Leap

Last year I realized that time passes by way too quickly and life is too short to be afraid. To be scared to do things that one is really passionate about. Alright, I kind of knew that fact long before, but not until that abrupt change, had I absorbed the knowledge entirely. Did it take me longer than other people to “mature,” or should I say, to become more "daring"? Did I truly become more courageous? Was this my wake up call to act and stop being afraid?

I had settled for “less” for far too long, undervaluing my potential, myself. I had settled for this temporary sense of “safety” that can disappear in an instance anyway. I never truly dared to leap and take the chance and perhaps, one could argue that I had wasted a good amount of time. But, I guess, I believe that things do happen for a reason. Is that a silly belief? Maybe. But the way that things have been going and turning out lately, makes the idea of pure coincidence more silly than the possibility that things happen for a reason. Maybe that “reason” is the “higher power,” maybe that reason is the power of our own minds, our subconscious. Anyhow, it is quite interesting how some things in life evolve.



So, I have taken the leap. I have decided to move onto better things, without having anything “better” secured. Some would say it’s not a very wise thing to do, some might think it’s stupid, but perhaps some would say that it’s a great thing to do. Good, or bad, I did make that decision and I have yet to see whether it will bring any success, positive results. So far, things have been progressing rather slowly, if I can call it a progress. So far, everything is in the open. No security, just hopes, beliefs and my attempt at success. The time is passing. But, so far, so good.

Writing

Sometimes I feel like writing. For no particular reason, no message intended. But, I guess there is always some kind of message in a person’s writing. Just pouring out of ideas, feelings, reflections of the day or night that has just passed. It’s definitely easier (for me) to pour these things on paper. You go at your own pace, thinking or just putting down thoughts as they come, without having to worry that you will “say” something you might regret. There is no opponent on paper. Just the paper, pen and yourself, your thoughts. Possibly a music in the background. No one to respond with an unwanted come back, no one to tell you that you are wrong, or that now is not a good time. Sometimes it is good to have that “conversation,” a monologue with yourself through writing. It can save you some disappointment, too. It’s simple as the fact that no other person can feel exactly what you feel, think exactly what you think. And as much as they can be your support, they are not you. Sometimes letting things out on paper might be better than talking to a friend, a loved one, or an enemy...

Ode to the unknown

You turn off the light.
(Remember me) in the night.
On a sunny day.
On a platform.
Cold wintery eve.

Broken wall of east and west
Separating present from past.
I write my poetry.
You write your story.
Life. Dreams. Glory.

Good times?
Bad times?
Perhaps confusing.
Each of them a lesson.
A joy. A way to grow.

We all go through ups and downs.
We live our own stories.
Rewrite certain lines,
Yet abandon others.

Choices of our own will
Or the outside influence.
Victims of a circumstance...

Sometimes

Sometimes, when the moonlight reflected in a water's surface reaches my eyes, I think of you. Freedom of the reflected stars; billions of miles, endless limits upon the sky. That light which twinkles in the mist of droplets dancing in the air, bouncing off the rocks that are being washed by ocean's waves. Warm, like a touch of a loved one's hand caressing your hair. The breeze dances with the fabric of my dress. The peace fills my heart, my brain, although in a race to find a way to reach a goal, to make the world a better place.

Free

A breath of inspiration caresses my hand, while I am listening to these soothing sounds. The water splashing against the rocks and sand, piano tones dancing with the melodies of accordion. Fresh air of the seaside ruffling my hair, filling my lungs and brain with happiness. The setting sun over the rugged backdrop of the hills, illuminates this stunning scenery. Birds and planes are flying above, reminding me of the freedom, which we do not have, to glide amongst the clouds, effortlessly, elegantly... The child in me wants to go and run at the fullest speed; jump, dance, spread my arms as though I could defy the gravity. Play, sing, laugh and do silly things, which set us free.

Sensation

La nuit tranquille Le ciel est si clair -- pas même un nuage sur le ciel infini -- les étoiles luisent la lune fait saillie, comme si c’était seulement une fantaisie.

