The Pflasterspektakel

The Pflasterspektakel is an annual street art festival in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. The inaugural festival took place from 16 to 19 July 1987, under the name of Internationale Straßenmusikantentage (International Street Musicians' Days). 150 musicians participate in the inauguration, most of them from Austria and Germany, including a samba group from Munich. 

It was decided that the event should be repeated the following year, this time under the present name of Linz Pflasterspektakel and featuring acrobats, magicians and mimes in addition to the musicians.

It includes musical acts, juggling, acrobatics, pantomime, improvisational theatre, clownery, fire dancing, painting, samba parades. It takes place on three days during the second half of July. The opening ceremony is held on a Thursday at 4 p.m. and on the following Friday and Saturday, the festival starts at 2 p.m. At midnight the festival ends each day, but some musicians play in pubs until 1 a.m. By tradition, spontaneously formed groups of artists improvise a finale on Saturday evening on the main square.

Artists are performing at around forty locations throughout the city of Linz around the main square and the Landstraße. Two courtyards are reserved for musicians playing unplugged or a cappella. In case of rain, the event moves to the old city hall and other indoor locations.

In 2010, about 400 artists from over forty nations participated in the event.

NEWS

I found an article really interesting and shocking. 

In this article David Lennon, a sixteen-year old boy from Australia, has photographed different big cities and has shown them without contamination in the sky. These pictures shows us how the pollution is more obvious in the cities than in the small towns. All of this is produced by vehicles, factories... 

If we could decrease these amount of chemicals flying and covering the beautiful sky upon us, all of us could enjoy the fabulous view at night and we'll also decrease the contamination in general. 

I think that we could get used to this.

YOU SAY

I know that we had already do it with a rebellious song but I wanted to do it with one of my favorites songs. The song is called Unkiss Me and it's by Maroon 5. Maroon 5 is one of my favorite bands and last year I bought their new album called V. I was listening to every single song in the album when this song started. I felt in love with it and I just want to explain what the song is about and what means to me.

This song is about a hard love. You don't actually realize if there is or was a relationship between the two of them or if one is in love and the other not. But I think that they were in a relationship and they ended up badly because one of them didn't love the other anymore. 

The whole song is like their relationship. In the chorus is when they sang ''Unkiss me, untouch me'' and that's where I supposed they break up. There are also some parts when you can see that their relationship never was the best one and they had a lot of problems before.

I actually listen to this song when I am sad because, like most of the people do, listening to sad songs when you're sad is inevitable.

NEWS

Recentely the astronoms discovered a new exoplanet near the Earth. They've called it GJ 1132b and it's 39 light years away. It's a solid planet and has the same characteristics as our planet. Also it has an atmosphere which is the key of life. It's a bigger than the Earth and the experts think that maybe it would be possible to inhabitate. They say so because we are killing our planet and, if we want to remain, we'll have to find another place to live.

I personally think that the experts are right because if we don't react we'll disappear and so would our planet. But what if we don't have the best reaction and destroy the planet before the exoplanet is available to be living in it? That's why I've chosen this article because we should take these types of news in mind because this is more important than who won the last football match. It's our planet. Our live. That's not a game and it will literally kill us if we don't react together.

NEWS

Everyone knows what happened in Paris the 14th of November. I know that the whole world has said something about it and I would like to share my opinion too. 

I remeber that when the attacks happened I was having dinner with my friends because It was a simple Friday night. When I arrived home I checked my phone and went to Instagram, that's where I founf out everything. I was confused because everyone was posting photos of Paris using the hashtag Pray For Paris. I started to search any clue of what happened and then a lot of articles came up. I was shocked. The first question that came through my mind was WHY? Why there's people so evil and crazy that even kill themselves? I don't and I won't never understand that. 

When I was feeling more relax I started to think about all the innocent people that had died when they were just celebrating the starting of the weekend. Just like me and my friends. It could've been anyone. 

