Month: September 2012

  • some people I met in romania

    Marian
    Doris
    Cristy (say it with a Romanian accent: Krrrrrreeeeeesti)

    All men.

  • what all the cool furniture is wearing

    MTR_Chairs_4

    I'm mad they don't sell reproductions of these chairs they display at the Peasant Museum, because that's what I really want. But the strangely huge gift store does have piles and piles of vintage clothes, rugs, aprons, and anything else Romanians have ever woven or embroidered.

    Peasant piles


    Peasent lace

    Peasant also

    Usually once I'm in the store wanty-ness overwhelms me and after three hours of touching everything and totally disarranging the store, I'm sick to death of textiles and I leave without buying anything. But this time I had something in mind.

    The lastest Anthropologie catalog tells me this pom-pom fringe is exactly on trend: I think our piano bench really has the legs to pull it off.


    Peasant piano

  • summer swans, europeans rollers, egrets and cranes: not pictured

    Kingfisher comparison

    Professional photo of a kingfisher, left. On the right, a squirrel shaking its head? No, my photo of a kingfisher. Seriously. You can't even tell it's a bird.

    After our trip to the Danube Delta, home to over 300 species of birds and one of the best bird-watching places in the world, I have a new appreciation of bird photographers.

    Danube peter stef boat

    It's hella hard to get a good photo of a bird. However, I now know that herons cooperate better than kingfishers.

    Danube herons
    Danube church

    Danube monestary
    We took the bird-watching "party" boat out to visit nuns who live at the Saon monastery (shouldn't it be the Saon convent then?) They tend bees, ostriches and a flock of peacocks. They also sell honey, wine, candles and little wooden bracelets. And judging by the number of men hanging out with their shirts off in the sunshine, you can rent cottages and stay on the peaceful grounds. One young nun's family was visiting.

    Danube nun with family
    Danube nuns clothes
    Danube jigsaw puzzle house

    Danube peter on porch

    Our little group did not stay with the nuns. For $75 a night, we roughed it at the five star Delta Danube Resort.  We enjoyed the gorgeous pool and the dining room's large balcony with constant entertainment: great egrets circling and landing in the water below us and sunset and moonrise over the delta. When I close my eyes now, this is what I see.

    Photo-3

    The Danube Delta has been given World Heritage status. I think bird photographers deserve the same.