Slanic, Prahova

M-am urcat cu ai mei in masina si am plecat spre un loc pe care nu il vazusem niciodata, dar despre care auzisem o multime de lucruri interesante: orasul Slanic, judetul Prahova. Ce poti vedea acolo: salina, muzeul de sare, Lacul sarat Baia Baciului si Lacul Miresei (ceea ce a ramas dupa surparea muntelui de sare ce forma Grota Miresei) si, bineinteles, peisajul.

Me and my folks got up in the car and went to visit a place that I had never seen, but heard about many interesting things: Slanic town, Prahova County. What you can see there: the salt mine, the salt museum, the Baia Baciului salted Lake and the Bride’s Lake (which remained after the crumbling of the salt mountain that used to form the Bride’s Cave) and, of course, the landscape.

In mina este o temperatura constanta de 13 grade Celsius, presiunea atmosferica este de 730 mm col. Hg., peretii au o inaltime de 54 metri, pana la suprafata fiind o distanta de 208 metri pe care o parcurgi cu liftul in 90 de secunde. Lucrarile miniere au inceput in anul 1938, dar exploatarea s-a facut intre anii 1943 - 1970. Mina este folosita acum doar in scopuri turistice. Spatiul excavat este impartit in 14 camere si ocupa acum 2,9 milioane metri cubi si se intinde pe o suprafata de 7,8 hectare. Putem vedea acolo sculpturi in sare, o Sala a Genezei, o expozitie de chihlimbar si o zona de joaca cu leagane si teren de fotbal.

There is a constant temperature of 13 Celsius degrees in the mine and an atmospheric pressure of 730 mm col. Hg. The walls have a height of 54 metres and there is a distance of 208 metres until the surface that can be travelled by elevator in 90 seconds. Mining works began in 1938, but the operation was done between 1943 - 1970. Mine is now used only for touristic purposes. The excavated space is devided in 14 rooms and now holds 2.9 million cubic metres and it streches on an area of 7.8 hectares. We can see there some sculptures in salt, a Genesis Room, an expo of amber and a playground with swings and a soccer field.

Apoi am trecut pe la Baia Baciului ca sa vedem lacul si ce a mai ramas din Grota Miresei.

Then we went to Baia Baciului to see the lake and what's left of The Bride's Cave.

Iata cum arata Grota Miresei inainte de a se surpa peretele de sare.

This is how The Bride's Cave looked before the crumbling of the salt wall.

Si iata cum arata acum.

And this is how it looks now.

Cine suntem? / Who are we?

Am considerat totdeauna ca oamenii trebuie sa dovedeasca ca sunt oameni, adica sa adopte un comportament adecvat, care sa-i deosebeasca de celelalte vietuitoare. Multi dintre noi, insa, tin mortis sa ne arate, in repetate randuri, ca ei au fost, sunt si vor fi doar animale (sau mai rau - bestii), nu oameni, nu umani.
Ce inseamna sa fii uman? Pentru mine inseamna sa gandesti, apoi sa actionezi in consecinta, inseamna sa respecti libertatea celuilalt, sa arati generozitate, compasiune, emotie fata de cel de langa tine.
Ce inseamna sa fii om? Eu zic ca inseamna sa ai caracter, personalitate, principii sanatoase si morala.
Realizez, insa, ca vorbesc aici despre o specie pe cale de disparitie.

Concluzia nr. 1: "Salvati umanitatea (sau ce a mai ramas din ea)!"
Concluzia nr. 2: "Nu se mai fac oameni cum se faceau odata!"


***

I always considered that people must prove they are human, that they have to adopt an appropriate behavior, to differentiate them from all the other creatures. But many of us keep showing, repeatedly, that they were, are and will always be only animals (or worse - beasts), not people, not human.
What it means to be human? For me it means to think, and then act accordingly, it means you have to respect other's freedom, to show generosity, compassion, emotion for the one next to you.
What it means to be human? I say it means to have character, personality, healthy principles and moral.
I realize, though, that I’m talking here about an endangered species.

Conclusion no. 1: "Save humanity (or what was left of it)!"
Conclusion no. 2: "They no longer make people like they used to!"

Desertaciune II / Emptiness II

Am scris versurile urmatoare acum cativa ani. Poate ca atunci eram doar un copil sau poate ca atunci am gandit cu adevarat ca un adult. Acum o recitesc si imi dau seama ca sunt pierduta, ca nu stiu ce vreau de la viata asta, ca sunt dezamagita de mine si de oamenii si lucrurile care ma inconjoara.

***

I wrote the next lyrics several years ago. Maybe I was just a kid then, or maybe then I really thought as an adult. Now I read them again and I realize that I am lost, I don’t know what I want from this life, I've disappointed myself and the people and things that surround me have disappointed me also.

