Freedom fighter Tadeusz Kościuszko. Pl. Wolności (Freedom Square.)
WASK.
“I am another.”
“We are under protection, i.e. defenseless.”
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral ~ An Orthodox Church built at the end of the 19th century. The Cathedral was financed by the most prominent factory owners at that time, Karl Scheibler, Izrael Poznanski and Luliusz Kunitzer (none of whom were actually Orthodox Christians), to celebrate the miraculous survival of Russian Emperor Alexander II from an assassination attempt in 1879. (Poland was a part of Russia at the time). https://theculturetrip.com/europe/poland/articles/the-top-10-things-to-do-and-see-in-lodz/
“Moldovans, therefore, Romanians.” A lot of graffiti on the walls of Chişinău depict a growing segment of the population that would like to see the two countries merge into one.
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anaïs Nin
Last December I was sitting in a cafe and got to thinking about what a friend had suggested to me ~ she said “since your blog is growing and you lead a rather unique existence traveling from city to city, country to country all year long, why not ask for some sponsors to help you along your journey?”
I didn’t know what to think of that because I don’t want a lot of stuff, I just need the essentials. In the cafe, I looked at what was in front of me: a coffee (Hey Lavazza, wanna sponsor me?) and a pen and my Rhodia pad. And I thought, since I’m always buying a supply of Rhodia pads once a year to get me through to the next — why not try to email them and see if I might be able to explain my history with their stationery and to see if I could get a few for my 2017 travels and to help promote their brand at the same time ~ the response came quickly and within a couple of weeks, I got my Rhodias for the year!
I use my Rhodia pads for trip planning, for artist interview notes, for anecdotes intended to go into a much larger written work at some point, and for general observations on my adventures.
I love my Rhodias because of the various sizes I can use, and because sometimes I want dotted, sometimes blank, and most of the time, lined paper to write on.
I took my Rhodia Pads all over the world with me this year to:
Beirut, Lebanon ~ Cocoa Beach, Florida ~ Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, Timisoara, Romania ~ Budapest, Hungary ~ Salzburg, Vienna, Austria ~ Munich, Frankfurt Germany ~ New York City ~ Chisinau, Moldova ~ Transnistria
Please check out their website for all of their stationery collections. There will be a collection that’s just perfect for you:https://rhodiapads.com
Leaning against a mural for an artist interview in Cocoa Beach, FloridaWriting thoughts on a train from Salzburg, Austria to Munich, Germany.Writing morning thoughts on my balcony in Beirut, Lebanon.Sitting in a garden in Bucharest, Romania.Trying to figure out where to go next whilst sitting somewhere in RomaniaWith me on my very first visit to the most famous restaurant in Bucharest, Romania: Caru cu Bere!Artist interview with Izzy Izvne in Chisinau, MoldovaWriting notes in Transnistria. Photo by: Svitlana BulkinaHaving a beer at Caru cu Bere in Bucharest, RomaniaFor jotting thoughts down on long bike ridesOn the subway in New York City
I’m a nomad. I’m a minimalist. I own a few things. My things will never own me. I do not want to travel the world with anything that I don’t need; that I don’t see as practical, useful, and light. For this reason, last December, I sought out a few companies that shared my philosophy about life, adventure, and travel. I found Nomad’s website and searched to see if there was anything I could use, and to reciprocate, if there was anything I could help promote.
Well, I don’t have a phone. I already told you I was a minimalist. So, that left out any need of their awesome accessories for smartphone cases or smartwatch straps. I’m a blogger and a photographer. I do need constant charging capabilities for my iPad and cameras with usb cables (preferably short with no messy wires.) I took a chance and let the guys know who I was, what I did, and what I would love from Nomad to take around the globe with me.
They gave me a Lightning carabiner that I still have and still use constantly, a carabiner for my GoPro (sad to say that was lost or stolen somewhere in Beirut – hey, that’s the life of a nomad, and hopefully someone else is out there using it,) and a rugged cable, which they say lasts at least five years, but I can’t imagine it not still working for me in a decade from now.
