Loredana (2)

Here's another shot from the Loredana's concert... of course, I did some work on it, as you can see!

Today's joke:

What's the difference between a pessimist and an optimist?
The optimist learn English, the pessimist learn Chinese!

Canola Field

I took this shot two years ago while traveling through Romania (at that time I was riding a train)... this image is from Alba county.

Today's joke:

A truck driver was driving along on the freeway and noticed a sign that read: Low Bridge Ahead. Before he knows it, the bridge is right in front of him and his truck gets wedged under it. Cars are backed up for miles.
Finally a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says:
"Got stuck, huh?"
The truck driver says:
"No, I was delivering this bridge and I ran out of fuel!"

Chromo Cars

I was just tryin' to remove some cars from this image, when it came up to me the idea of changing all the cars into... chrome! The shot was taken in Engers, Germany.

Today's joke:

On his 77th birthday, Pete got a gift certificate from his wife Molly.
The certificate paid for a visit to a medicine man living on a nearby reservation who was rumored to have a cure for erectile dysfunction.
After being persuaded, Pete drove to the reservation and handed his gift certificate to the medicine man.
The medicine man produced a potion, handed it to Pete, and with a grip on his shoulder warned, "This is powerful medicine and it must be respected. You take only a teaspoonful and then say '1-2-3.' When you do that, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life and you will be able to perform as long as you want."
Pete was encouraged. As he walked away he turned and asked, "How do I stop the medicine from working?"
The medicine man responded, "Your partner must say '1-2-3-4,' but when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon."
Eager to see if it would work, Pete went home, showered, shaved, took a teaspoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, "1-2-3". Immediately, he was the manliest of men.
His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes. And then she asked, "What was the 1-2-3 for?"

And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition...because we could end up with a dangling participle...

Bran Castle

This is another manipulation, of course! As you can see on the lower image, which is actually the original shot, I captured the castle during the day (For those who don't know, the castle is located in the city of Bran, pretty close to Brasov, a large city from Romania... hope you gonna like it!


Now, have you ever thought of learning chinese? Well, here's your first lesson!

Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes!!!


(Must Read Out Loud)


1) That's not right………………………….Sum Ting Wong

2) Are you harbouring a fugitive…………..Hu Yu Hai Ding

3) See me ASAP…………………………Kum Hia

4) Stupid Man……………………………….Dum Gai

5) Small Horse………………………………Tai Ni Po Ni

6) Did you go to the beach…………………Wai Yu So Tan

7) I bumped the coffee table……………….Ai Bang Mai Ni

8) I think you need a face lift………………..Chin Tu Fat

9) It's very dark in here……………………Wai So Dim

10) I thought you were on a diet…………….Wai Yu Mun Ching

11) This is a tow away zone………………….No Pah King

12) Our meeting is scheduled for next week………WaiYu Kum Nao

13) Staying out of sight……………………..Lei Ying Lo

14) He's cleaning his automobile……………Wa Shing Ka

15) Your body odor is offensive…………….Yu Stin Ki Pu

Christianity

An important moment in everyone's life: the baptizing day. So it was here, in the City of Alba Iulia, the daughter of a good friend of mine getting baptized.

Hermannstadt

Hermannstadt is the old name of the City of Sibiu, Romania. The first official record referring to the Sibiu area comes from 1191, when Pope Celestine III confirmed the existence of the free prepositure of the German settlers in Transylvania, the prepositure having its headquarters in Sibiu, named Cibinium at that time, later becoming Hermanstadt. It was probably built near a Roman settlement, that's why the name of Cibinium

Holsten

Actually the place is called PUB 13 and it is located inside the historical fortress of Alba Iulia, Romania

Rametz Monastery

The front entrance of the new church



The old church

The monastery is located in the proximity of village of Rametz, Alba County, Romania (about 20 km off the State Route 1 from the city of Teius), in the Rametz Gorges, by the Stremt River (Trascau Mountains). The Rametz Gorges are extremely narrow, with steep walls. The region was declared natural reservation.

