One last summer trip

It's raining and very cold today- our strange summer has changed faces again. It looks and feels like late October. I'm offering you a last summer trip, from a lake to another.
The first one, Vidraru, is one of the largest artificial lakes in our country (more than 28 km around), while the second is a glacier lake at 0ver 200 m of altitude.
To go from one to another you have to drive along the highest and most spectacular paved road in Romania, a strategic route crossing our tallest mountains to connect Transylvania and Wallachia. If you go beyond the glacier lake down in the valley, there is a beautiful waterfall, but we did not get as far as that- not now. We did some other time, by bike- it was pure horror for me- but that's another story.
I hope you enjoy the trip!

literary evening

That was the last summer activity in Zorita. We all met to read some scenes from Macbeth in Spanish. We were given our roles and we just had a couple of hours to rehearse. It was improvisation, more or less. The idea was getting something fresh and funny to do as a goodbye gathering.
My sister's in law sister, who is a theatre director, was in charge of giving historical and artistic explanations at the beginning as well as of reading monologues together with her husband, a theatre actor.
Then we had something to eat and drink, a final "mojito" and we went home for the night.
it was the first time we had done such a thing. In the past, children had produced their own tales and short stories for us to see. But this time it was us, adult people getting into other lives. I had to read a male's role: Ross and Ricardo was an Old Man.
I found it really amusing. I would like it to be repeated in some other moment, either summer or whenever because it brought back the idea of group, of collective work.

Coutryside

This was what I longed for this summer. Nothing fancy, nothing to tell stories about.
"Near a low foothill
At Heaven's doorsill.."

Waiting for a train that won't come

Corbii de Piatra ( The Stone Ravens)

Maybe the oldest church in Romania. Details here.

Poienari Fortress

Vlad the Impaler's citadel. More here.

horses in town

Yesterday evening, late because it had been a very hot day, we went for a walk in town. el Rastro was full with people. There is a stock fair and people were looking for clothes, shoes, toys and accessories for better prices. There was a redish light in the horizon.

all of a sudden, when we got to San Vicente we saw a group of people of horse. We came near. It was a new summer night activity. It was a reading about Santa Teresa. They would visit places connected with the saint, following a riding path.

There were two or three wagons with children and horses.

Some of the horses were really beautiful and strong, even nervous because of the flashes. They listened to the reading at that point. It dealt with the saint's birth and family details.

Then they entered the town through San Vicente Gate towards the Cathedral.
We took the other way looking for a terrrace to have dinner. it was not an easy affair, everybody was out.

Letters and shops

I like letters wherever I go. Letters to announce, letters to tell and so on. Some of the photos of the historical path don't allow the story to be read because of the tree shadows, but I find them funny.
Hope you enjoy it.

Ribadesella

Ribadesella is a small town near Arenal de Moris Beach. It has an ancient part with typical constructions in the North, a good Marina where the river Sella joins the sea and good weather.

Arenal de Moris

When and where holidays mean healing

Luggage

Sorting and packing, deciding what to throw and what to keep (half way through that in our old home, and one more apartment waiting) is a good time for reflecting, prioritizing, going through the family history. Understanding better our own life, our mistakes, our victories, our treasures.

So many papers, photos, objects that people gather in a lifetime. All requiring attention and decisions, and each one holding a moment within. What is important, significant, valuable? What to let go? It's a bit sad that all there stay behind us, that objects are so much more durable than people.
Still, keeping everything is not possible and in a way not even good. Sometimes, I feel the urge to make room, to let go, to start fresh. With less luggage, less pain, almost no past.

Anyway, this piece of luggage is to be kept. Because it has a heart and it cares, and I think any caring heart is to be kept, even if it belongs to a silly creature such as this one. :)

Hidden

I wonder if you know who really is behind this blog...

An old heart in a new body

She seems to be adapting easier than I thought.

My father-in-law's WW2 binoculars and calculating machine.

My grandpa's nicest icon.

Old watercolours reproductions that belonged to my mother-in-law.

My grandma's samovar and my great-grandfather book, printed in 1900.

My great-grandmother painting.
We're not living in a museum, everything else is new. But these are part of us and we could/would not be here without them.