martes, 17 de julio de 2007

Ya en Finlandia desde un mes!

Hui, onpas aika vierähtänyt! Olen ollut kotona jo melkein kuukauden, ja aika on kulunut rattoisasti perheen ja kavereiden kanssa. Tietokoneessa on taas ääkköset, joten on aika heittää hyvästit blogille. Kirjoittelin jo ennen kotiinpaluutani muistiin asioita joita tulee ikävä Meksikosta.

Mitä tulen kaipaamaan Meksikosta:
  • yhteisiä kokkaushetkiä J M Ortegan kommuunissa
  • hedelmiä
  • aurinkoa kun nousee sängystä
  • halpaa Sol:ia, Coronaa ja Negro Modeloa
  • limeä!
  • musiikkia ja salsaa kaduilla
  • iloisia ihmisiä, jotka tervehtivät ja juttelevat

Mita ei tuu ikävä:

  • veden painetta
  • ikuista huutelua kaduilla
  • papuja
  • melua

Taskut on täynnä uusia kokemuksia, onneksi suuri osa niitä jää tänne blogiinkin talteen muisteloita varten. Tänne en enää kirjoittele, mutta ehkä aloitan uuden blogin sinä päivänä kun on taas jotain uutta jännää kerrottavaa. On oikeasti paljon mukavampi nähdä ihmisiä kasvotusten, ja lähetellä vaikka tekstareita :)

Hasta luego a todos!

lunes, 11 de junio de 2007

Top10 kirkot Meksikossa

Puolen vuoden kiertelyn ja pohdiskelun jalkeen olen valmis listaamaan Meksikon top10 kirkkoa. And believe me, niita on nahty ihan muutama..

1. Pueblan katedraali

Loytyy myos 500peson setelin takaa, mahtipontisuudessaan todella kaunis. Kesti joku 30min kierrella kirkon sisalla.

Bubbling under, kaikki muut Pueblan kirkot, ja niita on kuulemma yli 70!






2. Zacatecasin katedraali, yo- ja paivavalaistuksessa

3. San Miguel de Allenden "Parroquia"

Tuli mieleen Barcelonan Sagrada Familia.

4. Chihuahuan katedraali

Siina kaupungissa ei muuta kovin kaunista ollutkaan..

5. Morelian katedraali

Tuo Michoacanin helmi. Huomaa peilikuva auton katolla, jota kaytin kuvaustelineena..

6. Toinen kirkko Zacatecasissa

Tama kirkko on yksi ainoista, joka oli oikeasti kaunis sisalta. Valkoinen ja yksinkertainen, eika mitaan ihme harravarkkeja..


7. Mahtipontinen Guadalajaran katedraali

8. Meksikon ensimmainen kirkko Antiguassa.

Ei niinkaan kaunis, mutta historiallisesti merkittava.


9. Taxcon katedraali

10. Toinen kirkko Moreliassa

Kirkot yovalaistuksessaan saavat kylla valilla hengen salpaantumaan..

Ja kaiken taman jalkeen, en edelleenkaan ymmarra naita:




Miksi ihmeessa Jeesuksesta, paaveista, pyhimyksista ja Mariasta pitaa tehda vahakuvioita? Eiko kauniit maalaukset riittaisi? Karmivimpia ovat vaha-Jeesukset arkussa, nauloineen ja verilaiskineen..

In the Mexican kitchen

My most memorable food experiences are definitely here from the house, cooking with Doña Petrita (who comes couple of times a week to cook) or without her. Never before have I chopped so many beans, peeled so many mangos, or helped clean and cut chicken or chicken lungs (and it´s still horrible). Every time I´m surprised how good the food turns out, whether it be soup, salsa or fried rice.

If you think Mexican food is the quick tex-mex we serve in Europe or in the States, you´re wrong. There are similarities, but still it´s so different... Mexican food is heavy, but good, and since its so filling, I can nowadays easily go with breakfast and dinner, and skip lunch.
Here´s a quick dictionary:

Tortillas= the basic sidedish for any food, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just a snack. Made of corn or sometimes flour, and about the size of your hand. Mexicans eat 12 of these each day on average, i.e. 120 million tortillas per day. Phew. Fills you up good.

Fajitas= chicken or other meat cut in slices with onion. Just the meat.

There are a variety of dishes made of onion, tomato and tortillas. Anywhere you go, you will find them with different names or variations, but its all the same: meat, tortillas, tomato and onion (and chile).

