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florianavlaicu · 3 years

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Door to Freedom, self reflection on pattern recognition

Pattern recognition sets us free- this is the gem revelation for today’s Life theme and transmission.

Free from what? One might be able to go and do anything he or she desires… but still not feeling free.

Is freedom a feeling?

I love watching the movie Eat Pray Love.

I have been watching it every now and then for the past years.

First time I watched it was in summer of 2018, in Transylvania, Sibiu. I was a volunteer for a permaculture garden. Beautiful time and place.

The movie and the place lifted me much and gave me the insight and clarity that it was time for me to prepare to go to India. After almost 4 months and my first vipassana, I took a one way ticket to the mystical land to find what I did not even know I was looking for.

Every time I watch the movie I get a new perspective.

You know that scene in Bali where she is with this naked Dj that is inviting her into a casual love affair and she is saying to him something like: I have dated you 15 years ago and I have dated you 6 months ago.

This is her recognising of a pattern choice in relationships that is not serving anymore the integrity of her heart. She has made the unconscious conscious by taking these inner and outer trips to return to her core. I think that the balance they are storytelling in the movie is the actual core stability that is explored in the Gene Keys.

Even if we all take this template journey, of Eat Pray Love, go Italy, India and Bali… it will give us totally different perceptions and revelations, because our deep subtle layers of energetics will highly influence everything, all the time and space.

I skipped the italian indulgement and went straight into the unknown of India.

It was overwhelming, exciting, revelatory, fluid, sacred… all the humanities frequencies low and high were there.

I stayed for 133 days and it gave exactly what I needed.Purpose.

I met with a frequency there that I later found out through the Gene Key why I was so fascinated by it.

This frequency was embodied by Ananda Mayi Ma, "the most perfect flower the Indian soil has produced".

I felt this sacred feminine energy twice in Goa, once in my room and once in the open sitting space of the yoga school I was working for.

It felt so familiar to me with heart feeling of surrendering to her divine will.

But both times, I let myself be distracted by something else, outside my self.

I began to study, think and feel of her… then shortly after, the Gene Keys appeared in my life and showed me that in my Hologenetic Profile I have the 58th, unlocking a deeper understanding within me related to Bliss, Joy, Service, Divine Will and Love.

If you would like to meet this Divine feminine that was and is Ananda Mayi Ma, Richard Rudd, the wisdom channel of the Gene Keys is offering us this profound poetic exploration here:

https://youtu.be/LSuihr6yUKI

So you see, even if it might have seemed to be a shallow thing to do…. to follow a movie script… I actually followed my intuition, my joy.

The same I feel about Bali… there is something there for me to meet within. And I know the currents of love will take me there eventually.

I am activating myself so much with the Gene Key, I am reading and contemplating; opening myself into awakening by the favor of Grace.

I was seeking for some higher teachings encompassing perspectives from a multidimensional level that would lead me to a deeper understanding of life, of myself.

I am actually seeking to return home. I am looking to return to my integrity and empty myself, as so much I have taken in as if it would belong to me.

Today, the 55th got me. I am free 😂

Or at least I am working on it.

I am shocked by how blind I was and still am. The many beliefs that I have that I am not aware of are contouring my reality. And then I complain and I blame.

This runs deep in my family. This runs deep in our collective.

And it feels very connected to being judgemental, thus keeping myself far aways from experiencing connection with the integrity and perfection of all of life.

Today I found out that what I was intuitively stretching so much was my fascia, feeling very constrained… showing how much I have separated myself from the whole, because of my borrowed beliefs.

I feel like a carousel of revelations, that if I am engaged in one relationship it is more than enough to illuminate my shadow patterns. I understand the need for slowing down. Where I was running, there was nothing really to see, to be able to take responsibility to bring my unconscious into the light of consciousness. I was given the perfect environment to see my shadow and light work.

And I am honest to myself now that I was not in enough energetic flow and awareness to do work for others. Although this work still is, just by personal integration and sending out a fresh energy wave out there, in there.

I saw patterns of how I am addicted to stress and hijack my own nervous system, choosing to consume things that would amplify my stress. Slowly, slowly, my choices changed and still changing. It greatly to pause and breathe deeply, especially when I am not in the mood, cause I am drifting in a mental noise.

I was wondering and asking directly to my Inner Divine Self to explain to me what actually sovereignty means. What does it mean to take responsibility for myself? How do I become self sustainable? How do I end this co- dependency loop? To whom did I give my power away? What is clouding my heart sight?

What is empowerment?

Is it enough to just See the pattern and when next time comes, choose to walk away? Be present and patient, Floriana.

I have been taking in so much of the spiritual knowledge as if all is relevant and true for me. Emptying something and filling it with something else. Should empty and just let God fill in?

Not easy to filter and keep in my life what is really nurturing me into self awakening and ascension.

I am recognising my victimhood shadow.

I am seeing the play of life and how I have projected so much on others, blaming them for my lack, for my misfortune. I am tired and rested in the same time. I have cleaned some more of the inside basement and attic.

More green blue golden inner space, that’s my wish. Make it indigo, violet, red, orange and yellow also.

All is so subtle, that slowing down is a prerequisite to self- artistry.

My Lemurian Roots surfaced some more these past few days. Like an old and new love arising within my cells. The intents are becoming purer and purer. The Spirit is awakened within me. I tell, this is the softest of the softest love I have ever felt.

In my daily morning water ritual, I am beginning to let go of any kind expectations, just being the Loving of all that is.

I wish I could be like this all day, all ever and ever.

One day, I was woken up with: “ Speak for the Water “

I have no idea where my next home will be, but I am sure it is near her body, The Healing Sacred Feminine Water. I have some ceremonies to perform.

I am embracing my Sensitivity and it feels it has a lot to do with the Receptivity of my mind, my body, my heart.

I understand that I am an expression of a certain frequency of Ecstasy. I was made of the ecstasy of the primordial water giving birth to life. But what does the Sun want from me… Everything is showing me that I was born to be THIS LOVE.

I am allowing myself to be seen without expectations.

I am practicing giving love without expectations.

I see that I am playing hide and seek with myself. I pretend to do something else when someone comes and might discover my joy, judge me for it, punish me for it. I am afraid to be myself, I hide myself and then I seek for myself… an endless loop of self- inflicted prison.

Yes, I was a child and my parents laughed and punished me for my natural expression and exploration.

Then I would learn to avoid being seen, heard, but longed to be seen, heard.

I missed and craved for their warm touch, acceptance and tenderness.

So I entered deeply into the shadows of sexual addiction.

I blamed my DNA legacy. I am a victim and I am not a victim. By reinforcing my blaming pattern, I continued to constrict the actual beauty of my DNA.

Eventually life showed me that Hey, it is ok, feel into your pain, embrace yourself, you are on your way. This is the way. Guilt is the Sun Light in disguise. Awakening is not easy, nor hard.

I completely understand people who are living in the woods and I completely understand people who are living in the cities.

If my inception as a human seed and my 9 months experience inside the motherly belly is contained in the wisdom and library of my cells, then can I make now a transfer of care, safety and beauty perception of the outside world? Incept and carry myself again? Rebirth myself as completely new human being, born with activated 3rd Eye,

Vitality, Intuition, Peace and more, knowing that all is well and life is interconnected, self- sustained, beautiful and its people are amazing pearls that I can trust and love without fear and limits?

Can I visit that belly timeline and make some energetic operations? Hmm.

In a way, self love is just this.

I will be born like this… but in the future.

This life is about a different kind of journey and it is ok, perfect just as it is.

I have been under so much stress and unease, misfitting the requirements of the world.

Can I let go of the attachment to my own storyline of being a victim of life?

Yes. No. Not yet. Yes.

Can I sing without hiding and judging myself?

Yes. No. Not yet. Yes.

Some friends said that I am changing my mind too much. Yes, I am. I must. I must return my mind to its original receptivity.

I must return to my original beingness. I must return to play. I must not make it a must. I must forget myself into mindfulness.

I find it very strange that I need to do things to survive.

I see there is a game of survival, of competition.

I am just not energising this game anymore. I have discovered a new way of living.

So, we all energise some kind of game after all?

Do we really choose, now, in this lifetime, in this Earth body or it had been decided when we sat and raised pure consciousness hands at the Divine Table of Service?

I am such a copycat sometimes.

I am so eager to guide people to live their lives in a better way, but is this really ok? Even guidance of any kind feels more like entertainment, always tricky.

I find that being the silent loving witness of someone speaking is the most genuine guidance I can offer. Me; maybe you feel different and that is cool, fine by me.

I remember the community calls from Gene Key. I was in their first Deep Dive into Genius, 4 months virtual retreat. And I wish I had joined more of these calls, but I was too distracted. I was only in the last two… profoundly beautiful to just hear, to just be with other people, to just speak, to just have others be with me.

Was the teacher indirectly showing us that there is so much guidance, so much orientation in the silence of listening just?

I did this a few nights ago, without recalling these community calls.

My friend shared some of his life experiences and within me I decided I will not judge, interfere, analyse, project or get entangled.

After his sharing, he said that he is surprised that after so much talk he does not have a headache, as he normally would. I took it as a successful listening, in which I spoke energetically with acceptance and compassion.

Yes, indeed, freedom is such a deep ancient longing. But what is freedom actually? How do we awaken to this great changing frequency?

What are the patterns that we have to become aware of so to explore this new domain?

Because slavery still is on our beloved planet, just in slight different style. I invite you to imbibe yourself in the transmission of The 55th Gene Key to find your own sense of freedom. If you are ready and resonant.

We are in a majestic, divine game.

It is not enough to know the rules of this game to create a desired outcome. Maybe it is a good idea to even surrender the outcomes.

Still, it remains a good idea to be a human being with an awakened, original and upgraded DNA. And for this

miraculous occurrence, changing one’s Aura Attitude is key to this process of returning to our sacred tune.

With openness& friendliness,

Floriana

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hunterartemis · 5 years

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The Assistant: Chapter 5: Travelogues and Other Matters

word count: 5771 (that might be equal to some short stories out there)

Summary: the assistant manages to land herself in an impossibly exciting task. And it requires extra level of skills.

Chapter theme: Ernst' s Grand Caprice, by Hilary Hahn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWNCbpwC-PQ

The next day, Maxine didn’t feel the need to walk in disguise anymore. She was exposed and Newt was okay with it. Any other man would have flipped, but Newt was different: he didn’t care for the petty things, as long one does what he is supposed to do with efficiency, it was okay for him. He liked Audrey and her efficiency, and if Maxine was Audrey then by default she will do everything that Audrey did without any exception.

As she walked in that Yellow brick tiny London flat of Newt’s she saw something very unusual. Newt was fully dressed and was sitting on his table with a strange looking paper in his hand. He briefly glanced at Maxine, who was ogling at Newt’s way. He smiled in an embarrassed manner and answered, “You must be wondering why in the world I am dressed so early?”

“Sorry for my impudence Mr. Scamander, but it doesn’t look very right” Maxine answered while placing her bag on a chair.

“I was rechecking your papers... obviously I was too hasty looking at it back then. And the more I looked the more I was puzzled...”

“I completely understand your bafflement, but giving to our circumstances you must--”

“Seven NEWTs, all outstanding, S-class diploma in French Ministry of Magic internship, and Grade 3 Magical Beast Handler Degree from Mahoutokoro Madoushi Gakuin? All in age 17...” Newt read through the papers and put it aside and gathered his palms under his chin.

“Miss Valois, this is no ordinary profile... with this kind of qualification you can work anywhere you like, and you are stuck here? With me? why?”

