Strong Women in Eastern Rock and Pop (Part5)

I hope you already listend to Zemfira and Alla Pugatsova in my blog earlier. But have you heard about Armenian Deti Picasso or the Russians Iva Nova and Kolibiri?

I have seen them all here in Finland, but actually the group Deti Picasso I saw for the first time in Sziget Festival in Budapest. If you like to party, so take a part in the Sziget Festival. At least earlier the festival lasted more or less one week, and you had also the possibility to camp on the Margaret Island where the festival is held. Well here for you some music from Deti Picasso, Iva Nova and Kolibiri. Enjoy, I do!

Ukrainian Rock, and an Orthodox Discovery from Russia (Part4)

I  noticed this morning in the newspaper that there is in Russia such band which unifies hiphop/electronic with church music. Interesting. Here for you one tune from the group called Oligarkh. Not bad at all. The leader of the group said that the Russians want to booze, wander in big  fields, shout loud and unify with the Universe...

 
As Orthodox religion dominating in Russia, in Finland we have 2% of the inhabitants who are Orthodox and the Orthodox church is here one of the two so called state churches. But the Finnish Orthodox church does not belong to the Russian Patriarchate, it belongs to the Greek Patriachate. Because of  historical reasons.

Have you heard such Ukrainian artists as Okean Elzy, Vopli Vidopliassov or Oleg Skripka? Listen to them. Wonderful music. Okean Elzy visited Finland last year. Vopli Vidoplassov I missed in St.Petersburg couple of years ago. Due to the laziness...Not good at all as the possibilities for such kind of cultural experiences are quite rare in ones life...My motto is, when you have the possibility do something - do it, or you will regret it later for sure.

Un poquito iquales? Actividades de forma improvisada...(Parte2)

Es una especialidad de hispanohablantes y rusos, y unos países más programar actividades sobre la marcha y no quieren o puede ser también que a veces no pueden hacer planes con antelación. No sé exactamente, pero tengo una impresión en todo caso...

Los finlandeses, unos quieren hacer así también, unos no, y para unos depende de la situación...

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Me encontré en WEB un artículo que se llama "Que piensan los rusos sobre los españoles?"

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...Pero en todo caso visiteís el nuevo museo ruso en Málaga . Según mis experiencias, el arte ruso en el museo original de Moscú fue fenomenal y así vale la pena visitar el museo en Málaga también. Se puede también hacerlo extempore... 

::::APropósYExtempore::::

Si hay institutos superiores españoles, que tengan interés en cooperar con institutos superiores rusos, podeís contactar conmigo. Tengo una RED allí...

Russian Rock...(part3)

Hello and I hope you have already listened to "DDT" and "Zemfira", in other stories of mine in this blog. Now I want to introduce to you the Russian rock bands "Leningrad", "Mumiy Troll", "Korol i Shut" and "Tequilajazz". They have all visited Finland too. Very useful that Finland situates between east and west, so Finland worth visiting that way too. Helsinki, very lively summer city...you will notice.

Here a tune from "Leningrad" for you (Skip Ad). "Leningrad" visited Helsinki Festival once, which is the biggest music festival in Finland. Expressive music, or how? Other also internationally known group from Russia is "Mumiy Troll". Here a tune from "Mumiy Troll". Yes you are right, the name of the group comes from the series of Finnish children's books "Mumins" or "Moomins" by Tove Jansson. See the photo below, so you get the hint of what they are like...a family of very different kind...and they do adventorous things...

 
By the way, have you allready seen the the very new animation film "Moomins on the Riviera"? Check the Trailer! For me it was a MUST to see the film and the rock group "Mumiy Troll". So couple of years ago as I was participating the Higher Education Days in Lahti, I had to visit shortly one evening during this seminar Helsinki my hometown. Only to see the "Mumiy Troll" performing. After that I returned back to the seminar, same night...

Here a tune from "Tequilajazz" and from "Korol i Shut" (Skip Ad).

"Yes sir I can Boogie", and other Spanish Folk tunes (part2)

Do you already know the Finnish singer, musician, composer, author, producer M.A. Numminen? Black humour guarantee...He has made music more or less 50 years...

Here for you his disco version about "Yes sir I can boogie" in German (Skip Ad). You remeber the tune was first perormed by Baccara from Sapin. M.A.Numminen sings the tune also in Finnish and Swedish. Maybe you want to listen to another tune by him called "Kissa vieköön"? What do you think the way he is using his voice? Many Finns like his music nowadays. But is was not so in the past, he is now a living legend in Finland.

