A day in a words collector's life

Sometimes it is hard to be a language junkie.

You try to catch up with all the things you hear in every new place you're visiting, but it is getting harder and harder, when you are still elaborating sentences from your last country.


I want to post here a few snippets from the last couple of months.

Probably that will require a few of googling from you, but I never said it would be easy :-)

There you go!

Ty srdce v srdci mém — ty srdce v srdci všech
Bezbřehý živote, co ve mně máš svůj břeh.

« Reading a poem in translation, » wrote Bialek, « is like kissing a woman through a veil »

Güzele bakmak sevaptır

Plus a random list of words:

• Mierenneuker (Dutch)


• Χελιδόνια (Greek)


• Çiçek (Turkish)


• Salamati (Farsi)


• Terviseks (Estonian)


• НаЗдраве (Bulgarian)


• Noroc (Rumanian)


• Megszentségteleníthetetlensegeskedéseitekést (Hungarian)

Have fun :-)

—
Oh, I have updated this post, and you can find new photos here.

Μέγας Αλέξανδρος

I have a list of things to do in Thessaloniki:

1. go to the Ano Poli


2. watch the sunset from the church with the peafowls


3. watch the sunset from the Λεωφόρος Νίκης


4. have a giros at Snoopy's

So far, I did #1 and #3, and I'm afraid that #4 will remain unchecked, because good ol' Snoopy seems to have moved from the waterfront :-(



I'm now in a bar on Leoforos Nikis, waiting to join a CSers mini-meeting, sipping the obligatory omnipresent frappé (technically, mine is a frappé skéto megála).

Random thoughts about Valencia

• Calatrava, wind, guiris pero no tantos.


• I highly recommend a good nap on the trencadis benches of the Umbracle.


• The ancient city is not so big, everything is in walking distance — if you can stand the temperature, though.


• Laundry with free wireless — otherwise it would be impossible having the time to write a blog!


• Wide deserted beaches, although you have to walk a bit for, it's definitely worth it: no loud music, no fighting for a towel place, no Hay servesa-cola-aguafresca-naranha-bíir!


• Horchata, of course! In Alboraya there's even an Horchata Avenue :-)


• For hours of entertainment, ask Valencians sabout the "Paella a la catalana" :-)
  

Just a starting point

I'm writing these lines in the plane to Madrid, going to attend the CS/HC First Madrid International Camp '08. Today is—for so to speak—the first day in this new phase of my life: yesterday I notified my boss about my decision to just quit and go somewhere else. And it was a relief. Really.

I'm now entering

— Step one —

the list

If you're planning a year-long trip around the world, it is probably a good idea to sit for moment and try figuring out what you need for your trip—and what you don't. I'm going to fill two lists: one for the stuff that I'll need during the trip, and one for writing down stuff that I'll be tempted to bring over, but probably can avoid.

— Step one —

the list

the lists

O.K. I need a third list: the to-do list, for things like passport and such. I'll call this one the Count-Down List.

This is what I have in it so far:

1. Sandals


2. Bank


3. Insurance
   
   
   
   • Car (stop)
   
   
   • Health (start)
   
   


4. Passport
   
   
   
   • Foto (with and without beard)
   
   
   • Visas
   
   


5. Backpack


6. Laptop (?)


7. Blood exams


8. Vaccinations


9. Travel plan (at least a rough one)


10. …

Phew! I feel like this is only the tip of the iceberg, but I'll try to fill this one, first.

Any idea about stuff I should definitely do before leaving will be very appreciated.