Trip 35: From Hong Kong Condominiums to SkiCenter
Comment Replies
k50dude: Thanks for commenting again! I had never seen before the "retarded" word applied to a building!
Schulmanator: Thanks for your comment, may I serve a little milk for your kitties?
CTMandR: Thanks for your comments and your question? The two teams named in the previous entry share the stadium, which is Allianz Arena. I'm currently working on some logos and venues for the sports teams, you'll hear about them!
I see the Town Hall has succeeded in catching your eye!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First of all, thanks again because we've hit 20,000+ views since July 2009! I don't know if we've gone fast or slow, but one thing is sure; I'm really happy!
Avinguda de Patch (Patch Avenue), 4:21 p.m.
It was 6th of January and I still remembred New Year's Eve celebration; but I had to work. In Alarconia, this day is holiday because we celebrate the Epiphany, the day when kids (and not-so-kids) open the presents the Three Wise Men have left them.
There are three "Christmassy" people in Alarconia: In December 25th, the Catalan-native got their presents from the Tió de Nadal, which is a log you have to kick with a stick to make it "poop" the presents (weird, ¿huh?) while the American-native recieve their presents from Santa Claus. Then, in January 6th, Epiphany Day, the Three Wise Men carry the presents for the Catalan-native remembering the three presents given to Jesus.
Although this celebration is much more intense in Catalan-native families, it is a national holiday and families go outside to have some leisure before going back to school or work. And I was the one who carried to the leisure places.
I was called from the Central to go to the Hong Kong Condominiums, seen on Trip 17. This building is a short drive far the city center.
Then, an entire family came into the taxi, occupying the four remainining seats. Mom, dad and two kids.
"Wow, good afternoon, family." I had heard them speaking in Catalan, so this is the language I asked.
"Good afternoon. Can I sit here?" asked the man, pointing the other front seat.
"Of course..." he fully opened the door and got into, then he fastened his seatbelt.
"Could you take us to the SkiCenter?"
"Just let me look for it in the GPS..."
I observed that the SkiCenter still didn't appeared on the satellite mapping, but the route provided was enough. I only wanted to know the shortest route to go there.
I started the engine after choosing the highest fare (4 people, the maximum I was allowed to carry) and followed along Patch Avenue, until the crossing with Carrer del Salze (Willow Street), which I took uphill. The kids, a boy and a girl, they seemed twins; were a little nervous.
"So are you going to do some skiing?" I asked the kids.
"Yes, we do."
"Have you ever been in a real ski resort?
"No." asked the girl.
"We wanted to go to Andorra this holidays, but it is very expensive. You know, the flight to Europe, the transport to Andorra, hirings, forfaits..."
"This is because the SkiCenter was built, I guess."
The SkiCenter was one of the few indoor ski slopes in the world, located in Alarconia because few people can afford travelling to Europe or the Americas to do some sport. Built in 2007, it rapidly became a popular place for families, although being far away from the main leisure centers.
"So this is your present, right?"
"We've had some more presents, too." said the boy.
"What do the Three Wise Men brought to you?" I asked him.
"A Wii, a book, some sweets..."
"Nice..."
We passed besides CEIP Barri de C'an Rics (Riches District Elementary School) and kept going uphill. The woman in the GPS device hadn't worked very much because the way was straight upon.
"... and they've brought you some coal, too." said the mom. If kids have behaved badly during the year, the Wise Men may leave them a piece of coal instead of presents.
"Yes, they must be wrong because I've been good..." said the girl. Her parents laughed.
"Do some skiing is your last today's present."
We were now in the highest neighbourhood in the nation, the views of the entire island were great from one of these apartments. This is because they are around 25% more expensive than the same apartment in the middle of the city.
"Everything right this Christmas?" asked the man, asking to me. I wasn't used to hear questions like that."
"Yes, I can't complain. The Wise Men have been good with me and I've got some spare time I needed."
"Haven't you gone anywhere?"
"No, not at all. I can't afford it, but I'm planning my summer holidays right now."
We left Riches District behind and entered in the industrial park under the communications tower, which is unnamed. Driving there during a national holiday is a pleasant experience due there aren't mad workers arriving late nor misparked trucks blocking the way. The kids began a little fight the mom quickly stopped making me a huge favour. I get really nervous with this kind of things in my taxicab.
We arrived now to Sun Industrial Park, the place where the environment-related industries, the solar power plants and the National Zoo are placed. It is very near the Alarconia City municipality line, the limit with the town of Sorrent. The kids saw the SkiCenter's high structure and stayed quiet for a while, while leaving Alarconia City and entering in Sorrent.
"I have never been into the SkiCenter. How is it?"
"Well, nothing more than you see here. A huge slope with different steepness depending on the zone, with a gondola lift on one side..." said the man.
We only had to take the first corner to the right, going into Carrer de la Neu (Snow Street), what an original name! The woman began looking on her purse.
As I wasn't a customer, I wasn't allowed to get into the parking lot with the taxicab, so I had to stop in the street.
"There will be 37.55 AL$, please."
"Hold on a second..." said the woman, struggling with her purse, until she took two 20 AL$ banknotes.
"Please, keep the change and have a nice 2010..."
"Same to you!" I replied, while they all were getting off.
"Thanks, goodbye!"
"Bye!"
