Inca putin si vin acasa / I'm coming home

   

  Imi pare rau ca nu am mai postat nimic in ultima luna daaar...am fost acasa :). Si pentru ca am fost acasa o saptamana, in celelalte 3, nu am avut timp nici sa respir. Nu ma plang, pentru ca imi face placere sa zbor, sa calatoresc, sa vad, sa cunosc. Insa cred ca am exagerat putin, cel putin pe luna noiembrie. Australia, Hong-Kong, USA, Singapore, Glasgow sunt doar cateva dintre destinatiile in care am poposit in ultimele saptamani.
  Vreau sa in acest post sa scriu ceva despre tara mea. Intotdeauna am crezut ca Romania este o tara care nu iti poate oferi nimic, o tara "seaca", o tara in care tinerii se zbat sa intre in randul lumii si unii batrani isi doresc sfarsitul mai repede din cauza saraciei. Nu pot spune ca uram tara noastra, dar pot confirma faptul ca mi-as fi dorit sa plec si sa-mi traiesc viata intr-o alta civilizata. Acest lucru s-a intamplat anul trecut cand, am avut sansa sa vin in Dubai. Nu regret nimic pentru ca este o experienta pe care nu multi au oportunitatea sa o traiasca. De la viata glamorous, la cat de organizat este totul aici..imi face placere sa fiu aici si ma simt ca acasa. Am prieteni multi si sunt mereu cu oameni noi si in locuri noi. Nu ai cum sa te plictisesti!
  La sfarsitul lui noiembrie am fost acasa a 2a oara de cand m-am mutat in Dubai. Nu pot sa spun cat de frumos mi s-a parut Bucurestiul. Strazile pe care le cunosc atat de bine, prietenii de-o viata, familia, patul, perna..mirosul de acasa. Mancarea bunicii, pisica, vorbitul cu orele la telefon...cat de mult imi lipseau toate si nu-mi dadeam seama.
  Da, Romania este cum este, oamenii fura fara limite, badaranii sunt peste tot dar la urma urmei am realizat ca toatea astea sunt undeva in fundal. Pe prietenii de-o viata nu ii vei gasi nicaieri, familia este numai una, strazile orasului in care ai copilarit ( oricat de pline de gropi sau murdare ) fac parte din ceea ce esti tu in prezent..casa este acolo unde totul ti se pare la locul lui, unde totul ti se pare normal...
   Pentru ca sunt o persoana foarte norocoasa ( dupa cum am mai spus, pozitivismul atrage numai lucruri minunate ) pot fi alaturi de familie si prieteni de Sarbatori. Asa ca vacanta mea va incepe peste o saptamana si se va termina undeva la inceputul lunii ianuarie. Pana atunci ma asteapta Cape Town si Birmingham. Nu voi avea timp sa scriu despre acestea din urma dar promit ca in luna ianuarie voi reveni in forta!
   Va doresc sa aveti niste Sarbatori Fericite alaturi de familie si Un An Nou plini de impliniri si realizari!
 
English

I am sorry I haven't posted anything in the last month ... I was home :) . And because I've been home a week, the other 3, did not even have time to breathe. I'm not complaining, because I love to fly, to travel, to see, to know. But I think I exaggerated a bit, at least in November. Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Singapore, Glasgow are just some of the destinations I've been to  in the recent weeks.

  In this post I want to write something about my country. I always thought that Romania is a country that can give you nothing, one  "dry" country, a country where young people are struggling to live their expectations and some old people are seeking their end because of poverty. I can not say that I hated our country, but I can confirm that I would have wanted to go and live my life in another civilized one. This happened last year when I had the chance to come to Dubai. I do not regret anything because it is an experience that not many have the opportunity to live. The glamorous life and  how organized everything is here .. I like it here and I feel at home. I have many friends and I'm always with new people in new places. You can not get bored!

  At the end of November I was  home the second time since I moved to Dubai. I can not say how nice it seemed Bucharest. The streets I know so well, my lifetime friends , the family, the bed, the pillow .. the smell of home. My grandmas' food, my cat, talking for hours on the phone ... how much I missed it and did not realized.

  Yes, in Romania people steal without boundaries, there are a lot of bad people but in the end I realized that all this is somewhere in the background. Your friends for a lifetime you will not find anywhere else, the family is only one, the streets where you grew up (no matter how dirty or full of holes) are part of what you are now .. Home is where everything seems in the right place,where you find everything so normal ...

   Because I'm a very lucky  person(as I said, positivism attracts only wonderful things) I can be with my family and friends for the holidays. So my vacation starts in a week and will end somewhere in early January. Until then I'm leaving for Cape Town and Birmingham. I will not have time to write about the latter but I promise I will return in January with a vengeance!

   I wish you all Merry Christmas and New Year filled with accomplishments and achievements!

