Noel first day at the kindergarden

Primer dia de Noel en la guarderia

Anniversary on a boat

This year Ola got us on a large boat for our anniversary. we went for dinner to Villinki.

Este verano Ola nos llevo en barco a cenar a Villinki para nuestro aniversario.

Cochs in Villinki

The Cochs visited us in July when we were in villinki. After that they went to the lake district for a few days to end in Helsinki. Jordi and Noel spent their second summer together. Jordi learned soon to walk on over the rocks.

La familia Cochs nos visito en Julio. despues de pasar unos dias con nostros en Villinki se fueron al distrito de los lagos para acabar en helsinki. Jordi y Noel pasaraon asi su segundo verano. Jordi Jr termino aprendiendo a caminar sobre el dificil terreno de Villinki.

Human Jackpot

The best of the Villinki day was the human jackpot

Lo mejor del dia de Villinki fue el tragaperras humano

Villinki day

We all visited the Villinki day at Hans farm. There were things for sell, small games for everyone, music. It reminded of the summer fiars in small villages.

Todos visitamos el dia de Villinki. fue organizado en la granja de Hans. Habia mercadillo, juegos y musica. Recordaba a las ferias de los pueblos.

Summer in Villinki

We spent many weeks this summer in Villinki and we had my parents and sister visiting us. My parents had a great time and they wish they could had spent more time there. In the beginning they were a bit suspicious of not having electricity and much to do, but in the end the finally understood the point of relaxing and finding time for oneself.

Pasamos varias semanas en Villinki. Mis padres y hermana nos visitaron. Al principio estaban un poco esquepticos sobre la idea de estar en una isla sin mucho que hacer y sin electricidad. Pero al final no se habrian ido, y por fin entendieron la idea de relajarse y buscar tiempo para uno mismo.

The best summer of the history of Finland

We came back in time to enjoy the warmest and driest summer ever. We went to swim to some of the lakes next to our place.

Volvimos a Finlandia para disfrutar del verano mas caluroso y seco que se recuerda. Fuimos a nadar a los lagos de al lado de casa.

The beach

The beach at Paradee was of white sand. there were some sand fleas that left us some nasty bites on our legs, and crabs that left some interesting sand formations at the shore. The place is awesome but the resort overcharged for everything.

La playa de Paradee era de arena blanca. Habia algunas moscas que nos dejaron marcas en las piernas y cangrejos que dejaban montoncitos de arena en la orilla. El resort era espectacular pero los precios eran ridiculos.

Paradise on earth is called Paradee

And then we found Paradee. The ultimate resort for honey mooners, where you have you own beach, your own swimming pool, bath and jacuzzi on the terrace. Noel spent lots of time on the swimming pool and we enjoyed a relaxed holiday with 130 people serving the 3 couples we were at the resort.

Y al final encontramos Paradee. Lo ultimo en resorts para lunas de miel. Teniamos nuestra villa con playa, piscina, banera y jacuzzi propios todo en nuestra terraza. Noel se paso los dias nadando en la piscina y el mar. Nosotros nos relajamos con 130 personas al servicio de las 3 parejas que ocupamos el resort.

First contact with Koh Samet

We arrived to Koh Samet looking for a place far from crwoded touristic areas. The first reaction was a huge disapointment after noticing how poor was the infrastructure and badly kept everything. The resorts had the only road of the island crossing in front of the terrace of the bungalows. And the road was for sure the worst ever, worst that in India, or the caribbean.

Llegamos a Koh Samet huyendo the los centros turisticos. Alli nos encontramos con una version decepcionante de las islas paradisiacas. Un ainfrastructura pobre y con unos complejos de bungalows donde la unica calle de la isla pas por tu terraza. La carretera que cruza la isla, es sin duda la peor que hemos visto en ninguna parte del mundo.

Bangkoks sea world

Me and Noel went to see the sea world in Paragon. Noel was excited running from place to place.

Noel y yo fuimos a ver los peces del acuario en Paragon.

Bangkok redicovered

Bangkok feels new everytime we visited it. this time the number of shops, malls and tourists, seems to have exploded. The Paragon shoping mall is the most luxurious we have ever seen.

Bagkok parece nuevo cada vez que lo visitamos. Esta vez parecia haber muchas mas tiendas, centros comerciales y turistas que nunca. El centro comercial Paragon es sin duda el mas lujoso que hemos visto.

