Vikings, water, ice and Sweden! // Vikingar, vatten, is och Sverige!

I love walks, and today Stockholm gave us nice weather and a few degrees above 0 Celsius, the birds were singing and the wind warm. Normally February can be extremely cold, but sometimes the winter in Stockholm can be cold, sometimes warm.

I got a new phone so I had to try out the camera, and once I start to take pictures I can't stop! I see all sort of nice scenery's, details and thinks that could be on a picture.

Today we took a walk in the park of Karlberg. Enjoy!

Kungsholmsstrand

 

Rune stone from 1000 AC. It's a snake going around a christian cross. I searched some info and the text on this stone sais:

+ anutr + auk × þorkiRsl × þaiR × lRtu × rasa × stain × ifR + askaut +
which can be read as: Anundr ok Þorgisl þæiR letu ræisa stæin æftiR Asgaut.
which means in normal Swedish: "Anund och Torgils de läto resa stenen efter Åsgöt."

Translated to english: Anund (name) and Torgils (name) they let to raise this stone after Åsgöt (name)

Source

The Castle of Karlberg

 

A memory after a executioner...

 

Sometimes I see so much beautiful features in what is considered not so beautiful

Snow and ice is melting everywhere

 

 

Ice, ice baby

Hello from the inside!

 

Old meets new

 

Typical Mexican food market // marknad mexico city

Mexico city is full of street food and food markets. Lets go for a walk into a local market close to the area La Condesa.

This specific market had pink plastic as cover so everything looks like a pink dream :)

The pomegranate was so big and beautiful, complete different than the ones in Europe!

Then it was time for some shopping, actually for the Mexican black corn.

Me, as a swede, had a really hard time to understand the greatness of this black corn, Its not only black by itself its covered with fungus... So something that would destroy the corn is considered a true delicatesse, "the truffle of Mexico". I found an interesting article here that describes this more. Pat loves is, I couldn't stand it...

 

The food markets often offers some light meals on the go or to sit down for a moment and eat it there. This was a truly classical, normal market with a true feeling of the local life in Mexico City.

Ancient astronauts Mexico // Antika astronauter i Mexico

National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is a must see if you are there. You can see the most famous artwork and ancient artifacts under one roof.

After this visit to the museum we had hundreds of pictures of stonework, it's the same experience as when I was in Pompeii. You take so many pictures of amazing sculptures, walls and remaining and you cant wait to show you family and friends. But when you load them to the computer and scroll through them you realize that its just a bunch of pictures of different stone/clay statues, stone walls, clay/stone artifacts, pottery etc.

So, I have tried to pick out the very most interesting for you to see :) And Lets begin with a touch of ancient aliens.

This stone artifact (I think its Olmec, which lived in Mexico around 1500-400 BC) is placed in the museum so you can walk around it and see the front and the back.

On the front you have the picture of a human with a lot of things going on around him. What is more thrilling for ancient alien believers is the "helmet", the "breathing device" under his nose, the "handle" and the "fire" under him. If you have imagination, he could be sitting in a space craft.

Thinking from another perspective, he could simply sit on a throne, holding up a chain (?), playing a flute or smoking (?) and have his crown of kingdom on top of his head. What do think?

 

The backside is filled with text, I wish I could read it...

 

 

What could have inspired them to do this stone inscriptions and what story does it tell?

Another super popular space traveler is Mayan ruler Pacal, that took the throne over the Mayan in the early 600 AC at the age of 12 and ruled for 68 years, until he took his rocket and flew out in space?

The picture where many interpret him sitting in a space ship is actually the cover/lid over his tomb. It's super tricky to see it clearly at the museum (my pic below) so I found you a more visible picture from the Internet also.

 

This is a much more better picture of you too look at, to the left you see a close up of the artistic work on the stone block, and a creative interpretation to the right :) What do you think?

Source of picture

If the tome lid inscription and the stone on the top is at least 1000 years apart, why do they have such a similar look and feel? Where did they get the inspiration from?