Maxine looked at the floor, her sharp black eyes troubled. And after a moment she spoke.

“Because I wanted to... anything wrong with that?” Maxine plopped on the side, “why does everything have to be according to or for a purpose...? Can’t it be because I found that I get to bungle about wild, exotic, magical beasts under the supervision of the most admired and favourite author?” Maxine said coolly, “besides, you just said... with that kind of qualification I can work anywhere I wanted... so here I am.”

“That’s what I needed to hear Maxine.” Newt stood up, “because I cannot leave them just with any other person...”

“You’re leaving...” Maxine followed Newt and saw an opened envelope on the table that somehow escaped her notice before. Her eyes obviously veered towards it, and it caught Newt’s eye.

“Read it if you like... I am already finished with that...” Newt went inside his flat as Maxine opened the letter. In a thick greyish paper, someone hastily scrawled a few sentences.

Dear Newt,

We are in a bit of a pinch down here. The lizards are giving us grief, and after the big G everything is at chaos here. If that slick fellow stirs things up anymore, things will complicate. Won’t keep you longer than a week; come as quickly as you can.

J. W.

Things weren’t very clear in the letter. By her brief four years at Auror department, she could tell that someone in a great secrecy and a sense of urgency wrote that. Maxine read that letter a couple of times more, and then slowly put it down. Newt entered the room with a suitcase in his hand, and buttoning his mackintosh.

“You are going to Romania aren’t you, Newt?” Maxine turned towards him, her lower back supported on the rim of the table. Newt on the other hand, didn’t look surprised or baffled, but he looked like he was expecting her to get this.

“How did you know?” Newt asked,

“First of all, the paper is not from here. It’s rough, thick and greyish. People in the West do not use paper this thick anymore, and if you pull it in the light you can see three letters ghosting in the shadows, M, a small D and a large H. Indeed it is mark of the maker. Fortunately, I am familiar with the name, it is the company Moara de Hartie.* It’s a muggle company that supplies paper in the southern counties of Romania, and its headquarters are in Comana*. And why would a wizard use a muggle paper to write something so hastily from southern Romania? The answer is simple: Newt Scamander in needed in the Dragon Reservation in a matter of urgency.” Maxine deduced, “am I right?”

“On all accounts...” Newt said calmly, “and as you can see, that is why I am about to leave--”

“With all due respect Mr. Scamander... I can’t let you do that...” Maxine said with a determination “you see, you shouldn’t have told me that you are leaving for Romania... because it makes me desperate to come with you.” Maxine’s smug smile vanished and an imploring expression took over her face, “please Newt, all my life I have been waiting for a job where I could see magical beasts and now when I am this close to an opportunity where I can see the dragons, I can’t miss it!”

“It’s too dangerous... besides you just started working with me, and it is not a job for the novices.” Newt crossed her and started to grab his notebooks and papers from the table and shoving in his suitcase. Maxine on the other hand was not a woman who gives up easily.

“Please Mr. Scamander, I know you are angry with me for initially lying to you, but I promise whatever I am saying now is absolutely sincere. I want to step things up here in my job, and I can—I can’t do this by staying behind... ” Maxine exclaimed impatiently. Newt grabbed her shoulder and made her stand still

“Look Maxine, Dragon reservation is not something anyone can go to, it requires years of knowledge and excellent magical prowess to handle the dragons and yet it is highly dangerous. You are a brilliant witch and have so many bright paths ahead of you, so I cannot jeopardise your life right now...” Newt let go of her and placed the suitcase on his tabletop to open it again.

“So it was a lie then--?” Maxine faced Newt again, folding her arms. In reply Newt simply lifted his face; as if in inquisition what was she actually talking about.

“You praising my academic prowess... You were simply flattering me Mr Scamander, patronising me, demeaning me? Is that it then?” Maxine questioned.

“Maxine, please do not make me say all these--” Newt snapped his case close.

“Then why let me know how impressed you were, why lay around a letter that obviously screams out “Romanian Dragon Reservation” in front of me, and let me read it...why not check my files yesterday after dinner instead of this morning, allegedly after the arrival of the letter?” Maxine cross fired so viciously that Newt felt clamminess under his collar.

“Admit it Newt, you want me there...”

“Maxine... this isn’t Wizengamot, and there is no way I am risking your life like this--”

...

“Tell me how you managed to come with me?” Newt asked Maxine as they stood on the mountain that ended as a cliff near the Dover Strait, struggling to stand still with the cold December wind from the Atlantic with their heavy luggage.

“Je peux être très persuasif”* Maxine drawled mysteriously.

“You could get hurt...” Newt said worriedly, “there’s still time to go back.”

“Mr. Scamander, I would rather die by dragon flames rather than dragon pox...” Maxine answered while they walked towards the cliff to a burly looking man with a stick and a bucket.

“We could end up in azkaban” Newt said nervously as the man stared at them with abnormally round eyes.

“Not if you let me do the talking... How you’re doing fella?” Maxine asked the man with cheerful tone.

“Five galleons for each...” his voice wiped the smile off Maxine’s face.

“Of course, how silly of me...” Maxine reached for the purse and pulled out ten galleons and winked at Newt, “here you go...” and then holding Newt’s hand stepped inside the bucket portkey. The blue light whirled them into the middle of Rue de Rivoli in Paris.

“Um Newt, there has been some mistake here...” Maxine looked around, “seems like instead of Romania, that dimwit just whirled us in Paris... serves that oaf right, the leprechaun gold will be vanished in a few hours.” Newt looked at her in a surprised manner.

“You gave him leprechaun gold?”

Maxine looked at Newt nervously and impatiently “who cares about a fiddler getting cheated, we should worry about this” she flailed her arms around “I know what Paris looks like, I have been here countless of times... if we are to travel like muggles why use a portkey then--”

“With your excellent mind, I thought you would understand better?” there was a not-so-subtle jab in Newt’s calm voice; obviously he wasn’t impressed with the cheating part. Newt startled to walk and Maxine inevitably had to follow, “after Grindlewald’s raid at the Pere Lachaise, travelling across the Europe is regulated strictly. Every portkey from the West leads straight to Paris, and the East ones lead to St. Petersburg. Then there are pit stops all across Europe,” Newt and Maxine had to be squeezed against a Baroque door near the sidewalk for a parade of Cugnots* rushed; “the portkeys are strictly regulated and only can be accessed from a specific time and day from specific places. As for us, our portkey is... ” Newt checked his battered wristwatch, “precisely in 2 minutes” they were already near the strange female statue and this time Maxine performed the confundus charm on the guard.

“Shame we didn’t get to stay... ” Maxine shrugged and whirled again with Newt with a strange looking shoe at the back of a restaurant. Suddenly a much colder gust of wind blown at their way, which was nothing like crisp air in Paris or the musty cold one from London.

“Welcome to Village Carta* Miss Maxine.” Newt spoke softly as they stood on a broad clean but bare looking street, on either side of which small houses, bars, pubs, schools spread across haphazardly. “We have come a long way from Paris. We are standing in the Southern Transylvanian County named Sibiu, and our destination will eventually get harder now...”

“Why... can’t we just apparate there?” Maxine asked as they started to walk through the village, “to a certain point...” Newt cornered Maxine by hand and disapparated and now they were standing near a broken Cistercian monastery that was standing like a ghost of a past monument. Newt went inside the chapel, taking Maxine’s hand and upon winding stairs and path; Newt tapped the wall with his wand a few times. The walls of the chapel moved into a passage and at the end of that passage they found themselves standing at the foot of a mountain, upon which stood a castle which looked older and grimmer than Hogwarts.

“We have finally arrived at our destination...” Newt said, and held Maxine’s hand which climbing the hill, “this is the real Abbey of St. Carta.* The one we left behind is a muggle artifice...” Newt now held both of Maxine’s hands as she struggled to climb with her small heeled shoes, “this was built by the Duke of St. Carta in 1100’s, and he was a muggle obsessed with witchcraft. However, all those were hoaxes, summoning demons and all that... however, Wizards made through before the Vatican stormed in and convicted the Duke. They sealed a pact with the Church so that they could have a facade of the Chapel of St. Carta, while the real one would be used for us.” Newt, after reaching the top of the mountain pointed south, and Maxine’s eyes glittered with wonder.

Dragons...

“This, Miss Maxine, is the Romanian Dragon Reservation... ” Newt stood behind Maxine as she marveled at her new scenery with a mesmerised look. Newt wanted to speak more, but he didn’t want to stray his eyes from this newfound marvel. Maxine was smiling, but it was not the scheming crooked one from her time with Theseus, or not the one she smiled as Audrey when she saw the bowtruckle. It was of pure joy and wonder, and it surprised Newt how it transformed her entire face. It wasn’t Maxine Valois, the Devil’s attorney, sneaky and cunning woman. She was someone entirely different.

“C’mon, let’s go inside and check in...” Newt half-heartedly led her inside the courtyard.

In the courtyard, three men were already waiting for Newt, and they came towards them with immense enthusiasm, but Maxine did not miss the confusion in their eyes when they saw her.

“Gentlemen, this is my assistant Maxine Valois,” Newt introduced her to the men, “and Maxine, they are few of the most talented wizards in all Europe: Ernst Bongartz” a tall wizard with sleek black hair, thin moustache and kind face bowed, “Luca Almaviva” a brunet man came forward and took Maxine’s hand to shake, “and James Wade...” a blond wizard with hard weather beaten face smiled from the side.

“So you are J.W... who wrote to Newt?” Maxine pointed at him and he smiled,

“Yes Ma’am... if we know we have a lady on board, we’d have dressed better...” everyone laughed with Wade, “now fella, I need to talk with you alone...” Wade led Newt aside.

“Come Miss Valois; let us take you to the living quarters...” Bongartz beckoned Maxine to come with them and waving Newt briefly, she followed the tall man.

“So where are you from Mr. Bongartz?” Maxine asked curiously as they crossed a hall and took a long and winding stair, Bongartz smiled and replied, “My family is from Praha, Madam, mais je suis de Vienne...”* he added with humour. Although he spoke quite fluently, but with his German accent it required a while to understand him.

“Vous parlez française...?* Maxine asked with amusement.

“Un peu Mademoiselle... This fellow is a muggleborn, so Durmstrang refused to admit me... so my family moved to Vienna, where they came across Nicholas Flamel, actually he was the one to find us and made us shift in Vienna, later we knew. He advised that they should admit me to Beauxbatons... I was thirteen when my formal education in magic started.” He replied with good humour, although his situation didn’t sound too nice. Suddenly they stopped, and Bongartz clicked the lock and the door opened to a specious room.

“We didn’t know you were coming, but this is the room Newt always stays.” He went inside and opened a door at the right that opened to an annex room, “shouldn’t be a problem because there are separate living quarters.” He came back and smiled “This is not very comfortable around this time of the year, but we make it do. However” he added with a change of tone “do not wander off... Dragons are sneaky creatures... one wrong move, even in the fortress can get you killed.” Bongartz warned, “And meet us downstairs in thirty minutes.”

...

They were all sitting near a fireplace after dinner. There was very few furniture in the fort that was not rotten and out of usable condition, so they decided to sit on the floor. From time to time the cold Siberian wind howled and thrashed against the centuries old glasses on the long narrow window, and with the dimly lit pallor of the living room, it seemed like they were convicts on exile.

“Can’t believe we almost sorted the blighters out in one day... cheers to our friend Newt, whose wits saved all of our bacons...” Wade raised a glass of firewhiskey, and everyone else joined in.

