London Memories. To Be Continued

   I was about to write something different, but then I remembered I did not really have time and chance to post something interesting about London. Feels like ages ago, but it's been only three months since I came back from the UK! Clearly I still remember all the stress I had waiting for my visa and thinking how all this is gonna be and now it's just one of the stories. A nice small stage in my life, with a lot of new experience, new people and adventures.

   I know some people were asking me to write a post about the details and sorry but it's gonna be in Angielski - hope this will be a good chance for Those who do not use it every day - to have some small self-learning :)

   Being Ukrainian always was a kind of a trouble when it comes to visas (if you are Ukrainian, you'll feel my pain). And making visa to the UK - that always sounded like a nightmare! Maybe in fact it was not so complicated, but as we know - fear has large eyes, so it is indeed pain in the neck for all of the non-EU residents to make this work! So, if you want to ask me how I got mine - That I did through my company. But if you want to do it yourself for the first time - feel free to ask me, I spent many hours surfing in the Internet and filling in the papers. I hate the bureaucracy, but well, sometimes we have no choice. 

   Now, London ... If I were to describe my feelings I'd say that moving to London would be like getting married to a nice rich guy, Which you like, respect, feel comfortable with, but there are no emotions like crazy. .. "oh my Goood, I can not breath!" So, London is a city that impresses you with it's scale, with everything that is going on, with fashion stuff, with luxury shops, with amazing parties. But it's not a place where you would spend a romantic weekend wandering around narrow streets (there are NO narrow streets) ... It's not a place, where you can feel comfy and simply happy :) Well, you know what I mean!

   My friends keep asking me if I want to move to the UK. I say - yes, bearing in mind That this "yes" Means sleepless nights, loads of work and a real rat race. I think - yes, it is possible for Ukrainian girl to work in the big office in central London, facing London Bridge from your window, but it can be just an illusion of "cool" life - where a lot of reality is left behind the scenes. You'll be coming early, leaving late, being in a fast environment 24/7, so before saying "yes" it is worth considering all of Those Things. So, 2 minutes ago I was sure I want that kind of life, now I'm in a doubt :)

   

   But London is amazing! Imagine a place where there's everything you can imagine / want to see / to do / to experience! It's London, babe. Unfortunately for me, I was not with my friends there (but yeah I met a lot of people), so I spent much time on my own! But I was never never bored! I forced myself to get up every Saturday early in the morning and go and see and feel London life! Being a kind of person, who can not be lonely - I felt great, having whole day for myself! I usually had a meeting planned in the evening, and until then I was left with a full day to do whatever I want. Notting Hill, Merylebone, Oxford Street shopping, South Kensington, Covent Garden, Borough Market - by the end of winter I got used so much to these places and I was even afraid to come back to a relaxed life Krakow. 

    No, I'm not a fan of museums at all, but even I was kind of impressed by the British National Museum exhibition! And the National Gallery with Monet's and Van Gog's paintings. It's something incredible and this is something worth spending a day of your life! By the way, almost all of the London Museums are free to enter (also V & A, National History, Tate Modern) - Which is a nice surprise :)

   If you're a girl and if you have a chance - go shopping to Selfridges and Harrods.You will spend a lot of money, but well - you will reach the shopping heaven, if dry exists :) Last time I was there, I promised myself - next time I'm leaving with Valentino shoes :) Yes, I think it's nice to have small goals like this one! In late February, when boarding a plane to Frankfurt I knew - I'd come back for Those shoes soon :)

   Go to a party in Soho District :) It May be not the cheapest night out in your life, though :)

   

   And remember - anywhere you go - be a traveler, not a tourist :) 

   And who knows - maybe ia year I'll be writing next post, sitting on the balcony, watching people go back and forth on Gloucester Rd :)

   

Copenhagen. A Short Story

    “If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating, as possibility!” 

―  Søren Kierkegaard 

    

   Just a little bit of inspiration from our friend Søren, whose hometown I recently had a chance to visit.

  To say Copenhagen surprised me - is to say nothing. What a great feeling a traveler experiences, when a new destination exceeds expectations, I think you know what I mean :)

    The Streets...

   Probably first thing that attracts your eye is that there is no traffic jam or rush, because there is simply...no cars. When in my beloved Ukraine the biggest life goal and the most significant accessory of the social status is a luxury car, in Denmark (one of the richest countries in the world) - it is absolutely normal to bike. Bike with children in a special dedicated seat, bike with flowers in a basket, bike with groceries in a big bag, bike with your friends in a big box, located in front of your bicycle. I did not see overweight people in Copenhagen :) 

   City is so multicultural! This is obvious, as in any big capital, like London or Paris, you meet each and every nationality just around the corner. But there is also a lot of locals and they are visible, and that is a nice fact (because I remember in London it was kind of hard to find real English gentleman in the crowd).

    Copenhagen is super green! First time in my life I saw so many parks and they were really huge! A funny fact, that Assistens Cemetery (where Soren and Hans Christian Andersen were buried, by the way) is more like a park, then a cemetery itself. People come to sunbathe and do picnics there. Sounds like a perfect place to have eternal rest some day :)

   The People...

   What is the trait of self-confident and satisfied people, you tell me... I know - they don't give much f*ck about unimportant things. And I want to be like them :)

    The family that rent us an apartment was also very nice and I learn the fact, that in Copenhagen it's quite popular to let your own apartment (where you live Monday to Friday) for a weekend. Our landlords do this very often and they move to a country house for a weekend. Amazing way to travel like this, because we had a chance to live like true citizens of Cph!

