Thanksgiving Day

This is a traditional celebration. It is primarily a North American holiday, except Mexico. In the USA it is celebrated the fourth day of November as last Thursday 27th. This celebration is related with the English settlers, in their intent they settled a new style of life in the North part of USA known as "New England". These English people called "pilgrims" were a Christian group ready to conquer the New World. Unfortunately, many of them died at the beginning because they were shocked with the wild cold, that was around 1620. Many Native Americans helped them when they didn't have enough resources to live. When the pilgrimgs had their first harvest, usually in October, they shared their goodies with the helpers. In this matter, the governor of the English settlers declared that date as: The Day of Thanksgiving for harvesting the fruits that the Lord gave through the men's labor. In 1789 the first American president George Washington recognized that day as The National of Thankgiving, then Abraham Lincoln and in recently time, 1941, the Federal Congress declared as a national holiday in all the country.

The final harvesting in my garden - October 2008

A Farmer's Market in Norwich, VT - October 2008

In that way, the Thanksgiving Day is for us, being immigrants, a special time to share a dinner with family and friends. Last year we met Giovanna from Lima, Peru and for the second time was Takashi Kobayashi from Japan and the other guests were friends from China: Yan Song, husband Jingang Gui and their child Suhan Gui. It was a wonderful dinner! Michael cooked chicken with basil sauce and some more condiments, for appetizer we had spaghetti with red sauce and for dessert vanilla ice cream with raspberries and brandy. Takashi cooked sushi and some Japanese sweet tofu also he shared with us plum wine - Umeshu, and the Gui family some delicious chocolates. I was in charge of the cleaning and arrangements. We played Chinese checker, we talked about garden, science and some of our funny live experiences...

Our first Thanksgiving dinner - November 2006

in a house of a good friend.

Thanksgiving dinner - November 2007

Video: Saying 'Thank you' in our own languages

Thanksgiving at home - November 2008

Family Gang-Song

Germany, the North

Rügen

After some days ago that Barak Obama was elected as a president of the United States, that made us so happy and it seems the general population are so far. Well, I said to myself, it is time to update the blog and write the exciting trip to the North of Germany made in October. Michael drove from Burgdorf, the place where my mother in law lives. She was our principal reason of this journey. We stopped by nice places along the trip to the German north. It was almost 4 hours driving.

mmm.. yummy German sausages!

This is the north, the German largest island Rügen, located in the Baltic sea, around it are Poland, Denmark, Phinland

Chalk Cliff of Rügen with colorful beech wood on top

The island of Rügen on the Baltic coast of Germany has some impressive Chalk Cliffs (up to 161m high) in the Jasmund national park. They are kind of white rock from the last period of the Mesozoic era (1-Triassic, 2-Jurassic and 3-Cretaseous). Beside the coast there are some paths to walk along the chalk cliffs or the seaside. It has a lovely white sand beaches and blue sea.

In 1936 a bridge was built for the nazi regim to connect the island with Europe. Also, the nazis added a resort of outstanding ugliness: Prora (massive building complex for vacation), planned by the Kraft durch Freude ("Strength through joy") organisation, which aimed to occupy people's free time. However, Prora was never completed.

On the Baltic sea recording the moment

Baltic sea. A submarin boat floating

Here one of the hightlights there: Several of the beautiful seasides were marked with signs... I couldn't understand the meaning of "Textil Strand", Michael helped me with the German translation to English in other words means "use bathingsuit" :) It is well known that some Germans use to be undressed on the beach. Read the sign:

Michael walking along the Binz pier to go aboard.

Another of its atractions is the Jagdschloss Granitz sits atop a hilltop and offers panoramic views of the entire island from the central tower.

The long, steep spiral climb up the central tower of Jagdschloss Granitz is rewarded with panoramic views. Large antlers adorn the walls throughout the castle. Inside there is a replica of German romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich, one of the greatest exponent in European art of the symbolic landscapes "Chalk Cliffs on Rügen" (Kreidefelsen auf Rügen).

This Friedrich's oil painting with calm, pacific, romantic landscape and tree persons behind back, each one develops the interpretation of life, spirit, religion. The original masterpiece is located in Switzerland.

Anna's Birthday in Rügen

We spent a nice time there on her birthday of October 17. We gathered a delicious fish dinner with exquisite wine. Then we went for a walk along the Baltic seaside under the moonlight! It was divine!!

Binz

Binz is a city located in the Rügen island, there is a rail way built in 1899, where nowadays a steam train is still working. Its name is "Rasende Roland". We took it for 15 minutes, it was facsinating!

