Well, it's October the 3rd and Nick is celebrating his 17th birthday, which makes me feel kind of old, however, I was twelve when hew was born, so it's altogether not so bad.

Getting Seb to pose for a picture is almost impossible, considering that he loves doing faces all the time and he barely stays still to take a picture. There you go, not the birthday boy but he certainly can steal scene! -smile.

Here's the birthday boy, all grown up now. I do remember clearly when he was born and all the funny things he used to say when he as a child. Now he says funny things alright, but far from comments a child would do!

Jade, the girlfriend, who confessed during dinner that she absolutely hates pictures. Well, she's not alone as I do hate pictures too, but there are times that deserve putting away that feeling and actually letting people know you do appreciate them.

BJ and Sam (BJ, Thanks for the invitation, it was great and really fun!). We had a really good time at Sizzler, even thought the food was overcooked and not all of us enjoyed it as we should (maybe the grill was too hot, but food had that charcoal taste).

I tried to avoid the picture, but well, I had to take a photo with them as these are my last days in Australia and they'll be back to school on Monday. Don't blame me, but I've gained 6 kilos since I arrived here, something like 2 kilos per month, but I'll shed them for my birthday, it's a promise.

Well, here, all of us together, celebrating Nick's birthday... We had the chance to celebrate Seb's birthday back in Colombia, when they were visiting, so it makes things even for me at least. I'm going to miss them heaps once I leave Australia, but I know I'll be back again to see them....

See you's later!

Well, my nephew was playing basket the day I was on my way to Brisbane, so I couldn't see much but it was fun. They didn't make it, again, his team was the runner up, but still made me very proud.

It took me a while to get back to blog, but it's been a busy month for me and taking pictures was my last priority. However, I managed to get some photos of the final, because my sis stayed home while I was traveling so I could get to see what had happened.

It was a very good game from what I heard, my nephew said they were very close and almost win, that the score was even, but they lost the game for 4 freaking points!

Still, great to see them really motivated with sports and involved in healthy activities.

With this game the sport season ended for both, Spring is here and it gets too hot to play such demanding games, however they can do it if they file like doing it, but well, I think after all the training they deserve some rest and take it slow for a while.

With the school break comes the time to catch up and these two weeks ought to be productive.

For the last months I've been watching on TV this sport that I find really rough sometimes but everyone is used to it. Is Rugby that is somewhat like American Football but backwards, they tackle and everything else.

My nephew plays this sport and he's good at it, but I just can't think of how many times I've seen how violent it gets that it actually ends with knuckle sandwiches.

So today were the finals for footy this season in Bundy, but well, I had to sit next to my other nephew so he could explain what was going on and what the rules were. Long story short, my nephews team was the runner up after the longest 40 minutes of my life. He scored 4 out of the 14 points, but unfortunately the other team managed to make 28 and extra 2 points at the end. Still, great game and got to see really good teams playing.

  Seb is my nephew and boy he's good playing this thing! I'm not usually a fan of violent sports but he loves playing it and I think it's actually better to let teens get their anger out playing on the field than get into fights at school or somewhere else.

I was so proud to see him there that I usually never get excited about any sport at all but today it was quite an experience, stressful to the max, but still a good experience.

Next weekend is the final for my other nephew, Nick, but he plays basket and that one I get. I guess it's going to be as stressing as footy but I'll manage, I'm taking pictures too and share them with you so you get to know them.

Well, time goes by and you really don't know where it goes. So far I have been here for two months already! Wow! It's been an amazing journey, with ups and downs of course, but I can't complain, people is people and they never change.

During the last two months I tried to look for something a little bit gay friendly around this area. I had that party in Maryborough, mostly girls and the boys where just... how can I put that without being rude? Let's leave it that way.

So, having this experience I decided to give up and do some tourism, so I visited other areas around just to have fun, not being all the time here at home.

This interesting building was one of my stops. It's just a huge water tank that supplied the city with water a long time ago. Pretty interesting design as it has a certain resemblance to the Pisa Tower, except that this one is straight.

It's 36 something meters tall and it's made of pure brick. Quite a landmark to be honest.

