How to Sauna – in Portugal

As Portugal is in carnival mood, I decided to seize the day and go to the gym. After a complete and well done workout I headed to the sauna.

As we Finns like to think – the sauna is a place where you sweat out the stress and anxiety of life. All the toxins of your body drip to the floor in the shape of small pearls. You experience a profound relaxation and leave with a peaceful mind.

But not in Portugal...

I have commented about this before, you can find my former observations in the blogpost GymtasticPortugal. 

How to sauna Portuguese style;

1.     The sauna is part of your workout. Abs in the sauna is a must. You go in, lie down on the highest bench and start to do crunches. The heat helps you burn more calories and you get fit faster. Anyone remembers sauna belt? Same idea. You sweat – a lot – and look slimmer until you drink a glass of water and wadabam. It’s back. Not common knowledge here…

2.     Sauna = tumble dryer. Of course you need to dry up your sweaty clothes after the workout. So why not put the sweaty underpants on the sauna bricks? They dry up faster. The smell is a minus, but who would care? Btw, the stove is a Harvia and I would just have loved to throw water on the stones…

3.     If you do not have flip-flops, use shoes. So somebody decided to wear tennis shoes to the sauna… the same genius wore also socks. The sensation of slimy toes is probably superb.

4.     After working out, it’s nice to have a post workout meal – in the sauna.

5.     If you do not have swimming pants or towel, go naked. Not disturbing at all. We Finns like to be nude, but in Portugal? Nope. I did not want to see what I witnessed.

6.     Push-ups. Someone once told me that the best workout is when you feel your head is going to explode, so why not do it in the sauna and occupy sitting space of other people. The warmer, the better, aim for the highest bench to have the optimal heat.

7.     If you are sick, have a cold or fever the sauna is the cure. (NOT?!?! You crazy people).  

8.     Throw a bucket full of water on the stones and sit on the floor. Makes sense. Not to me since I was sitting on the highest bench.

Picture from the internet... can't wait for Summer, sauna and sausage at the cabin. Relaxation. Until then, deal with crazy rituals in Portugal...

I met Scandinavians

I was super duper excited to meet people from the North a while a go, when I participated in a business meeting abroad. Excitement overload - reunite with the blondes.

Long story short. I was astonished of the way people behaved. The Nordic people claim that the Southern people are slow and nothing works. Man, this was proven wrong. Back to it soon..

Just because it makes my mouth water.
SOON

The Nordics covered Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Basically Scandinavia, though Finland is technically not part of it, but anyways. It was a jolly presentation where the Scandinavian were shown pictures of their countries and they had to explain what was in the images... Danish sausage wagon, Swedish midsummer party, Finnish Karelian pastry and Norwegian 17 May. It was funny.

Then the Finns claimed to be very silent people (as we all know) and all other Nordic countries nodded approvingly.  In the end the Finns spoke a-l-o-t. The other Scandinavians nodded or grumped in answer.


Throughout the event the Scandinavians were complaining about EVERYTHING. The attitude was cannot, never-ever, in my life would I?, uuuuf, puuuuf, how?, the laws.. This was something that went on for half a day.. The respective part of the day was supposed to be 1 hour to move on to real life issues.

I do not wonder why people use wrinkle cream like crazy in the cold North after frowning so much with the eyebrows. So many problems...
Everyone else seemed to see a challenge, something you solve and continue on with life. Something so small it does not even matter. But no...

In group works, the Scandinavians had nothing to say. Nope. Or maybe something... one thing, after encouragement.

To summarize it up, the Nordics were pulled to each other like magnets. They were speaking only among each other. They did not see challenges, only problems existed... and a possible soon death of all the stress they were showing.

I am not political at all. But honestly, all Northern people in the meeting were old, wearing dark and dull clothes and not happy at all. Where are all the new, young innovative people? I am in Portugal because Finland did not give me a chance regarding a resumé & academic corresponding employment. Would you believe? I have a higher living standard and job in Portugal. Holy moly.

The Swiss Little Heidi..
..whom I always hear about  

Why I wrote this text was to prove that something is happening. With me. Either I am integrating to Portugal, or I am actually seeing the world in other eyes.


Grande finale; I let everyone stare at me when I presented myself from Portugal. HEHE. I revealed my cover later causing an utter confusion. :DD


My name is German, I do not speak German. I am from Finland, but my mother tongue is Swedish. I live in Portugal, I am younger than you would ever hire a person in the North for a corresponding job and I am fluent in Portuguese. VOITTO. I have succeeded with my international mission.





Good Night or Good Morning!
(Whenever you are reading my post).

Até já

A São Martinho get together

Last Friday we celebrated São Martinho at work. In general, the Portuguese are very settle celebrators. At least in Lisbon. I have heard that in other parts of Portugal, especially the North, the people go all festive on certain days. But Lisbon, tsirp tsirp (it's a cricket).