Easter Adventure, Part 2

After what seems as a glimpse of a visit to Slovakia to celebrate this year’s Easter holiday, I am continuing my travels towards the West. I left Vienna this morning on a train to Zurich, where I will transfer onto another train to Geneva. It is a bit unfortunate I do not have more time to spend in all of these places, as I am sure they all have plenty to offer to a visitor. But, in order to have couple of days in all of the cities I am passing through on this journey, I would need at least a month-long vacation. Perhaps, I’ll get a chance some other time. This time, my focus is on Nice and the surrounding area. Thus, I have chosen to stay there for four days (I know, not quite enough). I have dreamt about French Riviera for years now and I am positive these four days will hardly suffice to explore the city as well as its surrounds. But, God willing, I will find my way back to these places again soon enough.

Austria looks lovely even from train. It is incredibly clean and well-kept country. Parts of the Alps appear and disappear as we are approaching Salzburg. Little villages, small towns, lakes, forests, meadows, picturesque views with the sun finally shining after the rainy morning in Vienna. Passing through Salzburg, I had captured few charming images. Surrounded by mountains and nature, it certainly looks like a lovely town to visit. I will definitely try to visit it some time in the future.

The sky is still rather cloudy, but fortunately, the sun keeps finding a way to share its warm rays with me.

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I guess one of the advantages to travel alone is that it gives you time to think and reflect, to fully enjoy the views, and focus on whatever you want to do to pass the time. Of course, it can also get a little bit lonely at times, but I try to make the most of this solitude. I only wish my MP3 player hadn’t stopped working, so I could enjoy some music, too.

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I expected Switzerland to look a bit more “high standard.” However, passing from the Austrian to the Swiss part of journey from Vienna to Zurich, I think the Austrian side looked a bit more modern and better maintained overall. Or, it could just be that one area we were just passing, in between Austrian, German, and Swiss borders. The lakes that our train has passed are quite picturesque and looked really clean. The terrain seems to be getting less rugged as we approach our destination. I am looking forward to explore the second half of the “Swiss journey.”

The weather worsened as I continued my journey from Zurich to Geneva, spoiling the view considerably. I could not see whether the mountains are visible as the heavy grey clouds lingered low in the sky. As we passed Lausanne, a lovely place from what I could see, I knew we were getting close to our destination.

Friday. I woke up around 7:30am to take advantage of the included breakfast as well as to use the opportunity to explore Geneva as much as possible before continuing with my journey to Nice. I had about four hours to spend wandering through the unknown. All I had managed to see the evening before were the streets in the near vicinity of Conravin station and my hotel. I guess it would be nice to stay an extra day, but I really wanted as much time as possible to spend in Nice, while seeing at least a bit on route. Geneva looks like a nice city to live in, although it seems rather expensive to me. There are a lot of pleasant places and sights to see and I haven’t even seen half of it. It would be nice to come back some time in summer to see the difference between the seasons. At parts, it is quite similar to Prague, although I did not think it is as charming. The weather might have also played a role in that, as the overcast sky only began to slowly clear up around half past ten. Thus, I didn’t get to see the backdrop of mountains that are visible on a clear day.

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Traveling by train, although a bit more exhausting and quite a bit more time-consuming, is just so much more interesting. It enables you to see the terrain and how it changes as you go from point A to point B. There is another disadvantage, or advantage, depending on the way you look at it, which is that it makes you want to hop off the train at times to explore the parts that entice you. The good thing about it is that you can note down all the places you find interesting, so you can return to them and explore them more closely sometime in future. One thing this journey made me realize, or I should really say it confirmed what I had already thought, is that Europe is truly picturesque. There are a lot of places worth exploring. We search for exotic in the faraway places, yet even that one stretch of the land I had traveled through on the train, offers more than enough of “exotic” and very beautiful and interesting sights to see, places to experience. I know, Europe isn’t quite as “untouched” as places in Amazon or Siberia, but it offers a lot. The Alps alone are so magnificent and I haven’t even gotten more inside. The lakes on my way, although not quite as secluded and mysterious, offered stunning views and crystal clear water. Well, from what I could see. A year would not be enough to explore and see all these places on and around my route from Vienna to Nice. Hopefully, someday I will get a chance to explore at least the parts I had noted in my “diary”…

My Saturday in Nice. It has been raining the whole day, more or less non-stop. After a nice dinner at the hotel that was followed by a reviving sleep, I woke up to a rainy morning. Perhaps it has a charm of its own, rainy Cote d’Azur. However, it was a bit limiting to walk around with a camera while holding my umbrella, the view I got while strolling the Promenade des Anglais was still breathtaking. The azure coast indeed, that blue-azure colour of the sea contrasting the heavy grey of the cloudy sky. Pebbled beach, beautiful buildings of lush, historical hotels along the promenade—simply charming. Unfortunately, the rain and a slightly cold temperature forced me to continue more quickly to find a place of refuge, as my feet were getting cold and wet. I wandered a little bit more around the Vieille Ville until I found a little café to warm up with a pot of hot tea and some chocolate brownie. My first choice was a “tarte aux pommes,” but to my disappointment they had just ran out of it. I was in a mood for a fruity dessert, however, the alternative was tasty, too. After a relaxing break at the café, I decided to go back to my hotel room to change into my other, warmer shoes.

