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Showing posts from December, 2016

2016 Retrospective & 2017 Resolutions

It's almost end of year and the perfect time to have a look over this year's resolutions. The list wasn't long. I'm happy to look back and see that almost all the points are checked. Let's have a look together! First things first: I wished for this year to be happy and healthy . Most people will say there is nothing you can do about this, but they are wrong: it's up to you what you want to do, what you put in your mouth. I'm happy I was able to give up easily for a couple of weeks to cookies, sweets, sugar. I tried also to eat more vegetables, green & eco. For a month I gave up coffee for green tea, but I discovered I don't have to give up when I can enjoy both. I will continue to do it next year because it's helping me feel better about myself. Next on the list was: Sport , to do more exercises. For almost 6 months I had a subscription to the gym. I did body combat, yoga, swimming. After the 6 months I continued to practice yoga at home, almos...

Chasing the sun in Barcelona (II)

This is my last stop before going home for Christmas. Barcelona, I always come back to you. You give me energy at the end of the year. You were not so sunny like the last times, but this way I discovered you with clouds. @Placa Catalunya  Sometimes the clouds are following us and we can't escape. I can't feel the Christmas spirit here, because for me Christmas means cold, snow, white. You are too hot :)). If it weren't for the lights around you, I couldn't tell Christmas is coming. I don't know how I do but each time I find some hidden gems. Tea,  not coffee :)  Today I was walking on Rambla, the place where everything started two years ago, and I turned left on a narrow street. There I found a hidden coffee shop where I rested my feet.  Veggie Burger with jasmine tea @ Federal Cafe Gotic Scanning the place around I discovered a small market (sort of Dichisar).  The entrance to the market I realized that sometimes you have to be alon...

It starts to smell like Christmas!

Here I am again, faraway from home. I travel frequently to Brussels with my work. Half of my team is located here. Each time I come to Brussels I have different feelings and see it with other eyes. I have experienced almost all the feelings: love, hate, anger, sad, anxiety. This time I feel I'm rediscovering its beauty. I didn't walk far from the hotel, which is close enough to the office, but the streets around were enough to fall in love again with it. The Christmas scent is in the air. The tables outside of the terraces are decorated with candles and poinsettias. On one of these terraces, more specifically to " La Terrasse ", I had the most delicious hot chocolate ever. The waitress brought me a cup with steamed milk and a small bowl with chocolate chips and you combine them together. The result is very delightful. Last weekend I attended a presentation about the chocolate history in European culture. I felt I was drinking hot chocolate after a receipe old fro...

Chasing the sun in Barcelona

Two weeks left til my next trip to Barcelona. It's the third year when I go there in this time of year. I think it became a tradition. I would never forget the first time there. It was purrfect. I realized many things. Then the sun didn't show up in Bucharest for almost a month. I was going through a lot of changes in my professional life: new project, management changes, last year at the university. There was a lot of pressure on me. I wasn't so excited about this trip but I said, why not. Plus it was the first time, me and Florin traveled together. While the plane was taking off and going through the grey clouds, the sun was showing up. That was the moment I truly realized: the sun is always there, but there are times when you can't see it through the dark clouds. You should remember this is temporary and the sun will show up on your street. Radu (a friend of Florin) picked me up and showed me where we'll stay. I had a really nice surprise in my room, a candy ...