Drop A Coin And Make A Wish

Fontana di Trevi, Rome, Italy

What I Feel Like Doing Now

Blogger deleted my last post during its maintenance today, which they said will last for 2 hours, but it took all day, so I will post it back.

Albany Lake, Italy

What I Feel Like Doing Now

Italy, Albano Lake

Long Weekend Report

There are 2 weeks since we planned to go out this weekend with a drive-test car, a Mercedes Viano with 7 seats, but due to the cold and rainy weather we decided to make a very short trip nearby Bucharest, to Comana monastery and park. 

The test car was huge and the kids were delighted, I was sitting on the back seats with all of them (all three of mine plus Andrei, their cousin), while Bogdan and his brother enjoyed the view from the front row. 

Is true, somebody had to drive the car...

Radu was very happy to try the driver's place for few minutes... 

...he wouldn't let it go.

 Comana Monastery is very close of Bucharest, at about 45 kilometers, and it was established by Vlad Tepes in 1461, as a fortress monastery. It was rebuild and restored several times, but for such an old and interesting location, the roads and the maintenance are much worst than expected. 

After we visited the monastery, we headed to Comana Natural Reservation, a gorgeous and savage place, but with no useful maps or food facilities. 

The reservation is one of a kind, because it has an interesting micro-clime, warmer and moister than the rest of the area, like a delta. Thank God it was cold, I don't wanna know how many mosquitoes would pinch us there if it was hot!

 

We might sit for longer, but the kids were hungry and the only restaurant in the area was fully reserved for a wedding (and even if it wasn't, they requested reservation to open it!), so we had to return home. Not before a little adventurous walk through the reed, on a rotten wood bridge, where Andrei fell into the water. 

As you can see, no matter how big the car, they always need more space!

On the road back, we saw lots of yellow fields of canola flowers, we needed to stop and take some pictures!

It was the Good Fairy's birthday party last night, so I attended Tribute for a nice magic wand and some good dance music! If felt gooooood!

Today the weather was even colder than yesterday and it was raining almost all the time. 

What a bunch of crazy kids can do in a cold and rainy day at home? 

Yes, they can sit under an umbrella!

And, of course, on all the pillows in the room! Why sit on the carpet?

Then, they can fight for the umbrella, of course!

Mara can drive a plane and use the autopilot for taking us to Paris...

And Radu can use the curtains as a tent or as a hide... whatever he likes...

I'm looking forward to go at work tomorrow! Or, should I say... today?

This Moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. {from www.soulemama.com}

Ready for school, today

Andalusia - Alhambra

I really don't know why I postponed for so long this last episode from our trip to Andalusia.  Even now, the words don't come easy (recognize the song?), but I think of it all the time, so I have to let it go.

The Alhambra Moorish palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs of the Nasrid Dynasty in Spain, during the mid 14th century. After the Reconquista (reconquist) by the Reyes Catolicos (Catholic Monarchs), in 1492, some portions were used by the Christian rulers. 

It is now one of the major attractions of Spain, even for locals, not only for tourists, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Islamic architecture. The Alhambra is a Unesco World Heritage site, and a huge inspiration for artists, singers and writers. The most westerly feature is the Alcazaba (citadel), a strongly fortified position.

The literal translation of Alhambra, "red fortress", reflects the color of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The buildings of the Alhambra were originally whitewashed, however, the buildings seen today are reddish.

Don't let our pictures fool you, the place is full of people in all seasons, and we found even a bride photographed in this beautiful location. Of course, we took her picture, too.

Forgotten things

We forgot to enjoy life, we forgot to be alone and find pleasure in being alone, we forgot to take time, we forgot to smell the flowers, we forgot the deep love, we forgot to look in the eyes, we forgot to be nice, we forgot to sincerely smile, we forgot to be delighted, we forgot to enjoy the silence, we forgot to feel the pleasure, we forgot the intimacy, we forgot to breath the world,  we forgot to be free, we forgot to be.

Cismigiu Park, 2nd of May

Cismigiu Park, 2nd of May

Cismigiu Park, 2nd of May

Cismigiu Park, 2nd of May

Cismigiu Park, 2nd of May