Falfestmények a világ körül/Murals around the world - New York

Falfestmények a világ körül/Murals around the world - New York

Falfestmények a világ körül/Murals around the world - New York

A napjainkban virágzó utcai képzőművészetnek köszönhetően már nem kell mindig múzeumba mennünk, ha utazás során a helyi modern művészet felől érdeklődünk.

A hozzám hasonló falfestmény-mániásoknak New York maga lehet a mennyország. Bár sok ikonikus festmény eltűnt az évek során , jelenleg is rengeteg érdekes, szép és kifejező darabot találhatunk a nagy alma utcáin sétálva. Válogatásomban a mostanában is megtekinthető képekből mutatok ízelítőt.

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Thanks to the nowadays blooming street art culture, we don’t always have to go to museums if we would like to see local modern art during our travels.

For wallpaint addicts like me, New York can be a place like heaven. You can find many interesting, beautiful paintings while walking on the streets of the big apple.

In this post I would like to show you a collection of my recently spotted favourites.

Little Italy

Audrey Hepburn by Tristan Eaton
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Cím/Address: 176 Mulberry St., New York, NY 10013

Liberty Street Art by Tristan Eaton

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Cím/Address: 113 Mulberry Street

Looney Toones-Crash
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Cím/Address: 328 Broome St., New York, NY 10002

Lover East Side

Anime-style 

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Cím/Address: 2 Rivington St

New York, NY 10002

What lifts you by Kelsey Montague

Kelsey Montague felemelő képeivel Amerika-szerte évek óta találkozhat a közönség, de újabban Ausztráliában, valamint már Svájcban is elcsíphetünk néhány falfestményt. 

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The beautiful  artwork of Kelsey Montague can be found overall America and Australia, with one mural in Switzerland.

Cím/Address: By 23rd Street & 3rd Av

First Street Garden

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A park számos művésznek biztosít alkotóteret, akik a kis teret rendszeresen egy szabadtéri kiállítássá varázsolják.  Az itt látható falfestmények akár párhetente is változhatnak, ezért érdemes lehet időnként visszanézni.

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This little park gives the opportunity to many artists to show their work, transforming the space to an open air art gallery. Paintings seem to change every few weeks,if you are int he city  it’s worth to go back every once in a while.

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Cím/ Address:

33 East 1st Street corner of Houston Street/2nd Avenue, New York

 

Nektek melyik a kedvencetek?

Which one is your favourite?

One day in Gozo / Egy nap Gozon

One day in Gozo / Egy nap Gozon

One day in Gozo / Egy nap Gozon

Some might think, 24 hours is not enough for anything, even in a small country like Malta. I believe 24 hours can be enough to discover the beauty of the island, and fall in love with it.

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Sokan úgy gondolják, 24 óra semmire nem lehet elég, még egy ilyen pici országban sem, mint Málta. Szerintem 24 óra elég arra, hogy felfedezzük a szigetek szépségét, és teljesen beleszeressünk a környezetbe.

How to get there / Odajutás

Ryanair usually has some good deals from Stansted to Malta. On the weekend I went there,  I had to work on Saturday morning and on Monday morning again. Luckily, this wasn’t an issue at all, I grabbed a flight for Saturday afternoon, returning Sunday late evening for 40 pounds. Wohoo :)

Ryanairnek meglehetősen jó ajánlatai szoktak lenni Máltára London Stansted repülőterőről, de Budapestről a Wizzair is indít járatokat kedvező áron. Nekem szerencsém volt, mivel február nem igazán tartozik a szezonhoz, mindössze 40 fontért találtam oda-vissza repülőjegyeket.

Things to see/Látnivalók

Although it was ridiculously good weather compared to the fact that I was there in the beginning of February, I still wasn’t crazy enough to jump in the cold water yet. So this won’t be a beachguide, more like places what you can enjoy regardless of the weather :)

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Rendkívül jó időt sikerült kifognom annak ellenére, hogy Február első hétvégéjére időzítettem az utazást, de valahogy a vízbe ugráláshoz még nem éreztem elég keménynek magam.. Úgyhogy főleg olyan helyeket fogok ajánlani, amiket időjárástól függetlenül érdemes felkeresni :)

Azure Window

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I’m not watching The Game of Thrones, but I found out that pretty much most of my friends do so.

Apparently, there was some iconic wedding scene filmed here, but even if you don’t care at all about any series, this is a place you must visit. Simple , because the scenery is truly enchanting, I felt I could sit on the rocks and watch the perfect blue shades of the oceans for years.

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 Én nem nézem a Trónok Harcát, de mint kiderült, szinte minden ismerősöm igen.. Elméletileg az Azúr ablaknál forgattak egy híres esküvőjelenetet, de ha egyátalán nem érdekel semmilyen sorozat, ezt akkor is látnod kell. A kék minden árnyalatában pompázó tenger teljesen elvarázsolt, bármeddig tudnám nézni ezt a kilátást.

Xlendi bay

A lovely bay with beautiful view and nice restaurants, about fifteen minutes drive away from the Azure Window.

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Egy kedves kis öböl, gyönyörű kilátással, jó éttermekkel, kb. negyed óra autóútra az Azúr ablaktól.

Salt Pans

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These beautifully created forms can be found in the North of Gozo.. I couldn’t resist to walk in the water :D

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Ezek a kis sómedencék északon, Marsalforn városkácsában találhatóak. Engem annyira lenyűgöztek, hogy végül nem bírtam ki, hogy ne sétáljak be a vízbe.. :)

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Getting around/Utazás a szigeten

The easiest and quickest is to go by car everywhere. The distances are tiny, but the traffic jam we experienced while coming back to Malta reminded me of LA, sometimes it can be literally quicker to walk between places.

If you wish to visit Gozo, the ferry can take you (and your car) from one little island to another in less than half an hour.  You can find more information and prices here : http://www.gozochannel.com/en/fares-ticketing.htm

Have you been to Gozo before? How did you like it?

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A legegyszerűbb autóval menni mindenhova. Bár a távolságok picik, a nagyobb szigeten látott forgalmi dugó erősen Los Angelesre emlékeztetett, néha sétálni gyorsabb két hely között.

Ha Gozora szeretnél eljutni, a komp téged és autódat is kevesebb, mint fél óra alatt visz át. Több információt ezen a honlapon találhattok: http://www.gozochannel.com/en/fares-ticketing.htm

Voltatok már Gozon? Ha igen, hogy tetszett?

One day in Bratislava

One day in Bratislava

One day in Bratislava

Usually I like to plan my holidays in advance, but every now and then it's nice to do an absolutely spontaneous daytrip.

Last summer, I already had a flight booked to Budapest from London for 3 days, and planned to meet up with a friend in Vienna on the last day. After speaking with another friend, we spontaneously decided to go and watch Suicide Squad (I'm soo much more into Marvel, but come on, team Puddin :D ) in another city, and do a little sightseeing on my second holiday day. 

Bratislava was indeed a good choice, the sights are quite close to each other and the city is easily discoverable in a day or weekend trip.

 How to get there

From Budapest, train is a cheap and quick way to get to Bratislava. A return ticket costs only 17,50 Euros, and you can reach the city center in just 2,5 hours. Vienna, the capital of Austria is also easy to reach with the ships and buses which are going many times in a day, and will get you from one capital city from another in less than 1,5 hour.

Things to do

Old Town

The Old town has some lovely buildings and nice restaurants, great place to walk around in lunchtime and try some traditional food while there.
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 You can find a little market taking place on weekends:

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And also some old buildings, with a sense of humor:

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Slovakian National Theatre and the Ganymede's Fountain

If ancient greek mithology is your thing, head to the National Theatre, were you can see the beautiful sculpture of an eagle carrying Ganymede to the top of Olympos to serve the gods.

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 Bratislava Castle

One of the most impressive places in the city,the castle offers an amazing view to the city and the river Danube- and what's more, it's free to visit. 

