December Sky

I fell from the sky today. 

To land home.

Christkindlmarkt

There are more than 10 different Christmas markets all around Vienna. The most famous one (and my personal favourite, too) is the Christkindlmarkt on the square in front of the beautiful Town hall. The market is one of the oldest in Europe, dating back over seven hundred years, and people seem to love it even more today.

All the trees in the park, where Chirstkindlmarkt is situated, are beautifully decorated with themed lights, garlands and figures, shaped like gingerbread men. Hundreds of cosy wooden huts offer a great diversity of sweets, hand-made goods, Christmas decorations and pieces of art. You could also find the best eggnog punch around here, or maybe apple cider. Inside the Town hall, there is a children's workshop, where cute little elves bake cookies, decorate presents and sing songs, and a sweet shoppe, where you could order a piece of Sachertorte, while listening to Christmas songs.

The whole park smells of cinnamon, caramel apples and home-baked bread and it is just impossible not to feel festive around here. It is absolutely heart-warming. (you still need gloves, though, because December is freezing!)

Are you already excited about Christmas? Have you decorated your tree, made a list with presents? Or is it a bit too early? 

A Rembrandt painting in motion.

For a couple of minutes today, the sky looked like a moving Rembrandt painting. I took some time off my textbooks and enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa under the pitched roof windows. Sometimes the simplest things can make your day. 

A whole different world

On a gloomy September day I discovered a hidden world. In my granny's garden.

Things that make me happy

Dexter is an angel. He doesn't particularly enjoy being taken pictures of, but he does it anyway, because he sees how excited I always am. Or probably because I give him treats after our photo sessions. He made a new friend a couple of days ago. Little Jimmy is only 3 months old and is the most energetic little thing ever. Always jumping or running around Dexter, trying to figure out why he is so enormously big. They didn't stop playing the whole day. I couldn't even take a decent picture of them running around the house. Dexter behaves like a good big brother, always watching after Jimmy. I am very proud of him. :)
When I'm not chasing after dogs with my camera or phone, I take the time to travel around Bulgaria. There are so many places I want to visit!
Did I mention I now wear glasses? It may not be the best reason to feel happy, but for me it is. I'd never realized how bad I could see until I put them on. Thank you to everyone who has helped me read signs, german sentences on the blackboard or movie subtitles in the cinema. I can now do this alone. And with style. My new glasses are so cool that Dexter kept stealing them from me to impress his friends. I had to buy a pair for him, too. Now they call us "The Nerdy Duo".
I am reading books, enjoying my mom's divine cooking, sipping on refreshing drinks and listening to good summer tunes. What have you been up to?
~

A trip in Snapshots

It's been a little toasty around Rousse, so we decided to run away from the heat to a quiet, peaceful and, most importantly - colder place. We invited Dexter and a couple of friends and took a quick trip to the mountains, where the air is cleaner, the grass is greener, and you need an extra blanket during the night.

The weather was great, the improvised meals we cooked tasted divine and the bats that flied around the house during the night didn't scare us at all. Dexter was there to protect us, though he didn't really know what to do. Good thing we didn't trusted the boys and their fishing skills and took some provisions, because otherwise we would have eaten... three tadpoles and a frog.

The place where we stayed was too far from a big town and didn't have many residents, but the people we met were really nice and helpful. An older man taught us how to ride a horse. As it turns out - I'm a natural. I took a liking to Iceberg, the black horse and I do thing he liked me, too. A nice old lady came to us and offered fresh eggs and milk. Who does that anywhere else? A cute little girl - the only child in the village at the time - made friends with Dexter and introduced him to the cows, ducks and some little puppies. She also took me around the village and showed me her favourite places  It seemed like everyone in the village was excited about the new visitors and wanted to show and give the best they got. And they did. 

  

Things that make me happy

● I finally installed a chalkboard at home and it is so much fun! I bought some colourful chalk and we're taking turns to write down our favourite quotes or quick love notes or sketch small drawings. This particular quote has been my favourite for a long time (it's too bad I don't know the source) and whenever I feel confused, or stuck, I remind myself of it.

● Snacking on gummy bears while working on something (like painting hearts on a boring set of sheets) is always a good idea. I am pretty much addicted to Haribo and always keep a spare pack around!

● It melts my heart to receive mail, every single time when I find something in my mailbox, my hearts skips a beat. This is probably because my pen-pals always know how to make me extremely happy!

● Oh, I've found the perfect place for bubble tea around! It has become a regular drink in my menu and it's the perfect refreshment. A great start of the day, too!

