ADRIANA'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF MEDIAS

Adriana was proud of the medieval city in which she lived.  Medias is in Transylvania, in the middle of Romania.  Its most famous structure is probably the Trumpeters' Tower, dating from the mid-Fifteenth Century.  I'll begin with Adriana's photographs of it.  Yes, it leans.  It leans more than any other tower in Europe except the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Center of the city.

The town hall.

Aurel Vlaicu Street

"Another Never Ending Street"

Church Towers by Day

By Night

"Wires, wires, wires. . ."

"June Sky"

"June Sky 2"

Adriana's route from home (lower) to her office (upper right)

Along the way . . . mist over the railroad and pine forest

"Railroad and Crows (Gypsies)"

"A Solitary Oak"

"Hills Around the City"

"Back Home"

A View from Adriana's House

ADRIANA'S IMPORTANT DREAMS

Adriana told me about two important dreams.

The first was from the time before she met me.  She dreamed that a spaceship came, and she was told she had the choice of leaving on the spaceship and exploring the universe, in which case she could never come back home, or she could decline the invitation.  After much deliberation she decided not to go.  It was a very difficult decision because there was nothing she loved more than outer space and space travel.  She often thought about that dream, and my impression was that she sometimes wondered if she had made the right choice.

The second vivid and memorable dream came about a week before she suddenly collapsed into a coma.  She dreamed that she was in an "alternative reality", and that it was not a space travel dream. I'm fairly sure that she told me "there were people there", and that she had a choice whether to stay there or not.  This dream seemed uncanny to me when she soon passed into a new reality.

This reminds me for some reason of this beautiful thing she sent to me.  Please click the picture so you can read the poem which she translated.

ADRIANA GROWN UP

Thanks to Adriana's mother for this picture.

FOOD!

Being very interested in food and cooking, I often asked Adriana to send me pictures of what she was eating.  I think her mother must be the best cook in Medias, if not Romania.  An artist.

Ghiveci, my favorite.

Sauté onions and green peppers, cut up in small pieces. (2 each)
Add celery, carrots, parsley root, and continue sauté.
Then add a little water and some green beans.

Boil. Add pepper, and salt when carrots are almost done.
Add eggplant pieces. Not too small.
Add little tomato pieces (2 tomatoes).

Potatoes optional (or rice)

Add parsley.

Homemade!

THE GARDEN

From the garden and fruit trees many things are preserved for winter use.

Grape vine planted by Adriana's grandfather.

                        

Gogosari.  Similar to American bell peppers but with a different flavor.

 

Pickled gogosari.

ALEX THE ACTOR and NEGRUTZ THE LADIES' MAN

Alex became Alex the Actor, famed in films and adored by fans, not so much because of his good looks as because of his singing voice.  If I can learn how to link a video clip, you will be able to hear Alex's song.

Although very bold in his adventure movies, in real life Alex is afraid of thunder.

Alex likes to lie inside the garden gate with his nose to this drain pipe so he can sniff everything interesting that passes on the street.

Negrutz is quite a contrast to the sophisticated and well traveled Alex.  He spends most of his time visiting the lady cats of his neighbourhood and fighting.

Negrutz in the gutter -- a typical pose.

Negrutz, Jr.?

The Actor on vacation.

AN INTERVIEW WITH GOD

by Octavian Paler
Translated from Romanian by Adriana Papara


"You would like to interview me", God said.

"If you have time."

God smiled.

"My time is ETERNITY. What do you want to ask me?


"What surprises you the most about humans?"

God responded:

"The fact that they are bored with their childhood and are in a hurry to grow up . . . and then crave to be children.
"They lose their health by making money . . . and after that, they lose their money to regain their health.
"The fact that they are afraid about their future and forget the present, and so they don't live the present or the future; they live as if they will never die and die as if they have never lived."

God took my hand and we stayed silent for awhile.
Then I asked,

"As a parent, what should be the lessons about life that your kids have to know?"

"To learn that it takes just a few seconds to open deep wounds in the heart of loved ones.  And it takes years to cure these wounds.
"To learn that a rich man is not the one who has the 'most'; he is the man who needs less.
"To learn that there exist people who love but who don't know how to express their feelings.
"To learn that two men can see the same thing and see it in a different way.
"To learn that it is not enough to forgive others, but also they have to forgive themselves."

"Thanks for your time" I said, "But is there something else that humans have to know?"

God looked at me, laughing, . . and said:

"Just the fact that I am here FOREVER."

ADRIANA'S ROOM

When Adriana climbed to the stars, she was living with her parents in the same beautiful 100 year old house in which her grandparents had raised her during her earliest years.  The house was completely renovated and modernized before and during the time I was exchanging daily live messages with Adriana.  Above is a picture of her street, Strada Oituz.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENLARGE THE PICTURES.  Click on a picture to make it larger.

                           "My Room"

"Guess What?" Her computer desk, and (below) computer screen.  I took the background photograph at Blue Springs Park, Florida, near where I live.  Beyond her window is the kitchen building.

"Bibelouri -  My Room"

"Flowers --  My Room"

        "Look, look"  (The Florida souvenir and the figurine were presents from me.)

  "Snowdrops -- My Room"