EUROTRIP 2015 Part 1/8: In Split, chapter 1

Split once again ! You may want to see also the last post from Split (click HERE). Last time I was there with my other sister Elvira. This time my sister Sabina was traveling with me. Sabina was at former Yugo-area before me. I had a flight directly to Split and she took a bus from Banja Luka (BiH) to Split. We stayed there for nice 10 days of our 5 weeks long trip and lived in an private apartment located in the Diocletian's Palace, just inside the palace walls. The location couldn't be any better and we made sure that the room was not above the busy street or near the fish market. I couldn't imagine anything worse than waking up to strong smell or scent no matter where it comes from. We spent our days by wandering around the city streets and Park Marjan, swimming and eating some good food or listening to the different concerts and visiting the different museums. In Split you have many things to do to, many cafes and restaurants to choose from and many good moments to catch.

As I've said we are not traveling like tourists. I would describe this more as traveling and living as a local. We do not go to the hotels- we rather subrent a room/house from locals or stay at our relatives/friends depending on the city. It is by far the most fruitful way to travel, experience and to see. We never swim in the swimming pools if there is a river, lake or sea close enough. Never eat in those international fast food places nor even at the restaurants located next to the most expensive hotels. No. We tend to go to places where locals are, speak and hang out and share a cup of coffee or two with them. That I call a proper vacation and proper spirit to travel.

Split as many other big cities by the see have that unique vibe. It is packed with history, music, different scents of sea, fish, risotto, parfume and people. Tourists have found this place and the rest of former Yugoslavia again after war just recently. During the previous years I have spent at home with mostly locals. Nowadays however the amount of tourists together with the prices have risen. Unlike in other cities in Istra (Pula, Rovinj etc), around Zadar and Makarska or Dubrovnik people in Split differ not only by their dialect but also by their mentality. Dialect is something that I find really intriguing especially when hanging out with local young adults.

There are so many little details everywhere that it is too easy to not see the trees from the forest. One that you should forget is rush. Enjoy those little moments and let yourself get lost. Don't pay attention to the tourists around you and try to find that inner traveler to be your guide. Enjoy that clear water, change the beach every second day, visit also other places outside of the city of Split, go sailing and have your workout done by climbing to the hill of Park Marjan, collect little stones and sea urchins and sip some limunada instead of products from the CocaCola Company. If you want "Fanta" order local Pipi and if Coke is more of your thing try Cocta instead.

Split won't leave you untouched if you only know what to do, where to go and how to enjoy. It wont either leave you dry because you will probably find yourself sweating even during the nights. If you have spare money, buy some cat food and feed a cat and buy some Ledene Kocke chocolates to fridge for yourself. They are really good and usually served chilled. Ledene Kocke are a good idea always and they really belong to the summer as strongly as the grilling does.

One of the best starts to any vacation is when you introduce your nose to the hot salty air and your feet with that pure, crystal clear sea water. Fill your belly with sea food and cool yourself down after a refreshing swimming and sun bathing with Ledo ice cream. I always sleep so good down there- almost like a baby I would say. At the same time that all relaxes you, makes you tired and boosts your energy levels and reloads your batteries for the next year. After our last day in Split we decided to go to Klis and it's historically famous fortress - The Fortress of Klis. That trip and those amazing views will be on the next chapter!

                                                                            - Herminica

Tangled possibilities / Takkuisia mahdollisuuksia

Everyday life has its pros and cons. It can be both wonderful, harsh and even plain and lead to occasional sleeping problems or even long-term sleeping disorder and fatigue. I have been "lucky" enough to experience them both. Four-year long sleeping disorder really taught me how important it is to listen to your body and mind as early as in my early teenage. However, the lack of sleep during those four years gave me the tools for calming myself down, making the environment as optimal as possible and helped me to find the golden idea about being confident that in the end everything will be okay. I have embraced that idea for my whole life. During this year I have been in the biggest hole in my adult life and felt like there is not enough oxygen for me. However, as my name predicts, I am a warrior and I believe in my golden idea in all situations.

