Toasted Pictures

TATASOMBA pt.1

2011-09-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Here are some pictures of Tatasombas that I took in a small village call Boukoumbe.
Tatasomba's are small beninese houses that are circular and made of clay.
I will be posting the rest maybe in two weeks, because I just moved to a new place and the internet takes two weeks to install... what a shame :(

I hope to read from you soon.
And thanks for all the lovely comments I really appreciated them.

I wish you all a lovely week
xx
Marilyn

LA NATURE

2011-08-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

Just some quick snapshots from the nature in Benin. I really loved the forests and the diversity of the plants there ^^
I hope you will like them too .

Sorry for the quick message but I will be soon moving to Belgium for college so I am preparing myself to move again :P

See you ^^

MIKWABO

2011-08-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

So I am finally back from Benin. I really enjoyed the trip, I must say I missed the country a lot. I wish I had more time there, 3 weeks was really a short period of time. I will post more pictures as soon as possible to enable to see some pictures of the country.

I hope that you are all enjoying your holidays as much as possible. I cannot believe that Uni starts in less than a month it was all so quick .But I guess that's just the way it is ^^

xx

I WISH I COULD ALWAYS HAVE FLOWERS IN MY HAIR

2011-07-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

Hello lovely bloggers

I was really happy to see your sweet messages. I am sorry for the long absence but blogging has been quite difficult the past weeks. First because I have moved from Canada, and second because I keep an eye on my little brother most of the time. I hope you are not mad. I still read your blogs though I don't comment as often :( I hope I'll find a good rythm soon ^^

But I still managed to take pictures from time to time. Here are some I took in Montreal during the spring with a praktica Mtl3(I am so addicted to shooting with film now ^^). I really miss this weather. It's been two weeks since I came back to Tunisia, and I must say it's hell literally. The weather is between 40- 45 degrees everyday from 8 to 7 pm, which means I am pretty much stuck at home :( But I hope you guys are having a great time!!

Anyway in 10 days I am going to Benin, so hopefully I will shoot a new country, and give you more variety in my shoots ^^

see you soon :)

Mari

St. Laurent

2011-06-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I miss you guys.. It's been almost a month that I have been without internet connection . In fact I have been packing my stuff to leave my rez room. This will be my final week-end and days in Ottawa and Canada in general. I will really miss it.

This sunday I am having my graduation ceremony, I am really looking forward to it. Hopefully the next three years will be as great as the last three, and hopefully less stressful.

I am looking forward to it.

Here are a couple of pictures I took in Montreal on St Laurent Street I hope you will like them.

I really loved that cute puppy. He was adorable.

EZE

2011-05-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Those pictures were taken in Eze, which a little medieval village in Grass. I really enjoyed this place, the wall of the houses were filled with flowers it was really amazing.

It makes me so depressed in a way to see those pictures, because it is raining cats and dogs here lately. So I mostly stay at home, and it sucks!lol. Its really not the best weather to shoot. Hopefully I will get more lucky this week-end.

What about you? I hope things are better in your side of the globe :)

LE ROCHER

2011-04-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hello bloggers!! I am so happy to blog again, now that I am finally done with my exams for the next 5 months. Yeah!! I will be able to take more pictures, and focus really on improving my skills (hopefully ^^). I must say it feels really good to be free from worries for a while, though I am still waiting on my response to my application and my grades :P Hopefully it all goes well .

I am also looking forward to reading your blogs on a regular basis again.

Anyway here are some of the rest of pictures I took in Monaco. I really liked the city,it was beautiful. But I was amazed at how small the city actually was, but also how luxurious every stores is too ^^ But what I liked the most probably were the gorgeous apartments and the little alleys in bloom. Too bad I didn't see a prince or a princess ^^One of my regret though is that the church where Grace Kelly is buried was close too, but still I had a lot of fun. Anyway I will post more pictures from the south of France soon, so stay tuned. Until then I wish you all a great week-end

MONACO IN BLOOM

2011-04-04T10:57:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I blogged, but starting this week I have my final exams before graduation, and I don't want to mess it up. So I have been pretty much focusing on that lately :( This means I didn't have much time to take pictures, so I am posting here so pictures from last summer in Monaco.

I really liked the statues of the two lovers, and the beautiful gardens in bloom. It makes me kind of depress when I look by my window and see the snow/rain. I think I will never understand why it is still snowing from time to time in April. I really want the weather to be sunny and warm, I hope that by the time I am done with my exams, the weather will be nice again.