“And to Miss Maxine, our new friend, whose exceptional skills made the task possible” Luca Almaviva added and bowed his head at Maxine’s direction, and she replied it with a smile. Along with Almaviva, Wade and Bongartz, four other wizards were sitting with them, smiling and enjoying their new company.

“Enough with the chitchats... let’s do something fun” Wade came in, “how about some music?”

“I know where this is going, and I would not like it in...” Bongartz warned, but Wade wasn’t having it, “c’mon Ernst, play something for us... it’s been ages... Miss Maxine, Newt... you won’t believe how wicked he is with strings”

“Is it really?” Maxine perked up,

“Yes... It is a marvel to be seen” Almaviva agreed and patted on Bongartz’s back, “c’mon Ernst, give us a go...”

“Please, Ernst” Maxine requested and Newt smiled at first at Maxine and then at Bongartz, who was finally warm enough to give it a go. From the corner of the room, he pulled out an old violin, and tuned it.

“Gentlemen, this may be different than any other music you have heard...” Bongartz claimed while putting the violin on his left shoulder, as people around him ‘woo-ed’. “It is story my mother used to tell me when I was little...” he skimmed his eyes through his audience and with his wand enlivened the fire. And then his bow glided through the strings. It took Maxine and Newt a while that Bongartz was only accompanying, the real story was happened in the fireplace.

“What’s happening?” Newt looked at the fire taking shapes of two horses, and Bongartz smiled at him and soon the fire turned into a ghostly blue and isolated itself in the air and showed a young and one stout man riding through deep forest. Soon a ghostly voice burst into melody:

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?

Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;*

(Here’s the song with subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS91p-vmSf0 )

The ghostly melody, the intricate violin and the spectral show captivated the audience to a hypnotic space. The people came closer to see the fiery figures dancing in the dark, and transmuting into different shapes. The cinematic play of light was so articulate that even though most of them didn’t understood German, the story displayed before them was clearly understood and enjoyed. Bongartz’s skilled hands played the violin in a manner that sometimes Maxine thought if she turned her head towards Bongartz, she might see a phantom second violinist, standing behind him like a great shadow, and staring at them with his cold glowing blue eyes. Maxine knew from the very first moment that it was no story from the Beedle the Bard or any other Wizarding European fairy tale. She marvelled at the muggle narrative and the haunting music of the entire spectacle.

But there was something sinister in that spectacle, in that trailing figure of the Elf King, which evoked a fear in her heart that she knew to bury long ago as childish stupidity. With the howling of the demonic Siberian wind outside, conjoined with the slumberous breathing of the dragons the atmosphere became even more spectral. For a fraction of second Newt’s eyes looked at the side at Maxine’s profile, and her face startled him.

“Maxine...” he whispered and led his palm towards hers. But before he could grab her hand, her thin fingers snaked his wrist. A sensation passed through Newt’s whole being, that made him to be concerned even more.

She was trembling.

Newt forced himself to draw from his concerned and worried state, because he sensed that it wouldn’t help Maxine at all. He knew that her fear ran more deeply than what it seems, it is not a reaction of a spectral show; this is the surfacing of a deep rooted phobia.

He rotated him hand to meet her palm, and slowly but firmly he held her hand within his, and his thumb stroked steadily from her wrist to her knuckle. Even then, the trembling didn’t stop. Eventually the spectacle was over, and somehow everyone in the room forgot to breath for several seconds. But suddenly, Maxine wriggled free of Newt’s hand and started to clap with a smile in her face. Only Newt noticed the faltering lines of her lips, and understood that she was forcing herself to laugh.

“Let’s act like we are all surprised...” Wade added with sarcasm and whistled on the top of his tone. Rest of them started to pat Bongartz so hard that it looked like they were trying to pummel him to the ground. Maxine, after doing her best to praise the violinist, got up on her feet and started to climb upstairs. Newt hastily followed afterwards.

“Maxine... Max” she stopped when she was called by the diminutive of her name, and looked back Newt. The ‘lumos’ her hand casted a ghostly light on her pale face.

“Are you okay...?” Newt asked, while taking two steps up.

“Yes... yes I am fine.” She tore her face from Newt and continued to climb upstairs. Newt hurried upstairs, and grabbed her arm abruptly. Maxine looked at his oddity with widened eyes, and whispered alarmingly, “Mr. Scamander... what are you doing?”

“You are still trembling... ” Newt let go of her arm, “I am simply asking if you are okay...”

“I am fine Newt, nothing to worry about...” Maxine forced a smile and clicked the lock to enter the master bedroom, and as soon as she heard Newt being in the bedroom, she walked towards the annex room at the right side. As soon Newt came, she slammed the door shut, but she was unaware that it was Newt Scamander who was concerned about her. He won’t give up until he is convinced that she is fine.

“Max, talk to me... what is going on...?” Newt kept slamming the door while Maxine, was slowly sinking herself on the floor, with her head on the knee, breathing heavily and trembling. Nothing was registering into her mind, except the seizure awaking flashes of the livid flames. She didn’t even hear when Newt said-

“If you don’t answer me I will come into your room...” and with a crack Newt apparated inside Maxine’s room and found her in a curled up state.

“Max...” he flickered the lights of the candles and bowed to her level. She was still trembling and breathing heavily. Newt at first didn’t know what to do or where to start. He was contemplating whether to put hands on both of her shoulders and pull her up, or hug her. But suddenly a hoarse voice spoke, shaking.

“Wand...”

“Pardon?”

“Point your wand at my temple...” Maxine raised her face and looked at Newt with ghostly eyes, as Newt did what she told him to do, “Occlumenta horribillis”*

Newt did what he was told. As soon as the spell was applied, Maxine’s terrified expression started to change and she started to normalise. Her breathing pattern mellowed and as soon as Newt sat back Maxine straightened up and looked at Newt with gratitude.

“Thank you...” Maxine huffed and leaned on the door. Newt’s head was bowed and he looked slantly at Maxine, the way he looks at his beasts, without making an eye contact. It might sound impolite, but Newt instinctively understood that direct attention might make Maxine slip into discomfort.

“Want to tell me now what is going on?” Newt asked softly.

For some moments she didn’t speak at all, and then slowly she spoke, as if she was very tired “when I was young, there was a huge fire... I can’t remember much of it, but it was tidal waves of blue flames, like Grindlewald’s cursed fire, and all I remember that I was standing in the middle... Next thing, I was admitted to L’Hôpital de Jean-Baptiste Déboire.”* She stopped, and smiled her usual smug crooked smile, “we all have our ghosts Newt, some less terrifying than the other.”

Newt sensed that Maxine was telling the truth, but not the entire truth, however he didn’t gave her the impression, instead, he grabbed her hand softly, “why didn’t they obliviate you?”

“They tried; apparently the Memory Charm would have caused a lasting damage, because the memory itself became so deeply embedded into my mind... ” Maxine stopped, “so from very young age, I started practicing Occlumency, helped a lot with the memory; it never really bothered me...” Maxine frowned as if to think what was different between the tiny flames of the Erlkonig show, the cursed fire of Pere Lachaise and her own memory of blue fire.

“So why now?” Newt helped her as she attempted to stand up, her legs were still wobbling.

“Maybe I am letting my guards down in some way...” she mused on her own, and smiled a grim smile, “maybe I need to be cautious...” she sat on the cold bed and tucked herself in. Newt helped her and his calloused hand caressed his assistant’s head for a moment, and instinctively, he bent his head to kiss hers.

“Take care, call me if you need anything...” he shut the door behind him and went on his bed.

Neither of them could sleep in the night. Newt, propping his head on his forearms spent his night about thinking of Maxine, and the memory of livid flames made Maxine’s night a waking nightmare. Obviously she knew why her occlumency faltered and it scared her to death. But on the other hand, she was concerned about Newt... his behaviours were affectionate and kind and it made her guilty for no reason.

As the black night ashened into cold gray morning, Newt straightened himself up, and took out a quill and a paper. His intention was clear, he was writing for Maxine, but not just to anyone. At first he thought of Theseus, but something in him told him that he wouldn’t be the one to answer his questions. So, after a lot of hesitation and discomfort, he decided to write to Dumbledore. He drafted his and Maxine’s narrative out after three pages were scrapped, and he added...

“...I know it is impudent of me to ask this of you, but giving to my assistant’s secretive and perpetually unpredictable nature, I could not think of anyone better than you who could confide me with the facts I need to know about her. No one understands the students of Hogwarts better than you, Albus and I implore you to look into it.

Yours inquisitively

Newt Scamander.”

Suddenly he heard rumbles in the next room. With a flick of wand, he cleaned the floor of crumpled papers, and hid his letter under the pillow. It was Maxine, standing on the door pane, fully dressed and hair tied in a short-bob and secured in fireproof tulle, ready to go. There was no trace of yesterday’s moment’s weakness or bone-chilling fear.

“Morning Newt...”

“You’re early...”

“Yes... ” Maxine answered, “I am starving... now c’mon...” she came near the bed, and pulled Newt by the hand with her easily and almost dragged him downstairs, “I can’t wait to get the dragons... Almaviva says, if we do well then we’ll be able to return home before Noel...”

“Pardon, what?” Newt broke from his stupefied voice.

“Noe... oh, you’re British... before Christmas.” Maxine ran towards the dining hall, where Bongartz and another wizard was setting the table, “oh Bonjour... thought you might not be sleeping quite well in a new place, so I woke myself early and glad that I did...” Bongartz greeted them, and noticed Newt’s unkempt self, draped in a thick dressing gown, and crinkled his brows, “no matter, no matter... food before dress.”

The beauty of living with wizards all across Europe is having variety of foods presented on the table as a regular basis. Soon other wizards started to sit down, and with a wave of wand, a range of familiar and unfamiliar food was brought before them. From bread to ham, salami to cheese, tea to coffee, juice to omelette, milk to cereals, porridges to muesli all of them was in front of them.

“We don’t have house-elves around here...” Wade answered, “so we cook what we wanna eat, and if you heard breakfast as the most important meal of the day, you heard it right... because someday, with the workload with all them blighters, it’s what you gonna eat the whole damn day.” Then he started to chew on some dark looking bread. “Ernie, pass me some salami will ya...”

“Here...” Bongartz threw him a piece of one and he caught them mid air.

“Whoa... that’s impressive...” Maxine exclaimed.

“Quidditch captain of Team Pukwudgie, class of 1917.” James proudly answered, and everyone laughed. “Ya play Miss Valois?” Wade asked, chewing the salami.

“No... I prefer watching...” Maxine added mysteriously, and Newt smiled at her way.

The men ate pretty quickly, soon the table, which was filled with all types of food vanished. Maxine, along with them ate till her heart’s content. Being a Frenchwoman she was quite snobbish about her food, but tasting all the Spanish omelette, Italian Parma ham, German bread and Romanian cold cuts she was overwhelmed, impressed and content. Newt on the other hand neatly ate one roll of rye bread and some sunny side eggs, with milk tea.

“Let’s go people...” Wade slammed the table and with others walked out the door in the open field toward the Dragon Valley. Maxine was dressed in tweed pantsuit with high boots and dragonhide gauntlet gloves. Today they were treating a dragon by excising a tumour out from its throat that was causing problem in its fire breathing and food eating. It was especially a problem because the dragon laid eggs which needed to be breathed with fire, and with malnourishment the skin, flesh and heart would not be at optimal condition when it dies and the things are harvested. They got half the tumour out, but the critical part was not yet excised. It was ensnaring the ignis-glandulis, or the fire glands.