I returned to the streets of Nice after a quick freshening up, and continued exploring the area around the hotel and the old town. I even stopped over in few of the shops to join the crowds on their Saturday shopping run. I ended up checking out several stores and after finding a couple of items to buy myself, I decided to look for a place to eat. All that walking did make me hungry after all. I found a restaurant with a cosy covered terrace on what seemed to be a rather frequented street. However, the place was not too crowded or too empty. The food looked fine, too. I opted for a simple mixed salad with warm goat cheese and a glass of rosé. Nothing too elaborate, but it tasted lovely and lightened the rainy mood.

Saturday evening, chilling in the “exotic” garden of the hotel with a glass of rose before having some light dinner. I am sitting by myself but a group of women, couple of which sound American, are chatting at the table by the door. It’s chilly, but the air after the rain is very refreshing. The night is approaching; the bartender is very coquettish.

Sunday lunch at La Table des Anges, a small restaurant-brasserie on top of the Castle Hill. They have a simple outside terrace (several tables) in this beautiful setting with even more stunning view. On one side of the hill you have the view of the Mediterranean to the southwest with the Promenade des Anglais. Your next view as you climb on the hill is that of the port with boats, buildings and more Mediterranean to the east. From the northern part of the hill you can see more or less the entire Nice as well as the mountains with villages towards the north. That’s the view I have while eating my lunch. I could just stay here another month, if not longer…this place is just idyllic. Mountains meet the sea, my ideal terrain. Beach fun meets the ancient history. So many beautiful spots all around, available for exploration all year around. I’m really glad the heavy clouds are holding their position to the north while the wind is pushing the smaller ones above Nice in quite a speed. Every time the sun pierces through the clouds with its warm rays of light is a kind relief to this chilly wind. Looking up, the wind seems to keep changing its course, as clouds seem to be approaching from different sides. Let’s hope the weather holds for a little bit longer.

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The time has come to leave Nice. Oh, how much I would love to stay here for at least another week, a month really. And even that might not be long enough to explore this mesmerizing area of southern France, the little villages all along the coast, as well as the ones higher up in the mountains. Perhaps, that is what I will do some time in future, maybe even this year. Take a whole month off, find an inexpensive base from which I could explore the surrounding areas. Only to come up with a strategy on how to accomplish this.

Today has turned out to be a gorgeous day as predicted, almost without a cloud on the sky and people were taking advantage of this weather, promenading, having breakfast on the terraces, laying or sitting on the beach since early morning. And so was I, enjoying my breakfast right on the beach, with a view to die for. I could literally sit there the entire day, enjoying that view alone, soaking up the sun and listening to the waves of the azure blue sea. Of course, there were people around and their conversations break that “silence,” the serenity of the nature. I would not really mind that, if only I could enjoy this a little bit longer. But, the responsibilities of the everyday life are calling me back to London. I love that city, too; but the overall mood is just entirely different.

Yesterday, I took a trip to Monaco. I think I hadn’t walked so much in the entire last year. Well, I am exaggerating a bit, but I think I walked through most of Monaco in the range of several hours. I know, one could argue, that it’s not really the biggest city in the world, or even Europe, but the amount of stairs I had climbed and descended is too large to count. I’m sure if I lived in this town, I would not even have to attend a gym. The place is stunning. You can see the high standard at certain areas more than the others: the lush buildings, yachts, luxurious shops and hotels, expensive prices. Naturally, it is quite a luxurious place overall.

