Por una cabeza

Has Carlos Gardel (world-wide famous tango singer) something to do with Al pacino (no introduce needed)?. Somebody would say no. Two genius in one of the most marvellous scenes in movie history. Al Pacino plays the role of a blind man who teaches a young lady how to dance...

The whole scene is here...

Medieval Weekend

We spent last days of David's stay in Tallin. I´ve been there several times so I acted as some kind of guide for my friends. We have shared good moments in the ferry, in restaurants, on the streets...We have also shared a throat pain. I suppose that we have been so close together that bacteria found it easy to expand the infection. In just one week I´ll have the chance to share good red wine with David...in Spain.

In search for snow

...and we found quite a lot in Lappeenranta; and place we visited last summer already. The city was hardly recognisable under the thick layer of snow. The gate of Saimaa lake really suffered the consequences of the hard Finnish winter. Our expectation was fulfilled: the greatest lake in Finland, the one that we sailed last summer, was totally frozen. The ferry we took for the nice journey around the lake and through the islands was now trapped into a 50 cm-thick ice layer. We asked to several local villagers if it was safe to stand on ice and most of them had no clear answers. Sometimes is not easy to get clear answers fro Finns but we thought that probably it was just that they did'nt want to be responsible for the death of your young foreigners. Since we could see even marks from tyres on the ice (somebody even drove a car on the lake!), we jumped on the frozen lake hoping that the surface would´t collapse. And it did'nt, of course. We shared experiences with a Finnish guy fishing through a hole in the ice and we tried to do the same. We missed the rods at home but we still wanted to do the hole in the ice ;-). It took quite a lot of time and effort, really. After that we walked around the lake and also up-hill to have a full view of the lake and the bay. It's another beautiful image to keep in mind when I return to Spain next year.

David's Return

He can´t get enough from Finland ;-) and that´s why he returned again. What is David looking for in Finland again? No, it is not the delicious hernekeitto (peasoup) from Unicafe. He was not particularly interested in finishing the work he left behind neither (he has enough stuff to do in Spain). I suppose that he wanted to visit a friend and experience as well this (unusual) Finnish winter. I had no option but organising a party for him (and for everybody who met him). It is always quite stressful and tiring to prepare a party like this but it usually worths it. Spanish and Finnish people (plus Kevin and Laura, a funny cuban lady) joined together as (almost) one eating, drinking, talking, laughing...Since Finns are more introvert and shy, Elena was the key person to join two cultures by talking about nasty issues (like a bunch of spanish friend would have made) using Mikael Agricola's language (Finnish). Sex, kulli, coño, vittu, perkele, cojones, Minä haluan koiraa and all that stuff. I found out that Miikka is really good at Spanish! At least he could order a beer (una cerveza!) and start a fight (mis santos cojones!)...so pretty enough to survive in a typical Spanish pub. I was grateful that also everybody enjoyed the food (or so it seemed!). I will take into consideration vegetarians next time (anteeks Paula...).

Living Single

Apart from sentimental reasons, it is hard to live on your own: you basically cannot share the domestic tasks with somebody else and that makes it quite difficult. However, I have found a good domestic partner in Alfonso, my main friend and support in Finland. We have two basic rules: olive oil is the basis of our diet and cleaning is something we have to do regularly. But sometimes we feel a bit lazy about cleaning and all that stuff. The other day we invited some female friends to our apartment to have lunch to, in a way, force ourselves to clean up everything. It is a efficient method to keep infections and biological risks at bay.

Hyvää syntymäpäivää Hyvä Alfonso!

WORDS AND VIOLENCE

"A couple who suffered homophobic violence is waiting for medical assistance"

"Pareja víctima de la violencia homófoba espera asistencia médica"

Budapest (Hungary) from Zsolt Szigetváry (Awarded in the 51st World Press Photo Awards)

I saw the picture and I needed to post it here.

Do those who support homophobia with their words deserve the Spanish government? I would say NO.

