A little inspiration

Living, loving are inherently risky. There's never any certainty. Yet most of us seek it and in the process we ruin some beautiful aspects of living and loving. We tie people down and limit them with our expectations and demands, we tie ourselves down, we limit so much. But that is part of being human, living in the time and place that we do, and the challenge is to let go little by little if we can, when we can.

On feeling good and a Hike in the Austrian Alps

I have been feeling so good since we got back from vacation. I used to hear people say that they felt 10 years younger as a result of whatever, and I didn't really know what they meant. Now I do. I have so much more energy, and just feel lighter overall. I'm trying to figure our what it is:

• the time away from responsibilities, and the mental load that eliminated?
• the stunning natural beauty we were part of?
• revisiting some places and people that were formative in my life, and thus gaining a new perspective and understanding, and more importantly acceptance of who I am?

Well, I'll never know for sure, possibly it's a combination of the above and some other things as well.

This is one of the hikes we took in Austria. I wanted to go to Austria for the mountains and alpine pastures, and although I was afraid that I had built up my expectations too much, the reality turned out to be even better than I thought.

House in the beautiful village of Alpbach

 Starting our hike

We walked along this paved road for a while

 And soon came to a little restaurant, so might as well stop

 There were cows nearby. There are cows everywhere on the mountain.

 We said, let's sptop and have a bite to eat before the hike

With this was the view

And this view

 And the food was very hearty, good to keep you going for a while

Then we were ready to go up the mountain. I took many pictures (too many, would say the rest of the family), because everywhere I turned it was so beautiful.

 Near the top we came to this little cave like thing. Ed went inside to check it out...

and found a bunch of pigs, snuggled up all cute with each other.

As we kept walking, this horse appeared out of the mist, and really wanted to hang out with us. This must've been a farm where they bring their animals to graze.

And in case my videos from the previous post did not come through (sometimes they don't work if you're receiving them by email), here's the link to the one from this hike. You can hear the lovely sound of cow bells in it. Too bad you can't smell the good mountain air and feel how crisp and invigorating it is.

Peace

Two videos from our trip

I loved this traffic in Arges county, Romania

I went to Austria for the alpine pastures and the mountains. I was afraid I had built up my expectations too much, but the reality was even better than I thought, and my heart was filled with bliss and thanks. Listen to those cow bells...  

Bucuresti - where I was born and lived until I was 14

This is my granmother's (Bunica's) tiny kitchen. We stayed in her apartment, which my mom and aunt now share, while in Bucharest. The apartment is very small but well situated, downtown Bucharest. I have many memories there.

Typical streets and sights around Bunica's apartment.

A short distance away from Bucharest center, this is the area where I grew up. My dad was in Bucharest when we got there, and he came to visit our old apartment building and street with us. I twas actually really nice to have him there to show us and especially the girls and talk about his experiences.

This is Mamaia's building that will forever be deeply etched in my memory and being. I spent many many hours here. She lived on the 7th floor.

The street from Mamaia's apartment building to ours. It was only a 3 minute walk, which made it easy for her to come and take care of my sister and I every day while my parents were at work. 

Sena and Aiyana posing in front of a Trabant, one of the few cars that people had while i was growing up. There are many more cars in Bucharest now, and of all kinds. Seeing this Trabant though was special.

The school I went to from the age of 6 or 7 until 12-13. It was less than a minute walk from my house, literally right in front of our apartment building. I think that part of who I am right now, for better and for worse, was in no small part forged in this institution.

 In front of the apartment building where my family lived. I spend innumerable hours on these steps, playing with my friends, talking, doing what kids did back then. I was with my friends every spare moment I had, meaning any time when I wasn't in school or had to do homework. I think that allowed me to build social skills, because it was kind of like growing in a large extended family, always with other people around, always having to read them, and learning to get along. All in all I am grateful for my childhood, all I learned and all I experienced.

 Showing Sena and Aiyana around our old neighborhood. It was really special to be able to share this with them. They will never feel the way I felt back then, that world is truly gone, but at least they'll know about it in an abstract kind of way and they will have some sights and places to imagine what it was like back then.

The old man and woman in the background came from the country to sell a few bunches of parsley in Bucharest. Many old people have it really tough in Romania right now. Their pensions are often not enough to even buy basic necessities, and many of them are reduced to begging or literally barely scraping by.

The outdoor market in our old neighborhood. Mamaia went here every day, as do many people still, to buy fruits, vegetables, and other food.

 Driving in Bucharest - the girls really liked these artesian fountains near the center

One of Ceausescu's buildings (built opulently while people were barely getting by). Apparently he wanted it to rival the Pentagon.

Very close to Bunica's apartment, this is Dimbovita River at night

Downtown Bucharest

 Many street vendors with fresh flowers everywhere - the custom still is in Romania, that if you go visit someone you bring flowers.

 A nice new bookstore near Bunica's apartment where the girls and I had a treat.

Bunica's apartment door.  There are many keys and locks.

 Walking around one evening, we came to this free live concert.

 And a protest the next day (we were told it was for the reunification of Basarabia to Romania).

Peace

Back home

We had a really nice vacation, and it's also good to be back home. I have lots of pictures  and a few stories. Will be posting some soon.

Learning from the pros

Today I learned how to make Cașcaval, a traditional cheese, from a farm woman in the Romanian countryside. Very grateful for this unique experience. She generously shared her craft just because I told her that I want to learn, and she refused any sort of payment. Good to see that kindness is alive and well.

Romania - in the Fagaras Mountains

The small, quaint village of Corbeni

 Impressive Vidraru Dam

 The road through Fagaras Mountains down in the valley

 Traditional Romanian meal enough to feed us twice over.