Friday, September 30, 2011

SOLLEFTEÅ,SWEDEN in Aisha's photos and words





Here we go again- our Sweden, our Norrland, our faluröda hus i Sollefteå, hemma hos Sven! And again, taking sun and warmth with us, we must have provoked the WARMEST DAY END OF SEPTEMBER IN SWEDEN (on Swedish news)! Add to it an explosion of autumn colours and our happiness is complete. After 3 hour flight Geneve-Stockholm and 7 hour journey by comfortable Swedish train we have arrived to our FIRST DESTINATION.
Sven's house, outside of Sollefteå, is our refuge of peace, rest and my personal SWEDISH UNIVERSITY. Swedish proverb " Låt maten tysta mun" has it difficult with me, as my joy to meet Sven is immense! He has to remind me philosophicaly that "Tiden har vi fått för att allt inte skall skall ske samtidigt!" that is " we have got the time so that everything does not happen at the same time", and stricktly- do not talk, eat now!

Our meals can be converted into philosophical discussions, like the one about time. Recommended lecture: BODIL JÖNSSON " Ten thoughts on time "( Tio tankar om tid) and " 10 years later"


We enjoy our " brittsommar", or indian summer, charging our batteries before our next tango action.
The weather permits me to do my streching-yoga on the wooden terrace outside.Traditionally. It's our fourth time back in this house. The house is surrounded by forests, making a lovely view to contemplate.




The beautiful weather does not deceive Sven, who has his timber supplies for the winter ready. It kept him warm while chopping, it will keep him warm later, in the winter. Victor was keen to try, under kind supervision of Sven. Not an easy job at all!

Another job to be done now, before the first snow ( EXPECTED AT ANY TIME!) is to change the tyres of the car for the winter tyres, the funny ones with the spikes.






The trees, especially maple and rönn are are a spectale. Here, a rönn tree melting with faluröda hus in the background. From Sven's University: " Surt, sa räven om rönnbären!"
Norrland is my favourite part of Sweden. Open spaces, big rivers ( älvar), mountains and fjords and the nicest people. Now we have a taste of autumn here. Gorgious! I feel like giving a hostskriek, exactly like Ronja Rövardotter på våren . The woods look like on fire.
Victor is happy to reunite with his beloved indian pale ale. Never lack of it in Sven's house. He knows our tastes very well. Our special "sightseeing" tour is to systembolaget. The wide variety of alcohols from all over the world. Can't find what you want- you an always order it and they will get it for you. Today we went to collect the Argentinean wine Jean Busquet from Tupungato, Mendoza, just released, that Seven ordered to honour our visit. For special surprise dinner on Saturday.
In honour of his past ( retired military officer) and to satisfy our desire for the Swedish tradition, he cooked a special Thursday's meal for us: peas soup ( ärtsoppa) with hot punch and pancakes with blåbär-hallon marmelade and clotted cream. He complained that to be perfect he should have served us herring with snaps as a starter.
We used our first autumn days for walks and car excursions. Sven's area is a nature's paradise. You do not have to go far. Älv, suspension bridge, forests- all within a walking distance.


We pass by horses grazing peacefully.
All with the matures gold-brown-green-redish background.
A horsy kiss! ( Swedish normally do not kiss hallo, they stretch a hand, unless they dance tango and are trained to become more intimate with one another).
One of our walk leads us to the authentic Swedish bakery in a lovely old refurbished house. On the door we recognize our poster.
I cannot resist blåbärsmuffin and Sven inmediately buys some for coffe break. I fall for anything with/of blåbär: blåbärsyoghurt, blåbärssoppa,blåbärssylt....
Autumn landscape is a kaleidoscope. Montain woods on fire. Wherever we look, I feel like taking a photo. Sven laughs. Victor gets upset.

I am surprised by the juxtoposition of freshly juicy green grace and the autumn leaves on the tress.





Next day Sven takes us to a breathtaking building, probably, undoubtedly the most beautiful in Sollefteå. It is TINGSHUSET, an ex court of justice. IT IS A PLACE HE ARRANGED FOR OUR TANGO WORKSHOPS!


