Only 400 km

I have always been fascinated by the fact that there are countries so big that there are time differences between cities in the same country, but, even more, there are even different seasons...

I live in Romania, which I consider to be a small country, although it is the sixth largest in the European Union, compared to the US, Russia, and Canada, it is very, very small indeed.

Romania is a country that has the same time all over the country, has the same climate... and, of course, there are differences due to the relief, but I still find it hard to think that in one part of the country, it can be hot and in another part, it can be cold, i.e. in one part the weather can be specific to one season and in another part, it can be like in another season.

Stupid man's opinion you will say. I've been thinking and I think I have an explanation. It's reminiscent of my childhood. Because I'm old enough now, it means I was a child long ago, doesn't it? When I was a kid I didn't have the news and information sources I have now. No TV, no internet, no phone...

I grew up in the country and back then I lived with the feeling that as time was in my village it was all over the country!

I live in Bucharest, in the southern part of Romania. We are beyond mid-November and enjoying a very beautiful autumn, autumn that pushes me towards walking and spending time outside, and mostly "outside" means in the parks. My favorite park, because it reminds me of a park in London, seen in my favorite movie, Blow-up.... my favorite park, is Circus Park.

Only the colors of the leaves of the trees tell what season it is, i.e. autumn, because the temperature outside is more like summer...

... I mean, not quite summer, but it's a lot like late summer, that famous Indian Summer, sung so beautifully by Joe Dassin. You might like L'été indien!

I like this park also because of the small pond that in summer is full of lotuses and now, in autumn, is full of water birds enjoying the warm days, as if they know that soon everything will change.

Only a day after this walk, a somewhat unexpected journey took me 400 km away from my home, to the village where I grew up. In the north of the country.

Here, a completely different landscape, a completely different... season. Winter!

It's not the big winter, it's just the beginning of winter. The proof is in the leaves that are still on the trees...

It was a start to winter that came unexpectedly, certainly, these roses didn't expect this at all.

This trip, besides the excitement and joy of seeing again the places where I grew up, and where I spent my childhood, also brought me proof that in Romania there can be two different seasons at the same time.

It is true, that there are two seasons that are side by side, two seasons that play together and with us until they decide to replace each other.

Looking out the window

To look out the window of my house. I like it best...

Two images, two windows. On the left from the house I live in now, and on the right, from the window I used to look out of as a child!

Only one day difference between the two photos. One day and... 400 km!