“Open wide Rosie...” Wade screamed and tossed a whole pig in the air with a flick of wand. As the dragon, (by Newt’s expert eye, Maxine was informed it was an Ukrainian Ironbelly), opened wide to grab the food, Wade transformed the pig into an Iron stick, thick enough to withstand the hydraulic pressure of the dragon’s jaws and tall enough to keep the jaw wide open. As soon it was stuck, the wizards performed full body bind curse through the cavity of the mouth. Wade was stationed on the head of the dragon, grabbing one of the horned spokes. Newt went near the mouth as Almaviva and Bongartz kept him levitated, and with him was Maxine.

“Remember; be as gentle and delicate as possible... because if it hurts then the first people she will burn are us... lumos...” a flicker of silver light flew and stopped at the targeted place. Newt and Maxine, with great precision started to excise the tumour. The task was even tedious because each spell needed to be twice or thrice applied before it could actually work. Maxine was inside the oral cavity and was using severing charm to scrape out the tumours and the tissues ensnaring the fire glands.

“Um... fellas, I think Rosie’s coming back...” Wade screamed from the top, and Newt and Maxine started to scamper. Newt held his wand in his mouth, and started to pull Maxine by her leg. With Newt yanking her, Maxine had to yank the slight unsevered tissue as well. Being made of dragon flesh, it was extremely hard. And it was the pain that brought the Ukrainian Ironbelly to life.

With the pain, the dragon tossed its head and all three of them went in the air flying. But the other wizards were quick enough to perform the inertia spell and by the time they landed, Maxine cast a flame freezing charm so powerful that it protected all of them efficiently. And when they thought everything was over, came in the excised tumour, flying and splattering all over Maxine. Soon she was covered in green pus and dragon blood and it was hard to make out the real colour of her suit.

“Merde...*” she hissed under her breath, and then broke out into a violent laugh. Although the men were surprised at her antics, they joined in as well. There was a unique infectiousness in that husky, loud laughter that made everything light. Newt on the other hand, rolled his eyes and murmured “Scourgify” pointing at her. Then Newt came near her and tucked a stray lock behind her ear.

“Really... you need to get your priorities sorted...” and the laugh redoubled.

Suddenly, they saw an owl landing towards them. It was surprising even more that the owl was not intended for any of those wizards, but it flew towards Newt. It was a shiny golden letter which he opened with slight discomfort and disregard because he was invited in the Yule Party in the Ministry of Magic. He obviously avoided public gatherings like this, and he was sure that if he avoids it, Theseus will surely lecture him.

While he was reading his invitation, the owl dropped another letter to Maxine before flying away. Unlike Newt’s gorgeous envelope it was plain and austere. Without even opening the letter, she knew whom it was from. Maxine perhaps thanked Merlin for the arrival of ministry’s Yule invitation, because if Newt realised what state she was in, she will never see an end of it.

“Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me...” she hid the letter at her hip pocket, “I need to splash my face...” she casually walked towards the courtyard, and then she slowly accelerated her pace. By the time she was on the towers, she was running.

Slam

Duratus Clavem

Leaning back on the door, she started to strip off her duster coat, the tweed blazer and waistcoat. She was perspirating even in the cold of Romanian mountains. After loosening her collar, she reached for her hip pocket, where she had hid her letter. Her hand trembled as her red lacquered left index finger slid under the blue seal and flicked in open. Slowly, as if to avoid reading it, Maxine opened the letter, and a whimper escaped her lips. She sunk on the floor with her head between the knees, and the piece of paper slid away through her fingers. In spidery black script it was written:

Ma chère

It’s been long since I have corresponded. I hope everything is well. There is no day when I don’t think about you. When I think about you, I think about our old days together. I assume the feeling is mutual. I cannot believe I have finally found you; there is a joy in me that I haven’t experienced in a long time. I cannot wait to meet you again.

Yours truly...

Tags: @my-current-fandom-is

OOh... suspense!! whose the letter from? who is the mysterious person? why Maxine is sad/scared to read it? curious? Me too... XD

Cugnots: most popular model of cars in Paris 1920

Moara de Hartie : It is a non-profit paper mill located in Comana in Southern Romania. It dates back to some time in the late 19th century. I was reading Conan Doyle’s A Scandal in Bohemia, and got the idea of revealing location through the paper. If you have time (or you already did... good for you), try taking a break from BBC Sherlock and read the original book, it is brilliant...

Comana: A region in Southern Romania, famous for paper and its own Natural Park and Monastery. I don’t know exactly where the Dragon reservation would be, but it made sense placing it in the South because of the geographical advantages: transylvanian forests and Carpathian mountain ranges are perfect for hiding dragons.

Je peux être très persuasif” : French for “I can be really persuasive“

Carta: A village in Sibiu county in Southern Transylvania. Sibiu is 7 hour drive away from Comana, where the paper of J.W’s letter is from.

St. Carta Monastary: Took the idea from the movie The Nun. The monastery depicted in the film (the dark looking castle) is the lodging station of the wizards. The real St Carta monastery, I have placed as the muggle artifice that conceals the real Carta monastery, the headquarters of the Dragon Reservation

mais je suis de Vienne...” : French for “but I am from Vienna“, Bongartz, hearing the French surname, spoke in whatever French he knew, as a gesture of gratitude to the French Magic School who took him in at a late age when his own Magic school (North West and Eastern Europeans consider Durmstrang their school) wouldn’t take him

“Vous Parlez Francais“: Maxine was surprised and asked “you speak French?“ to a German man. To her experience she never heard one speaking French, and he was good at it.

“Un peu mademoiselle“: “a little, miss“.

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? /Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind: “Who rides so fast in the night and wind? It is the father and his dear son” the opening lines of Schubert’s aria “Erlkonig”. The words were from Goethe’s poem with the same name. It is really popular in Germany.

Occlumenta horribillis : Not an original HP spell. I have tweaked it as an occulumency spell, that suppresses only the bad or traumatic memories. I have heard that therapists sometimes teach their patients some key words to cope with anxiety and triggered situation, this spell is something like that. I have always thought Occumency could be used as a Psychotherapy alternative in the Wizarding World.

L’Hôpital de Jean-Baptiste Déboire: “The Hospital of John Deboir, the Baptist“ a French equivalent of “St. Mungo’s Hospital”

Merde: French slang for “shit”.

Bongartz: I took the surname from one of my favourite violinist’s original name : David Garrett aka David Christian Bongartz

Almaviva: the only Spanish surname I know, from Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”

#newt scamander x oc #newt scamander x reader #newt x oc #newt x reader #romania #dragons #romantic trip with crush #office trip in mountains #camp #st carta #castle #hot dudes #angst #newt scamander angst #fbawtft #crimes of grindelwald #horror #der erlkonig

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whatshouldieatforbreakfasttoday · 6 years

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Romania road trip with my kid

Romania is like a different world. World of beautiful lands, kind and helpful people, delicious food. It’s also a land of surprises. We were supposed to be there way longer, but life made it short. We’ll be back for more, as once you come to Romania, you cannot forget it.

The things yo should know about Romania:

- it’s safe to travel by van- as Romania is not number 1 destination (not yet at least) this will be most probably, one of the first things you will try to figure out. We parked in the wild, in towns and villages and the only thing that you can expect from the locals is that they will invite you for a breakfast.

- it is extremely beautiful, so try to discover as much as possible.

- road condition is not the best, there are many constructions on a way and it will slow you down, but highways are awesome.

- some roads like transalpine are closed for half of the year, so check it out before going there. We did not and we had to go back.

- you can see a lot of food stands on the road, buy your food there as it’s delicious.

- horse carriage on a road is a regular view, which does not mean that I was super excited each time I saw it.

- there are many castles and each of them is advertised as Dracula’s. It may be not, but it is still worth visiting. These places have a hell of history and by visiting you support it.

- you should have a cash on you, as there’s not so many places on the road where you can pay by caRD. Obviously big cities are easy, but countryside not that much.

- Romania has a crazy good internet and internet deals. You can get a SIM card with 60GB for a very good price. I love Romania for this, it made my life so much easier.

- How to find a place for the night - We found many perfect spots for the night just by driving. We usually start to look around at 5-6pm. I can get that at the beginning, it may be difficult for you, or you think it will be. There are many apps and www that can help you and since the internet is not a problem in Romania, use them as much as possible. Examples: Park4night, iOverlander, furgovw.org.

- Romania is super child friendly. My 3 year old loves it and Romanians loved her. She got a lot of food for free and a lot was forgiven (I’m talking about her creative mess).

- food is important in Romania, so when you order something, order as much as you can eat, don’t leave leftovers.

- talk with people. A lot of people speak English, but it will be helpful and well seen (as everywhere in the world) to speak some local expressions.

Try placinta and mici!

OUR ROUTE:

Apuseni Natural Park - we got here at night, straight from a border. I found a spot for the night online and we set it up as our first destination. We got there at night and I must say that it was pretty scary. We were driving with a stone road, trying to drive around big stones and holes, it was narrow, I could not see where I am, Internet was not working and I could not turn back. We got to the spot which was supposed to be the spot and there was nothing. There was a fog and I kept thinking about vampire movies. We were so tired that I stopped on a side of the road and I went to sleep. When we open the for two dogs started to bark like crazy. I read about homeless dogs in Romania so we closed ourself in the van and decided to drive away first thing in the morning. When I woke up at 5:30 am, ready to drive away, I saw horses sleeping next to my car. One of them was licking our side mirror as it was covered in saliva. The sun was rising and the place I’ve been in was so beautiful, that I stood next to a horse and I stared. There was a hut where a lady was selling local treats, meantime sheep and cows were making their way through the park and just next to our car. Tomasz set up his office in a shadow of our van and I was playing with Mia in a muddy pad. It was so beautiful, that I wanted to stay there forever.

Muzeul Castelul Corvinilor - it is quite a place. I am a big fan of castles in general, so I’ll always advise to visit as many as possible. In this one you can learn a lot of history and it is simply cool to walk around and imagine how it used to be. We stopped for a night at a parking just next to the castle, so I could easily reach it for the sunrise with no-one around.

Sibiu is simply beautiful. The architecture, food, people, vibe, all in one make a beautiful city. I think my favourite :) It was fairly easy to find a parking and definitely too difficult to find a place to eat. Why? Because each one looked good :D

Viscri someone wrote me that Prince Charles has a couple of houses in this tiny village and I must tell you, that I wanted to buy a property over there as well. It is not only beautiful, but friendly and relaxing. In the morning you can see women sitting on benches in front of their houses and making socks. The blacksmith will invite you over to see how he lives. To walk around this village is such a pleasure itself.

Sighisoara - it is as beautiful as Sibiu, just bigger (or at least this was my impression). We had a delicious lunch over there and wandered around. Because this is what you do in cities :D

Transalpina - one of the highlights of our trip to Romania. It was an incredible drive. Just look at the pictures. It reminds me of Italian mountains and Norwegian as well. We were stopping quite a lot just to look, most of the times I even forgot to take a picture. There’s so many beautiful places to park your car, like just next to a river or in a big forest. Transalpina has some limitations on driving, so please google it before you go.

We did not see many places in Romania, as our car had a serious issue and we had to go back. I honestly regret it and this made me like Hymer way less (later on we’ll have more reasons). As we like to see the glass half full, we can go back to Romania in Autumn, which is apparently the best time to visit.

