The ¨EasyJet Experience¨ : Never Again

If you are looking for the thrill of paying an average price for regular services, being charged for any added value the service may offer and being humiliated and/or diminished in the process you need to become a fan of the Easy Group in Europe. (Easy Jet, Easy Hotel and Easy Money at the end) a UK based business idea, being awfully successful with the easyeverything internet cafes in the 90´s.

Last week I went to Amsterdam for a work trip of on week and tried the EasyJet experience / nightmare.

We booked a flight for two people that was 270€ with a 20kg suitcase, no food included and only one piece of hand luggage. We checked ourselves in online and arrived to the Airport 2 hours in advance for checking the luggage after a 20 minute line. One the passenger beside us had a problem because she had her passport but did not bring her other ID, so she lost her ticket, no refund and could not fly to her destination even having her passport, that was her problem the Easyjet employee claimed.

We go to the gate and find that all the drunks, party weekenders, noisy cheap tourists, and eurotrash available in town gathered there to flight with us and with some other terrified first timers. Waiting in the gate we noticed that our boarding pass had no seat number, so we would have to fight with other passengers to get a decent seat or even be seated together with your travel companion. quite awful but as we are supposed to pay low, then I guess we need to suffer  a bit, you pay either with money or with dignity.

During the boarding announcement the flight attendant specified that no more than one piece could be carried, no personal computers, no handbangs, no shopping, no purses, no nothing  or a charge of 50€ (do not know if this is legal) would apply. Most passengers managed to put their purse, computer and handbag in one bigger bag and even a couple got a trash bin bag to put it all together and squeeze it to fit the maximum size.  Ok passport and ID check again, justin case we could charge or leave someone else, but wait! there is Speedy Boarding! Some smart passengers have paid 20€ extra to their ticket price for jumping th line and having 1 or 2 extra minutes to enter the plane first and get a decent seat, now we know why there are no seat numbers...to be able to sell them!

No problem, but the next thing: the plane has to ¨taxi¨ from the lsat end of the airport for around 20 minutes to able to tae off. In the meantime advertisements in our seats, sell us the sandwich and try to make us obey on buying an awful menu. How could I get to enjoy anything at those ridiculous prices? These people never heard about value for money.

Next Post: the real nightmares: of course at Easy Hotel.

The Illusion of Independence in the 21st Century

Tales about superheroes and political oppression

Freedom in the 21st century has taken a complex meaning . The notion of power at all levels has become a matter of money and capacity of manipulation, causing a distortion in our minds and changing the meaning of justice, security and wellbeing.

 Citizens still believe in the possibility of a fair system that will provide and protect shelter, education and security for the people of a country while the system itself changes the other way around being ruled by the logic of markets and consumption. The notion of nation has changed drastically since the fall of ideologies and the end of cold war in the 80´s. Corporate and business mindsets set the logic of governments and states.

Some interesting facts to understand this logic may be

• The creation of new countries during the 90´s in the balkans as a result of the war for the drug dealing industry entering Europe from Asia.
• Local multimillionaires and family dynasties looking for absolute power in their regions, controlling companies, politics, foundations, law and banks.
• New absolutism / nationalism and cultural segregation as a tool to make the masses create new political orders via ¨democracy¨.

Independence and nationalism are frequently mixed terms . Some regions believe the more nationalistic and radical they become the more possibilities of becoming a nation they have. but is that really independence or does it become a form of isolation and endogamy?

Nationalistic movements have been seen in the future with catastrophic results, when pushing the limits of cultural identity into cultural exclusion and segregation. Perhaps a way of developing a strong identity and being mentally independent is being more open to the internal diversity and understanding our own culture is not a set of rules imposed by a government or a group, but the recognition of internal common interests, purposes and talents.

Independence may not have anything to do with those we think of as our enemies or what they have done to us in the past, but with building a future and a culture that are inclusive and organic inside.

Here is a list of regions and communities currently claiming independence across Europe my big question is what is their approach to the notion of independence?


Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh De facto state:  Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Government-in-exile:  Azerbaijan — Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Belgium  Flemish Region  Proposed state:  Wallonia  France Bosnia and Herzegovina ; Republika Srpska  Proposed state:  Republika Srpska, Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia Proposed state:  Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, AP Western Bosnia Proposed state:  AP Western Bosnia Croatia Secessionist movements Republic of Serbian Krajina Proposed autonomous county/region: Istria County Cyprus De facto state with partial de jure recognition:  TRNC Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Czech Republic Moravia Political parties: Moravané (EFA member)  Denmark Faroe Islands Proposed state:  Faroe Islands Finland  Åland Proposed state:  Åland,  Sami Proposed autonomous region: Sápmi France Secessionist movements  Basque Country Proposed state: Euskadi or Euskal Herria (Basque Country),  Brittany Proposed state: Brittany,  Corsica Proposed state:  Corsica or  Italy, County of Nice, Gradual and eventual secession,  Brittany Political party: Breton Party  Georgia   Abkhazia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization), De facto state:  Republic of Abkhazia Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Proposed autonomous area: Javakhk autonomous region. South Ossetia De facto state:  Republic of South Ossetia  Germany Bavaria  Italy  Padania Proposed state: Padania, Aosta Valley,  Piedmont ,  Lombardy,  Insubria, Trentino, South Tyrol, Veneto,  Friuli-Venezia Giulia,  Liguria,  Emilia,  Romagna,  Tuscany,  Marche,  Umbria,  Sardinia,  Southern Italy  Lithuania  Samogitia  Macedonia Illyrida  Moldova:  Transnistria and  Gagauzia  Montenegro   Sandžak,  Bay of Kotor — Kotor,  Ulcinj,  Serbs of Montenegro,  Herceg Novi,  Pljevlja.  Netherlands   Frisia  Norway   Sami Proposed autonomous region: Sápmi  Poland  Upper Silesia  Portugal   Madeira,  Azores   Romania   Székely Land: Székely autonomy initiatives  Russia North Caucasus:  Adygea  Chechnyan Proposed state: Chechen Republic of Ichkeria,  Dagestan,  Ingushetia,  Kabardino-Balkaria,  Karachay-Cherkessia,  North Ossetia-Alania^[,  Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia Proposed state: Caucasian Emirate (claimed successor to Ichkeria), Circassia Proposed state: Circassia, including all regions historically included in Circassia and/or inhabited by Circassians (note: this includes Adygea as well as large parts of Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachey-Cherkessia, Krasnodar Krai, and Stavropol' Krai), Balkar and Karachay peoples. Other regions in Russia :  Tatarstan Proposed state: Tatarstan, Idel-Ural,  Kalmykia,  Udmurtia Proposed state: Udmurtia,  Siberia,  Karelia Proposed state: East Karelia or reunification with North Karelia and South Karelia and the formation of united Karelia,  Ingria Proposed state: Ingria (comprises Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast),  Chuvashia Proposed state: Chuvashia,  Komi Republic Proposed state: Komi Republic,  Mari El Proposed state: Mari El,  Mordovia Proposed state: Mordovia,  Bashkortostan Proposed state: Bashkortostan  Serbia  Northern Vojvodina; proposed autonomous region: Hungarian Regional Autonomy,  Sandžak[12] Proposed state:  Sandžak ,  Preševo Valley, Kosovo De facto state:  Republic of Kosovo.  Spain Areas in Spain with separatist movements:  Basque Country (autonomous community) and  Navarre (Main article: Basque nationalism) Proposed state: Basque Country (greater region) – Euskal Herria,  Catalonia,  the Balearic Islands and  the Valencian Community, known alternatively as Valencian Country(Main articles: Catalan independentism, Catalan nationalism and Valencian nationalism), Civil Organization: Assemblea Nacional Catalana, Sobirania i Progrés, Plataforma pel Dret de Decidir, Cercle d'Estudis Sobiranistes, Deu Mil en Xarxa per l'Autodeterminació, Advocacy groups: Catalunya Acció, Free Catalonia, Moviment de Defensa de la Terra, Cercle Català de Negocis.  Galicia Proposed state: Galician Republic,  Andalusia (Main article: Andalusian nationalism), Proposed state: Andalusia,  Aragon, Proposed state: Aragon,  Asturias (Main article: Asturian nationalism), Proposed state: Socialist Republic of Asturias,  Cantabria Proposed state: Cantabria,  Canary Islands ), Proposed state: Canary Islands,  Castile Proposed state: Castile, León Proposed state: País Llïonés – Leonese Country (Conceyu Xoven) Civil organisations: Ciudadanos del Reino de Leon (CCRRLL), Ciudadanos Zamoranos (CCZZ)  Sweden   Sami Proposed autonomous region: Sápmi , Scania Proposed state: Republic of Jamtland Liberation movement: Jamtish Republican Army or JRA Switzerland Internal secessionism  Jura  Turkey Proposed state:  Kurdistan   Ukraine  Crimea   United Kingdom  Cornwall Proposed state:  Cornwall,  England Proposed state:  England Proposed autonomous area:  England,  Gibraltar Proposed state:  Gibraltar,  Guernsey Proposed state:  Guernsey,  Isle of Man Proposed state:  Isle of Man Advocacy groups: Celtic League,  Northern Ireland Proposed state:  Ulster Proposed state:  Ireland Militant organisations: Irish Republican Armies  Advocacy group: Celtic League,  Scotland  Proposed state:  Scotland De facto state:  Sealand,  Wales Proposed state:  Wales, Celtic League,  Wessex Proposed autonomous area:  Wessex Advocacy group: Wessex Constitutional Convention,  Yorkshire Proposed autonomous area:  Yorkshire Advocacy group: Yorkshire Ridings Society

Images that evoke superheroe outfits in a public demonstration downtown Barcelona proclaiming catalonian Independence

Talking about Spanish dictatorships

YouTube

Racist points of view publicly expressed by Rajoy extreme right party.

Spain's undercover dictatorship

YouTube
This is the dark side of Spain's  " democracy"
How is democracy and monarchy compatible if they are opposite?