Then I started to feel very angry and furious. I just wanted that the ones who did this were punished for the awful things that they've made.

Now, a few days after, I'm still with the same feeling. They think that they are the kings of the world and want to show it to the whole world. They want us to be afraid and give up but we can't do that. We need to demostrate that we will never give up because of some crazy group of ''people''. How are we going to do that? I really don't know because if we attack them, innocent people will also die and that's what we don't want. Only time will tell what we and ther are they capable of. 

E-MAIL TO MY TEACHER

Hello! I'm Paula Valenzuela Turró and I'm going to explain a few things about my life and who I am.

I was born the 21st of March 1999 in Figueres. I'm blonde and blue eyed just like my mother and everyone says that we look alike so much. I'm really shy around new people but once I get to know them I become very confident and friendly.

My parents are called Mercè and Facundo, he's Argentinian. Nowadays I live in Castelló d'Empúries with my mother and my stepfather because my parents got divorced when I was little but they still have a great relationship. I have two stepbrothers Florentina, who is 23 and lives in Argentina, and Mateo, who is almost 3. 

I play basketball since I was 9 and at the moment I'm playing with the Club Bàsquet Castelló, my hometown team. We train twice a week and we have matches at the weekend.

I like to do sports,read, listen to music and hang out with my friends. I've read books like The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner but my favorite books are The Mortal Instruments saga. Lately I've been listening the pop-punk/ punk-rock genre and turns out that It has become my favorite genre of music. Maroon 5, 5 Seconds of Summer and Blink-182 are my all time favorite bands but other bands that I like a lot are Nirvana, Sum 41, Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, Fall Out Boy and Sleeping with Sirens. 

I love to spend the winter days in my sofa with a blanket watching my favorite TV Shows, some movie or Youtube videos.

And that's pretty much all you have to know for know the most important things about me.

ORAL PRESENTATION

After seeing the video and my experience while doing it, I'm really proud and happy with the presentation. I really like the topic and I was excited and interested while searching information or stuff. 

In general I think that we can say that we did a good presentation because we spoke quite fluently and the information was pretty clear. 

Personally I think that I need to more confident and don't be nervous because at one moment I was blocked and I did a little pause. It's really hard for me to be confident infront of people but I think that I'm less nervous than other years because at least I wasn't shaking like the other times.

YOU SAY

I decided to do one YOU SAY about a band that I discovered not so long ago and It has already became one of my favorites.

Sleeping with Sirens is an American rock band from Orlando, Florida. The band was formed in 2009 by members of For All We Know, Broadway, and Paddock Park. The actual members are Kellin Quinn, Justin Hills, Gabe Barham, Jack Fowler and Nick Martin. Their music style are usually pop rock or alternative rock.

I like them because they can make a really loud and rythmycal song but the lyrics can be so romantic and sweet. My favorite song by them it's probably Better Off Dead, but I really love most of the songs. Also, I couldn't forget to mention the incredible voice of the singer, Kellin Quinn. They are the perfect combination and I'd love to attend one of their concerts.

YOU SAY

This summer I went to Ireland for three weeks. I went there with Mar and Paula, my two best friends. But we didn't went there for vacation or anything like that. We spent the three weeks going to high school from Monday until Friday. I know it seems like that was boring or something like this but I wasn't at all. I met a lot of people, made a lot of friends and improve my English. 

When we arrived our new families were waiting for us and we stayed with them the first day. My Irish family was really kind and sweet and they made the three weeks very pleasant. We also went to a lot of beautiful places in Ireland because on Saturdays we spent all day visiting places. Also, in the afternoons we met up in the shopping center that was near the school and we always were laughing and having a great time. 

The worst part was when we had to leave or when someone that we became really close had to go home. When that happened everyone started crying and hugging each other because maybe you won't see some of them anymore.

YOU SAY

This time I'm going to talk about a movie that I have seen called WAKE. 

