All posts by chivacongelado

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Stimulating domestic tourism in Mexico


Vive México campaign

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

One thing that really caught my attention during our last trip in Mexico is the huge marketing campaigns to stimulate domestic tourism. There were ads not only talking about Mexico in general but also about specific destinations within the country (paid for by local tourism councils).

With the dry-up of foreign tourism due to the publicity given to several recent events, it’s not a surprise they’re turning to the people already living there first. I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary at all, and enjoyed my trip immensely. Given the importance of the tourism industry to the economy, I really hope people start coming back, as the country has a lot to offer to the visitor.

in english

Drinking before travelling

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One hand, two beers

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

Don’t get me wrong, as any long-time reader of this blog knows, I like my beer. However, I find rather disgusting when people going on holiday start drinking on their departure airport before breakfast time.

I understand the need to unwind, but have you ever thought that If you need a beer or a glass of champagne before 7 a.m. in front of your kids you might have a problem?

in english

European elections

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European elections

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

I am very disappointed in the level of the campaigns for the European Parliament elections this year. Since the average Finnish voter knows very little about the EU (they may have not explained it to you, but the European Parliament has broader powers than the Eduskunta in some matters, but not as much as certain politicians would have you believe) and is naturally very sceptic of the unknown, the themes of the election have been mostly domestic issues such as immigration and social security.

Most parties (including those in government) use the cheap trick of blaming everything that’s wrong on the European institutions to the tone wherever the European Union is present there will be problems, forgetting completely the advantages of being part of the EU and being in the decision-making process. You know, small things like access to a huge market for Finnish products and services, huge agricultural subsidies for Finnish farms, a strong, stable currency (just ask the Icelanders or the Swedes if they wouldn’t want that at the moment) and the fact you don’t need to show a passport to go to Greece or Spain are forgotten by most. Shame on them.

Regardless of that if you haven’t done so already, please vote by the 7.6. Any vote that doesn’t go for the Perussuomalaiset is a plus (I mean, do you really want people like them to represent Finland in Europe?).

in english

National values and adaptation of an immigrant in Europe

One of the topics I was discussing with friends is how while in the New World being American, Canadian or even Mexican is more than anything else an ideal that can be aspired to and achieved, being Finnish, German or Italian requires you to be born into it.

If this is true, then for the sake of argument we could assume that the current debate about the need for immigrants to adapt and blend into society (what I sometimes jokingly call soppauttaminen, a play on the Finnish words for soup and adapt) is asking for the impossible, simply because the only way for them to be regarded as to be fully part of society is to be born there, which at least their first generation cannot do.  Further down the road it might happen, but is not automatic.

One could argue that this is exactly what happened to Turks in Germany, where until the change of the citizenship laws this decade, the children and grandchildren of immigrants were not allowed to become citizens of the country where they were born.  It is documented that even today they live in very tightly knit communities with little contact with the outside world.

In France, on the other hand  you have the values of liberty, equality and fraternity that are cherished by all and ensure that everybody who adapts the French language and values will be deemed as French at least in theory, but in practice it might be a little bit more complicated, as the situation in the banlieues shows.

Trying to apply this to my experiences, I have been trying to understand if there is an idea of Finnishness that I can make my own, that would also be accepted by society and followed through. If the perunasuomalaiset and other Finnish politicians really want to take the situation of immigration head on, they should ask that question. A person who has no investment in and no part in society will not be interested in his development within it.

in english

Hudson hotel review

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Hudson Hotel lobby bar

In my recent trip to New York City I stayed at the Hudson in 58th street, as the location fit my needs to the T. The experience, however, was not that pleasant even if the staff were really attentive: basically, that architect (renowned Philippe Starck) should have been fired as the place is absolutely not user-friendly even if it is designed to be chic.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not against good design (after all, I live in Finland, cradle of Alvar Aalto where the touch of the Nordic movement can be seen almost everywhere) but in my book good design has to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

On arrival (at midnight and completely jetlagged) I couldn’t find the hotel as there is no sign with its name at the entrance, only a “hole” with two lamps made to look like torches on its side.  Going inside there are no signs, so I had to guess that the check-in was to be performed in the big desk that looked more like a bar.  On reaching my room, I realised it was not small by NY standards but positively tiny as there was only space for the bed and my luggage didn’t even fit, and noisy to boot.  I asked for a change due to the airplane-grade noise coming from one of the machines outside and got to a less noisy location, where I realised that the sound insulation was terrible anyway and I could hear pretty much everything (and I mean everything) coming from my neighbouring rooms and walkways.

With that I fell asleep, but my surprises continued in the morning when I realised that my legs were too long to be able to sit in the loo (and I’m only 183 cm./6 ft. tall!). That was too much for me and I asked for an upgrade or a change of hotel.  Later that week I found out that the lobby bar is a favourite location with the hipsters of the city, which means there is a lot of noise every weekend before you escape to your room.  The hotel does have a couple of very nice bars, even if beers are 9 bucks a pop.

  • + Location, staff, chic factor (for those who care)
  • – Design user-friendliness, noise, room sizes
  • Recommended for: teenagers and young adults.
  • Not recommended for: business travellers, families
  • Would I stay there again? Only for the right price as now I know what is the catch.