The weather was lovely, too; only a brief spells of light rain and some heavier clouds interrupting the sunshine. I began my Monaco tour with walking from “Gare de Monaco” all the way to “Jardin Exotique.” It is a beautiful place with a breathtaking view. It is laid out over several levels on the edge of this rocky hill. After soaking in the magnificence of the view and the place itself, I descended towards the port and the “Palais Princier de Monaco.” I randomly descended the sets of stairs cutting through the houses and buildings, walked up and down the narrow as well as wider streets until I found a sign that led me to the port and then Prince’s Palace. After climbing up the hill where the palace stands, I explored few of the tiny streets lined with little souvenir shops, cosy restaurants, sandwich places, and ice cream parlours. The palace looked nice from the outside, although not quite as spectacular as some of the other palaces and castles I have seen. I did not take the tour of the interiors, as I was quite limited with my time. I prefer taking in the beauties of exteriors and natural settings when the weather is good. Of course, had I had more time, I would not mind exploring the palace and its surrounds a little better. My next route led me along the port, which offered a few sights of very fancy yachts; one even had a helicopter on board (I wonder who it belongs to). I continued along the coast until I reached the Fairmont hotel. As it began raining, I found a refuge at a shopping mall right next to the Monte Carlo Casino. I only spent few minutes walking through the hallways of this opulent building full of designer shops and boutiques, exploring the fancy interior. I then continued to explore the streets of Monaco for another few hours. I had a quick lunch at this inexpensive outdoors café and descended towards the beach. I made it down to the beach, just as it began raining again. I then walked towards the Japanese Garden, which was lovely, peaceful and colourful. After that I started climbing up again to get closer to the train station, however at one point I found myself somewhere in Beausoleil which is a bit further than the Monaco train station. I had to then descend some streets and sets of stairs to return to Monaco and find my way to the station. I was exhausted by the time I returned to my hotel room in Nice, however it was a good kind of fatigue.

I made up my mind. I am returning to this place…for at least 2 weeks, maybe even a month. What am I afraid of? Why save and save and not fully enjoy what one’s got. Life is too short to only think about the future. Yes, it is good to have the back up and risking it all would not be a good thing. But, why be afraid, when as long as I live and I am healthy, I can work and make money and save some more. Why be afraid and not truly live. Why not make the dreams happen even if losing the sense of security for a certain period of time. We need to take the risks in order to make the dreams happen. Even in order to survive.

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The final part of my “European spring adventure” has just begun. I am on my way to London St. Pancras International. The difference in the weather was quite visible and the change in temperature could be felt. The overcast sky and the rain greeted me upon my arrival in Paris. I only had a brief stopover there, so it didn’t really make that much of a difference. I am assuming London will be similar, if not worse. Oh well, time to return to “reality.” Bonne fin de voyage et le retour au travail.

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Billions of lives intertwined, touching each other, directly or indirectly. You encounter so many people in your life. The more you travel, the bigger and more international city you live in, the more people you encounter; thousands, if not millions of faces that you see during your lifetime, knowing but a fraction of them. I wonder what the human interaction of future generations will be like, with the population growing, technology changing in unprecedented speed. If nothing comes to slow it down or stop it. Will we “interact” at all? I mean, in a direct way? Yes, I believe we will. We are the “social” creatures after all. We need the company of other human beings, if not constantly, then once in a while for sure. And with the density of population growing at certain places, it would probably be impossible not to interact directly. No matter how advanced the technology…

http://public.fotki.com/lucye82/spring-adventure-2012/

...

Beat by beat,
echoing in my peace,
the sound of flying bird,
breaks the monotony.

Breath by breath,
I count my blessings,
trials, and tribulations,
thankful for all the opportunities.

Move by move,
I reflect on what's done
and imagine that
which is to come...

Time & reality...

Listening to an echo of my own heartbeat,
lying here and reminiscing on things that have passed,
yesterday, a week, a month, a year, a decade ago,
as far as I can remember...
What an infinitely small part of time I occupy,
smaller than the tiniest particle known
on an overall timescale of believed existence of things.
How do we all matter,
each and every one of us,
but a flash of being in this history.
Time...works against all of us.

But maybe, it is just one of many dimensions,
perhaps, there is a different timeline for each.
Our time applies to what we know, what we believe to know.
It does not mean that, which we do not know, cannot be "real."
Real in a wider sense of meaning,
for we tend to only accept things as real once we have some proof,
not in all cases though...
We humans are too partial.
We don't always require "indisputable" proof,
for what really is "indisputable"...is there such a thing?
It goes back to the fact of not knowing everything.
We simply only think or believe that we know some things.

I do wonder if the time comes,
or even can come, when we know it all.
Will I ever know the answers to these questions?
Know them beyond any doubt?
Not in this reality for sure.
But I do like to think of a higher reality
than the one which is known.