Desertaciune (Emptiness)

Ma intreb adeseori daca... (I often wonder if ... )

Exista Dumnezeu (There is God)
Sau exista iubirea? (Or there is love?)
Exista aceasta lume (Is there this world)
Sau ne inseala privirea? (Or we are seeing wrong?)

Ne ascundem de adevar (We hide from the truth)
Cu ochii plecati. (With eyes looking down.)
Credem in vorbe, (We believe in words,)
Traim impacati. (We live at peace.)

Gandul la noi (Thinking about us)
Acopera gandul (Covers the thought)
Ca multi asupriti (That the oppressed)
Ne cer doar cuvantul. (Are asking only for our word.)

Un bine infim (A small good)
Uitam a-l face (We forget to do)
Dar cerem pamantul (But we want the world)
In comori sa-l prefacem. (To transform it in treasures)

Ne nastem cu drepturi (We are born with rights)
Dar lipsiti de dreptate. (But deprived of justice.)
Invatam sa-nselam, (We learn to cheat,)
Cum sa castigam in toate. (How to win in all.)

In aceeasi iluzie (In the same illusion)
Mii de masti se-ntalnesc. (Thousands of masks meet.)
Se mai naste o viata (Another life is born)
Pe care altii o pedepsesc. (Which others punish.)

La aceleasi concepte (To the same concepts)
Si aceleasi idei – (And the same ideas -)
Aceleasi atitudini (The same attitudes)
Fara sa vrei. (Without you wanting it.)

Vorbe fara esenta, (Words without essence,)
Oameni prea mici, (Too small people,)
Suflete de gheata – (Souls of ice -)
O creatie Kitch. (A Kitch creation.)

Ne rugam la Soare, (We pray to the Sun,)
Ne-nchinam la zei, (We dedicate ourselves to gods,)
Le-aducem ofrande (We bring them offerings)
Apoi ne lepadam de ei. (Then we forsake them.)

Ne juram cainta. (We swear we repent.)
Cersim mila tuturor. (We beg everybody's mercy.)
Ingenunchem in iertare (We knee in forgiveness)
Pentru rani care dor. (For wounds that hurt.)

Mintim, inselam, (We lie, we cheat,)
Omoram din placere (We passionately kill)
Tradam din vointa (We betray of our will)
Dar apoi... tacere. (But then... silence.)

Caci nu exista pedepse (Because there is no punishment)
Pentru cei vinovati (For the guilty ones)
Cand creste durerea (When the pain is intensifying)
A ai nostrilor frati. (Of our brothers.)

Ne pierdem onoarea, (We lose our honor,)
Demnitatea la fel. (Dignity too.)
Ne nastem spre pieire, (We are born for dying,)
Ducem trai fara tel. (We live a life without purpose.)

Ne falim cu creatii, (We take pride in our creations,)
Descoperiri noi, (New discoveries,)
Dar cate din ele (But how many of them)
Nu ne fac rau? (Do not hurt us?)

Caut in mine. Neant. Haos. Gol. (I'm searching inside me. Nothingness. Chaos. Emptyness.)
Unde-i sufletul meu? (Where is my soul?)
Nu mai cred in iubire! (I stopped believing in love!)
Nu am Dumnezeu! (I don't have a God!)

Desertaciune I / Emptiness I

This is the world in which we live.
A realistic video, a piece of life; lyrics that came from the soul: VAMA - God does not appear on the news.


God does not appear on the news
God does not kill dolphins
God does not melt glaciers
God hasn’t voteed in the Senate
God has no nuclear dream
God has not fought in Iraq
Too busy destroying the world people are
No one bothers about God here on Earth

Ref: God has left us...
He let us to do whatever we want

They made Jesus a Superstar
They have printed God on the U.S. dollars
Religion is war marketing
People make their cross but with an empty look

Ref: God has left us...
He let us to do whatever we want
Without faith the human ship is lost in space; the storm is approaching,
The world is darkening
Everything is for sale, everything can be bought; money are the way, the truth and the life
Jesus is not coming ....
God is looking once again at the world
There is no one to see that
He is lending us a hand
There is no one there to hear the love whisper
He still says to us?

Ref: God has left us...
He let us to do whatever we want
God has watched...
He doesn’t understand wher he did wrong
God has watched...
He watched...

***

Aceasta este lumea in care traim.
Videoclip realist, rupt din viata; versuri de suflet cu care rezonez: Vama - Dumnezeu nu apare la stiri.


Dumnezeu nu apare la Stiri
Dumnezeu nu omoara Delfini
Dumnezeu n-are Vis Nuclear
Dumnezeu nu topeste Ghetari
Dumnezeu n-a votat in Senat
Dumnezeu n-a luptat in Irak
Prea ocupati cu distrugerea lumii oamenii sunt
Pe Dumnezeu nu-l ia nimeni in seama aici pe Pamant.

Ref:Dumnezeu ne-a lasat...
Ne-a lasat sa ne facem de cap

Pe Iisus l-au facut Superstar
Pe Dumnezeu l-au tiparit pe dolar
Religia e marketing de razboi
Oamenii-si fac cruce dar privesc in gol

Ref:Dumnezeu ne-a lasat...
Ne-a lasat sa ne facem de cap

Fara Credinta corabia Umana rataceste prin spatiu se apropie furtuna,
Se-ntuneca lumea
Totul se vinde se cumpara totul banii sunt calea adevarul si viata Isus nu mai vine....
Dumnezeu se mai uita o data spre lume
Nu e nimeni sa vada ca-ntinde o mana
Nu e nimeni s-auda ca soapta iubirii El inca ne-o spune?

Ref: Dumnezeu ne-a lasat...
Ne-a lasat sa ne facem de cap
Dumnezeu a privit...
Nu-ntelege unde a gresit
Dumnezeu a privit...
A privit...

Despre IUBIRE in multe feluri / About LOVE in many ways

Nu stiu cum se face ca toata lumea in jurul meu se casatoreste. Am o gramada de prieteni si cunostinte care fac nunta anul acesta sau la anu. O fi un virus nou pe piata sau a devenit casnicia un trend? Din cate imi amintesc eu, pe la noi rata divorturilor e din ce in ce mai mare, de la an la an. Nu ca as dori eu sa li se intample asa ceva... Oricum, meditez si eu asupra acestui sentiment care ne innebuneste pe toti: IUBIREA. Si am ajuns la cateva concluzii.
- Iubirea nu raneste. Ea nu se exprima prin violenta si nu aduce suferinta. Cand iubesti nu il ranesti pe cel de langa tine in nici un fel, mai ales fizic. Dragostea este o relatie de la egal la egal, nu de genul stapan – sclav. In dragoste suntem parteneri, colaboratori. Dar cate neveste nu sunt batute sau amenintate zilnic in tara nostra...
- Iubirea nu omoara. Daca te gandesti cum sa-l faci pe cel de langa tine sa dispara inseamna ori ca esti nebun, ori ca ai ajuns la capatul puterilor. Oricum e clar ca aici nu mai e vorba de iubire. Solutia cea mai buna e divortul, despartirea definitiva. Era la stiri, intr-o zi un caz: el i-a pus sotiei mercur in tigara. Oamenii din ziua de azi ma ingrozesc.
- Iubirea este respect. Daca nu il respecti pe cel de langa tine, daca nu il admiri pentru omul care este atunci nu ai ce cauta langa el. In trecut, cand tinerii erau casatoriti fara a se cunoaste (si pe la noi se practica obiceiul acesta), respectul era baza casniciei, iubirea venea mai tarziu, daca venea, iar casnicia dura o viata intreaga.
- Iubirea este sacrificiu. Cand iubesti esti dispus sa lasi totul pentru a fi alaturi de celalalt, sa-ti parasesti job-ul, familia, casa, tara, religia, sa te schimbi cu totul, sa devii un om nou, mai bun, mai frumos.
- Iubirea nu inseamna mila. Daca te intrebi „oare ce va face fara mine, cum se va descurca, cine ii va gati, cine il/o va ingriji” nu inseamna ca il iubesti pe celalalt, ci ca esti constient ca partenerul e dependent de tine. Dar asta nu e iubire. Iubire este atunci cand stai langa celalalt indiferent de dizabilitatile sale, pentru ca iti simti sufletul plin doar alaturi de el. Iubire este atunci cand, desi o viata sexuala normala e imposibila, gasesti metode prin care cuplul sa se reinventeze, atat afectiv cat si sexual.
- Iubirea nu pune bariere. Daca te iubeste nu iti va cere niciodata sa faci ceva ce nu iti place, sa te desparti de cei pe care ii iubesti, sa-ti schimbi stilul de viata. Vei face toate astea doar daca vrei, daca consideri ca e necesar. Iubirea nu inseamna „nu ai voie”, ci „totul este permis”.
- Iubirea nu minte, nu inseala. In dragoste e loc doar pentru sinceritate, adevar, fidelitate. Oricine se abate de la acestea trei inseamna ca nu are principii si nu merita.
- Iubirea este incredere. Trebuie sa-l crezi pe celalalt inca dinainte de a-l cunoaste cu adevarat, chiar daca stii ca e posibil sa te inseli, sa suferi. Nu e bine sa lasam loc interpretarii, suspiciunii. Daca suntem sinceri vom castiga increderea partenerului si, in acest fel, inlaturam dusmanul cel mai important: gelozia.
- Iubirea inseamna rabdare. Oamenii nu sunt perfecti, dar sunt dispusi sa se schimbe din dragoste. Nu trebuie decat sa avem rabdare, sa le dam timp ca ei sa-si inlature defectele si sa-si multiplice calitatile. Cand iubesti il astepti pe celalalt sa vina la tine, sa vina atunci cand e sigur ca aceasta este alegerea corecta, cand este el pregatit.

....

I don’t know how come everyone around me is getting married. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who are having their wedding this year or next year. Is it a virus or getting married became a trend? From what I remember, here the rate of divorces is increasing from year to year. Not that I would want something like this to happen to them... Anyway, I reflect on this feeling that gets us all crazy: LOVE. And I came to several conclusions.
- Love does not hurt. It is not expressed trough violence and it does not bring suffering. When you love you do not hurt the one near you in any way, especially physically. Love is a relationship between equals, not like master - slave. In love we are partners, collaborators. But how many wives are not threatened or beaten daily in our country...
- Love does not kill. If you think about how to make the one next to you disappear means you're either crazy or you got tired out. However, is clear that here is not about love. The best solution is divorce, final break-up. It was on the news this event: he put mercury in his wife’s cigarette. People today terrify me.
- Love is respect. If you disrespect the guy next to you, if you do not admire him then what are you still doing with him. In the past, when young people were getting married without meeting before (we used to practice this here too), respect was the bases of the marriage, love came later, if it came, and the marriage lasted a lifetime.
- Love is sacrifice. When you love you are willing to leave everything to be next to the one you desire, you leave your job, family, home, country, religion, to change completely, to become a new person, better, more beautiful.
- Love is not mercy. If you ask "what will he do without me, how will he manage, who will do the cooking, who will take care of him" does not mean that you love the other, it only means you're aware that your partner is dependent on you. But that's not love. Love is when you sit next to him regardless of his disability, because you feel fulfilled only beside him. Love is when, although a normal sexual life is impossible, the couple finds ways to reinvent both emotional and sexual.
- Love does not put barriers. If he loves you he will never ask you to do something that you don’t want to like to leave the people you love, to change your lifestyle. You will do this only if you want to, if you consider it necessary. Love does not mean "you cannot” but "everything is allowed".
- Love is not lying or cheating. In love there is place only for sincerity, truth, fidelity. Whoever deviates from this three means that they don’t have principles and are not worth it.
- Love is trust. You got to believe your partner even before knowing the real him, even if you know it's possible to be wrong, to suffer. It’s not good to leave space for interpretation, suspicion. If we are honest we will win the trust of our partners and, thus, remove the most important enemy: jealousy.
- Love is patient. People are not perfect, but are willing to change for love. We should just have patience, to give them time to eliminate their defects and multiply their qualities. When you love you will wait for the other one to come to you, to come when he is sure that he made the right choice, when he is ready.

La Circul Medrano / At the Medrano Circus

Mai merita sa mergi la Circ in ziua de azi? Eu zic ca da, chiar daca avem parte de circ oriunde: la magazin, in parc, in autobuz, la stiri. Cel putin la Circul asta a meritat. Pretul a fost bun, spectacolul de calitate, numerele prezentate erau diferite de tot ceea ce am vazut pana acum, animalele sunt foarte bine ingrijite, hranite, iar in aer nu plutea nici un miros care sa-mi raneasca simtul olfactiv. Si cu acesta ocazie am vizitat si in spatele scenei, adica custile animalelor. Nici acum nu-mi vine sa cred ca am vazut elefanti. Erau atat de mari, imensi si foarte frumosi, naturali si sociabili, nu se temeau de public sau zgomot. Am mai vazut si girafe, tigri, un rinocer, lame, struti si cai, o experienta deosebita. Parinti, duce-ti-va copii la circ!

***

Is it worth today to go see the Circus? I say yes, even if we are surrounded by circus wherever we are: at the shop, in the park, in the bus, on the news. At least at this Circus was worth it. The price was good, a quality show, the numbers presented were different from what I saw before, the animals are well cared, fed and there is no bad smell floating in the air that would hurt my olfactory sense. And this time I visited behind the scenes too, meaning the animals cages. Even now I can’t believe that I saw elephants. They were so big, huge and very beautiful, natural and social, not fearing the public or the noise. I saw giraffes, tigers, a rhinoceros, llamas, ostriches and horses, a great experience. Parents, get your children to see the circus!