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Grassalkovich Palace

The 18th-century building is now the residence of the Slovak president. The location might be surprising, as the bulding is surrounded with banks in the middle of the city.

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Ufo Observation Desk

This funny, Ufo-shaped building has an observation desk and restaurant, which offers a great view to the city.

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Virginia Water- In the footsteps of Harry Potter I.

Virginia Water- In the footsteps of Harry Potter I.

Virginia Water- In the footsteps of Harry Potter I.

Have to admit, I’m still waiting for my admittance letter from Hogwarts, but even if you are not a fan, Virginia Water is a place what will enchant you.

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How to get there

The lake is not far from London, in Windsor Great Park. The easiest is get there with a car, but you can also take a train to Ascot or Windsor and get a bus from there. 

Things to see

 Do you remember that scene from Goblet of Fire, when Harry sits by the lake with Neville, studying a book and Hermione comes out from the forest with Ron and Ginny, trying to play the messenger? (Definitely not the owl).

Well, this lovely place is where this and many other lake scenes where shot for the 3rd and 4th movies.
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If this was not enough, there is a lot more to see here, like The Cascade, just by the A30. Call it undisturbed nature :'D

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To be fair, both the lake and waterfall are made by muggles, not by nature, however they are definitely a magical place to visit.

Roman ruins

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 You can also find the remains of the Temple Of God, brought here in the 19. century from Leptis Magna. The mesmerising corinthian pillars have a Roman origin, and travelled from North Africe as a gift to Prince Regent. 

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Totem Pole

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The 100-feet high Totem Pole was a gift to the Queen  from the people of Canada in 1958. Each foot means year marking the centenary of British Columbia, which was named by Queen Victoria and proclaimed a Crown Colony on November 19th 1858. For me the most exciting thing was, besides that it looks super cool, that the pole was actually carved from a single log of Western Red Cedar.  Do you think you struggle moving your luggages around while travelling? Well, imagine how easily that log got to Windsor Great Park :D

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And there are also the beautiful inhabitants of the place, birds, ducks, and swans to admire :)

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The park is open all year rund and is free to visit for everyone, perfect for a relaxing daytrip.

Seven Sisters

Seven Sisters

Seven Sisters

Although London is one of my favourite playgrounds in the game of life, sometimes it feels good to get out from the crowd and spend time in the nature. If you are looking for a beautiful place to unwind, you don’t have to go far from the capital of the United Kingdom.

Between Easbourne and Seaford in Sussex, the  beautiful chalk cliffs of Seven Sisters are one of Englands unprotacted wonders.
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How to get there

From London, take a train to Brighton. There are various trains stopping at St Pancras, Blackfriars, East Croydon  or Victoria, all towards Gatwick Airport with the end station of Brighton. Be careful, tickets for different trains have different price, the cheapest Thameslink trains are from 10,80 pounds return  on Weekends (around 17 pounds on Weekdays) and take 1,5 hour to get you to Brighton from St Pancras.

Just a short walk from Brighton station, you can catch the bus 12 or 12A which will take you directly to the entrance of Seven Sisters Country Park. The ride is about 50-60 minutes and buses are coming every ten minutes. You can get a network saver ticket which is valid for the whole day for all buses for 4.80 pounds from the information desk at Brighton Station or from the little kiosk in front of the station. You can also find free maps and a little magazine with all information about bus stops and bus times from there.

There is a mobile ticket available, but I prefered the traditional one, they look like scratchcards. :)

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 If you go on the beach trail, you will reach the cliffs in about 30 mins- an hour (depending on how much time you spend on taking pictures about the amazing nature.)

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I also recommend to have a little walk on the way back on the park trail, the view is truly beautiful.

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What to bring

  • There are no shops in the park, only a little cafe by the bus stop, it's good to bring water and some food for the day.
  • Something to protect your ears. It can get super windy on the seaside, and while the weather was super nice both times I was there, my ears were hurting the first time when I forgot my hat.
  • Altough the place is beautiful, maybe it's best to not get all glammed up when choosing footwear for the day.The best shoes to wear are waterproof, comfortable and easy to clean. If there is a little rain the day before, the paths can get muddy and as there are many goats, cows and sheeps in the area, well.. you can also find animal poo. My heart broke for those japanse tourist ladies who all decided to wear beautiful, new, white sneakers for the day. Get your boots or wellies rockin and you will be fine. :)

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Funfact, if you want to get all the Seven Sisters on the picture, you won't be able to do it from the park.

IF you aim for that, you will need to have a walk around Seaford Head.

Beachhuts, goats and golf on the hill  

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Just a few stops away from Seven Sisters, you can find Seaford with lovely colorful beach huts on it's seaside.

A little path starts just from the end of the beach, up the hill near the Seaford Museum. By walking up there, you will get an amazing view to the sea, people playing golf on the top and jumping baby goats.

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After about an hour walking, you can also enjoy the view of all the Seven Sisters. :) 

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What is your favourite place in England?

Travel tick list 2017

Travel tick list 2017

Travel tick list 2017

Operations planning, project: Explore. Step one.

Me in December 2016: This year was crazy, work, gym, travel repeat.

In average I got around 5 hours sleep a day, unless I had a flight and perfected my skills for sleeping on a plane. I used most of my annual leave for year 2016/2017, only weekends, bank holidays and 5 additional days left until August. Maybe I should take it easy before going to the US in February and just work, train and relax in March.

Me on the 11th of January 2017: Had two weekend getaways this year so far. There are 4 more weekends until my next booked flight and I started organizing some more trips.
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So little time and so many awesome places to see! Fulfilling our plans of conquering the world is not always that easy. Even if you don’t have kids or pets (I only have a plant I got as a present 3 years ago, I water it once every 2-3 months and keep wondering how it doesn't die), a full-time job, your training routine and your social circle can be something to properly consider while organizing trips.

Working as an Operations Planner, besides the yearly forecasts, I used to work on a detailed 12 week plan for our project. After a while I implemented this strategy in my private life and so far it seems to work very well.

The best way to start planning in my experience is to make a list of things to do and mark if any of them has a specific deadline.

So here is my list-of places-to see, with the deadline of 31st December 2017:

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Places in the United Kingdom

I have lived in England for more than two years now, and feels like I haven’t seen anything from the UK. Obviously, this is not true, but an alley cat always wants more. Rain or shine, 2017 will be the year for to me discover these places for the first time in my life:

  • Farne Islands, because I need some puffins in my life
  • Virginia Water, as I just love Harry Potter too much
  • Stonehenge-Basic, but classic
  • York-Gotta see the original after the adaptation
  • Edinburgh- Did not make it there in 2016
  • Loch Shiel, Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Jacobite Steam Train ride. Did I mention I love Harry Potter?

Places somewhere else in Europe

  • Malta- A friend lives there and keeps posting pictures with #summerneverends. I’m feeling cold right now.
  • Iceland - Hot springs and the Northern lights will keep my heart warm for sure
  • Ireland- Gotta go green!

American Dreams

  • Boston- Need a chowder in New England in case I get tired of fish and chips in the old one.
  • New York. I’m soo bringing my pink pettyskirts and nothing can stop me to pull a Carrie. Even if it will be -2 Celsius in February.
  • Colorado -Since my cousin and many of my uni classmates worked in Colorado Springs, I was amazed by the pictures they showed me about surrounding areas. I kept promising myself and friends that I will go for a visit- and I keep my promises ;)

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So this was my short list, not including „smaller tasks”, places where I have been already, therefore they take less effort to organize.

Bring it on 2017! I will sleep when I’m old. And on the plane.

What would be on your list for 2017?

 

Liebster Award

Liebster Award

Liebster Award

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A chain-letter, from me to you :) Don't worry, this is something what you can read til the end and I won't climb out from your television. I promise.