Rio de Janeiro

   Cand ai de ales intre atat de multe destinatii de vacanta, este greu sa iei o decizie. Initial  hotarasem sa plecam la scuba-diving in Bali ( ma refer aici la mine si colega mea de apartament, Raluca ) insa in ultimul moment, am zis ca este mult prea romantic locul pentru 2 fete singure si in loc sa ne distram, ne-am fi deprimat vazand numai cupluri de indragostiti. Rio de Janeiro a fost marele castigator. Inarmndu-ne cu multa resemnare in fata zborului lung pana in Brazilia, pernute de voiaj, carti, Ipad-uri si alte prostioare care sa ne tina "busy" cele 14h20, am plecat ca fetele in vacanta. Bineinteles ca am zburat cu Emirates si bineinteles ca a fost un zbor minunat. Nu vreau sa fac reclama ( inca nu au ajuns astia sa ma plateasca pentru asta ) insa cele 14 ore si ceva au trecut pe nesimtite. Nu am apucat sa deschid cartea sau sa ma joc pe Ipad..fiind colegi, ne-am imprietenit cu crew-ul care opera pe acel zbor si am fost tratate regeste - vin, Baileys, ciucalata. Nu e de mirare ca eram singurele persoane care radeau cu pofta dupa vreo 8 ore de zbor.
  Intr-un final am ajuns la destinatie- Rio de Janeiro, Brazilia. Ce fericita am fost! Niciodata nu am crezut ca voi ajunge atat de usor, atat de departe! Spiritul meu nelinistit care negociaza orice, la orice ora, a fost activat inca de la iesirea din aeroport, unde a trebuit sa luam taxiul pana la hotel. Imaginati-va asa : 2 fete cucuiete, 3 bagaje, o harta, o adresa de hotel si 150397 de avertizari despre cat de periculos este orasul. Eu, ca de obicei, senina si fara niciun stres, Raluca, cu o falca in cer si una in pamant inca de cand ne-am urcat in taxi. Eu- binedispusa si zambareata; Raluca- serioasa si usor disperata.
  " Daca ne rapeste asta acum" imi zice ea preocupata; "asta-i viata" , am raspuns eu. Dupa un drum de vreo 20 de minute, am ajuns la hotel, in Lapa ( aveam sa aflam mai tarziu ca acest cartier este centrul vechi al Rio-ului, si chiar in seara aceea ca strada noastra era plina de curve ). Eram putin ingrijorata de hotel, pentru ca am platit destul de putin in comparatie cu celelalte hoteluri - pentru 5 nopti cu mic dejun, in jur de 500euro pt 2 persoane. Hotelul il puteti vedea aici. Am fost placut surprinsa de hotel si camera. Era mai mult decat suficient pentru cat aveam noi nevoie. Stabilisem sa mergem la cina cu crew-ul cu care am zburat iar locul de intalnire era hotelul unde erau ei cazati. Mica problema ( care intre timp a devenit mare ) a fost ca eu erau cazati exact in partea opusa a orasului; oras care nu este deloc mic. Si uite-asa, ne-am urcat noi, cica intr-un autobuz care merge inspre locul acela. Adresa hotelului nu o aveam, stiam doar cartierul. Habar n-aveam unde mergeam, Raluca mai mult ca mine, era constienta si insista sa-mi reaminteasca cat de periculos este orasul si din linistita si "zen" am ajuns si eu sa fiu stresata si sa ma intreb "ce dracului cautam noi aici?". In autobuz am inceput sa vorbesc cu o cucoana, intr-o spaniola-portugheza dar cu care am reusit sa port discutii destul de interesante, care s-a oferit si ea sa ne mai panicheze putin, spunandu-ne sa nu cumva sa luam autobuzul noaptea, sa avem grija cum mergem pe strada si alte fatalitati de genul asta.Trec vreo 30 de minute si coboram in sfarsit la Copacabana, unde trebuia sa schimbam autobuzul. Cu chiu cu vai am ajuns la hotelul lor, dupa o ora si jumate de chin si inghesuiala. Dar a meritat osteneala pentru ca cina a fost delicioasa.

   A doua zi am mers sa vizitam centrul vechi. Stradute mici si ticsite de oameni, magazine si baruri specifice; muzica braziliana, sucuri naturale de fructe; case colorate, vanzatori cu megafoane; turisti si..noi printre toate acestea. Atmosfera de sarbatoare ma indemna sa dansez samba pe strada. Ne-am indreptat apoi spre faleza...si am mers asa, purtate de frumusetea peisajului vreo 14km de-a lungul oceanului. Este de prisos sa adaug ca nu ne mai simteam picioarele ( am parcurs literalmente jumatate de Rio in ziua aceea ). Cu ultimele forte am reusit sa savuram in noaptea aia o caipirinha, bautura traditionala braziliana. Trebuie sa adaug ca brazilienii nu se chitrosesc la alcool atunci cand iti prepara o bautura si nici la portiile de mancare - mereu este mut alcool si multa mancare. Dupa doua bauturi, ne-am intors la hotel, pe jos, printre curvele de pe strada noastra, in toiul noptii, lasand frica in paharul de caipirinha.

  Corcovado, sau Cristo Redentor a fost destinatia pentru urmatoarea zi. Dupa 2 ore de asteptat la coada, ne-am suit in vechiul trenulet care te duce sus pe culmile muntelui Corcovado, acolo unde Iisus se inalta deasupra orasului. Statuia este considerata a fi una dintre minunile noii lumi, avand aproape 40 de m si fiind a 5-a cea mai mare statuie a lui Iisus din lume. Privelistea orasului este superba. Desi erau foarte multi oameni, am reusit sa ne strecuram si sa facem cateva poze. Cel mai potrivit moment pentru a vizita acest loc este o zi senina, clara, pentru a te putea bucura de frumusetea orasului vazut de la 700m inaltime.
  Dupa ce ne-am delectat privirile, am plecat spre un alt loc faimos: Pão de Açúcar sau Sugarloaf Mountain. Este un munte de 396m care se ridica din oceanul Atlantic, chiar in fata portului. Pentru a ajunge sus, am luat o telecabina facuta numai din sticla. De fapt sunt 2 culmi, una mai joasa si alta mai inalta. Prima culme este o platforma cu restaurante, 2-3 magazinase, un heliport si o priveliste de nedescris. Pentru o plimbare cu elicopterul trebuia sa platim 250 de reali, cam 500ron care presupun ca ar merita. Exact cand am urcat, am avut placerea sa asistam la o cerere in casatorie...balonase in forma de inimioara, si doi tineri la inceput de drum. Cat de frumos sa fie?! Admirand natura si vegetatia, am dat peste o maimutica , foarte mica si draguta. Avea un cap de elf..asa ca i-am dat o banana pe care a mancat-o incet, fara sa se grabeasca. Luand al doilea teleferic am ajuns acolo unde se afla adevarata minune - panorama Rio-ului la asfintit. Pot spune cu mana pe inima ca nu am mai vazut ceva mai minunat in viata mea. Statuia lui Iisus undeva la orizont, iar la poalele ei, orasul luminat. Nu pot sa descriu..sau poate as putea daca m-as chinui, dar e imposibil sa descriu acea frumusete. Desi era un vant rece, am stat acolo pana s-a lasat seara.
  Noaptea fiind tanara, am plecat la hotel sa ne schimbam si sa petrecem in stil brazilian la unul dintre cele mai cunoscute localuri cu muzica samba - Carioca da Gema. Caipirinha si miscari de poponet toata seara ;).
   In cea de-a 3a zi am zis sa ne plimbam cu bicicletele, asa ca am inchiriat doua si am pedalat cu spor si placere pe langa ocean - Leblon, Copacabana, Ipanema. Este o adevarata placere sa faci sport in Rio. Exista atat piste pentru biciclete de-a lungul falezei ( in jur de 14km de pista ) cat si pista pentru alergat. Acum, fie vorba intre noi, nu am mai vazut atatia barbati frumosi pe metru patrat in viata mea....toti sunt ca si sculptati. As face jogging in fiecare zi cu asa priveliste. Dorind sa analizam mai de aproape fenomenul acesta de barbat sculptat, am zis sa mergem la plaja. Problema era ca nu aveam costumele de baie la noi asa ca am zis sa mergem sa ne innoim cu cate unul.  Nu am folosit cuvantul "problema" degeaba...ci pentru ca in Rio este o adevarata misiune sa iti gassti un costum de baie. Nu ma intelegeti gresit, ele (costumele ) se gasesc peste tot, dar au o cantitate foarte mica de material. Partea dorsala, sau fundu' este menit sa se rumeneasca la soare in totalitate. Celebrii bikinii brazilieni..sunt sigura ca ati auzit de ei..pana si pe cele mai mari balene le vezi purtand acesti chilotei. Si am incercat noi 2-3-4 perechi de chiloti dar fara succes. Imi inchipuiam eu cum ar fi sa apar ca o floare, pe plajele din Dubai, cu chiloteii mei. Cred ca ar face toti arabii atac de panica si infasuratele m-ar linsa.
Seara am iesit la un drink cu niste romani, prieteni ai unui verisor de-al unui prieten de-al meu ( stiu ca n-ati inteles ). A fost o seara foarte reusita! Tot la Carioca da Gema ne-am proptit, tot cu Caipirinha si muzica buna.
   Ultimele zile le-am petrecut la plaja...la Peer 10, acolo a vrut Ralu sa mergem. Romanii ne-au zis ca acolo sunt "bunaciunile"....frumos..n-am ce comenta :).

