THE BEANS DISCOVER THE ANCIENT SECRETS OF LIGHT

Natalia Bean prepares Nachos con Guacamole

This morning, The Beans have continued their English classes practising with Countable and Uncountable. 

It's not an easy thing and they must work very hard to have success.

They have also reviewed some aspects of Present Simple and Social English before leaving Dominican Republic and arrive to Mexico where Natalia Bean has offered an incredible surprise to them.

More information: Countable & Uncountable List 

During the flight, the family has discussed apassionately about education and the educational system. It's a deep and hard theme with different points of view that join in one: the school is a place to take knowledge and home is the place to be educated.

Past picture of The Grandma in Majorca's Cathedral

Next, The Grandma has talked about February, 2, the an important day for Azteca culture but also for Mediterranean one. 

Today, in some buildings of the Mediterranean countries you can watch the effect of eight thanks to the position of the sun and the special characteristics of the buildings.

Download The Calculations of La Sagrada Família

Meanwhile, in Punxsutawney, Phil has predicted six more weeks before the end of winter,  The Grandma has continued her story talking about one of the greatest genius of the last century, Antoni Gaudí, who influenced by nature built the most spectacular and mysterious buildings that you can imagine like the Colònia Güell or The Sagrada Família.

Download Barcelona's Natural Wonder

The architect started to work in his creations in Sant Boi de Llobregat and from there he imagined incredible fantasy worlds which he built some years later.

Finally, The Grandma has fallen asleep and has been dreaming about The Beans visiting The Sagrada Família... 

Download Antoni Gaudí Works

Nothing is art if it does not come from nature. 

Antoni Gaudí

THE PEREGRINE FALCON: WILD BEAUTY AT 320 KM/H

A pelegrine falcon in the Sagrada Família

Joseph de Ca'th Lon is studying the falcon population in Barcelona. Some years ago, a new programme about reintegration of this species started in this city and its surroundings, like Garraf range.

Today, the population is growing and every year we have to congratulate about the birth of new babies. Joseph has visited the falcon populations in the Sagrada Família; in Montjuïc Mountain; in the Mapfre Tower; in the Thermal Tower in Sant Adrià de Besòs; in the Realia building in Hospitalet and in the Garraf range.
 

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, females being considerably larger than males. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h  during its characteristic hunting stoop, high speed dive, making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies which vary in appearance and range.

More information: National Geographic

The peregrine falcon is a well respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and in recent years availability via captive breeding. It is effective on most game bird species from small to large.

The peregrine falcon in Vilanova i la Geltrú

The peregrine falcon is a highly admired falconry bird, and has been used in falconry for more than 3,000 years, beginning with nomads in central Asia. Its advantages in falconry include not only its athleticism and eagerness to hunt, but an equitable disposition that leads to it being one of the easier falcons to train. The peregrine falcon has the additional advantage of a natural flight style of circling above the falconer for game to be flushed, and then performing an effective and exciting high speed diving stoop to take the quarry. The speed and energy of the stoop allows the falcon to catch fast flying birds, and to deliver a knock out blow with a fist-like clenched talon against game that may be much larger than itself. 

Peregrine falcons handled by falconers are also occasionally used to scare away birds at airports to reduce the risk of bird-plane strikes, improving air-traffic safety. They were also used to intercept homing pigeons during World War II.

Native Americans of the Mississippian culture (c. 800–1500) used the peregrine, along with several other birds of prey, in imagery as a symbol of celestial power and buried men of high status in costumes associating to the ferocity of raptorial birds. 

In the late Middle Ages, the Western European nobility that used peregrines for hunting, considered the bird associated with princes in formal hierarchies of birds of prey, just below the gyrfalcon associated with kings. It was considered a royal bird, more armed by its courage than its claws. Terminology used by peregrine breeders also used the Old French term gentil, of noble birth; aristocratic, particularly with the peregrine.

More information: Arkive

 A  falcon, tow'ring in her pride of place, 

was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.

William Shakespeare

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANTONI GAUDÍ IN SANT BOI?

Eli, Irene & Olga Bond have gone shopping

Today, The Bonds have practiced Present Perfect with Already, Just, Yet, Ever and Never. Thay have also talked about the modal verb Need/Needn't and the normal verb Need to/Don't need to.

The Grandma has totally crossed and she has needed some caffeine to be a person. Yesterday, she had an ugly incident with some Russian teenagers in the streets of Paris and today she was remembering it. She has had an introspective day and she has started to remember old stories which aren't interesting but can save you if you're able to connect them with whatever you want.

More information: Already, Just, Yet

After these stories, the family has made an homage to Sant Boi, a beautiful and important city next to the old Via Rubricatus and Via Augusta, talking about the importance of its popular people, like Pau Gasol or Marc Gasol and famous ones like Manel Esteller.

Finally, the family has talked about the Phi number and its importance in our universe. The number was an inspiration to our greatest genius, Antoni Gaudí, who was working in Sant Boi before building The Sagrada Família.

More information: El banc de proves de Gaudí (Catalan Version)

The family is still in Paris enjoying these last days before travelling to Kiev where they're going to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. 

More information: Gaudí i l'Hospital de Sant Boi (Catalan Version)

Good luck family!

The science of today is the technology of tomorrow. 

Edward Teller