Now I am in the mood of listening of some of the groups from the past of modern Spanish folk. But still alive today...Enjoy, I do:

 

1. Uxia from Galicia
2. Tapia eta Leturia from Basque Country
3. Nuuevo Mester de Juglaria from Castilla y León
4. Amancio Prada

Can you imagine, I saw Tapia eta Leturia for the first time in the Eastern Finland more or less 25 years ago...and Uxia not earlier than last year, and in Spain...Would like to see a whole concert from her...

Well...soon more, and more modern Spanish folk.

"Felt Boots", and other Russian Folk tunes (part2)

"Felt Boots", the traditional Russian folk song in Finnish...So this time I begin with the nostalgy from the end of the 70's...Yes, here for you some pictures about Felt Boots ("Huopikkaat" in Finnish). Yes, I had them when young and would like to buy once again...Very good when cold, but when thaw you must have felt boots with rubber soles...Can be made, and I had those kinds too...

Now I am in the mood of listening of some of the best groups of modern Russian folk. 
Enjoy, I do:

1. La Minor
2. Pelageja
3. Inna Zhelannaya from the group the Farlanders
4. Terem Kvartet

I am very happy to having had the possibility to see all them, some in Finland-some in Russia... 

Spanish Rock and modern Folk, now and then...(part1)

When talking about Spanish Rock, my big all-time favorite is Bunbury. I like the sound of his voice, and that some times his records are kind of different - not only rock...this is talent, I call it so...

Listen to this tune for example. Or this (skip the advertisement). Nice atmosphere, or what do you say...

In Galicia (Galiza), the part of Spain to the north of Portugal you can find very good groups too. Or in Basque Country (País Vasco/Euskadi) in Spain, next to France.
 

From Galicia listen to this tune from the group of  Os Diplomáticos de Monte Alto (in Spanish). Or this. Never have seen the group live, but maybe this year? I noticed last year that the movement Rock Bravú (in Spanish) is once again live in Galicia. The first record from "Os Diplomáticos de Monte Alto" I bought more or less in the year 2000, when making a language course in Vigo. Here for you also the document "Galiza Bravú".  If interested..."Os Diplomáticos de Monte" alto was formed in the year 1990.

From Basque Country from Negu Gorriak here for you to listen this tune. Or this. In the first video you can also see some Basque sports arts and scenes from San Sebastian. "Negu Gorriak" I have seen live, but not in Spain but in Berlin. In one shady bar in the middle of 90's...Inolvidable experience..."Negu Gorriak" was formed in the year 1990. Part of the group members came to "Negu Gorriak" from the group "Kortatu" which was part of the Basque Radical rock movement.

Russian Rock and modern Folk, now and then...(part1)

DDT is one of the greates in the Russian rock. Check here some details. I have seen it couple of times here in Finland. It is so nice that we have had the possibility to see so many Russian groups here, and already during the Soviet time. Enriching.

I think it was more or less in the year 1983 or 1984, my first Russian rock music experience. Even if it was only one so called "state band" named "Autograph" together with "Popeda", the Finnish rock group. By the way Popeda means "Victory" translated from Russian into Finnish. This group still exests and performs their own style of music. Not bad - here heavy Popeda for you . Yes I was there in the concert of Autograph and Popeda, in the city of my studies Turku Åbo in Finland in the 80s. This LP of Autobraph was made in the year 1986. The state label of Soviet Union "Melodia"...the history...

And now continuing with Classic Russian rock bands, here for you a band called Aquarium, really classic. Here one tune from Aquarium and one of their records. I remeber, I saw this group for the first time in the eastern paret of Finland, in Joensuu. Joensuu, now 80 km from the Russian border. The year of this performance was more or less 1992 or something like that. And I heard the group or BG, the head of the group Aquarium, so Boris Grebentschikov is coming to Finland soon...

En que manera los españoles son parecidos a los rusos? (Parte1)

Son solamente mis observaciones. Así por favor los españoles, no me matarán en la proxima vez cuando llego a España...

Quisiero ver los españoles juntar con los rusos, teniendo una cena larga! Porque pienso ambos son maestros en este aréa. Sí, sí se cena dos horas o más. Sí, sí no se faltan conversaciones, hay multiples...Sí, sí hay brindis. Pero, que los españoles tengan que aprender cuando cenando con rusos en Rusia, es tomar chupitos. Tomar chupitos de vodka.

En cambio cuando se habla de cava, hay buen cava en ambos paises y el arte de beber cava. En Rusia la cava se llama "Sovetskoye Shampanskoye".

