Life has its ups and downs and middle grounds and shades of gray and however you want to call it… Sometimes one can lose his mind going from one extreme to the other without seeing the grays in between.
I am not a big fan of gray shades. I am more or less the extreme one. And I think it should be borrrrrrring to be in between for a long time.
Well, leaving the philosophy behind, it’s been a long time since I took the camera out in the open. I am sorry. Lately my free time is divided between reading and watching Ally McBeal on dvd. Yeah, I am that lame and anti-social. 
And I looove it!
I want to travel more. This month[ so far] I haven’t stepped outside the city lines. Shame on me. And I crave for some traveling right now that you can’t imagine. I dream day and night about the mountains and the sea and the hills and even wide open spaces of autumn fields empty and grey-ish. Yeah, I could just enjoy some time off even in the middle of nowhere, but to be a wide open space.
But this weekend is a book-fest “Kilipirim” at Sala Dalles and I am oh so gonna be there! Books? Say no-more! Besides, this year I have decided on books and music as Christmas presents, so don’t say I didn’t warn you! I have the shopping bug! And of course Carturesti is on the list too. Want some photo-albums and some tea. And maybe another moleskine.
Do you already started to shop for Christmas? Or made a list? What will you give as Christmas presents this year?
***
Today is my cousin’s birthday. And we’re far away! So this is a virtual “Happy birthday, dear Andrew!” And also a virtual hug and tones of kisses! And may all your wishes come true. And lots of snow for the snowboard and may we come together really soon on the slopes and enjoy the snow and the hot-wine with cinnamon and orange peels.
***
Going back to what we talked in the beginning, this is photo to let you know sometimes I really enjoy gray-shades. [or bronze ones...]
Hope you will enjoy it too!
Love,
Rose
Or, how much I love this country’s legacy.
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and we spent the evening in the Village Museum. Love that place, so peaceful, so quiet so full of history and feelings!
It’s not a secret I love my country and I want it to be free and beautiful and prosper and for people to treasure this legacy we received from our grand-grand-grand parents. I think sometimes we get caught up in the day-to-day life and forget to protect the past and enjoy it.
I just finished seeing a documentary/contest/”let’s bring back the past” show on the national television. The thing is so simple, yet so difficult to chose. They show you some beautiful places in this country and the plans of the archeologists and architects to make it “alive” again. Now, seeing all that, watching all those people getting involved and seeing the potential in that place… it kinda makes it hard to choose. Last week the stronghold of Sighisoara won. This week is between the Medieval Citadel of Aiud, The Roman Camp from Porolissum and the Medieval Citadel of Oradea. You can see the article here: http://www.tvr.ro/articol.php?id=72039&c=131 And if you can chose one, please vote.
Gotta love the show and the hearts of these people.
Now getting back to the Village Museum. These are some of the photos we took there. Hope you will enjoy them and when you will come to Bucharest, you should really go visit.
I guarantee you will really love it! 
For more information about the museum, please go here: http://www.muzeul-satului.ro/
Love,
Rose
Before I start this post, let me tell you that I really really wanted to be in the mountains right now rather that in my pj’s on the top of my bed with a bowl of cereals and milk.
But it was not possible. A lot of things to do and people to see and places to be.
So, no snow for now, my heart aches. I really really really [REALLY] miss the snow.
Last night we went for a walk in the city. The weather was just fine to take a walk and I had some dreams of the Dambovita river with its beautiful trees. So grabbed the camera and here is the result.
Beautiful colors.
One detail from a bridge I really really like.
Bulandra Theater on the left.
Some city pieces.
Stavropoleos Church.
And some beautiful beautiful reflections on the water.
People were dressed in costumes, ready for Halloween parties, we saw some ghosts on the streets and some vampires in a coffee house. They looked happy and the city had a lot of lights and pumpkins and decorations.
It felt good walking around city center at twilight. Beautiful city we have.
[still not happy with the quality of the photos when they are posted online. hmmmm...]
Love,
Rose
Because I am kinda down for a while and autumn colors should cheer me up.
Because I miss some dear friends of mine and flowers are always a beautiful gift.
Because tomorrow is another Monday and I want to spread some love around me.
Because I need reminders on how beautiful life is.
Because I need to be kind to myself and love me more in order to be kinder and nicer to other and to love them more.
“If you want to happy, be.” Tolstoy.
Love ya,
Rose
So Greece at first sight [from the plane window] looks terrific. Since the moment that plane starts descending over water and approaching land you can see tiny boats, tiny streets, tiny houses and then lots of tiny trees.
All the details you can find in this land can be missed if you’re not being careful.
So, this post is about details. About magic things found in hidden corners or in strange places.
A flower or two…
A detail of a cat…
Yeah, like that’s ever gonna happen!!!
Let’s rock a little….
And a little more.
Monasteries details.
Details-details
Such beautiful country, will go there again for sure.
Love,
Rose
Yep, that’s me.
Things were getting serious and I needed to run for my life. So I did. Literally. All the way to Athens. Where I met Johny, for a short while. It was like the first beacon of hope. A friendly face in an unknown place. A smiling friendly face, that I will be forever grateful for.
And then through metros, trains, taxis to the final destination: Meteora. I know that I will live with those images on my heart forever. Stunning view from the bottom and from the top. You have to go there if you haven’t. No photos, videos or stories will ever be able to capture the feeling you have looking at it. It is true: the best photos you take with your soul. I know I did.
Ok, so few of you already knew about this trip before I took off, I kinda managed to write you some short weird e-mails to let you know that “tomorrow morning I will be out of here”, but for the rest of you, this is also a sorry post, to forgive me for not being alive and for scaring you with my sudden vanishing. [Mady this is especially for you. Thanks for being such an amazing friend!]