I took a nice photo of me over there (give me a break, being vain once in a while doesn't hurt anyone, does it?) to give you an idea of how big is each one of the frames. It was a perfect sunny day to do this!

This reminds me that there are gay guys in Bundaberg, but they're not easy to find, or at least for me... (let's face it, I'm not a hunter nor a sexual predator).

The we headed for Bargara.

In Bargara there is this beach where you can have a nice barbie and relax for a while. It's rocky, I know, but it's really nice. Now, if you like sandy beaches you just have to head south and you'll find sandy beaches all the way down to Sydney, and there are lots! This is just the closest and it's fine for me, as I'm not into getting suntanned nor swimming in freezing cold water.

Right now the temperature of the water it's not the best for swimming but Spring is here and you can enjoy lovely walks on the beach. There were a lot of families around here playing and enjoying a delightful afternoon, so we decided to do the same and had a delicious chicken and bacon barbecue pizza (Domino's and extremely small if you ask me). So, then we took off to the Hummock, from where you can have a view of the whole area.

From here you can look down south and see the tip of Fraser Island, very popular around here and close to Hervey Bay (actually when you flight the ticket says Hervey Bay - Fraser Island). There are not many elevated mountains around here but you can fins towns all the way inland heading towards the outback, that still remains a complete mystery to me and quite appealing.

This area is mostly volcanic rock, here's a sample of that. Sugar Cane is grown all around here but people are moving out of it since it's not profitable and they're trying other stuff, but the soil is extremely rich. There are areas where the soil is red and it stains everything it touches.

There are a lot of things I still ignore about this place, since it's son big that you hardly believe is a small continent (or a extremely big island?), but it's certainly really interesting.

And now, just a quick view of Bundaberg South.

This video I found looking through some of the files in my computer, I didn't know I had but I liked it so much that I decided to post it here!

Enjoy!

After freezing cold temperatures in Sydney, to which locals are used to, I finally arrive to Hervey Bay Airport on July the 20th. It was such a relief to see familiar faces and especially to see my family that has been living here for so long.

Well, besides the fact that I'm in another estate and the temperature is a little bit higher, many towns in Australia keep an amazing resemblance to each other, sometimes giving you the feeling on the Wild Wild West!

But who cares! I got to see my sister and my nephews who went to Colombia to visit but I was working and I couldn't spend too much time with them.

My sister has been living in Australia for the last 5 years and it's a long trip from Colombia to get here, so you can imagine how excited I was to be here with her and the boys!

They just teenagers and each one has their own way, they're like opposites but certainly really fun to hang out with. I just love them and watching them all grown up is an indescribable feeling.

Here's where pretty much ends my journey to the land down under... like I told you, lots of expectations, but not what I expected....

However, I have to say that Australians so far have been really nice to me (some of them) but where I am I can say they're pretty dull (and some might hate me for it) but hey, I have Latino blood and it's always like that with us!

Probably I'll have some more comments about Australia later on!

Friday and Saturday got a little better, I had the chance to visit Chinatown where people barely understands English (and I find it outrageous!) and buy knock-offs of poor quality. Some people bought there jackets and other stuff and discovered the very next day how bad these things were made, however, souvenirs were not that bad, because you can find plenty.

Yes! The Aquarium was really nice, they have like this underwater tunnels so you can see the fish swimming around, even sharks.

If you're up to it and can afford a couple of smokes, maybe you should know that you can smoke in public places as long as you follow certain regulations: anywhere near door of public and government buildings or malls (shopping centres included) you're allowed to do it, but you can follow cigarette butt trails to the smoking areas, I did it because I was freezing.

Walking downtown is fun and things are not as far as locals tell you (their solution was jumping in the metro to go anywhere!). There are a lot of nice buildings and some historical areas that you might want to explore.

My recommendation is that you go in the afternoon to Sydney Tower, so you can see the beautiful sunset and relax until night falls so you can see the city lights from above.

Overall it was a nice experience and we all had the chance to share a lot and experience this site like few people could.

