Then the weekend came.
Oh, thank God. Something to do, people to see, things to talk about, events to go to. On Friday evening, my friends and I decided on a whim to go out and get some shaorma. The sight of being in the town's center and it was relatively empty was a puzzling scene. Usually, centru is filled with people Friday evening, but not this time. Perhaps it was because the temperature drops low at night, but there were few people strolling downtown. The purple, pink, rose, and gold lighting lighting up the cobblestone street was serene and besotting to my eye. The amalgam of the colours produced a vibrant yet drained effect; I just stared at the colours, taking its intensity in. On top of that, I considered the hour. It wasn't even late--it was around 10 pm, but still, only a handful of people were brave enough to brave the not-quite-so cold temperature and enjoy a brisk walk. Regardless, it was nothing for a Canadian, who has braced countless cold evenings, so the Romanian autumn is nothing I can't handle. With our meals in tow, we veered towards a nearby park, because eating them a couple of meters away was a no-no. We should be different and not eat it so close by (because that would mean we're tourists, and God forbid we give that impressions to others). So we went a park instead. The scene before me was something out of a children's novel. Something akin to C.S. Lewis's description of autumn, it was jarringly eerie due the hour, yet hauntingly beautiful. The fluorescent lighting of the street lamps, with its archaic design and dark colour gave the impression of a deserted castle. The park bench is illuminated by the nearby lamp, the fallen leaves paving a path towards the seat. The crinkling of the leaves underneath your foot echoes throughout the park, crunching incessantly as you walk. The intermingling colours of burnt orange, smoky yellow, and vibrant red were hazy under the hazy light. Meanwhile, in the midst of this beautiful scenery, we ate the warm shaorma while discussing pertinent matters. We were the only ones in the park, so we had the liberty of talking about whatever our hearts desired. Precious moments such as this are ones I'll cherish later on in life, pointing out the importance of the location when I recollect because that was where an important moment happened.
{ top: H&M; cargidan: C&A; pants: Zara; flats: Enzo Angiolini; bag: Metter; watch: Tissot }
I should also mention that this weekend was Toamna Oradeana, a 9-day festival celebrating the 901th anniversary of the town. (Yes, you read that number correctly.) The festival consisted of renowned Romanian acts that came to town and attracted thousands of people. It was as if I was crawling through a sea of people. It was exhausting and overwhelming; there were so many people. I'm not a socially anxious person, but the sheer amount of people constantly moving and standing in one place was weird. In addition to the constant waves of people coming and going, there were various stands of food, merchandise, and local artists selling their portraits, photos, etc. There were various vendors selling mititei (traditional Romanian meats), French fries, grilled chicken and beef, and onion rings. Half of the vendors sold kurtos kalacs (traditional Hungarian pastry that consists of sugar, walnuts, or coconut shredding on sweet dough). Traditional Romanian beverages were also available to the masses, including beer, vin fiert, Fanta, Pepsi, etc. You essentially get the picture. So my friends and I sat on the bench indulging in the food while waiting for the concert to start. There were so many people that I struggled knowing where to look. Should I look ahead, left, right, behind me? We last for maybe 15 minutes, until the artist sang her popular songs. After that, we left and started walking around. Realizing that escaping the hoards of people was probably a good idea, we ventured towards a more secluded area. However, this innovative idea (to go to Ciuperca and witness the fireworks) was something that 150 other people thought of as well. Find a parking spot that is akin to a tetris block, we sat in the car and chatted until the fireworks started. Gazing at the plethora of colours exploding in the sky was extraordinary--it was so beautiful. This reminded me of Canada Day, when I would sit by Lake Simcoe and watch the fireworks lit up the sky and reflected on the lake, creating a glassy effect. The firework show lasted 10 minutes and then the evening came to a glorious close.
On Monday, it was Thanksgiving in Canada. Even though I don't live in Canada anymore, I still like to celebrate many Canadian holidays. For example, having a day every year to remember all the things you are thankful is not a bad idea. It forces you to recollect all your blessings, all the good in your life, and everything that has produced good things. And so, I will introduce you to a family tradition: Every Thanksgiving, when we are sitting at the dinner table, we go around and say what we are thankful for this year.
This year, I'm thankful for: my family, my boyfriend, my friends, the fact that I got to move to Romania (and subsequently to Europe), that God is still working and will continue to work in my life, and that I'm constantly learning something new. It was a good weekend.
What are you thankful for?
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