I did everything to survive

I did everything to survive
but my voice was never heard.
I tried
I loved, l helped, I cared and spelled my name to everyone
but it did not work

I listened, I prayed, I wished, I worked very hard
but none showed up around.
it just did not happen

I did everything I could
I gave my heart, my blood, my brain my sex and my guts
but I died
once and twice and three times

did everything, but nothing stops death from coming
because you are alive
I am not
anymore.

just did not make it, sorry
I wish I could

Modern slavery in the XX century

It becoming more and more often to find news headlines like this about the wealthiest economies in the world. Same rumors run in arab countries, China, India an Europe.

Are we going back to the old schemes of power?

Is globalisation the new version of old empires?

Has something really changed in 2000 years?

More employers in Brazil accused of slave-like conditions : http://usat.ly/yuRtDw

Spanish Retail: Pretencious, Expensive and Deceiving

Christmas holiday season in Spain is a big opportunity to explore local shopping and discover that it is not worth shopping here. Let´s see why local retail is not really competitive and what seems to be the commercial standard.

If you walk the commercial street of a city like Barcelona you´ll find many attractive images in advertising, promotional materials and events that encourage you to buy goods and services, many of them developed by international and local campaigns. Fresh food, fancy clothes, luxury experiences do not usually comply to WYSWYG policies. Let´s explore a bit further.

Under the slogan of Spain is Different Manuel Fraga, a dictator Franco´s  advisor promoted a country where because of "being different" tourist were forced to accept all kinds of outstandards, scams, and abuse in products and services, offered to them while visiting.

From this point many businesses have been inventing their own rules about prices, customer service, and product standards for years, when it comes to complying with quality and service, based on the belief, that people would buy anywy and they may not see them again.

But times change, prosumers grow and what worked for Mr. Fraga in the 60´s is now just "... a common phrase to joke about Spanish lousy mentality..." as Wikipedia notes about the campaign. Nowadays and after the economic crisis has made Spain fall into a new position in the world, all these beliefs are subject to change, hopefully...soon.

Shopping for goods at departments stores can give you surprises like sales people affirming that products you know and use, simply  do not exist in the market or things they just do not know, have apparenty never been built. These type of answers usually followed by "es lo que hay" (sort of "that is all you´ll get" ) leave you breathless and discourage to buy again or even try to buy.
Trying to find someone to give you information on options, colours, sizes, materials, functions or specifications will be useless unless you are lucky and find that the salesperson from abroad (usually Latinamerica, USA or Canary Islands), then you´ll have a smile and some assistance. Double priced products are found in most big stores, meaning that you may find the exact same item with two different prices at the same store or finding the same item at different prices in different shops located in different areas of the city. Be cautious with this.

I do have to admit, shop designers and marketeers do their job right, storefronts, ads, displays, shop-windows, catalogues and most websites are very seductive and  get us into the shops, but once you are inside,  another story is being told.

Overrated, overpriced and often crappy is the feeling of many visitors about their shopping and gastronomic experiences. 

If you plan to go for dinner, restaurants hold the same policy, do not expect to be well treated, you can easily wait at a bar for 15 minutes to be noticed by the waiter and once he/she arrives will just ask you what you want without bringing a menu or having a visible pricelist, the result : surpise bill with overspriced items. Very often charging extra for items you did not ask for or overcharging on drinks and coffee. If he menu has pictures on it , do not believe what you see because you´ll receive a whole different dish, no "serving suggestion" note is visible either. be ready to pay more for the same dish at night or if you choose a table outside. very good and expensive restaurants can be found across Barcelona but for me after almost 10 years around here it has been hard to find value for money.

I guess the Spanish fashion industry is a vivid example of what I am trying to expres here. Inditex found its way to global business, selling very low quality clothes, copied from real designers to be sold in pretencious shops that look like real fashion stores, located in big malls or fancy avenues.
Clothes from Zara, Mango, Oysho, Stradivarious or any of the brands from Inditex will luckily survive three time in the washing machine, even the Beijing Consumer Association has legally confronted Zara about bad quality in their products. Prices are good, but what about value for money? Has anyone ever heard about that here?

Why are Spaniards always trying to "Vender la Moto"? ( a very common expression when people suspect something is not as much as it is being described as).  These things permanently intrigue me and make wonder about how much of is cultural, just a national attitude, or a trace of collective identity.

I hope times change and a new generation of Spaniards will not repeat these traditions when making business, working with customers or developing a slogan that sells this country. It may be time for a change of mind, style and behaviour.

In a future post I´ll write about HQ Spanish products and companies, I promise.  For the time being, check out a couple of references on the current topic:

http://www.trendenciashombre.com/business/china-cuestiona-calidad-de-zara
http://www.terra.mx/mujer/articulo/1096703/ZARA+encabeza+lista+negra+de+ropa+de+mala+calidad+en+China.htm
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Spain/Catalunya/Barcelona-274654/Tourist_Traps-Barcelona-TG-C-1.html
http://www.solchannel.com/andalucia/expat-life/expat-survival-guide/customer-service-in-spain-vi234.html