Once upon a time, I acknowledged the beauty of the European continent. When in Estonia for a summer school, we took the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki with “Viking line”, because is “only two hours away”. Yes! I learned a Finish untranslatable word – “sisu”, that might be the definition of happiness. And the Scandinavian habit “friluftsliv”, useful now, in pandemic times.
Continue reading “Helsinki White Night Moment”
While sitting in the train from Berlin to Potsdam, I started writing about my last trip to Düsseldorf. Even though “dorf” means village in German, and the word is in the name, Düsseldorf is such an interesting dinamic city today. I visited it in summer and autumn. And two time in winter, for the Christmas market, as we have to admit the holidays are the only best part during the cold months.
Continue reading “4 things to do in Düsseldorf”
In a rainy October weekend, I attended the Lithuanian Film festival in Berlin, while mixing it with memories from a trip in the heart of Vilnius years ago. I started thinking of special friendships and remembered the Constitution of the “Republic” of Užupis, that claims “everyone has the right to make mistakes”.
Continue reading “Vilnius goes Berlin”
In Warsaw I traveled only for work many times. And the memories are a puzzle, while the seasons are changing. Summer after work on the main street Novi Świat or an autumn night, accidentally attending a Chopin piano concert in a bookstore. A winter morning, in a taxi seeing the city covered with snow or in spring at food market Hala Koszyki. Warszawa reminded me of Bucharest, that made me a bit melancholic. Polish language is also very different, but some sounds are familiar. I felt as I traveled in time.
Continue reading “Chopin’s Warsaw”
In an early Friday morning I am at the Brussels Midi train station, about to board the Eurostar and go to London for an extended weekend. My first time traveling with the Eurostar train. And I am looking around, listening to people speak French or English with a superb accent, thinking how lucky I am and how cool is Europe!
Continue reading “Destination: London”
From different cities there are moments, people and places that stay with us. When I think of Oslo, I remember first the Opera House. I never saw till this day a more impressive modern Opera. I haven’t been to Sydney yet, and the Copenhagen Opera is also contemporary. But I dare to say this one in Oslo is one of a kind.
Continue reading “Oslo Opera House”
September. Movies. Bella Italia. From today until the 12th of September, the 77th edition of the Biennale Cinema di Venezia will be held. The Venice Film Festival is promoting international cinema in all forms “as art, entertainment and as an industry.”
Continue reading “Venice – La Biennale 2020”
Since I visited Prague twice, once in winter weather, and in summer, I feel I saw and photographed two different contrasting cities, both beautiful. I explored so far only districts Praha 1 and Praha 2. May sounds as Hunger games, but in fact Prague is more bohemian than entertaining, more Kafka than Hollywood, and this is awesome.
Continue reading “Photo journal from Prague”
Sticky post
Three recommendations with love, from the heart of Transylvania and one cliché, as usual. The historic region is synonym with mystery, but travelers must look past Dracula to discover it properly. It has much to offer, from nature, adventure, mountains, fortified cities, Saxon villages and yes, appropriately spooky castles.
Continue reading “Visit Transylvania”
Summer days in the Dalmatian coast. Sunset on a isolated Saint Jakub beach, Croatian wines between the walls of Dubrovnik on Stradun, piano concert, sightseeing, red-brick roofs and turquoise water, swimming in the Adriatic Sea, trips to Srd mountain and Island of Lokrum.
Continue reading “Dubrovnik. Postcards from the past”
Revisiting past memories is an opportunity for closure and to look at things from a different light. With clichés and all. In my Belgian years I tried to travel often inside the country and understand Belgium as much as possible. What I remember about Bruges is the vintage atmosphere and smell of gingerbread mixed with melancholy, where I felt like Gretel.
Continue reading “In Bruges / Brügge”
Did you know that you can see from a tram in a day the entire Belgian coastline of the North Sea from the border with the Netherlands until reaching the dunes of sand near France? C’est posible!
Continue reading “The Belgian Coast & De Kusttram”
We still cannot make plans for the summer, but we can dream and revisit past travel destinations. In the last days I reflected on favorite summer trips where I would like to return, from a Promenade in the South of France, fado rhythms of the Atlantic Ocean, Italian towns, to German castles and my hometown at the shore of the Black Sea.
Continue reading “Côte d’Azur. Éclat & Belle chérie”
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”
No place like home, except the seaside. Difficult to say what I liked more in Barcelona – sangria on our first night, the flavors of paella, eating the Boqueria market fruits next to the Mediterranean, strong coffee on Passeig de Gracia while admiring the Gaudí architecture and being called “señiorita”. Si. With flamenco in the background.
Continue reading “Spain ~ Gaudí ~ Barcelona”
Wandering around in Colmar among well preserved half-timbered houses, I was inspired to stop and write a sentence or two instead of photographing. Is amazing when this is happening.
Continue reading “Once Upon a Time … in Colmar”
Even though Verona is famous for tragical Romeo & Juliet of Shakespeare, what I remember from that holiday are pumpkin ravioli, pecorino cheese, tiramisu, lake Garda, stunning architecture and opera. Yes, Italian opera! Is so easy to keep finding reasons to return to Italy, right?!
Continue reading “Memories – “Aida” in Verona”
🎼 Vienna, the city of waltz. Beautiful and elegant. You see everywhere it used to be an imperial capital.
In a December morning before Christmas in 2017 I was drinking my coffee at Café Demel, where it smells phenomenal (Kohlmarkt 14, 1010 Wien).
