However my language versions have a big advantage: all the foreigners understand my Spanish, and all the Spanish my English. One day I hope to find the time to combine both versions in a new international language to bridge all barriers and cultures on this planet and create a world full of harmony and peace.

To meanwhile compensate this lack of time I often recommend my friends and clients to read the fantastic Blog of David Eade, good friend and British born writer who, as I, is also trying already a lifetime to bridge the various cultures in this particular part of southern Spain.

Please have a look at:

http://tiltingatwindmillsblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-niece-lap-dancer.html

And please do not hesitate to come back to David and/or me with your comments.

David Eade

David Eade is a British journalist who has been living in Spain for nearly 20 years. He writes regularly on Spanish national, regional and local news as well as on Gibraltar. His special interests are security, organised crime, domestic violence, politics and the environment.

También en mis otros artículos se puede leer que me encanta el polo. Monté caballo ya en Holanda y también aquí en España. Y aunque personalmente nunca he llegado a jugar polo (hace muchos años estaba a punto), durante mi vida en Sotogrande me he convertido en un gran amante de este deporte que, especialmente en alto, muchas veces parece a un partido de fútbol.

El verano en Sotogrande es polo, polo, y más polo. Llegan más de mil caballos de muchas partes del mundo, y con ellos sus equipos. El total crea un ambientazo, por las tardes con los partidos, y por las noches con las salidas. Las instalaciones de Santa Maria Polo Club en las canchas de Los Pinos se transforman cada año más en el lugar de estar y pasarlo bien, en plan deportivo y en el encuentro social.

Los ganadores: Martin Iturraspe, Alejo Taranco, Kevin Korst y Jake Zobel

Intento de no perder ni un partido, quedando siempre con el corazón partido referente por ejemplo Scapa-John Smith (Mikel Redding y madre Arlette van Oost, Ayala (Iñigo Zobel),  Ahmibah (Prince Bahar Jefri de Brunei), Woodchester (Mc Kinney) y una larga lista más de amigos y conocidos dentro nuestro mundo de polo de Sotogrande.

http://www.santamariapoloclub.com/en/index.php?ver=noticias&menu=&id=131

http://www.ayalapoloclub.com/club_s.php

http://www.scapasports.com/EVENTS/polo.html

http://www.labocha.com/category/sotogrande

copa-del-mundo-fifa

Aunque han pasado ya unas semanas, dentro mi entorno español siguen -y con todo derecho- cantar “campeones, campeones” y hablar de la final y de –su- copa.

ESPAÑA ganador merecido

Siendo holandés, me han visto vestido de naranja, pero también bailar con la bandera española. Si, hablo desde un corazón partido, es decir, antes de la final.

Porque después, y todavía, el juego de Holanda me ha obligado a ofrecer disculpas en nombre del pueblo holandés. Confeso que no es agradable de seguir buscando explicaciones por el tipo de juego y las patadas que están grabados para siempre. Y más porque soy de la generación de Johan Cruyff y gran aficionado de él y su estilo de juego, mundialmente reconocido como el estilo de la naranja mecánica.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldJSAcJ2HuI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyYT6_XXl3g

¿Porque hablo del fútbol en una Web en que tendría que hablar de inmobiliaria?

Uno porque soy humano, dos porque, y la gente que me conocen puedan confirmarlo, soy un verdadero fanático de fútbol. Tres, porque en mi vida dentro el mundo inmobiliario siempre he intentado de quedar fiel a mi lema: en inmobiliaria no se trata de propiedades, pero de personas.

En los días después de la final he leído muchos artículos sobre la final, en la prensa española, la de Holanda y hasta la Americana (mi hija Anna, crecido en Sotogrande, vive ya varios años en California y está casada con un americano; ¿su puede imaginar el lío de aficiones en casa?).

Casi en todos los artículos que he leído he encontrado la misma pregunta: ¿porque jugó Holanda como jugó?

Así se quedó La Naranja

¿Porque Holanda jugó como jugó? Pues la respuesta tendrá que dar su entrenador, el señor Bert van Marwijk. Y quizás el puede dar también una respuesta a otra pregunta: ¿porque ha destruido en solo un partido la marca naranja, la marca establecida en los años setenta y desde entonces admirada y cualificada como la del fútbol total, limpio y más bonito del mundo? Creo que no sería mal cuando tomaría unas clases de marketing.

