Πληρώνεις 100 ευρώ το άτομο περιμένεις στην ουρά πάνω από 1 ώρα και μισή για το κάθε παιχνίδι και το χαίρεσαι !! Η εμπειρία αυτή λέγεται Disneyland Paris

Η παραπάνω τραβήχτηκε στην ουρά πριν το χαζεμα φάλαινας και σκέφτηκα να κάνω έκκληση για εθελοντές. Μπορεί κι εσυ να θέλεις να είσαι εκεί

I was wondering for the past months why I am so attracted to fashion and beauty. First, I thought that i was brainwashed after working for the last decade of the number one beauty conglomerate. Then, i tried to think of my childhood raised up in a piece full town and living just upstairs of our family butcher shop. I could not really find any connection till this morning after attending a presentation of Valentino. The synapses of my brain signaled a new realization after seeing a picture of the married couple of Jackie Kennedy with Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Onassis wearing a Valentino wedding dress. This dress was apparently a part of Valentino history that I was not aware of but this classic image gave me food for thought. What I erased from mind till this morning, ridiculously enough, was that I was watching very passionately during my childhood the soap opera: “the bold and the beautiful”. Back in time, we had only two channels and in one of them every afternoon I was watching this series as it was something completely new to me. The fashion at that time did not say anything to me but it was more the story and the addiction of watching a soap opera. Thought this addiction left a footprint to my brain that of fashion well hidden at the back of my memories.

Linking now the above, it makes perfect sense the picture I took a month ago when I was more introduced in the Luxe world.

My journey has now started and I am really glad to embark.

Stay tuned!

Waiting at the station for the train to depart, I was feeling that the Dutch efficiency would never affect the train timetables. However, the train was delayed for 25 minutes.

For a Greek living in Denmark for the past years, there was no other option to travel from one country to another rather than the plane. I had to go to Rotterdam from Paris and I immediately thought of what is the nearest airport. No, no, no, this is not the case when you are living in Paris. There are other possibilities, namely travelling by train. This takes two hours and a half and you are directly at your destination without the need to check in or wait ages to get out from the plane. I checked my ticket how much time you need to be at the platform before the departure and only 3 minutes were needed.

The travel started very interesting as I had to make several phone calls before entering the train and I had time to do it before entering the train and not bothering my co train passengers. After all, it is only 3 minutes before the departure that the passengers can get in the train.

Rotterdam is the city of many companies. Unilever has their HQ just next to the central station. Modern buildings are existing and new constructions are happening everywhere. One of Rotterdam monuments is the Cubic houses where part of they are used as regular residencies and the other part as museum. Quite interesting approach and quite confusing at the same time how life is inside these places.

During my stay at Rotterdam I stayed in a very bad hotel named Eurohotel. When I waked up, I just wanted to leave behind this place as soon as possible. Taking this as an “opportunity”: I walked around Rotterdam as I was quite early for my meeting. I admired the Cubic houses and the big market next to them. The weather was really nice and I enjoyed my touristic walk without knowing what happened to body last night. I ended my morning walk, drinking a nice cafe latte with a piece of banana cake next to Rotterdam central station before my meeting.

Returning home the same night, I spotted on my body insect bites…. Next morning, I was ready to start my house search for finding a new apartment at Paris with some nice memories from Rotterdam engreaved in my body as insects were walking on my body during all night long. Pauvre and bitten…

Spending more than 30 min to realize that the formulas on the French Microsoft office are also translated…

I spent the past 3 years in Denmark and even I could not speak any Danish, I did not face the same challenges using the computer. Everything is in French… Not only the windows but also office… What a challenge for a poor Greek trying to do his job…

The keyboard is totally different and even the letters are in different order. I thought that as I could speak French, I could manage it… but no no no there are always things to learn for now and in the future.

Imagine your world without chocolate and how that would be…. Some people cannot survive if they do not have chocolate. The chocolate is their remedy, is their addiction. A small or a big portion of chocolate can change their mood. They could go out at night just to find for a piece of chocolate to eat. Chocolate and why people love it? The chocolate was widely known to Europe 200 years ago along. Industrial Revolution made chocolate be produced massively and reach the mouth of many Europeans. Before that the chocolate was only known to Latin America. Chocolate is made by cocoa beans which are coming from Africa in their majority and families from this region rely their income on this production.

For me, this is not the same: I would love ❤️ a world without chocolate ! I do not like chocolate especially the dark one

As a kid, I was never fond of the sweets. I could see others loving chocolate and I was eating as well but I did not like it.. At some point, I realized that I do not like it and I focused only on white sweets without chocolate.

There are so many difficulties… the world is made for those that they love chocolate. No sour sweets, no fruity sweets … if chocolate is not there, then this is not a dessert.

For me this is the opposite, dessert without chocolate is my favorite one. In Denmark, it is the only country that sweets are not always linked with chocolate. There are the cinnamon swirls, the rhubarb pie, the cream with biscuits, risalamande and of course the delicious carrot cake. This is so great !! I found a country where chocolate is not dominant. I will really miss the Danish sweets and the sour flavors with liquorice.