Vote LEFT!

More in http://www.flickr.com/photos/micock

MAS AMIGOS

The latinamerican association invited us to join a special party. A cuban guy who was working in Finland and married with a Finnish lady, recently died in a car crash. The family needed money to repatriate him back to Cuba. The party was organised with the purpose of collecting some money for that. Apart from the sad situation, the people in there really had fun as you can see from the pictures. The mixture of cultures, races and languages in these parties is amazing. But it is particularly surprising that you always find very talkative Finnish people (engaged or married with latins) so I take advantage of the situation and learn to know them somehow. The Finnish guy in the last photograph (needless to specify who is the Finn between both guys) told me that he has travelled around the world (he is engineer in Nokia) and Spain is the place he would like to spend the rest of his life ("...you know!, I am Finnish and I love this country but Spain is a very special place, the people, the sun, the happiness, I am in love with your country!")...What can I say? I agree with him. The culminating moment of the event happened when Elena and Alfonso danced "sevillanas" (traditional dance from Andalucía). Alfonso was very brave but not particularly skillful (you're really great and I truly admire you!). Given the obvious lack of rhythm, grace and coordination a Peruvian old lady looked at me funny and said: "es finlandés, ¿verdad? (he is Finnish, isn´t he?") (L.O.L.). Everybody should know by now that most topics about Spaniards are wrong. I am 100% Spanish and I am proud of the world-wide admired Spanish culture and language BUT: I am atheist (and renegade from Catholic Confession), sympathizer of homosexual and mild-feminist organisations, I listen Afroamerican music from 60's, I don´t particularly like football, I deeply respect and recognise (but not particularly keen on) "flamenco" music, I find bullfights absoluly disgusting and most of all...I CAN´T DANCE!. And you bet that I am not the only one in Spain. What's up?

DANCE

Music: "Cántame" (María del Monte)

Dancers: Elena Cachadina and Alfonso Gracia

Background vocals and LOL (Laughing Out Loud): Mario Estévez

ANTEEKSI

For the overdose of romanticism.






ALICIA KEYS

If I Ain't Got You

Some people live for the fortune
Some people live just for the fame
Some people live for the power, yeah
Some people live just to play the game
Some people think that the physical things
Define what's within
And I've been there before
But that life's a bore
So full of the superficial

[Chorus:]
Some people want it all
But I don't want nothing at all
If it ain't you baby
If I ain't got you baby
Some people want diamond rings
Some just want everything
But everything means nothing
If I ain't got you, Yeah

Some people search for a fountain
That promises forever young
Some people need three dozen roses
And that's the only way to prove you love them
Hand me the world on a silver platter
And what good would it be
With no one to share
With no one who truly cares for me

[Chorus:]
Some people want it all
But I don't want nothing at all
If it ain't you baby
If I ain't got you baby
Some people want diamond rings
Some just want everything
But everything means nothing
If I ain't got you, you, you
Some people want it all
But I don't want nothing at all
If it ain't you baby
If I ain't got you baby
Some people want diamond rings
Some just want everything
But everything means nothing
If I ain't got you, yeah

[Outro:]
If I ain't got you with me baby
So nothing in this whole wide world don't mean a thing
If I ain't got you with me baby

Mole Rojo

David is a great host with exquisite manners. I have been waiting several months to enjoy his mexican speciality (Chicken breast with Mole Rojo) and it worthed the wait. We had a variety of drinks to go with the tasty and REAL mexical food: red wine and white wine and mexical beer and caipirinha and...do I forget something? Oh yes: also tequila. I don´t remember the moment I opened my eyes today after a very long sleep but it was certainly very late!

Hyvä David: have a nice trip to Brazil and enjoy your stay. If it is the last trip...I would consider take advantage of the situation... An advert on Finnish tv says that the thong is the national clothing in Brazil. According to the photo down below taken in Ipanema beach...it is probably true. However, if I were you, I would investigate like the fatty boy with the camera just in case...I am looking forward to see your illustrated report.

