My city

I love Thessaloniki. I was afraid how I would feel upon return. But it was so pleasant, that I walked for a week with a silly smile on my face just because I was there. And I almost cried when I was leaving. 

"Little" Thessaloniki in video

Amazing video made with a "miniature technique" that makes you think all you see is very very small
Addio Cita by Emmanuil Papadopoulos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5zVU_kqAnE

Distance

I am lucky to have made one, two real friends (on top of acquaintances, colleagues etc) in each location where I've lived for a while. One major advantage of this are no-brainer holiday destinations and free accommodation whenever I visit :P. A major disadvantage though is the distance in case of trouble. I don't take bad news very well. So when someting is wrong with a very dear person and there is not much I can do from far - I hate my long-distance friendships and just want to fly across the continent today.

Durbaszka

This weekend was for a girls-only, 3-days hiking in Pieniny. Sunny, cold weather perfect for climbing. Freed legs made such long distances that my muscles are still sore (including butt). Freed minds bursted with ideas - including a risky dairy business. It was only very far. I also had very interesting verbal encounters with utterly dumb people and total assholes- sad but entertaining.

Poland to the right, Slovakia to the left.

Szczawnica springs.

Żelazowa Wola

Went with my mother the court, where Fryderyk Chopin was born, and the museum of the composer after the recent renovation. Amazing combination of modern architecture, natural landscape and old historical buildings: simple, translucent with natural scent of wood indoors. Not pompous, not pretentious. Bravo.

B-day and (second) housewarming party

Horror

Recently I hear very disturbing stories about crime in my neighbourhood - assasinations, murders for organ trafficking... Scary to step outdoors.

Thessaloniki at home

Don't have a home in Thessaloniki, but can have Thessaloniki at home :))
A view on the Nikis street EVERY DAY :)

Orange Warsaw Festival

Went with friends yesterday, mainly for the Mika show. And it was great to sing out loud all the lyrics under the stage. I had an VIP invitation for the tribune but seems people sitting there had least fun of all so I left (my friends chose to stay, mainly for the closeness of the catering:P).
A peculiar encounter also took place. In the crowd under the stage at some point I looked up and I was standing arm in arm with a CLONE of my ex-boyfriend - same Greek features just with blue eyes. No, I did not take a picture.

In total we spent there 8 hours with a good Nelly Furtado concert at the end.

The weather NOT allowing

So the outdoor event at the outdoor lounge was a disaster as the weather was horrible, rainy, windy and freezing cold so almost noone came. So we left early.And I realised I have no picture of the dresses!

A bike trip around Łochów

We went on several bikes around villages in the area of Łochów, where my best friend's parents live. We survived both a thunderstorm and a massive attack of mosquitos.
Some places, like this shop where all is sooooo cheap, really seem 20 years backward. Not sure if it's good or bad.

A new christian

Another new christian was recently baptised - Sofia - bearing an Orthodox name since she was born in Cyprus. My present were photos from the event. My favourites follow:





These were taken by Marta:

Warsaw Rising Museum

I went today to the newest of Warsaw museums - the Warsaw Rising Museum of 1944. And I must say it's one of the best history museums I have seen. The way the 63 days of tragic fighting of civilians is show is very impressive and very moving.
Plus an amaizng 3D movie - reconsruction of the bird eye view of the bombarded city. Here is the trailer (MUST WATCH for anyone who ever has been in Warsaw). 60 years ago there was almost nothing left

Yeey

My dress rental collection (www.pozyczkiecke.blox.pl) is going to exhibit in the "hottest" place of Warsaw this summer (outdoor lounge at the river bank):))))
I was there yesterday with friends, and one of them told the owner that I have a dress rental and she invited me to bring it over next saturday. The parlour is going to move to a prime location :)

words abuse

3 words I would ban immediately as they are actually abused:

• key, in Polish "kluczowe" brrrrrr (=very important)
• project (now it's ANYTHING that someone does: a new cd, flowershop or changing tiles in your bathroom - mercy!)
• awesome - it's sooo passe.

Best icecream EVER

When I drive East of Warsaw I always stop at this small town where they make the best icecream EVER in the whole world - in Jadów. Hand made, creamy and thick.

This masterpiece is sold though in the least presentable place ever (the one in the middle):

There is nothing else interesting in the town except for the ice cream by the way.

God mother

When I still was a believer I became a god mother to a kid. Today the kid aged 5 tells me: "you know, we were created by God". I ask "how do you know that?". Then I hear the mother hiss "please stop, no revolutionary theories". Ok, i stopped, but does it make me a good god mother?

Why not

Too far
Too bored to drive
Too late
Too hot
Too tired
Too busy
It's thursday (!)

Reasons I've heard from several friends not to go to an outdoor movie show (free!).
No comments.

TIFF in December and much poorer

My plans to go in November to Saloniki for Film Festival will not work as it was moved to December!!! Why on earth would anyone move th festival to the pre-Christmas period??

Plus sadly the country's situation also affected the festival:
NEWS from the 51st edition of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (7/7/2010)
51st THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
December 3 - 12, 2010
PRESS RELEASE ATHENS, Greece, July 7th, 2010

Recent developments in the severe financial crisis that affects our country force us to introduce a number of changes in the operation of our festival; they are the following:

The Board of Directors of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival has decided that:

a/ The members of the International Jury will be reduced from seven to five.

b/ The cash accompanying the Golden Alexander to best film is reduced to Euros 20,000 from Euros 40,000 (shared ex aequo by the winning film’s director and producer).

c/ The cash accompanying the Silver Alexander is reduced to Euros 10,000 from Euros 20,000 (shared ex aequo by the winning film’s director and producer).

d/ A third Special Jury Award for Originality and Innovation is introduced, carrying Euros 5,000 in cash. This prize is awarded solely to the winning film’s director.


Thank you for your support.
http://www.filmfestival.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-US&loc=1&&page=607&newsid=1361

The East station

I was shocked to see that the East Station (Wschodni) is being dismantled(?). I used to be there every morning for 4 years during secondary school years and kind of tamed its ugliness. All the creepy stands and suspicious stores with doubtful assortment are gone. Now it looks so dead... I hope it is for renovation purposes. Well, it still remains the ugliest and most disgusting train station ever.