Sweets with sea salt for an amazing waking up of senses. The definition of the word “liquorice” is derived from the Greek γλυκύρριζα, meaning “sweet root”. If you want to make fun of a chocolate lover, buy for him a chocolate treat with liquorice. I am sure that he will spit it just after tasting it. Make the experiment and you will remember me.

The life of not chocolate eaters is not easy but there is also a hope. It is not easy to explain to your boys that dad does not like chocolate. Normally they say: our dad is a bit weird: he does not like chocolate.

Can this traumatize a child ? I do not think so . It is only a joke and an exaggeration to describe the diversity even in small things that can have an impact on someone.

The way to react when somebody, for example, when somebody says I do not like chocolate is just to acknowledge the difference and that not all the people have the same tastes.

Sarcasm is a characteristic of Scandinavian culture. What that means in reality? The definition of sarcasm is to make remarks which are the opposite of what someone says in order to criticize in a humorous way or hurt someone feelings. It is also said that the Viking sarcasm and irony travelled to Britain and made the well know British black humor.

Sarcasm is also a characteristic of other countries or cultures in a greater or smaller degree. However, Scandinavian cultures are also known, as the countries resistant to gelato phobia. What gelato phobia means? I am not afraid to be made fun of. As a result, the combination of sarcasm, irony and gelato phobia is some key components of the Nordics, which make the culture unique. People do not care for perfectionism. Someone can be dressed as he wishes and walk outside without anybody to care. The only comment that other people might say: “interesting” and the comment ends there. This means high tolerance of diversity and respect of differences without criticism.

Sarcasm without tolerance can lead to failure and hurt someone’s feeling. I am convinced that irony is part of our life and can help us to express in a positive way without trying to hurt other’s feeling. This is how I use irony but it is not always well accepted. I hope that people, in general, will be more tolerant to sarcasm, irony or gelato phobia and not look on that as a barrier. The dark humor is not linked to our dark side, it is another way to see things and if that works why don’t we try it.

Many of the above words have a Greek origin and their initial meaning was completely different that it is now. One example is the word sarcasm, which means tear skin with my teeth. Maybe the modern expression connects with the ancient one metaphorically. In the past, the meaning was to tear with my own teeth, now it is to tear someone feeling with my own words. How harm can, somebody make with his own words or how good? Words have an impact on motivation or make people go the extra mile. Good appraisal or nice words have a positive impact on the receiver and definitely helps a lot. Is it the sarcasm used to create this positive energy or keep only the good words? This is the art of using the right words for the right people and adjust. The first receiver of this writing is myself who is still trying to adapt to my audience. Always trying but not always successful.

The paradox now of the sarcasm is how sarcasm can be successful in certain people and very unsuccessful in others. Some people say that sarcasm is a sign of intelligence. However, timing is another factor that really affects the message and the receiver can take it as it is or misinterpreted. Hoping in a more acceptance of all kind of sarcasm, irony with only one target: how we can smile more in our life and enjoy every moment!

 

While using the train 🚊 in Denmark, the passengers realize that there is a separate place for them that can focus and not to be disturbed. The message of the sign is very clear and does not allow misinterpretation.

At a first glance, this is a bit weird especially when the traveler does not realize and start talking there. The fellow passengers will immediately tell the “disturbing” passenger off and will show him the sign. The sign is the law that everybody needs to respect and if not the other people are there eager to remind you.

Blinkers are the screens horses’ eyes which are used to secure that horses are not distracted on their way. Even if the blinkers are used only for horses, there are some people who wear them even, if you can not see them. What does it mean? Well people, for example, in Denmark are walking in the street focusing on their way and are not distracted, as for instance in Greece. This is true, you pass next to your neighbor or a friend and just because you are not in his “blinker periphery”, he will never see you. If you just enter his periphery, here you are, he will say hi !

In Greece, “blinkers” do not exist at all. Normally a Greek is looking all around and can spot a person 180 degrees around him or some people have the charisma of 360 degrees. Does this make Greeks more open-minded than Danish? I do not think so. It is just the way the people are focusing. Maybe weather conditions, maybe people do not care who will see them or what will say.. Do Danish wear blinkers for a reason? I do not know the reason, but I know that if some people do not say hi to me even I am next to them, I know why is that happening. The invisible “blinkers” is the reason!

 

Going out and play….

Having a break to eat something….

 Soreno boys ready for new adventures !!!

A lesson learned recently is that nothing can be accomplished by one man. Our individualistic societies should become more collective ones and embrace a more Scandinavian approach. A team can overpass all obstacles and support each other in difficult times. A team is also there to celebrate its wins. In an individualistic society, we normally tend to leave somebody to be drawn in difficult times and to show off in happy times. The trap is obvious in theory but not in practice. To overcome ourselves and care about our teams is not easy at all. We need to try harder and to leave aside our egoism.