I hope you are all having a great week, and good luck to all of those of you who have exams.

SOUK

2011-03-14T19:15:00.001-07:00

Hello there! Here are pictures of some Tunisian shops I took last December. I love those types of stores, I find the dishes exotic and I just love how it brighten up you table. Anyway I am missing my family a lot, and this reminds me a lot of the good times I spend with them there.

I am looking forward to seeing them again. I can't wait for the semester to end just two more weeks to go . And hopefully I will be able to enjoy some much needed rest.

I hope you are all having a great week. Let us not forget about the people in the catastrophe in Japan. Have a thought for them, and donate if you can.

I wish you all a great week!

BLUE MONTREAL

2011-03-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

I like Montreal under the snow , everything looks so magical. These pictures were taken at McGill university. I just love the view of the city that you get from there. And strangely due to the weather everything looked kind of blue , the building s, the streets, the snow...It was really a pretty day.

I took these pictures while I was waiting at the bus station . The metro is definitely a big part of peoples life in Montreal , especially in the winter to escape the cold.

And those last two are a my little breakfast ^^ I had big cravings for hot and warm croissants and a good cup of tea :)

Anyway, lately it has been raining and snowing a lot, so there is not much opportunity to take pictures, plus I have so many take-home exams to hand-in but somehow I always end-up procrastinating some of them..I guess the weather makes me lazy :P

I feel like there is so much to do in such a little amount of time, in 4 weeks I will have my final exams. I can't imagine how this semester flew quickly. But in someway I am relief that I will be done with my degree. I am really looking forward to the summer and Africa..I miss the sea a lot ^^ And hopefully take a lot of pictures too

I hope you are having a great week-end too?

BIG IN JAPAN

2011-02-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday my boyfriend and I went on to try a Japanese restaurant in Montreal, called Big in Japan. We heard so much great reviews about it, that we thought we might go and try it. We really like the decor a lot, with the posters, and the maps of Japan and Tokyo. What was really pleasant also, was the little boutiques of Japanese goodies, such as sandals, knifes, soaps and copybooks and crayons. The food was really nice too, but it was more of a mix between Japanese and European cooking. My boyfriend had short ribs on green tea sauce with rice, and I got kushi-mori "fried brochettes" and gyoza, it was really nice. If you stop by Montreal, I would definitely recommend it :)

Anyway I can believe that the reading is almost over, I will miss Montreal its such a fun city. I am really not looking forward to going to school again :P But before I leave there is still the Montreal Nuit Blanche that my boyfriend and I have to try. I hope I will be able to post the pictures and show them to you ^^

WE HAVE NO TIME TO STOP AND STARE

2011-02-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Leisures, by William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare

I like this poem a lot, the rimes are so pretty. And somehow it reminds me of the past most. In fact I have been so busy at school that I felt that I have not been able to enjoy the beauty of this world lately. Today as I walk by the school park, I just sat on a bench and watched the snow fall, it was all so quiet and peaceful. It made me remember how life used to be care free, but somehow when you entering adulthood you feel like your future is uncertain, somehow you don't know where life might lead you...and sometimes it makes you forget to breathe, and stare at the beauty of the world. I really need to manage some time for myself and some other time for my studies. I am in desperate need for the right balance in life. I hope to find it soon, until then I leave you with some shots of montreal and ottawa. I just like the way the weather is changing from freezing winter days, to cold breezy mornings. Watching the snow melt, and then come back is simply beautiful, it's like mother nature is playing hide and seek with us. Somehow, it makes me even more impatience for the spring, but yet, makes me want to enjoy the last winter weeks a bit more.

Until next time I wish you all a good week-end!

Marilyn

DES MOTS D'AMOUR SUR UN CACTUS

2011-01-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

So here I am back in Canada after a wonderful time in Tunisia. I had a great time there overall (except for a little illness, and a social crisis). I missed blogging a lot, I couldn't blog or post because the state blocked almost every internet connection, and they blocked the possibility to upload pictures. So I had to wait two weeks until I could finally post some of the pictures I took.

Here is the first part, they were taken in Hammamet for the first part of them. I don't really enjoy Hammamet usually, especially in the summer because it's packed with tourist and so crowded. But I must say that it is quite lovely in the winter. It looks like a Mediterranean village again, the hotels are empty, and the streets are calm and silent. This winter it was quite windy and cold, and the sky was both sunny and dark. It was so pleasant to walk down those streets.

And now that I am back I must say I miss it a lot, I feel so happy when I am close to the beach. And what I miss the most is the Mediterranean food, I missed it so much that I had to made a Mediterranean salad today. I found the recipe in Sophie Dahl's cooking book.

I will now leave you with those pictures, I will post some more probably next week.

Happy New Year !!

2010-12-31T18:07:00.000-08:00

I am wishing you all a happy New Year! I wish I could have post pictures of the holidays, but unfortunatly due to the recent social crisis here it is impossible for me or anyone else to upload any kind of pictures or videos on the internet. I can't wait to be back in Canada to be able to access internet normally again without any restrictions, if you know what I mean (since I can't say Censo***** , I will get into trouble).

Anyway, I hope you all had a great time and celebrated well! I wish you all the best.

Before I leave you, here are some little quotes:
- people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.
- Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Hal Borland
-New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights. Hamilton Wright Mabie

For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"

xx
Marilyn

BIRTHDAY, DECEMBER, SNOW, AND MAGIC

2010-12-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

So fall is definitely over, and I must say I quite enjoy the weather..The snowflakes are falling out slowly, and the wind is so gentle.I love how everything is covered in white!

Yesterday was also my birthday, I finally turned 20, my boyfriend and I celebrated it in a great restaurant in Montreal and then we went home for the cake..I am sorry for the picture but the cake kind of fell down because of the heat in the room.But it was still good ^^

What I love about winter also is the food..Hot soups, pancakes and fruits for breakfast, chocolate muesli..I have huge chocolate cravings lately .lol.^^

Will we were walking near the contemporary museum yesterday we saw this big exposition of shining balls, which light up and change pattern just like in shadow plays. Those balls also played a gentle sounds, just like the one whales use to make.

I loved it!

I am sorry I haven't been around a lot lately, but I kept on reading your blogs though I didn't comment. I am sorry for that.But I had an LSAT to prepare, and 4 final essays to prepare, it has been hell.. but I am glad it's over, and I am looking forward to reading and commenting your blogs again..I missed you all, I hope you had a great week! ^^

THE ROSE OF THE DESERT

2010-11-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures I found in my desktop they are from my last Christmas, while my parents and I went to celebrate the holidays in the desert. We stopped in a town called Tozeur in the South of Tunisia. Those pictures were taken in an oasis nearby the place where they shot Star War it was really amazing! I will try to find the rest of the pictures to show you more of them.

I really like that place because all the mountains and rocks you see are made of sea shells and marine fossils and fossil rocks since this place used to be under the ocean a million years ago. It was quite impressive to see a beautiful and green place like that in the middle of the desert. I hope you like them!

I wish you all a great week :)

BLUES

2010-11-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

Those are some photos I took the last while my grand-pa was driving, I just loved the way the sky looked. I have always loved to see the sun shine through the clouds. When I was a kid my cousin used to make me believe that it was God who was shining on us like that. lol.

Anyway, I hope you all had a great week. Mine was pretty busy with all the applications to the schools, and the school projects. And yesterday it snowed a little in Montreal, I think the fall is coming to an end here :( So I thought that the pictures of a pretty blue sky could bring the good old memories of the summer ^^

I wish you all a great week-end.

There is another sky,

Ever serene and fair,

And there is another sunshine,

Though it be darkness there;

Never mind faded forests, Austin,

Never mind silent fields -

Here is a little forest,

Whose leaf is ever green;

Here is a brighter garden,

Where not a frost has been;

In its unfading flowers

I hear the bright bee hum:

Prithee, my brother,

Into my garden come!

Emily Dickinson

RAINY MONTREAL

2010-11-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

It's been raining a lot those days, and the weather is really chilly here.. Some days I like it, and some days I don't. But lately I have enjoyed it. With all the stress sometimes it's nice just to sit at home with a cup of tea with a great book to read and watch the rain fall down.

So last time when it rained I took a walk around my bf place and took pictures of the nature and the street life that day. I just love the way the wet pavement and the car lights comes out in photographs.

What about you how is the fall in your town? Do you enjoy it ^^

FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE

2010-10-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

Those are some of the photos I took in nice this summer, I love the statues a lot , and the fountains where really peaceful and relaxing to watch..I miss those beautiful architecture and sculptures here in Canada, I am really looking to going back next summer hopefully. I also loved those carrousel's that you can find everywhere in France, they have that great old school vibe ^^

Here are some lovely quotes I found about fountains :

"Some people drink from the fountain of knoweledge, other just gargle" Dr. Robert Anthony

the world is full of abundance and opportunity, but far too many people come to the fountain of life with sieve instead of a tank car…a teaspoon instead of a steam shovel.They expect little and as a result they get little.

A GLANCE AT TUNISIA

2010-10-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures I took while in Tunisia at the beach , that I didn't had the time to post.

It's terrible how I miss the beach a lot these days, and Africa too.^^. I hope to go back there soon, but until then I am looking forward to my school break next week..Because I really need some vacation! ^^

EVEN ANGELS FALL

2010-10-07T11:00:00.001-07:00

Wow, its been almost two weeks since my last blogging, and that makes me realize how much school can be stressful these days, so last Monday I went for a walk near school and decided to snapshot the park in front of our faculty. I really like how the fall looks in Canada, all those orange and yellow colors, compliment the landscape so beautifully. I love watching the leaves fall slowly, its so serene. Too bad in a couple of weeks all this will be cover by snow, and it will be too cold to enjoyed it.

When I see these past week fashion week and all this beautiful summer breezy clothes I am definitely not looking forward to the winter :P

THIS LITTLE ISLAND

2010-09-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

Those are a couple of photos from Porquerolles again, those actually represents the little marina their. I love the dog in the last shot he looked so serene and laid back. Anyway I am still crawling under a lot of school project, but I keep reading your blogs :) And I must say your comments are really sweet, I appreciate the support ^^

I wish you all a great day.

LES PIEDS DANS L'EAU

2010-09-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos I took in the little French island of Porquerolles...More pictures are still to come but I am kind of busy with some school projects to hand-in..So hopefully I will be able to post a more complete article by the end of the week!

Zen Morning

2010-09-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

I took those photos while I was in Nice at 5o'clock in the morning. I loved how the sun rose that day, and illuminated the statues it felt really magical. Everything was so peaceful, the streets were quite, people were still recovering from the busy summer party of the 14th of July! It was just perfection!

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." Buddhist quote

I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time

2010-09-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

So I am back to blogging again, I quit missed it I must confess. :) I am also back to Canada my classes start this evening, I am also quite excited about that because its my last year. But I was surprise about how cold it is here, and it made me miss the hot Mediterranean weather , so I decided I would post some of the pictures I took during my first morning in Nice. I do miss the sea a lot but since its probably my last year here I will try to make the most of it, and really enjoy this year :)

Here are some nice quotes I found :

Sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of darkness comes the light. ~Jean Giraudoux

The time just before dawn contains the most energy of all hours of the day...When I wake to see that it's light out already, I feel like the world has started without me. ~Terri Guillemets

LAST.GOODBYE

2010-08-29T09:07:00.001-07:00

ph. taken by me in Ottawa back in November : Ottawa Cathedral

It's been a long time since I blogged, but this time I had a good reason for it.. My boyfriend lost his grandpa, so I was trying my best to cheer him up through this difficult period. So this week he went to Madagascar for the funeral and he will be back on Wednesday. And I wasn't really in the mood to blog, since I kept thinking about what he must be going through. So maybe when he comes back I will more cheerful and motivated to take pictures.

Anyway I wish you all a great weekend.

PS: Sorry for the quality of the first photo, I don't know why it came out so blurry.

ANIMAL FARM

2010-08-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Here is another set of picture that I took at the zoo, they are shots of animals..I am basically cleaning up my pictures folder because my memory is starting to get too full. I will be posting more after Saturday as I will finish my test. I will probably post more photos that I took this summer and especially those from the South of France. xx

This last photo made me laugh when I took it, as the cow was cleaning up her baby after he went to the toilet. It wasn't really hygienic but my brother and I were laughing really hard at the scene.

A DAY AT THE ZOO

2010-08-08T02:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry I don't post that often but its not easy here, because everything is so controlled, but at least I get to read your blogs and thats good enough for me :) .. So anyway this summer my aunt who lives in Moravia, took us to an old barn that the owners converted as a zoo..It showcased the history of agricultural industry and different kind of farm animals from all around the world. My little brother was really happy in this place because he likes old machinery. I took some pictures of the place for you to see. I hope I'll be able to post the other one's soon .

Have a nice day xx

Mon Moulin

2010-07-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

While I was in Czech Republic I visited an old windmill in the region of Bohemia. It was located on a lovely sunny hill, surrounded by wheat field, and apple tree plantations. At first I thought it was abandoned but a couple of minutes after I got there, a girl came and ask me if I wanted to visit the place, and that's why I was able to take some photos inside. She told me that it was their family windmill for nearly 2oo years, and that from time to time they are spending a couple of days there ( they had a little country house build next to it). It must be really lovely to wake up in the morning in such an enchanting place.

SO here are some of the pictures I took there, next time I will show you some of the pictures I took in Cerna Hora in the North of the country.

PHOTOS.FROM.CZ

2010-07-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

I am finally back home and it feels good! I have miss blogging and reading your daily posts.

My 3 weeks in Czech Republic were amazing..I really enjoyed the time spent with my family, we got to see many beautiful places not only in CZ but also in Germany and finally in France as I got the chance to visit the southern part of the country. Of course I took a lot of pictures so I will post them as the week goes by.

I was also so happy to to receive a vintage camera so I will probably be posting some of my film photos more often.

Until then here are some photos of my journey!

UP IN THE AIR AGAIN

2010-07-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

I am on the road again, this time I am heading to Czech Republic, and it will make it impossible for me to blog, because my grand parent have an old school meaning of holidays which consists of complete deconnection with the cyber world. So I will have to leave my computer in Tunis for 3 weeks , too bad because I will really miss blogging and reading all of your post , but I will try my best to keep with some of your blogs ^^ I hope, and if I don't I will catch up when I come back. The good thing is that I will get to see my czech family that I haven't seen for a year now, and also I really missed my country.. I will be able to enjoy the semi-finals of the world cup with the german part of my family ( I hope germany will keep on winning and play as good as today!! ).

So I leave you with some photos taken at the airport and other representing the place I enjoy being at in czech republic, which consist mostly of places in the middle of nowhere, I love biking there and drawing.

Pictures reprent the cities of :

1.decin, CZ ( my home town, I was born and lived there the first years of my life ) / 2. ustek, CZ / 3.Liberec, CZ / 4. Prague

I hope to come back with a lot of pictures, and I wish you all to have good holidays, see you in 3 weeks !!

ON MY WAY TO TUNISIA

2010-06-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today I will be going to Tunisia to see my family and then we will be heading back to C zech Republic in our hometown to see my grand parents! I am both excited and yet sad because I will be apart from my boyfriend for a month and a half, and its always feels sad because we are very close. But I can't wait for him to go to Madagascar, and seeing his family too. So we will try to make the most of those special moments with our families, and hopefully posting some pictures while we can. But it won't be easy , especially in Tunisia because of the internet censure, but we will see :)

Anyway I should probably be going to bed now otherwise, I won't wake up at time tomorrow! I hope you will all be having a great day! See you soon ^^

Here are some pictures of the landscape around my house in Tunisia, that's probably what I love the most waking up in the morning and seeing the sea on one side, the lake on the other one. And also watching the planes land from my window, and all those white houses are just so pretty! I hope you enjoy them :)

SWEET SUMMER DAY

2010-06-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

The sky is her blue eyes

Begin to open

The storm is upon me

But I'm chasing the sun

And she's got me down on my knees

Trying to crawl

Through all of the winter

Through all of the fall...

She's like a sweet summer

A sweet summer day

And I can't let her

I can't let her go to waste

Lyrics from the song, Chasing the Sun by The Calling

I was listening to this song today, and I fell glad that the summer is here, and that in few days I would be able to enjoy it with my family..Though I am scare of planes! But since there is no other way to go home, I will have to be courageous! lool. I love the summer because you have plenty of time to do whatever you want!

I hope I will be able to post before I go home.Until then enjoy the rest of your week end!

BENIN

2010-06-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

Those are some photos I took last year when I was in my father's country in Benin! We stayed a few days in beach town called Ouidah, which was a major crossroad for the slavery trade in the West African coast. It is ironic how such a beautiful and peaceful place has such a sad history. Anyway I love going there because the beach and the river are really beautiful , and it is a good place to rest and disconnect from the modern world.

The other series of photos was taken in a village near the city of Abomey, as we were visiting a Priest who wanted to show us the school project he is doing for the children who live too far way from the schools and major villages. I liked to see the kids play, and explain their projects for the future. Plus it was interesting as it is part of my studies so it's always good to see concrete results of what you are studying, especially now that I understand it more.

Anyway, I am glad because next week I will be going home. I haven't see my family for 6 months so I am really looking forward to it! So I will try to post pictures from Tunisia this time :)

What are your projects for this summer? :)

BIRDS

2010-06-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. – Chinese quote

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. – Robert Lynd

Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them? – Rose Kennedy

“God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages.” Jacques Deval

Vision of the Buffalo people:

You have noticed that everything as Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round..... The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours....

Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.

Black Elk

HEART SHAPED

2010-06-15T07:06:00.000-07:00

Those are random pictures of my heartshape glasses I bought a while ago. I took them while I was having breakfast at my boyfriend's place. And I remember that good chocolate cake I had that day. It reminds me that I need to bake more, now that I have the time to do it! Because I am really starting to miss the smell of fresh cookies coming out of the oven ..mmmh!

SUMMER READINGS

2010-06-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

What I love about summer is that you have finally the time to do whatever you want, whenever you want it. And one of my favorite activity is reading books. I always try to make a selection of good books to take with me wherever I go. I don't know why but they are so many good spot to read books during summer, it inspires me even more to get into the story.

My book list for the summer would probably be:

Lost symbol - Dan Brown

On the road to Kathmandu- Barjavel

Eat, Love, pray

and also two czech books:

Neznalek na mesici a fairytale book by Nikolaje Nosova

Babicka " The grandmother" from Bozena Nemcova ( it's a beautiful book about the author's life, I think its available in english too if you are interested).

What are your favorite things to do in summer? do you have any good books you will recommend?

SO SOON

2010-06-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die

It is a sad day today for the Mandela family as they lost they great-grand child. It

certainly saddens a lot of people in Africa right now. And it was sad to here that today as I was watching the World cup with my boyfriend. Especially when those kind of tragedy happens to a kid like her, no child should deserve this. It reminds me of how life can go away, so easily. I also lost my great-grand mother too this year, so today I just wanted to have a thought for all the ones that we lost but are still with use through our memories, and no matter what we feel they are still with us in a certain way. And I thought that this poems reflects this feeling beautifully.

R.I.P. to Zenani Mandela and all the one's we love.

RANDOM THINGS IN MONTREAL

2010-06-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

Today I took some random pictures of vending machines while I was waiting for my boyfriend and reading the new Dan Brown "Lost Symbol", that book seems so fascinating already!

The second part of the photos are old photos I took of Montreal's underground! I really like these, because this day the metro was surprisingly empty for a change :)

BACK TO NORMAL

2010-06-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

I finally finish my exams , I am so glad to be finally able to enjoy fully my holidays! I am in Montreal right now, so I will try to post pictures of the city, hopefully. Anyway I will have plenty time to plan it now, but I have to read the blogs that I couldn't read this week-end first..and then eat plenty of croissant and cookies with homemade jam ( as you can see it ;D )

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON

2010-06-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

I stopped by the Moulin de Provence a french Bakery in the Byward market, and I took pictures of some random objects there. I study my LSAT there, and I ordered a Raspberry tarte normande ( really delicious :D )

Some of those pictures are really random things but I thought I would share them with you, I like the sunshine, the way the light hit the floor, and the interaction between people. I found that market are such busy and interactive places. I like being there in the summer and just observe people. It fascinate me.

There was a funny lady there by the way, who kept asking for eatable flowers because she wanted something to eat for her snack. The florist was looking at her in such a funny way :)

They were also a lot of beautiful florist in the market selling beautiful flowers, the whole place was smelling really good.

As I walk to take a photo of the sculpture Maman by Louise Bourgeois ( which unfortunately was in renovation) I came across beautiful residences with nice fountains and restaurants.

I end up my afternoon with this beautiful statue of an angel.

This quite a long post but my exam is this coming monday so I won't be able to blog until then so I thought I would leave you with more pictures this time. BTW my test is it montreal and I will be staying there at my boyfriend's place until I go back to Tunisia so I will do my best to take pictures of the city :) I wish you all a good week-end!

BYWARD

2010-06-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing I love about the Byward market it would have to be all the little Asian shops. From the sushi or Chinese restaurant , to souvenir and jewelry shops. I don't why but I like the way its decorate with the plants, the little manga figurines, the Buddhas , but also the design of theme that resembles the shops you see on TV and in the manga. My boyfriend and I are big fan of Asian culture, and cuisine, so we love to go there during the afternoon and have some soup, or sushi's.

If one day you come to Ottawa, its a really good place to see. You will like the little shops and the restaurants.

Those pictures were taken there, I like the one were the woman is making the egg rolls the most.

What are yours favorite spots in your city?

DESERT STREET LIFE

2010-05-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustin

″A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” Moslih Eddin Saadi

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

I took those two photos this winter when I went to Tunisia to see my family. The first is a guy selling harissa in the middle of the desert. I love those little hot peppers but I had no idea why he was selling them there because they was really no one around, but he seemed to know what he was doing.