  All in all, a fost o vacanta foarte reusita. Imi pare rau insa ca nu am ajuns sa vedem celebrele favelas ( am avut eu niste tentative, am ajuns pana la inceputul lor, dar ne-a fost frica sa mergem mai departe ). Cu siguranta data viitoare  nu le voi rata. Drumul de intors a fost la fel de "scurt" ca la dus - 13:30h. 7h am dormit ( am fost epuizata ) si restul de 5 am baut Baileys, Don Perignon din First Class, si altele. Ca de obicei am fost rasfatate de crew :) Urmatoarea excursie-vacanta va fi in februarie, cand voi merge cu fetele la ski ( inca nu ne-am hotarat ) si in aprilie, vrem noi in Cancun. Om trai si-om vedea.

Pentru poze, click aici.


English

When you have to choose between so many vacation destinations, it is hard to make a decision. Initially, we decided to go scuba-diving in Bali ( me and my flatmate, Raluca) but in the last moment we said that it is too romantic  for 2 single girls and instead of having fun, we would be depressed by seeing so many couples in love. Rio de Janeiro was the big winner. Being mentally and physically prepared for the long flight to Brazil- with travel pillows, books, iPads and other nonsense to keep us "busy" the whole way, we left on vacation. Of course I flew with Emirates and of course it was a great flight. I do not want to advertise it (they haven't payed me for it yet) but the 14 hours and something went stealthily. I didn't get to open the book or to play on my Ipad .. as colleagues, we became friends with the crew who worked on the flight and we were treated royally - wine, Baileys, chocolate. No wonder we were the only people who laughed heartily after about 8 hours of flight.

  Finally we reached the destination, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. How happy I was! I never thought I would go so easily, so far! My restless spirit who negotiate anything, at any time, has been active since we exit the airport, where we had to take taxi to the hotel. Imagine this: two crazy girls , 3 pieces of luggage, a map, an address of the hotel and 150,397 warnings about how dangerous the city is. I was, as usual, without any stress and happy, Raluca, with a scared face ever since we got in the cab. I had an amazing mood, Raluca-serious and slightly desperate.

  " What if  we're being kidnapped right now," she tells me concerned, "that's it", I replied. After a journey of about 20 minutes, we arrived at the hotel in Lapa (I had to find out later that this neighborhood is Rio's old center, an that our street was full of prostitutes). I was a bit worried about the hotel, I paid less compared to other hotels - for 5 nights with breakfast, around 500euro for 2 persons. The hotel we staued in is here. I was pleasantly surprised by the hotel and room. It was more than enough- clean and tidy. We agreed to go to dinner with the crew that flew with us and the meeting place was the hotel where they were staying. The small problem (which meanwhile became big) was that we were staying in the other part of the city; city which is not small at all. And just like that, we got on a bus that was going towards that place. We didn't know the address of the hotel, we only knew the neighborhood. I had no idea where we were going, Raluca more than me, was very conscious in reminding me how dangerous the city is. Eventually, al my "zen" mood flew away and I've became  stressed also  wondering "what the hell are we doing here ? '. In the bus I started to talk to a lady in a Spanish-Portuguese language, but I managed somehow to have an interesting discussion with her. She scared us a little more by telling us not to take the bus at night because it is very dangerous. After 30 minutes we finally reached Copacabana, where we had to change buses. We reached their hotel after an hour and a half of ordeal in the crowded bus. But it was worth it because the dinner was delicious.

   The next day we went to visit the old town. Small streets packed with people, shops and bars, traditional Brazilian music, natural fruit juices, colorful houses, sellers with megaphones, tourists and .. us through all this. Festive atmosphere prompted me to dance samba on the street. We then turned and walked towards the waterfront ... so, we walked about 14km driven by the beautiful landscape. Needless to add that we no longer felt our legs (we have literally traveled half of Rio that day). With my last strength, we did enjoy that night one caipirinha, a traditional Brazilian drink at some local bar. I should add that Brazilians are not stingy when serving alcohol and food - is always a lot of alcohol in the drinks and a lot of food on the platter. After two drinks, we returned to the hotel, walking among the prostitutes on our streets, in the middle of the night, leaving our fear in the glass of caipirinha.

  Corcovado, Cristo Redentor  was the destination for the next day. After 2 hours of waiting in line, we went to the old train that takes you up on top of Corcovado mountain where Jesus rises above the city. The statue is considered one of the wonders of the new world, nearly 40 m tall and is the 5th largest statue of Jesus in the world. The view of the city is superb. Although there were many people, we managed to sneak and take some pictures. The best time to visit this place is a clear day, sunny, so you can enjoy the beauty of the city seen from 700m high.

