Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Polish stamps

Okay, so I bought letter scale, now it's time for stamps! I bought some awsome ones from the Internet site of our post office services. I couldn't get these stamps in my post office as it's small one and they don't have big choice. So I was really happy to lay my hands on these beauties today^.^ Hohoho^^




Saturday, August 27, 2011

A postcard from... Phi Phi Islands, Thailand


In the meantime when I work, with no perspective of vacation, with rain outide the window I got this postcard from a friend who went for vacation with her fiancee to Thailand. Pretty depressing, huh?;P No, seriously, I'm happy for the postcard:) My time will come one day too:)

Friday, August 26, 2011

Been there, done that... Prague, Czech Republic

Since I write here about my passions, let me introduce my biggest one, which is travelling! Unfortunatelly, I can't travel as much as I'd like to but I go somewhere every now and then. This summer I had no vacation but there was one longer weekend in August due to holiday and for these three days I went to our neighbouring country - Czech Republic to visit their beautiful capital, Prague:) I was once in Prague but that was many many years ago, on a school trip so I didn't remember it well. Now I went again and I've seen wonders;)














Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra


Gustave Doré: Don Quijote de La Mancha
and Sancho Panza, 1863

Alonso Quijano, an aging country landlord, after reading too many books about chivarly, announces himself Don Quijote the la Mancha, the knight errant. He chooses for his lady love an unaware of anything country girl, Aldonza Lorenzo whom he entitles the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso, a princess in whose name he's going to undertake every defiances. Together with a country man of the name Sancho Pança, his squire, deluded with promises of riches and an island to govern, they set out on a journey full of adventures and imaginations. They meet all kinds of people on their way to whom Don Quijote appears as a madman, though an educated one, that talks with sense in between the ilussions of chivalrous world. And Sancho Panca a naive, simple and hilarious companion of his, that casts proverbs not always matching the situation.

I read Don Quijote for a looong time. I made a mistake to do it in English. I normally don't have problems with books in English, not even with the 'older' style but I must admit I had some troubles with this one. The small font put me off a little too. And it's a huge book. Plus I read other books along with this one. All these reasons resulted that I read about the adventures of the famous knight for so long. Finally, I finished it... well, I thought that when this day comes, it'll be "finally" but I actually feel it's a pity it ended already. Because I am totally enchanted with the characters of Don Quijote and Sancho Pança. I liked them more and more with each page. After first chapters it seemed like a hilarious story about a madman in an armour and a naive fool on an ass. But then it turned out a story about a dreamer who follows his dream and an adventurer who catches the occasion. I don't even believe Don Quijote was mad. He was crazy, his dream was hopeless but isn't it the crazy ones that make their dreams come true?  I don't believe Sancho wanted the money and reign. He wanted adventure although he maybe didn't even realise it himself. Both characters are so complex that I think everyone can see them differently. There's so much to be found in this book: the overview of Spanish society at the turn of 16th and 17th century, the satire of famous then books about knight errantry... but it's definitely not overdue as there can be found universal values as well. That's not only an adventurous story but a story about friendship and human nature and the pursuit of unattainable in spite of everyone.

I'd love to recommend this book but I already see that you can either love it or hate it. You can either be bored with it to death or enchanted. You can either take the man and his master for a fool and a madman or see something more in them.

As for myself, I fell in love with Don Quijote and Sancho. They left in my heart warm feeling and melancholy and I already miss them dearly. I am sure I'll get back to them, next time in my native language as I'm afraid I didn't catch all of Sancho's proverbs.

...and before school begins

Do you ever feel like a big child because of penpalling?^^ In Poland it's not easy to find stationery in shops but just before the beginning of the school year there are lots of notebooks with colorful sheets in some supermarkets! I love this season^^ I wander among parents with kids and look at all notebooks, and choose! I can bet people think I make shopping for some child... and they're not much mistaken, I buy for a big child in me^^

New stuff!^^


Also, in the biggest bookstore chain in my country I found the lovely folk stationery^^ I love our folk patterns, so colorful.


And my last purchase lately... postal scales^^ Finally, I can order stamps through Internet, there's much bigger choice than in my post office and I won't have to wait in a queue there anymore.



Oh, happy me^^

Monday, August 8, 2011

100 reasons to snail mail # 7

After a long time, I'm back with 100 reasons to snail mail. I didn't feel like blogging lately, lazy me. I wanted to present one reason weekly but I seem not to be able to be regular in anything:P Sooo, sorry in advance for any future breaks in 100 reasons if someone is interested in it:) In the meantime, let me tell you that through letters you can...

SHARE HOBBIES

Hobbies, interest, obsessions...;) Not always we have someone around who would share our passion for something or someone. I guess everyone knows that there's nothing worse than listening to ecstatic raptures over something out of our interest over and over again that we maybe don't even understand. Or how it is to talk to someone who doesn't know what the hell you're talking about and justs stares at you with bored "can you end this topic please" eyes. That's totally normal and understandable. Even if we love someone dearly, we can simply not have the same interests. But maybe somewhere far away is someone as crazy about something as you? Maybe someone would love to exchange ideas, news, photos connected with your passion? Maybe there is someone also "not understood", waiting for your letter about yours common favourite topic?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Wedding of Zein by Tayeb Salih

This is a charming short story. One day in a little Sudanese village spreads a gossip about the wedding of Zein. The people are astonished with the news as Zein neither has looks nor brains and is considered a weirdo in a village. He's a good boy, giving most help to disabled and poor and bringing joy to everyone with his jokes, stories and laughter. He's said to be born with laughter on his mouth instead of crying after all. Zein falls in love with different girls from the village all the time, but each time the girl is given to someone else. Because although people dearly love Zein, noone would give him his daughter. So how is it possible that Zein is getting married finally?

So that's the main story in the background of which we can observe the daily live of the Sudanese village, the habits and customs of the people there. And the other picture of muslims than it is given in the books about badly treated women and tv programms about fanatics. I think we need more literature like this.

 PS. And the cover of Polish edition is so lovely :D The colors are as warm as the story inside;)