The second is a food market in Tozeur, I loved the city it was calm peaceful .A sweet little village in the middle of the desert .

ONE QUESTION

2010-05-26T23:08:00.001-07:00

Fifty People, One Question: London from Fifty People, One Question on Vimeo.

I watch this video on Lolita's blog and I literally fell in love with the story behind this video. I love those type of film which shows people's deepest thoughts and dreams. They are full of sensitiveness and truthfulness . And I like how a simple answer to a single question can actually tell you a lot about those people's life and what they might have been going through.

WORK!! :)

2010-05-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my boyfriend and I went to a coffee shop, to study our upcoming exams. It was a beautiful sunny day. We didn't do anything special, but we were really busy with all the work we had left to do. I found that it sometimes sucks to be obliged to work when everyone is going to the beach or the pool. This weather fits more for the fun. So I am glad I just have two more weeks to go, and then I will be free from any other obligation at least until the fall ^^

The photos are from our afternoon of study :)

BOOKS

2010-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

A good book has no ending. R.D. Cumming

Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own. William Hazlitt

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. Chinese Proverb

I found this one just funny :

Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. P.J. O'Rourke

LONELINESS

2010-05-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Loneliness

Loneliness is darkness

A never-ending night.

Even though the black won’t go away,

You’ll never fall asleep.

Because loneliness sparks a fear

 And unlike other nightmares

Awakening will not vanish it;

For the darkness is too strong

To allow any rest.

It makes memories into ghosts

 And dreams into spirits.

Too vague to remember

 Too important to forget.

K.L.

This is a poem I found about loneliness and I think it quite reflects the feelings you experienced when you are alone.Not that I feel

lonely now, but I found that the deepest feelings are always at the extreme. Either you are happy, in love , cheerful

 or either you are depressed, sad, lonely. I don't know why but I feel that those are the two extremes that really make you feel alive.

MIAOU

2010-05-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

I love those two photos , they are from last summer. I took the first at a friends house, she had this black cat call "Čert" which means Satan in Czech, because he is could be so mean sometimes.lol.but evil or not I love how intense his eyes looked. The second one is from a zoo in the south of Czech republic, I loved the nature there it felt more like a farm than a zoo, so you felt less sad about the animals in there.

SUMMER'S COMING

2010-05-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade. Gertrude Jekyll

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. Albert Camus

THE COLOR OF WINTER

2010-05-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Ph.by me

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show. Andrew Wyeth

Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.
Bill Morgan, Jr.

The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination. Terri Guillemets

WALKING ON A DREAM

2010-05-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Walking on a dream, how can I explain
Talking to myself, will I see again

We are always running for the thrill of it thrill of it
Always pushing up the hill searching for the thrill of it
On and on and on we are calling out and out again
Never looking down I’m just in awe of what’s in front of me

Is it real now, when two people become one
I can feel it, when two people become one

"Thought I'd never see

The love you found in me

Now it's changing all the time

Living in a rhythm where the minutes working overtime

Walking on a dream-Empire of the Sun

I like listening to this song whenever I feel a little tired or sad because it cheers me up in a minute..I also love the video which in such a cool scenery :)

FAMILY TIME

2010-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich.

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

I took those photos last summer when we were in Czech republic visiting my grand parents.What I love about them is that it reflect the personality of each one of them:

My cousin Katerina is such a dreamer, and whenever we go to see her she can't get her hands of my brother ^^and I thin they look cute together

My brother on the other hand is obsessed with being a pilot, its all that he talks about, he can spend hours drawing planes, and whenever we travel somewhere he has to have his plane :)

My sister ,finally, she is a mix of a lot of stuff and she changes her style every six months.Last summer she was a burlesque fashionista hippie according to her, and she just made me laugh with it.

Anyway I like those photos because even if they are not looking at the camera, I feel like for those who know them at least they would recognize the personality of each one of them in it. And also I like taking photos of people when they are not aware of it because that is when they look more natural and true to themselves.

FRUSTRATION AND HOPE

2010-05-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing. - Eric Hoffer

Life is not an easy matter... You cannot live through it without falling into frustration and cynicism unless you have before you a great idea which raises you above personal misery, above weakness, above all kinds of perfidy and baseness. - Leon Trotsky

No matter how discourage we get, God has never asked us to do the impossible. - George Grace

Sometimes in life we feel like we have reach the point of no return and we feel frustrated because things doesn't go our way. And this makes us think that our goals and dreams seems unreachable, but I think its all about organizing our priorities and not getting frustration get the best of us. We all need those high hopes to push our limits and gives us the opportunity to give our best, even if we don't reach them at least it gives us the chance to reach others that we probably wouldn't have reached if we didn't made that effort in the first place.