Today's joke:

An elderly Italian man who lived on the outskirts of Rimini (Italy, of course!), went to the local church for confession. When the priest slid open the panel in the confessional, the man said:
"Father.. During World War II, a beautiful Jewish woman from our neighborhood knocked urgently on my door and asked me to hide her from the Nazis So I hid her in my attic."
The priest replied: "That was a wonderful thing you did, and you have no need to confess that."
"There is more to tell, Father.. She started to repay me with sexual favors. This happened several times a week, and sometimes twice on Sundays."
The priest said:
"That was a long time ago and by doing what you did, you placed the two of you in great danger, but two people under those circumstances can easily succumb to the weakness of the flesh. However, if you are truly sorry for your actions, you are indeed forgiven."
"Thank you, Father. That's a great load off my mind. I do have one more question."
"And what is that?" asked the priest.
"Should I tell her the war is over?''

La multi ani, Romania!

Romanian and EU flags



Romanian map in 1918



Military parade on December 1st

Today is the Romania's National Day! It used to be May 10th while Romania was a kingdom, then the communists changed it to August 23rd, the day when they seized the power and turned against Nazis, and finally after the fall of communism, the gov't changed it to December 1st, the day when back in 1918 the missing part of Romania, Transylvania, became once again part of Romania.

Winterized

The winter is near...

(Shot taken in Arieseni, RO)

Living under snow

Winter is near, so be prepared for the worse!
About this shot, it was taken in the village of Arieseni, Romania. As I mentioned in some of my previous posts, that's a very beautiful area for those who love winter games, winter views and fresh but cold air!

Today's joke:

25 signs you've grown up:
Your house plants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.
Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
You hear your favorite song on an elevator.
You watch the Weather Channel.
Your friends marry and divorce instead of hook up and break up.
You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
You're the one calling the police because those damn kids next door won't turn down the stereo.
Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
Your car insurance goes down and your payments go up.
You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonalds leftovers.
Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
You no longer take naps from noon to 6 PM.
Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff."
You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
"I just can't drink the way I used to," replaces, "I'm never going to drink that much again."
90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
You no longer drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you!!!

Me... in her sunglasses!

The winter is coming, but I'm still dreaming of hot summer beaches!

Today's joke:

Mary's bedtime pray:
- God, please make somehow that London to be Denmark's Capital because that's what I wrote on my exam!

Toppings

Another old shot from the City of Sibiu - aka Hermannstadt - (the old side of the city), Romania.
Hmm, two months ago I met a German couple in Harlingen, TX... they were traveling by their own RV brought from Germany (registered in Germany), which RV was broke down. They asked me for help, initially they thought it's the battery and a jump start will do it, but it wasn't that simple, so I gave 'em my cell to call ADAC (German version of AAA) for help... well, finally the problem was fixed after hours of waiting and lots of calls. Anyways, what I wanted to say, this German guy, Raymund, told me that he visited Sibiu and he founded a really pleasant city, but before visiting it, he was warned that there are Romanians that live underground by the roads, and as soon as they see some foreigners, they attack (robbery)!!! The minute I heard that, I laughed but then I realized how the things work when you don't want tourists to go somewhere else, especially when it's about East...

Today's joke:

Q: It is true that Czechoslovakia asked USSR for help?
A: Yes, it's true! They requested it in 1939 and the approval came in 1968!

Central Plaza

Central Plaza - City of Brasov, Romania
Postworked, of course... I just increased the colors tones and sharpened, then separately I changed the sky's hue, which actually was cloudy...

Today's joke:

NEW DRUGS FOR WOMEN

D A M N I T O L
Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to hell for up to 8 full hours.

ST. M O M M A' S W O R T H
Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering preschoolers unconscious for up to two days.

E M P T Y N E S T R O G E N
Suppository that eliminates melancholy and loneliness by reminding you of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out.

P E P T O B I M B O
Liquid silicone drink for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and prevents conception.

D U M B E R O L
When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low IQ, resulting in enjoyment of country music and pickup trucks.

F L I P I T O R
Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.

M E N I C I L L I N
Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to such lethal lines as, "You make me want to be a better person . Can we get naked now?

BUYAGRA
Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping Increases potency, duration, and credit limit of spending spree.

J A C K A S S P I R I N
Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday, anniversary, phone number, or to lift the toilet seat.

A N T I-T A L K S I D E N T
A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers in elevators.


N A G A M E N T
When administered to a boyfriend or husband, provides the same irritation level as nagging him

Bran Castle by Night

This is another manipulation, of course! As you can see on the lower image, which is actually the original shot, I captured the castle during the day (For those who don't know, the castle is located in the city of Bran, pretty close to Brasov, a large city from Romania... hope you gonna like it!