  After we admired the view, we went to another famous place: Pão de Açúcar or Sugarloaf Mountain. It is a 396m mountain that rises from the Atlantic Ocean, just off the harbor. To reach the top, we took a cable car made only of glass. In fact there are two peaks, one lower and one higher. The first peak is a platform with restaurants, 2-3 shops, a heliport and an indescribable sight. For a helicopter ride, you had to pay 250 reais. Just when we got up there, I had the pleasure of witnessing a marriage proposal ... heart shaped balloons, and two young people beginning a new life together, up on cloud no 9.
Admiring the nature and vegetation, we came upon a monkey, a very small and cute one. .. so I gave it a banana, which it ate slowly, without hurrying. Taking the second cable car we got where the true miracle was - Rio at sunset. I can say that I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life. Jesuss' statue somewhere in the horizon, and at its feet, the city of lights. I can not describe .. or maybe I could if I struggle, but it's impossible to describe the beauty. We stayed there until the evening came.

  The night was young, so we went to the hotel to change and spent the rest of the night in a Brazilian style at one of the most famous venues with samba music - Carioca da Gema. That meant only two things -caipirinha and shaking our booties all night ;).

   On the third day we decided to ride bikes, so we rented two and cycled along ocean - Leblon, Copacabana, Ipanema. It is a pleasure to do sports in Rio. There are not only bike lanes along the waterfront (about 14km of track) but also running tracks. I have never seen so many beautiful men per square meter in my life .... all are like sculpted. I would jog every day with such a view. Wanting to analyze more closely the phenomenon of these beautiful men, we deided to go to the beach. The problem was that we had no swimsuits with us so we said "let's go and buy one". I used the word "problem" for a reason ... in Rio is a true mission to find a swimsuit. Do not get me wrong, they (the bathingsuits) can be found everywhere, but they all are very small. The back side of the body, or the ass is meant to burn in the sun completely. Famous Brazilian bikinis .. I'm sure you've heard of them .. even the biggest female- whales you see wearing these panties. We've tried 2-3-4 pairs of pants but without success. I imagined myself appearing lies a flower, on the beaches of Dubai, with my tiny panties. I think I would give a heartatack to al the arabs and the women with abaya would kill me.In the evening we went for a drink with some Romanian friend. It was a very successful evening! Carioca da Gema, Caipirinha and good music.

    We spent the last days at the beach ... at Peer 10- Ralu wanted to go there badly. The romanians told us that all the"hotties" are there .... nice ..  no comment :).

  All in all, it was a very successful holiday. I am sorry that I did not get to see the famous favelas  Definitely the next time I will not miss it. The way back was as "short" as the one going- 13:30 h. We slept 7h (I was exhausted) and the remaining 5 drank Baileys, Don Perignon in First Class, and more. As usual we waere spoiled by the crew :) Next-vacation trip will be in February, when I'm gonna go skiing with the girls (we have not decided yet where) and in April, we want to go to Cancun. We'll see...

For pics, click here.

China

                                           

   

    De foarte multi ani mi-am dorit sa ajung in China, o lume cu totul si cu totul aparte, un taram parca desprins dintr-un alt univers. Iata ca in luna septembrie am avut sansa sa vizitez cele mai importante orase din China : Guangzhou, Beijing si Shanghai. Multi colegi s-au plans de zborul in sine, care dureaza intre 6 si 8 ore ( mereu difera`) dar care, li se pare lor, e greu pentru ca, pasagerii chinezi nu inteleg o boaba de engleza. Mie mi-a usurat foarte mult munca acest lucru, pentru ca daca nu intelegeam ce cereau, le dadeam ce credeam eu de cuviinta. Intradevar, pe zborurile asiatice exista fenomenul "noodle mania" - adica oferim supe cu noodle la cerere. Si pe principiul "monkey see, monkey do", cum cere unul o supa de noodles, cum vor alti 20. Si da-i si pregateste zeci de supe cu noodles, pana iti vine rau. Totusi, nu mi se pare atat de rau precum impartirea de paturi pe zborurile de India :)

 Guangzhou

Prima oara am aterizat in Guangzhou, al 2lea cel mai mare oras din lume, avand o populatie de peste 25 milioane de oameni. Prima mea impresie a fost ca seamana extrem de mult cu Bangkokul - aceeasi infrastructura, aceleasi cladiri, acelasi stil de viata. Este un oras foarte verde. Sunt parcuri si paduri peste tot, datorita climei sub-tropicale. Desi am ajuns seara destul de tarziu, ne-am strans o gasca mare si am plecat sa "exploram" viata de noapte din Guangzhou. Am luat cina pe malul apei, intr-o zona plina de baruri si cluburi. Bineinteles ca toata noaptea am dantuit intr-un club de prin imprejurimi, ajungand la hotel dupa ora 04:00.
   Un lucru foarte ciudat este faptul ca taxiurile arata ca o cusca - niste gratii de fier separa partea din fata de bancheta din spate a masinii. Un localnic mi-a spus ca atunci cand beau, chinezii obisnuiesc sa fie foarte violenti si din cauza numarului mare de taximetristi agresati, au pus aceste gratii.

     A doua dimineata am plecat impreuna cu o alta romanca sa ne plimbam prin cel mai mare parc din oras. Este impresionant cat de aranjat si curat este orasul. Desi era o zi lucratoare, parcul era plini de oameni - unii sareau coarda la unison, altii se jucau cu mingiile. Ce mi s-a parut interesant a fost un joc pe care oamenii mai in varsta il jucau si anume - betminton cu piciorul. Fluturasul de betminton era aruncat de la unul la altul cu piciorul. Grupuri de 5-6 persoane care jucau betminton de picior- o reala placere sa ii urmaresti. 
    Dupa mai bine de 2 ore, am decis sa exploram putin si celebrele "marketuri " chinezesti. O intreaga lume subterana exista in Guangzhou - sute de magazinase in care gasesti tot ce iti poti imagina, de la haine, pantofi, electronice, etc. Cea mai buna afacere pe care o poti face in China ( spre norocul doamnelor si a domnisoarelor ) este achzitionarea gentilor. Fake-uri peste fake-uri, din piele naturala si la un pret extrem de mic. Bineinteles, daca esti un negociator inzestrat, faci afaceri extraordinare. Si uite asa m-am ales eu cu 4 genti de piele, la preturi de nimic. Totusi aveti grija cu banii daca va decideti sa mergeti in astfel de locuri aglomerate - colegei mele i-au furat toti banii in 10 secunde. Si degeaba cauti vinovatul pentru ca toti si toate arata la fel ( inca nu pot face diferenta intre chinezi,  coreeni sau thailandezi - desi exista ).