Para finalizar esta história, la história número una...Un o dos consejos para mujeres españoles para Rusia, para mujeres que no tanto quieren beber. Cuando se ofrece vino o cerveza o alguna otra cosa con alcol, quizás sea más cordial tomarlo. Pero se pueda hacer una cosa o otra...Tener la bebida en su copa sin beber, así no se ofrecelo nuevamente. O tumbar la bebida al florero cercano...Pobres plantas!

Bloody good, those Pimientos de Padrón!

Pimientos de Padrón, Pementos de Padrón en Gallego...Padrón peppers from Spain are my very favorites. Many know that. They come from Padrón, 23 km from Santiago de Compostela.
and there is every year also Padrón fiesta, which takes place in Herbon in August. By the way, thanks for Spain sending me seeds of Padrón peppers the other day. So finally the Padrón peppers have arrived to Finnish supermarkets in Helsinki! At least to one of them.

Those in Helsinki, visit the Supermarket in the former post office, there they are waiting for you to take and eat. They are quick and easy to prepare. Unos pican, otros no - some "bite" some not...

Actually I ate them in Finland for the first time last year, in one or two restaurants. And for the first time ever in my life more or less 15 years ago in Santiago de Compostela. Those ones in a restaurant in Helsinki were tos spicy, all too spicy. Those in Santiago fine "y solamente unos se picaron como la manera". Maybe those ones in the restaurant in Helsinki had been bought from Morocko, where they cultivate them too. and couple of years ago I found Padrón peppers also in Bern Switzerland, and prepared them for me there too. Of course. Gosh!

So it took from Padrón peppers 5 years to climb up even from the Switzerland to the very north of Europe, that is Finland...

Ajatuksia harjoittelusta: Venäjällä oltiin ja sinne mennään

Venäjä ja harjoittelu siellä on kuin Aasia, Lattarit ja Etelä-Eurooppa, 

koskaan ei tiedä mitä tapahtuu. 

Aina on oltava valmiina niin positiivisiin kuin negatiivisiinkin yllätyksiin. Tapahtuu paljon, tapahtuu paljon ex-tempore…Suunnitellaan, suunnitelmat toteutuvat tai sitten eivät. Jotain tapahtuu kuitenkin aina, Venäjä ei kyllä totta tosiaan tylsistytä.

EDUFI-harjoittelu Venäjällä, tunnettiin myös nimellä CIMO-harjoittelu Venäjällä, pyörii jo kohta 20 vuoden ajan. Ja harjoittelumahdollisuuksia on tullut ja niitä on mennyt. Ja jotkut mahdollisuudet ovat myös pysyneet. Ja lupa-asiat. Ne muokkautuvat uusiin uriin lähes vuosittain. Tai vähintäänkin muutaman vuoden välein. Kekseliäisyys on valttia ja rohkeus ja joustavuus ja verkostot. 

No, täytyy kuitenkin todeta se että harjoittelua eivät lupaviranomaiset melkeinpä missään maassa osaa asettaa sopivaan kategoriaan. Joillekin se on opiskelua, joillekin työskentelyä, joillekin vapaaehtoistyötä ja niin edelleen. Omaa lupakategoriaa harjoittelulla ei useinkaan kuitenkaan ole. Ei vaikka Suomessakin harjoittelu on jo lähes 70-vuotinen ilmiö. Ja joissakin maissa taas alle 10-vuotinen ilmiö. Yksinkertaista tai monimutkaista. Vai mitä? 

Mutta mikä positiivista, harjoittelu ja harjoittelujaksoista huolehtiminen ei ole tylsää ikinä. Mustaa huumoriakin voi ja täytyy panna peliin aina silloin tällöin. Ja seikkailujakin Venäjällä riittää.

Soisi harjoittelijoille kuitenkin reppuun paremmat eväät. Harjoittelija kun ei useimmiten lähde maailmalle ansaitsemaan, vaan tietojansa ja taitojansa syventämään ja oppimaan. Oppia itselle ja osaamista tuleville työnantajille. Ja sitä elämää kokemaan.

Viime vuosina suomalaisopiskelijoita on ollut Venäjällä korkeakouluissa ja järjestöissä, sekä suomalaisissa tai pohjoismaalaisissa organisaatioissa. Venäjän vaihtuvat tilanteet ovat vaikuttaneet milloin mihinkin suuntaan. 

Tällä hetkellä suomalaisia on opintojaksoihinsa liittyvillä harjoittelujaksoilla korkeakouluissa, järjestöissä ja joissakin suomalaisorganisaatioissa. Tsekkaa tästä tarkemmin, millaisia harjoittelumahdollisuuksia Venäjältä löytyy. Ja harjoittelun tarkoituksena on siis yllä mainittujen päämäärien lisäksi edesauttaa myös Suomen ja Venäjän välistä yhteistyötä. 