Now, have you ever thought of learning chinese? Well, here's your first lesson!

Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes!!!


(Must Read Out Loud)


1) That's not right………………………….Sum Ting Wong

2) Are you harbouring a fugitive…………..Hu Yu Hai Ding

3) See me ASAP…………………………Kum Hia

4) Stupid Man……………………………….Dum Gai

5) Small Horse………………………………Tai Ni Po Ni

6) Did you go to the beach…………………Wai Yu So Tan

7) I bumped the coffee table……………….Ai Bang Mai Ni

8) I think you need a face lift………………..Chin Tu Fat

9) It's very dark in here……………………Wai So Dim

10) I thought you were on a diet…………….Wai Yu Mun Ching

11) This is a tow away zone………………….No Pah King

12) Our meeting is scheduled for next week………WaiYu Kum Nao

13) Staying out of sight……………………..Lei Ying Lo

14) He's cleaning his automobile……………Wa Shing Ka

15) Your body odor is offensive…………….Yu Stin Ki Pu

Old England

Another shot from Paris, with its beautiful architecture. The building from this image is Le Grand Hotel, at first level it's Old England, a fashion store.

Today's joke:

Mrs. Johnson decided to have her own portrait painted by a very famous artist. She told the artist:
- Paint me with 3-carat diamond earrings, a large diamond necklace, glimmering emerald bracelets, and a beautiful red ruby pendant.
- But ma'am, you are not wearing any of those things!
- I know, said Mrs. Johnson. My health is not good, and my husband is having an affair with his secretary. When I die I'm sure he will marry her, and I want the bitch to go nuts looking for the jewelry...

Bucharest before Christmas

Well, I didn't know which one to pick, so I've decided to post both versions... the choice is your! I took this shot in december '07 in the romanian capital, Bucharest, just before Christmas. Of course, the moon was added by me, not by nature...

Today's joke:

One Sunday morning, everyone in one bright, beautiful, tiny town got up early and went to the local church.

Before the services started, the townspeople were sitting in their pews and talking about their lives, their families, etc. Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church. Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate.

Soon everyone was evacuated from the church, except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew, not moving... seemingly oblivious to the fact that God's ultimate enemy was in his presence. Now this confused Satan a bit, so he walked up to the man and said:
- Don't you know who I am?
The man replied:
- Yep, sure do.
- Aren't you afraid of me? Satan asked.
- Nope, sure ain't, said the man.
Satan was a little perturbed at this and queried:
- Why aren't you afraid of me?
The man calmly replied:
- Been married to your sister for over 48 years!

Intrepidity

This is an older shot that I took while visiting the City of Luxembourg in 2006.

For today I picked some wisdom sayings...

Man who run in front of car get "tired".

Man who run behind car get "exhausted".

War does not determine who is right, war determine who is left.

Wife who put husband in doghouse soon find him in cathouse.

Man who fight with wife all day get nothing at night.

Man who drive like hell, bound to get there.

Man who live in glass house should change clothes in basement.

Man who fish in other man's well often catch crabs.

Crowded elevator smell different to midget.

La Vie a Paris

Here another collage with images from Paris, a collage that tries to show the people of Paris... well, maybe most of them were tourists just like me! But it's fun walking on Paris's streets...

Today's joke:

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the White House in D.C., one from Illinois, one from Tennessee and a third one from Kentucky. They all go with a White House official to examine the fence. The Tennessee contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil:
- Well, he says, I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me.
The Kentucky contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says:
- I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me.
The Illinois contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers:
- $2,700.
The official, incredulous, whispers back:
- You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?
The Illinois contractor whispers back:
- $1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire that guy from Kentucky to fix the fence!
- Done! replies the government official. And that my friends, is how it all works!!!

Poppy Field

This is a mixture of two shots, one from North Carolina - which actually it was in a rest area from I-77, just north of Charlotte, and the other one from Romania.

Got a joke too!

A guy comes to an auto shop with a badly damaged car, asking the mechanic to fix it. The mechanic takes a look at that pile of junk, and while scratching his head, asks the guy:
- What happened?
- Well, my wife hit a tree, answers the guy.
- How many times?