   In ceea ce priveste mancarea, fiind o mare fana a mancarii chinezesti ( neaparat trebuie sa incercati restaurantul Templul Soarelui din Bucuresti ) am mancat intr-un fast-food amarat ceva porc cu legume si orez. Am fost dezamagita caci nu avea niciun gust. Multi mi-au spus ca mancarea chinezeasca este mai buna in alte tari :)

  Ca sa trag o concluzie, Guangzhou este un oras industrial, aglomerat si plini de straini care au fabrici aici ( in special de confectii ) sau care vin sa cumpere angros pentru magazinele pe care le detin in Europa sau US. Este un oras dragut, dar nu cred ca l-as alege pentru destinatie d concediu.

Beijing

  Niciodata nu am avut un "bucket list" dar stiu ca unul dintre visurile mele a fost sa ajung la Marele Zid Chinezesc. Zborul catre Beijing a fost foarte placut datorita faptului ca am zburat cu unul dintre prietenii mei, Nick, un canadian simpatic si plin de enrgie pe care l-am cunoscut pe un zbor cu cateva luni in urma.  Dragul de el a reusit sa renunte la un alt zbor pe care il avea si sa mi se alature in aceasta calatorie. Dupa un zbor de 8 ore, am ajuns la hotel in jur de ora 23, asa ca am iesit o ora la o bere in lobby-ul hotelului, vrand totusi sa dormim putin inainte sa plecam in mini-excursia de la Zid si de la Orasul Interzis de a doua zi.
  Zis si facut - la ora 9 ne-am intalnit cu totii si am plecat cu un ghid spre una dintre minunile lumii- Marele Zid Chinezesc. Toti eram cam somnorosi asa ca timp de o ora si jumatate am cam motait. Nick, saracul era singurul baiat intre 5 fete... desi nu cred ca se simtea prea rau. A fost pentru prima oara cand am zburat cu femeie First Officer ( si pentru cei misogini, trebuie sa adaug ca a pilotat la fel de bine ca si capitanul, un mascul in toata regula ). Ca sa ajungi sus pe zid trebuie sa iei o telegondola. Ajunsi sus, privelistea iti taie respiratia - ceea ce au putut construi chinezii in urma cu mai bine de 2000 de ani, este impresionant. Prima parte construita a zidului dateaza din sec. V si a fost ridicata cu rolul de aparare impotriva popoarelor de nomazi din nord. Este cea mai mare constructie de pe glob, avand o lungime de 21.196,18 km.
  Dupa cateva ore de urcat scari, mai cu un lesin, mai cu cate o vaicareala buna am fost nevoiti sa plecam pentru a purcede spre urmatoarea oprire - Orasul Interzis. Ceea ce a fost foarte nostim a fost modul in care am coborat de pe zid - alunecand pe niste masinute-sanii pe un tobogan lung de peste jumatate de km. O experienta unica!
   Lume multa si in Orasul Interzis, palatul imperial al dinastiei Ming. Palatul a fost locuit ultima oara de dinastia Quing, pana in anul 1911. Cu o suprafata de peste 700 de mii de m2, palatul cuprinde 980 de cladiri, fiind declarat in 1987 Patrimoniu Cultural de catre UNESCO. Orasul Interzis reprezinta cea mai mare colectie de structuri antice de lemn din lume. Din pacate, nu am avut timp sa vizitam totul amanuntit. Iti trebuie cel putin 5 zile in Beijing ca sa zici ca ai atins punctele cele mai importante ale orasului.
   Am zis: data viitoare cand ajung in Beijing, ma voi duce sa vizitez Palatul de Vara, care, am inteles ca este un "must see".

Shanghai

 Shanghaiul este cu siguranta una dintre destinatiile mele preferate de pana acum. Este un oras care imbina noul si vechiul - zgarienori si vechi cladiri traditionale chinezesti. Este un oras care vibreaza la orice ora, un loc intesat de localnici ( nu e de mirare, avand in vedere ca sunt in jur de 23 de milioane de locuitori ) si turisti. Prima parte a zilei am fost intr-un market de unde, bineinteles, am achizitionat genti si ceva bijuterii de argint. Pentru ca dragii mei colegi nu vroiau sa faca altceva decat shopping ( este intradevar un rai al cumparaturilor ) am decis sa iau busul turistic si sa vizitez orasul de una singura. Trebuie sa spun ca a fost superb. Timp de 4 ore m-am plimbat pe strazile Shanghaiului, admirand atat apusul cat si orasul pe timp de noapte. Cea mai frumoasa parte este The Bund, o superba faleza care merge de-a lungul raului Huangpu. The Bund este considerat ca fiind cel mai romantic loc din Shanghai. Zeci de cupluri  se plimbau mana in mana - ei si linistitul curs al apei.
  Zona pietonala se numeste Nanjing Road si este ca un musuroi de furnici - mii de oameni, mii de culori, mii de sunete. Este cea mai cunoscuta si cea mai veche zona comerciala a orasului. Este foarte usor sa te pierzi in multime, sa te desprinzi de realitate si sa te lasi purtat de miile de lucruri miscatoare care te inconjoara.

   24 de ore in fiecare loc au venit si au plecat, ca toate momentele in care te simti bine si esti fericit.  M-am bucurat la maximum de tot ce mi-au oferit aceste prime intalniri cu civilizatia chineza, intalniri care au fost mult peste asteptarile mele.  Ca in fiecare dimineata cand ma trezesc, am simt binecuvantata ca am sansa sa vad toate aceste locuri minunate pe care cineva, nu stiu cine, le-a creat in mii de ani.

  Urmatoarea oprire este Rio de Janeiro, dar nu ca si cabin crew, ci ca si turist. Voi petrece 9 zile in unul dintre cele mai frumoase orase din lume. Cand voi reveni, voi impartasi experienta :)

Pentru poze, apasati aici

English

For many years I wanted to visit China, a totally different world , a land from other universe. In September I had the chance to visit the most important cities in China: Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. Many colleagues complained about the flight itself, which lasts between 6 and 8 hours (always different ') but which they say it is hard because the Chinese passengers do not understand a word of English.  Indeed, there is one phenomenon that exists on the Asian flights - the "noodle mania" - that is because we offer on-demand noodle soups. And applying the principle of "monkey see, monkey do", if one person requires a  noodles soup, other 20 will do the same. . However, it does not seem as bad as sharing blankets on flights to India :)

Guangzhou
The first time, I landed in Guangzhou, the second largest city in the world, with a population of over 25 million people. My first impression was that it looked very much like Bangkok - the same infrastructure, same buildings, same lifestyle. It is a green city. Parks and forests are everywhere, because of the sub-tropical climate. Although we arrived quite late at night, we have gathered many and went to "explore" the nightlife of Guangzhou. We had dinner on the waterfront in an area full of bars and clubs. Of course we danced all night in a club , reaching the hotel by 04:00.