WE are really honoured to dance tango in buildings like this! The reason he took us here two days before our tango mission is obvious: he knew I need to take pics and that takes time....
The inside was as impressive as outside; all wood carpentry with viking ornaments, high ceilings. Everything is protected and you cannot even more a " judge's chair" from its place. What we did was a spontaneous tango with Sven to check the floor.
And the classes:


http://nara.allehanda.se/nara.asp?pnr=2&sidnr=1&ArtId=24930&sok=&kategori=#Art_24930



If you ever thought about Sweden, northern Sweden, as a cold country mind that: first of October a coffe time ( even breakfast) can take place outside, in the garden. On the other hand, Sven announced that we have just had our first frost early in the morning. Next time he is going to wake us up to see the frost designs on the window shields and grass.
Very unswedish again: our student and friend from Skelleftea, Elisabeth, visited us without announcing it, giving us a lovely surprise! Another one was her loosing weight, so that we photographed our bellies- her new one with 4 kg less, my new one with a couple of kg more ( thanks to tunnbrod and other Swedish delicacies plus previous Swiss cheese treatment). We will see Elisabeth in our due time, 2 weeks later, we we arrive to Pitea or Lulea ( some... 800 km from here?)
One of our walks was a thematical one: picking up mushrooms! Victor was more excited of the beaver's job with the trees however.
From Sven's University: sharing his knowledge about mushroom recognition karl johan svamp
kantarell
svart/rodgul trumpetsvamp
smorsopp ( on the photo)



Out of all the mushrooms Victor preferred and picked up the most ostentatiously beautiful ones, obviously poisonous.



OBVIOUSLY, there is no visit in Norrland, Sweden, without our favourite dish, SALMON!Sven ( and most of our organisers, students and friends) knows that and it was only a question of days to have our regal dinner: saumon a la norrlandaise.
Apart from enjoynment, I took the recipe ( one day, in Buenos Aires....)

LAX PÅ NORRLANDSVIS
Ugnsform
Lax (kotletter en per person utom för Victor, minst 2 ½ och för dig 1 ½!)
Citronpeppar
50 g smör smälts och
häll på plåt och fisk med citronpeppar

200° (225°)

När fisken är färdigstekt i ugnen, sila spad i kastrull med purjolök och dill.
Låt detta puttra + 3 dl grädde till krämig konsistens.

Häll detta över fisken och värm allt i ugnen.

Servera med potatis
Tango world is full of surprises. The Sunday one was a joint-venture of Annika and Sven. Anika lives pretty far away from Solleftea, but when she learnt we were here, she told us on the phone that she regretted not being able to drive to see us and participate in the workshops. Understandable, everybody has his/her life. We last saw one another 2 years ago in Buenos Aires.
But, alas, after the workshops in Kramfors, heading for the workhops in Solleftea, we all craved for a coffe break, And korv, if possible. I wished to get out of the " civilisation" and try to find a nice place with more nature. And there we were, getting off the highway, towards the lake, whom shall we see but Anika, laying a table for us: there was all the delicious swedish delicacies we could ask for, but also MATE! All that with the most beautiful ladscape of lake and the mountains with colors of fire. Mate and tunnbrod never tasted better! THANK YOU ANNIKA FOR THIS SURPRISE, thank you Sven for keeping it a surprise, so unswedish!






Thursday, September 29, 2011

SWITZERLAND in Aisha s photos & films

Our seventh consecutive time in Switzerland started in a brilliant sunny day 16th of September in Lausanne. Picked up in Geneve airport by our organiser Eric accompanied by Florence-directly to his appartment in Lausanne, Bussigny. Welcome lunch: traditional swiss RACLETTE served on Eric's balcony with the view on the Alps... Petite arvigne as aperitive.
Almost autumn in Europe, but the weather kept spoiling us: 26 degrees- our summer continues!
The same day we were put on the train Lausanne-Martigny, picked up Piotr, our next host and VALAIS WAS OURS! A TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE to Valais du Rhone was followed by a tremendous AIR SHOW in SION.

