Weeds

While I'm waiting for Spooks' season n.4 I decided to give a try to this new serie called "Weeds" and bought myself the first two seasons. On the cover it says that it's highly addictive and it couldn't be more true. I'm never been too much into "joints" when I was young, well sure I tried and smoked some herbs but the side effects of being sleepy and hungry were not so exciting for me...and now that I'm grown up I don't even smoke "normal" cigarettes and I became one of those intollerant ex smokers but nevertheless I found "Weeds" a real treat! I always liked Marie Louise Parker since she played in 1991 "Fried Green Tomatos" and her interpretaion of a widow selling "weeds" to support her family is just great! Despite being billed as a comedy, the perceptively written show is actually a credible look at lives stuck in neutral and people almost trapped by their addiction to a certain level of upper-middle class comfort. The dialogues are irriverent and I just love it. So if you haven'tdone it yet....why don't you give it a try too???

Dinner in the boma

Casalinga

Between the many things we did with Renzo & C., like going to the African flea market in Joburg, or gambling in Sun City, the superb lunch at Casalinga obliges an extra mention here. I love to point out some good address I come across during my travels and "Casalinga" is certainly one of those. The setting is beautiful and the food is really tasteful and portion are extremely generous, especially for an European. My "melanzane al forno" tasted like Italy, Renzo's "fegatini di pollo" smelled like heaven, Wouter had his treat with "Fegato di Vitello", Danie's "Lasagne al pesto" were "cosi' buone" and Jana's finished the biggest portion of "Penne al salmone" I ever seen! We ate so much and we were still so full many hours later that we apologized and refused the meals on the flight back!!! So if you are travelling around Muldersdrift don't miss this stop!

To Renzo & Danie!

Late tonight I receive a text message from Renzo.
The message was so sweet that I decided to publish it, hoping that Renzo wouldn't mind. But why would he?? These are private words dedicated in public.

"Today Danie and I celebrate our 5th year anniversary! Hard to believe! It has been the best 5 years of my life. Not many people can say that they have met their soulmate. I am one of the lucky few. Here's to the next 5 years! xxx Renzo"

Just good bye

One week wasn't enough. Probably not even a month would had been enough to visit this immense land called South Africa. Land of severe contrasts and bold beauty, where the current cultural melting pot has its roots in years of struggle and where history has left a healed wound. The African soil speaks to the ears of people who want to hear his stories. Once you listened to them you will not be the same again. I have a strong relation with this continent, something ancient. Africa is the only place in the world where I can be myself, where I don't need to prove but just be and where I leave a piece of me everytime I leave. There are many pictures in my mind of this journey...sunset in the bush, the leopard chasing, in the dark, impalas, a huge hyena running towards our jeep...but was has made these days so special are people. This would have been just a "trip" if we wouldn't have spent some time with Renzo, Danie & Jana. These people welcomed us in their homes and shared with us a brief moment of their lives and it was for us a privilege to be part of it. On the plane back to Paris Wouter told me "It's great, we have friends in South Africa"...and while from the plane's porthole Joburg's landscape started to become smaller and smaller ...I smiled and knew that this was just an "arrivederci".

Out of Africa

African Diaspora

In the diaspora
he sat down;
And there he wept;
Remembering Africa;
Mouth open, unable to a song.
Eyes full of the ocean;
Mouth imploded with praises;
Thought stacked full of memories,
Memories of Motherland Africa.
In bits he uttered;
Africa, my cherised home;
In the diaspora unable to a song;
I want to come to thee.
Chief Charles O. Okereke

Dedicated to our new friends : Renzo, Danie & Jana and to Motherland Africa!

The day is here!

Ok today is the day! I decided yesterday to take all day off, today, in order to do the last few things in a more relaxed way! Idon't want to be rushing also today!I'm still busy with the luggage..people who know me they remember that I travel overloaded because I never know what to bring. So I'm still wondering if I should take also that shirt that matches those pants. And the luggage becomes heavier because in the end I cannot make a decision and I will bring everything anyway. Since early this morning I have this nasty "caccarella" problem that I hope to solve before getting on a 12h flight. I don't know if it's because of stress or I got cold for sure I'm gonna travel "empty"!! So guys I'd better get going with fixing the apartment for my parents stay and finish up this damn luggage!
If I'll find a internet place I will try to send you a message directly from South Africa otherwise it will be next week!! Ranger Olga is on her way to SA!! Baci

Counting the days...!!

It's unforgivable! I have neglected this blog for so long. But everytime I started a sentence something new came up and I had to put it aside. I feel bad about this. This blog is my way to consecrate little time only to myself, to pick up my thoughts and put them on paper. It's my written therapy not having my shrink here in Paris. Last period has been so hectic that only thinking about it makes over-tired. But instead of talking about what I did I will tell you about what I will do. In 2 days. In exactly 2 days I will be sitting on a night flight direct to Johannesburg in South Africa. Wouter and I are off for a week vacation. The excitement's level is growing by the hour! I cant wait to be on the Arathusa Lodge and go on the safari to see the big 5(The Big Five is a group of animals including the lion, the leopard, the rhino, the elephant and the buffalo who earned their reputations as the most dangerous animals to be hunted on foot. The phrase "Big Five" was coined by hunters of yesteryear - before the advent of the photographic safari.) I'm all set : I have walking shoes, the outfit like a ranger and I bought an excellent digital camera (Panasonic DMC LX2) and I will make plenty of pictures trying to capture the soul of this land and share it with you! So plenty of stories will be on "this" way....

Sister!

If you could read my heart and

the memories that it holds ~

The days of growing-up

and secrets that we told.

Through all the laughter

and all the tears ~

Our heart grow closer

each and every year.

So please accep this Angel

so yo will always know ~

You're a friend in my heart

and a sister to my soul.