Elämä osaa kaikessa ihanuudessaan ja kamaluudessaan, jopa tasapaksuudessaan, johtaa joko ajoittaiseen unettomuuteen tai pitkään kestävään väsymykseen. Täällä on kärsitty niistä kummastakin. Teini-iässä neljän vuoden lähes uneton jakso opetti miten tärkeää on osata kuunnella itseään niin fyysisesti kuin psyykkisesti. Löysin siinä ajassa itselleni parhaiten soveltuvat rauhoituskeinot, optimaaliset ympäröivät tekijät nukkumisen ajaksi ja kultaisen ajatuksen siitä, että kaikki päättyy lopulta hyvin. Sen ajatuksen olen pitänyt aina mukana, kaikessa elämässäni. Tämän vuoden aikana olen ajautunut aika-ajoin liian suureen kuoppaan ja on tuntunut, että happi loppuu kesken. Olen kuitenkin nimeni mukaan soturinainen- selviän aina kaikista vastoinkäymisistä, kuten kultainen ajatuskin ennustaa. 

Big stress levels have affected both my health and my overall wellbeing. I have never before known what "seasonal depression" means until this autumn and dark winter. I have never been as tired as I was this time. I have been able to just sleep the whole day everyday and still feel tired. On my holiday I finally got my time to rest and I slept for around 12 hours a day. Those other 12 hours I spent fixedly attached to my strong bosnian cup of coffee while my mind was just cuddling with the inviting idea of soft and warm sheets. I think that I really needed that time period because I'm feeling much better now. My still mysterious constantly accumulating acute infections and different hypersensitivity conditions are currently all over my back in a form of epicutan test on my back. If I can say, this is not the nicest tests I have had, because my whole back is itchy as hell and sweating nor washing is allowed. Well, at least this is much better than my condition before and I can seep in my own bed instead of the one in hospital.

Kova stressi on näkynyt niin terveydessä kuin yleisessä jaksamisessakin. Syysmasennusta minulla ei ole koskaan ollut, mutta viime keväänä, tänä kesänä ja alkusyksynä olen ollut väsyneempi kuin koskaan. On valehtelematta tuntunut sille, että olisin voinut vain nukkua koko ajan. Kesälomalla sain vihdoin ja viimein aikaa itselleni ja nukuin päivittäin n. 12 tuntia. Hereillä ollessani, join paljon vahvaa bosnialaista kahvia ja ajatukseni poukkoilivat tuon tuostakin pehmeissä lakanoissa. Keho taisi tarvita tuota vaihetta kipeästi ja oloni onkin nyt taas hyvä. Reilun puolen vuoden epämääräinen infektiokierre ja yliherkkyystilat ovat tällä hetkellä sananmukaisesti kartoitettavina ympäri selkääni epikutaanitestien merkeissä. Kyse ei ole omalla kohdallani mistään mukavimmasta testistä, sillä kutina hipoo pilvilinnoja- ei onneksi yhtä paljon kuin kesällä ja sairaalajakson aikana. 

I have noticed that the most important thing is to listen to yourself, no matter what the case is. I have been painting, cuddling the dog I tend to take care after occasionally, reading the books I have listed before to be red, written and done things I personally need and like to do. The only thing I was not allowed to do was exercising but now I am able to do that too. It has also been really brutal year from the academic point of view. The courses have been really sucking the life out of me as were also my financial and personal issues. The most important thing I have been carrying with me is my tool for going forward: all accomplishments, rest and things I like to do are loading up my personal batteries. Inspiration is the one that really helps. At this point I'm feeling like I'm in one of the big crossroads in life. I have to make plans for future but not too exact ones, because I love to leave space for spontaneous ideas. It wouldn't be life without them. At the same time it feels like I'll be a free as the bird in the sky and at the same time the uncertainty scares me. This feeling is scaring, empowering, freeing and inspiring. It is a big ball made of possibility that has tangles in it and the only person who can solve it as I want and need it to be solved is me and only me.

Olen huomannut, että tärkein asia on kuunnella itseä. Olen maalaillut, rapsutellut hoitokoiraa, lukenut, kirjoittanut ja tehnyt asioita joista pidän ja joita tarvitsen. Ruokapuolesta olen pitänyt kiinni, liikuntakin on taas pitkän ajan jälkeen sallittujen listoilla. Yliopistomaailman osalta on ollut luultavasti tiukempaa kuin ikinä, samoin on oman talouteni ja henkisten voimavarojeni laita. Pitää kuitenkin muistaa, että kaikki onnistumiset ja tekeminen ja lepo laataavat hyvin akkujani. Saan virtaa inspiraatiosta. Tällä hetkellä on monta rautaa tulessa, elämää on suunniteltava monella eri tapaa eteenpäin eikä minulla ole harmainta aavistustakaan siitä missä olen vuoden päästä tästä. Tämä tunne on samalla ahdistava, voimaannuttava, vapauttava ja inspiroiva. Suuri takkuinen mahdollisuus, jonka vain minä voin itselleni raivata sellaiseksi, mitä itselleni haluan ja tarvitsen. 

