Eurovision 2013

Last weekend it was time for Eurovision 2013. One of the things I like most is the opportunity to hear unknown artists from other European countries. It’s a huge plus if they sing in their own language. My favourites this year came from Hungary and Iceland.

Speaking of Iceland, listen to that language. Isn’t it beautiful or what?

Stockholm at 4.30 AM

I came to Stockholm to spend the day yesterday. After a few hours of sleep and some general ditziness, I’m now on the airport coach. Stockholm is lovely at this time of the day. The day has started well; the sun is rising, the birds are singing and the taxi driver had a lot of interesting things to say about the state of Europe. People inspire.

 

This morning my facebook status read:

Stockholm at 4.30 am is a very beautiful place (despite the drunk youngsters on the streets). Also had a very interesting discussion about travels, Slovakia and Russian politics - already :) Just a few hours, and I will be home in Bratislava :)

I don’t think there’s much more to add, other than that I wish the onward journey will go smoothly so that I will arrive in Vienna on time and all OK four hours from now.

Summer Food

Ingredients

Main course: tabbouleh made with couscous, fresh parsley, spring onion, tomato and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Chicken marinated and fried in a sauce made with spring onion, fresh basil, garlic, freshly squeezed lime juice and olive oil. Tzatziki. 

Fruit salad: mango, orange, pear, apple and grapes. Topped with vanilla-flavoured qvark and some lemon balm.

A Declaration of Love

Whenever I come to my parents’ house, they welcome me. The piles of dictionaries and grammar books have shown me the wonders of language. They will always remind me of my first unsure steps with Russian and Hungarian. The collections of Dostoevsky, Kundera and Murakami greet me like an old friend. The chic lit books made me laugh once upon a time, whereas all those books on politics, psychology, international relations, political philosophy, decision-making, corruption and social trust inspired a thought or two. The stories told by Kertész, Márai, Kis, Capek and Milosz take me to the world that always intrigued me -  Central and Eastern Europe. Pushkin and Bulgakov, Turgenev and Chekhov stand next to Sokholov, Solzhenitsyn, Lukyanenko, Marinina and Mayakovsky. Some of them are translated, some of them are not. They all speak to one of my deepest loves – the one for Russian language and literature.

Greek food, pasta, salads, food from the Balkans. Slow food and enjoying life through the taste buds. Training bibles and positive thinking. Guide books. It is all there. All those books, all that knowledge. I love it.

Pondelok (SK: Monday)

Cold coffee and Petöfi Radio. Chatting with classmates.

The sun is shining even though it’s past 7 pm.

I’ve been working a bit with Slovak and found some interesting expression. Or what do you say about these?

Bohatým bral, chudobným dával = He took from the rich and gave to the poor.

Keď ste si ma upiekli, tak si ma aj zjedzte! = Now that you’ve baked me, you should eat me as well!

Bez práce nie sú koláče. = Without work, there are no cakes.

Učený nikto z neba nespadol. = Learned, no one has fallen from the heavens.

Keď neprší, aspoň kvapká. = When it does not rain, at least it drips.

 

I also found some Slovak music on youtube. This is quite catchy.