Instructions for making an excellent tea

Making an excellent tea is not as easy as some people think, you have to be careful in many details. It is said that in tea we can find the spiritual properties attributed by the Chinese or the Japanese for many centuries. The truth is that thanks to them, tea has got a new meaning, it is not just a drink, but something else that allows us to enjoy the moment and appreciate its aromas and flavors.

Those two nations built, or rather, created specific ceremonies around the tea. They give us some tips how to prepare, drink and also how to serve tea properly, they do everything to calm down and to feel the feeling of harmony. However, in addition to the Chinese and the Japanese, the Moroccans also present us with an example of perfect tea. Now let's see how Moroccan tea is traditionally prepared.

At the beginning of the preparation of the tea, we should do it in a classic kettle in which we throw a good amount of green tea with a lot of fresh mint, we can say that we stuffed the kettle with mint. Also, what for others may seem very weird, we add a lot of sugar to make it very sweet. Afterwards, we do something else, we flood the tea with the boiling water, which in the fans' opinion is not too good to do it. Additionally there are people who then put the kettle on the fire to boil more, but it is not necessary.

We have to remember that the container in which we want to serve our tea also has great importance. There are people who prefer a cup or just a glass. What is more interesting about Moroccan tea is that we throw the glass from a height so that when it falls, it will foam. When you finish making this perfect tea, in each glass filled with this wonderful drink should appear a little mint for decoration and for flavor. And now we just have to enjoy this nectar of the gods.

The first communion of my little cousin

The last weekend I had a chance to spend time in Cracow with my family celebrating the first communion of my little cousin Wiktoria. I have to admit it was a great weekend, I have not had such a fun for a long time. On Saturday, my sister and I had couple things to do but when everything was done we went for a long walk through the city. At the beginning, we went to the old town where we had a relaxing coffee admiring at the same time our surroundings and talking about many things, as befits women. Then, we decided to go to a place where they sold the best ice cream in Cracow in my sister’s opinion. After trying it, I had to agree with her, because the ice cream was delicious and had an unique taste.

Sunday, was the most expecting day for my little cousin. In the morning, before going to the church she was nervous but I guess it is a normal reaction, we all were stressed at that day.

However, we all know that this day is special not because of the spiritual experience. The reason of this is something else. Yes, you think correctly! This day is so exacting because of the gifts which children get from their guests at this day. Nowadays, children get such spectacular and amazing things that everyone would like to.

After the church, we went to a restaurant where the communion party took place. It was a really nice local and the food was very tasty. The party did not last long, but it was enough time to talk to everyone about things which are normally put forward at the family meetings.

At the end, Wiktoria collected a quite good amount of money. The day after I had to come back to Poznań but it did not go smoothly because of train troubles. Nonetheless, a trip without handicaps is not a trip J

Treasure found in the village

_{As I promised you in the latest post, today I am going to tell you about the second finding. This time it is  something small but I guess it has a bigger value. So the first questions which probably appears in your mind is: What is it? Well, it is a coin, but not a normal one like one groszy. It is a coin called the Swiss franc. When I found out about it, I decided to look for more information, and as usually in such a situation I surf on Internet. The coin of the Swiss franc is official coins used currently in Switzerland, but it is not the most surprisingly fact about it.} 

_{According Wikipedia, these coins are among the world’s oldest coint valid today. That is why, I am so happy to have this coin in my collection. What is more, it was unusually to find it on the ground in the forest. As you can imagine it should not have been something easy to pick it up  in such a place like forest where everything is grass-grown and normally, when you lose something there you will not find it easily or in the worst situation at all.  However, I was lucky, I remember that I was walking slowly admiring my surroundings and suddenly something flashed on the green not so far away from me. Not thinking too much I got close and took a closer look at the surface and immediately I notice the coin. When I took it in my hands, at first sight I thought "Wow, it must be some ancient coin" and I felt as an explorer who had found a forgotten treasure. The truth is that transcription written in Latin bluff me.}

_{The circulating of the coins have changed and since 2004, the existing pure nickel 20 centime coins have been withdrawn from the circulation because the was a problem with machines which could not  detect them. Nowadays, in circulation there are seven coins and all coins except 5 centime coin in aluminum bronze (one of which I have found) are in a copper nickel.}

The quiet life in the village

_{Recently, I have had a choice to go to a small village next to my hometown and spend there a whole day. I must admit that it was a really beautiful and relaxing time. I have not felt so good for a long time. I went there together with my family. I was grateful that the weather was so pleasant for us, the sky had an amazing blue color without any clouds which could stop the sunshine.}

_{From the beginning I noticed that living in a small village is quite different than living in a city. The air was so fresh and refreshing, I could feel the smell of the nearest forest and enjoying the silence which any city and even the smallest town could offer. Being outside you could enjoying the wonderful nature arrounding everthing. My sister and me decided to take  a walk into the forest to discover some new places and  feel better  the atmosphere of the village. Ohh, the most important thing that I have forgotten to tell you guys is the name of this colorful place. The village is called Bliżów and it is localized in the Southeast part of Poland, very close to Zamość. So, if you ever have an opportunity to go there I recommend you, for sure you will not regret it J}

