Oasis Hotel Cordoba

Cordoba - Cathedral

If there comes a time when cutting the overall cost of a trip is a good idea, one way is to punctuate your stay between chic or grand or charming but pricey hotels, with a cheaper one.

Cordoba is a must-see (why else stay there!?). Another “must-visit” in your Andalucian tour. I chose my visit there to coincide with this cost-reduction manoeuvre.

The Oasis hotel is on a main boulevard, Avenida actually (for we are in Spain!), and has easy access to the centre – a short three euro taxi ride (on a sizzling 38 degree hot day you do not want to take the 15 minute walk) to the Puente Romano (bridge across the Guadalquivir River).

This is a great way to approach the centre as you walk across the river with the Cathedral in view straight ahead of you, the whole way across the river. A magical sight.

The Cathedral is famous because of the extensive mosque structure which acts like a large Moorish arcade surrounding the cathedral itself in the centre. It is massive, dramatic, foreboding, impressive, moving – some or all of these depending upon your own interpretation – but not to be missed!

Leading into Cordoba

Add in the old town area spreading away from this in narrow crowded streets, the Arab Baths, Botanic Gardens and some locals-out-for the night squares with cafes and bars serenaded by touring street musicians playing with hope for donations of appreciation.

The Oasis is clean, well run, staffed by friendly family and their employees, rooms are neat, simple and very acceptable. The rooms at the back are quiet and view across the river to Cordoba itself ( a subdued partial view).

There is a large and well kept swimming pool, restaurant and bar.

Hotel Oasis entrance and parking for cars - Cordoba, Andalucia

Don’t forget to go to local cafes and bars in the various small neighbourhood squares around the city and consider the Conception – Conde de Gondomar – Plaza Tendillas area if you would like to use this as your opportunity to sample the fashions in Spain’s main shops.

To stay at the very reasonable Oasis hotel in Cordoba – make a reservation here

I have only seen basic stuff on the Fire, Amazon’s newly launched tablet)

I say Fire away – because I am sure it will be good and yes I do think both will go forward and both will build sales

I believe also that Apple will not have been resting on its laurels and will keep innovating and changing both in price points of different units and new capabilities and features

I am certain that Jeff is already well advanced with the next three products in this realm (as is Apple)

I think both Apple and Amazon stock is a better bet than most others in any sector for good price rises over the next six months. proviso or caveat is that we have  all the ingredients for a continuing OVERALL stock marathon downhill skiing era for many months or even a year and more. that said, it is never everba continuing straight line from top to bottom just as it will not be unrippled sailing for Amazon or Apple.

On the face of it Amazon seems to have it’s sails better tuned to the illn winds that blow in the economy and are thus better set to profit however down the pundits and or the reality may paint  things / actually be.

Got gold - have we got money?

The economies of much of the world continue to demonstrate falling numbers, weakness and susceptibility of any and every strain, at any piece of bad news or minor change of sentiment.

Today gold has reached (perhaps it will fall leaking gains or rise to excite new cries of “how high” ) 1862 dollars per ounce.

Dollar value is often low and the British Pound quite high in value versus the Euro 1.15 Euros to one pound compared to 1.12 to 1.13 or many months until a week to 10 days ago.

Google is buying Motorola’s mobile division (mobile phones and so on) with thousands of patents in the package.

HP is discontinuing its tablet and it seems likely to divert and attend to business rather than the consumer market with a mention of heading into the cloud.

Meanwhile in a better frame of mind Intel is forging forward with even better multiples of data being processed in newer processors, transistors and nanoscale approaches. Fater with better batttery life is the goal.

Space tourism gets a boost with the few years hence space hotel announced – we hope with real authority… Travel keeps its end up both on this planet and with a future away from it and perhaps on others.

Now that’s something I look  forward to writing about!

Gold was money and maybe the future of money

Photos by bullionvault

The index lives! Cappuccino Index is served

This is the candidate to replace the 25 year old Economist Big Mac index
This is the new index!

A combined measure of a (single/short/small size) cappuccino served both IN
and for Take-Out/Take-away in each country.
The IN and Take Out combination serves to reduce factors such as VAT for IN
service, increased charges especially in some countries (Italy a good
example) for service at a table etc…

- – -

The cost median fall for cappuccino experienced in the USA (i.e. more
McDonalds coffees and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee sales changing the average
versus Starbucks and swish cafés) reflects actual pricing changes in other
sectors as well.

Same is reflected in Europe and Asia with this type of coffee becoming more
readily available as a vended or cheap fast option (admittedly not always of
the same quality) at lower price versus chichi cafes.

This is the index for the next 10 years.

1. Original hotel descriptions (and not the hotel’s own!)
2. Original photos (again, not just the oh-so-perfect-images the hotel provides)
3. Clear price-list, including all taxes (show all periods,  without having to enter dates)
4. Testimonials for the travel service/website/business
5. Transparent about who handles the booking and who is responsible for customer satisfaction
6. Clear, plain-english quotes and terms (without legalise & lengthy disclaimers)
7. Area information (original – not Wikipedia please!)
8. Privacy policy (what are they doing with your details?)
9. Feedback form
10. Full contact details, including physical address and contact numbers

Atlas Shrugged book cover

Who will be John Galt?

My favourite book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, so I am naturally excited about the prospect of a movie based on the book.