Take my word for it – my year’s experience with these products – if there was any problem at all, I would share it here, as I’m not guaranteed to get any more gear from them for 2018. I’m staying true to who I am and I want other minimalist adventurers to have the opportunity to travel as light and efficiently as possible, too.
My Nomad goods travelled with me in 2017 to:
Beirut, Lebanon ~ Cocoa Beach, Florida ~ Chisinau, Moldova ~ Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, and Timisoara, Romania ~ Salzburg and Vienna, Austria ~ Budapest, Hungary ~ Munich and Frankfurt, Germany ~ London, England ~ New York City, New York ~ Miami, Florida
and it kept my stuff charged up so that I could keep my blog going everywhere along the way!
On the beach in Cocoa Beach, Florida – so small and light, just hooks onto my backpackOn location for a photo shoot for my blog at artist David Rothman’s mural in Cocoa Beach, Florida.Charging my iPad with the lightning carabiner connected to my laptopOn location for a photo shoot for my blog at artist Izzy Izvne’s wall in Chisinau, Moldova.An end-of-the-year return to Cocoa Beach and the Nomad carabiner is still going strong
December 2017
If you are interested in checking out all of the minimalist gear that Nomad has to offer, please click on the link at the top of the page ~ Happy New Year!!
The only thing that can save the world is the reclaiming of the awareness of the world.– Allen Ginsberg
Artist: Ron English
Artist: Space Invader
Greenwich VillageArtist: B.D. White
Artist: STIK
Marquis de Lafayette. Union Square. Dedicated in 1876. Sculptor: Frederic Auguste Bartholdi Donated by the French residents of New York. Lafayette was a French-born general who fought on behalf of American rebels during the American Revolution.
“I won’t tell you that the world matters nothing, or the world’s voice, or the voice of society. They matter a good deal. They matter far too much. But there are moments when one has to choose between living one’s own life, fully, entirely, completely—or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands. You have that moment now. Choose!” ― Oscar Wilde
Artist Phoebe New York Newest Ron English piece on St Marks and 1st Artists Voxx Romana, City Kitty, and Turtle CapsBy artist Praxis, a Colombian now based in NYCKilling Kermit. East Village, NYCArtist Golden 305Unicorn by Miami-based artist Golden 305in Bushwick, BrooklynWarhol by SacSix Basquiat
Arriving to Budapest Keleti Railway Station with a small train house on the left.The back of Danubius Well facing the ‘new’ Budapest Eye (the ferris wheel opened in mid-March of this year.) Danubius Well: The first fountain in Budapest. It was inaugurated in 1883 at Kálvin tér (a downtown square,) but moved to its present location in Erzsébet Square in 1959. Sculptor: Leó Feszler. The statues symbolize the main rivers of the country: Danube, Tisza, Drava and Sava.Bustling to and fro in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István-bazilika). Completed in 1905. Named in honor of the first King of Hungary (circa 975–1038), Stephen, whose right hand is supposedly housed within.
Imposing, breathtaking, awe-inspiring architecture affecting the passersby all over the city.Budapest Keleti (Eastern) Railway Station. Opened 133 years ago on August 16, 1884. Designed in the eclectic style (a mixture of many artistic styles) by Gyula Rochlitz and János Feketeházy.
The sun shines on the Budapest Eye.Rákóczi út (Rákóczi Avenue) ~ Named for Francis II Rákóczi, a Hungarian nobleman who led the uprising against the Habsurgs in 1703-1711. He was also the Prince of Transylvania. He is considered to be national hero.
One of my best ‘out of the train window’ series ever. The dark brooding sky fulfilled its promise of a rain and lightning storm later in the evening…and the spontaneous communions with smiling Romanians who spotted my camera, made this a lovely post to ponder:
Black Cat by 
Ochiul . E y e .
Easily one of the most prolific graff writers in Chişinău: MUHA 575
Rick and Morty stencil. Artist unknown.
MUHA 575 . 
LSD Kitty 🐱.
3LB Crew .
“Moldovans, therefore, Romanians.” A lot of graffiti on the walls of Chişinău depict a growing segment of the population that would like to see the two countries merge into one.
