diumenge, 27 d’octubre del 2013

FOOD

I've heard that Finns are not very proud of their gastronomy. However, I've enjoyed a lot tasting Finnish food.


As I know, or, as I've seen, they have always in their meal: bread (seems to be rye bread), butter or different kind of cheese creams, rice, potatoes... All of these are carbohydrates and, in a way, fat. Could it be for the cold? Could it be because of their loving for sport? I don't know, yet. But it seems they have a healthy lifestyle, generally.


During these two months that I've been here, I've tasted some Finnish food that I like. Let's see some examples:



- Salmon Soup: I think there's no secret for this dish. It's just broth with vegetables and salmon (I think boiled, isn't it?). When I tasted it I was in Helsinki, visiting the city. After a cold and tiring walking around the city, I really enjoyed this soup.





- A loooooooooot of salads. As I see, they always use to eat salad in midday, a big one.
I can't understand how they can do it. I thought they should eat warm food, because of the cold, they need something warm inside... am I right? It was one of the first surprises I got.




Karelian pasties called Riisipiirakka. Is a kind of bread that inside there's egg and rice. I haven't got the meal and the way to eat it. With something on it? In the morning? Afternoon? I can't compare it with something from Spain... So the fact is that I don't know anything about this, but I like it. Actually, is very tasteless, but when I tried I put smoked salmon and cucumber. Veeeeeeeery good!




- I also have tasted reindeer meatballs. They are quite good with a little bit of spices. I have to say that is hard for me to eat it. For me is not an animal to eat, is just a wild animal. I am not used to this. I eat different animals such as cow, pork, rabbit, lamb, and also fish... So I am sad when I think that I am eating an animal like reindeer. But, anyway, It's really good!!!!!!
I am not pretty sure that eating reindeer is common here. Yes, it is, but maybe, is more touristic than common in current Finns' lives. I don't know, but I think so.




- Now the most interesting moment for me has come: desserts. I see that people here don't eat desserts. How strange for me! Well, actually I don't use to eat desserts, I mean, maybe a piece of fruit, but nothing in special. But, on the other hand, they eat a big cake or something sweet between the lunch and dinner. I do too, but just a little thing. I have to say that I am not a big fan of cakes and sweets, or, at least, I wasn't.... Now I've discover how good they are...! There are a lot of pies, muffins, cookies to taste everywhere (especially in the university). In Spain we only use to eat cakes for a birthday celebration or for something important. Is not so common to eat them currently.




There's something that I don't understand... How many meals they have? I always see people eating. So, I don't know which are the meals and timetables...! As Spanish, for me is always late: When they have lunch, I am taking my breakfast; when they eat the cake in the afternoon, I amb having lunch (but this is not a problem, because we also eat the cake as a dessert); and then when they are having the dinner, we are taking a cup of tea or coffee (I have to say that I haven't tasted a good coffee in Finland...)... So is such a big decontrol. The fact is that now I am trying to get used to Finnish meals' timetables, so now I am always hungry. I don't know if I'm havig lunch, dinner, breakfast, everything together...!





So, as you can see, I really like food and tasting new food. I hope to try Christmas Finnish food, can be good! It's true that they are not the king's of cooking, but is not bad at all!


Comment and bon appétit!




AA.


dimarts, 8 d’octubre del 2013

LAKES



Maybe Nature and Lakes are the most astonishing things that I've seen in Finland. Apart from cakes. Even if it's sunny cloudy, rainning and I think also if it's snowing, the scenery is beautiful, incredibly awesome that you want to stay for a long time gazing the scenery. Better if it's accompained with the nature sound: silence, birds, wind, squirrel noises... PEACE.

Each season has its own colors: During spring and summer: green of plants and trees and blue of sky and lakes' sky reflection; autumn (my favourite): yellow, red, brown; and winter erases all the colors to restart again in spring. Beautiful.

Try to imagine the situation of Finalnd in Barcelona: stressing, crowded, dirty... (I have to say that I love Barcelona, but Nature is not our speciality) It doesn't exist there. This is a kind of magical place for me. Somewhere that may you go to get relaxed and be able to forget the work and obligations you have in your daily routine. I have the impression that Finns feel they are in holiday when day finish their work. Because, I see that Finnish people are very proud of their nature, they take care of it and they respect it. Also they like to use it as a relaxing activity: jogging, walking, take the dog for a walk... They live in harmony with nature. It's their jewel.

I use to go to the nearest mountain I have in Barcelona with my dad and my dog. Is the only one we have near to the city, so everybody who wants to go for a walk in nature goes there. Then it's crowded and dirty, and I need to go far from my house to feel I'm around nature. I envy this  :)


However, people who are living in Helsinki may feel the same as me in Barcelona, because is different if it's a capital city. Should it be?


photo by Arnau Gil


This is how my father felt when he came to Finland. HAPPINESS, RELAX. 


Photo by Vincent Nguyen

Squirrels, everywhere. I love them!


So, do you feel around nature in your home country? Which nature thing do you most like, or what have surprised you about nature in Finland?




"Only nature does great deeds without expecting any reward."
Alexandr I. Herzen




AA.