This year had everything, good memories, challenges, lessons, new variants, depending on your frame of mind. I’m grateful that after a long time, I was able to travel to Vienna, go on a journey in Tuscany, attend a concert in Berlin, to enjoy a meal at a restaurant in Bologna, meet friends in Madrid or visit a museum in Bucharest.
Continue reading “Fragments of Bucharest & 2021”
Thoughts from the road, in a December, after exploring the small Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, zigzagging alleys, and a familiar mix of French and German culture. The more I explore, the more familiar a place and the world feel. Also, the more I write, the easier it is and the lighter I feel.
Continue reading “Winter in Luxembourg”
Madrid days started with traditional churros with hot chocolate and strong coffee (cortado) at Chocolaterías San Ginés, like a Madrileño, had sunshine & tapas for lunch, and ended with ‘tinto de verano’ drink, reminding me of the summer I thought was over, with flamenco guitar in the background.
Continue reading “Tapas for lunch, flamenco for dinner”
Madrid is a city I wanted to visit before the pandemic. Was a journey that took me by surprise – with a mix of Brussels friendship, Flamenco, Passeo de Prado Art Walk, tapas in Mercados, sunsets, Spanish history and busy streets, as a preview of the days to come.
Continue reading “‘De Madrid al cielo’ mix”
October flashbacks, as one fall in Brussels was unforgettable because was all about Art Nouveau. Inoubliable. And very Bruxelloise! Made many notes and photos so I don’t forget. Art Nouveau and Art Deco Biennale was a celebration of Architecture and design variety of buildings in Brussels.
Where to begin?
Continue reading “Bruxelles ~ Art Nouveau & Art Deco Marathon”
Revisited a dear place. August 2021. The Old meets the New in Vienna. Always a pleasure to return to this wonderful city, with something new to discover.
Vienna Museum Quarter (MQ) has a new rooftop and platform, Libelle MQ, at the top of the Leopold Museum.
Continue reading “Moments in Vienna – 2021”
Sticky post
Tuscany is so beautiful, it has to be seen to be believed. The city of Florence is known for its overwhelming art galleries and Michelangelo Renaissance sculptures in marble, but still, I was struck by the colors of vineyards, sounds of the cypresses or the scented air with notes of leather and amber.
Continue reading “Journey to Firenze, Toscana”
Best things to do in Italy all involve food. Bologna is at the center of Emilia-Romagna region, famous for Parmigiano-Reggiano, Mortadella and Prosciutto di Palma, but also aceto balsamico di Modena and much more. And to think I associated in the past the city only with pasta sauce and the Bologna university system, home of Europe oldest university.
Continue reading “Taste of Bologna”
Berlin is not short of ways to enjoy the warmer months, in both Spring and Summer. Oldest beer garden and open air cinema. Museum and galleries, lakes and rooftops, bookshops and icecream.
Continue reading “Enjoy Berlin”
Voilà. I went last time to Strasbourg in a warm weekend in February that made me think Spring is on its way. I remember walking on a street called Rue de Printemps (Spring) near the European Parliament. There is something romantic walking in any French city street, but especially one with the name of a season.
Continue reading “Bonsoir Printemps, Strasbourg”
Potsdam is a one day trip from Berlin, and is a city that invited exploration as it has 17 palaces spread across 3 parks from a Prussian royal heritage. The parks and palaces complex are today an UNESCO World site and a mix of styles with gardens inspired from many parts of the world – Greece, Italy, France or ancient Asia.
Continue reading “Potsdam – Palaces & Parks”
Kreuzberg and Neukölln neighborhoods were like a puzzle. Unconventional, different, yet still Berlin. Contrasting parts of the city, most tolerant, and in the same time, surprisingly traditional, both part of former West Berlin.
Continue reading “Kreuzkölln in Berlin”
Most photogenic city in Europe must be Amsterdam. This Dutch city is pretty at every corner with the picture perfect charming houses, over 1000 bridges bridges for 165 canals and world-class museums. I was lucky that I visited the cozy city 4 times during the years I lived in Brussels, so I wrote down from my journal 4 memories.
Continue reading “I Amsterdam”
There is something about train stations and time. The most beautiful train station I ever saw with magnificent details was in Antwerp. The classic central station was first used in 1905 (yes, really). The city, known as Anvers by French speakers, is one I feel connected by many memories, and must be the third most visited Belgian city in the years I lived in this country, after Brussels and Bruges.
Continue reading “Antwerpen Central Station”
Art inspired from Romanian mythology and traditions and carved in wood, sandstone and later bronze or marble. From Târgu-Jiu and Bucharest to Paris, via Munich until New York. Every year, on the 19th of February, a tribute is paid to honor the memory of genius artist Constantin Brâncuși, pioneer of modern sculpture. But the Brâncuși Week starts today.
Continue reading “Brâncuși Week & The Endless Column”
Travel Journal 