There is quite a frenzy out there about the imminent (with some question marks) production of Atlas Shrugged (just do a search for “Atlas Shrugged casting”).
I’ve long thought about who could possibly play the heroes of the book.
(For the uninitiated: the book is a manifesto of “Objectivism”, Ayn Rand’s life philosophy of  reason & individualism – to find out more about Objectivism, Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged, see www.aynrand.org)
But apart from the philosophy, the book is a superb drama – even has suspense.
The characters are heroic, intriguing, inspiring – great stuff for a movie and a real challenge for actors (not to mention the screenwriter, who has to condense this enormous epic novel  into a script for a 3-hour movie).

What would be then the ideal Atlas Shrugged cast?

Here are my picks…
Dagny Taggart
Angelina Jolie  has acquired the rights to the movie, and she intends to play Dagny.
However, she would not have been my first choice. I feel a bit “overexposed” to her, seen her too many times in too many roles recently (I felt that way about Meryl Steep some time ago – I cannot see the role anymore, I just see the actress).

My fist choice is….(drum roll….) Famke Janssen.
She has the right look and if she did her best, I think she could pull it off.

Another great actress who I believe would be right is Cate Blanchett (with brunette hair). I can see her in it…
If Angelina does it, I hope she really gives her very best, because it would be a great shame.

John Galt
Daniel Day Lewis – I see no better for the man whose faces showed “no fear and no guilt”.
Second choice: Ralph Fiennes

Hank Rearden
Who better than Russell Crow?
He IS Hank Rearden.
I was glad to hear the producers suggested the role to him. I hope he decides to take it.
Alternatives: Ed Harris, Nicolas Cage

James Taggart
A villain, and an especially difficult & key role (his “melt-down” at the end would be a feat of acting).
I can see Tom Hanks doing it brilliantly.
Alternatives: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John Travolta, Kevin Spacey

Ragnar Danneskold
Brad Pitt could be right for the role.
My alternatives: Jude Law, Johnny Depp

Francesco D’ Anconia
A very key role…I had difficulty assigning it. I think Josh Hartnett would be right for it.
My alternatives: Edward Norton, Johnny Depp

“Wet nurse”
Leonardo di Caprio, Tobby McGuire, Edward Furlong, Giovanni Ribisi

Hugh Akston
The good professor…Gene Hackman would be great.

Dr. Robert Stadler
The bad professor…Anthony Hopkins
Alternatives: Gene Hackman, Robin Williams, Martin Sean

Lilian Rearden
Laura Linney, Annette Benning, Cate Blanchett
Sharon Stone, Christine Scott-Thomas, Julian Moore, Helen Hunt

Cherryl
Kirsten Dunst, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson

Eddie Willers
Paul Raffalo

Ellis Wyatt
Nicolas Cage

Weasley Mouch
Michael Douglas, Jon Voit, Jeremy Irons, Andy Garcia, Tommy Lee Jones, Gabriel Burn, Dustin Hoffman

Director:
I can only think of two great directors that might do justice to the book & philosophy behind it, who know about heroes, about their pains and triumphs:
Ridley Scott (“Gladiator”, “Thelma & Louise”) and Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby”, “Unforgiven”).

See also:

• Latest news on Altas Srugged – the movie
• Atlas Shrugged Tops Amazon’s Bestseller List

One of my paintings. You should buy it! Why, because it is a no side-effects balm, medicine, sedative, soother, energizer, envigorator and cure for just about anything…and more.
Why?

Bright colors create energy, positive thoughts pleasure and good humour.
There’s good reason for fairgrounds, festivals using bright colours – reds, yellows, oranges, bright blues and vibrant green hues. Grey is somber (smart looking because we’ve been conditioned to think so) and drains energy from the surrounding area it absorbs light from. Black is a good contrast to – well…colour!

Try wearing a brightly coloured shirt or blouse, try to forget what you are wearing and see how your day goes, how you enjoy it, how fired up your imagination is, how people respond to you – note it all down. Then try a day wearing nothing but dull colours, muddy earth tones, grizzly grey, deep dark black…make notes, compare.

Got an office or a den and nothing in bright colours on view? Not even an ornament, picture or painting? Well try this. Put something really powerfully bright a brilliant primary colour or mix of colours…glance at it occasionally while you are working, look at it as you enter the room – how’s that feel?

See also:

• My brilliantly colourful paintings
  

West Dean gardens

With a wonderful picture from England…

At West Dean there is a horticultural college, lots of sheep on the hills, and of course a wonderful tearoom. Now, these tearooms are a fountain of sage wisdom, old gardeners’ tricks, elder gossip (all England’s country houses and gardens are popular with retired folk) and pleasant smiles and the sort of strangers passing… well in a country garden tea-house pleasantness that defines a portion of the civilized ways of English people.

Organized rows, wild areas and vast grassy hilly expanses displaying parkland extending visually to the South Downs. Walled kitchen gardens and an arboretum add to the picture.

I checked the quality of tea, sandwiches and cakes while Lina took the cushy job of wandering the sometimes muddy and occasionally at that moment rainy, gardens.

Getting a prime parking space – well you want to walk the gardens not the approach – was one triumph on arrival (little things sometimes give a boyish thrill of success – come on admit it, unless you always arrive on a bicycle, getting pole position in the motorized stables is a great feeling!). But if you don’t find that a little amusing, worthy of a tiny fleeting smile…you really are taking things too seriously and need to see another few of these great English gardens and listen to the chatter, taste the egg and cress sandwiches and search the gift shop for that fascinating something-for-almost-nothing memento!

See also:

• West Dean Gardens & College website