I was nominated by Sabi from Smilesfromabroad http://www.smilesfromabroad.at/ to participate in the Liebster Award. It's kind of a blogpost chain where bloggers nominate other bloggers who they think are worth to discover and ask random travel related questions. Thanks for Sabi for nominating me :) You can read her post here: 

http://www.smilesfromabroad.at/en/liebster-award/

So here are my answers for the questions she asked me: 

1,Which place are you going to travel to next?

Just sitting at the airport now, waiting for my delayed flight to Budapest for the weekend. Budapest is a beautiful place, and since I moved to England, I keep finding an excuse to go back as an insider tourist. Amazing restaurants, picturesque places with impressive history, the best parties and good public transport. Totally recommended to everyone.

After that, random spots in the UK, Boston and New York in February, München, Ibiza, Malta and there are many many plans for this year..

2,Where would you want to come back again?

Lake District, Zillertal, Bahamas, Paklenica, Dominica..the list is actually much longer. I tend to fall in love with cities, mountains, seasides and make my heart totally jet-lagged, longing for more..probably easier to mention where I don’t wanna go back at all. Already started to have a list of places where I want to live at some point in my life.

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3,If you would be winning a trip somewhere, where would you want to go to?

Bali. Where can I sign up?

4,How are you travelling? Public transportation, car, walking?

Most of the time with plane - angels are meant to fly. Around the destination walking as much as possible, and if the distances are too big I take public transport, train or underground. Not a big fan of buses, they sometimes make me feel unwell. I love to walk, no matter if it's dark or raining or I'm alone without having a clue where I am, as I think you can discover the most from the city on foot.

However, I had to realise there are some places where it’s advised not to walk alone, especially in night time. I did not get why my friend said I should never walk alone in LA...after walking for 1,5 hours in daytime around busy places I understood that, first time in my life I was feeling very uncomfortable in daylight. Just get an Uber between sights and you’ll be fine.

5,When and why did you start your blog?

In September 2016, after lot of travelling, instead of flooding my friends facebook feed with travel pictures, I figured out it would be a better way to start some sort of personal photoblog, where I also write my thoughts and feelings about places. I had blogs before but mostly for myself and close friends. As most of my friends and family live in another countries, I think of this as a good way to share my adventures with them, but I also write things which could be informative and useful about the places for people who don’t know me, just look for travel tips.

6,Where did your first journey take you?

My first journey was out of my moms belly, straight into fresh air and in the arms of a globetrotter family. That was an adventure!

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Without jokes, I had to ask my mom about this- it was Spain, I was 1,5 years old when it started. Before turning to 18, I had the privilege to visit 31 countries- daddy is a travel addict, and the apple did not fall far from the tree.

The first one I can actually remember was Lloret De Mar at the age of 4. Then I travelled a lot with school, went to Germany for Schüleraustausch, to ski camps in Italy and Austria, performed in the Kiev Academic Youth Theatre, and started rock climbing in places like Slovenia and Croatia . I feel super lucky and thankful to my family to be able to experience all this and I wish everyone to be able to live similar adventures in their life.

7, Would you rather travel alone or with friends?

I don’t mind going anywhere alone, but the best is to travel with one friend who has similar interests. It is good to share the moments of fun with someone I love, makes me feel safe in case anything stupid would happen and easier than organizing everything with a group of people.

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8,What do you always have to have with you on your travels?

Cash, something to take pictures with (phone and/or my camera), allergy tablets, tissues, and extra pullover, glasses, portable charger, ID or passport and a towel. Always carry a towel with yourself. Yes, because 42 is the life, the universe and everything. I got myself a super mini foldable one ten years ago, still a good travel partner.

9,Which trip has been your most exciting one and why?

I have to say, this was harder to answer than the average exam questions what I got at uni! 

Our ship cruise with Liberty of Seas from Miami visiting the Bahamas and Haiti is definitely in the top ones- that ship was one of the coolest places I ever stayed. 13 floors, climbing wall, panorama jacuzzi, amazing restaurants and shows, 7 am yoga in a studio with a view to the sea..

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Another gem was my first trip to London at the age of 17 with a good friend when I slept 11 hours in 4 days..what could go wrong, went wrong but we had so much fun and got home in one piece without any harm.

My first climbing trip to Zillertal, where my previously super-spoiled self experienced how is it to camp in the forest, bath in a river, got my heart broken and fell in love with the nature, got my skin burnt on the sun, then covered it with snow the next day.

Or the last bucket-list US trip, partying in Vegas, watching Zumanity, walking in the Valley of Fire, training on the beach at Santa Monica and screaming my head off on a roller coaster in Disneyland California.

So many exciting trips to remember, could not choose one. :)

10,Your most favorite travelsong?

Reamonn- Supergirl

When travelling to Los Angeles for the first time in 2006 I heard this song on the plane radio. When I feel a bit down I think of it, and buy another flight ticket to somewhere nice. Supergirls don't cry. Supergirls just fly. :)

The AlleFarben version gets nowadays more in my playlist than the original, but worth to listen to both at least once. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31tiWX-8bdc

11,Your worst travel experience?

Jamaica- Ocho Rios, 2011.

They say, Jamaica no problem. Well, we had a few.

The poverty is a real big issue here, locals live from visitors and they really want you to buy something. Anything, and they are doing everything to achieve that. Every minute, more people come to you to make you dreadlocks, try to sell you weed or want to take you to the Bob Marley museum. 

Instead of having a relaxing time and admiring the nature, I ended up RUNNING on the street trying to find a peaceful spot after someone actually approached me and touched my hair, while 10 random guys were running after me and shouting if I want to buy weed or at least a Bob Marley bracelet. NO, THANKS. If I would have seen it in a comedy, I would have laughed, but no, this was just not funny. The city was dirty, rubbish everywhere.

After reading about Ocho Rios more, I found out that white people often get robbed and harrassed even in the last years since we have been there.

As we were on a cruise, we only had a day to spend here, which I did with me buying big quantities of my favourite type of rums on the beach. Appleton Estate saved the day, as the drinks are originally from there, you can buy them for an amazingly cheap price. If you dare to visit the place.

 

The rules

  1. Thank and link the blogger who nominated you in your post / Facebook / Instagram Account
  2. Write a post using the Liebster Award’s logo
  3. Answer 11 questions assigned by the blogger who nominated you
  4. Name the rules of accepting the Liebster Award
  5. Nominate a few bloggers for the Liebster Award
  6. Come up with a list of 11 questions you would like to ask the nominees
  7. Let your bloggers know that they’ve been nominated so that they can follow the tradition

 

My questions:

  1. Which place are you going to travel to next?
  2. Which was the furthest place you ever travelled to?
  3. If you would be winning a trip somewhere, where would you want to go to?
  4. Where do you stay on your travels? Hotels, hostels, friends place, camping etc?
  5. When and why did you start your blog?
  6. What are your top 5 favourite places visited?
  7. Describe the perfect travel partner!
  8. What do you always have to have with you on your travels?
  9. Your best travel experience?
  10. And the worst?
  11. If money wouldn't matter, where would you go?

 

My nominees:

The search of happiness

http://www.thesearchofhappiness.com/

 Valerie travels with her boyfriend and writes in an interesting, cute and honest way about their experiences. 

East Coast Contessas

http://www.eastcoastcontessas.com/

Two lovely girls from NYC- while searching for places to visit in New York for our trip with my friend in February I found their blog, they gave me some good inspiration :)

 

Because we all believe in magic

Because we all believe in magic

Because we all believe in magic

Disney dreaming <3

Christmas can be a wonderful time of the year.  Everything is about enjoying life and sharing the happiness with our loved ones. As the end of the year approaches, we tend to look back with that nostalgic smile while remembering good memories again.  We tend to more believe in miracles, and the truth it, when we get ready for a fresh start with the new year and let negative things go,  they can truly happen.

This time, we tend to more remember how excited we were about Christmas when we were young and try to reach back to this feeling by visiting places which help us celebrate with our inner child.

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Some people think Disney is all about cartoons, but reading interviews with him I understood that Disneyland is the true essence of his life and work. These parks are where all his dreams and imaginations came to life, engaging with people and allowing them to step into the universe created by him and many talented people who had the same inspiring vision as Mr Disney.

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Paris is always a good idea. One of Europes most fabulous themeparks  is a very popular destination, from England you can always  find many daytrips and weekend trips including entry tickets for a fairly good price. I was a very lucky child, and before my 18 birthday I had the opportunity to visit the Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios 4 times, once even stayed in one of the hotels and had breakfast with my childhood hero, Donald Duck.

For winter, the parks all over the world change their „dresses” and rise the magic to Christmas level regardless of the weather.

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This winter I wasn't in Paris, but I had the opportunity to visit Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure Park in Anaheim, California thanks to my friend Sabi from www.Smilesfromabroad.at and thanks to Disneyland <3 .

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Although the parks across the globe are built by the same vision, and you can find most of the iconic rides in both places, for me it was a different magical experience than Eurodisney.

It was already the time for „Festival of Holidays”- with Thanksgiving the next day and Christmas just around the corner there was a lot to celebrate.  25 Celcius in the end of November doesn’t normally get me in the Christmas feeling, but I absolutely loved  to see my belowed rides and characters with a festive twist.


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You can celebrate in many countries with it’s a Small world, experience snowfall by the Sleeping Beauty Castle, sing Christmas songs with the Christmas Parade and get into the festive spirit with Mickey Mouse.
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If it’s your first time in entering a magical Kingdom of Disney, I recommend to start with Disneyland Park, as there is so much to see and experience. If you keep going back for more like me, you already know the tricks of maxing out the day, go hardcore with a Park Hopper ticket- there is not a big price difference and you can go on all your favourite rides in a day. To avoid waiting in lines and have more time for the fun, try to get Fasttrack tickets for all the rides where possible.You can get them for free, with a specific timeslots when you can return and only wait a few minutes to enjoy the ride.

You can get a map and info booklet for free by the entrance, which shows all opening times, gives you guidance about where you can get Fast-track entry and times when specific shows and parades are on.

I recommend staying until late and watch the spectacular fireworks by the Disney Castle- they are the best closure for an amazing day.

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Did you visit one of the Disney parks somewhere in the world already? Which one is your favourite ride?

It's Christmas time

It's Christmas time

It's Christmas time

London Wonderland

I love the holiday season in London. With amazing Christmas decorations, the city feels like you are walking in a modern fairytale.

Small details everywhere remind you that the holidays are fast approaching, and the always buzzing city is even more alive. I collected some of my favourite places for you to visit around this time of the year.

Covent Garden 

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The area is lifted by a creative energy, you can find nice restaurants and lovely shops everywhere you go. Great place to get some last-minute Christmas gifts, get some food or dessert, or just to have some fun watching performers in various locations.

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Trafalgar Square

Only a few minutes walking distance from Covent garden, here is always something going on regardless of the time of the year.  Walking is the best way to discover a city-so much to see this time of the year, and you can even burn some calories before the Christmas feast starts.

I keep going back to the National Gallery- sometimes just for 10 minutes to admire the paintings. I rarely get a chance to spend enough time in a museum, but with London having free entrance to most of the places, you can easily pop back to check out your favourites

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There are always some performers and people wearing funny fancy dresses. The huge tree in the middle of the square is traditionally gifted by the people of Norway every year since 1947, in recognition of Britain's support during the Second World War.

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Piccadilly and Leicester Square

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Home of amazing theatre and film premiers, these places never disappoint.

Last week, we had a chance to see Peter Pan Goes Wrong, which was brilliant. Most likely destroyed my chilhood, and my make-up as I was crying from laughter, but totally worth it. You can also watch it on BBC One on the 31th of December, or if you don't have a tv like me, just go and watch in the Apollo theatre- they are playing it until the end of January.

Harrods

Most of the time, I love windowshopping in London, and Harrods amazes me with their decoration. Not this year- is it just me, or these mannequinns really look like they have a backache? However, the dresses are gorgeous and even if you are not into expensive gifts, I absolutely recommend the food market to get amazing food for affordable prices.

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Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park 

Just a few minutes walk away from Knightsbridge, my inner child totally feels like home here.

Regardless of your age, I recommend to visit Winter Wonderland at least once- it is open until the 2nd of January this year.

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 Don’t let the queue scare you, it moves fast, and it doesn’t feel crowded once you get inside the park.

The entry is free, you can buy tokens individually for the rides. For tokens you can also pay by card, but make sure to bring cash as no card payments are accepted at any food and beverage places.

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Most of the rides are around 4-6 pounds, beer and mulled wine also about 4-6. 

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If you are not a fan of rides, there are opportunites to be entertained while staying on the ground. The Zippos Circus and the Nutcracker on ice are fun for the whole family. For these, the ice skating and the giant wheel you can buy tickets in advance on Winter Wonderland's website.

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There is no theme park for me without churros- you can get 6 for 5 pounds, great for sharing. If you prefer different sweets, you can also find pancakes, doughnuts, candy floss and Santas Sweet Factory to satisfie your sweet cravings

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There is live music on various stages, you can enjoy a pint on a moving carousel bar.

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I absolutely loved the performers at the Fire Pit Stage, they really made people dance.

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If you love the Octoberfest feeling, grab a Stein of beer and head to the Bavarian Village for the party.You can get authentic german food and beer and singalong 99 Luftballons with the live band.

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If you still have energy after all this fun, head from Marble Arch to Oxford Street- the Christmas lights are worth to see every year :)

What is your favourite spot in London this holiday season?

DIY gift ideas- paint your own souvenir t-shirt

DIY gift ideas- paint your own souvenir t-shirt

DIY gift ideas- paint your own souvenir t-shirt

It’s that time of the year again!

You know I love handmade gift ideas- in my previous post you can read about how you can turn your own travel pictures (or really, any pictures) into unique fridge magnets. If you haven't seen it, check it out! 

http://blindinglights.blog.hu/2016/12/16/diy_fridge_magnets

When my friend Sabi showed me Collette Millers artwork series, it inspired me to paint again.

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During our travels we have usually been quite lucky with the weather in general, and since she said the catchphrase „When angels travel, the sky is smiling” it kind of became the slogan for our trips.

My alternative version is „When the devil travels, the sky is crying”, but uhm, the devil is and always will be a gentleman , therefore blue skies are guiding our way.  Haha

 When visiting someone, I think it’s nice to bring a little gift so before my trip to Los Angeles I made these t-shirts for us- no better place than the City of Angels to wear them.

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Some tips, if you would like to make your own souvenir t-shirts

Choose plain 100% cotton t-shirts, possibly in white or a light color, the paint looks better on these.

Decide about the design what you would like to have on your t-shirt. After getting some inspiration from photos I found in Google, I draw my own version for the wings, but you can also use a photo or search for something on the internet.

Depending on how complicated the design is, you can choose from different technics to create your stylish t-shirt.

1, Print and iron

Easiest version, suitable for more complicated images.  

Most of the art and craft shops sell printable transfer papers.  Reverse the image and set it to the size what you would like to see on your t-shirt.

Read the instructions enclosed to the pare, print out the design and cut out the image you need.

Lay the transfer paper on the fabric and iron it without steam.

When you choose this method, I recommend handwash only in max 30 Celsius warm water, washing machine usually destroys the design.

2, Print, iron and paint

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I used this technic for these t-shirts. After printing the reversed design and ironing it on the t-shirts, I colored the wings with fabric pens and textile paint. Before painting on the fabric, place a piece of paper or cardboard in the t-shirt to prevent the paint transferring to the other side.

Same care instructions apply, the t-shirt painted with this technic is handwash only.

3, Print and paint/draw

Most of the t-shirts I previously made, were done with this technic.

For transparent fabrics, print out the design and put it underneath the fabric. Copy the siluettes with a soft pencil or a pen.

For thick materials, it is advised to use a stencil.

The easiest is to use a fabric painting stencil or freezer paper. Make sure that the stencil is laying flat against the shirt, or the paint will bleed under the edges.

Fabric painting stencils usually have a sticky back. All you have to do is smooth the paper down.

If you are using freezer paper, iron the paper shiny side down onto the t-shirt.

Use fabric pen or paint the design on the shirt. Allow to dry at least 3 hours, then peel the stencil and papers away.

With this technic, the t-shirt will be machine washable in max 40 Celcius warm water.

 

Have you ever tried designing your own t-shirts?

DIY fridge magnets

DIY fridge magnets

DIY fridge magnets

There is only one thing which is better than getting gifts: giving them.

I’m in a weird love-bah humbug relationship with some of the holidays. Celebrating and giving gifts makes me happy, but for me that there is a specific day when it’s compulsory to be merry and fit and relaxed, it’s just weird.

“It was not really Saturday night, at least it may have been, for they had long lost count of the days; but always if they wanted to do anything special they said this was Saturday night, and then they did it.”- Peter Pan

 Celebrating a random Wednesday just feels so good, much better than going out on a Valentines-day. Seeing something cute and affordable what I think would make a friend happy in a rainy October day makes me want to get it immediately, and give it as soon as possible, not wait until Christmas. But it can happen, that I have an invitation for a Birthday party, I really love the Birthday girl/boy and I have no time to get what I would like to give for the „deadline”. And what is the point of giving bad presents, like bath crystals and decorative flower holders (unless the person who gets it is really into  bath crystals and flower holders) just to give something?

When possible, I try to get or make something personal in addition to what I buy. Creating has always been my passion, no matter if we are talking about paintings, jewellery, photos, or something edible. It does not necesseraly mean I’m good at these, but I love doing these and usually believe that if you make something with love, it will carry a positive energy with itself, and I also love getting handmade things, because I know someone has really put effort and time in making them. 

After having a chat with my boss I found out she collects travel magnets from everywhere she goes, and she is not alone with that at all.

Keeping small souvenirs as a reminder of happy places is always nice, but seeing your own memories in a form of souvenir can be even better.

Converting your travel pictures to lovely fridge magnets is an easy, fun and inexpensive thing to do.

Never tried it? Just follow these easy steps:

1,

Select which pictures you would like to print out (this is the hardest part).

I would recommend 13-15 pictures for an A/4 page, this can vary depending on how big or small magnets would you like to have.

2,

Make a collage of the pictures, to fit on a page which has the proportions of the paper you would like to print on.

I used Photoshop CS 6 to create the collage, but there are plenty of easy to use collage makers on the internet what you don’t even need to download, like Picture2 life  http://www.picture2life.com/ or Fotor http://www.fotor.com/features/collage.html.

3, Get printable magnetic sheets. You can buy them in craft shops, order from the internet or just go to Poundworld to buy Toblerone like me (they still have the original bigger ones at my local store) and find 2 glossy A/4 magnetic photopaper for a pound. Win!

4, At this point, you hopefully have a printer, or someone near to you has it and the cartridge has not run out of ink.

Put a printable magnetic sheet in the paper tray, set the printer for photo printing and print your collage.

5, Cut the pictures out alongside the white lines separating the images.

  Et Voila! Now it’s time to decorate your fridge. Or someone elses.

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Do you collect something from your travels?

Life is a beach

Life is a beach

Life is a beach

Scroll down for English- from now on I try to write in 2 languages :)

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Hogy őszinte legyek, nem vagyok egy nagy sellő típus, mindig is inkább a hegyek vonzottak. Képtelen vagyok fél óránál tovább a parton napozni, kivéve ha elalszom, és később csodálatosan megégve ébredek.

Ugyanakkor napsütéses időben  imádok a vízparton sétálni, csodálni az óceán erejét, és figyelni a víz és a szél együttes játékát.

Angliában egyértelműen Brighton a kedvenc városom, gyakran látogatok el a partra barátokkal sétálgatni, beszélgetni, hullámvasutazni majd túlenni magam churossal (semmiképp nem fordított sorredben). Los Angelesben megtaláltam a Brighton ekvivalensét, még churros is van, viszont ők Santa Monicanak hívják a helyet.

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To start with, I’m not really a beach babe- I need mountains, and they always take up a big place in my heart. Also I can’t sit still and sunbathe for more than half an hour unless I fall asleep and wake up totally burnt, but on a sunny day I love walking by the seaside, adore the strength and power of the ocean, and watch how wind and water play together.

In England Brighton is my favourite city ever, I often go to the seaside to chill and visit the pier for rides and to stuff myself with churros.

In Los Angeles I discovered they have a very similar place, they just call it Santa Monica.

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Ami eltérő Brightontól, az az egészen király szabadtéri edzőterem. Nyilván Venice híresebb Muscle Beachről, viszont itt is rengeteg embert láthatsz acroyogázni és a street workout különböző elemeit gyakorolni.

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 What’s even cooler, they have an awesome beach workout place, with bars, rings etc, and you can see many people training and doing acroyoga.

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Mondanom sem kell, teljesen beleszerettem a helybe- ha megnézed a többi képet, érteni fogod, miért :)

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Needless to say I inmediately fall in love with this place- check out the other pictures, and you will know why :)

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Venice Beach

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A gördeszkás pályafutásom ugyanazon a napon kezdődött és ért véget, amikor hatalmas lelkesedéssel kettétörtem a deszkát első szárnypróbálgatásaim kb 3. órájában. Ettől függetlenül szerettem nézni a srácokat, és még én is tisztában vagyok vele, hogy Venice Beach deszkaparkja erősen belefér a top látványosságok közé.

A street art, falfestmények és grafittik szintjén is elég erős a felhozatal a környéken, akit érdekelnek az ilyen dolgok, érdemes elnézni.  Churros is van, méghozzá itt egy dollárért, nem úgy mint Santa Monicán ahol 4,5, meg acai bowl gyümölcstál mennyország egészségesebb opciónak.

Muscle Beachet most kihagytuk, túlzottan bedurrantunk Santa Monican.

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So my skateboard career started and ended on the same day, when after 3 hours of trying random tricks and failing I managed to break the board into two pieces. Despite of that, I loved watching the guys and I even I know that the skate park in Venice Beach has something in it.

The streetart game is also pretty strong there, if you are interested in these things, definitely worth to see. They also have churros, only for one dollar, not like in Santa Monica where I paid 4,5, plus there’s an acai bowl heaven if you wanna opt for a more healthy option.

Well, yeah, Muscle Beach we skipped this time. Got too pumped at Santa Monica.

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Ha csak egyre van időtök, Santa Monicat javaslom, jobbak az energiák, főleg ami az embereket illeti. Viszont a sirályokkal vigyázni… az egyik ellopta a churrosomat.

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If you only have time for one, I recommend Santa Monica. The vibe is better and people are a lot less dodgy. Just be careful with the birds.. they stole my churros…

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Beachbabe partner in crime who made sure there is more evidence than selfies that I have also been there - check out her blog, she’s been to a lot of cool places ;)

http://www.smilesfromabroad.at/

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So we set the world on fire

So we set the world on fire

So we set the world on fire

Nevada- Valley of Fire Photoblog

Just before my Birthday, I had the opportunity to visit my lovely friend in the West Coast and see the Californian dream she is living since the last few months.