   A very strange thing is that taxis look like a cage - some iron bars separating the front from the back seat of the car. A local told me that when they drink, the Chinese tend to be very violent and because of the large number of assalts on the taxi drivers, they've put these bars.

     The next morning I went with another Romanian to walk through the largest park in the city. It is impressive how clean is the city. Although it was a working day, the park was full of people - some jumping rope in unison, others were playing with balls. What I found interesting was a game older people played , namely - betminton with the feet. Groups of 5-6 people playing feet betminton was a real pleasure to watch.

    After more than 2 hours, we decided to explore a little the famous Chinese "undergroundmarkets" . An underground world exists in Guangzhou - hundreds of shops where you can find everything you can imagine, from clothing, shoes, electronics, etc.. The best deal that you can do in China (lucky girls and ladies) is buying bags. Fake brand leather bags at an extremely low price. Of course, if you are a gifted negotiator, you can do great business. And so I bought  4 leather bags at very low prices. But be careful with your money if you decide to go in such crowded places - my colleague was left without  money in 10 seconds.  For me, they look all the same (still can not differentiate between Chinese, Korean or Thai - although there is a difference).

   In terms of food, being a big fan of Chinese food, I ate at a fast food some pork with vegetables and rice. I was disappointed because it had no taste. Many have told me that Chinese food is better in other countries :)

  To conclude, Guangzhou is an industrial city, crowded and full of foreigners who have factories here (especially for clothing) or coming to buy a big quantity for their stores  in Europe or U.S.. It's a nice city, but I do not think I would choose it as the destination of my holiday.


Beijing

  I never had a "bucket list" but I know that one of my dreams was to go to the Great Wall. The flight to Beijing was very nice because I flew with one of my friends, Nick, a cute and full of enrgie Canadian that I met on a flight a few months ago. He managed to swap another flight so he joined me on this journey. After an 8 hour flight, we arrived at the hotel at around 23, so I went out an hour to have a beer in the hotel lobby,  wanting to go to sleep for some time before the mini-trip to the Wall and the Forbidden City the next day.

  Said and done - at 9 o'clock we all met and went with a guide to one of the wonders of the world, the Great Wall. Everyone was so sleepy and for about an hour and a half we were all napping. Nick was the only boy among five girls ... poor him..although I do not think he felt too bad. It was the first time I flew with First Officer woman (and those of you who are misogynist, I must add that she flew as well as the captain, a real male). To get up on the wall, we took a gondola. Reaching the top, the view is breathtaking - what the Chinese could build  more than 2,000 years ago, is absolutely impressive. The first part of the wall was built in the Vth century and had the purpose of defending the city against northern nomadic peoples. It is the largest building in the world, with a length of 21196.18 km.

  After several hours of climbing stairs, a little bit of fainting, we had to leave to proceed to the next stop - the Forbidden City. What was really funny was how we went down the wall - slipping on some slay on a slide longer than half a km. A unique experience!

   A lot of people at the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty. Last time the palace was inhabited was by Quing dynasty, until 1911. With an area of ​​over 700,000 m2, the palace contains 980 buildings, and was declared Cultural Heritage in 1987 by UNESCO. Forbidden City is the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world. Unfortunately, I had no time to visit it thoroughly. It takes you at least five days in Beijing to say that you have reached the most important attractions of the city.

   I said, next time I go to Beijing, I will go to visit the Summer Palace, which I understood is a "must see".
Shanghai

 Shanghai is definitely one of my favorite destinations so far. It is a city that combines new and old -  skyscrapers and old traditional Chinese buildings. It is a city that vibrates at any time, a place full of locals (not surprisingly, given the fact that there are around 23 million inhabitants) and tourists. In the morning I was to a market where, of course, I bought some bags and silver jewelry. Because my dear colleagues did not want to do anything else than shopping (it is indeed a haven for shopping) I decided to take the bus tour and visit the city on my own. I must say it was superb. For 4 hours I walked on streets of Shanghai, admiring the sunset and the city at night. The best part is The Bund, a beautiful promenade that runs along the Huangpu River. The Bund is regarded as the most romantic place in Shanghai. Dozens of couples walking hand in hand along the waterfront.

  Nanjing Road is  the pedestrian area  - thousands of people, thousands of colors, thousands of sounds. It Is the most well- known and oldest commercial area of ​​the city. It is very easy to get lost in the crowd,  let go of the reality and get carried away by the thousands of things moving around you.

   24 hours in each place have come and gone, like all the moments when you feel good and happy. I enjoyed every second of these first meetings with the Chinese civilization, meetings that were above my expectations.  I feel blessed to have the chance to see all these wonderful places that someone, who, I don't not know, has created it thousands years ago.

  Next stop is Rio de Janeiro, but not as cabin crew  but as a tourist. I'll spend nine days in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. When I return, I will share the experience :) 

For pics, click here.

 

Casablanca

  Spre rusinea mea am ajuns in Casablanca inainte sa vad filmul cu acelasi titlu avandu-i ca actori principali pe celebrii Humphrey Bogart si Ingrid Bergman, realizat in 1942. Mi-am dorit foarte mult sa ajung in Maroc, mai ales dupa ce am urmarit telenovela braziliana "Clona" ( da, puteti sa radeti cat vreti dar am invatat foarte multe despre cultura si obiceiurile musulmanilor). 
  
  Desi nu este capitala Marocului, Casablanca este mult mai mare si mai aglomerata decat Rabatul, oras despre care am auzit ca este linistit, micut si mai frumos. Majoritatea femeilor  este acoperita cu abaya, cearceaful, cum imi place mie sa ii spun pe care il poarta musulmancele.  Nu am vazut multe femei care sa se imbrace modern. 