The blue lagoon

At the end of the treck there was a blue lagoon where we jumped and swim.

Al final de la excursion habia una laguna turquesa donde nos banamos

Climbing in the Jungle

The trip to the caves in Van Vien was amazing and dangerous. No guide just jungle, wet path in a vertical angle.

La excursion a las cuevas de Van Vien fue increible y peligroso. No teniamos guia y solo habia jungla, un sendero vertical y humedo.

Adventure in Van Vien

Van Vien was a discovery. The place is awesome, only 150 km from Vientiane. A very small village with only two streets, full of guest houses for backpackers that come here for tubing the river or exploring the caves. The mountains raise vertically from the rice fileds to the clouds. They are made of lime stone that is sharp like knifes but with a skin of jungle.

Van Vien fue uno de los descubrimientos del viaje. Es espectacular, a solo 150 km de Vientiane. Un pueblo de 2 calles lleno de mochileros que vienen hasta aqui para bajar en neumaticos el rio o explorar las cuevas de la zona. Las montanas son columnas verticals que salen desde los campos de arroz hasta las nubes. Estan hechas de roca llena de aristas afiladas pero con una piel de jungla que se repira y oye.

Vientiane

We spent some days with Siru and Juha in Vientiane the capital of Laos. Karoliina came all the way from Melbourne to meet us there. We had good food. We met Na, who will probably join us in late fall in Helsinki as au pair. Noel spent a lot of time by the pool.

Pasamos unos dias con Juha y Siru en Vientiane la capital de Laos. Karoliina vino desde Austrlia para pasar unos dias con nosotros. Comimos genial, Noel se paso parte de los dias en la piscina y conocimos a Na. Na vendra si todo va bien, en otono a Helsinki para ser nuestra nueva au pair.

Trip to Singapore

Our holidays this year started in Singapore, where I had a business meeting with Mobile one. We loved the place. A shopping paradise. Noel enjoyed the swimming pool and Tanje the shopping malls at Orchad street.

Nuestras vacaciones empezaron este verano en Singapore, donde tuve una reunion con Mobile one. Nos encanto el sitio. Es un paraiso de compras. Noel disfruto en la piscina y Tanje en las tiendas de Orchad street.

MBA graduation

One of the problems of blogging is that is you have a very long break on your posts because you are busy or away, it makes it feel a bit strage to explain what you did some time ago. Last June I graduated from the MBA of the Helsinki school of economics. A nice ceremony where I had the chance to meet many of my MBA fellows. We went with Tanje afterwards to celebrate to Palace, and then to have dinner at the Katajanokan casino. We finished in Lux, one of the most incredible night clubs, in downtown Helsinki.

Uno de los problemas de pasar bastante tiempo sin escribir en el blog por falta de tiempo es que se le hace a uno extrano narrar lo que paso hace unos meses. En Junio me gradue del MBA de la Helsinki school of economics. Pudimos reunirnos una gran parte de los colegas del MBA. Fuimos a celebrarlo con Tanje a Palace y despues a cenar al casino de Katajanoka. Acabamos en Lux, una de las discotecas mas impresionantes que he visto, situada en los ultimos pisos del centro comercial Kamppi en Helsinki.

Eurovision

Finland made history last spring when Lordi won the Eurovision contest. It has been interesting to observe the evolutions in feelings and opinions up here from the first time Lordi appear as a candidate to got o Eurovision till now. In the beginning I remember people saying things like “Horrible”, but now people feel proud and shocked.

 

Finlandia hizo historia al ganar Eurovisión la primavera pasada. Ha sido interesante ver la evolución de la opinión de mucha gente que al principio sentía vergüenza y que ahora desorientados no saben si sentir orgullo.

Torn

Matti sent me this link a few weeks ago. One of the best live performances I have seen in time.

Matti me envio hace unas semana este link. Una de las mejores actuaciones en
vivo que he visto en mucho tiempo.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3359097330164125445&q=torn

Noel has started to talk

Noel
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Till now he said Kaka, Papa, Gracias, Lamp, kiikaa for swing, and little less, but in the last 2 days he has started to repeat what we say and new words have become part of his vocabulary. Naana (anna the finnish word for give me), Tutu for tutti or pacifier, ding dong, woow woow for dog, brum brum for car, cuac cuac for birds.