_{To continue, we went to the forest, to be honest I hoped we would see some animals, like boars, fawns, but we were not lucky enough, the only animals we saw, were some kinds of birds and that is all, but it is always something. After a while of hanging around, we noticed something big on the ground. Immediately I closed to this thing to find out what was that. It turned out that we came across an antler left by moose. I was amazed to find it, and took it in my hands and could not believe how heavy and strong it was. After all of this, we came back to my uncle’s house and we showed the antler to my parents. It was the main attraction of the rest of the evening, everyone wanted to carry or touch it.}

_{What I have to tell you guys is that it was the only thing that we found that day. But about the second treasure I will tell you in the next post. So see you soon and I hope you have a great time.}

Spanish bullfighting

In Spain, bullfighting forms a large part of culture and tradition. In some Spanish regions, such as in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, this bullfighting event has been held for a long time and remains one of the most important and well-known entertainment in Spain. However, the bullfight is considered a very controversial show and not always enjoys good reputation among some people. Lately, different organizations have been formed  to fight against the mistreatment of animals, especially the bulls that are used in this show, which according to the opponents, is a cruel spectacle that should be banned quickly.

Thus, a controversy occurs not only within Spanish society, but also outside the country. There are two sides and each has  reasons and rights to express the opinion. The opponents who in most part are the defenders of the rights of the animals, say that the bullfights are a pure sample of the violence towards the bulls that are not in conditions to oppose the man. Also, they believe that the bulls, these poor animals, should not be mistreated by the attraction of the people, which is just a brutal act and not humanitarian at all. Thanks to many occasions, they ask us to realize that during these shows, the bulls not only suffer a lot, but above all they are killed. For what? Why can people have a little fun? In his opinion, no creation of God can be treated in this way, that the barbarian times are over and all beings even animals deserve respect.

The opponents think that it is very important that we take into account that the treatment of the bulls is totally unfair since they also have feelings and surely feel the pain. They are also not able to defend themselves, in other words, it is an unequal struggle in which only man can win.
On the other hand, there are people who see in the animal bulls that are created to fight and also die in this way. Fans of bullfighting do not see anything wrong with these shows, what's more, they consider this event to be the perfect fun to spend their free time with family and friends. They often say that seeing a bullfight can feel like people in antiquity who also enjoyed time like this and point out that bullfighting is a very long tradition that they wanted to keep as long as possible.

In spite of this, the organizations that continue fighting for the equal treatment of the animals, show their opposition to the celebration of the tournament. Thanks to this, they have achieved that the controversy, the tension and therefore also the opposition to the bullfighting events is much bigger among the Spaniards.

My trip to Strasbourg part II

 Hello again!

In this post I would like to show you a few places where I was recently and which seem to be the most worth seeing ones in Strasbourg, at least for me.

At the beginning, I must indicate, that Strasbourg is a city of bridges what make it so beautiful and specific. At the first sight, Strasbourg is a mix between German and French architecture with some unique Venice elements. One of them are small bridges inside the city decorated by colorful flowers in summer which attracts more tourists’ attention.

Now, I am going to present the first monument which beauty swept me off my knees. It is the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral which is located in the historic center of this French city, declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1988, and dedicated to the Catholic cult of the Virgin Mary, restored since the end of the seventeenth century after the period of Protestant worship started in the sixteenth century. On the exterior the view is as amazing as inside, it is a masterpiece in the architecture world.

 Furthermore to the stained glasses which  beauty mesmerizing, you can find there a quite interesting point. I mean, on the right side of the Cathedral, if I am not wrong and remember good, there is a hole full of money which has been collected for years. It is like a treasure which no one can touch although is publicly exposed. I know that seeing money is not the most interesting thing, but on the other hand, the money hole gives the whole monument a bigger value. However, thinking more deeply, the idea of leaving money there, I can suggest that people do it for God, is just weak, it is like: Ok, fine I will give money and all my prays will be heard.

You do not have to walk too much to discover an another significant monument in Strasbourg which is The Palais Rohan. In the past, it was a residence of prince-bishops and cardinals. What is more, since it was finished in 1742, has hosted many French  monarchs such as Louis XV, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon and Josephine and Charles X.

My trip to Strasbourg

Travelling has become my passion, it is thanks to my really close friend who has helped me to open my eyes for the world and notice a lot of things which I have not seen before. I am extremely grateful for that and I believe my life is going to be more attractive and curious. I guess, the traveling is something we all would like to do. Each of our travels, the smaller and the bigger one give us so many opportunities to discover who we really are and how much we can do if we are left on our own. During each trip we have to deal with many difficult and uncomfortable situations, but it is one of the ways which make us stronger and more conscience of what the life means and how it is in real.

Recently, I went to one of the French city Strasbourg which is located very close to the German border. What is more, it is the capital of the historic region of Alsace and it is very significant place for all Europe, because Strasbourg is the official seat of the European Parlament.

When finally I got to the city, I fell in love with it quickly. Strasbourg has everything which is crucial for being a perfect place to stay there longer not just for a quick visit. I loved the sense of the place, where you can touch the history walking by narrow streets full of beautiful and unique buildings and houses. In spite of the fact that Strasbourg is a French city, the architecture is mixed between French and the German one. Personally, I could say it reminds me more a german city than a French one.

Here you can see a few photos which I took there, and you can make your own opinion.

Finishing the post, I can definitely recommend you to visit Strasbourg to discover secrets and history in each street you will arrive. I am sure you will not regret it! J