The story follows Carys Reitman, a girl who is having a bad time and she starts to go to stranger's funerals. At one fateful funeral she meets Tyler , a man mourning his fiancée. Carys finds herself connecting to someone for the first time. Searching for answers, Carys goes to see her mother to confront her past. And as she tries to open herself to the risks of love with Tyler, she realizes she may have more to fear than just a broken heart.

I actually don't like to watch romantic movies because I think that they're all the same and are too sweet and unreal but I basically watch it because Ian Somerhalder, my favorite actor, was in the movie. But I was surprised because I really like it. It wasn't the traditional story when two people fall in love at first sight, but of course it was romantic and all. But the fact that they met at his fiancée's funeral changed the romantic thing and I like it.

Rebel song

UNDERCLASS HERO-SUM 41

The song that I have chosen is Underclass Hero by the canadian punk-rock band Sum 41. 

The song talks about the fight between the high-class and the underclass. In the song there are some rebellious sentences against the government, the law in general and they identify themselves as part of the underclass. They want to express that you don't have to act like everyones else and the others don't have to tell what is good or bad.

I've chosen this song because Sum 41 is one of my favorite bands and I think that the majority of teenagers can feel identified in this song because they express really well the idea of revolution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEz2d49XTk0

MY WORLD

This weekend our basketball team, Esplais, ended up the league. I think that we did a great start but the last few matches weren't so good, except today's one. Our last match together.

This year we had some problems and arguments because we weren't feeling comfortable with one of our coaches and we said that we didn't want her anymore. This happened while we were at middle of the season and after that all went pretty bad. As I said before, we did a great start but after all the drama we lose most of the matches left except today's. 

Today we played our last match that was versus Sarrià de Ter. I think that we were really motivated because it was the last match of the season and we played one of our bestest. We won 90-45 and we were really happy and sad at the same moment. Happy because we ended up the season winning but sad because we won't be playing together anymore.

MY WORLD

Summer is coming! In less than three weeks we will finish the school year and we'll enjoy our holidays. 

I have some plans to do this summer and also before it. The June 20th I will go to the Holi Festival in Girona with some friends and we're really really excited. I will spent the night of Sant Joan with my friends and we'll be sleeping in a camping all together. 

In July I will go to Ireland for three weeks with Paula Caball and Mar Oliva. We aren't going there for holidays, we are going there to learn English and each one of us we'll be staying with one irish family.

And because we'll be in Ireland all July, in August we will be enjoying the beach, our friends and family and have a lot of fun!

ROMEO AND JULIET

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BOOK AND THE MOVIE :

Question 1. 
The classical play takes place in the 16th century in Verona, Italy . The new version takes place in the 21st century in Verona Beach, USA.

Question 2..
All of these things are opposites, like Romeo and Juliet. 
I think that the water represents the love, because of the scene that they are at the party the first time they met. The fire represents the hate between their families, like in the first scene where there is a fight between the Montagues and the Capulets.


Question 3.
In the book all the characters speak in verse because the book was wrote in the 16th century. But in the movie most of the characters speak in prose except Romeo and Juliet when they quote Shakespearse's words.
In the book the narrator is an omniscient narrator because it isn't any of the story's characters but in the movie the  narrator is the news reporter.
Question 4. 
I think that the costumes reflects how everyone is. Juliet is an angel because she's sweet, innocent and kind. Romeo is dressed like a knight because he's brave, gentle and protective.

Question 5. 
Many things have changed because the movie has more actual things like guns, the style of clothes and music, the furniture, the houses...And also the technological stuff like the television or the radio.

Question 6. 
I think that the most important difference it's the period time. Because in the book they were always talking in verse, wearing classical dresses, fighting with swords... And in the movie they were in the actual time, fighting in the street...

