Something Priceless

Spring is in the spotlight now. Whatever I do, wherever I go, I can't help but see how spring has changed the scenery, the air, the smell, and also my mental state. After a few months of winter and spring playing cat and mouse, now we finally have a certainty. Spring has settled down, the seasons will continue to exist and follow each other, and beyond all the general and personal threats, life goes on and has a chance to stay wonderful!

Today is Friday the 28th, the last of April, May follows, of course, and my imagination is starting to fire up and get a taste of the short but oh-so-pleasant journeys.

Today is Friday, so it's #MarketFriday, the day when @dswigle invites us to share our shopping experiences, or better yet, what else we spent our money on!

Although shopping, going shopping, even if sometimes it doesn't get completed, is my wife's great passion. I am bound to say that I am not so passionate and excited. First of all, because I don't get "hot" money in my pockets and hands and secondly, because a shopping session is time-consuming. I'm participating though, because Denise teaches me something...

A happy wife means peaceful life!

Fortunately, my wife also appreciates coffee, and here our passions are similar, so this time, instead of telling about the boring and obligatory visits to the market...

...I'll show something more pleasant, recurring, but never boring. Morning coffee!

Our favorite coffee shop is not close to home. This leads to more action to end up drinking good coffee. That means walking around the city center, which inevitably leads to "exploring" the various shops along the way.

Two cappuccinos, a cookie, (and the tip) cost $10.

The cafe is very small but fortunately, most people prefer to take their coffee to go, so we always find a small table free for us too. I try, every time, to take a picture with the barista and try not to let him notice me...

The café is located right in the center of Bucharest, on a narrow street that connects the University Square to the National Bank. It may seem strange that across the street are two abandoned buildings, which could collapse if there were a slightly more angry earthquake. Only the "Golden Girls" don't fear earthquakes!

Besides coffee, there are flowers on our shopping list, but most of the time flowers remain just a wish, for financial reasons.

Our route always intersects with one of the most expensive flower shops in town, Iris Flowershop. Prices start at $ 20 and can reach many hundreds of dollars. This forces us to look more from the street at the beautiful floral arrangements.

In Bucharest, there are many churches. This one is more frequented by future architects, because behind the church is the Institute of Architecture. That's not why I photographed it, I wanted to capture the image of the huge tree that is blooming next to it.

I don't know how it is in other places and other religions, but for believers, going to church means taking money out of their pockets. To buy candles and pay for different services...

Everything costs, more or less. Next, I want to show you something that is priceless to us.

It is obvious that women are more inclined to spend, shopping is more than a necessity, it is one of the great pleasures. This is my observation and, of course, it doesn't apply to everyone, I'm referring to those women I know.

I believe that this appetite for shopping is passed on, that there is a shopping gene passed on from mother to daughter. A conclusion I drew from observing our granddaughter, Ilinca.

Ever since she was very young, she always noticed any place where she could buy something. Of course, she also had her mother's example, her grandmother's...

As luck would have it, the way home from kindergarten passes a supermarket and a fast food restaurant called Mesopotamia, which specializes in turkey products. It has become the favorite of little Ilinca, who doesn't even kill herself with food. She likes to buy a lot more (i.e. we buy at her suggestion...)

I invite you to see what it looks like to be satisfied at the restaurant table.

Well, I need to make some clarifications before I am judged and scolded by you. These small meals at this restaurant are quite rare, as we change our route very often to avoid passing by the restaurant. Ilinca only eats a few French fries.

French fries cost $2 and Kebab is $8.

As you can see in the photos, a meat kebab with sauces. It is bought for our son, Ilinca's father. We know that fast food is not healthy.

But I can't hide the fact that after these outings to the restaurant, Ilinca is very joyful, even happy!

Everything costs, more or less. There is, however, something priceless. For us, Ilinca is priceless!

Now only a flower, #alwaysaflower, can stop this spring story. A spring flower is a must.

What could be more spring-like than a lilac?

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10 comments
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A very nice tour of Bucharest. Great photos. Great article.

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We have so many places where they sell cappuccinos here but I have never tasted them
They are very much expensive here

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Cand vine primavara cu adevarat. Sunt satul de frig...