As you must know well by now the purpose of my trip was to participate in the World Youth Day 2008. It is like a gathering where Catholic youth from all over the world comes together to participate in something that at the end didn't make any sense. The feeling of being happy about being Catholic was never felt but I attended mass and heard the sermon everyday, then I realized that the church is still very old and the people who is young at heart are a bunch of hypocritical punks.

While I was in Sydney I had the chance to meet a person whose handicap didn't allow her to walk very fast or move along with the group; everything was fine until the time to do things young people love doing came: She was always left behind, pushed around or ignored (even by me once and I acknowledge it, but I made it up to her). These people were so eager to do tourism around Sydney and buy that they'd rather leave early or separate from the group than actually being a helping hand. Young people is not willing to help other, I'm young but not selfish or self-centered, why did they ignore her so bad? The answer my friend is a simple as it comes: she was in their way.

Only once I left her behind, but it was because she was looking for presents the very day of the Pope's arrival. Later she apologized but I was stuck like glue to her butt until the last day we were together in Sydney. This woman is dedicated to serve God and is more happy of doing so than many of the people I met during this trip; in her hometown she works with youth through prayer, especially youth in need like in prisons for underage felons and rehab clinics for poor people.

I never anyone so happy to be surrounded by all these people...

Long story short... being with her certainly had advantages for me, we could get in first to many places, locals were very helpful whenever she needed help even when she didn't ask and she was extremely kind and gracious to me.

But going back to the topic, there are five things to do in Sydney that you can do for only $AUD 90. It's called Sydney five-in-one and they give you the high-lights of the city and five days to do these 5 landmarks: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower, Tour in boat throughout Sydney Harbor, visit one of the pillars of the Harbor Bridge and the Aquarium. If you do all of these stopping at every site and paying full it's about $AUD 125 altogether, including things we didn't expect.

We got to taste Australian wine in the boat during the tour around the harbor and actually see whales for free, we got the most amazing holographic projection and ride this thing with big screens in Sydney Tower, we had the chance to see the inside of the Opera House because the shows finished about the time of our tour (usually you can't enter these places) and spend an amazing time in the Aquarium. They talked about the zoo (everyone wanted to see the animals, not me) and it sounded spectacular, so perhaps you should try.

To complete the story, well, we saw the Pope really close, but not for enough time to take a picture and in Barangaroo and Randwick he would way to far to see him without aid or in a large screen...

This was my best shot:

There he is inside the car, but he went by too fast!

After this everything was downhill for my participation in the World Youth Day activities.

Well, too many expectations and considering the comments of people I've met in Colombia I was expecting so much more...

Anyhoo, it's a beautiful city and the Opera House is really amazing, sometimes beyond unbelievable, considering the history and story behind the construction. They don't allow to take pictures inside the building, but let me tell you is incredible. I was lucky enough to hear a rehearsal of the huge organ and the acoustics were out there off the charts!

Behind this picture is the night view of the Harbor Bridge, really nice lights were decorating the bridge for the visit of the pope.

This is how it looks at night.

This was the night of our arrival to Saint Patrick's School where we were staying at. We had passes that allowed us to travel around Sydney for free within certain boundaries, but yet we were able to go to many places and visit almost daily the Circular Quay station where you get off to walk to the Opera House.

The following morning we did it again, we took the metro down to Sydney and off at Circular Quay, so we had the chance to see it really early in the morning. Some locals were okay with the temperature but most of us Colombians couldn't cope with it, so scarf, gloves and a wool hat were necessary early in the morning.

Thousands of people were walking this area all day long so it was difficult to get a clear shot of the place, that day we toured for an hour inside the opera house and we got to see how it was built and the people in charge.

It was really fun to visit. Later on I'll write about the Pope.

Well, as I was saying last time I didn't write much about the whole experience but I think it's worth writing. I left Bogotá on July the 9th around 9:00 am in a flight from Bogotá to Miami.

Everything was fine from Bogotá to Miami, except for the team that was participating in some sort of cup or something, most of them under 12 or so... it was annoying, they kept playing the whole way to Miami and not even when they were eating they were quiet. So, no nap on the way there nor any rest, considering I got up around 4:00 am that day.