Again,priviledged as we were, comfortable placed on the balcony ( those incredible tango connections) of Adriana, drinking champagne, Valais at our feet, combat airplanes passing in front of our noses- what else could we ask for?
Even a professional photograph to immortalize those moments- hope to get his photos one day...
Holding our breaths in front of intrepid Swiss patrouille pilots showing off in front of us, when taking another sip of arvigne....
But I loved the French displaying their blue-blanc-rouge in the air...
Can you imagine spending 5 hours watching the air show? We did. It was worth it. Valley surrounded by the Alps, priviledged balcony, good wine and company.
Monday evening invitation: raclette in Sierre by Pierrol & Francoise. Williamine not missing. Good company in the best swiss conditions. Both of them shared our cruised trip Buenos Aires-Savona last year and it's to them that we owe being invited as artists for the first tango festival in Sierre 2005.
Changing home and hoses again. Here we were again, at Rudi & Brigitte 's house in Saviese, inaugurating their private dancing floor. 7 couples of our Valais students come along for dinner and tango.
What a luxury to have a dancing floor at home big enough to organise a small milonga! For us-an opportunity to meet our students and friends. Unswissly enough, nobody wanted to go back home early, even in spite of a working day next day... Argentine "contamination"?...

Rudi & Brigitte, both keen on mountain climbing ( she herself has over 60 pics of 4000 m in her " collection), made us part of their training as maintanance. Fit as I am, after a 3 hour demanding climbinh up and down, I do admit I had muscle fatigue over next days...

Breakfast table was a real feast, also for the eyes: local cheeses, great bread I miss in Argentina and expresso completed by the Alps in front of us.
Next day's excursion: EMOSSON, in answer to our petition to see Mont Blanc. The imposing damm had something else to offer for Victor too.
It's impossible to give it justice with one single photo.
Uless you were a photographer with Piotr's eyes. Same place 3 years ago. Both of us contemplating Mont Blanc, photographed by our tango student Piotr.It was cold though...
Same place, but just a snapshot of a scene by Rudi.
Changing houses and hosts again. Our good students and friends Piotr & Ludka spoiled us in different ways. For Victor, a newly emerging sculpturor, there was a visit to an atelier of a local sculpturor Jean-Jeanques. He was just terminating constructing the tower of his " castle".
One of the tango sculptures of Jean -Jacques's sculptures of fibre glass we could admire in his atelier.
No visit in Valais would be possible without an obligatory invitation for aperitive - la petite arvigne again.
Back to our Valais house number three: Piotr & Ludka's patio beneath the kiwi fruits.
Piotr's culinary abilities match his photographic ones. Enjoying his swiss barbecue before going to milonga in Brig. Mind you: still sitting outside! If we miss mentioning other invitations for the luck of photos ( Corrine & Luis)- excuez-nous!
Well, well, well, we could not forget our tango mission. Changing towns, houses and hosts again, back in Lausanne, we had an honour to have an exibition in Lausanne University. Best milonga in Switzerland so far. Great ambience, lovely cosmopolitan people. I had many dancers including Argentinean ones and spoke French, German, English, Spanish and... Polish!
Monday and Tuesday after our weekend workshops in Neuchatel and Montreaux were dedicated for private classes. Worth to mention-Sammy, our tango student, brain of research for Nestle, higher than Victor, with his tango partner Nathalie, after the 2 hour class.
Unforgettable experience of Amazones in the Alps. A whole day photo session by one of the best and most professional photographers I have ever had a chance to meet or see the photos of, Richard Forster. Half a day in his studio, followed by lunch made by him, another half in the Alps. Accomanied by our tango student Flo and Victor, I had my day as a model in Switzerland. To be repeated!


Our last days in Switzerland were tipicaly autumnly foggy. The Alps and the lake were one. Driving through the wine terraces of Lavaux ( patrimoine de l' humanité) was as usually, an aesthetic experience.
A walk in Vevey, before our dose of private classes. Victor loved the stainless steel fork pierced in a lake.
The time flied quicker than we wanted: suddenly a good bye fondu in Montreaux with tango students and next day a good bye raclette on our request with Eric and off we went to the airport. Same airport in Geneve, but a new destination: SWEDEN!


Swiss romaine was romantic enough to say good bye with a kiss: " la unique vrai langue du monde", the unique real language of the world.