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Spring is the most beautiful time of year. Not too hot. Not too cold. And the promise of new life! I love it. Here we're flip flopping into winter. Wierd weather. Really cold and then suddenly hot again. Either way I think I will enjoy one of those delicious cups of coffee, especially looking over at the happy face of your adorable granddaughter!

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No doubt that spring also improves our hope about our life and future after the gloomy winter days. The flowers have started to fall fown from the trees on the way to summer and we have already started to make summer plans ;)

Have a good weekend my friend!

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The thumbnail shot is glorious! Soft and delicate, just like a beautiful spring day. A am not sure it could get any prettier than it already is! The renewal of life gives us a reason to celebrate.

My spring was going along, ever so lovely. We settled into a pattern, of sun and shine and warmth. Rinse. Repeat. Until this weekend when the cold came back! I hadn't seen it for a long time and now... all this week. Cold. Well, chilly, but, still. It's spring!

Haha! I know it is true! Money doesn't burn a hole in my pocket either. I am a failed woman! :) Funny that I should be running #MarketFriday, yes? I don't shop all that much, but, I do love experiences, as you do. Drinking coffee, enjoying the beauty of the day, and looking back on history... so many things. I shop when I must unless there are flowers. The coffee? Your barista makes the prettiest designs on your coffee. I almost don't want to drink it, they are always so beautiful. Mine does it also, but, I have to let it melt a little before I sip it. It last longer that way.

I see Magda is different, but, the other difference is the joy she feels while she is doing this. You can see it! You can feel it as she peers into the shop windows and looks carefully. That in itself is a joy to watch her have such fun. Even from
my screen, I can see it.

Flower shops can be expensive nowadays, can't they? The only time I have ever paid a fortune for flowers is at a funeral. That is silly too as the people that they are for, are gone. They can't even enjoy them. So, I spend my extra money and buy flowers or pick them all the time. It makes me happy to see them happy.

Lastly, the pictures and Gifs of Ilinca are so precious, I cannot convey this properly to you. She is such a beautiful little girl, so full of life and such character in her disposition. I adore each time that you post her picture and stories about her. She is delightful! It is so funny to try to outsmart her by walking home a different way! :)

I love the big picture of her, so happy and pleased! But it is the Gif that makes me adore this child. How much you must enjoy her!! Thank you fo the gorgeous lilacs!!! And your post is, as always a fun way to spend time! Thank you!

#MarketFriday began as a way to reach out across the globe and learn about different cultures through their markets, especially local markets and farmers' markets, and eventually branched out and evolved over time from straight shopping to a cultural affair as it highlights how we differ and then again, how much we are alike. We have become a melting pot of culture, but it is still the Rituals, Festivals, food, architecture, and even your language/languages that separate us... Along with the fact that these things are normal for us. There are unwritten rules that rule our social behaviors. I see this as allowing for increased tolerance between cultures and nations, and opportunities to come together on an even playing ground. A strong culture can be beneficial to a country as it promotes unity, especially during a crisis, peaceful debate, and open dialogue. I have learned so much about all of you and it has been an amazing experience. I can only hope that learning about each other can help us work together for a peaceful world.

Thank you for being a part of #MarketFriday

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And your post is, as always a fun way to spend time!

And your reply is, as always, one of my great joys to be writing here! No one reads more carefully than you and no one consumes as much time as you do to refer to the content. Thank you! Fortunately, there are several colleagues here who read what I write, actually only a few, whom I can call friends. Obviously, I am the main culprit that they are so few (less than ten) I know the cause but, for now, I can't manage to fix anything...

I sometimes wondered how you came up with the idea of #marketfriday. That is until I understood how big the domain is.

Thank you so much for what you said about Ilinca. I am fascinated to discover her personality and how it is formed. That doesn't mean everything is great. There are many more unpleasant aspects, having to do with her age, the interaction she has with other children at kindergarten, the fact that she is a happy child but also stressed about what is happening around her ( and there is a lot going on that she doesn't understand but I'm sure she feels something is wrong because she has changed. She is much more sensitive and fragile, she gets upset quickly, she is even too nervous for such a young child).

Here, in Bucharest, spring gives the first signs of summer. I'm glad that summer is coming, although I'm scared of how fast time goes by... In fact it alternates cold, warm spring days and summer days. It's a wonderful time. I hope you're enjoying it as much, in fact I know you're enjoying it even more!

Thank you!

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