DESCRIBING A PHOTO

This picture was taken by Larry Towell in New York in 2001.  
In the background on the left you can see a building but you can't barely see anything because there are clouds of smoke. On the right you can see another building that its windows are illuminated by the sun.
In the foreground there are more buildings and you can see any detail of them. On the left you can see a building that has some stairs in the outside. On the right you can see a similar building but this is illuminated by the sun like the one that is behind it. In front of it there's a smaller building with simetrical windows. Also, if you look close, in the bottom part you can see some streetlights.
I have chosen this photo because I like black and white photos so much. I also like the contrasts between the lights and the shadows that the photographer has captured and the beautiful buildings.
This picture makes me feel frustrated and sad, mainly because of the colours but also for the smoke cloud.

INTERVIEWS

On April 16th we went to Barcelona and we did some interviews to the tourists.


MAR: Where are you from?
GIRLS: Belgium
MAR: Ok, is the first time that you are here in Spain?
GIRLS: Yes, yes. Well, me the second time.
MAR: And how did you come here, by plane, ship...?
GIRLS: Plane, plane.
MAR: How long are you going to stay here?
GIRLS: We leave tomorrow. We stayed three days here.
MAR: Are you travelling with family or friends?
GIRLS: Friends, yeah.
MAR: What have you visited up to now?
GIRLS: The Parc Güell and... the Stadium
MAR: Yes, Camp Nou
GIRLS: Yeah, yeah
PAULA V.: What do you liked the most in Barcelona?
GIRLS: Shopping
PAULA V.: Is there anything that you didn't like?
GIRLS: Emm... the people in the shops are not that friendly
PAULA V.: Do you know any words in Catalan or Spanish?
GIRLS: Yeah, ''hola'', and ''buenos días'' and '' buenas noches''
PAULA V.: And, do you think Barcelona is expensive?
GIRLS: No, not much.
PAULA V.: Okay, thank you!

MY WORLD

MY FAVORITES BANDS
I would like to share with you my favorites bands and my favorite song of each one of them.

Maroon 5:  is an American pop-rock band that originated in Los Angeles. The group was formed in 1994 as Kara's Flowers while they were still in high school and the originals memebers were Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick. Nowadays the members are Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, James Valentine, Matt Flynn and PJ Morton. 
My favorite song of them would be either She will be loved or Makes me wonder.

5 Seconds Of Summer: are an Australian pop rock and pop punk band.Formed in Sydney in 2011, the band consists of Luke Hemmings , Michael Clifford , Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin.
The group were originally Youtube celebrities, posting videos of themselves covering songs from various artists in 2011. From there, they gained a small following but their international fame grew up when One Direction invited them on their Take Me Home Tour.

My favorite song of 5SOS is Unpredictable.

Blink-182:  is an American rock band formed in Poway, a suburb of San Diego, California, in 1992. The band currently consists of  Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, while  Tom DeLonge abandoned the band this year.

Blink-182 is considered a key group in the development of pop punk music; their combination of pop melodies with fast-paced punk rock featured a more radio-friendly accessibility than previous bands.

My favorite songs of them are Dammit and Feeling This.

MY WORLD

This past month I started to watch a tv show called American Horror Story and I'm totally addicted to it. American Horror Story is an American horror series but it's a bit different because each season is a new story. But besides that, there are the same actors each season.

 The first season is called American Horror Story: Murder House. This season is about the Harmon family who moves from Boston to Los Angeles where the Murder House is. Ben Harmon and Vivien Harmon are the fathers of Violet Harmon, a teenage girl who self-cuts.  Once they are there strange things start to happen and everyday is worst than the other.

The second season is called American Horror Story: Asylum. This season takes place in the 60's. Lana Winters is a journalist who want to do a documental abou the Briarcliff Mental Institution but she ends injustly institutionalized there, just like Kit Walker.

The third season, which I'm currently watching, is called American Horror Story : Coven. This season doesn't seem scary as the others but it's probably my favorite. Zoe, a teenage girl who lived with her family, accidentally kills her boyfriend. Then she discovers that she's a witch and belongs to a coven.

