5.11.14

Long Time No Write....

  So it's been about a year since my last post.  Not because I haven't wanted to write, but the lack of internet at my home makes it impossible.  The only company that has run the cables fro hi-speed internet in our little village won't run it up to  my house, because they'd have to run and additional 80+ meters of cable, plus install one or two more boxes to ensure good connection and speed, and for just one customer, even though I offered to pay for the materials, they won't do it. However I talked to another neighbor, she also wants internet, so maybe in the spring, we'll make the requests together and hopefully they'll get off their lazy buts and do it.

  So, we went to the states, had a good time, ate well, etc., etc. then got back to the daily grind.  This was a bad year for the vineyards in my area.  We all made very little wine this year.  I only got 120 liters instead of 400 liters.  BUT, it is VERY good this year, even if it is only a little bit.

  Marius found new job, he's no longer in Italy, but in Malta.  I'm with him now, using his internet, which is how I'm posting this blog.  I haven't seen much of Malta, but so far, i'm no impressed.  He's more in-land.  All the pretty stuff is on the coasts.  Tomorrow we're going to go do some sight seeing.  He's taking a day off.  He took off Saturday, to meet me at airport, I landed at 3 p.m.  Not much to see or do when your dead tired from having to take a five and half hour bus trip at 2 a.m. to get you from your house to the airport.  Then sit around the airport for 4 hours waiting for plane to leave, only to have said plane delayed 20 minutes.  Neither of us slept the night before so we were tired.  He took off Sunday, but everything is closed on Sunday's.  We spent about 80 Euro on a nice steak dinner Sunday night.  It was nice, but not great. Steak was cooked well, just not seasoned properly.  I've been siting in the apartment watching Downton Abbey and Grey's Anatomy online!  Catching up on shows I love and miss.  Today, though I'm going to venture out to the grocery store on my own.  I'm generally not apprehensive about going out on my own, cause I can generally find my way, easily.  But EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERY THING looks the same here.  Kind of hard to find a landmark, when there is no differential in any of the buildings or streets.  Oh and did I mention they drive on the wrong side of the road here.  Makes crossing the street confusing too.

  Hopefully I'll have some pics to post of our tomorrow or Friday of our tour of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valleta, which is supposed to be really pretty. 

4 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

I thought maybe you'd been abducted by aliens! lol Hope the new job goes well. It's a shame Marius can't find good work where you live.

Unknown said...

This is how thing are going everywhere in Eastern Europe: one has to work in Western countries to be able to make a living for his/her family in his/hers native country.

Stuart said...

It's great to see another post here. I once went to Malta and found it interesting. Muslim invaders several times tried to conquer Malta but failed. They had more success on the neighboring island of Goma where they kidnapped and enslaved the whole population (judging by the IS in Syria/Iraq today, not much has changed since the middle ages).

The left hand driving sure annoyed me when I first encountered it in England at the age of 17. I got dizzy riding the bus and had to close my eyes. Today I live in Japan which also drives on the left and it's no problem for me. Never get into an argument about it with someone who comes from a left-hand drive country. They have some good arguments, like the fact that they go around those "circle-of-death" roundabouts clockwise whereas right-hand drivers go around them counter-clockwise. They claim left-hand driving came from the days of chivalry when knights carried their shields with their left arm and their lance with their right arm. It was agreed jousting had to take place left side to left side so that you wouldn't bop your horse in the head with your lance.

I would think it would be very easy to WIFI a small Romanian town, but what do I know... Yes, I very much miss the little Romanian town where I spent some time. The stars, the wine, the cheese, the sometimes comical Romanian townspeople, the low prices, well, everything has probably changed by now.

joe said...

Hey Odessa,
My name is Joe Pinzone and I'm casting an international travel show about expats moving abroad. We'd love to film in Romania and wanted to know if you could help us find expats who have moved there within the last 15 months or have been there for 3-4 years, but recently moved into a new home. The show documents their move to a new country and will place the country in fabulous light. The expats on the show would also receive monetary compensation if they are filmed. They must also speak English fluently and can be buyers or renters for their homes. If you'd like more information, please give me a call at 212-231-7716 or skype me at joefromnyc. You can also email me at joepinzone@leopardusa.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Joe Pinzone
Casting Producer
P: 212-231-7716
Skype: Joefromnyc