A weather related Cubanism
As you may already know, the Mrs. and I will be traveling to New York City this Friday to spend a few days with friends and to celebrate my 40th birthday on Saturday. I havent been to NYC in almost 20 years and am totally psyched about the trip.
I thought I would offer a weather related Cubanism for your pleasure since the temperature is and will be in the teens this weekend in the Big Apple. As usual, I dont know exactly where this particular Cubanism originated because it's about very cold weather and of course, there is no really cold weather in Cuba. But this Cubanism is very common and I've heard it every single time Ive spoken to family up North over the phone during winter.
Cubanism: Esta que chifla el mono.
Literal translation: It's that (it's so cold) the monkey whistles.
Meaning: It's freaken COLD!
Usage:
Val steps outside the JFK terminal and gets his first taste of the arctic blast of the NYC winter. He is stunned, looks over at his wife with eyes the size of golfballs and says:
Co?ooooo! Esta chiflando el mono! (Damn!!!! The monkey's whistling!)
You do know we're expecting about a foot of snow this weekend, right?
Is there a Cubanism for snowbound on vacation?
Have a great trip!!
My favorite "it's so cold" hyperbole comes from a cartoon that appeared in The Log, the US Naval Academy student magazine:
"It's so cold, the cockroaches are killing the mice for their pelts!"
Good one Val, I've actually heard my folks say that when they come visit me in winter! Bueno, Happy Birthday and I hope you have a great trip! Y cuidate de ese frio que puede subir los huevos hasta el pico de la cabeza!!!!!