And the fourth season is called American Horror Story: Freak Show. I'm still on the third season so I as you can notice I haven't seen Freak Show but looks like it will be scary as Asylum was.
Recently the fifth season was confirmed and it will be called American Horror Story: Hotel and Lady Gaga will be starring it. I'm so excited for watching her on the series!

LOVE SONG

With or without you, U2

See the stone set in your eye

See the thorn twist in your side

I'll wait for you


Sleight of hand and twist of fate

On a bed of nails she makes me wait

And I wait without you


With or without you

With or without you


Through the storm, we reach the shore

You gave it all but I want more

And I'm waiting for you


With or without you

With or without you

I can't live with or without you


And you give yourself away

And you give yourself away

And you give, and you give

And you give yourself away


My hands are tied, my body bruised

She got me with nothing to win

And nothing left to lose


And you give yourself away

And you give yourself away

And you give, and you give

And you give yourself away


With or without you

With or without you

I can't live

With or without you


With or without you

With or without you

I can't live

With or without you

With or without you

Veo la piedra puesta en tus ojos.

veo la espina girando en tu costado.

Yo esperaré por ti.



Prestidigitación y vuelta del destino,

en una cama de clavos ella me hace esperar,
Y espero sin ti.




Contigo o sin ti,

contigo o sin ti.



A través de la tormenta alcanzamos la orilla.

Tú entregas todo pero quiero más.

Y estoy esperandote.



Contigo o sin ti,

Contigo o sin ti.

No puedo vivir

Contigo o sin ti.



Y te dejaste ver,

Y te dejaste ver,

Y te dejaste ,

Y te dejaste ,

Y te dejaste ver.



Mis manos están atadas.

Mi cuerpo magullado, me tiene con

Nada para ganar y

Nada para perder.



Y te dejaste ver,

Y te dejaste ver,

Y te dejaste ,

Y te dejaste ,

Y te dejaste ver.



Contigo o sin ti,

Contigo o sin ti.

No puedo vivir

Contigo o sin ti.



Contigo o sin ti,

Contigo O Sin ti.

No puedo vivir

Contigo o sin ti,

Contigo o sin ti.

MACQUARIE ISLAND

The Macquarie Island was inscribed in the UWHL in 1997. Is 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He was born in central England in 1564 and he died in 1616. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets and some poems.
He married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 and they had 3 children. His plays were first performed in the Globe Theatre in London.
Shakespaere's work is still very popular today. It could be because all of them contains fantastic stories and they also are full of parties, weddings and funerals.

Some of Shakespeare's plays are:

The Merchant of Venice.
Antonio is a businessman who borrows money from Shylock. If he doesn't pay back, Shilock will cutt off a piece of his body.

Hamlet.
Hamlet's father is murdered by another man, who then will become his stepfather. Everybody want Hamlet dead and he wants revenge, will he be able to?

As You Like It.
This play is a comedy about romantic love. Two evil brothers and two good brothers are faced against each other. In this play are many jokes, songs and games.

Henry V.
This play is about a famous English king and the battle of Agincourt. In this play you'll see the preparations for the battle, the fighting and the results.

NEW YEAR RESULOTIONS

- I want to have the new CD of Maroon 5.

- Travel to England in the summer to learn English.

- Travel to Finland.


- Dye my hair in a bright colour.

BEST MOMENTS OF MY HOLIDAYS

This holidays I went to Paris with my family. We went there with our car and we stopped at half-way from Paris in some kind of motel at night. We had an amazing days there visiting a lot of places and buying stuff. The only think that bothered my family was the cold weather, which I don't because I love winter.  

When I came back, I went to Barcelona with my mum and two friends because it was almost New Year and we wanted a new dress. 
The best moment of this holidays was New Year. I had dinner with my family and we did the chimes together. Then I went to a party in St. Pere with my friends. I had one of the best times there and I enjoy it so much.