●What I've become literally obsessed with right now is... scarves. I can't get enough of them, really!I always fall for beautiful patterns and I am starting to pile up quite a collection here!

● Pancakes with strawberries and cream make me the happiest person on earth. Especially on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

● Finding beauty in negative spaces. Yes! You would never guess what's on that last photo. Or probably you will... I spilled some oil and luckily I was quick enough to snap a photo of these beautiful bubbles. It didn't look that good in reality, but it made a great photo, didn't it?

And lastly, what makes me reeeally happy at the moment is that in 5 days I am flying to Bulgaria. I'll get to see my mom and dad, spend some time with Dexter and rid myself of German prepositions for a while. I can't wait!

An Egyptian Collection

One of my favourite things to do when I was little was watching documentaries about ancient Egypt. I was (and still am) so fascinated by every single piece of their history.

Visiting an egyptian collection is even more fun when you have your personal translator with you. Yes, that is right. Lazar has studied egyptology back in Bulgaria and can actually read some of those pretty hieroglyphs. How lucky am I?

This cute little statuette is one of the gems of the egyptian collection in Kunsthistorisches Museum. During the Old Kingdom the female hippo was seen as a deity of protection in pregnancy and childbirth. Egyptian women wore amulets depicting the hippo goddess - Taweret, to protect their pregnancies. The motif was used in the decorations of beds and headrests, because of its protecting powers.

The image of the goddess has changed with time. Later on, the goddess was depicted as half human, carrying an ankh - the symbol of life, or a knife - to chase away evil spirits. This statuette depicts the original perception of the goddess. It is more than 4000 years old and is so well-preserved, its colours and details still amusing the people.

In ancient Egypt even in death the rich people differed from the poor. You can see how different the left mummy mask is from the right one. The gilding on the face symbolizes the union of the dead with the Sun God. The black and gold wig and the rich gilding suggest that it was the death of a wealthy man. The right mask has more details but has been done with more ordinary materials and suggest the death of a less wealthy man. However, both of them depict the close connection between an ordinary person and God, and the striving for perfection and eternal life.

Are you fascinated by ancient Egypt as much as I am?

Things that make me happy

I don't know about you, but I rarely use my cell phone as a... phone. I almost always leave it at random places and forget where it is, or forget it at home when I go out. But since I've been using it as a camera, capturing daily shots of all the things around me, things have changed. I carry it with me almost every time. And I capture everything colourful and pretty.

Painting has kept me busy lately. I lost my tablet pen, so I had to buy some supplies that I hadn't used for ages. The first picture is a glimpse of the canvas I am currently working on. Acrylics are fun!

I love witty messages. I like them even more when they're in German and I can understand every single word. (I am making progress!) Picture 2 is a postcard I found in a little bookstore here. It says "When the end of the world comes, I'll go to Vienna. Everything there happens 20 years later." I think that is my plan, too.

Did you know that there is a free application for iPhone, that turns Mona Lisa's portrait into 3D? All you need to do is point your phone at a Mona Lisa picture (you don't have to be at the Louvre... though it would be more fun, ha!) and voila! Mona Lisa looks like she's about to jump out of the frame and kiss you on the cheeks.

On the other pictures you can see my last fortune cookie (so mysterious!), the watercolours I've been so excited about and a tiny carousel. The pink one is a quick shoot I did today that I really like. This is the chimney of Vienna's Fernwärme, but it really looks like a cloud factory to me. Doesn't it? Next is my Little Prince quotations box, that helps me learn new German words in a fun way. A banana, that I spotted near home today and instantly reminded me of Andy Warhol. And, of course, Dexter. The prettiest of them all! :) I miss his wintery pink nose and I can't wait to snap another load of pictures of him. Isn't he the cutest fella?

Puzzle Pieces

I'm not going to lie. This photo manipulation isn't entirely my idea. But what's a better way to learn and get better at something than imitating?

Yesterday our German teacher gave us a couple of beautiful round postcards of Wien. They were cut out in hoops and we had to put the right pieces together. (There was a grammar exercise behind this, I promise. It's not like we play games all the time.) I found this fascinating. It looked so simple and yet so unique. Of course, I had to try it out on Photoshop. And of course, I am addicted now.

The possibilities are endless, but the original idea of hoops is by far my favourite. Which one do you like the most?

Floating on a soap bubble

That is what makes Vienna so special. You can always find something beautiful and inspiring, without even looking for anything.

Yesterday the sun finally decided to show up so i went out for some caramelized apples. I was headed to my favourite park, when I saw huuuuge soap bubbles floating in the air. It was breathtaking.