I let some days to pass before I posted the photos, thinking I might find the words to go with them, but looks like no words are there… just an empty space. I think one thing happened during this trip. I kinda lost my words. I think I never spoke so little in my life. Like my brain was not made of words anymore. Just silence. Emptiness. Plus a huge dose of loneliness. That I still feel.
I am marked by that imposing silence and I just wish I could feel the same peace…
No more words, here you have some photos. Hopefully it shall come a second post with more photos, but I make no promises.
And just to say I love you all and thank you for always being there when I need you.
Kiss,
Rose
It’s official. It’s been raining since [you've left me 
] friday night and the weather is quite chilly. So so nice! I am so enjoying this kind of weather, you have no idea.
Now in the morning it has to be hot tea or hot cafe latte, it just doesn’t work icy milk straight from the fridge anymore! [my mom is happy now]
And the leaves are so so cute, besides the apple in front of the house that has all summer some yellow-green leaves, the rest of the trees are starting to get ready for the last carnival of the year.
Oh and the light, the light is so amazing,the air so crisp and gotta love the rain.
Ok, so we just planned an afternoon walk in the park, to end the week in a glorious way.
May we all enjoy our seasons, and may our hearts be blessed wherever we are!
Kiss,
Rose
Today I’ve seen one of my oldest friends… I was in the car, she was on the street. We glanced at each-other and she start laughing pointing her huge belly. She is a beautiful [ok, ok, gorgeous as she's always been] mother-to-be! And she is so sweet and funny and has such a beautiful heart! She was the one in our group that introduced the notion “my heart smiles” !
And today, after seeing her happy smile, I knew she was smiling from her heart!
You know, there are people that won’t change! As in never! And they remain with that pure heart all their lives.
This photo is for you, A.P. so that your heart will never change and will become even more beautiful with each day!
Kiss,
Rose
All of us dream occasionally of being a child once more. To experience all the magic of childhood again and again and again. And when we are around children we tend to do that even more often.
This Saturday we had the opportunity to be around children more than we usually do, and the feelings of joy and pure happiness overload us. Yes, we might still feel a little sore today due to the games we played and the jumping around and our face might still hurt from the laughter, but our souls are free and happy.
It’s not easy to capture children in photos [for me is NOT easy], their souls are so huge and full of splendor, you just manage to have in the pictures just a very tiny part of that.
These beautiful girls are part of our extended family, so for sure we would have another possibility to shoot them again.
Note: No child was harmed during this shooting. I swear!
Enjoy some shots from our lovely Saturday morning in the park.
Above you can see it is contagious!
Beaaaauuuutiful girls!! Very beautiful girls! Gotta love them!
And below you can see the bandit behind this encounter. Meet ‘The Bandit”!
And we had a huge balloon too, thanks to Orange [no intended commercial here, but thanks for making our day happier with the balloons and all!]
Oh, and the park is amazing, besides horses and barbecues and car racing and exercising equipment and sky and sledge’s slops’ in winter and kiosks, is full of wonderful details, like these flowers supports, that I absolutely loved.
And the following one is my favorite one from this series, I guess.
This one is to celebrate a little their love! Two of my favorite people in this big world.
The girls pick 2 bags of acorns, not so sure what they will do with them, but, childhood is full of magical things! Want one? Don’t be shy, we have plenty!
Told ya!
This one is another of my favs. Can you see why?
“Like star dust glistering on fairies wings, little girls dreams are made of magical things.” [Sherry Larson]
Can you see sparkles in her eyes too?
Love,
Rose
Ok, the picture I am talking about right now is not spectacular as others I can show you. It does not have a good composition, a great clarity or amazing mountains or snow or tremendous light or anything like that.
But that is my happy place. When I need to be in a happy place, I get right there. Do you have a happy place?
I will always remember the summer of 2008, when me and Mitzy jumped on a train to go there. Not for a vacation, but for 3 days… another hit and run. But what hit and run, I tell you! We usually hit and run in that place, because it is full of memories. And that summer we walked the empty streets with a book in our hands, opening it and reading different fragments that might “speak” to us. We used to go there since we were kids, and we can include there even a math camp [:)) yeah, me a genius, who'd suspect!], some heartbreaks to mend, some people to forget, some other people to love, or just to breathe again the fresh air from the mountains.
I remember once trekking to 1400 m and planning to get down in the city with the cable car [horrid translation of the word, but is a thing I absolutely hate and take only when necessary], just in time to catch the train… and we found out up there that on Mondays the [bloody] thing does not work, so we almost flew on the way down…
Or the times that we spent with the time being boyfriend[s], and the hopes and dreams!
And then, hiding out with close friends to heal the wounds love and life marked us with… and the hopes and prayers that we would never do the same mistakes again!
And then.. my birthday, when we run from home [sorry for all of you that are still grumpy because of that ] so that I won’t face the aging one more year… [Planning to do that again this year, well, I'm turning... 3.... 0!!!]
Oh, and not to mention the bear adventure… when we walked and walked and… managed to arrive somewhere from behind the Peles castle just to give the guardian a heart-attack when he saw us coming so serene from… the bear’s lair, that we found out after that! And his sermon on “not to do that again, young ladies!!!”!
And it is not far, we managed to get there in 1 hour and some minutes… but it can also take like 3-4 hours, if you get yourself in the rush hour!
So, this is a post to thank God for this healing place and also for friends that were there with me.
Best friends, family, people I knew, people I loved, the Spanish men [:D] and everybody who once felt the real heart of Sinaia… this is for you!
P.S. Sorry, dude, we cannot go there again before you leave, but I have a plan for December.
Ah, da si ala e Piscul Cainelui, pentru cunoscatori!
Love,
Rose
