I have visited Romania on orthodox Easter, and it was very deep spiritual.
Besides, I met a very interesting expat coming from Belgium, Mr Pascal Brijnaert. He is a computer engineer, who have worked to the undergrounds from Mexico City and New Delhi. Mr Brijnaert is now 45 and he rules since 15 years a succes business based on woodworking. Mr Brijnaert’s company (Fininvest international, www.fininvest.ro) produces wood toys, which exports in western Europe( Belgium and France, where Mr Pascal has excellent contacts).
Pascal Brijnaert came first in Romania as a market researcher, working for other company, and ended through developing his own business. I do not earn very much from this little business, says Mr Brijnaert, my wish was to put some romanians to work, as I love this country very much. Indeed, he speaks perfectly Romanian, and is converted to orthodoxy.
Island of Corfu is a greek island where I would like to come back. And the most of the tourists feel the same, I met people coming to Corfu since 20 Years.
Lawrence Durrel, a well known writer, spent his childhood in Corfu. He wrote a famous book, called “My family and other animals” saying among other memorable words the following: ” True that some countries invite us to discover landscapes or wisdom. Moreover, Greece offers to us something more important: the power to discover ourselves.”
But where is Corfu,and what makes it so special? It lies in the Ionian Sea, before the albanian coast. During centuries, many nations came, settled and ruled here (Italians, English, Romanian etc). Since 1864 the island is Greek again, and ever since the tourism flourished.
Easy to understand: Italians come in mass in summer to discover the traces of their civilization; Austrians come to visit the palace of Kaiserin Sissi; many others come to discover or to see again Corfu.
You must know the basics, like a traveler you are: no mater how drunk you are, no matter how urgent is, do not pee on monuments, graves, cemeteries. Look for parks, toilettes, forests etc.
Otherwise it can happen to you the same unpleasant mater as to the photo male. He is a natural born canadian, and on Canadas National Day, after having drinking a few beers, he urinated on Canada War Memorial. You can imagine the consequences: he came to the front page of all national newspapers, and should apologize publicly.
As you don’t need events like that, do not urinate anywhere!
One billion people on this planet have no reliable sources of clean drinking water. Consequently, they are exposed to typhoidis, diarhea, hepatitis and other bad diseases. Even more exposed are the tourists traveling in these area, whose immunitary system is not so strong as the locals.
I can name many causes for the lack of clean water, but two situations are very frequently:
-the water simply lacks, e.g. because dried periods
Today is the orthodox Easter. It celebrates the resurrection of God, a miracle that gives us all hope for our life. If Jesus could make this sacrifice for our mistakes, we are all saved! Wish you all Happy Easter!
The celebration of Easter is very deep to the orthodox, and is not so commercial as Christmas. I was invited during my visit in Romania to take part to the Easter mess and to the ritual Easter meal, and I can tell you a lot about all these things.
First of all, any orthodox should prepare himself holding a cure without animal products 40 days long. They also must strive to do only good things, become better and confess to the priest their sinns.
He is an Indian child, living in the megacity of Calcutta. He is only 10 and works hard to earn his bread selling those little products familiar to any tourist and traveler.
But this child is very specbest comercial waial indeed. The client is king, as we use to say, and this child had understood and acted in the best comercial way. He has learned the presentation of his products in 13 languages.
If you meet him on the streets of Calcuta, as happened to me, you will buy something from him, I am sure. Mother Teresa of Calcuta would have do the same.
Amazing, or normal, what do you think?
Dear friends, this is piilo! But what is piilo and how it works? You have a few seconds to guess, and if you still don’t know(which is normal, don’t worry!) I am going to help you!
Piilo is a project, a space where you can feel yourself safe and comfortable,even isolated from the outside world. It is supposed to be used at home and in the office. But more important for you as travellers, piilo is also a futuristic tent! No one can say if you are safe inside the piilo during heavy rains!
Don’t run to the shop or supermarket to buy a piilo, it is still a project!
On Sunday will be the greatest orthodox celebration: Eastern, the resurection of God. If this holly day wiil catch you in an orthodox country (Russia, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece) you will be very happy indeed. Even without being an orthodox, you will be able to feel the magic and the miracle.
You will also have the unique opportunity to be invited to the ritual Eastern meal. You will kick painted eggs, drink red wine, eat lamb, which will make you very happy and bring you nearer to the allmighty God, which is only one for sure.
Wish you happy Eastern! From all my heart.