Walking on ice in Sweden

Where we live, in Sweden, the lakes have been covered with ice for some time now since we are in the middle of the winter. We took a walk on the ice on the lake Brunnsviken in Stockholm City, for Pat it was a first time ever in life! I asked him to check the thickness of the ice from the dock ;)

So the ice was ok, and we walked on the safe areas. If you are not used to walk on ice you should not do it our self, but bring someone that knows how to secure the ice and knows how to act in a case of someone ends up in the water.

This day the snow was perfect for making a snowman, so we did. Apparently the technique we used was different, so Pat tried out how to make a big snowball in an easy (Swedish) way, ie roll it in different direction and it will grow bigger by it self. And it's good exercise, push it! ;)

 



So wherever you are in the world, remember that your surroundings and normal environment can be something completely new for someone else. Today was Pats first time walking on ice!

We found a snowman buddy on the ice, with apple eyes and a half guitar ;)

Ours didn't have eyes but was very well dressed with gloves, hat and a scarf ! And a little nose :)

CAPE VERDE AND RESTAURANT ATLANTIS!

Hello once again friends! from all the world!

Today we will talk about a new place in Cape Verde, well where is Cape Verde what they can offer and what you can do in this tiny place.

The place is a small island in front of Africa! in the Atlantic  the travel from Sweden to Cape Verde was 9 hours in Airplane, with a small brake in Canary islands Spain,

When we arrive in the car we saw lots lots of dessert and only one road that takes you to the city center, The place when we saw it was quite interesting ! you could see from one side the sea and other side some type of mountains that were  quite interesting.

When we arrive to the hotel we decided to go to the beach, i can say the beach was awesome calm relax and not so plenty people as usually typical beaches in the world has,  usually a typical beach can have thousands of people no space even to lay down to have a nice relax sun bath but here you have a hole hole hole place  for you to sit and change  and  relax!

So came the hour to eat something. and well we heard they were some places good to eat we try few of them and well they were ok but  nothing special only 2 restaurants in the island we can recommend you 100% one of them is BARRACUDA and the other one called ATLANTIS.

today we will talk about atlantis ! but also what more you can do in Cape Verde , the restaurant Atlantis has the most fresh  LOBSTER  everyday they bring fresh lobsters that are cooked in the grill , We can say that the taste of freshness of the Lobster is wonderfull plus is very cheap for 2 lobsters i can say yo pay like 5 dollars ! around 7 euro , The service is good not excellent but very friendly,  and well we can say that is a very very clean place.  here are 2 pictures if the restaurant food and how looks outside if you wish to go once to SAL CAPE VERDE

WHAT TO DO
To do well you can rent a car and run the island! there are some nice places like to see the  blue hole in the eat side of the island and well also to take the adventure to ride your car in the dessert that is quite fun and challenging!  also you can have walks in the city not at night because lots of guys are in the city trying to catch girls  but I can say that  is quite nice place to have a relax and forget about the world work problems and sometimes life!.

here is in the  pics of the restaurant an the nice lobsters if you have questions don't doubt to ask ! here it goes!

Warm nachos with beans recipe // Nachos i ugn recept

Who wouldn't like warm, crunchy nachos with beans, cheese and a nice tomato mix? Especially in Europe there are many variants om "Mexican" food, not similar at all no real Mexican food. However, this is a super simple Mexican snack recipe, perfect for the movie nigh! And don't bee afraid of the beans, I was not a fan of beans but these warm nachos with bean mix is truly delicious!

 

 

Nacho ingredients 2 people:

• Cooking oil
• 1 bag of nachos, salted
• 1 jar/box of red beans
• 1 small or 1/2 big union
• 1 cube of chicken bouillon
• Some fine chopped chili (voluntary)
• 4 dl shredded cheese

Tomato mix ingredients 2 people:

• Pinch of salt
• 1 tomato
• 1 pot of fresh coriander
• 1 small or 1/2 big union

This is how to do it:

 
Heat your oven to 170-200 C. Chop the union in small cubes, fry then in oil in a pot until they get soft. Ad the beans and let it heat. Add the chicken bouillon cube, dissolve it an let it boil softly a few minutes.