GLOBAL WARMING

That's the reason why we don´t have a real Finnish winter in Helsinki this year. Finns are disappointed and to me...I don´t know, really. A freezing cold winter is beautiful and a real weird experience for a Spaniard. But a mild winter is something easier to cope with. In a common finnish winter, the snow would cover everything and would reflect the (weak) sunlight increasing the brightness of the environment. I love the sensation of stepping on a brand new snow layer, the sound is relaxing. Winters in Finland are extremely dark and the snow would contribute to make the hard winter more confortable. When it is really dark outside and you take a look through the window, the image of yourself reflected in the glass is the only thing you can see. That might affect your mood and behaviour. People are particularly introvert, melancholic and prone to be in a sad mood. When the spring arrives and the comforting sunlight gets through the window pane, the wonderful image of Finland in bloom is percieved from inside, inviting Finns to enjoy the nature in a very happy mood (even smiling a little bit). So far, snow lasts on the streets just for few days and if nothing really happens, Mario Estévez will experience the strangest winter in Finland's recent history...

GREAT MOMENTS IN CINEMA (In spanish only, sorry)

We laughed madly the other day remembering those moments...


TOY STORY (EL GANCHOOOOOOOOO)



TORRENTE (Restaurante chino)

Simply...BLUE

MISS U



Every time we say goodbye I die a little
Every time we say goodbye I wonder why a little
Why the gods above me who must be in the know
Think so little of me they allow you to go

When you're near there's such an air of spring about it
I can hear a lark somewhere waiting to sing about it
There's no love song finer
But how strange the change from major to minor
Every time we say goodbye

When you're near there's such an air of spring about it
I can hear a lark somewhere waiting to sing about it
There's no love song finer
But how strange the change from major to minor
Ev'ry time we say goodbye




Anyone who ever held you
Would tell you the way Im feeling
Anyone who ever wanted you
Would try to tell you what I feel inside
The only thing I ever wanted
Was the feeling that you aint faking
The only one you ever thought about
Wait a minute cant you see that i

I wanna fall from the stars
Straight into your arms
I I feel you
I hope you comprehend

For the man who tried to hurt you
Hes explaining the way Im feeling
For all the jealousy I caused you
States the reason why Im trying to hide
As for all the things you taught me
It sends my future into clearer dimensions
Youll never know how much you hurt me
Stay a minute cant you see that i

I wanna fall from the stars
Straight into your arms
I I feel you
I hope you comprehend

Too many hearts are broken
A lovers promise never came with a maybe
So many words are left unspoken
The silent voices are driving me crazy
As for all the pain you caused me
Making up could never be your intention
Youll never know how much you hurt me
Stay cant you see that i

I wanna fall from the stars
Straight into your arms
I I feel you
I hope you comprehend

Hyvää syntymäpäivää!

The photographs down below belong to the birthday party of Sari -brand new professor of the Sensory Science group-, Johanna -she was certainly beautiful- (his boyfriend doesn´t know about this blog, right?...but my girlfriend does! voi perke!) and Kevin (the Beamish drinker). A lot of people and a lot of fun. There was a little bit of everything, even chatty Finns!. It was particularly remarckable the kindness of the hosts (Sari and his husband Tatty), the amount of beer I drank and the ability of Mari in sucking punch from a 3 meters long straw. The presents: Johanna: funny pack-lunch; Sari: professor's clock, fluffly pencil, a secret diary and a crown; Kevin: a photograph of a 14-years old girl Kevin used to be in love with (?!?¿) and a oily massage with happy ending. Tatty is a very funny guy... I laughed out load with him and I particularly liked his saying: "If I had to choose, I would take heaven for the weather and hell for the company.." Hell doesn´t exist because otherwise, sooner or later, we´ll meet there in good company, my friend!

Happy Birthday!