When I lived in Spain some years ago, I could not wrap my mind around how many church parties there could be. Honestly, every week there was a parade in some part of the city where people were dressed as in the 1800th Century dragging a huge cross around. And then eventually becoming completely and utterly wasted. First church, then drink.

The Lisbon experience has been different. On Halloween (Dia das Bruxas) people were dragged into the party. The festivity was showed into their partyless lives. But São Martinho is another story.

São Martinho is celebrated 11.11. There is a legend to tell the story, involving a beggar a cloak and good weather. The rest I already forgot... and to be honest, when I asked around nobody knew. People are just interested in castanhas, Jeropiga e Agua-pé. That is; chestnut, alcoholic beverage and other alcoholic beverage. Its the theme of the day. Eat roasted chestnuts and alcohol for the mix of flavors.
To be honest it has got something to do with trying out 'new wine' and summer of São Martinho, which means a come back summer for a couple of days. Which is true, the sun is shining from a clear blue sky currently.

Back to the Friday party. We organized a chestnut-man to come roast chestnuts outside of the office building. The chestnuts were wrapped in company branded paper and the service was paid by the company. It was a nice event. Anybody wanting to have roasted chestnuts could come get some. Nice marketing initiative, I must say...

If you come to Lisbon, there's roasted chestnuts in every corner of the city until March when the strawberry season starts. (Roughly estimated.) Try them, so goooood and full of nutrients.

Have a lovely Sunday ya'll.

Kaalilaatikko and other Finnish food

I have been so lucky, lucky,lucky, lucky.. ok this is not a song. I have syrup. From Finland!
That can only mean one thing. Kaalilaatikkooooooooo!!

Ok, so I might be a little over excited. But I have been planning for this moment a week. The moment I am making one of my favorite dishes of all time. Btw, its cabbage casserole.. now that you know what this Finn is babbling about, you really think this girl is out of her frickin' mind.
A. Because its Saturday night and I am not getting my groove on anywhere.
B. Because nobody on planet earth can get too damn excited about cabbage casserole.
C. This girl shot a dramatic picture with the view of Martim Moniz behind the syrup bottle.

Although my IBS stomach (darn you) is always in war against the food I want to eat, I had rye bread this week. It was two slices, one on Wednesday and the other one on Thursday. One cannot get too excited you know. I topped the bread with cream cheese (another frenemy) and salmon. I also made good pancakes with berries. Delicious.

Sometimes my cravings just win the pain I suffer afterwards. So today I had remix candy. Next week I am living like I would be preparing for the Lucia contest. I think pure thoughts and eat nothing more than what my stomach can approve and might on top of this try to make a contribution to the society by leaving clothes at the homeless shelter. I could apply and be the only Lucia in Lisbon this December. I mean, I might be the youngest girl living full time here and we are only twenty anyways..

Talking about Lucia and December, I declared myself a day off for Independence day. I also might have done some video clipping.. I might (I will) publish a Tuntematon Sotilas clip or the National Anthem on our intra at work. Ha-ha, nobody has access to take it down. Its time for the Portuguese to learn about Finnish history. (Or not, but I don't care.)

Soooo, there is one note to make about Portuguese food tradition compared to the Finnish. They have so much of the same at the same time as they are so distinct.
First, the food culture is nothing too fancy, in Finland (imagine kalakukko, yäk) or in Portugal ..bifana.. dry bread and pork beef?.
Secondly, we have a dish in common. It is karjalanpaisti aka. jardineira. In Finland its known from the former Finnish territory, in Portugal its the gardeners food. And it is the same!
Thirdly, both food cultures are created by poor people. In Portugal a plate consists of rice, fries and meat. In Finland potato and meat.
Fourth, we both eat fish. Loads of it. With the slight bacalao difference and fish species.
Fifth, surprisingly we also eat berliininmunkki, here it is bolina de berlim, without the pink topping. Also our cakes are very similar. There are so many more similarities. Gosh. Only funny and surprising thing is that the Portuguese are extremely proud of their traditional foods, which are really no big culinary experience. On the bright side, Portuguese wine is an other story ;)

Im going to roll out now. Since I ate too much. To get my groove on.

Bjs,
Heidi


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O importante é chegar a horas

Its important to arrive on time

 

I was taught in school that “the English like to queue”. Man, you should see the Portuguese buss queue. People stand in line like tin soldiers. Each one has got approximately ½ -meter distance and the line is 200 m long! “Hajurako”, you know. We Finns like to keep our distance aka. do not come too close or we´ll dislike you. Much. So I am happy with the bus queue tradition. Especially in the morning.

School started this week. And the Portuguese transportation system has not impressed me.
(Read: I would like to kick the bus, the driver, or someone on the arse) Although, the public transportation has got very impressive advertisements hung around Lisbon with the motto: "O importante é chegar a horas" – It´s important to arrive in time, they fail to keep their promise.