#on the road #travel #what for weekend #whatforweekend #romania #road trip #on the road with my kid #traveling with a kid #van life #van life with a kid #Romania by van #Romania by camper #on the road in romania #Apuseni Natural Park #Muzeul Castelul Corvinilor #Sibiu #Brasov #Sighisoara #Transalpina

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ntngliterary-blog · 6 years

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Lighting Design Workshop

It is with great pleasure to announce that Macedonian National Theatre organizes a 5-day workshop entitled: Introduction into Lighting Design and Creative Communication conducted by Chris Jaeger, a British Lighting Designer, on November 26th-30th, 2018.

Approximately 8 hours per day, working in the theatre and covering the productions of No Man’s Land directed by Alexander Morfov and The Seagull directed by Nina Nikolic. Later in the week, the participants may have the possibility of viewing a rehearsal of The Seagull. There could also be the possibility of a few students viewing the fit-up, focus and lighting sessions in the theatre space of The Seagull. The number of participants is limited to no more than 20. They ought to have a keen knowledge of theatre and the entertainment environment as well as a basic knowledge of design, art, lighting and creative thinking. The workshop would also appeal to aspiring directors and set designers, so they better understand the role of a lighting designer and how a creative team works together.

The workshop fee is 3,000 MKD (EUR 50). Candidates who are willing to apply must do so from October 10, 2018 to November 10, 2018. They are required to send a one-page cover letter along with a resume to [email protected]! The results will be released no later than November 15, 2018.

The workshop is going to be conducted in English, so an international call has been announced. Macedonian National Theatre will provide participants travelling to Skopje with guidance on the possibilities of finding a hotel accommodation in Skopje, but it shall not cover their expenses.

Programme:

Day 1: introduction to lighting design; theatre history; lighting history; production guidelines and a time line; introduction to the shows No Man’s Land & The Seagull; an approach to lighting design

Day 2: the script; getting to know the story; research; movie and media resources; history; design ideas; the creative team; production constraints; budgets and requirements

Day 3 – No Man’s Land: the story and rehearsals; blocking; planning the lighting design; scheduling; the fit up; focusing; lighting; the show

Day 4 – The Seagull: the story and rehearsals; blocking; planning the lighting design; scheduling; live rehearsals; discussion and Q&A

Day 5: summing up; Q&A Chris Jaeger, Lighting Designer (South London, 1960)

Chris is a British creative and theatre lighting designer with 30 years experience working for a wide range of disciplines within the Entertainment industry throughout the world. He has worked with lots of companies, lighting dance, opera, musical and drama. He trained at LAMDA (The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) graduating in 1981. Many of his productions have toured throughout the UK and Europe. Chris became involved in Romania with Ion Caramitru on the Peter Brook version of Carmen as part of the 2007 European Capital of Culture event in Sibiu, and in 2009 on a production of Eugene Onegin with the National Opera in Bucharest and after a 4-year successful run, Eugene Onegin has now transferred to The Sofia National Opera in Bulgaria for 2013. In 2008 he worked with Alexandra Badea on a production of 69 by Igor Bauersima at the National Theatre in Timisoara, in September 2009 opened All My Sons at the National Theatre, Bucharest and in November 2011 opened The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, directed by Alexander Morfov. Chris had also a few interesting lighting design projects in 2013. His latest lighting design is for No Man's Land by Danis Tanovic. Adapted for the stage and directed by Alexander Morfov with a set design by Nikola Toromanov for the Macedonian National Theatre in Skopje which opened June 2017. September 2017 will see a return to Bucharest for a production of Exit the King by Eugene Ionesco.

Best regards,

Macedonian national theater

#workshop #opencall #lightning

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auto-posts · 3 years

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Cauta masini de inchiriat in Sibiu si viziteaza o destinatie unica din Transilvania

Apeland la oferta de masini de inchiriat din Sibiu, turistii au ocazia de a cunoaste in intregime acest oras unic din Transilvania. Este un oras istoric, cu puncte de atractie impresionante prin povestea si design-ul lor.

Cei care vin in Sibiu cu avionul sau cu trenul pot inchiria una dintre cele 20 de modele de masini puse la dispozitie de Sibiu-RentaCar.ro, companie cu mai bine de 10 ani experienta in domeniu.

Puncte de atractie care pot fi vizitate cu masini de inchiriat in Sibiu

Sibiu este o destinatie de vacanta preferata nu doar de romani, dar si de turistii din alte tari. Situat intre Muntii Fagaras, Cindrel si Lotrului, Sibiul impresioneaza cu peisaje fascinante, cladiri istorice si legende. Cei care apeleaza la serviciile rent a car din Sibiu nu trebuie sa rateze niciun loc din cele ce urmeaza a fi mentionate, pentru o experienta completa, de vis, in oras.

Centrul istoric din Sibiu, pastrat in aceeasi forma de-a lungul anilor

Piata mare este gazda a o multime de atractii turistice din Sibiu, restaurant, evenimente culturale, festivaluri, targuri si concerte. Aici se organizeaza anual Targul de Craciun din Sibiu, care aduna de fiecare data peste 100 de expozanti cu obiecte artizanale si preparate delicioase. Tot in centrul istoric, turistii se pot plimba in Piata Aurarilor, Piata Huet sau pot traversa Podul Minciunilor.

In plimbarea turistilor prin Piata Mare si Piata Mica, un must see este Turnul Sfatului, care dateaza inca din 1324.

Muzeul Brukenthal inregistreaza anual sute de mii de vizitatori

Sutele de mii de vizitatori inregistrate in fiecare an la muzeul Brukenthal se explica datorita colectiei de tablouri disponibile aici, ce a apartinut lui Samuel von Brukenthal. Acesta a decis ca dupa ce se va stinge din viata, in 1817, colectia sa de tablouri sa poata fi admirata public, asa ca palatul a devenit muzeu.

Masini de inchiriat din Sibiu | rent a car din Sibiu | Sibiu-RentaCar.ro

Sibiul este un paradis culinar

Cu ocazia vizitei in Sibiu, turistii trebuie neaparat sa guste din preparatele traditionale ale restaurantelor.

Alte puncte de atractie ale orasului din inima Transilvaniei sunt:

Gradina Zoologica;

Sistemul de fortificatii;

Biserica Evanghelica.

#Masini de inchiriat din Sibiu #rent a car din Sibiu #Inchirieri Auto Sibiu #Sibiu rent a car

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dailykhaleej · 4 years

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A journey through Romania in the time of coronavirus | Romania

For weeks, I’ve had coronavirus information for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snack.

You speak to colleagues, and it’s the solely subject. You speak to folks, and it’s the identical. Associates, too. In my social media bubble, everybody appears very conscious of the state of affairs and its gravity, even when there’s nonetheless the occasional joke.

However I used to be curious to see how different individuals see it. And I wanted to work, to do one thing.

So, along with my companion, I made a decision to make a journey throughout Romania, to doc how each day life has modified. With lodges closed and different lodging unsafe, we took a motorhome provided to us by the rental firm Joy2Wander.

The day after Romanian authorities imposed restrictions on motion, we set off.

Day 1, March 24 – 762 circumstances, eight deaths

I’ve by no means seen Bucharest so empty. It’s the first day since a army ordinance demanded that individuals keep at dwelling. With our baggage packed, provisions made and batteries charged, we drive on virtually abandoned streets to the place outdoors city the place we’ll decide up the motorhome.

I at all times needed to go on a visit like this, however I by no means imagined I’d be utilizing the motorhome for the function of self-isolation.

In the combat towards the unfold of COVID-19, Romania needed to maneuver quick. It closed faculties early on in the disaster and imposed restrictions on motion earlier than the demise toll reached 10.

On March 24, the day we set off, there are 762 confirmed circumstances in Romania and eight deaths.

We transfer our baggage to the motorhome, pack the little fridge and hit the highway. Not lengthy after leaving Bucharest my father calls. On Facetime. I’ve not instructed him about the documentary journey, so I hesitate over accepting the video name. I don’t wish to fear him. However he’ll see the photographs quickly, I motive, so I reply.

Gusts of wind rock the motorhome as we drive. There are primarily vans on the highway and some automobiles. Behind most of the windshields, is a driver sporting a masks.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Our first cease is the market in Alexandria. Behind a stall with carrots and celery, Estera wears white rubber gloves. She is going to flip 60 subsequent month and are available rain or shine or virus, she involves the market to promote her greens.

Estera takes some precautions, like utilizing disinfectant and sporting gloves, however her ease of thoughts comes from the indisputable fact that there is no such thing as a case of coronavirus in Alexandria. No confirmed case anyway, as Romania has been gradual at testing.

It felt unnatural doing documentary images with out getting near individuals; to hearken to their tales whereas protecting them at a secure distance. However I knew that I couldn’t get nearer than two metres, that I needed to steer clear of crowded locations, that I couldn’t contact any surfaces and that I needed to wash my palms totally as quickly as I returned to the motorhome.

Dumitru Subtirelu, 52, sells potatoes close by. “I’ve only had 10 customers since morning,” he says. He’s afraid his produce will go unhealthy.

On our manner again to the motorhome, we cross a pastry store. A girl in a pink uniform serves her prospects through a crack in a thick plastic display that covers the store’s window.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

As we journey additional south, alongside the Danube, the radio frequency picks up a Bulgarian channel. I don’t perceive something they’re saying, besides coronavirus.

At the border crossing at Bechet, the queue of vans ready to cross spreads over kilometres.

The villages we cross are empty.

We park for the evening on the financial institution of the Danube. The silence is sporadically damaged by the barks of a canine.

Day 2, March 25 – 906 confirmed circumstances, 13 deaths

Driving the motorhome looks like being in a circus. All eyes, although few, are on us as we cross by. Some individuals wave.

After media studies of COVID-19 circumstances related to a priest utilizing the identical Eucharist spoon for dozens of individuals, church buildings have been banned from holding providers – they will solely transmit their sermons on-line.

In Drobeta-Turnu Severin, the sermon sounds as we cross by a church. A few worshippers are gathered in entrance of it, near the audio system. They don’t seem to be allowed inside. One girl sits additional away on a bench, holding a pink umbrella, as she listens.

At the market, persons are shopping for groceries, ladies are promoting flowers. If not for the face masks, it could appear like nothing had modified.

Throughout the avenue, a girl sells newspapers. She used to have seven newsstands, now she has solely two. “Sales have dropped and I cannot afford to hold on to employees. We will die of hunger, all of us with small businesses,” she says.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

On the radio, as we once more drive through empty villages, there’s a lot of speak about the coronavirus: steady reminders that we don’t wish to turn into the subsequent Italy.

I see teams of 5 – 6 automobiles, some with overseas quantity plates, escorted by police or ministry of inside autos. Many Romanians who had been working in Italy, Spain or different European international locations have been compelled to come back dwelling. As they return, they’re positioned in quarantine.

For lunch, we cease in a subject. It’s sunny for the first time in a pair of days. We eat cheese with recent radishes and wild garlic we purchased from the market earlier. An previous farm surrounded by tall timber in the distance is our view through the motorhome’s window.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

It’s virtually sunset after we attain Timisoara.

As we stroll previous the baroque buildings in the direction of Liberty Sq., it resembles the set of an apocalyptic film.

There are few sounds to interrupt the silence right here – simply the heels of a passerby on the cobblestones, a tram in the distance, a pigeon.

The vacancy is each exhausting to bear and comforting.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

There are rather a lot of police on the metropolis streets, even when they’re virtually empty. It’s the first time we get pulled over and checked.

Earlier than the day is over, we make yet one more cease in Arad.

It’s my birthday at the moment.

