I am beautiful

                When I was riding the bus from work today I was looking at people. All dressed in warm clothes because of Winter. All occupied by their own thoughts just like me.

              Then I saw this guy standing right next to me, he caught my eye right away but honestly I don't know why. I look at him and he smiled, not at me off course but at this girl who came up to him. They started talking and it was obvious that they knew each other. I couldn't see her face well but I assumed she was pretty. She had some make up, long, straight hair. He was drinking every word, looking at her enraptured. THERE - I thought. IF I WAS THAT BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO ME TOO. DO I HAVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL TO BE HAPPY? 

                What is beautiful? How can we recognize it? How can we know and how can we be sure  that this beautiful person is good for us? How can you know that while talking to the beautiful person you are not wasting your time, because you should be talking to that girl next to you, who you will never notice because she becomes beautiful at the second glance?

Appalachian Trail

               Some time ago I read a great book by Bill Bryson entitled: "A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail". In it Bryson describes his and his friend's Matthew Angerer's hike along the beautiful but also exhausting Appalachian Trail. His description of the trip along with, the usual for Bryson, witty comments made me want to check the trail out (although only on Google now).

The man behind the idea of The Appalachian Trail was Benton MacKaye. He was passionate about nature and believed that balance between nature and human activity should be kept. He advocated this notion and wrote some articles to support his claims.

The Appalachian Trail is around 3,500 km long and extends from Katahdin Mount in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. While hiking the whole trail :) you can visit 14 States. Starting in Maine and moving South through Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and finally Georgia. Most of the trail is in the woods but occasionally you can pass through roads and towns. Apart from sleeping in a tent you can also stay in multiple shelters along the path.

The nonprofit organization Appalachian Trail Conservancy together with many trail clubs takes care of the trail. The National Park Service manages the work.

The trail is not easy. Many of the people who start it do not last long and drop out. But there are some brave souls, who not only finish the trail but even do it in one season.

If you like animals (especially bears :), plants, insects, rodents and spectacular views - then the trail is just for you.

The map of the trail



McAfee Knob

The trail



The trail

Donnie Darko

              I have heard about Donnie Darko many, many times from different sources. It appears on many lists as one of the best movies you must see and it already has the cult movie status.

                It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone and more. It tells a story of a disturbed teenager, who has a strange vistion one night. He sees a rabit who introduces himself as Frank (reference to "Alice in Wanderland) and who informes Donnie that the world will end in 28 days. From then on Donnie sees and experiences many strange things, which lead to the discovery of the meaning of Frank's words.

                 The movie has a misterious and dark climate. It sucks you into the action almost immediately, and it makes you watch it till the least second just to see wether Donnie's visions were true or if they were just a product of his sick imagination. The ending is quite touching as well. 

Canary Island

             Although it is May winter will come to Europe and soon there will be a lot of the thing, which I don't like so much - snow. Sorry, but I don't like Winter and the cold and the snow and nothing connected to this time of year. Even Christmas is not a redeeming quality for Winter.

           On that time I always dream about vacation, beaches and sunny weather. I wish I could go somewhere warm, take of my big jacket and take of my heavy boots. Live is much simpler when you can put something light on and just go out. And comming home after a walk is easier too. No wet marks on the floor and gloves which we have to dry. No to mantion that winter clothes are not flattering anyone.

                 But, oh well, what can I do. I have to survive it somehow. And I will when I look ate the photos of Canary Islands. A place which I would like to visit sometime in the future (maybe this Winter). 

            The archipelago consists of islands from which Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote are the ones I associate the most. The weather is good throughout the year, the beaches are great and the nature is beautiful. I cannot wait :)