I went down Atlantic Avenue, looking for a customer in the central part of Sorrent.
k50dude: Thanks for commenting again! I had never seen before the "retarded" word applied to a building!
Schulmanator: Thanks for your comment, may I serve a little milk for your kitties?
CTMandR: Thanks for your comments and your question? The two teams named in the previous entry share the stadium, which is Allianz Arena. I'm currently working on some logos and venues for the sports teams, you'll hear about them!
I see the Town Hall has succeeded in catching your eye!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First of all, thanks again because we've hit 20,000+ views since July 2009! I don't know if we've gone fast or slow, but one thing is sure; I'm really happy!
Avinguda de Patch (Patch Avenue), 4:21 p.m.
It was 6th of January and I still remembred New Year's Eve celebration; but I had to work. In Alarconia, this day is holiday because we celebrate the Epiphany, the day when kids (and not-so-kids) open the presents the Three Wise Men have left them.
There are three "Christmassy" people in Alarconia: In December 25th, the Catalan-native got their presents from the Tió de Nadal, which is a log you have to kick with a stick to make it "poop" the presents (weird, ¿huh?) while the American-native recieve their presents from Santa Claus. Then, in January 6th, Epiphany Day, the Three Wise Men carry the presents for the Catalan-native remembering the three presents given to Jesus.
Although this celebration is much more intense in Catalan-native families, it is a national holiday and families go outside to have some leisure before going back to school or work. And I was the one who carried to the leisure places.
I was called from the Central to go to the Hong Kong Condominiums, seen on Trip 17. This building is a short drive far the city center.
Then, an entire family came into the taxi, occupying the four remainining seats. Mom, dad and two kids.
"Wow, good afternoon, family." I had heard them speaking in Catalan, so this is the language I asked.
"Good afternoon. Can I sit here?" asked the man, pointing the other front seat.
"Of course..." he fully opened the door and got into, then he fastened his seatbelt.
"Could you take us to the SkiCenter?"
"Just let me look for it in the GPS..."
I observed that the SkiCenter still didn't appeared on the satellite mapping, but the route provided was enough. I only wanted to know the shortest route to go there.
I started the engine after choosing the highest fare (4 people, the maximum I was allowed to carry) and followed along Patch Avenue, until the crossing with Carrer del Salze (Willow Street), which I took uphill. The kids, a boy and a girl, they seemed twins; were a little nervous.
"So are you going to do some skiing?" I asked the kids.
"Yes, we do."
"Have you ever been in a real ski resort?
"No." asked the girl.
"We wanted to go to Andorra this holidays, but it is very expensive. You know, the flight to Europe, the transport to Andorra, hirings, forfaits..."
"This is because the SkiCenter was built, I guess."
The SkiCenter was one of the few indoor ski slopes in the world, located in Alarconia because few people can afford travelling to Europe or the Americas to do some sport. Built in 2007, it rapidly became a popular place for families, although being far away from the main leisure centers.
"So this is your present, right?"
"We've had some more presents, too." said the boy.
"What do the Three Wise Men brought to you?" I asked him.
"A Wii, a book, some sweets..."
"Nice..."
We passed besides CEIP Barri de C'an Rics (Riches District Elementary School) and kept going uphill. The woman in the GPS device hadn't worked very much because the way was straight upon.
"... and they've brought you some coal, too." said the mom. If kids have behaved badly during the year, the Wise Men may leave them a piece of coal instead of presents.
"Yes, they must be wrong because I've been good..." said the girl. Her parents laughed.
"Do some skiing is your last today's present."
We were now in the highest neighbourhood in the nation, the views of the entire island were great from one of these apartments. This is because they are around 25% more expensive than the same apartment in the middle of the city.
"Everything right this Christmas?" asked the man, asking to me. I wasn't used to hear questions like that."
"Yes, I can't complain. The Wise Men have been good with me and I've got some spare time I needed."
"Haven't you gone anywhere?"
"No, not at all. I can't afford it, but I'm planning my summer holidays right now."
We left Riches District behind and entered in the industrial park under the communications tower, which is unnamed. Driving there during a national holiday is a pleasant experience due there aren't mad workers arriving late nor misparked trucks blocking the way. The kids began a little fight the mom quickly stopped making me a huge favour. I get really nervous with this kind of things in my taxicab.
We arrived now to Sun Industrial Park, the place where the environment-related industries, the solar power plants and the National Zoo are placed. It is very near the Alarconia City municipality line, the limit with the town of Sorrent. The kids saw the SkiCenter's high structure and stayed quiet for a while, while leaving Alarconia City and entering in Sorrent.
"I have never been into the SkiCenter. How is it?"
"Well, nothing more than you see here. A huge slope with different steepness depending on the zone, with a gondola lift on one side..." said the man.
We only had to take the first corner to the right, going into Carrer de la Neu (Snow Street), what an original name! The woman began looking on her purse.
As I wasn't a customer, I wasn't allowed to get into the parking lot with the taxicab, so I had to stop in the street.
"There will be 37.55 AL$, please."
"Hold on a second..." said the woman, struggling with her purse, until she took two 20 AL$ banknotes.
"Please, keep the change and have a nice 2010..."
"Same to you!" I replied, while they all were getting off.
"Thanks, goodbye!"
"Bye!"
I went down Atlantic Avenue, looking for a customer in the central part of Sorrent.
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