Day 3, March 26 – 1,029 confirmed circumstances, 17 deaths

I get up by the river Mures. On a hill close by, there are the stays of an previous fortress. A flock of sheep make their manner throughout the subject.

This place appears removed from COVID-19 and the whole lot.

By the aspect of the highway from Arad to Deva, in just a little forest, we meet Vasile, 63. He has been a forestry employee for greater than 42 years. Initially from Maramures, he now lives in Paulis together with his spouse. Their youngsters are all grown up and have left dwelling.

“Nature hasn’t made anyone sick,” Vasile says about coming to work as of late. “There hasn’t been a disease like this one, not in my lifetime. Not to be able to shake someone’s hand, not to get close to people.”

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

A little additional down E68, truck driver Dan, 35, is extra nervous.

“Come Easter we won’t have a job. There is no more demand for certain goods. Our company has 70 trucks. In two weeks’ time only 10 will be rolling.”

The daddy of two is on his manner again from Belgium to his hometown, Sibiu.

“Maybe it will be a good break,” he says. “For years, I’ve been driving and driving. I am at home only two days a week, at best.”

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

In Deva we cease at a McDrive. I’m craving fries.

However the motorhome is simply too excessive to enter and they don’t serve pedestrians.

In the automobile park, a taxi driver sporting a visor and inexperienced rubber gloves tells us he would gladly assist us if he weren’t together with his spouse and toddler.

We hand over on the thought of fries and transfer on.

In Alba Iulia, a police automobile patrols the metropolis centre, urging individuals, through a megaphone, to remain indoors. Neighbours chat from their balconies.

Day 4, March 27 – 1,292 confirmed circumstances, 24 deaths

Final evening we parked in an previous oak tree reservation close to Sighisoara. We discovered the place through the park4night app.

In the darkness, I didn’t see the magnificence that surrounded us. However come morning, I wake to search out the enormous canopies of previous oaks guarding us like valiant protectors as birds sing throughout.

We resolve to spend the day there.

Later that morning, a soldier from a close-by army base visits us. He has been tasked with informing those who they need to keep remoted at dwelling.

“What can I say, more isolated than this you cannot be,” he says, smiling.

He’s pleasant and lingers for a chat. He believes that tighter restrictions must be put in place, that individuals must be allowed to buy groceries solely as soon as each three days.

He’s additionally nervous that costs are going up. “You could buy the green onion with three lei, now it is six.”

He’s one of solely 5 individuals we see that day. The others are a person using his bicycle together with his canine, one other strolling 5 – 6 canines and a younger couple taking a stroll.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Being in nature makes me really feel secure, as if no pandemic may attain me right here.

However in the night we watch the information, as we do each night now, and the tranquility and reassurance of the day is generally shattered. However not totally. That occurs after I learn an article in The New York Instances about the state of affairs in Italy known as We Take the Useless From Morning Until Night time. I cry like a child and really feel actually scared for the first time – not for myself, however for my dad and mom.

I message them each, telling them to take care, to remain secure. I am going to mattress with a heavy coronary heart.

Day 5, March 28 – 1,452 confirmed circumstances, 29 deaths

A woodpecker wakes me up. I make espresso however spill most of it in the grass and can’t make one other as a result of we’re out of milk.

My thoughts remains to be on the article I learn the evening earlier than, and the silence right here feels extra heavy than comforting.

I preserve writing issues down in my pocket book and spot that, for the first time, my notes are extra private than observational.

I believe that documenting what’s going on could also be what’s protecting me targeted, and even sane.

As I sit, ingesting what’s left of my espresso, a person drives by in a van. He waves. On his manner again, he stops to speak, rolling down his window.

“Are you staying here until the madness is over?” he asks laughing.

“No, we’ll be on our way today,” we are saying.

He kindly presents to convey us journey types – the ones you need to carry in response to the army ordinance – in case we do not need any.

At the market in Sighisoara, rather a lot of persons are going about their enterprise. Perhaps as a result of it’s 11:30am, and people aged 65 and above are solely allowed out of their properties between 11am and 1pm.

Many are shopping for fruit and greens. The masks are, as soon as extra, the solely signal that we live in particular occasions.

Sabina, a 75-year-old mom of two, says she longs to go for a stroll. However apart from that, her life has not modified a lot.

As for protecting in contact with pals, she says the cellphone is essential proper now.

“The greatest joy these days is to see my family healthy. Still,” she provides.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

In Odorheiu Secuiesc we have to cease for petrol and water.

At the petrol station, the dark-haired, 40-something-year-old man who helps us fill the water tank is nervous about the future. Administration is contemplating stopping the evening shift as a result of of the evening journey ban, he says. This implies some of the employees there must keep at dwelling or work fewer hours.

Our subsequent cease is Miercurea Ciuc. It’s fully abandoned. Just a few taxi drivers sit in their automobiles close to the metropolis centre.

We cease to purchase provides at a grocery store. A few different persons are doing the identical. I see a younger couple, each sporting masks and gloves, holding one another. I shortly take their image. At a time after we should steer clear of different individuals and never even hug our dad and mom or pals, a gesture like this creates a fleeting sense of normalcy.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Day 6, March 29, 2020 – 1,760 confirmed circumstances, 38 deaths

I pull down the blinds of the home windows and see a frozen mountain lake surrounded by wooded cliffs.

After we arrived in the darkness of evening, this place was one huge unknown.

The Purple Lake (Lacu Rosu) has a wierd legend. It tells the story of a wonderful, black-haired and emerald-eyed Estera who someday met a good-looking boy at a good. It was love at first sight. The boy purchased her a sky blue scarf and requested her to marry him. However he was despatched off to conflict earlier than they might. One Sunday, as she was sitting by the spring, considering of her cherished one, an outlaw kidnapped Estera and took her to his shelter in the mountains. She requested the mountains for assist. The cliffs listened to her plea and a July storm, like no different earlier than, made the mountains tumble, burying alive each the woman and the outlaw.

In line with the legend, that’s how the lake was created.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

It’s a place standard with vacationers, however now all the terraces are closed, their chairs and tables stacked up inside.

We cease in Piatra Neamt. The streets are empty. We cease in Bacau. The streets are empty.

In entrance of a hospital in Bacau triage tents have been arrange. They’ve been positioned outdoors hospitals throughout the nation.

Suceava municipal hospital, the place studies recommend greater than 180 medical employees have been contaminated in consequence of a scarcity of private protecting tools (PPE), has turn into the epicentre of the pandemic in Romania.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Crossing a bridge as we enter Galati county, I see a bunch of males fishing in the river beneath. One of them works as a truck driver and used to drive to Italy. Upon returning, he spent 14 days in quarantine.

They don’t seem to be afraid of the virus, they are saying; no circumstances have been reported in their village, Cosmesti.

It’s the first time we spend the evening in a metropolis. We cease in a carpark, however a safety guard tells us to depart. So we transfer the motorhome to a parking space for vans and sleep there. It feels disconcerting, particularly with the curfew. However it’s late and we’re too drained to search out some place else.

Day 7, March 30 – 1,952 confirmed circumstances, 44 deaths

I open the blinds and see vans, a grocery store and a girl jogging with a masks on.

As we enter the metropolis, we’re stopped at a police checkpoint. The policeman smiles and asks about the motorhome; he needs to have a look inside. He checks my press badge and lets us cross.

Galati isn’t quiet. On a avenue close to the metropolis centre, with police standing at the nook, aged individuals sit on benches, having fun with the solar and chatting. Individuals stand in line at an ATM, at a retailer, at a pharmacy. Most preserve the required distance from each other. However nonetheless it feels totally different right here, one way or the other too energetic.

[Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

In Braila, it feels the identical. At the market, Metropolis Corridor workers disinfect the pavements round it, wanting like one thing out of Ghostbusters, I believe to myself.

We take the ferry to cross the Danube. In line with the ferry operator, fewer automobiles are crossing this week.

“You can tell there are restrictions. In fact, it’s the fines that did the work,” says Marius, a 35-year-old father of two.

For 18 years, Marius labored in building. He solely began his job as a ferry operator final week. “If I get scared and don’t come to work, who will pay my bills?” he asks.

He believes most individuals are questioning the future, asking what’s to come back.

“This coronavirus thing makes you think long term, puts things in perspective, changes your ideas and brings a fear … the fear about tomorrow,” Marius provides.

We cross through Tulcea, which is abandoned, and cease in Sarichioi, close to the Razim lake.

The wind rocks the motorhome like a ship on waves. It has been per week since we left dwelling making an attempt to doc the each day life of Romanians in the time of coronavirus.

On the night information, we hear about the sixth army ordinance. The sixth in 13 days. Suceava is in full lockdown.

I go to sleep fascinated by what Marius mentioned, fascinated by tomorrow.

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City Guide to Bratislava: Exploring and Must See Attractions

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Bratislava, Slovakia and our travel plans met, totally by accident (a welcome accident we might add!). Let us tell you the story of how we, Screw The Average, ended up in Bratislava. We'll try to make it quick!

We were happily minding our business in Bucharest, Romania, where we were ‘living’ for a month in a studio rented off Airbnb (use our link and get up to $40 off your first stay!). Our time in Bucharest was intentional and multi-purpose, as we were able to get some much needed time to work, spent time outside of Schengen, and we got to experience and explore a new country and city. During our regular activities, we’re always on the lookout for house sits that look interesting, and one day we found one that looked perfect! It was in Vienna, Austria and we’d have the privilege of looking after a home in the center of Josefstadt (basically Old Vienna, city center), and caring for two cats and a small dog. We talked with the homeowners, got all of the details squared away, and were thrilled to be able to put the house sit on our calendar.

The best part about our traveling style is that it’s flexible. We keep our time available so that we can jump on opportunities that appeal to us. Vienna was certainly a place we wanted to visit, and the animals looked adorable, so we of course had to take advantage of the house sit. The next step was figuring out how we'd get from Bucharest to Vienna. We thought, the easy way to get to Vienna was to fly, right? Unfortunately, no. It was on the pricey side to fly directly to Vienna on the date we needed (over $240 per person). So, long story short, we found that a 90 minute bus ride from Bratislava to Vienna was only €1 per person (yes, you read that right, only €1!).

So then, you might be asking, how did we get from Bucharest to Bratislava? Simple, we flew from Cluj-Napoca, Romania to Bratislava, Slovakia for only $20 US dollars for both us. Yes, you read that right, it was 80 RON or $20.01 (the conversion during our visit) including fees and taxes to fly from Cluj-Napoca to Bratislava! And, if you’re up on your Romanian geography, the next logical question is, how did we get from Bucharest to Cluj-Napoca? Well of course, we took a train ride from Sighisoara, where since we were there we had to spend a couple of days sightseeing and enjoying the UNESCO World Heritage Site of one of the best-preserved citadels in Romania. So then, how did we end up in Sighisoara? Naturally, a fantastic Transylvanian train ride from Sibiu, Romania!

Now, if you’re still following along, you may be wondering how in the world we ended up in Sibiu, over 170 miles north of Bucharest. Well, here’s a question for you. If you had the opportunity to take a road trip of a lifetime, a road trip that was named by the BBC’s Top Gear as the, ‘World’s best road trip’, would you?! We certainly would, and did! So, from Bucharest Airport we rented a car (by the way, it was our first time driving in nearly eight months!) and drove the amazing Transfagarasan Highway, of which we must admit we were both so excited to do that we took turns driving so that we could both have bragging rights. Finally, at the end of the drive we spent a night at an Airbnb in Sibiu, and then caught our Transylvanian train to Sighisoara.

