This is a post in the Belgian beer review series.
Very interesting dark beer, with a taste of plums and rye bread. Too heavy for me, but worth trying.
Belgian beer review: Delirium tremens
This is a post in the Belgian beer review series.
As the name suggests, this is a very strong triple fermented beer. The taste of alcohol is overpowering, but it has a very nice colour regardless. Not for nothing there’s pink elephants in the bottle label.
Belgian beer review: Lindemans Apple
This is a post in the Belgian beer review series.
Very interesting fruity beer, feels more like a very heavy apple cider instead. If you like fruity lambics it is worth a try.
Belgian beer review: Leeuwse Witte / Blanche du Lion
This is a post in the Belgian beer review series.
Nice but rather plain white beer. Refreshing nevertheless, but not a favourite.
P.S. Mexico’s 33rd state
On my way back from Mexico I picked up Newsweek magazine's yearly edition of the issues that will dominate in the next 12 months. I was rather surprised when I found this article by former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castañeda, where he explains a very interesting manifestation of the law of unintended consequences, if such exists.
He argues that the border fence that the United States has started to build to keep illegal immigration out is instead keeping them in. Before, it used to be a cyclical phenomenon where people would cross, work in the United States for a season and then move back to Mexico. Nowadays, they cannot risk going back and not being able to return, so when they are able to cross they stay and try to bring their families along. That's most probably the opposite of what the proponents of this initiative originally wanted.
Whereas I don't agree with breaking the law, the first step in fixing a problem is acknowledging that it exists and what its reasons are. As we've seen initiatives like this don't seem to help much.
En conclusión: México sigue dormido / Wrap up: Mexico is still asleep
Quisiera compartir con ustedes, apreciados lectores, la conclusión a la que llegué después de escribir mis entradas más recientes sobre México al concluir mi viaje por allá. Por desgracia, pienso que el país parece que sigue dormido como menciona Oppenheimer en el capítulo de su libro dedicado a México. Aunque encontré bastante capacidad emprendedora, también me topé con evidencia de que el sistema político y económico está inclinado hacia la parálisis en lugar de las reformas que necesita el país. Lo más preocupante para mí fue que no noté que la actitud de la población en general haya cambiado mucho, con una mentalidad conformista francamente desalentadora.
Me parece que seguimos esperando algo, pero no sé qué. Mientras tanto, el resto de los países recientemente industrializados siguen marchando hacia adelante.
¿Queremos tomar el mando de nuestro propio destino, o no?
As a conclusion to my recent posts on Mexico given my last trip there, I have to say that the country appears to be still asleep, as Oppenheimer mentions in his book in the chapter devoted to Mexico. Even though there is entrepreneurship, I also found evidence that the political and economic system is skewed towards inaction rather than reform. Even more troubling was that I didn't see signs of change in the attitudes of the general population, with a mindset of conformism that was frankly quite disheartening.
It is like we're waiting for something, but I don't know what. In the meantime, the rest of the newly-industrialised countries are powering ahead.
Do we want to take control of our destiny, or not?
Mexicans can’t let go of the past
We visited Xcaret during our trip to Cancún, and attended their evening show. In general it was very well made, and for example it is the first time I have seen the mesoamerican ball game being played live (no human sacrifice, though).
There was, however, one thing that bothered me in the show, but it wasn’t about the quality or anything like that. It was a segment where they had somebody singing “Mi México de Ayer” by Chava Flores. I actually have one of his CDs and think his music is quite good, but at the moment I was really annoyed by one very simple fact: Mexicans can’t let go of the past. This is also reflected in the way we are taught about own own history, where everything was better before than it is now and whatever comes from abroad is a threat.
We can’t start building a future if we keep on looking at the past.
No podemos construir un futuro si seguimos enfocándonos en el pasado.
The two sides of the Mexican economy
I bought the "1000 most important companies in Mexico" edition of Mundo Ejecutivo magazine for my trip to Cancún, hoping to find some insightful understanding of the Mexican market and how are they driving the globalization process. Instead I found a horrible, boring megaleaflet where all sorts of companies where trying to sell their product or service, but without focusing on the added value, only on market domination.
When I came back from the beach to Mexico City, I found the airport "maleteros", or luggage trolley employees, that offer their services to carry your luggage from the arrival gate to your car. This service in many other countries is not provided, as you would be able to get a trolley yourself for free. These guys, however, are unionised, and not only they not allow the introduction of trolleys, but they also forbid the entrance of competition. Again, the same situation, no focus on added value, only monopolies.
With this kind of thinking pervasive in the economic activities of the country, it is no surprise a significant sector of the population perceives globalisation more as a threat than an opportunity.
Finns and poverty
Finland is a very egalitarian society, as anyone who has visited Helsinki can attest to. Given that it is also a relatively affluent society, I have somehow come to the conclusion that maybe some Finns (especially of the younger generation) cannot relate to poverty anymore, as they don't necessarily see it (if Kontula & Suvela are the worst the country can throw at you, you're not doing so bad). Or rather, some cannot see it as something that could happen to them, and "if it can't happen to me, it isn't real".
This is especially interesting since Finland was not such a well-off country until the 80's, and even in the 90's there was a terrible economic crisis. How can people so easily forget?
Michelada
I wonder whether a European would ever consider adding salt, lime juice and chili sauce to a beer…
It is, however, a delicious concoction for a warm day.