The concern is articulated by a short (almost hobbit) blonde Finnish girl who is very precise with time. And when she has to walk in high heels on cobblestone road 2 km to the second bus stop she is not very happy... Nor are her blistered toes. Poor babies…

Bus number 723 is THE place to be at 7am, according to retired avós of my neighborhood. (Avó - grandma/-pa and its the same word). Every morning, same faces, nobody going to work (except me), socializing about this and that. They are too impatient to sit so they fly around the buss, mingling like crazy. YOLO. If you die, you wont die young.

Every morning for the past two weeks the bus has arrived on different times, leaving some times undone. Once I RAN to the bus stop, with my lunchbox and bag and clothes halfway on… and found the bus driver (who was supposed to leave on the very moment: NOW) sitting casually in the cafeteria close by, sipping an espresso.

I told a colleague that I am going to call the transportation company and complain. She laughed at me like it was the funnies thing I have said. Ever. 

 

 

 

 

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Gymtastic Portugal

Sit tight folks, this is funny... for the Finns.

Ok, so it sounds like this is going to revolutionize your world. It's not. Portuguese people go to the gym, like the Finns.

During my last visit to Finland I noticed the "fit" culture. People of all ages are in very good shape. I suppose it is for "the summer". In this case, IF the sun comes out during the two Summer months Finland has got. You can never be too prepared!
Meanwhile in Portugal, where the sun has been intensive for the past four months and you practically live on the beach, people have floppy bellies and eat potato chips, cookies and other such things for lunch. A swear word for the Fit-Finland culture. If you eat a potato chip and not a goji berry. YOU TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE.

So back to the gym. Working out is fun, the people around you are fun, the place is fun. But mind me the crazy Brazilian Personal Trainer who sometimes persuades me to train with him, which after I cannot feel my legs, arms..face.. toes..fingers. Once he carried me away from training area because my legs did not respond. This is good, in his opinion... myself have severe pain and the usual, toilet seat sitting-standing issue.

To the shower. Flip-flops is a must. In Finland I have not experienced the mandatory flip-flop issue. In Portugal, you are considered a very filthy person if your bare feet touch the floor. Not even the two second rule applies. So you are very contagious if you touch the floor. Like the hot lava game when we were kids, the floor burns!
However, contrary to good old Finland, it is completely normal to depilate every single hair on your body in the shower. And leave it there. To clog the drainer. Now I see why we need flip-flops...

To the sauna. It's a common workout and stretching area. When the Finn is sitting post-workout in the sauna breathing the hot air in and sweating out the stress of the day, the Portuguese is doing push-ups and abdominals beside you..or yoga.. or drying his sweaty workout clothes. It is also common to throw a liter of water on the stones, and then sit on the lowest bench or on the floor, and casually eat a post-workout meal. Or escape the sauna altogether and leave the Finn inside. SISU.

Otherwise, I love my gym and I am willing to recommend it to anyone visiting Lisbon looking for a good workout. I can even hand you over to the Brazilian Personal Trainer.. he will make you cry for mommy.

Beijinhos!


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O melhor café

I know I am stepping on some Portuguese toes by claiming that the best coffee Lisbon has to offer is not a 'bica' nor is it from Delta.

This morning = dooms day. At 10am I had a meeting at ISCTE (Universidad de Lisboa) with my supervisor. I say it once, and I say it now. I will NEVER EVER study again. Its not my thing. I just want the diploma.

Nevertheless, life did not end afterwards, and my writing was so far OK.! OMG. I am surprised.
The rest of my day was free as of: freedom-do what you want-express yourself-YOLO.

So I drew in my coloring book. Had a mental breakdown of colors I mixed and got confused, cried even.. After my breakdown I felt calm. Pffiu.. lost my temper to a coloring book. No wonder people say drawing makes you calm...

Then I figured I need coffee. There is only one place to be when you need THE coffee. That is Fabrica. Foreign owned, I think Russian, serves the BEST coffee in town, and they have nice service. Check out this place, location is Avenida de Liberdade, hidden on a back street. Google this one.

I am sorry, my Portuguese friends, who claim Portuguese coffee to be the 'one and only'. Like the Italians do for espresso, Spanish for cortado etc.. Finnish people drink most coffee in the world. PANNUKAHVI! Thats the lamest thing ever..

Coffee know-how for Portugal

Bica - Bebe isto com acucar. (Sorry, don't have the PT letters.) Its an espresso alright, and the name is an acronym of 'drink this with sugar'. It gives you the instructions and all. Im no espresso person, so I comment no more.
Galao - also known by the outside world as "latte". Not a real latte.. but milk with coffee.. You know, what Finns drink most of the time. Only that its made on an espresso base.

There it was, Portuguese coffee culture. Btw, Delta is a Portuguese coffee brand, and their coffee is good.

Tchau!

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