Chilaquiles=fried tortillas with tomato, onion and tomatoes. One day I tried to make tortilla soup (with the same ingredients) and cooked them long enough to become chilaquiles. Oops.

Enchiladas=like Italian cannelonis, but with tortillas. With tomato and onion.

Burritos=this would maybe be closest what we called fajitas in Finland, i.e. tortillas filled with meat, cheese, sometimes mushrooms, and beans all wrapped up. They only serve these in the north.

Tacos= small tortillas (like the size of your palm) with meat, onion, salsa and coriander. Mmm.

Quesadillas= my favourite: tortilla filled with meat and melt cheese. Add sauce to your taste. Best from the street.

The best quesadillas in Puerto Vallarta.

Then there´s the chile: If someone tells you its a bit spicy (pica un poco) I can eat it. If they say it´s spicy (sí, pica) I won´t touch it. I don´t want to know what "muy picante" tastes like.



Another typical dish are the tortas, i.e. sandwiches. Here in Puebla they are called cemitas, but they are all include ham, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, onion and some surprise ingredients (often chile).



Mexico isn´t really know for its desert (although they have a huge sweettooth for candy, Coke and buns). Often in restaurants you´ll find different pies such as apple, cheese or lemon. Here is hot chocolate which is typical around Mexico City, with the (Spanish) churros. Warms you up real good.















Here are some typical breakfast options: on the left hotcakes (pancakes) with syrup or honey, on the right an omelette (or scrambled eggs, huevos revueltos) with beans and tortillas.
















And this is how you eat the eggs; mix all you got on your plate in a tortilla, wrap it up and have a go. This works with any dish; be it meat, fish or breakfast. And always add beans :)



This is breakfast the way I like it; a huge plate of fresh fruit. With or without yoghurt and honey. We came back here with Annina, after I ate here with Tuomo, in Mexico City.



Here is the most typical dish in Puebla, chichen in salsa verde (green spicy sauce) and behind mole rojo. The mole is made of a zillion different ingredients, such as tomatoes, a dozen different chiles, chocolate, onion etc.etc. Really good.



And this is were we ate it, La Gruta, a restaurant in a cave in Teotihuacan.





























Here is a quick lesson on how to make guacamole (thanks Alex for the pics): cut a couple of onions and a couple of tomatoes into pieces. Smash some 4 avocados and mix all. Add a tint of salt, and lemon juice. Serve with totopos (nachos in Finland).


And these I will miss the most, all kinds of fruit in all forms. Fresh or as water, mango water, limon water, watermelon water, just to mention a few. And the fresh orange juice in the morning, irreplaceable.

viernes, 8 de junio de 2007

Presenting: Los changitos

Its time to present the little angels and gorillas (changitos) I´m working with. Here are some picks from the house, and from a trip we did to the museums last Sunday:
Beto, 12 years old, 5th grade in elementary.
Beto is a really quick learner, but can also be sly and play games on you.
Beto wants to a policman.

David, 11 years old, 3rd grade in elementary.
David reminds me a lot about Axu, he has way too much energy for one boy!
He wants to play soccer when he grows up.

Angel, 12 years old, 3rd grade in primary.
Angel is the youngest of the Juarez brothers.
He is called "precious" by the other boys, and likes to hug.
He wants to be a soldier.

Diego, 13 years old, 6th grade in primary.
Diego is the second oldest of the Juarez brothers. He has an eye for arts.
When he grows up, he wants to help the poor.

Christian, 11 years old, 2nd grade in primary
Christian is always in trouble, and likes to be the "tough" guy. That´s why he has to do the dishes for 2 more months..
He wants to become a policeman.

Gustavo, 13 years, 6th grade in primary
Gustavo is the quiet reader type.
Wants to become a doctor.

Alejandro, 16 years old, 2nd grade in secondary school.
Ale is really sunny, and is a football fanatic.
He wants to be the next big soccer star.

Silas from El Salvador
He is my friend both in and outside the kitchen.

Angel and Christian playing instead of doing their chores..

The art of balancing: Gustavo, Angel and Beto.

Here we are, the whole gang on a weekend trip in Cerro de Guadalupe!

lunes, 4 de junio de 2007

Matkustan ympari maailmaa...

no ei, mutta ympari meksikoa. laskin yhtena paivana, etta tammikuun ja taman hetken valilla olen matkannut noin 16 683 kilometria taman maan sisalla (ok, joku 20 kilsaa jenkeissa). yli 16 000 km!

tahan ei ole laskettu mukaan helsinki-mexico city lentoa, eika paluuta kotiin. eika pienia paivaretkia paikoissa x ja y, tai muita matkoja mita mun kaytettavissa olevassa kartassa ei nakyny.

hassuinta on etta yli 10 000 km naista on tullut vietettya busseissa. huh.