 

Take the pot of the heat and mix the beans in the pot with a mixer, not to much, because you want some chunky pieces of the beans to remain. Divide your bag of nachos into two plates that are oven proof. Put the bean mix on top of the nachos. It's a matter of taste how much bean mix you would like to put, but I would use all the bean mix on the two plates, while on the picture below we have just put some.

 

Add the shredded cheese on top of the nachos and put into the heated oven for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.

 

Meanwhile chop the union, tomato and coriander, add a pinch of salt and mix everything. Your tomato mix is now ready! Probably you nachos too, make sure they don't burn in the oven.

Carefully take out the hot plates, add the tomato mix on top and the nachos is ready to enjoy! These nachos are preferably eaten with you hands, perfect snack to the movies! It's really delicious :)

If you are not sure how to treat the hot plates while trying to eat your nachos, you can always put a similar cold plate, with a napkin on top, and then place you hot plate on top of that (the napkin prevents the heat to spread to your cold plate). Another solution is to do the nachos on a oven plate and then distribute the hot nachos to cold plates. However its a bit tricky to divide the nachos with melted cheese on top...

AZUL HISTORICO , PASTEL DEL TRES LECHES.

Well talking about our last trip to Mexico my Girlfriend and me we went to a very special restaurant in the city center ZOCALO called AZUL HISTORICO.

People recommended this place for eating  traditional Mexican food but in a new style!.

and yes we can say that the food and the service was great you can see in one of the corners ladies making tortillas by hand and well the service is incredible.

My Girlfriend asks date first night for a Bean tamal and then  some tacos of cochinita pibil.  they were really tasty and nice decorated also we drank some mezcal ( Mexican drink similar like tequila with some oranges and worms salt. interesting and spicy! 

This place we can say that takes  of our top of restaurants a number 4 in our list why a four well the place has  a nice ambientation the service is nice the food also but is missing something to make it perfect, being critics since the beginning you need to make a reservation, the reservation comes with a clue of that specially day, so if you want to jump in you need to give the clue is interesting that Mexicans are using this type of european style,

 when arrival the place as we said is nice is a garden with tall trees and candles all around hanging the old building has around lots of arts shops worth to see them but very expensive. at the same  building ! there is a hotel and a mescaleria, but focusing on the restaurant as we said  something is missing i don't know what Chef Zurita needs to change to give that blink to the restaurant to take it to another level!

LETS SEE IF THE NEXT TIME WE GO TO MEXICO WE CAN HAVE THAT BLINK! THAT IS MISSING IN THIS WONDERFUL PLACE!   

curiously in that place we ate a Famous Pastel de tres leches ( cake of three milks ) and here we giVE the recipe for you ! i hope you enjoy it

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

Butter for coating the dish

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk (not nonfat)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon dark rum, such as Myers’s, plus more as needed
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1. Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish with butter; set aside. Place the flour in a small bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.
2. 2Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer. Reserve the whites in a separate, very clean, medium bowl. Add the sugar to the yolks and, using the paddle attachment, beat on high speed until pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl; set aside. Thoroughly clean and dry the stand mixer bowl. Place the egg whites in the clean bowl and, using the whisk attachment, whip on high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes.
3. 3Using a rubber spatula, stir about a third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining whites. Sprinkle the flour over the egg mixture and gently fold it in, just until there are no more white flour streaks. (Do not overmix.)
4. 4Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until the cake is puffed and golden and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 to 25 minutes.
5. 5Meanwhile, place the three milks and the rum in a large bowl and whisk until combined; set aside.
6. 6Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Using a toothpick or wooden skewer, poke holes all over the cake and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake and continue cooling, about 45 minutes more. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. 7When the cake is ready to serve, spread the coconut in an even layer in a large frying pan. Toast over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. (If the coconut begins to burn, reduce the heat.) Immediately remove from the pan to a small bowl.
8. 8Place the heavy cream and powdered sugar in large bowl and whisk until medium peaks form. (If you like, flavor it with a teaspoon of dark rum.) Slice the cake and serve topped with a mound of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut.