Where Are You, Olga?

I am now back from my Nordics trip… It was good to come back to Sweden. And I don’t think much has changed since the year I spent there - 2004-05. And I got to see Denmark for the first time! It was such a useful week for me - full of impressions and people I met, somewhat dark and gloomy as well - but with lots of candle lights… with some good time on my own, plus with some reflections on the Scandinavian attitude to life.

According to one quite widely spread stereotype the Swedes - and the Scandinavians in general - are quite cold and emotionless people. I don’t think this is exactly true, but certainly they know how to control themselves and be discrete with their emotions. It’s not considered OK to show your true ‘needy’ self and complain. In addition to that it is not OK when your negative emotions or feelings are directed to other people and aim at controlling or reproaching them. Interestingly, if you translate the Swedish word ‘svartsjuk’(jealous) literally into English it means ‘black sick’, so jealousy is viewed as a black disease and this is a feeling one is ashamed of and is not supposed to display.

Images by Camilla Engman

Also another quite interesting thing is that being single is regarded as a strength and craving for being with someone is rather a weakness. (And the question here is - is it just a good excuse to cover up the misery of being lonely?). But then lots of Swedes prefer to stay single and open to anything which might come their way in terms of new experiences and they are quite direct in terms of expressing what they want - they don’t play games and are just plain honest in saying what they are up to. So the key word here is individualism. For me coming from Eastern Europe with a culture totally different from this, it is quite a difficult thing to get used to. Here we are all so much more ‘social animals’, we wait for each other to go grab a coffee together, we wait for colleagues to go back from work together, we make plans according to the plans of other people - look just how dependent we are!

Image by Olga

Well, the disarming thing about the Swedes is the dry and self-deprecating humour they have and they do joke quite a lot!

Greetings from Nordic Gothenburg. I’m spending this week here - and there is still a lot to discover about this city! I have found this picture in Google, and for me it’s quite interesting as it gives a glimpse of the office I work from to the left of the bridge.

Image by Google

The weather was just wonderful when I arrived on Saturday, I even managed to catch some sun, but then Sunday was unbearable - it was raining really hard for the whole day plus the wind was too strong… it was impossible to survive such a combination outside!

So I have been having some time alone trying to adjust myself to the Scandinavian rhythm/lifestyle/atmosphere. Gdańsk seems to be not too far away from here, but the difference is of course huge. It is very interesting to observe the Swedes and their tranquil but creative way of arranging their lives, decorating their homes with lights and things, following the traditions and gradually getting ready for Christmas…

I spent one year in Sweden back when I was a student and I quite often come back to that time in my memories. A year in a country so well organized with people so tolerant and open was a great experience - and I did learn a lot. One of my friends who spent 5 years here said that life in Scandinavia is good, relaxing and… black and white (by which he meant ‘boring’). Many Swedes admit to that and I agree to some point. Still I think the Swedish people are good in engaging themselves in various activities - and some are far from being bored :)

So far I can say that the Swedish are more forthright in speaking about their achievements, are more spontaneous in their decision-making, offer personal opinions and express disagreement more readily and of course have a greater tolerance for individual style differences, and a more flexible definition of protocol - all quite positive observations. I just wish it would be easier to socialize with them! But I think I myself can be quite a recluse at times…

God natt…

Video via You Tube

Dali’s incredible illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” (published in 1865) have caused it to become one of the rarest and most sought-after Dali suites. With the original gouaches published by Maecenas Press-Random House, New York in 1969, the Suite now contains 12 heliogravures - one for each chapter of the book - and comes with 1 original signed etching in 4 colors as the frontpiece. This collaboration brings together arguably two of the most creative minds in Western culture, as both are considered ultimate explorers of dreams and imagination.

The originals of these works are open for public in the Espace Dali Museum in Paris, Montmartre - a very unusual and phantasmagoric place to visit, which I really recommend.

Alice Frontis Piece

Down the Rabbit Hole

The Pool of Tears

A Caucus Raceanda Long Tale

The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

Advice From a Caterpillar

Pig and Pepper

Mad Tea Party

The Queens Croquet Ground

The Mock Turtles Story

The Lobsters Quadrille

Who Stole the Tarts

Alice’s Evidence

Latte, Capuchino, Caramel Macchiato or Espresso.. :)?

Images by Pacifist

Image by Google

Images by Eugenio Recuenco

Image by Visualize.us

I’m really enjoying this autumn - somehow I finally have a bit of free time, which wasn’t the case in the summer. The summer was too hectic to be able to keep up with everything which was going on - travel for work, travel for pleasure, work back in Gdansk and catching up to do… and all the people visiting here in Gdansk… plus of course blogging :) Good times, but very very busy… Now I think I’m in a calm phase of reflection and am very much enjoying the slower pace of life.

I have finally found the time to start going through all the pictures brought from this summer travels - and there are a lot of amazing places to talk about. I already have some posts about Portugal - and it deserves even more attention - as it was a real discovery for me. Definitely a place to go back to and explore in every detail!

If you are in Lisbon one of the great places to go to enjoy some sea food is Cervejaria Trindade - a historical traditional beer house with lovely interiors and even better food.

Image by Arek

And afterwards a perfect place to go to enjoy a cup of coffee or ginginha - the tasty Portuguese liqueur - is the famous literary cafe A Brasileira.

Image by Arek

Don’t forget to pace the streets of Lisbon by night to indulge in the cosy atmosphere of this historical city and taste some grilled sardines prepared right on the streets - they are too good to pass by without trying!

Image by Arek

You can start your morning from a trip to Mafra - a beautiful town 28 km North-West from the center of Lisbon. A must see there is the Baroque Mafra Palace with its fabulous interiors and artifacts.

Image by Arek

The building also includes a major library, with about 40,000 rare books.

Image by Arek

After that take a trip to a little town of Ericeira - previously a fishermen village, which later on developed into a picturesque summer resort.

Image by Arek

Image by Olga

Image by Olga

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Beautiful beaches, tiny restaurants with fresh and delicious typical food, lots of blue-white coloured fishermen houses and azulejos all around - a perfect retreat from the busy life of a big city!

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Olga

On the way back from Ericeira to Lisbon you need to make a stop to visit a tiny city - an imitation of real rural houses created by a Portuguese enthusiast on his own property (unfortunately I can’t remember either the name of the architect or even how the place is called :( …) Can you please help me out? :)

Image by Arek

And finally spend a nice evening back in Lisbon itself enjoying beautifully illuminated historical sights.

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Take a metro on the way back - every station is skillfully decorated with modern azulejos and the metropolitain itself is very modern and not crowded.

Image by Olga

On the final note of this post - very warm greetings to dear friends TI and Ze without whom this great trip wouldn’t be possible!

Image by Google

If I’m going to be anything more than average, if anyone’s going to remember me, then I need to go further in everything: in art, in life, in everything they think is real: morality, immorality, good, bad… I, we, have to smash that to pieces, we have to go beyond that, we have to be brave. No limits…
Salvador Dalí

I think this movie isn’t for everyone. It’s deeply emotional and dramatic, telling a complex and emotional story about Frederico Garcia Lorca and Salvador Dalí during their young years at the university when they embarked on conquering the world… It’s about feelings, thoughts and passion experienced by the main characters - and their relationship during their university years (background of the plot).

This is an independent non-commercial motion picture which had extremely limited distribution, in only a small number of countries. It will never become too popular as it is totally different from movies with multi-million budgets, special effects and all the pop-culture… Movies like “Little Ashes” always stay beyond wide public attention, but honestly, it is better this way :)

Image by Google

Image by Google

Image by Google

“Cenicitas” (eng. ‘little ashes’) is the painting which inspired the movie title.

Image by Google

It felt too good to go through the summer pictures and remember all the warmth and all the colourful moments while writing my previous post about Spain… Now I can’t help but post about summer again - especially when it’s so gray and humid outside…

This post’s highlight is the famous Ibiza coffee and snack place called Croissant-Show.

Image by Google

Located at the foot of the beautiful main gates to Dalt Vila on the corner of Mercado Viejo of the town of Ibiza - this is more a movie set than a busy cafe.

Image by Google

The cafe opens very early (with first coffees served at around 5am) - just on time for returning party clubbers as well as the island’s workers who’ve just finished their early morning shift. Then it truly comes alive mid-morning when the late risers and travelers arrive for their coffee and breakfast.

Image by Google

I can’t imagine having a better breakfast in Ibiza somewhere else than at Croissant-Show :) This is a heaven for pastry lovers as everything is baked in-house!

Image by Olga

The friendly owner of the house - Andres - is an eccentric Frenchman who as he twists his Dali-esque moustache with a sparkle in his eye, is obviously the star and the show maker! He is actually the secret ingredient which makes this place iconic - a slice of island life with a sugary lining. He is charming and full of character, and consistently busy with an international and friendly crowd from breakfast through to the hour where after-club snacks are on offer.

Image by Arek

Sip café con leche, cocktails, fresh juice or locally produced Hierbas Ibicencas… Inside, for your hungry eyes (and mouths!) - a mouth-watering glass cabinet is full of freshly made buttery croissants, chocolate buns, quiches and savoury pastries, plus desserts including fluffy whipped lemon meringue pies, raspberry tarts and rich chocolate brownies.

Image by Google

Freshly baked baguettes become bocadillos and tostadas topped with tomato, queso Manchego and jamón Serrano and homemade marmalade is also available!

Croissant Show is indeed quite a show, giving visitors a taste of island’s diversity. And hopefully, the show can always go on…!

I never imagined that it would still be possible to watch this movie in a movie theatre… yet now it is found in the cinemas here in Poland and I very much enjoyed it…

Video via You Tube

Image by Olga

I love so many things about Spain…

Image by Olga

I fell in love with it when I was 15.

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

The relaxed pace and tranquil attitude to things always make one feel so well… and are so contagious…

Image by Olga

Image by Olga

One can’t help but totally emerge in this atmosphere and enjoy it in full…

Image by Olga

The passion of life, the heat, the good food, the colourful details…

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Olga

Spanish, the huskily melodic language, is a perfect combination of beauty and emotion - it’s worth to learn it for this reason alone! And then there are the olive groves, la siesta, the sleepy villages… the mountains and the beaches…

Image by Arek

And of course all the cultural heritage - amazingly rich, but also quite unique - unrivalled and incomparable.

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

Image by Arek

And all this… and so much more are making me come back… again and again.

Do old Polaroid pictures also convey certain sentimental feelings of warmth, cosiness and curiosity for you …? Definitely what used to be considered a great invention not so long ago, now has turned into something old school, out-of-ordinary and even vintage. What I like most about Polaroids are the faded colours and the light… plus the objects portrayed could be most weird… - and the stranger - the better :) (here is the book on this specific subject)

These days you don’t really need a special camera to take Polaroid pictures - you can check out the software from Polaroid and it will turn your picture into a polaroid.

Images by Visualize.us & Google

Image by well-wisher :)

Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.
Oscar Wilde

Image by The Book Cover Archive

You can find some really amazing book cover designs on this site. The Book Cover Archive is defined by its creators as serving the purpose of appreciation and categorization of excellence in book cover design - you can judge by yourself based on some of the examples from the site… It also provides an interesting section on portfolio sites of book cover designers and has a blog covering industry news, site updates, assorted book cover-related miscellany.

So the popular ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ probably wouldn’t work for the books mentioned on this site… would it?

Images by The Book Cover Archive

Image by Olga

Some Lisbon impressions put together on a small cork board - too small to list all the experiences, emotions and things learned and discovered in the beautiful ‘cidade branca’… yet BIG enough for memories and warm feelings.