Hasta ahora Noel decia caca, papa, gracias, lamp, kiikka para columpio. Los ultimos dias ha apredido, naana para decir dame, tutu para decir chupete, ding dong , guau guau, cuac cuac y brum brum.

Carlos and Cristina's wedding

Group picture with Carlos and Cristina
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Last weekend I was in Spain for Carlos' wedding. The Salou team was there. We went first to Campillo where the ceremony took place. The whole village was there. We had a small aperitive in the main square next to the fronton. The place was really beautifull in the middle of the green filelds of alto Tajo. Then back to Molina, a really beautifull old town protected by the castle. Molina is known as the coldest town in Spain. The party was great, authenticaly Spanish. Thanks Carlos and Cristina again.

El fin de semana pasado estuve en Espana para la boda de Carlos. El grupo de Salou estuvo casi al completo. Primero fuimos a Campillo para la ceremonia. Alli tomamos un aperitivo en la plaza del pueblo al lado del fronton. Todo el pueblo estuvo alli. De ahi fuimos a Molina de Aragon, una ciudad preciosa a pies de un castillo imponente. La fiesta duro hasta las mil y fue genuina. Gracias de nuevo Carlos y Cristina por todo.

The Wolverine

The Wolverine
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

A couple of weeks ago we went to the Zoo with Noel. It was a great day with exceelent weather. Noel chased the ducks and enjoyed watching the animals.

Hace un par de semanas fuimos al Zoo con Noel. Fue un dia fantastico. Noel dsifruto persiguiendo los patos y viendo los animales.

Noel's balloon in Vappu

Noel's balloon in Vappu
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

This year we did not manage to go to Kaivopuisto for Vappu. But Noel still got the traditional balloon.

Este ano no llegamos a Kaivopuisto, pero Noel tuvo el tradicional globo de Vappu.

Noel the pirate

Noel the pirate
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Noel went to a dress up party the last day in Rovaniemi dressed like a pirate.

Noel fue a una fiesta de disfraces el ultimo dia en Rovaniemi disfrazado de pirata.

Tanje's class in Rovaniemi

Tanje's class in Rovaniemi
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Tanje, Noel and Miss Rom spent over a month in Rovaniemi while Tanje did her final training there. She had lost of fun with the kids doing all shorts of things.

Tanje, Noel y Miss Rom pasaron un mes en Rovanimi mientras Tanje hacia sus ultimas practicas de la carrera. Tanje lo paso muy bien haciendo manualidades.

Finland - Uncyclopedia

Andreea sent me this link about the real fact behind Finland. Amazing, so many things I somehow suspected...

Read more at uncyclopedia.org/wiki/F...

Back in touch with Jens

A few nights ago I was working and all of the sudden Jens Kathmann knocked on my IM door. I knew he moved some time ago to Paraguay, but I did not know that he is still there, that he and his wife have been 5 years, that got a doughter, that he runs an orphanage and an association that tries to help local people, and on the side he produces records for successfull Gospel Rock Argentinan bands such as Rescate. Quite an achievement! It is great to be in touch and see the amazing work that you are doing Jens.

Hace unas noches estaba trabajando cuando Jens Kathmann salto en mi instant messager. Sabia que Jens se habia ido a Paraguay hace unos anos, pero lo que no sabia esta que aun estaba por ahi, que se habia casado y que llevan con su mujer 5 anos alli, que tienen una nina, que lleva un orfanato y una asociacion para ayudar a lagente local y que es promotor de bandas de Gospel Rock en Argentina como Rescate. Increible. Es fantastico que volvamos a esta de nuevo en contacto y impresionate la labor que estas haciendo Jens.

Yllas

Yllas
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Yllas is a ski resort in Lappland. From the top you can see really far away since everything else is pretty flat.

Yllas es quizas la estacion de esqui mas alta de Finlandia. Situada en Laponia, desde la cumbre se puede ver hasta el horizonte ya que es todo bastante plano.

Mabel driving skidoo

Mabel driving skidoo
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We rented a skidoo to see a bit the surroundings of Yllas.

Alquilamos una moto de nieve para ver los alrededores de Yllas.

Mabel and the frozen house

Mabel and the frozen house
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

This is the little house at the top of Yllas.

