natjtan The only spot I could find free to workout at the gym yesterday was under the stairs. Religated to the broom cupboard! The cliché January full gym. I’ll let them off as they were regulars getting their fix before the place shut early. One reason why I choose to be a member of my old gym is that it’s open all year round. The 25th, 26th December, 1st, 6th January it’s open until 2pm. The December dates it was vertically empty, so it was a surprise to find it so busy.
Busy or not, I had to enough space to frog jump squat, spiderman press ups with slides for a twist and scurry out to the suspension trainer. I got there a little late, had to condense my circuit andI felt better than my usually hour. Which is good as I’ve been wanting to switch up my circuit’s format for a while and needed that push! It’s easy to get stuck in rut. I change them every two weeks, however the format’s the same. Challenge 2 of the New Year! Challenge 1, scheduling, I want to be that morning person! Challenge 3, Energize (which I keep very quiet encase it’s gets swept into the broom cupboard.). 21 days it takes for something to become habit. I’ve got some long 21 days coming up.
In the UK we don’t celebrate the 6th January or Kings Day. Here it’s their Christmas and they celebrate like it no other! Any Spanish kid will tell you that Papa Noel might visit, but the Kings are the ones that bring Christmas presents. And they do it in style! About 4.30pm on the 5th they arrive by boat in Port Vell before making their way around 6pm through Barcelona until Placa Espana. If you ever get the opportunity to visit the city in winter time, it’s the perfect time to visit. (Bonus, the sales start on the 7th!). The parade lasts about 2 hours, beginning with a bedtime story of the Three Kings.
Snowflakes on roller skates bring Winter, Jack Frost and the North Star before the Kings post system. Kids post their Kings or Father Christmas letters into lit up fishing nets. Lots of kids were on step ladders so they could see the magic, waving their letters before dropping them in. The tale continues to the sorting office, toy factory and present delivery before the Three Kings arrive each with their own entourage. And if you’ve been bad all year, the coal train!
Lastly and the one all kids (and adults) love, the sweet/candy floats. Canons are used to spray sweets into the crowds. It’s free fall, happy chaos diving to pick up what you can. Only way to describe it, raining ticker tape and sweets! It really is a magical time. Image being a small kid, watching the Three Kings arrive and waking up the next morning to presents! Costumes, floats and the dancing changes every year, so you never know what to expect.
I tried to keep photos at a minimum, but it was impossible!
Now I’m tasked with taking down the tree. I’m always sad taking it down, leaving at the Christmas Tree recycling point. At least it doesn’t look so sad as being left out with the bins with odd pieces of tinsel. It also marks my official start to the New Year. 21 days, I’ve got you!
Do you like it when the gym is busy or empty? I prefer empty to half busy as I don’t have to move every five minutes to set up else where. But I like the energy of a full gym! How often to you switch up your training?
I like the gym best when it’s empty-to-moderately busy. I hate the gym in January. It’s currently -30C where I am and I was forced to treadmill it Tuesday night. The gym was humid and packed and someone smelled like sausages… stay tuned for a post in a few weeks about that particular experience (I need some time to get over it before I can put it into words).
-30C! I didn’t know it got that cold in Canada! How do you even survive that? Isn’t the the Antarctic that cold?
I don’t like training near funky smelling people either. I move on, find other space. Take all the time you need to recover. XO
They call it “the polar vortex”… the good news is the extreme cold usually doesn’t hang around for long. When it gets that cold we survive on hot food and drink! 🙂
I still don’t know how you do it even with hot food and drinks. I go stir crazy from being cooped up all day! Driving must be a nightmare!
Oh, it can be, for sure. But you get used to it! 🙂
I absolutely love your collection of photos! They are absolutely beautiful!
I live in Taiwan and there are only a few gyms where I live, neither really close to where I live. However, there is a sports track just a few minutes walk from my house where I walk/run. I like to get out and explore the place I call home on foot – ah, the life of an expat. I also do cardio kickboxing at home using weights and resistance bands.
Thank you!
I used to go to a gym until we moved to France, then I worked out at home. Mostly as the better gyms were too far away and I had everything I needed at home. I re joined only last year when we moved back as my legs wanted more weights, to make friends and get out the house!
I like the sound of cardio kickboxing. I used to do that at home and one day ventured to kickboxing classes and loved the! Maybe there’s a dojo near you that offers general classes!
I like to explore cycling. I get to see more. Even after 7.5 years here (with a break of France in there) I’m still finding new places! *sigh* life of an ex pat! xo
I always love the gym in December. It’s like a ghost town and I have free choice of all machines.
Such vibrant photos as usual.
Hee hee, me too! No waiting in line, no working in between! XO
I used to hate the gym in January. It went from a nice place to work out to a zoo. Give it a few weeks. Most of the “beginners” usually disappear. I found that sad, but I liked having room to breathe again!
I find it’s more the group classes that are chockablock in January and like you say a few weeks later just the regulars. It’s sad, but it’s nice to have room back to breath and move in! Great going with your morning bike rides!
Thanks!