After arriving on Tuesday, we spent already the first whole day in Disneyland. Here’s to never growing up!  I have been to the parks in Paris 4 times already, so I knew what to expect, but the Disneyland Adventure Park was an even better surprise. Life is a fairytale, after all.  <3

But unless you have a prince charming running after you, be careful not to loose your shoes in one of the rides. :)

As it was the week of Thanksgiving, my friend had some days off and we decided to do a trip to Nevada. This whole week was kind of a bucketlist trip for me. I have been both to California and Nevada, but this time I saw things what I haven’t before, and experienced things I wished for a long-long time. 4 boxes ticked, but I have to admit I still have to go back for more.. So little time and so much to do. Never enough..

What happened in Vegas will mostly stay in Vegas, but in case anyone is planning to do a visit in the near future , I will do a post with tips and tricks for a budget-friendly holiday. A trip to the US can seem to be expensive, but with a little planning, a smaller budget can go a loong way. I love cheap thrills!

To cure the hangover after two nights in Vegas, we headed to the Valley of Fire. The place is beautiful, funfact that many wedding organizers recommend the place also for the ceremony and wedding photoshoot. Don’t worry mom, I know getting married in Vegas runs in the family, but i’m still single. ;)

I totally missed out on Elvis. Don't remember meeting him, but if I did, think he run away after he heard me singing Heartbreak Hotel. I just don't have the X-factor.

However, I totally fall in love with this State Park. Most people visit Grand Canyon while they are near Vegas, but as we only had one day, I had to choose. No regrets, I would recommend Valley of Fire to anyone.

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There are less tourists, it's only an hour drive from Vegas, the entry was only 10 dollars for the car (regardless how many people sit in there), and the view is breathtaking. What else do you need?

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If you don’t believe me, here are some more pictures to convince you:)

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I always find it fascinating, what wind and water can create together. You can feel like being in a rock-zoo: there are many animal-shaped rocks like this in the park.

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If this is not enough and you are so childish like me, you can totally play with your own shadows.

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Or run from one rock to another
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Or play hide and seek, to make sure you are not part of someone else’s perfect landscape photo.

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If you get tired of playing, there are plenty of good spots to have some rest

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Make sure to dress properly. Lace is always a good idea, but you might wanna bring some layers. During the day it is nice and usually warmer than in Vegas, but it can get cooold in the afternoon, it's advised to bring at least a jacket or pullover more than what you would normally wear.

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And don’t forget to watch the sunset while there! It’s amazing <3

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How girls really pack

How girls really pack

How girls really pack

..or how I ended up wearing a short,leggings, a top, a skirt, a dress, a pullover, a jacket, a blazer, a vest and a raincoat altogether for take-off.


When I'm writing this, I’m just on my way to California, travelling from London with a carry-on and a small handbag, for a week. If you know me, you know I always have lot of stuff with me, different cameras to capture everything, phones, shoes, a half drugstore to keep me feeling pretty and plenty of change of clothes. When I mentioned it to my friends that I plan to do sightseeing on Monday before going to the airport, everyone would ask me where I’m putting my big luggage? And I would just laugh, why would I need a big luggage?
Have to admit, my mom is not the female version of Jamie Oliver. Nor did she thought me how to do my make-up, and after learning English for years she is still just looking at the pictures on my blog. But there is something she is unbeatable, and that’s packing. Every time when we travelled, and thanks to my dads obsession, we travelled a LOT, she would pack if there would be a zombie apocalypse next week. She would teach me to prepare for everything and anything, and effortlessly manage to bring all that stuff through security without paying extra.
I like to take the time for packing for a trip, to make sure I don’t miss anything.
I usually ask myself:
What if it will be cold? What if it will be hot? What if there will be a poolparty? What if I wanna go hiking? What if that dress gets dirty? What if I ruin my shoes? What if I need to get in the VIP in a posh club? Can I do backbends in that?
Pro tip: If you are not sure about taking a piece of clothing with you, try it on and dance in it in front of the mirror. It usually helps.

Regardless of where you are travelling, it is always a good idea to:
- Try bringing clothes you can combine
- Always have spare shoes. Always.
- Bring something waterproof, at least a light rain jacket. It can fit anywhere.
- Make sure you can close your hangbag. “Shopper” bags are very fashionable and look cute, but believe me, pickpockets will appreciate your style.
- Dress comfortably for the flight. Being in a tight space can already make you stressed, it’s unnecessary to wear things which make you feel weird
- Layering is key.

London isn’t the coldest place on earth, but at 7am, after sleeping 4hours I wished I could make my way to the airport wrapped up in a thermo sleeping bag.
After measuring my bags and realizing they are a bit more heavy I felt I need to get more creative with bringing all those clothes with me. Your bag might get measured at the airport, but you won’t, therefore you can wear as many layers as you want. It's a flight, not Tinder, no one cares if you look like you have put on a little bit more. Unless you feel like networking, but I prefer to sleep on planes.
Fill your pockets with the heavyest small things, like phones, cameras and bring a light bag with yourself to throw all the things you normally wouldn’t wear on the flight until you have the time to sort out your stuff.

And the result for me this time?

 

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Sorry for bad quality pics, the lighting in my room is worse than bad. Yep, in the end I was already going nuts about packing. And I was singing California by Phantom Planet loudly. Obviously.

Ljubljana and Lake Bled Photoblog

Ljubljana and Lake Bled Photoblog

Ljubljana and Lake Bled Photoblog

I got a new toy this weekend. Or I could say, a new member of my little photography equipment family.The 600D is my love and I would never leave the Canon DSLR line. But let's face it, they are HEAVY. Just my 28-135/F3.5-5.6 USM EF IS is more than half kilogram itself. And that's just a basic lens. (Little update to my story: My 600D just broke :D)

Since I got my Lumia 650, I often use it for taking pictures at parties or when I don't have a proper camera with me. For a phone, it has a very nice photo quality especially in daylight, but still, it's a phone, not a camera.

So I decided to go for a sidebae and was searching for a lightweight and good value camera which is a bit better than a basic compact and can be my happy partner while travelling with only a hand luggage.

While waiting at the airport before flying to Budapest Iast weekend, a Sony A5000 caught my eye.  After a bit of research and reading positive reviews I got it on sale this weekend with a 16-50 f/3.5-5.6 and 55-210 f/4.5-6.3. The battery was dead when I got it, so I just snapped some pics with my phone in Ljubljana, but after charging the battery in the hotel, I could finally test it on Sunday while walking around in Bled.

Imádok fotózni, bárhova megyek, rengeteg fotót készítek és a Canon 600Dm nélkül kb sehova nem indultam el régebben. Amióta vettem egy Lumia 650 telefont, viszonylag sokat használtam fotózásra bulikban, vagy ha nem tudtam helyhiány miatt magammal vinni a fényképezőt. A telefon maga kuka, állandóan újraindul többször szoftverfrissítés után is, de telefonhoz képest egész jó képeket csinál. Éreztem, hogy kéne valami átmenet, ami picit könnyebb, így akadtam rá a SonyA5000-re, így indulás előtt a reptéren kiváló akcióban meg is szereztem. Az aksi nyilván nullán volt, úgyhogy az első nap Ljubljanában még telefonnal fényképeztem, de miután sikerült feltöltenem a hotelben, Blednél már az új fényképezővel vidámkodtam.

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Seems like people visiting Ljubljana just love the idea of love-lockets, so we could see them on all bridges while walking in the old town. The Butchers' Bridge (such a pleasant name) has dozens of it, and if that wouldn't be enough, it is also embellished with creepy looking frogs and skulls to take the romance to the next level.

Úgy tűnik, a Ljublanába látogató emberek imádják a szerelem-lakatok koncepcióját, legalábbis bármerre jártunk, minden hídon rengeteget láttunk. A "Hentes hídja" (csodás nevek) is sok lakatot visel, de ha ez nem lenne elég, még ijesztő békaszobrok és koponyák emelik a romantikus hangulat szintjét.
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I never felt like contributing to the weight placed on bridges in order to find eternal love, but as I'm only carrying padlocks with me when going to the gym, I missed the opportunity this time again. (Dammit)

There's also a sculpture on this bridge about Adam and Eve shamed and banished from the Paradise. Adam looks like he just got a text from his last drunken Tinder date that her period is late (I got so shocked I forgot to take a picture), and until this point I wasn't even mentioning Prometheus who totally feels like dancing tonight.

Soha nem éreztem igazán, hogy több súlyt kéne helyeznem egy hídra azért, hogy megtaláljam az igaz szerelmet, és mivel csak a konditerembe hurcolok magammal lakatot, ezért ettől a lehetőségtől is elestem.

A hídon található egy szobor Ádámról és Éváról is, amint megszégyenítve kiűzetnek a Paradicsomból. Ádám kb úgy néz ki, mintha az előző csaj akivel randizott Tinderről küldött volna neki egy smst, hogy késik a menstruációja, és akkor még nem is említettem a híd túloldalán Prométheuszt, aki nagyon érzi a ritmust.

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Sunday was St Martin's day, and slovenian people decided it's time to celebrate with a wine festival in Bled. We usually celebrated at home with lanterns and goose, but as a vegetarian I have to say wine isn't such a bad idea at all.

So here are some snaps with the newbie- we are still getting to know each other, but I think we will be good friends.

Vasárnap Márton nap volt, és a szlovénok úgy érezték, ez megfelelő indok egy borfesztiválra. Mi otthon ugye tökkel, lámpásokkal meg libával szoktunk ünnepelni, de vegetáriánusként úgy éreztem, a bor se rossz alternatíva.

Pár kép az új szerzeménnyel Bledről, a hely abszolút ajánlott egy egynapos kiruccanásra.


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What camera do you usually bring on holidays?

Ti milyen fényképezővel szoktatok nekivágni az utazásnak?

Alcohol travel guide

Alcohol travel guide

Alcohol travel guide

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 This weekend while visiting Ljubljana, we came across a vine festival in the old town, and on the next day in Bled, we saw another one by the lakeside. As I grew up in Budapest, where any day can be an excuse for a festival or random celebration, I'm used to this and love the idea of eating local street food while trying out local drinks.

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 My friend was driving so we decided to just try the food and chose a bottle of wine to drink at home later.

But to be honest, in the last few months I rarely have been drinking alcohol. I used to be the type of hedonist social drinker, who would easily consume about 20 units in a night out, in a form of tasty cocktails or on the rocks.

Hardcore partying doesn't go without consequences when combined with a lack of sleep, stress and uncontrolled drinking. If you have won the genetic lottery you will experience these later, but usually they can reduce your energy levels, make your skin dull, mess up your biorithm and make you gain weight.

 

However, sometimes it feels good to have a drink, especially when on holiday. I have set myself a limit to consume max 12 units of alcohol in a month, what I keep for local specialities and drinks what I really enjoy. If you don't have any intolerance for the ingredients, I believe this amount can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet when consumed responsibly.

Depending on your personal taste, there are always some places in the world where it's recommended to try out the local drinks, I have put together a little guide from this for you with my favourite local drinks included.

 

Belgium: Kriek. Even if you are not a fan of beer, this lambic-style beer with sour cherries is worth a try. One bottle (250 ml) has around 108 calories. If you are in Brussels, I doubt you will leave without visiting Delirium anyway.

Czech Repulic: Beer. I keep revisiting Prague due to it's beautiful old town and great hospitality. While enjoying tasty food, a glass of Staropramen goes well especially on warm summer days. 500 ml has around 245 calories and 50 g carbs in it.

England: Gin. Especially with some tonic and lemon slices. My ultimate fave, Tanqueray has 131 kcal in 5cl.

France: Gluten free, dairy free, I love this champagne diet. Ok, just kidding, but a glass (125 ml) with around 80 calories won’t ruin your diet yet.

Germany: Beer. Again. Hofbräu has around 225 calories in a bottle. Avoid a stein, unless you are into weightlifting.

Hungary: Handcrafted beer. There is always a festival for wine, fröccs (spritz) or my favourites, handcrafted beer in the city centre somewhere during the year. On these festivals you can come across beers with many interesting flavours and types, I usually go for more unique ones like chocolate-taste malt beers or ones with dried plums. Depending on what you choose, usually a bottle or beer (500 ml) is around 200-300 calories.

If you have Hungarian friends, probably at least one of them will try to convince to try home made palinka at some point. If you take a friendly advice, just don't do it. Unless you gave up on your life already. Or at least on your next few days. I warned you.

Ireland: Guinness. No explanation needed. A bottle (500 ml) contains 184 calories.

Italy: Wine. Red or white, just depends on your taste, but while white wines usually have around 130-140 calories in a glass, a glass of red wine can contain up to 200 kcal depending on the ABV.

Jamaica: Rum, no problem. Exceptional spirits travel the world, but they never forget where they came from”. Appleton Estate V/X has about 140 calories in 5 cl.

Mexico: Put on your sombrero and have a tequila. Don Julio is made from 100% agave and I can assure you, it won’t remind you of the cheap tequila you drank in that party when you were 18. 5 cl has 109 calories in it.

Ukraine: Vodka. They drink it like water, and you can get good quality ones even in 5 liter bottles. But it’s better if you leave that in the shop. And don't confuse it with water. Same in Russia. Depending on what you choose, it has around 100-110 calories in 5 cl.

Scotland: Whisky goes well with the usual weather. A Dalwhinnie Scotch Whisky with 160 kcal is fine after walking on the countryside in the rain for hours.

Spain: Sangria. Be careful as the fruit-filled, delicious drink is dangerous: sometimes you don’t even notice and you can drink a whole carafe without noticing it has alcohol in it. 100 ml has about 70-80 calories depending on the exact ingredients. If you can return from Spain without gaining weight anyway, you are my hero.

On the plane: Seriously, drink water. The low humidity of the air on the plane can make your skin and eyes dry and cause fatigue. Avoid dehydration and drink at least a 0,5 bottle of still water every 2 hours during your flight. If you have long flight where you have trouble falling asleep or you feel a bit stressed, a glass of red wine or a Baileys can help calm you down.

 

Always remember to drink responsibly and leave your rental car at the hotel after trying out local specialities.

What are your favourites?

 

Big city playground - Copenhagen

Big city playground - Copenhagen

Big city playground - Copenhagen

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"..es macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsen ebenso". Nope, this time it's not about Haribo.

Themeparks and playgrounds have always been my favourite thing. As a child, every time we went abroad with my parents, we visited a funpark, or had to find at least a ferris wheel to keep me happy.

Tivoli in Copenhagen is one of the most loved funparks in Europe- unfortunately still on my to-visit list. To enjoy what a big  park like that can offer, you would usually need a day, but I only had one day to discover the city. However, lack of time is no reason to give up seeing the cities through a kidults eyes, and instead of chasing the must-see tourist destinations, I tried to find those random spots where the sun in my soul is just smiling better.

Starting from the central station, I started walking on Stroget towards Nyhavn. If you have no idea where to go, it is a pretty good starting point, as the road leads you near to the city hall, theatres, main sqaures and the main shopping streets.

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If you ever saw a picture about Copenhagen, you must have seen Nyhavn. The colorful toy-looking houses around the water are ordinary restaurants, bars and shops, they just look cooler than usual.

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Funfact, the 3rd house just in the beginning which usually appears on every second tourist photo is a Chinese strip club. Probably the most photographed Chinese strip club ever :D

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By walking from Nyhavn following the water towards the bridge which leads to the island where Christiania is on,

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 I discovered one of the most fun thing ever what you can hide in a street: these trambolins. First people were just staring at us, wondering what it could be, than joined and laughed their head off while jumping around. 

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After a short walk, I arrived to Christiania.

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The Freetown claims to have their own rules and tries to stay an autonom territory while having a constant conflict with the Danish state, mainly due to the illegal hash dealing in the area of Pusher Street.The place won't make it to my toplist, as the atmosphere around the town made me feel a bit uncomfortable, however if you love streetart and wall paintings, you will find some interesting stuff to see there. After I was already there walking around and taking pictures my friend warned me that photography is not exactly welcomed in the area. For me no one told anything about it, but after I saw some warning signs myself I felt it's better to follow the rules to avoid conflicts with locals.

 

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On the way back to the station my friend recommended me to have a look in Sostrene Grene, a shop on Stroget selling arts, crafts and lot of nice stuff for creative souls.She was right, I totally loved it! And the best thing is, instead of walking down the stairs back to the street, you can choose to exit through a slide. :)

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Do you know any other shop like this anywhere in Europe? If yes, write me in a comment :)

 

Odense - In the footsteps  of Andersen

Odense - In the footsteps of Andersen

Odense - In the footsteps of Andersen

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A month ago I had the opportunity to visit my lovely friend Fanni in her now second home, Odense. Denmark was the 8th country I have been to this year, but the first country I have never been to, so I felt really excited, and the excitement just got bigger when I experienced the fairytale vibe around this city.

How to get there

The travel from London is quite easy and cheap. There are flights from London Luton to Copenhagen from about 30 pounds return.  From CPH you can take a train which will take you to Odense Central in about 1,5 hour. It is advised to book tickets a few weeks in advance, and you can get discounted „Orange” tickets for about 10 pounds each way.

I was extremely lucky with the weather. On the day of travel, it was raining heavily and was super super cold in London, but when I arrived to CPH blue skies and beautiful sunshine welcomed me, which stayed with us for the whole weekend.

When you are already there, the easiest way to travel around is by bike. Everyone uses their bikes to go to work, party or get the shopping done on a daily basis, the roads are good and generally it is safe to bike everywhere in the city.

If you know me, you know I’m not an expert when it comes to biking, therefore we had to explore other options. The public transport network is not as good as I was used to in London and in Budapest, in fact, if you wish to travel by a bus, you really have to plan around it as there are no night buses and some are going once in every hour. You can get a bus card (similar to Oyster) and get discounted price on bus tickets. Alternatively, you can just walk everywhere as the distances are not too big. This was my preferred option, I believe you can see a lot more from a city if you just wander around, walk into small streets and find awesome spots which can’t be accessed by cars or buses.

The plan for the first night was to head to my friends old uni- University Of Southern Denmark where they organized a big semester opening festival. All I can say is, the danish people are crazy when it comes to party but it was great fun. Drink prices and entry tickets are in general similar to London prices, you can get a beer or cider for about the equivalent of 4-5 pounds.

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Life in a fairytale

 

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Odense is famous from Hans Christian Andersen who was born and has lived here in the beginning of the XIX. century.  A great way to step in the fairytale is to follow his footsteps, which will take you to places which were important in his life, including the house where he was born, and a museum where you can see some of his personal belongins.

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You can find many sculptures inspired by his tales spread across the city.

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His statue can be found in my personal favourite place in Odense, in the Fairytale garden.

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The garden is an excellent place to spend a nice afternoon, admire the always changing flowers and unwind in a beautiful environment.

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Another place well worth to see is Munke Mose, where you can rent a boat, or just have a coffee by the riverside. It is a paradise for small and big children as it has the most awesome playground I ever seen.

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Another reason why Odense stole my heart was the fact that it feels like walking in an art gallery.

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If the statues wouldn’t be enough, there are awesome paintings everywhere, which also give unlimited opportunity for insta-addicts for awesome photo backgrounds. (:

 

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In general, I would totally recommend to channel your inner child and visit Odense for a nice weekend break or just for a daytrip from Copenhagen.  No matter how old you are you are, the place will have something for you to make your soul smile.

Thank you for my friend for the great experience <3

Home is..

Home is..

Home is..

Where the heart is, or at least many say so.

As 21th century digitals girls and boys, our decisions are more made by brain than by heart and we constantly convince ourselves to enjoy what we think is the best for us. 

We start believing that we actually like that weirdly looking green smoothie mix, because it is good for our skin, we convince ourselves to give up habits which are not bringing us forward even if we enjoy them and start new ones which we think they will. 

Sometimes we dream big, but sometimes, we forget what makes us happy.

2015 was all about changes and new starts. Moving more times, changing jobs, constantly learning more and more about the country, the industry and the most important: about myself. 

It was full of stress, but it was worth it:I started seeing things falling into their place in my mind and I promised 2016 will be a year lead by my heart. I created challenges for myself and so far it feels like it was the best decision I ever made.

When I first moved from Hungary, I felt like home doesn't exist anymore. I'm in love with Budapest, it's athmosphere, it's architecture, the restaurants and parties, but I started to act and feel like I'm a tourist in my own place of birth. Still not feeling like home in the UK, I decided to start the hunt for a place where my heart really wants to stay. Of course, I had concerns- how will I find the time while working full-time, wouldn't it be wiser to spare the money and buy a car, but planning is luckily a strenght of mine and I quickly realized that with a little time-management and googleing everything is possible.

The goal from the beginning was to visit 10 countries this year, and visit at least 2 different places every months.

So far I have 8 countries, 10 cities and several smalltowns behind me this year, and I feel like this is just the beginning. There are many people who live their life staying in one country and they are happy with that, and it's fine. I'm just not one of them. Thanks to my father's obsession towards travel I was lucky to have the opportunity to see many beautiful places in the world and open my eyes towards new cultures since the year I was born, but the more I see, the more I feel like I haven't seen anything yet. See? There are still so many grey spots on the map.

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A few weeks ago, I found my first ever grey hair, and totally panicked. The feeling that I'm getting old sat down on my shoulders and attacked my brain. I wished for a second that I was my younger, stronger, faster self who never got tired, who never forgot anything, never got hangover after a heavy nighout and who had so much more time in front of her. So little time and so much to see! 

Then on my previous flight to Denmark, a very elderly, minimum 90 years old looking lady was sitting opposite me. I could see she enjoyed the flight, she was drinking tea and calmly having breakfast while we experienced the biggest turbulance ever in my life. Like a hero. No idea what was the purpose of her journey, but seeing her really touched my heart. You are never too old to get out after all, and I did not wanted to be my younger self anymore.

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For years, just like many people, I was rushing everywhere in my life. I had to learn that if I stop, I can hear the best concerts standing on a street from a noname musician, I can see the most interesting street art, or I can find random things which make my brain spinning and my heart beating faster.

When I was in Copenhagen, I had 3 hours alone while my friend attended a job interview. While randomly walking around the city, I found this photography project near to a popular tourist destination. Many people passed by, but while I was standing there for about half an hour, staring at the pictures and thinking, no one else took the time to look at them. For me, seeing this made my day.

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Just another kind reminder to all the dreamers out there- please, don't stop. Whatever your dream is, to see the world, find the perfect home, a dream job, to fall in love, build your own business or master a sport- don't give em up, no matter how old you are. Just start going on the path towards your dreams, and hope that it never stops.

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P.S.: This little blog is basically an experiment, publishing my brainstorms. Long time ago I used to write blogs but always gave up so no idea what this will be yet, but I will definitely try to give some travel tips, or just write about things which interest me. If you find it interesting, awesome, but even if no one will read it, at least it makes me organize my thoughts about things. The biggest reason why I'm writing these in English rather than Hungarian or German is that there is one person who I know is interested in whatever boring or exciting thing I do, and I'm hoping I can somehow get her to start learning English again. Shoutout to mom, I love you! Haha :)

 

If you are interested, how your travel map looks like, I created mine at https://www.amcharts.com/visited_countries/.

If you also keep counting the countries you have seen, this can also help: http://www.listchallenges.com/countries-of-the-world/ 

 

 

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