Esta es la pequena casa en la cumbre de Yllas.

Tanje Mabel and Jonne on top bar

Tanje Mabel and Jonne on top bar
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

This Easter we went to Yllas again. This time with Jonne and Mabel who came from Spain with 10 more friends to Helsinki. The snow was perfect and we got a couple of days with sun.

Esta semana santa fuimos a esquiar a Yllas con Mabel y Jonne. Tuvimos un par de dias de sol y nieve buenisima. Mabel vino de visita a Helsinki con 10 amigas mas.

Weekend at Niemela

Weekend at Niemela
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

One of the best weekends in times we spent it at Niemela with the Aaens and Jolas. A memorable night full of jokes and laughs.

Uno de los mejores fines de semana lo pasamos en Niemela con los Aaens y los Jolas. Una noche memorable llena de bromas y risas.

Miss Rom goes to Stockholm

Miss Rom goes to Stockholm
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Miss Rom took the Silja line with Siru Tanje and Noel and went to Stockholm. Th elandscape was amazing with the whole sea frozen.

Miss Rom fue a estocolmo en /silja line con Siru, Tanje y Noel. El paisaje era espectacular con todo el mar helado.

Kufstein

Kufstein
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We stayed in Kufstein and from here we went to Kizbuhel, Soll and Zillertal.

Estuvimos en Kufstein y desde ahi fuimos a esquiar a Kizbuhel, Soll y Zillertal.

The first Cambodian skier

The first Cambodian skier
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Miss Rom tried for the first time skiing in Soll. She aims high and wants to represent Cambodia in the next winter games.

Miss Rom probo los esquis por primera vez. Su intencion es representar a Camboya en los proximos juegos de invierno.

Dinner with Petra

Dinner with Petra
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We went to see Petra and her family. She took us to a great Greek restaurant.

Fuimos a ver a Petra y su familia. Nos llevo a comer a un restaurante griego buenisimo.

Soll

Soll
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We went to Austria for a short holiday. We found Soll, a fantastic resort that went up to the top of my list. Amazing long slopes, you can ski for 3 days and you still have not managed to go around it.

Fuimos a Austria para unos dias de esqui. Descubrimos Soll unas pistas increibles que han pasado a lo mas alto de mi lista de pistas de esqui. Las pistas son larguisimas y es enorme, en tres dias aun no te ha dado tiempo de dar la vuelta a todo.

Noel in the Spanish club

Noel in the Spanish club
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Noel attended a few times the Spanish time. He even celebrated a friend's birthday there.

Noel ha visitado unas cuantas veces el club infantil espanol, donde una amiguito celebro su cumpleanos.

The French Finn

The French Finn
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

I came across this car driving downtown Helsinki. A French Renault with French plates painted with the Finnish flag.

Conduciendo en el centro de Helsinki me encontre con este coche de matricula francesa pintado con la bandera finlandesa.

3GSM

3GSM
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

In the same trip we visited Barcelona and I attended the 3GSM.

En el mismo viaje visitamos BArcelona y yo atendi el congreso de 3GSM.

Noel at work

Noel at work
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We visited Zaragoza and Noel went to see his grandmas office. He was the center of attention again.

Visitamos Zaragoza y Noel fue a ver la oficina de su yaya. De nuevo fue el centro de atencion.

The Stockholm discotheque toilets

The Stockholm discotheque toilets
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

I visited the Mobile Monday and discovered this toilets in the Stockholm discotheque.

Atendi el Mobile Monday y descubri estos urinarios en la Stockholm dicotheque.

Skiing at -20C in Messila

Skiing at -20C in Messila
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

This winter we went in February with the Aaens for a ski day to Messila. The day was fantastic although one of the coldest of the year. One of the coldest experiences so far. Any exposed skin would hurt in seconds.

Este invierno fuimos a Messila a esquiar con los Aaens. Fue un dia fantastico pero tambien uno de los mas frios. Cualquier parte de piel expuesta empezaba a doler en segundos.

What do architects write in Toilets?