FinlandEmoji: Torilla tavataan...Tai sitten Venäjällä !

"Do svidanija"- Goodbye Russia, back in Helsinki now

As doing a business trip, I did not have this time possibilities to do everything I wanted. Like visiting in St.Petersburg some less unknown museums,for example Bread Museum, Fabergé Museum, Artic and Antartic Museum or Krassin Icebreaker. Or some new bars like "Cafe-Bar Produkty". Apropos...about the word "produkty" in Russian.

In Russia you can see shops called "Produkty" in every corner, in every basement. Practically everywhere. Just step in there, do your small scale shoppings. Many of them are open around the clock.


Well, in St.Petersburg there are also lots of interesting bars of every scale. Even a hommage to Finland, the "Helsinki-Bar".

We may see, if I visit St.Petersburg once more this year. Maybe so, or maybe not. We will see later. Anyway Russia "yes". So next to Moscow.

A small tip for you visiting St.Petersburg. Many times it is colder there as in Helsinki. May be because it is not so near the Golf Streem than Helsinki. May be than the city is built on swamp. So it is a more humid city than Helsinki somehow...And that is why there are also mosquitos during the summer. So be prepared for that. And if it is cold, you can buy in St.Petersburg a traditional fur hat. Even a pinky one, if wished by you so.

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Happy Holidays! S Praznikom!

Cabbage and pickled cucumber, do not pass them

The Zone of Cabbage, the cabbage in Russian "Kapusta" and pickled cucumber begins from Germany and Finland eastwards. These countries included. Cabbage and pickled cucumber, a very MUST for tourists when visiting Russia.

If you on the way to Russia visit Helsinki, there are two cabbage dishes you should try, the cabbage rolls and the cabbage soup. Very delicious. In Helsinki you can also find many good restaurants serving Russian dishes. 

By the way, here you can find some Images about the Russian Helsinki, if interested. And here is some info about Russians in Finland, the second largest immigrant group in Finland after Estonians.

Super! Young Finnish enterpreneurs with students...

Yes - from exchange period to job...From Finland to Russia...

This muster of helping Finnish students to find work or have traineeship placements in firms in Russia was created 5 years ago by young Finnish enterpreneurs doing business in Russia. Students also here what is like to do business in Russia, and what should be taken in account when doing business in Russia and with Russians. By the way, many of these young Finnish enterpreneurs had begun "their career" in Russia by making a CIMO-Traineeship in Russia. Yes for us in Finland it is important to have skillful, also skillful in Russian, young folks to work for Finland and in the field of Finnish-Russian cooperation. It may be kind of pure business relations, it may be in the field of more humanistic or social cooperation.

So earlier today we had in St.Petersburg "Vaihdosta Duuniin" for students and newly graduates. From exchange to work... Read here how it was. It was organized in St.Petersburg by the Russian-Club of young Finnish enterpreneurs in Russia, Consulate of Finland in St.Petersburg, and CIMO Centre for International Mobility. Almost 100 Finnish students participating, and a good amount of Finnish firms also. So the ones which do business in Russia.

Not bad at all!

In autumn this kind of muster will be spread to China, and probably after that to Brazil. So Finland, a small country from the northern Europe, cooperating worldwide...

Uzbekistan way

Today I ate in an Uzbekistan restaurant. 

I thought to go to Ukrainian restaurant, but because I had visited it so many times I decided to try something else. Here for you some music from Uzbekistan, Yulduz Usmanovo... (Skip Ad) to come into the right feeling. I saw Yulduz Usmanovo first time when in Holland some 20 years ago, a World Music Festival. Do you see in the video the high heels? If you want to have such shoes, the Russia is the right place to come and buy them, so visit Russia....

Well, this kind of music is little bit of exotic music for the Europeans I  had it in the restaurant too. Very nice. And food was good too. I wonder why they have such good eggplant in the "Eastern countries" like Uzbekistan or Georgia? Really something. I ate some kind of Kebab with "Ovoštši", so it means vegetables in Russian.

And drank Siberian beer, as well as pomegranate wine. Hmmmm...A little bit kind of exotic...
I asked them to make the meat kind of "well made", you see it is so and also the vegetables...So you see, this time I did not take the local "pelmenis", which are called "chuvara"...

Drink fine, but eat fast

Where you can find one of the best sparkling wines in the world? Maybe your answer is Spain or Germany, or some other country. But have you tasted already the Russian champagne? If not, it is definitely a missing part in your life. You can buy sweet ("sladki" po-ruski) or dry("suhoi" po-ruski) Russian champagne. In Russia you can also buy the very fine Armenian cognac "Ararat", it is my favorite. Sorry my dear French fellows, I like it more than French cognac. But maybe it is because it is kind of sweet cognac. So different from French cognac.