Check it out if you dont believe it:

1.1. Helsinki-Mexico City
2.1. Mexico City-Monterrey 927km
31.1.- 4.2. Veracruz 2080km
15.-18.2. Zacatecas ja Real de Catorce 966km
25.2.- 4.3. Mazatlan, Copper Canyon ja Chihuahua 2774km (ei ihme et oli peppu puutunu, koko matka bussissa)
8.3. McAllen, Texas ensimmainen vierailu, 440km
14.- 19.3. Guanajuato ja San Miguel de Allende 1678km
30.3. McAllen, Texas toinen tuleminen, 440km
1.4. Monterrey-Taxco 1027km
3.4. Taxco-Mexico City 67km
7.4. Mexico City-Morelia 305km
9.4. Morelia-Guadalajara 276km
11.4. Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta 325km
15.4. Puerto Vallarta-Mexico City 879km
15.4. Mexico City- Cancun 1695km
20.4.-25.4. Cancun-Isla Mujeres-Playa del Carmen-Cozumel-Tulum 129km
26.4. Tulum-Merida 447km
27.4. Merida-Palenque 519km
30.4. Palenque-San Cristobal de las Casas 191km
2.5. San Cristobal-Pochutla (Zipolite)560km
5.5. Pochutla-Oaxaca 363km
7.5. Oaxaca-Mexico City 466km
9.5. Mexico City-Puebla 133km

matka mummolaan ja takas ei tunnu enaan miltaan.

viernes, 1 de junio de 2007

Movies from along the way

YouTube is great!

Here is a clip from Taxco, where there are way too many VW Beetles and Minivans for one city. This was a random morning close to the main plaza:



And this is from Teotihuacan, where you can see the 2nd largest pyramide in the world, Pyramide de Sol



And finally me climbing the pyramide of moon in teotihuacan. It might look easy, but it was quite hot, and steep! :P





Enjoy!

Fútbol es la vida

This country is really obsessed with soccer! Last weekend there was a tournament for the kids in the neighbourhood, as well as a game with the local team Puebla. Here are some pics:

We went to see the crucial game of Puebla with Hermano Rafas. Puebla managed to climb up to the national league, thanks to winning this game! The stadium was PACKED, and unfortunately I managed to loose Rafas even before entering into the stadium.. Well, luckily all went well.



The spectators were so anxious to enter to the stadium, that when the gates weren´t opened on time, people just broke the fences and entered :P Policemen just watched while people with and without tickets entered! I went in a bit after the crowd, and this is how full the stadium was! At first I couldnt even enter the gate where my place was supposed to be..


This was my "view" during the first half of the game. I didn´t see a single of the 3-2 goals, but you could definitely hear them!

My view during the second half was a bit better. A lot of people left the game during the game (especially with kids) but I think there were still like 60 000 spectators! In a 1st division game! Lucky almost all supported Puebla, so the atmosphere was fun but no violence.
GOAL!I ended up buying a Puebla cap, and was wearing a Puebla shirt lent by Rafas. Like a true fan:)

These girls had put on "their best" for the game..

After the game on Saturday, the mood was set for a neighbourhood tournament in the court outside Casa de Solidaridad. They were playing futbol rapido, i.e. quick soccer with 5 games of 15 minutes each, with a tournament of 3 teams.
Here is a pic of the house taken from the courtyard. It has 2 floors and a rooftop terrace.

"Our" team planning their tactiques during the break.


In the midst of the game.


In this court we normally play soccer in the evenings.

The trophy was sponsored by a man from the neighbourhood. It really motivated the boys!

In this picture you have Gustavo (left), Alejandro and Hermano Rafas, the director of the house during the break.


Here is the happy winner team! The boys acted like kings of the world all day, and were happy to celebrate the victory with coke and cookies! The trophy is in Hermano Rafas room in an honorary place on the shelf :)


Even I have been playing with them every once in a while in the evenings. It´s a lot of fun, and since their just kids, I can sometimes even put up against them. The other day I got so in to the game, that I fell and broke my new GAP pants :( well, trying to sew them up tomorrow..