Rusende Roland a steam train

What impressed me a lot of our visit to Germany is the care of the environment. There are several groups of four trash labeled for garbage recycling, they are placed in parks, gas stations, malls, public transportation. Also, in many of the supermarkets there, the shoppers are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags, it is not allowed plastic bags in many places, if they do not have any bag, they will be charged. This kind of behavior is being well developed because I could feel how the people are involved and conscious of the bad effect to the environment that is causing the plastic bags. Don't you think it is time to take care of our space here? Regarding the speed of the vehicles, many of the drivers go to 240 km/h without cellphone, cup of coffee in the hands or any other 'distraction'... I was in the highway looking carefully to each one of the drivers... they were fast with the hands on the steering wheel. There are hidden video recorders along the highway (autoband in German) for violators. If you break the law, you can get a mailed fine with a close up picture of yours and your car as an evidence of your fault in the highway. You don't wanna get one, do you?

The German number plate

All the vehicles have an ID with the initial letter of the city, let's say "H" for Hannover, "B" for Berlin (see above pic), blue color with the 12 golden stars of the European Union, which have nothing to do with the number of Member States (27), that number twelve is traditionally the symbol of perfection, unity. Also the letter "D" por Deutchland (Germany). It is interesting to see the signs inside the first levels of the parking garages: "Nur Fur Frauen"(only for ladies). It is because ladies can reach easily their cars in the darkness, for example.

Lübeck

Burgdorf

We continued the trip until we got my mother in law's home in Burgdorf, a pleasant place! Then we went to Hannover to visit the wonderful zoo that I have never seen.

Walking under a sunny day! Burgorf awsome houses

Shinny and happy!Under a maple tree

Other interesting place to recycle is the cemetery in Burgdorf... there are a couple of bins, one for plastic pots and other for dead flowers. Enjoying a nice time with coffee and 'kuchen', delicious! In Tante Mita's house.

Hannover The Zoo


In the zoo, me! the farmer :)

We came back from Frankfurt to USA where almost half an hour before we aboard the plane, the flight was cancelled because the pilot got sick. It was really a big issue to find out the next available flight. Finally, we arrived to Philadelphia without our luggage because they were lost. It was a shame! Inside I got tons of marzipan, Asbach chocolate bars with brandy. After two days we received the lost luggage at home without problems.

Chimu-Inka Group in USA

Chimu-Inka Group

their first time in USA

Chimu Inka Group formed by three Peruvians had performed several times in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

Guillermo Seminario, born in Trujillo in the north part of Peru, Augusto Taype from Juliaca, Puno and Mario Montalvo from La Ciudad Imperial Cusco. They came sponsored by Mountain Spirit Institute. In every perfomn people had nice comments. Chimu Inka group has very native musical instrument made by themselves. I remember one day Guillermo told that one part of the "quena" (flute), was made by condor bone, also the used some native plants from the Peruvian jungle.

They have charm and talent... also they are modest. In this area of New England there are few Spanish speakers but it wasn't a problem for them because their music transmit the universal feeling and language that everybody can understand.

Some highlights in New England:

Dinner at home with Michael, Randy, Amanda, Cindy... the good friends!

Mexican Restaurant "Gusanoz" in Lebanon, NH

Thank you so much guys for the gift! We love the watercolor picture called "Las Chismosas" (The Gossips)... We will show it in some part of our livingroom.

Oh! Fall, Nice Potatoes

What a such nice experience having the fall season in this part of the country. Each year there is a spectacular colorful scenario with the leaves (red, terra, orange, intense green), you would be here to know what I am talking about.

Red leaf in Windor, Vermont

My garden is still surprising me! I never imagined to harvest potatoes as I did some days ago! Looking at them as hidden treasures underground, it is quite nice experience.

That reminds me Perú, by being the protagonist since 8 thousand years when its ancestors had done researchments on a place called Maras in Cusco to control or discover the differentes climates over platforms (andenes) planting potato seeds or coca. They had discovered for over three  thousands varieties of these ancient tubers.

The United Nations - UN has declared 2008 as "Year of the Potato".  Thus, on May 31, 2008, Peru has celebrated the "National Day of the Potato" with its motto 'Treasure from Peru, Food for the World, en many Peruvian places there were fairs where Andean peasants and neighborhood from the urban places displayed several posibilities to cook this popular tuber.Now at home, we will have this sensation to eat potatoes "de la chacra a la olla" (popular expression that means "from the garden to the pot". Mmmmm.... Baked potatoes with cheese, milk, some butter... I wanna try it! Let me know if you need the recipe :)

White and pink potatoes ready to cook!