   Of course - you should visit Free Town of Christiania when you're around - it's totally unique. No photos can be taken there, but apart from this not too many restrictions :)

   And yes, everyone speaks English! This is really some other nations should learn from Nordic countries - not to be ignorant and disrespectful to those, who do not speak "their" language. Of course I wish I did speak danish, maybe one day... But it makes life of a visitor so much easier, when you can simply ask and simply get an answer :) 

   The Food...

   My friends, let's be honest - Copenhagen IS expensive. Oh well, you just have to be prepared when going there that beer will costs euros, accept this fact and have fun! No point going on a travel and counting money all the time :)

   The fish is amazing - the street food we had at REBEL FOOD was worth all those calories! Walking around Norrebro district - go to a small cozy cafe to have some local beer at Cafe Auto :) 

    There is also totally opposite posh side of Denmark - at Lumskebugten we had a table booked near to one, where Prince of Denmark sometimes eats lunch with his family - yes, you pay more for a service (kind of a lot), but this is worth experiencing. 

   And finally meeting morning sun at Nyhavn canal while eating light Sunday breakfast at a small cafe Hyttefadet - was an amazing ending of our short trip. If you ever go to Copenhagen - I recommend to spend a nigh out at Nyhavn, nigh life is so cool there! We didn't have a chance, because we planned some other things, but now I feel like we obviously missed something important!

   And remember - you can't buy happiness, but you can buy a plane ticket - it's already half of the success :)

P.S. See You Soon

Growth Happens Down In The Valley

   How many people have you met on your way during all your life? Hard to say, I guess? I have no idea - probably we should count by thousands? 

    How many of them do you remember? I can count in hundreds... 

    How many of them brought really something special? Something unforgettable? Twenty, maybe thirty?

    How many changed your life? I am talking about those, who were some kind of "final chapters" of every small story. Like after meeting them, next day you change and never be previous "you" ever again... And also I'm not talking about those, who made you happy or unhappy - that is a usual thing. I'm saying about something irreversible... Those who opened a "new deep" inside of you - no matter if it was a positive or negative experience, but it was remarkable and not knowing about this, since tomorrow you are new you.

  A Teacher. Each of us went to school long time ago, each of us today regret not studying geography, chemistry or history :) But I'm extremely lucky to have met a person, who taught me not only English (for my English - separate thank you as well) - but yeah, she awoke in my teenage head a strong willing to move forward, to never listen what people say (when they start saying you can't do something), she developed my ability to learn languages very fast, and I'm so grateful! The funny thing is that I tried to find this woman after many years with no contact, to say thank you, but I couldn't... Apparently life plays not fair sometimes (who am I fooling? it plays unfair all the time!) and people simply disappear. For many reasons, for the reason of unbearable lightness of being if you want.

   A Love-Of-Your-Life. Not necessary with a happy end. That's not the case. But probably because it is full of very bipolar emotions - that is why it is usually so special. Literally - it is like standing under the shower where boiling water changes to ice. Because of this you can't see reality. And because of the shock - you feel nor pain, neither pleasure... Then it ends up, but it reveals some true things in your soul, and may this sound like a bullshit or just like another "vanilla" phrase - but it is like that, indeed... And this is something I feel lucky to happen to me. You should know, where is the end of your feelings! Even if it hurts! You will see then, what you value the most and what are your principles (unbreakable, if there are...)

   A Biggest Disappointment. Yeah I know, this is definitely somebody you are not looking forward to meet! But, God, I'm so so happy I did! Because very often, when everything goes well in our life, we get relaxed... We trust too much, we put less efforts, we start seeing what we want to see, fooling ourselves. And yes, we are happy! And this is amazing, just because I like to be happy, you like to be happy, everyone does! But there is a moment, when we do too much! Too much of relax, to much talking, too much of pink glasses, too much of shit... And then life decides to give you a lesson. And of course it happens not in the most comfortable moment haha... It's a "kind reminder" that relaxing in this world is the last thing to do. It's a "kind reminder" that trust in not a thing you can give to every second human-being you meet. It's a very "kind reminder" to stay on the ground. And at first you may be angry, when you let to betray yourself like a last looser on Earth, but after some time this seems very right. Turn your wounds into wisdom, as they say and I have nothing, but agree!

     A Friend. To be honest, last three years was quite a big test for friendship in my life, because moving here and there, leaving places and finding new gives hard times for any relationship! When I used to live in Ukraine, I thought I have so many "friends", but they vanished after few months after I left my hometown, Others stayed, and I still love them, and they do love me, but they are not in my life anymore in a practical way :) When we meet twice a year, I feel like a small happy dog, that finally saw his owner after a long day, I really really love these people! But all of us have different lives and it's a little sad, but still we are so happy for each other, when some of us are getting married, having new job or whatever - I can't imagine my life without those emotions! But there is still one lady, whom I would call at 3a.m. if to say I'm in love or that I urgently need new shoes. And no matter the distance, for the last few years we share so many bright memories together, that I could wright a whole book :) The title would be "Oh, I was soooo thirsty, but he's from Katowice", but this is totally different story :) 

     A Soulmate. So well, honestly speaking, this is somebody I didn't meet yet, but I know I will, because there must be such :) Somebody, with whom I could risk everything I have. Somebody, who will help me to pack all my life in one big suitcase and move, move, move. Somebody, who has the same as I - inability to stay at one place. And definitely somebody who doesn't dream of settling down in a nice house somewhere outside the city:) Which is of course, and awesome plan, but for sure not mine. Yeah, I urgently need somebody to help me turning my current life mode upside-down. Just because a perfect order is something that makes me sure - I'm going in a perfectly wrong direction...

     And I know one day I will leave this place and never come back, because there are no coming backs after you meet certain people :)