hurray, hurray it's a happy holiday!

with my camera, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Finally stretching my legs during a 13 hours flight to Asia. So excited that I'm not sure I could sleep, which in turn may help with the jet lag. Two more flights later and almost 24 hours since departure I will step on the beach of Nha Trang at the start of my first meeting with Vietnam and a culture to hopefully amaze me. I'll later have the pleasure of seeing Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Singapore. Could anything be better?

Yes! Singapore Airlines are flying us on the new A380 (Superjumbo)—see you on the upper deck—and back in a Jumbo, so more premieres for me. Add: showering in an airport, that should be fun. Add: checking the swimming pool in an airport, smashing! Add: tons of seafood. Add: strong coffee, Vietnamese style. Add: may see Giles Peterson live. Add: practicing my French more than in Paris. Add: a wee bit of shopping—quite likely, I'll have to buy an extra suitcase.

It's been seven months since Sicily and Stromboli, since my biggest worry being where and what to eat for dinner, and I couldn't be more grateful that I'm not writing seven years. A proper holiday was needed to rest away from our crazy schedule; the new life of two people who want it all can be exhausting, as I hope to detail at a later date. On my side, putting together the URIplay website has been quite demanding, as graphics, HTML, and CSS are a hobby rather than a forte.

While the blog will be quiet due to the wise decision on not taking along the new shiny MacBook Pro (called Zoey), I leave you in good hands with thousands of previous posts, thousands of photos on Flickr, a book that carries wise words from a thousand people more than me and an interview I've just given to The Pakistani Spectator, soon to be published. If none will do, the wider web is full of juice. Drink wisely and I'll see you on the other side of the holiday.

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656, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Much a do about nothing. London, UK

loves daffs: leaving behind all six of them

all six of them, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

The late dwarf daffodils have started showing up on the greener side of the balcony, too, but it is this pot that finally turns into a wonder... as we wave good-bye.

easyJet sees Moldavia and Romania united

That or history, my memory, and the updated EU map are entirely wrong.

In other news, traveling with easyJet has been even worse than the Wizz Air experience. From useless and rude staff—and I thought only the Romanian cabin crews are unmannered—to costing more, from having to stay up all night so that we make it to Gatwick for a 6:35 a.m. flight to having our paid Speedy Boarding ignored twice, I wouldn't know where to start. Yes, there's the benefit of flying to civilised Henri Coanda/ Otopeni airport in Bucharest instead of the messy Baneasa, but on a normal, high traffic day that stings one back—Otopeni is a few kilometers farther than Baneasa on the main North exit from/ entrance into the city.

We booked our next flight to Romania on BA: the offer made it only GBP 100 (for two) more expensive in exchange for good service and decent flying times, plus no charges for hold luggage.

last night's sky in three easy steps

unusual glow, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

epidemic spreads, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

on fire, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

home made jewels for my ladies

sister's, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

mother's, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

The white and blue crystals for my sister, the chalcedony and agate necklace for mom. Funny Easter bunny, having put them together at in her lair, not? The surprise alone was worth it.

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655, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Across the street. London, UK

they never made it: newspapers, magazines, and flyers

newspapers and magazines, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Two special reports about Romania in FT, each on a Friday in March—2007 and 2008, neither ever read. A UK newspaper keen on Positive News. An article on Marc Jacobs in Observer Woman—and not only him, but I loved HIM in that Victorian tutu—and another with advice on living in the UK from Wizz Air's inflight magazine (good advice, surprisingly). Then a piece on a posh bed & breakfast in Spain and, also, my all time winner: the NHS flyer teaching you about hot summer aches last year, when London's seen one day (I mean it) of summer and I was freezing my arse in Edinburgh, anyway.

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654, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

I found them in this order one morning. London, UK

Marinca to be Delpy's lover

Like many, I've seen Anamaria Marinca in 4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days, the Romanian movie awarded Palm D'Or in Cannes last year. I've also listened to her afterwards, answering questions from the audience, and appreciated her views and thoughts. To my surprise, it turned out that she lives in London.

Decided to keep an eye on her future doings, I'm quite excited to announce that she replaced Radha Mitchell as Anna Darvulia in The Countess, Julie Delpy's new film. I'm a big fan of Delpy and that explains why I take seriously a movie about the blood countess Erzebet Bathory. Add that Anamaria Marinca plays Delpy's lover, while William Hurt and Ethan Hawke compliment the cast, and I think we have got a drama to look forward to.

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653, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Colourful crossroads. Paris, France

Christ has risen, in truth he has

Easter morning joy, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

We went to bed late, having met them, and woke up late to see them again. Happy Easter!

tasty weeds: bay buds

fresh cooking material, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Though I don't want to stop the bay tree from growing equally or encourage my love to do so, I hope to one day taste the flavour of its spring buds, which may as well melt in a dish. Luckily for the bay tree, it won't happen this year, as we're off soon.

