wanderlust rhapsody

Corrieshalloch Gorge

evelin_armella — Wed, 20 May 2015 11:15:32 GMT

Meadows and mountains all covered in a pure white snow mixed with a dark grey sky, that was the view through the window of the car. I was so amazed I felt like in those movies where the scenario is always around dark days, Of course they were the famous Highlands of Scotland. where the sheep don't know about any wild weather or impediments to get out and get their food. While that pure white allows you to see very clear the deer on top of the hills watching you arriving to their territory and being able to see for first time the famous ginger Highland cows.
Neil turned in another direction and parked in place with nothing amazing around. "You will love this place". Waterproof clothes and shoes on as it was raining apart of all the snow around. and we started to walk, down and down. Suddenly i could hear the roar of the water stronger and stronger. And then I was there, a wee bridge and the most impressive Gorge I could ever imaged, it was Corrieshalloch Gorge.
Not even the Iguazu falls made feel so small in the world, that place was just the perfect mix of scary, wild and beautiful, just to look down made me want to scream, not only for the power of the water falling and running, all the trees and rocks made of that place a perfect master piece. Where I realize how small we are against the nature, just to imagine of falling down made me cross quickly the bridge and walk around that beautiful forest, not even the cold, the rain or the fact that i couldn't feel my fingers anymore made me stop watching that place, you really don't see something like this everyday, not even in all the places I traveled before.
My surprise didn't finish there, Neil got close to me and asked me "do you like it?" with my eyes sparkling i answered "like it? I just cant assimilate so much beauty, this a good Scottish welcome" And then with the forest in one side and the huge gorge in the other, Neil and me looked at each other and had our first kiss.
Today I'm one more time here, with the rain falling over my face, without being able to move my fingers, standing in the same bridge hearing that powerful roar falling and running, it just reminds me how powerful my love for him was, but he decided to leave.
And you know what ? I realized that I was just like this place, wild, falling down but carrying on with all the power you can, probably he wasn't able to handle me.
Everybody has that natural place in the world, that identify you. Mine is Corrieshalloch Gorge.

Passport & Plate - Anchi de la Puna

evelin_armella — Fri, 6 Mar 2015 08:23:56 GMT

Ingredients
1 lt of water
1 orange
half lemon
2 cups of cornmeal
4 spoons of sugar
3 apples

How to prepare this recipe
1.Put the water till it boils

2.Peel the apples and chop into small squares

3. squeeze the juice from the orange and lemon and drop them in the water

4, chop the skin of the orange in very small squares

5. Drop the corn meal and the sugar into the water and mix.

6. Once the corn meal get the proper shape, not too dry, (has to be semi semi-liquid) drop the orange skin and apples chops.

7. Mix everything, till the orange skin and apple get well soft.

8. you can serve it hot or cold and as an option you can powder it with a touch of cinnamon

The story behind this recipe
What this recipe means to me? my family roots and the same time reminds me about my trips to the Argentinian and Bolivian "Puna" which is in the north of Argentina, where they share many traditions and foods with Bolivia.
As my parents come from that place, my mom used to make it, specially during the winter time. Why? After a long day, in the cold weather and after having a hot shower there is nothing better to have some delicious sweet hot anchi to warm up your soul.
But living in the city is not a hard life, I realized about it when I started to explore what in south america people call "La Puna", when you are in such high altitudes, when the weather has no mercy, people look for rich a nutrition to be able to deal with very hard journeys, specially working in farms.
I was visiting Abra Pampa and my mom said "would you like a to have a hot drink?" I didn't doubt to accept her offer, it was a freezing summer day, and we jumped in a wee bistro, in the town market, my surprise was to see they have all types of corn, like white corn, purple corn, yellow corn, etc.
I decided to try the anchi, their recipe was lovely, or probably their cornmeal was even better than the one i could find back home. while i was waiting for my order, I saw a bunch of people having big bowl of it, people who would have to leave to work with the sheep, or other outdoor jobs, an old man who had a long way to go to work in the mines.
This meal comes from very few aboriginal people left in south america, struggling to keep their traditions, goodies and food.
As you can see this is not a fancy recipe with fancy ingredients, but it doesn't mean its not delicious and very healthy, specially if you have a long day to go, or if you just arrived home tired from a hard day.
Today Im in the Scottish Highlands visiting my best friend, their wanted me to make something from my country, as the weather has been miserable the last days, guess what did i make for them?.

Photos: Helsinki

evelin_armella — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 08:37:00 GMT