And Now, Let’s Recap

The dominoes fell in place when we were offered a house sit in Vienna, Austria and the plane tickets were more than we wanted to spend to fly direct into Vienna, of course if time was of the essence we would have simply paid the airfare. But instead, we left Bucharest on a once in a lifetime road trip on the Transfagarasan Highway, spent the night in Sibiu, took a train the next morning to Sighisoara (where we lived it up like tourists for a couple of days), and finally we took a train to Cluj-Napoca (where we spent the night), before waking up before dawn to catch a plane to Bratislava. From there, we’d be taking a €1 (about $2.40 US dollars for both of us) bus ride to our house sit in Vienna. It made sense to us, and besides, it was an ‘excuse’ to visit another country…

What To Do Now That We’re in Bratislava?

Well, it seemed only logical, that rather than arrive and immediately leave a cool new city in a country we’d never been in before, we should stay a couple of days! So, we booked a hotel night and an Airbnb night in town and started exploring!

If you know us at all though, you’re well aware that we don’t just show up in a new city without a game plan. As we usually do, we did plenty of research ahead of time, exploring maps and recommendations all over the internet to come up with the best ever, must see list of things to do in Bratislava. It’s our goal to see everything, from the most visited tourist places to the hidden gems even locals don’t always know about. So, to possibly make your research on sightseeing in Bratislava (and other destinations) easier, we’ve kept our maps with all of the information we gathered (accurate at the time of our sightseeing). Finding hours, prices, and general information can sometimes be challenging, so we’ve tried to include these details on our maps and provide appropriate links below. And finally, not every attraction is suitable for every visitor, but the copywriters and marketing departments for the destinations sure make it sound like it. How many times have you read “Great for kids and adults alike” and shown up at the venue to wonder why anyone over 20 years-old without kids would go out of their way to be there? Below we’ve included our itinerary with tips, impressions, and our takeaways on each place that, when combined with the official attraction information and website, may help you decide if it’s a destination for your travel adventure or not.

NOTE: We used this sightseeing map for our personal sightseeing adventures, because of that, some notes may not make perfect sense, and some information could be outdated. Information on this map was valid at the time of creation. All prices are shown in US dollars but are actually Euros (local currency). That being said, feel free to save it to your Google account and use it as a starting point (or modify it accordingly) for planning out your personalized itinerary in Bratislava.

The map above is inclusive of everything we saw and did in Bratislava. However, we want to highlight some of our favorite attractions. Naturally, we’ve included the most famous attractions, the ones that you’ll find in every ‘must see’ list, but we’ve also included the hidden gems, the off the beaten path places, and the destinations that you don’t come across in every blog and article about Bratislava. Hopefully, you’ll love them as much as we did!

Must See Attractions in Bratislava

Michael's Gate

Like many cities across Europe that date back centuries, Bratislava was once fortressed with city walls and ancient gates. Only the North gate, of the four original gates, remains standing, and today it isn’t just a gate to photograph and walk through, it also houses the Museum of Arms. The church that this gate was named after, which stood outside the town walls and in front of the gate, no longer stands, however it lives on in its name, St. Michael. The gate was built at the beginning of the 14th century, but looks the way it does today because of a Baroque style reconstruction in 1758 that changed the overall shape of the building and added the statue of St. Michael slaying the Dragon to the top. It’s hard to imagine it in the present day, but at its glory, Michael’s Gate, was part of a large, two wall fortification plan that was closed off by a moat and a drawbridge. The tower stands 51 meters (167 feet) tall, has seven floors, and can be climbed by visitors to the sixth floor viewing deck for a fantastic view of the city. To go to the top, you’ll need to enter through the arms museum, which can be found by looking for the replica cannon on the street. When you pass through the bottom of the gate, be sure to look down where you’ll see a large brass ring laid into the cobblestone. It’s called Kilometer Zero, because if you look closely, you’ll see the markings where it shows the distance to 29 other capitals around the world.

Church of St. Elizabeth (The Blue Church)

This church has become such a symbol of Bratislava, that a mini version of it is used as a representation of Slovakia at Brussels’ Mini-Europe park. While a mini version must be pretty cool, we’d recommend, if you have the chance, visiting the authentic Church of St. Elizabeth. It was built in the early 20th century and was consecrated in 1911. With its sky blue exterior, glazed ceramic blue roof, and blue mosaics both inside and out, it’s not a huge mystery as to why this Art Nouveau church has been adorned with the nick name, the Blue Church. Built in the Hungarian Secession style, it was originally part of a school, which when visiting also deserves a few minutes of attention, as the bright colors and similar style to the church standout among the much less colorful buildings in the area. The Blue Church is a short walk out of city center, as it sits on the eastern side of Old Town, but don’t fret, it’s a pleasant walk down small winding streets.

St. Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava

St. Martin’s Cathedral, consecrated in 1452, is a centerpiece of the city and considered a National Cultural Monument since 2002. It was originally built into the fortification walls and became the coronation church of the Kingdom of Hungary between 1563 and 1830, hosting 19 coronations, the first being that of Maximillian II, as well as Maria Theresa in 1741. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations and has also been visited by the Pope.

As you explore Bratislava, you won’t be able to miss the 85 meter (278 feet) tall tower of this church, as it dominates the skyline. The tower you see today was built after the destruction of the original Baroque style tower by a fire in 1833. Commemorating the cathedrals importance as a coronation church, it’s present Neo Gothic form is topped with a gilded cushion bearing a copy of the Hungarian Crown, the Crown of St. Stephen, which weighs over 330 pounds, and between the pillow and the crown contains 18 pounds of gold. It's easy to see why the cathedral is such an integral part of the city, because as we visited other sites within Old Town, the tower of the church always appeared to be ‘just around the corner’. So, when it was finally time to go see it, and we rounded the corner and had this beautiful Gothic cathedral in front of us, it was a satisfying walk to the entrance, as our curiosity had been building all morning. Inside we found a beautiful church, designed in the traditional crucifix shape with high, arched ceilings. As the cathedral is dedicated to St. Martin, when visiting, be sure to take a look at the statue of the saint on the altar. Before completing your visit, be sure to find the small entrance and stairs down to the crypt, entrance is €2. It’s most interesting, since the church was originally built over a cemetery and several other churches. Today it’s an archaeological area, as the total number of crypts and size of the catacombs isn’t known. As a visitor, two of the crypts are open to visit.

Slavin War Memorial

In 1960, on the 15th anniversary of the liberation of the Slovakian capital from German occupation during World War II, the Slavin War Memorial was inaugurated and is now a National Cultural Monument. It’s built on the burial ground of 6,845 Soviet Soldiers, in six mass graves and 278 individual graves, all who died during World War II.

It’s a solemn visit and requires a climb up a series of stairs and strong inclines to get to the top of the hill, but standing at the base of the stairs to the memorial, looking over the gravestones and grass squares towards the monument that stands 50 meters (164 feet) high, is worth it. When we visited, we came first thing in the morning and had the grounds to ourselves. As we walked the pathways and could see out over the awakening city, we couldn’t help but reflect on the lives that were lost in the liberation of Bratislava and the surrounding cities. As we approached the monument, we looked up to see the sculpture of a soldier carrying a flag atop the tall pylon that towered over the massive stone memorial. At the center, a wreath sat in front of a large bronze door, and on the walls were the names of the cities and the dates they were liberated.

As visitors, the memorial also offers fantastic panoramic views of the city. When visiting, we’d recommend the outlook here over the other paid outlook towers. Plus, after just a short walk beyond the memorial you’ll find yourself in a very wealthy part of town, dotted with several embassies and very close to the beautiful forested park, Horsky park. This is a common park used by locals for walking, jogging, and bicycling.

Bratislava Castle

The Bratislava Castle is in the center of the city, atop a hill and on the banks of the Danube River. It can be seen from all parts of the city and the grounds themselves offer views of the entire city, and on a good, clear day, views of neighboring Austria and Hungary. It’s the number one tourist attraction in the city and for good reason.

The site where the castle sits is quite a strategic one, being at a passage between the Carpathians and the Alps, as well as at a ford to cross the Danube River. While the castle itself dates back to the 9th century, the land has been inhabited since prehistoric times, followed by the Celts and Romans between 450 BCE and 4000 CE. The castle is closely connected with the nearby St. Martins Cathedral, as it was the place for Hungarian Coronations. The castle, through different reigns, has undergone many reconstructions and style changes. In recent times, the castle has become a National Cultural Monument and was rebuilt in 1960, after it was left in ruins for over a century after a fire destroyed it in 1811.

When visiting, there are three entrance gates:

Sigmund Gate was built in the 15th century and is on the southeast side of the castle. Access this gate by following Mikuláška Street and turning onto Beblavého Street. As you walk, you’ll come to the stairs on Zámocké Schody Street that’ll lead to the gate.

Vienna Gate was built in 1712 and is the main entrance to the castle and is on the southwest side. If you’re taking public transportation or coming by car, this is likely where you’ll enter (parking is located in a parking garage before the entrance on Palisády Street). To use this entrance, walk up Palisády Street or Mudroňova Street, from there, you won’t be able to miss the gate.

Nicholas Gate was built in the 16th century and is on the northwest side of the castle. Find this entrance by turning onto Mikuláška Street from Židovská Street and following the stairs up.

When we visited, we entered through the Vienna Gate, walked up the hill, and found the two guardhouses and two gates that flanked the entrance to the ‘Yard of Honor’. This is where the tourists gather and stand along the wall to take photos of the expansive views of the city and the Danube River. Once we’d visited the castle, we left through the impressive Sigmund gate and made our way down narrow cobble stone streets to the ‘UFO’ Bridge. When you visit, you can also go inside the castle, and visit the Museum of History for a small fee and see the beautiful gardens.

Bratislava Statues

Walk around Old Town for a while and those with a keen eye will probably start to notice some quirky but lively sculptures. The city, in an effort to enliven the town after the end of the communist era installed a few statues throughout Old Town. The city quickly realized that they not only became popular among locals, but were loved by tourists and since, more have been installed throughout the city. Here are just a few of the statues you may find, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for others.

Man at Work Sculpture (Čumil) – It’s probably the most photographed statue in Bratislava and, personally, we didn’t want to have a Bratislava trip without taking a photograph of this working man rising from a sewer grate. The sculpture was installed in 1997 and has since created a mystery among admirers. The question stands, what’s the story and meaning behind it? Well, the literal translation of Čumil is ‘watcher’, so while some say the man depicted is a working man during the communist era who isn’t paying much mind to work, others believe that the working man is looking up the skirts of passing women. When you visit, you’ll notice a “Man at Work” construction sign next to the statue. This wasn’t originally part of the piece of art work, it was added later to make the statue more visible to drivers, since there were a few vehicles that crashed into it. Find the statue at the corner of Laurinská and Panská Street.

Schone Naci – It’s the only silver statue and the only one that’s made of a historic person, Ignac Lamar. Like any good attraction, there’s a bit of a legend behind Schone Naci. Ignac Lamar is said to have been a quirky man with few economic means, but one who brought happiness to the streets by walking Old Town in an elegant top hat and tails attire. Throughout his life, he went out of his way greeting people passing by, particularly women. Find Schone Naci, tipping his hat to you on Rybárska Brána street, on the southeast corner of the main square, Hlavné námestie.

Napoleon's Army Soldier – It may remind you of Napoleon himself because of the hat, but it’s a soldier of Napoleon's Army who is said to have fallen in love with a local woman when Napoleon’s Army entered the city in 1805. The statue of the soldier, leaning over the bench, depicts and commemorates his love and that he stayed in Bratislava for the girl.

