Burek express or how the German,Turkish,Italian and Latvian passport got a lot of new stamps

   The more you plan, the less exciting moments you experience. It`s been said many times, many ways, but this time I will say - the more you plan, the less magical snowflakes you get on your nose. Each of us had his own magical snowflake and all together we shared so many of them on this trip, where every single day was a new chapter in an adventurous story called - Burek express. (Originally - Balkan express) Don`t worry, I have no intention to write a book about it. (In fact, I could leave this task up to Ibrahim:p) I guess my intention is to capture those moments and keep them alive as long as possible, so I share them.

   All we knew was that we want to go on holidays. We wanted to go on holidays by Balkan express. And except Macedonia we didn`t have a definite place to stay. And you know what? That was the best part of it. That in the morning you have no idea, where you`re going to sleep the fallowing night. And I adore this feeling! (You may call it homelessness, I prefer to call it - an improvisation;) And even though we were freezing a lot (sometimes even in a shower:) and we were dealing with local gangs (well, not really:), we had mervellous holidays and not only because we are pretty cool volunteers, but also, because we had some secret ingredients. Such as: couch surfing, hitch-hiking, burek (the thing they eat in Balkan countries), rakija (the thing they drink Balkan countries) and, of course, some strange people we met randomly. That was our recipe.

  And now the best moments of each place we were.

Belgrade: 

~> the first Couch surfing experience - Lili - who took us on the roof of one block house, from  where  we saw the best view of Belgrad,

~> blueberry bear - the most delicious beer I`ve drunk,

 ~> the best pancake place ever (my suggestion - pancakes with cacao&milk cream, banana and grinded biscuits),

 ~> the cheapest vodka Roberto had ever bought (1.70 EUR) and the most appropriate place to drink it (McDonalds).

Novi Sad:

  ~> the purple bridge in the dark,

 ~> the spooky fortess in the dark,

  ~> the stunning church in the dark.

  (Yess, we were there quite late in the evening:)

Sarajevo: 

~> we are in the fairy tale and huge snowflakes are falling on us and the Old Town,

 ~> the Youth Hostel, which saved our freezing cheeks,

~> my first muslim praying ceremony in a mosque (not for Ibrahim, though:),

 ~> tea house with an ambiance of cozy cave and retired people (nice people:)

Mostar:

  ~> everything in this town is painfully breathtaking,

 ~> Ibrahim with his feet in not really warm water, the sun kissing the icicles and our faces and the muslim prayer in the air..All that took place under the Stari most, by the river,

~> the date on Stari Most with Eric - an american guy in Mostar - , who showed us the snipers` nest, from where in 1993 the croatian solders were shooting people. Incredible feeling up there. (And if you`re under 50kg, don`t climb up there in very windy weather),

 ~> my "Hallelujah" to the mountain and Mostar, and us.

Dubrovnik: 

~> Mona`s and Lelde`s arrival by track with splendid views of the sea, mountain, islands and sky all over the place,

~> Ibrahim`s pilgrimage (if you are going to hitch-hike, first of all, don`t wear your scarf up to your eyes, especially if you are from Turky and, second of all, shave your beard, unless you want to take a peaceful walk for 4 hours;),

~> Old Town behind the gates and orange trees,

~> our wild host Aleksander, his sister and their friends, who showed us some real pogo in the concert of crazy Bosnian band "Dubioza kolektiv" (they are good).

Podgorica: 

~> snowball fight and hot chocolate with Filippo and his friends who we met in the right time and place,

~> Filippo`s mother, who warmed up our bodies with hot milk, honey & self-made pastries and our hearts with her loving and caring heart,

 ~> impresive silence of mountains out of the window of the train, leaving Montenegro.

Skopje:

 ~> city, who was trying to hide in fog and the great fortress, who revealed the beauty of this place,

 ~> the Old Town with golden jewellery, colourful carneval dresses (o.k., o.k., wedding dresses, but I feel sorry for women, who have to wear them) and waiters, running around with the glasses of tea on their trays.

Štip:

~> we are in one of the Kustarica`s movies with Goran Bregovic`s music,

~> reunion of Ibrahim, his cousins and their families,

~> wedding in Romani style with 13 years old bride dressed up in bright green dress and litlle boys who learn to dance before they can walk,

~> taxi trip with Mona and Lelde, hanging out of the window and breathing in the moments in the dark night, filled with Romani music,

~> visiting almost an abandoned village and drinking Turkish coffee with taxi driver`s mother on the self made rugs,

~> riding an almost white horse with a boy from the town,

 ~> leaving the place with promises to return and 3 bottles of the thing they drink in Balkan countries;)

After almost two weeks we are back in Bucharest, sector 6, where lot of things have changed since we left. For instance, we have a new tram line, bus stop just in front of our home, few more markets and more holidays to plan. By Balkan express. Of course:)

by Lelde

            

       

Black cat, white horse

Maybe it was because I got up too early that day. Maybe it`s because sometimes I tend to see what I want to see. But maybe it`s because we are in Bucharest, precisely in sector 6. The thing I saw was something incredibly strange and beautiful at the same time. I was approaching the bus stop and all of a sudden a white horse came from one of the side streets. From nowhere. He looked so indifferent to the rest of the world, so unconcerned, digging his nose in a garbage hill. And I was standing there, wishing I had taken my camera with me. But I took this moment.
I know there is a superstition about a black cat, crossing the street. Perhaps there could be another one. If you see a white horse, crossing your path, you will have a great day!

Lelde

Niente e impossibile

Everything is possible in Romania. I was told on the way to my new accomodation (where I was going to spend the next year). And I have started to believe in that. I guess there is just one thing that is impossible, according to Roberto (my Italian collegue to whom everything - no is possible - read with the sweetest Italian accent). And that thing is to go from Piata Unirii to Str. Drumul Sabareni in sector 6 by foot at 5 in the morning. But I still think that one day I will prove that it is possible, even after wild dancing and some tea shots in Kulturhaus.
And I chose to believe in one more thing (and that I was also told when I arrived, of course, by one Romanian, who else:). And that thing is - You make your dreams come true in Romania. And that is the thing worth remembering.

Lelde