Bart van Marwijk y sus clases de marketing

Panamá land of nature to be discovered

Breathtaking contrasts within only few miles of distance

Few people know that Panama offers probably our world’s biggest concentration in vegetation varieties. Travelling through Panama is indeed one big discovery tour. And the nice thing is that it is a relatively small country and therefore you can do and see lots of different things and sides in only a couple of days.

What to say for example about flying in the morning from the Miami-style City to the Unesco World Heritage sides at “Bocas del Toro” and than coming back in the evening to continue with a vibrating City-night. It is one of the most extreme contrasts one can wish to experiment.

But of course I should talk here also about all the other aspects of Panama, like the stable political climate, the many years of being one of the worlds most important finance centers. And who can talk about Panama without mentioning the Canal, and the importance of Colon, competing with Hong Kong for the number one container position in the world?

The Canal: the spine of Panama

Panama’s economy keeps on growing and all over the country you notice this in new real estate developments and new infrastructures, bringing national and international people together on a prosperous way to the future.

A future where I, as Dutchman, look at with special feelings. I tell you why. In fact I discovered something of our Dutch history in Panama that I was not aware of till I visited the (old) minister of Tourism Mr. Ruben Blades in his office.

Mr Ruben Blades, Mr. Zósimo Guardia Varela and Adrian van Loon in the office of Mr. Blades

When I told Mr. Blades that I also wanted to go to the archipelago of “San Blas”, he started laughing and said to me: so let us see if you will come from there. When I asked him why, he told me that the Dutch have a long history in that part of Panama, going back to our golden seventieth century, and that still one part of San Blas is called “the Dutch quays” (de Hollandse kaden). Can you imagine my worry? Especially with my surname “van Loon”, a name with centuries of marine history in worldwide trading and with as landmark of this global-past the Van Loon museum in Amsterdam

As you can see, I came back and was allowed to discover one of the most paradisiacal parts of our planet and to make good friends. San Blas is unbelievably beautiful with very nice and friendly people and with traditions to absolutely admire and respect (see my photos).

On my way to traditions and education I admire.

Lots to learn about other cultures!

There are moments that the most beautiful words cannot express.

If you feel challenged just let me know!

And now you will ask why all this nostalgia and all these words? All this came all up last week when more than fifty businessmen from the Dutch building industry brought a work visit to Panama. What a pity that I could not join them at that moment. It would have been not only a good opportunity to offer them my know-how and contacts, but also to say hello to my many friends in Panama. But I am sure that we will meet soon at another visit, because the Panamanians and the Dutch have everything to continue what already brought us centuries ago together: the future!

Welcome!

Kris Huizenga and Adrian van Loon

Living and operating in and from Sotogrande for so many years it was for me a strange feeling this time no to go for the “Volvo” to Valderrama.  Nevertheless at least we had this big event of the Volvo World Match Play at our corner; as you probably know finca Cortesin is only 15 minutes away from Sotogrande. So I will not complain, at the contrary, as the event brought my good physio friends from the PGA to my home and area. Yes, we had a great time, and look all forward to their next visit, which will bring them not only back to finca Cortesin, but, I take that for granted, also again to Sotogrande. And who expected something else: to Valderrama. And this is fantastic news for all of us in Sotogrande. People who know me better know that I maintain a close relation with the number one golf course of Europe. I brought many Dutch company groups to play the course and enjoy the fantastic installations. And I sold and build properties within, what I consider the most exclusive private estate in our resort. (With pleasure I show you why!).

Well, as said, my dear friend Kris Huizenga is on the road again. You will find the physio team and their clinic in Girona, where from the 28^th of November till the 3^rd of December well-known and “less-known” players will compete to classify for the next season. Welcome in Girona therefore. And of course this week in Dubai!

http://www.europasur.es/article/deportes/554116/valderrama/acogera/gran/torneo/octubre.html

http://www.valderrama.com

the physio clinic: http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid={76118AA8-56C5-46DF-BF8A-161625DC1A5B}

http://www.europeantour.com/

http://volvoworldmatchplay.com/

http://watchgolfonline.net/dubai-golf-championship/watch-golf-2009-dubai-world-championship-live-online