Presidential Palace (Grassalkovich Palace)

Being a tourist in Bratislava and visiting the Grassalkovich Palace is like a tourist in the United States visiting the White House. It’s currently the seat of the President of Slovakia, but it originally was built in 1760 as a Rococo style summer palace for the chairman of the Hungarian Royal Chamber and adviser to Empress Maria Theresa. It’s elegance and grace quickly made it a sought-after venue for elite social events. It wasn’t until 1996 that the palace was transformed into the seat of Slovakia’s president. However, when visiting it’s unlikely you’ll get a chance to see the president, as he doesn’t actually live here.

The palace is located on the north edge of Old Town and is in the busy public square, Hodžovo Námestie. When you arrive at the square and walk through the courtyard, you’ll probably first notice the fountain with the large sphere, representing Earth and symbolizing freedom. The palace is guarded by the Palace Guards, and while we weren’t there at the right time, we’ve heard that visitors can watch the ceremonial changing of the guards at 12 noon or 1 pm (we’ve heard both times, so we’re not entirely sure, but figured we’d include both possibilities). Unfortunately, the palace isn’t open to visitors and you’ll be stuck peering through the ornate black and gold wrought iron fence.

It may seem like that’s all there is to see, but be sure to go around the side of the building and down the street (either side will work, on Štefánikova Street or Banskobystrická Street). After you pass the walls of the palace you’ll come upon an entrance to the Presidential Gardens, which were originally the gardens of the palace and designed as a French formal garden. Be sure not to miss the statue of Empress Maria Theresa on horseback and the Fountain of Youth in the center of the park. Also, throughout the park are modern art pieces that are changed out every so often. One of the things we found most interesting in the garden was the Presidential Alley. In 1999, a former Slovakian President, Rudolf Schuster, started the tradition of planting an oak tree on the east side of the garden. Since then, each foreign president who visits the country plants one as well.

Bratislava’s Old City Walls

We stumbled upon the old city walls of Bratislava as we were walking to a sight and crossing a pedestrian bridge over Staromestská Street, one of the main arteries in the city. Along the wall are detailed signs about the history of the fortification that can be read by visitors. The stone walls were built at the end of the 14th century and strengthened in the beginning of the 16th century to 130-160 cm (4.25-5.25 feet) thick, for fear of a Turkish invasion. This stretch of wall, measuring 200 meters (656 feet) in length, is one of only two left in the entire city, as Empress Maria Theresa ordered the medieval fortification walls to be demolished and the moats to be filled in 1775. Along with the last remaining medieval gate, these walls are a must see if you enjoy learning about and seeing the history of a town.

House of the Good Shepherd (Dom U dobrého pastiera)

This house could easily be passed up by most tourists, but in our opinion, they’d be missing out. It’s a four-story, golden yellow building that’s unique in that it’s maintained its original state, since most homes and buildings in this area were demolished during the 20th century. Not only is it a glimpse into the past, but this building is a beautiful example of Rococo style architecture. It’s striking to see, with how tall and narrow it is, only being wide enough for one room and a narrow staircase. The building was originally built between 1760 and 1765 for a merchant, the upper floors for residential living, and the lower floors for commercial purposes. Today it houses a popular Museum of Clocks.

More to Explore in Bratislava

These are only a few of the highlights of our sightseeing adventures in Bratislava. We encourage you to look over the map above and plan an amazing, personalized tour of the historical capital city of Slovakia!

#Adventures #City Guide

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alotoftrips · 4 years

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Hot spots for those who want to run away from the winter

A few hot destinations for those who want to flee the winter. Tenerife, Canary Archipelago | The highest average temperature in March: 23 ° C. Home freezes the waters and you are in Tenerife at the beach, on this island where nature keeps the footsteps of endless lava waves, now covering them with beautiful laurel forests, and Teide National Park is where to rinse your eyes with all that while you wear your boots. Take in turn how many of the cities and mountain villages here (Vilaflor, Teno Alto, Arico Nuevo the Etetera), admire them from the 18th century, taste all of the dishes and, if possible, sit at talk to the people there. Krabi, Thailand | The highest average temperature in March: 34 ° C If you're only half a day on the plane and if you're still not paying a bargain on it, do the madness right and enjoy the Krabi for at least two weeks. So, after you arrived at the airport and wiped your shoes out of the last snowstorms at home, say to yourself "Let me be, here I can go to exactly 154 islands if I have chef ". You will also be surprised at how cheap the meridians can be here. And if it's not enough, take a walk along the beach, take a massage for about an hour at the price of 5 euros and maybe at the end of the vacation when you pull the line, you realize, maybe not that you went out on the plus , but you certainly do not feel that bad.

2018 Winter Olympics: North Korean athletes will be tackled if they ...

North Korean Olympians have a 24/7 surveillance team who will tackle them if they try to run away. Alan Dawson. Feb. 10, 2018, 5:41 AM. Athletes parade under ...

Crete, Greece The highest average temperature in March: 18 ° C Too many reproaches you can not bring to Greece when it comes to holiday and vacation holidays - abounds in islands, beaches, nature, culture and all the cutlery. We have tilted the balance in favor of the largest island - Crete - for March. Unlike other Greek cities that are accustomed to winter holidays, Heraklion (the largest on the island) has no thoughts of laziness. Once the temptation of the existed with the seafront hours, you have time to study the history of the place, take Archeology Museum, Knossos Palace, Saint Mina Cathedral and Venetian walls and visit Rethimno, about 70 and a few miles from Heraklion. Dubai, United Arab Emirates | The highest average temperature in March: 30 ° C Before you do any business in Dubai, show off to the Sheikh Mohammed Center in Bur Dubai and find out all you need to know about local culture. Why? Imagine just how different it is from what you do and that, perhaps so far, the greatest amount of information about the subject you have in the movie Clone. Then overwhelm the overwhelming malls and make your way to one of the local markets. When you start hunger, tell yourself that you have only two choices: break a salary at one of the luxury restaurants, or choose bakery and confectionery at the corner of the street, also loaded with food that you do not have at home anyway. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam | The highest average temperature in March: 34 ° C How could you get to the largest city in Vietnam without wanting to know everything about the tumultuous history when the "Vietnam War" seems an expression we still hear from the cradle. Ho Chi Minh is famous for many things, and markets (loaded with about 3,000 stalls), negotiation culture, and motorcycles will jump in your eyes. It is estimated that, within the city limits, there will be 8.4 million souls living together with the 7.4 million motorcycles that belong to them. Algarve, Portugal | The highest average temperature in March: 28 ° C Close your eyes and mix the delicious Mediterranean delicacies of fish and seafood with bacalaureus. Imaginary. Then think that it can not be too difficult for the appetite to grow itself in the salty air, soaked by the scent of roasting sea life. And when you look at the plate with the translucency of the Portuguese wine glass, you want to extend your free days in the Algarve.

Winter Olympics medal count 2018: Norway running away with ...

Feb 18, 2018 ... With one week to go in the 2018 Winter Olympics, Norway has established itself as the top medal leader. As of Sunday evening, the Norwegians have 26 medals total, well ahead of Germany's 18, Canada's 16, and the Netherlands' 13. Norway added to its medal total after several strong performances on ...

Winter Holidays expensive during the holidays can be bought at substantially reduced prices if you choose the right time and the types of packages that now the demand is not so high. A specialist from a travel agency explained, "truth", which offers the best in this period.

Winter holidays 'growing in popularity'

Winter holidays continue to be a major focus for Britons as the cold spell of January weather continues. Well over three quarters (83%) of those surveyed say they have either already booked a holiday or are planning to book one. Last month was the ...

The first thing that you should consider if you want a cheap winter holiday period that a planned period must exclude dates range with many applications. "If we have to exclude low-cost holiday periods for children between 6 and 14 February, plus the weekend of Valentine's Day, 12 to 14 February. When applications are more numerous, less availability and automatically prices rise. Towards the end of January and the end of February the number of places available is much greater and prices are lower, "explains Gabriela Astănoaiei, consultant at a travel agency in Sibiu. City breaks at half price Offers very good in these ranges calendar found at city-break destinations. You get to see such European capitals at prices that reach even half those charged in December. "Airfares are reasonably priced and accommodation prices in big cities are lower by 20-30%. Within the ranges specified, flights may even reach half the cost of a very sought "says the specialist.

Discounted wellness packages Offers very good the winter in periods after the holidays, wellness packages and spa resorts. "Packages are specially made for those periods in which there is high demand. Discounts start at 20 percent, are for example those type decade offers spa, 10 days accommodation, meals and treatment. Many hotels in the resorts have deals like stay for 7 nights and pay for 5, and are also very good deals and packages the weekend of 10-20 per cent reduction, "explains the specialist. Where to find the best deals on ski holidays The period after the holidays is ideal for those looking for ski holidays in abroad at affordable prices. Best discount packages are resorts in Austria, Bulgaria and Italy. For example, one package at a 4 star hotel with spa in Bulgaria, which during the holiday cost 800 euros family for a week, down at 600 euros, while in Austria, for the same condition, you pay 900 euros compared to 1,200 euros in December.

Discounts exotic vacations and cruises January and February are ideal for holidays in destinations such as Tenerife and Cyprus, where prices can reach even half the tourist season. In winter, here are 18-20 degrees and summer in Tenerife if a family pays 1,700 euros for one week at a 4 star hotel, air transportation and breakfast, now that package can be purchased with euros 900-1000 . In Cyprus, the price come down now from 1,400 euros to 800 euros, as a family for a week with breakfast and transport aircraft. Also now find discounts between 200 and 400 euros in the 2500-3000 package holidays to destinations such as the euro Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico and Thailand. Discounts cruises are about 30 percent during this period, from 600 to 400 euros per person.

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bujorulgalben · 5 years

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You will all need to pardon my latest absence. Business summoned me to Sibiu, you see, and they had already booked a train ticket for me to leave the next day. So it was very fortunate that a quick phone-call out there to my child there, my darling daughter, Stela, promised me a place to sleep on her sofa. And, of course, I was only happy to see her.

There was plenty of work to do, yes, but my goodness I needed the change of atmosphere. Maybe that is from moving as much as I had to do when I was younger..? Whatever it is, I benefited! I even got a breeze through my office window on some mornings! Some.

I celebrated my name day while staying with Stela, as well. I must have spent the two days prior mostly back at the train station; bless their hearts, some of my neighbouring children insisted in spending the day in Sibiu to celebrate it with me. The weather behaved itself, and we went out for a modest lunch... although I could barely see my plate past all of the flowers and homemade wines the little sweethearts got for me! They all treated their Mamaica very well indeed.

Thankfully, Stela didn’t mind me asking her to keep the flowers for my stay. Oh, bless my little Steluţa, she seems so well nowadays. She extended an invitation to join her for the Christmas Market this year, which is a very special one here. If work allows it, i would love to consider it. But ah, it really could only be a “maybe”, with the elections and all.

...No. No, I’m not thinking about that. Not right now. I will burst a few vessels in my brow if I do, and this heat is NOT helping! Oh yes, I am very happy to be back home in București, but with God as my witness, the wall of heat I woke up to on that sleeper train could floor me!

#ic ✧ main verse #(had to make something ic for it #drey i hope you don't mind me borrowing your name for aph sibiu! i really love it is all ;v; )

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citypillow2-blog · 5 years

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Romania road trip with my kid

July 21, 2018

And yes, we did think about vampires a lot.