ITS RAINING OUTSIDE

2010-05-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.

Rabindranath Tagore

Its raining outside today, all I want to do its just stay at home with my boyfriend. So its not that bad, but its funny how the springtime can be so tricky. One day its hot the other day its cold..So until the sun comes out I will be wearing my warm cardi, and watch the rain fall down.

Have a nice a great week end!

MONTREAL

2010-05-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

“When you look at a city, it's like reading the hopes, aspirations and pride of everyone who built it.”

“A city is the pulsating product of the human hand and mind, reflecting man's history, his struggle for freedom, creativity, genius-and his selfishness and errors.” Charles Abrams

As a remedy to life in society I would suggest the big city. Nowadays, it is the only desert within our means. Albert Camus

I like the last quote because, its true that one of the biggest deserts are the city, you are so crowed but yet you feel so alone. It.s a strange but fascinating feeling.

The pictures above are taken in Montreal, they are from 2 weeks ago. Montreal is one of my favorite city here in Canada because it has conserved a good part of history that is still present in the architecture. It's a beautiful mix between the XIX century and XXI st century. I just enjoy being there. There is always something new and interesting to discover and experience. I will post more photos from Montreal soon ;)

JEWELRY

2010-05-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles. ~Sonja Henie

A woman wears her tears like jewelry. ~Author Unknown

And one of my favorite quote from Breakfast at Tiffany's, Holly is such a funny character:

I don't want to own anything until I know I've found the place where me and things belong together. I'm not quite sure where that is just yet. But I know what it's like.... It's like Tiffany's.... Not that I give a hoot about jewelry. Diamonds, yes. But it's tacky to wear diamonds before you're forty... ~Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1958, spoken by the character Holly Golightly

CLIC CLIC

2010-05-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching , of loving.What you have caught on film is captured forever..it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything"

Aaron Siskind

"To me photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place...I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them."

Eliott Erwitt

I really love photography it is really one of my favorite thing to do though I am not a professional but I really take pleasure at trying to improve my skills. I found that they are so many things around us that are beautiful but we just don't take the time to look at them. Photography has really allow me to be more self conscious about my environment and the beauties that surround me.

LIGHTNESS AND TENDERNESS

2010-05-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

"Enough for me when my hand touched your shoulder, you lean on me; and when you felt me slip away you called my name"

Orson Scott Card

"She was always like a feather, in the air
I never knew if she was flying or falling
she was always like a feather, in my life
I hope she flies" Aura, Song for Sophie

LIFE

2010-05-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

"The lives of great men remind us what we too can make our lives wonderful , leave behind us, after death, Footprints on the sands of time"

"Life is like a ray of light, so quick and fast that we can't catch it, but yet bright enough to guide us."

Anonymous

COLD SPRING

2010-05-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

Charles Dickens

Spring is not the best of seasons.
Cold and flu are two good reasons;
wind and rain and other sorrow,
warm today and cold tomorrow.
Author Unknown

MAGICAL SNOW

2010-04-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

Christopher Smith - Gently Gently from Boompa Records on Vimeo.

Snow is magical, and when I see this video by Christoher Smith "gently gently" I am amazed by the way the captured the beauty of a beautiful winter evening..And it makes me miss a little bit of that weather, isn't the perfect touch of magic? ^^

ROAD TRIPS TO SPIRITUALITY

2010-04-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

"What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do - especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road". ~William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways

"The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see"

THOUGHTS AND LONELINESS

2010-04-27T12:31:00.001-07:00

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. " Buddha

"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone" Orson Welles

TIRED

2010-04-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

I had a big history exam today about Africa since 1856, and I had study my whole book, and almost all the questions were about the second part.So I was really mad at my self I didn't listen more to the teacher it would have save me a lot of time :P Anyway, last night was funny I kept on sleeping over my work, no matter if it was on the desk or in the bed, I was just too tired.

DOES BEAUTY FADE?

2010-04-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

I like roses, they are very beautiful and inspiring flowers. And I like them even more when they are fading. I found the whole process inspiring, its like when a beautiful woman aged, it doesn't mean that because roses or woman get old that their beauty fade away. Beauty stays but in his own and new way, it evolves. Just like life each decades has its charm.