  De data aceasta, imediat dupa ce am ne-am lasat bagajele la hotel, am plecat impreuna cu alti 7 colegi intr-un tur al orasului. Prima oprire a fost la Hobous , vechea medina - sau, cum i se spune la noi, bazar. Pot sa spun doar ca asfi putut sta acolo o zi intreaga, uitandu-ma la aceleasi lucruri, fara sa ma plictisesc. Ma fascineaza ce poate iesi din mainile omului - bomboniere si farfurii ornamentale din ceramica, lampi, seturi de ceai, oglinzi, cutii de bijuterii, covoare. Magazine mici si impovarate de lucruri, vanzatori batrani asezati pe pernite arabesti cu tigarea in gura band ceai...asta este adevarata imagine a vechiului Maroc. Cu usurinta te poti pierde prin multitudinea de culori ale voalurilor. Nu am putut rezista si mi-am cumparat o cutie de bijuterii, lucrata manual de berberi ( popor indigen care provine din Africa de Nord dar care acum traieste in Maroc) facuta din argint, sidef si os de camila. Bineinteles, romanca fiind am negociat la sange si ma pot lauda ca am obtinut un pret de 4 ori mai mic decat cel din magazinul de Duty Free, care era de 110 euro . Foarte cautat pentru beneficiile lui este uleiul de argan, copac ce creste doar in Maroc. Este utilizat atat pentru gatit cat si pentru cosmetica. Pentru piele, uleiul de argan ajuta la restabilirea ph-ului natural al pielii, contribuie la estomparea ridurilor si ii ofera pielii elasticitate, regleaza eliberarea sebumului in cazul tenului gras, este util in tratarea pielii uscate, estompeaza si participa la vindecarea petelor si pustulelor cauzate de acnee sau varicela si lista continua. Desi este un produs scump, in medina il gasesti la jumatate de pret asa ca merita sa il cumperi daca ai ocazia .

  Al doilea obiectiv pe care ne-am oprit sa-l vedem in micul nostru tur a fost moscheea Hassan
II, a doua cea mai mare moschee ca si marime din lume - poate tine pana la 25000 de credinciosi. Nu se poate vizita decat dimineata, asa ca, din pacate nu am putut-o vedea si pe interior. Este intradevar o cladire impunatoare, jumatate construita direct pe apa. De aici am plecat in plimbare pe La corniche , faleza orasului. Mici terase aflate pe malul marii isi asteapta clientii care vor sa bea o cafeluta si sa priveasca oceanul Atlantic.
   Dupa un delicios suc natural de fructe am plecat sa luam cina intr-un restaurant cu specific marocan. Am avut ocazia sa gust pui cu prune, o combinatie pe care nu am incercat-o pana acum dar care mi-a placut enorm. Trebuie sa adaug ca celebrul kuskus nu m-a impresionat cu nimic..ca de fiecare data, m-am simtit foarte bine in compania colegilor mei spanioli, greci, libanezi, algerieni, kenieni,englezi,australieni si danezi, toti stransi in jurul aceleiasi mese marocane. In cele din urma, nu conteaza de unde vii, ce culoare ai si ce limba vorbesti atata timp cat ne acceptam si ne tratam egal.

Pentru poze, click aici

English

 I am ashamed that I arrived in Casablanca before watching the movie with the same title in which  the famous actors Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman stared in. I really wanted to come to Morocco, especially after I watched Brazilian soap opera " O clone" (yes, you can laugh all you want but I learned a lot about the culture and customs of Muslims).

  Although it is not the capital of Morocco, Casablanca is much bigger and more crowded than Rabat, a quiet, small and beautiful city . Most women are covered in abaya, sheet, as I like to call it. I haven't seen many modern women there.

 Right after I've left the luggage at our hotel, I went with another 7 colleagues in a city tour. First stop was Hobous the old medina - or, as we call it, bazaar. I can only say that I could have stayed there all day, looking at the same things, without getting bored. I'm fascinated of what can come out of human hands - candy and decorative ceramic plates, lamps, tea sets, mirrors, jewelry boxes, carpets. Small shops that are burdened by things, old Arabian sellers sitting on cushions and drinking tea with the cigarette in their mouth ... this is the real picture of old Morocco. You can easily get lost in the myriad of colors of veils. I could not resist and I bought a handmade jewelry box, handcrafted by Berbers (indigenous people originating from North Africa but who now live in Morocco) made ​​of silver, pearl and camel bone. Of course,the Romanian blood within me negotiated the price and I am proud to say that I got a price 4 times lower than the Duty Free shop, which was 110 euros. 

Very popular for its benefits, the argan oil tree that grows only in Morocco. It is used both for cooking and cosmetics. For the skin, the Argan oil helps restore the natural pH of the skin, helps to diminish wrinkles and gives skin elasticity, regulates sebum release if oily skin, is useful in treating dry skin, blurred and participate in healing blemishes and pimples caused by acne or chickenpox and the list goes on. Although it is an expensive product in medina you find it at half price so it is worth buying it.

The next stop was Hassan  II mosque , the second largest mosque in the world - it can hold up to 25,000 worshipers. You can not visit it in the morning, so unfortunately I could not see it inside. It is indeed an imposing building, half constructed directly on the water. From here we went to walk on the Corniche, the city's seafront. Small beachfront terraces await customers who want to drink a coffee and watch the Atlantic Ocean.

    After a delicious natural fruit juice we went to have dinner at a Moroccan restaurant. I had the opportunity to taste chicken with plums, a combination I have not tried until now but liked a lot. I should add that the famous kuskus did not impressed me at all ..  

  As always, I had a great time in the company of my fellow Spaniards, Greeks, Lebanese, Algerian, Kenyan, British, Australian and Danish, all gathered around the same Moroccan table . In the end,it doesn't  matter where you come from, what color's your skin and what language you speak as long as we accept and treat everyone equally.

For photos, click here

Seattle - orasul ploilor / the city of rain

 Iata ca am ajuns sa pun piciorul si pe taramul tuturor posibilitatilor, cum i se spunea odata intinsului continent american. Si mai exact am aterizat ( la propriu si la figurat ) in orasul ploilor, Seattle. Dupa un drum lung de 14 ore, trecand peste mari si tari, chiar si peste Polul Nord, mi-am lasat valiza mea de calatorii aici, casa mea pentru urmatoarele 52 de ore. Camera este mare si luminoasa, la etajul 6 a hotelului. Primul lucru pe care il fac atunci cand ajung in camera de hotel este sa ma intind pe patul imens, cu ochii in tavan si sa ma gandesc cat de binecuvantata sunt ca ma aflu acolo. Nu imi place sa pierd mult timp in aceasta reverie, asa ca rapid fac un dus, ma schimb de haine si cobor la receptie. De obicei, ne dam intalnire cu totii in lobby si de acolo pornim impreuna sa descoperim lumea.