 
And if you want to eat fast in St.Petersburg but still Russian food, go to Teremok-restaurants. You can choose also "Soviet café".

In "Teremok" you can find different types of blinis, pelmenis, even Finnish fish soup they serve. Do you know why this specific soup is called Finnish? Because the broth is white and it is because we mix the broth with milk. It may sound strange, but the Finnish fish soup is very delicious. At least we think so, and couple of other persons, too. The fish for the soup we take from the thousand lakes of ours... The last tip, if you do not speak Russian in "Teremok" you can ask for English menu at the desk...

Traineeships in Russia?

Have you ever thought that your students could make a traineeship or the voluntary period in Russia? Or you yourself? If you are interested, contact for more information the German-Russian Exchange in St.Petersburg and ask for more information: nro@obmen.org . There are also possibilities for those who cannot speak Russian.

Finland has been sending trainees to Russia already for 12 years or so. First only to St.Petersburg, but lately also to other parts of Russia. Finnish students are day by day more and more adventurous. Above all those who already speak very well Russian and have experienced everything in St.Petersburg.  I find it very important that the Finns among other languages have also the possibility to practice Russian, as we have many business and other connections with Russia. And learn the Russian way of working. During their traineeship period they can also deepen their practical skills in the field of their studies. The very core of everybody´s traineeship period.

Georgian way - delicious

Have you ever eaten in the Georgian restaurant? If not, well try it. I have done it, in St.Petersburg, in Georgia, and in Finland. You know, the Georgian food is as good as the Peruvian food, and as good as the Nepalese/Indian food. So, the best.

What else? Well, the Georgian wine is also among the best wines of the world. Georgian wine is produces differently from wines for example in Spain. In the pottery in the grounds. Nowadays you get Georgian wine also in Russia.

As you can imagine now, I ate today in Georgian restaurant. In St.Petersburg. Everything super! Delicious! Because of that here for you some Georgian music by Katie Melua, and the "Traditional Georgian singers". Let's say so...Before going to sleep...

 

Very good soup, you know. In the eastern Europe you should take soup in the restaurants...

By Train to St.Petersburg, business calling…

Yes, soon in the train from Helsinki to St.Petersburg. The trains from Helsinki to St.Petersburg are not so nostalgic as in older times...

...with nostalgic curtains and Russian champagne. Can you imagine, they serve nowadays small bottles of sparkling wine from abroad in Russian trains from Helsinki to St.Petersburg? And the sparkling wine comes from elsewhere as from Russia…But anyway, you can eat there at least traditional Russian (and Finnish) food, as in older days. Well, those good old days are maybe gone, now or forever…

And to finalize this nostalgic moment of mine…Listen to the tune from  the legendary Russian artist Alla Pugatcheva, the tune is called “Harlequin” (Skip Add) and comes from the 80’s. Well, after this I though change my tune to the more modern Russian rock, listen to Zemfira. As the trains to St.Petersburg called “Allegro” are now modern and it takes only 3,5 hours to get from Helsinki to St.Petersburg. In older days more or less 7 hours...Happy trip to me and to you to Russia…

By the way...in incoming days you will get tips concerning the traineeship possibilities for students in Russia, hear from a professional get-together of Finnish employers, CIMO and Finnish students in St.Petersburg. You will also get some news, and tips concerning cultural issues in St.Petersburg. Some of them may be something else that the most common ones... We will see what comes up, you never know when we are talking about Russia!

Vodka all the way

As I am tomorrow in the train heading to St.Petersburg, I must of course talk about vodka. And then I will go to the restaurant car, and take one Schnapps...Of course vodka...May be or may be not that way…But here first a Finnish tune about vodka, and it is heavy! Sing-along…Nazdorovie-salud-prost-kippis-hölykynkölykyn...

 

Where you can find the best vodka in the world? Well, it depends… Best vodka comes from Russia, of course. But the best vodka with different tastes comes from Estonia. And you can find good ones in Sweden and Finland too. Have a taste of vanilla, lemon, black currant or white tea, cocos vodka…You do not forget it. And here one more tip, a secret one may be for some of you. Have a taste of Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka, the Ukrainian vodka. You never forget it. And in St.Petersburg you may have the interest visiting the Museum of Russian Vodka. 

By the way. I heard in the train in Eastern Finland that more or less in the year 2000 or little bit later they almost ran out of vodka in the Russian stores. But it was because they ran out of tax stamps. But everything was solved out at the end, of course…So this is what I heard...