The lessons of a 30 year old

   Dear diary,

   For the past 3 years every 7th of April I wrote lessons that I learnt as life went by. This is the fourth year and it's quite a big one: the big 3.0. :) Never in my life growing up I would think about the 30s. I would, of course, see myself married, with children and a happy life but I never tried to think how I would look like or be like in my 30s. Funny thing :) I guess when you're young you live in the now and you think life lasts forever. I still feel young and I'm enjoying this beautiful ride called life, so here's what I learnt in the past year during which my life took some interesting turns :)

1. Don't be afraid of change! It's good to feel comfortable at your workplace, but after a few years you might feel like you need a change and that's totally normal. Don't be afraid to take the plunge! New adventures are awaiting! :)

2. Change might... will be difficult at first, but don't give up! Talk to some friends or family that can support you through the change and keep going! Even if you have to wake up at 5:30 AM and you've never done it in your ENTIRE life, you CAN do it and you WILL get used to it! You can get used to anything! :)

3. There's always at least 1 thing to be thankful for every single day. Even on the bad days! :)

4. You will find you don't want to meet friends or go out as often as you did when you were a student, but that your evenings are just as enjoyable! :) Having a nice candle-lit dinner and then enjoying your favourite TV Show together with your husband make you just as happy :) But that doesn't mean you shouldn't get out of the house at all! Quite the opposite! Keep your friendships alive by seeing your friends in person! :)

5. All your friends are starting to have kids and you are starting to feel ready yourself. Not because of the social pressure but because every child that you see suddenly becomes "your possible child" :D It's a beautiful stage of your life. Enjoy it!

Weekly inspirations Week 2: The best days

   When I saw this quote today, after everything I've lived in the past couple of months, I just I had to share it with you. 

   Look, I know life's complicated and complex and it's tough to get out of some crazy life situations that we find ourselves in, but most times we control our own life. Even if we can't change the circumstances, we can still control our reaction and interpretation of everything that is happening to us. Oh, I know you might say I'm channeling my inner psychologist too much, but it's true! Every little word. And guess what? Exactly in those times when you're worried about your future, when you have to step out of your comfort zone and you have no idea where life will take you, that's when you need to stay positive and tell yourself "The best is yet to come"! 

   So many things have changed in my life lately and I am experiencing so many new things that scared me at first but which I now LOVE that I just couldn't be happier. Sure, change might be tough, but don't let it bring you down! You're stronger than you think you are, my dear! So much stronger! :) And remember, the BEST is yet to come!

Our honeymoon in a (big, fat) nutshell: SWITZERLAND part II

   On day 5 in Switzerland we woke up in a cold and foggy Kandersteg, had an amazing breakfast and then we left to take a steam train over the Furka pass. I remember it was very cold for summertime and also rainy so the trip wasn't as impressive as it could have been on a sunny day, but I still enjoyed it. Can you believe we had hot chocolate in August? Temperature dropped from 35ºC to 15ºC in just a matter of days and I was lucky enough Oli's aunt gave me a warm jacket. I guess that's how it is in the mountains. Talking of which, one minor detail you might want to know: Romania's mountains are hills compared to Switzerland... 

   

   After our Furka trip we went back to Zurich and on day 6 my mother-in-law and I went brocking, one of the MUST DO activities while you're in the city! What is that, you ask? Why only the best thing ever that includes shopping and very good prices! The brockis are second-hand shops that have everything you can imagine for very good prices! I found a really beautiful Van Gogh "Starry night" print, cute decorations and even some wonderful gardening magazines and Australian cooking magazines that I still use! 

   That day we also went out for dinner at the Adler hotel. Very beautiful, rustic place in the heart of the old city :) When you're in Zurich, don't forget to stroll around the old town. It's so magical, especially at dusk!

   On day 7 my father-in-law took Oli and I to a tram museum. We walked through a forest towards the museum and I felt so at peace with myself and the world. It reminded me of Cluj and the picnics with my family. Everything was green and sunny and peaceful. We had an interesting "pretzel sandwich" for lunch (it's famous in Zurich, haven't seen it somewhere else) and I even saw a rock elephant statue.

   I really liked the tram museum especially since my father-in-law was our guide around :)

   On day 8 and our last day in Zurich we went up on Uetliberg mountain (the highest peak overseeing Zurich) and we walked along it for 1h 30min. It was one of the best memories I got from Switzerland! I absolutely loved the stroll in nature especially since it was a perfect sunny day for it :)

   Zurich and Switzerland were definitely a big surprise to me. I knew I loved Italy already but I had no idea I would fall so deep in love with Switzerland :) If you have the chance, definitely choose it as your next travel destination! I can assure you won't regret it!

Our honeymoon in a (big, fat) nutshell: SWITZERLAND part I

   Last year Zurich was the last stop of our honeymoon, one we badly needed after visiting 6 new cities in only 9 days. When you think of it, it sounds really awesome to be able to see so many new places in such little time, but by the time we got to Zurich I was quite tired of hopping from one city to another, especially since I had to carry my luggage to a new city every 2 days. So I was really looking forward to spending (approximately) 8 days in one place with our family who knew exactly how to present Zurich, Switzerland and their attractions to us.

   Now, if you ever have the chance to visit Zurich, grab it! I can assure you that you won't regret it! Zurich has it all: beautiful architecture, a gorgeous lake on one side, a lot of green places and mountains close by. Oh, and they also have their own Cetățuie as well: it's called Mt Uetliberg and if you climb all the way there you will have a terrific overview of the city. 

   Zurich reminds me a lot of Cluj. Maybe that's why I always feel at home when I go there. So let me tell you what we did in the 8 days we were there :)
 

We had a very warm welcome that immediately made us feel at home :)

   Day 1 was dedicated to Swiss National Day (1st of August) so we celebrated with a delicious dinner on the terrace, catching up and watching the fireworks :)

   On day 2 we visited a beautiful farmers' market and we walked around lake Zurich for a bit. Now you'll have to believe me when I say that lake Zurich shore is heaven for me. When I arrive there and I look in the distance I immediately calm down and reach peace of mind. I just find myself smiling wide and breathe easy knowing that life is wonderful. It's one of those places you HAVE to see! :)

   Then we took a boat across lake Zurich until Rapperswil to meet Oli's cousin and her family. The boat ride took 1h and 45min and it was perfect for watching the city from afar, enjoying the breeze of the lake, taking pictures or... snoozing;) 

   Rapperswil is also called "the town of roses". It earns its name due to the more than 16,000 roses that flower in the rose gardens of the Capuchin monastery and on the "Schanz". The latter is a rose garden for the blind with particularly fragrant roses, the names of which are written in brail on guide panels. 

   The little town has very beautiful architecture and small, quaint alleys that invite you to take a stroll. Overlooking the town, the Rapperswil castle is perched high on a hill. This top spot offers breathtaking views of the lakeside surroundings. I definitely fell in love with Rapperswil!

   On day 3 we took the train to Appenzell, another little town famous for its delicious cheese and beer. I liked it very much especially because it was colourful and lively and it had great home made ice cream! 

   The landscapes in Switzerland are absolutely breathtaking! Here and there they even resemble Tuscany and they're such a vivid green that you have the feeling someone played with the saturation levels :) 

   On day 4 Oli and I visited Rietberg museum in Zurich. They had a very beautiful and impressive exhibition called Gardens of the world! That's where I began setting my roots to my gardening passion. I found the museum very informative, practic, interactive and modern, nothing like I've ever seen before! I really loved learning about the Egyptian, Italian, French and English gardens and I still remember how impressed I was about the special effects on the Korean panels :) A big plus was also the amazing luxurious park surrounding the museum. So yeah, Rietberg museum is definitely a MUST once you're in Zurich!

   Later on that day we took the train to Kandersteg to meet Oli's aunt and uncle. I relived happy memories from a year and a half before when Oli proposed under a beautiful waterfall in the same little village. We all took a walk to a restaurant/hotel without electricity called Waldhaus to have a fondue dinner (how Swiss!:) ). I still remember how amazed I was by the landscapes going up to the restaurant. Kandersteg is without any doubt a wild piece of heaven!

   The first 4 days in Switzerland have made me fall head over heels in love with the country, its landscapes, its customs and its people!