People were "oooh"-ing and "aaah"-ing and little kids were trying to catch all the balloons. The guy who made them looked so peaceful and happy and was willing to teach every kid how to do it.

It was like magic. Only better.

Street Performance

You know what I really love? Seeing people doing beautiful things. Creating. Celebrating. Smiling and singing and making the world a better place. That is why I wanted to share with you a glimpse of what lightened up my day, hoping that it would make you happy, too.

On my way home the other day I heard a beautiful melody coming from across the street. And just like in cartoons, when the mouse smells cheese and floats in air to find it, I lifted off the ground toward the source of the lovely sounds. A bunch of really talented guys were playing all kinds of instruments, creating beautiful music for people to listen to on their way home. There were dancers, jongleurs, magicians and mimes, all giving away all the love and passion they've got. And wanting nothing in return except for a smile. Or a little pirate dance.

Although I always take such bad quality videos, I want to share one with you, so you can be a part of it, too.

Things that make me happy.

I haven't been around much lately, but it is only because I am pretty fleißig! Ha, here's a new word for you! It means busy!

I may not have enough time to draw, but I still take random shots of pretty things around me that make me happy. And oreos dipped in milk always always do.

I haven't seen Dexter in more than a month, but I watch pictures and videos of him every single day. This is a very funny one I came across a couple of days ago. Isn't he the cutest?

Right now, Vienna makes me happy, even though sunny days are gone and it gets pretty cold outside. We found a wonderful cafe called Kafka (I had just finished reading Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore" when we came across it and I was really excited). It's a small place perfect for a cup of tea on a rainy Sunday... a hidden treasure!

Marshmallow cakepops and rainbow sprinkled ice-cream can always cheer me up after a long day, and so can a beautiful pink polka dot van. Ah, I wish I could have one just like it and drive it around town. Just imagine!

And last but not least, time for wishes always makes me happy. Do you wish upon same digits? I always do. And let me tell you, wishes do come true. Just wish carefully! :)

Have a nice week everybody!

~

Things that make me happy.

Among the many things that have made me happy lately are Dexter's strange talent to play the piano, swirly colourful lollipops, collecting sea shells, rapiers and little crabs, receiving pictures of waterlilies in the middle of the night from a dear friend, vanilla & cherry cupcakes (my new favourites!), cuddling with Dexter, bubblegum vending machines, peacock feather earrings, my granny's old camera and playing backgammon on the beach with my favourite boy.

What have made you happy lately? ~

Watermelon July.

When I was little, summer wasn't official until we made watermelon lanterns. Well, I announce this summer is now... official!

Last night my boy helped me carve a watermelon lantern (is this our new summer tradition? I think so!). We lit a candle inside, put it in the garden and drank watermelon smoothies in the soft pink light. Yes, we are nerdy like this. But kind of romantic, too.

Read of the Month: May

You might know Roald Dahl as one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century. His most famous book - "Charlie and the Chocolate Factoy" was adapted into two major motion pictures, that are both worth seeing.
"My Uncle Oswald" is an adults' novel that is just as good as Dahl's children's stories and proves he can entertain both audiences equally well. The plot is so original and trustworthy that you can easily believe it's a true story. It is absolutely hilarious and you simply cannot resist reading another chapter.
I didn't know anything about the book or the plot and it made it even more interesting, so I wouldn't spoil it for you, either. If you find "My Uncle Oswald", read it - it is the perfect summer treat.

Some fun days ahead!

photos above are taken in my most favourite town, Rousse.

What feels more exciting than packing your suitcase and knowing that in a couple of hours you'll be somewhere completely different and new?

Me and Lazar have planned a whole week of traveling and adventures so please, keep your fingers crossed for safe trips, nice weather and lots of beautiful photos. I'll keep you posted!

xxx

May!

My favourite month of all is finally here!

It's the perfect time for walks in the park (it's magical with all the flowers and trees blooming) and enjoying cupcakes (preferably blue violet ones!). Happy May everyone!

xxx

Back from Rousse

I spent lovely couple of days in my hometown. Although Rousse isn't the same without my favourite soulmates (oh!), it was still fun. I met some friends, visited the local fair, spent some quality time with my mom and dad and managed to visit most of my favourite places.

What did you do this weekend?

Read of the month: April

Last night I finished Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" (it has been on my list for way too long!). I definitely recommend it to everyone who hasn't read it yet. The novel is witty and funny and since the narrator is a 10-year old girl, it's very easy to read. The action is entertaining and once you get introduced to the main characters and their stories, you simply cannot put the book down.

And another thing: "To Kill a Mockingbird" is not only well written, it is well finished. With only a sentence that says it all.

You will love it!