, it is time now to forget the sorrows and what was wrong last year. The 10 has arrived and now we are more experienced, we have learnt from our mistakes, we are wiser and stronger, it is time now to fight the bull. It is time now to keep running towards the light, to keep running despite our wounded feet as in 2010 we will find that light.
Ya llega la Navidad, la ciudad poco a poco va engalanandose de luces que llenan de ilusiones los días.
El Hotel Villa Emilia Barcelona ya ha estrenado su decoración navideña y cómo no está poniéndolo todo a su disposición para que pueda celebrar junto a nosotros la Navidad compartiéndola con los suyos.
Pase por el hotel para pedir el folleto de menús navideños pero aqui les dejamos una muestra, les deseamos Feliz Navidad:
Working as Sales Manager in a big city trendy hotel can be stressing sometimes. Everything has to be setlled, we have to take care personally of the guest and look after every single detail. It’s nice but, sometimes it is necessary to have a break and relax a few minutes to go on with my duty.
One of my favourite acitivity to relax is to go to front office and read the comments of the guests on the guest book. It’s full of surprises about the hotel that most of the times that I had never heard before.
For instance, I didn’t know how good were our Mohitos until I red one guest comment on the book “the best mojito in my life” she said. That summer night I called my wife to join me at our Terraza to try a Mojito as a guest of the Villa Emilia and belive or not I totally agreed with the guest comment.
This morning I was having a look again at the book and, found this little work of art. No more words are needed. Our compliments to the artist!
Depeche Mode is back in town, for two nights. It’s great to be in Barcelona. For those like me that did’nt get a ticket, I have opened a discussion on our Facebook Page (a foro in Spanish) to find out what’s the best song ever. You´re invited to join us and let us know your thoughts.
For me Violator is one of the best Cd but “Waiting for the night” is without any kind of question the best song from DM.
Parece que finalmente el frío está enseñando timidamente las patas, las tardes ya son más cortas y los cálidos atardeceres empiezan a dejar espacio al color ocre de los árboles alopécicos. La Terraza del Hotel Villa Emilia ya está vestida de otoño, hemos sacado las mantas de exterior. La Terraza nunca cierra.
Pero para los clientes que buscan el calor de las calefacciones y de las chimeneas hemos preparado dos días semanales de fiesta gastonómica en nuestro Zinc Bar al cobijo de nuestro hogar.
Tres son los ingredientes básicos que hemos utilizado para preparar estas jornadas, gastronomía tradicional combinada con excelentes caldos presentada en dos formatos innovadores en la ciudad, excelente ambiente y la música de nuestro piano.
Hemos sustituído la Barbacoa del Emilia por “Les Taules de l’Emilia ( sopars de pagès)”. Inspirado en la Maison d’Hôtes francesa, les invitamos a sentarse a nuestra mesa y degustar una cena a base de productos delicatessen, tablas de embutidos y quesos de todos los rincones de Europa acompañados, cómo no, de un crujiente, tierno y sabroso “pà amb tomàquet” y de vino D.O. Todos los jueves de 18.00 a 01.00 am
Summertime, it is the perfect moment to think about what are you going to do for Holidays. Barcelona is the answer to your question. The place where everything is possible, culture, nightclubbing, fancy restaurants, nice weather, beaches, mountain. What else can you ask for?
Do not hesitate, start your laptop, look for a flight to go Barcelona and book. And then…you know what? You don’t need to to look for a hotel, Villa Emilia Barcelona is the right place to stay. Nice place in the city center, nice and comfortable rooms. Our Terraza, check-out our images, you can’t miss it. And our rates!!! Visit our web site www.hotelvillaemilia.com and check our packages and special offers. Crazy Summer Offer!!!
U2 is back to Barcelona on the new ” 360º Tour”, next Tuesday and Thursday. 2 Dates when the band from Dublin will performe the old and the new songs from their last album ” No line on the Horizon”.
To celebrate that, the Hotel Villa Emilia wants to give our little tribute to the Irish band and to their fans. If you are a U2 fan and you call to our hotel we have a special present for you: from today June the 29th until next Thursday, July the 2nd we offer a special rate if you call us saying the password “No line on the Horizon“. Room and breakfast for 118 € per night. And for those of the fans who were lucky and can show their ticket for one of the 2 concerts that will take place in our city we have a very special gift waiting for you.
Further information at www.hotelvillaemilia.com or just call and just say the password at 0034 932 525 285.
In the beginning…it was just an idea: “What can we do to celebrate that finally summer is here?” We could make a thanks giving cerimonial, but no one of us fancied that much. And…what about opening it to the public in Barcelona??
Rrrrightm, but mmmm, if we open it for the people of Barcelona, we must offer them something else than just the air of the city as the Sun goes down, the special smell of the Mediterranean plant in our Terraza.
Then Karim said what if we give the people who come to visit us food, at a good price, and a…
Ok, I shouted, I got it, I got it: a barbecue…every thursday, until noon, before the witches come flying from the Montjuïch Hill…barbecue, wine, good music, the best of the ambiences in the city and at a very reasonable price…
That sounds great, we will invite the people at the Villa Emilia too. Summer is here, come and celebrate it with us at the Hotel Villa Emilia in Barcelona.
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Summertime, it is the perfect moment to think about what are you going to do for Holidays. Barcelona is the answer to your question. The place where everything is possible, culture, nightclubbing, fancy restaurants, nice weather, beaches, mountain. What else can you ask for?
In the beginning…it was just an idea: “What can we do to celebrate that finally summer is here?” We could make a thanks giving cerimonial, but no one of us fancied that much. And…what about opening it to the public in Barcelona??