I visited the faculty of architecture and found out that someone had written in the toilet door this funny question: "What is your favourite scale?" While in other faculties graffity tends to be a bit dirtier, architects are a bit more creative. The scales included really funny ones like 1:Pi or man:woman

Hace poco visite la facultad de arquitectura y encontre que alguien habia escrito esta divertida pregunta en la puerta: "Cual es tu escala favorita?" Mientras quen en otras facultades el grafiti tiende a ser mas sucio, los arquitectos son mas creativos. Las escalas incluian cosas como 1:Pi o hombre:mujer

The Australians visited Helsinki

Karoliina spent with us a few weeks around Christmas time coming all the way from Australia. His boyfriend Phillip came from Germany to spend a few days with us. He is a really nice guy with a really funny Australio-German accent :-) He is really cool and they make a very nice couple.

Karoliina vino desde Australia para pasar unas semanas con nostros en Navidades. Su novio Phillip vino desde Alemania para pasar unos dias con nosotros. Es un tio super majo con una mezcla de acento Australiano y aleman super divertido. Lo cierto es que hacen una pareja ideal.

The most impressive airport in the world

The most impressive airport in the world
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Tom Den Heijer, a student of my Spain and Latina America as a business area course promised me to send some pictures from St. Marteen. He did his presentation on the little island, ending with a set of great pictures from the airpot. He then told me that have plans to visit the island for the Christmas holidays. well here they are plus this link with an amazing video of a plane approaching the airport.

Tom Den Heijer, un estudiante de mi curso de España y latinoamerica como area de negocios me ha mandado una seri de fotos impresionantes de su viaje a St. Marteen. St. Marteen es bien conocido entre los amantes de los aeropuertos y aviones. Los aviones pasan a escasos metros de la playa. Tom hizo su presentacion de St. Marteen unas semanas antes de ir a pasar unas vacaciones a la isla. Tambien me ha mandado un link a este video.

Happy parents at Paloheina

Happy parents at Paloheina
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We went sledging to Paloheina. Rasmus and Joonas the fastests. Just a few days before the temperatures dropped down to -25C

Fuimos a tirarnos en trineo a Paloheina. Rasmus y Joonas fueron los mas rapidos. Justo unos dias antes de que las temperaturas bajaran a -25C.

Anger management

Anger management
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

We played Carcassone till very very late. And Xavier gave us a lesson on Anger management.

Jugamos a CArcassone hasta bien entrada la madrugada y Xavier nos dio una leccion de como controlar emociones.

Friend's over for New Year

Friend's over for New Year 1
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

New year was great. We cooked for our friends (Jolas, Ikola-Geers) and everything was excellent, food (lamb), wines, company, fireworks...We even ate the Spanish grapes following telemadrid in internet.

El cambio de ano lo pasamos con amigos (Jolas, Ikola-Geers) en casa. Todo fue genial, la comida (Cordero), el vino, los fuegos artificiales, hasta pudimos seguir las uvas por internet con Telemadrid.

Noel by the tree

Noel by the tree 1
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Last Christmas we spent it at home. Lots of gifts for Noel. He specially like his new car from Spain.

LAs navidades pasadas las pasamos en casa. Noel tuvo muchos regalos, pero lo que mas le gusto fue el escarabajo azul que le llego de Espana.

Aleksis birthday

Aleksis birthday
Originally uploaded by Inaki.

Last December Aleksi celebrated his birthday with a costumes party. Noel went dressed like a pumpkin.

El pasado diciembre Aleksi celebro su cumple con una fiesta de disfraces y Noel fue de calabaza

Our family tree

Today I finished our family tree, something that I started in 2003. Well the truth is that I realised that it will never be over. It is a living tree, there are always details missing and new people coming. However the big picture is here. Hundreds of relatives, huge families interconnected, sometimes several times, and plenty of annecdotes and personal stories behind, and close to 10 meters of wallpaper. Thanks a lot to Mamen and my tia Josefina, tia Maruja and Yaya Carmen and Pilar.

Hoy he terminado nuestro arbol genealogico, algo que empece en el 2003. Aunque la verdad es que me he dado cuenta de que nunca estara terminado ya que algo vivo y hay siempre que completar detalles y anadir detalles. De cualquier manera la parte principal esta ahi. Cientos de familiares, familias con decenas de hermanos, primos y sobrinos, familias unidas a veces por mas de una conexion, montones de anecdotas e historias familiares y casi 10 metros de papel para representarlo. Muchisimas gracias a mi tia Mamen a mi tia Maruja, tia Josefina y Yayas Carmen y Pilar.