Bumpy ride, which is normal this time of year and flying over the Gulf. They immigration officer was encouraging me to buy a DVD player so I could spend some of the time from LAX to Sydney International Airport watching the Lord of the Rings (the whole trilogy); 9 hours straight of movies to watch, so it would cover some of the flight time.

In the picture (L2R): Jane Doe, Adahine, Me, Patricia and Indira.

Surprise! The Captain was a no show, so we got stranded for three hours in Miami, and all the running around trying to find the place where to check in our stuff had me exhausted already. Finally one got there at 5:00 so we left at 5:30 to LAX. It was a 5 hours flight with no meal served and a sandwich was $10 USD... (I thought "they're joking, right?"). We got to LAX at 8:00 with a connecting flight at 8:30 so they had us running to let us know that they flight had been delayed.

So, we decided to get ahead and check in to leave LAX to Sydney, and it took us 2 hours in line. There were so many people that it was a pain in the butt trying to do anything. Of course, we were starving and we got our boarding passes at 10:00pm to board at 10:00pm, so we went to McDonalds to grab a quick bite and stuffed ourselves trying to eat real fast. When we crossed security it was already 10:30pm but the gates were jammed and there was no one to open them so we were at the boarding gates trapped. Around 11:30pm the doors were opened and we got to the buses and I was the lucky winner of the seat in business class (1B to be exact!) in Qantas from LAX to Nadi (Fiji), then to Sydney.

That's me in the picture with Patricia.

So, after waiting one hour we left around 12:45 LAX in our way to Sydney. Some woman had a blood pressure condition and she couldn't travel so we had to wait for a doctor, then the Captain told us that everyone's luggage had appeared and it was now safe on board (of course, no one knew that it had happened). 10 hours of waking up and falling sleep were kind of relaxing but most of the time I couldn't sleep very deeply, because my hands and legs get numb during any flight. Lovely companion were these two Christian guys who were heading to Cogee Beach to work with underprivileged youth. The Italian guy next to one of them took the picture, he was on his way to Sydney to propose but the girlfriend had no idea.

We got to Sydney around noon, after 14 hours flying and 6 hours of delays altogether...

I'll write that part later!

I left Colombia on July the 9th heading to the World Youth Day Celebration that took place in Sydney. Great experience... not! I met more people from Australia (of course!) than any other country, even though this event was created to bring youth from the world together...

Some of them were really nice while others... Nah! It's just not worth my effort nor my criticism... there must be plenty of blogs around praising and elevating this to the top...

However, I had the most wonderful hosts anyone could ever have! The Shaws, they were extremely gracious and kind, they were very giving but, most of all, extremely intelligent. One of the few smart conversation and with true insight about Catholic Church these days I had! I can't completely express my gratitude and hopefully I can connect with them again soon.

The trip was a complete mess and it's not only the organization since we left Colombia but also the airlines... American Airlines! It's one of the most expensive airlines in my country and allegedly we got a great price for our tickets... but I'm pretty certain from previous experiences that this is not true. I think that the people in charge of booking the flights had something to do with it, but anyway, the only thing they did the way they should was leaving Colombia. After that was all chaotic with delays and luggage missing or in the wrong band all the way to LAX.

But then some other airline made up for the American Airlines mistakes! Qantas, the Aussie Airline by default (there are others but mostly domestic) upgraded me to Business Class (apparently they sold more seats) and I had the most delightful 14 hours of flight from LAX to Sydney International Airport with a small stop in Nadi (Fiji). How lucky can one be? Or maybe it was God's will, so I couldn't refuse... Lord, thy will be done!

These were some of the travel mates who left with me Colombia, a really fun group! I know I will hear from some of them really soon!

So what's the answer to BollyWHAT??

BollyWOOD! is the answer.  It's a popular nickname for the most popular cinema on the planet: the Hindi-language film industry based in Bombay (AKA Mumbai), India. Last year alone, Bollywood sold a million more tickets worldwide than Hollywood did (source: Business Week, 12/2/02).  No wonder!  Hundreds of millions of people -- from Delhi to Dubai, Johannesburg to Jackson Heights, Perth to Prague and Southall to the San Francisco Bay -- recognize Bollywood as their first choice in entertainment.  If you, too, are in the mood for high drama -- whether it be an epic romance, a swashbuckling adventure, a revenge saga, a comedic extravaganza, or a reaffirmation of familial love -- why, then there's no other cinema for you.So why this site?