  Desi in ploiosul Seattle sunt rare zilele insorite, fiind prietena cea mai buna a Soarelui, asa cum imi place sa ma alint, am avut noroc de o zi superba. Totul este diferit acolo, si nu pot explica la ce ma refer cand spun "diferit", este altfel decat oriunde altundeva. Orasul este situat in partea vestica a continentului si este al 15 lea oras ca si marime din America. Downtown-ul este chiar pe malul Puget ( brat al oceanului Pacific ) si consta in cateva restaurante cu specific pescaresc ( fructe de mare si peste , toate proaspat pescuite ).  Fiind o zi cu soare, multi localnici fericiti se plimbau pe stradutele in panta ale Seattle-ului.

  Restaurantul pe care l-am ales castigator in lupta cu foamea a fost "The crab pot" , un local foarte celebru pentru modul inedit de a manca - fiecare dintre noi ne-am trezit, cu  un fund de lemn si un ciocan in loc de farfurii. Acestea erau ustensilele folosite pentru a savura deliciosii Crabi de Alaska, scoici, calamari si alte bunataturi. Pe langa mancare, bataia crabilor cu ciocanele de lemn ne-a distrat copios. Este de prisos sa adaug ca aveam scoici si in par, ca sa nu mai spun de neinspirata mea alegere de a purta o rochita de panza alba care, la sfarsitul mesei era orice alta culoare decat alba. Important e ca ne-am simtit cu totii bine..mereu ma mir cum noi, toti cei care suntem cabin crew, ne putem intelege atat de bine avand in vedere ca nu ne-am mai vazut niciodata. Toti suntem prietenosi si vorbareti si pentru perioada in care suntem in layovere, suntem cei mai buni prieteni si colegi.

  In aceeasi zi am facut o plimbare pana la cel mai cunoscut simbol al orasului - The Space Needle, un turn inalt de 184m. Nu am urcat pana in varf, desi acum imi pare rau ca nu am facut-o. Urmatoarea data o voi face cu siguranta.
Seattle noaptea este minunat...ca orice alt oras, de fapt. Este un loc care freamata de miscare, muzica si voie buna. Pot spune cu mana pe inima ca americanii sunt minunati - prietenosi, vorbareti si zambitori. Exact de ce ai nevoie ca sa te simti binevenit in tara lor.

  A doua zi am plecat impreuna cu o tipa din Costa Rica sa exploram imprejurimile, asa ca am luat feribotul si am facut o scurta plimbare pe insula Bainbridge de langa Seattle,. Cu ocazia asta mi-am mai exersat limba spaniola si am mai invatat cate ceva despre tara si cultura Sud Americii. In jur de ora 14:00 am ajuns din nou in oras si am tinut neaparat sa fac o vizita celebrului magazin Victoria Secret. Drept sa spun, nu m-a impresionat deloc. Ba chiar am fost dezamagita pentru ca ma asteptam sa gasesc si haine, printre sutiene, chiloti si costume de baie ( putine modele ). Asa ca fetelor, comandati-va cu incredere de pe victoriassecret.com ca in magazin daca ajungeti, plecati cu mana goala.

  Ultima dupamasa am petrecut-o mancand o salata pe malul apei si citind "Fifty Shades of Grey". Da, stiu, este o carte pentru publicul larg, usurica, dupa cum ar spune multi dar de mult timp nu am mai citit o carte cu atata placere.

   All in all, cele 52 de ore petrecute in orasul ploii cu soare au fost minunate. Nu mai conteaza oboseala numeroaselor ore de zbor in momentul in care ajungi in locuri atat de minunate.

Luna aceasta voi calatori mult spre China. Promit ca revin cu relatari :)

Pentru poze, click aici

English

Here I am to settle my my feet on the land of all possibilities, as it was once named the American continent. And I landed exactly (literally and figuratively) in the city of rain, Seattle. After a14 hours long flight, crossing seas, even the North Pole, I left my suitcase here, my home for the next 52 hours. The room is large and bright, on the 6th floor of the hotel. The first thing I usually do when I arrive in the hotel room is to lye on the king size bed, staring at the ceiling and think about how blessed I am to be here. I do not like to spend much time dreaming, so I quickly take a shower, change my clothes and go down to reception. Usually we all meet in the lobby and from there we go to discover the world together.

Although in rainy Seattle sunny days are rare, me being the best friend of the Sun, as I like to consider myself, I was lucky and had a lovely day. Everything is different here, and I can not explain what I mean when I say "different"...it is different from anywhere else. The city is located in the western part of the continent and is the 15 th largest city in America. The Downtown is on the shore of Puget (arm of the Pacific Ocean) and it consists of several seafood restaurants (seafood and fish, all freshly caught). Being a sunny day, many locals were happily strolling the streets of Seattle .


The restaurant that won the fight with hunger winner was "The crab pot", a very famous local restaurant, special for its wierd way of eating - each of us was given  a wooden board and a hammer instead of plates. These were tools used by us to enjoy the delicious Alaskan crabs, mussels, calamari and other goodies. Needless to add that I had scallops in my hair, not to mention my uninspired choice of wearing a white linen dress, that at the end of the meal was any other color than white. The most important thing is that we all had a good time .. I always wonder how we, cabin crew, can get along so well considering the fact that we have never met before. We are all friendly and chatty and in our layovers we are best friends and colleagues.

The same day I went for a walk to the most famous symbol of the city - The Space Needle, a 184m high tower. I haven't climbed to the top, although I'm sorry now that I didn't. Next time I will for sure.

Seattle at night is awesome ... like any other city, really. It is a place that shudders of movement, music and good vibes. I can honestly say  that Americans are wonderful - friendly, chatty and smiling. Just what you need to feel welcome in their country.

The next day I went with a girl from Costa Rica to explore the surroundings, so we took the ferry and headed to Bainbridge Island, near Seattle. I took advantage and have practiced Spanish and learned something about South American culture in the same time. Around 14:00 we arrived back in town and I really wanted to make a visit to the famous Victoria's Secret store. I must say, I was not impressed at all. I was even disappointed because I expected to find also clothes, among bras, panties and swimwear (few models). So girls, you can order directly from victoriassecret.com because if  you get into the store, it is very possible that you leave empty handed. 

I spent my last afternoon eating a salad at the waterfront and reading "Fifty Shades of Grey". Yes, I know, it is a book for mass audience, very easy, as many would say, but It's been a while since I've read a book with so much pleasure.

    All in all, the 52 hours spent in the city of rain, but sunny for me were wonderful. The long flying hours never count when you get to see such wonderful places...

 This month I travel a lot to China. Promise to return with stories :)

For photos, click here