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652, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

A hint of sun will be good enough reason. London, UK

enjoying Bucharest, quiet before Easter

three men in a boat, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

This time of the year is one of the best for roaming Herastrau, the large park in the North of Bucharest: nature overflows with beauty and most citizens are busy roasting their lamb somewhere else. My sister treated the whole family to a boat ride last evening once we had had enough crazy tulips and singing birds, and then we strolled some more towards the good pizza and chilled limoncello of the otherwise overpriced and arrogant Quattro Stagioni.

loves daffs: even sneaky ones

sneaky, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Finally a white daffodil, yet again a dwarf. Showed up on the other side of the balcony the day we were leaving. The side of the balcony that I don't watch daily during my cigarette breaks. It is quite funny to still have daffodils turn up when out roses and daisies are getting ready to bloom. Also, I have the strange feeling that not all our tulips have said hello this far. Not sure I'll ever know, since we're only coming back to leave again, this time for long.

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651, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

She wouldn't leave. London, UK

bear with me

We didn't sleep a full night in order to make the EasyJet flight at silly a.m. (leaving the airport around 6.35), which implied a long late dinner at Cafe Boheme (more to follow on this one), carrying a divan mattress, a toilette seat, and more junk out on the street at 3 a.m. because we paid for the local council to pick them up the next day, and discovering the South Terminal of Gatwick to be a place where no brand of decent coffee was sold.

We then had some bad treatment from EasyJet, no less funny than previous Wizz Air experiences, a long ride home, chats, good food and generally a day of lazying about dizzily, waiting to sleep. Now that sleep is sorted and we're getting ready to make some social arrangements, we must still note that this brief Easter holiday is mainly about sleep, food, and family in the good weather of these perfect end of April days in Bucharest.

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650, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

At least it has sunsets. London, UK

gorgeoux world: spotted elsewhere

The tower, originally uploaded by manganite.

You will notice in my sidebar a new column of eye-catching photos from friends and strangers. They are about style rather than fashion, attitude rather than beauty, ingeniousnesses rather than design, living rather than accomplishing, etc. Above all, they're about a gorgeoux world I spotted on blogs, feeds, and the intertubes at large. Enjoy it on my blog or subscribe to the RSS feed.

The combination of Blogger, Google Reader, and FeedBurner is starting to pay off, yay!

new arrival: stripy leaves get curly and named

curly hosta, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

My, they turn out bright for my sight, even on rainy day! And they're not just stripy, but curly, too. Also, baptised/ localised: hosta is the plant, and a very good future friend, I reckon. Thanks, Gill!

Later update: silly me! I grew up with hosta, but a different style, which I thought of as lilies. better, however, that my stripy curly leaves will also have flowers!

coming along: day to day pouch

daily pouch, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

It started with a haste trip to H&M or Marks & Sparks—they both seem so generic to me, now, that I don't recall the one. I was in great need of knickers, since I forgot to pack any. It should be said that I nearly almost forget to pack one thing or another. The pouch only caught my eye because of its colour and price.

Then I realised I wouldn't like abusing any of my bags on a daily basis, and definitely not when I go to the supermarket, to the beach, or, for that matter, on a RIB boat ride on Thames. Hello there, cheap pouch! God bless it, it's proven one of the most useful items about the house. After knickers, of course, though some days that's debatable.

Sometime later the badges gathering on my desk needed to get exposed but, what do you know, I'm past the age of wearing badges; I prefer brooches now, thank you very much. Shiny, too. I don't remember how I finally put one and one together and started turning my daily pouch in a Christmas tree. Speaking of which, I know the Santa will seem bad taste to some, but it's my daily piece of Christmas, yay!

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649, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

Last fall. London, UK

overheard from the balcony

Guy on the phone: It must be that I don't know you at all. It must be... Oh, fuck it!

one beer, two shops, and three cigarettes later

wedge converse box 100th anniversary 1, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

wedge converse 100th anniversary, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

My babies are heaven on Earth! Converse launched this wedge version as a special design to celebrate their 100th anniversary. While I appreciate that, I appreciate even more that I can wear Converse again, now that they're perfect, now that they're cool again.

It was pure luck to see them in the window of Sniff a few days ago; we were on the wrong street. It then took two Sniff shops yesterday and a reservation, not to mention GBP 65 to actually be able to drop the sexy shoes that gave me blisters for these understated beauties!

I haven't worn Converse ever since I was 16 or so, mainly because all of sudden they became so cool in Romania that they weren't shoes anymore, but statements and labels. I like choosing those for myself and not having them forced upon me, so here's to choice.

I could've picked the other version I'd seen, white and pink, but I'm not paying a fortune on fabric shoes—no matter how cute and comfortable—that get dirty within a day. What I love more than the classic look is the wedge being quite discrete.

Wearing Converse again and finally feeling like most of the world does in the flat ones.