We're not all lucky enough to know Hindi. Though DVDs have improved matters, often it is still difficult to find Bollywood films with subtitles (and when one does, these subtitles tend to be illegible or inadequate). Also, even for students of Hindi, Bollywood films can pose a considerable challenge. BollyWHAT? is a site devoted to making these films accessible to fans everywhere! -- er, well, as long as you speak English.  The main directive of BollyWHAT? is to provide the Bollyfan with detailed synopses, vocabulary lists, and transliterated and translated lyrics for selected films, thus making it possible for you to watch, understand, and learn.

In spring 2002, due to sheer boredom on the part of the webmaster, BollyWHAT? also expanded to include some other stuff newcomers may have difficulty finding out about.  Bollywood Biographies presents biodata, filmographies, and a compendium of scandals for each of your favorite stars, patched together from a wide variety of old and new interviews and magazine articles. The Rental Guide features film recommendations from a variety of sources, so you can skip the bombs and educate yourself with classics and new favorites. Beyond Bombay addresses other film industries within India, and Filmi Philosophy features reviews and mini-essays on aspects of the Hindi film industry, including the sometimes deadly ties between Bollywood and organized crime. In response to several suggestions from visitors, we've also added a section devoted to the most unique aspect of Bollywood: its music and dance. Surf and enjoy!Why don't the characters ever KISS already?

As you can see in the still from Raja Hindustani, sometimes the characters do. But it's rare. The censor board is notoriously unpredictable; no one wants to risk getting a rating that would scare away families. Also, Bollywood plays to a diverse range of people, from the illiterate and provincial to the worldly and urban. Ideas of morality differ widely from group to group. Why include a kiss when you can easily leave it out and avoid the risk of offending customers? Also, actresses don't want to lose their conservative fans, nor do they want to endure salacious flak from journalists. So they're not too keen on kissing on-screen, and many proudly trumpet their refusal to do it.

What does it mean when you tug on your ears?

You tug your ears in a variety of social situations, but mainly when apologizing, as a physical admission of wrong-doing and as a demonstration of repentance. Here Juhi, in One Two Ka Four, is about to let Shahhrukh out of the doghouse (how could she resist?)...

Animations not working? Check out our alternative FAQ, illustrated with stills, for viewers with slower connections!

What does it mean when you touch someone's feet?

Touching someone's feet is a sign of respect usually accorded to elders, or, as in this still from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, by (very traditional) wives to their husbands. Why is this considered respectful, you ask? Well, Hindu theology, and Indian culture in general, holds the feet to be the most polluted part of the body (the head, farthest away from the ground and least likely to come into contact with it, is the most pure). This is why you take off your shoes upon entering a temple (your shoes have been in constant contact with the ground), and also why you should never point the soles of your feet at someone (very rude!). Therefore making a point to touch someone's feet is a sign of your immense respect for them: you honor them so greatly that touching even their feet is a privilege. (Here, Amitabh stops Jaya from actually touching his feet, a common response -- indicating, perhaps, modesty? -- to this gesture of respect).

What does it mean when you press your palms together?

You'll see in the films that, upon first meeting someone, a character will press his palms together and say "Namaste." You can equate this to a handshake if you'd like, but pressing your palms together connotes a respect the handshake no longer does (unless you consider the significance of refusing to shake hands, the gravest of all insults, which accordingly implies that a handshake does, indeed, show respect -- but enough, back to Bollywood!). For example, in this still from Raja Hindustani, Karisma is facetiously paying homage to Aamir, pressing her palms together and bowing to him subserviently.

What does it mean when you wave your hand at or over someone's head?

In the song "Yeh Ladka Hai Allah" from Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Gham, Daijaan waves her hand over the bride's head and then, making a fist of her hand, presses her knuckles to her own head (cracking them). This action wards off the "evil eye" by symbolizing her willingness to take onto herself any evil that may target the bride. It's actually a way of expressing admiration for how lovely the bride looks (i.e., her beauty is so resplendent and her marriage is so auspicious that it's sure to excite jealousy and evil wishes).

What does it mean when you wear a bindi on your forehead?

Arguments have gone on for years, in classrooms and coffee houses alike, about the symbolism of the bindi. Some people claim it's the sign of marriage, though unmarried women wear bindis as well. Others claim its symbolism rests in its correspondence to an energy point, or "chakra," located between and slightly above the eyes. Everyone has a different opinion on bindis...but they sure are pretty, aren't they? At right, Kajol sings about her "bindiya's" words of wisdom in "Saajanji Ghar Aaye" from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Warning! Most bindis don't actually speak.

What does it mean when you wear red stuff in the part of your hair?

 At left, behold Aishwarya in the role of Paro, wife of a rich Bengali aristocrat in Devdas. She's wearing a red dye called vermilion in the parting of her hair (enhanced a touch so you can see it clearly). This, unlike the bindi, has one clear meaning -- she is married, and her husband is alive. If she were to be widowed, she would cease to wear vermilion in her part. Legend has it that this ceremony began due to a slew of brides being kidnapped at the wedding ceremony. The groom would fight for his bride, and if he slayed the would-be abductor, he would smear his bride's part with the fallen man's blood. (It wasn't all the man's job, though: according to tradition, brides of the Kshatriya class should carry a knife at the wedding to help defend their virtue.) Hindi filmmakers love this: watch a few action movies and you're sure to see the hero smearing the villain's blood into his beloved's hair.

What does it mean when you wag your thumb at someone?

Making a fist and extending your thumb, as in the Western "thumbs-up!", then wagging it back and forth, is used as a "shame on you" gesture; also, occasionally, as a "nah nah" -- equivalent to the old "thumbing your nose" at someone, though that particular gesture fell out of fashion in the West a few centuries back. In this still from Devdas, Aishwarya is taunting Shahrukh, whose hapless character, Devdas, was unable to fasten a bracelet over her wrist, though she managed to do it in seconds flat. Nah-nah indeed!

What does it mean when you put kohl on someone's cheek?

When someone looks especially beautiful, it's assumed that she'll attract a great deal of jealousy. Putting a dot of black on her face as a makeshift "blemish" serves to ward off the evil eye that might otherwise be attracted by her perfection. This is most often done to babies, but women occasionally place a black smudge on their faces when they're especially well dressed. Bharatanatyam dancers, for instance, will occasionally wear one during a performance. In the scene at left, during the song "Aankhiyon ki Gustakhiyan" in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aishwarya places a smidgen of kohl on Salman's lip as a compliment to his allure.

What does it mean when you wave a lamp on a tray?

Usually this occurs in two different contexts in films: when greeting a guest, and when worshipping God. In the latter instance, a lamp, or a burning dish of clarified butter (ghee), is waved in circular motions around the image of a deity -- a ceremony called aarti. The person waving the tray is making an offering of the tray's contents to God. Oftentimes there are also sweets on the tray; after these sweets have been offered to God, they are given back to worshippers as sacred food, or "prasad." The tray is waved before human beings as a way of acknowledging the sacred within them; since guests are considered to be sacred, greeting them this way acknowledges their divine nature and conveys what an honor it is for them to visit. In the scene above from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kajol honors her fiance thus because as her future husband, he is a form of God to her (at least until Shahrukh shows up).

What does it mean when you lift only your pinky finger?

In the still at left, from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kajol is scandalized: she's just asked Shahrukh's character what took him so long in that church they'd been visiting. He replies with a hand gesture that prompts her to shriek, "In the CHURCH?!?" Why is she so shocked? Well, in India, this version of the "hang loose" sign means that you have to go to the bathroom...or in this case, that you just have.

And what's up with all the relationship terms?

Hey, it's India, home of the joint-family system. If your parents, your sons, and their wives and children all live under your roof, you'd better have a way to refer to each!

Believe it or not, this list comprises only the terms most commonly used in films. Also, you may hear the word 'jee' added on at the end: this suffix is used to show respect for the person being named.

   And what's up with the recurring title words?