- Herminica

Be a rainbow in somebody's cloud / Ole sateenkaari jonkun toisen pilvessä

Happiness, smile, love, joy, comfort, friendship, caring, empathy, satisfaction and great acts - all of them are things that we admire and things we want to be a part of our lives badly. None of these can be forced up. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to force happiness, that's when you are actually very far from it. The same happens if you find yourself in a position where you do things against your own will. That's when you end up loosing yourself. That's why it is so essential to do everything from your own will - aim to be positive, open minded and be willing to do good or act well. The law of karma applies to this too. We all aim to experience all these good things during our lives as much as possible, to see our dreams come true, do the things that make us smile and see that same smile on the face of others around us.

Onnellisuus, hymy, rakkaus, ilo, lohtu, ystävyys, välittäminen, empatia, tyytyväisyys ja ihanat teot - ne ovat kaikki asioita, joita me ihannoimme ja haalimme osaksi elämäämme kovalla tahdonvoimalla. Näistä yhtäkään ei voi väkisin pakottaa. Jos joutuu pakottamaan itsensä esimerkiksi tuntemaan onnea, on se onnen tunne silloin todellisuudessa hyvinkin kaukana. Sama jos taipuu toisen tahtoon silloinkin, kun se toisen tahto sotii omaasi vastaan. Siinä hukkaa lopulta itsensä. Siksi on tärkeää pyrkiä positiivisuuteen, avoimuuteen ja haluta tehdä hyviä asioita tai tekoja- kaikkea omasta tahdosta. Karman laki pätee tässäkin. Näitä ihania asioita jokainen tahtoo kokea elämänsä aikana mahdollisimman paljon, nähdä unelmiensa toteutuvan, tehdä sitä mistä tulee hymy kasvoille ja nähdä ympärillä olevien kasvoilla se sama tuttu, iloinen virne.

We all must have dreams to dream on. In addition to that we do not only must see them in the future but also make them room there. You have to implement yourself to be truly happy. When you are able to be happy by yourself, alone, that's when you are capable of making someone else happy too. This applies to all relationships in our lives. All from the sudden meeting with the unknown person to the longest marriages of dozens of years. Especially to the long ones. It feels so good to know that you are making others feel good in a relationship between two persons. It can be a moment of smiling to the local cashier to the daily kiss for good night. Good glows around. That is what I said also in my last interview for the Finnish magazine, Me Naiset last week. Remember your friend, help your neighbor, make sure your companion feels the appreciation in everyday life, be romantic, see the beauty in the nature around you, visit your grandparents and write a letter to the person you want to tell that he/she means a lot to you.

Unelmia tulee olla. Niille on myös nähtävä ja tehtävä paikka tulevaisuudessa. Itseään on toteutettava, jotta voisi olla aidosti onnellinen. Kun osaa olla onnellinen itsensä kanssa, yksin, voi aidosti tehdä myös toisen onnelliseksi. Se pätee kaikkiin ihmissuhteisiin hetken kanssakäymisestä tuntemattoman kanssa monien kymmenien vuosien avioliittoihin. Erityisesti niihin jälkimmäisiin. Oli vuorovaikutustilanne kaupan kassalle väläytetystä hymystä tai jokailtaisesta hyvänyönsuukosta on ihana ajatella tekevänsä toisille hyvää. Kuten taannoisessa Me Naisten haastattelussakin sanoin, niin hyvä säteilee ympärilleen. Muista ystävää, auta naapuria, huomio kumppanisi arjessa, ole romanttinen ja näe kauneus ympäröivässä luonnossa, vieraile isovanhemmillasi ja kirjoita kirje hänelle, jolle haluat kertoa että hän on sinulle tärkeä.

Pictures/Kuvat: Photographer/Valokuvaaja Rami Marjamäki / Me Naiset

Even when the sun is shining, remember to glow along with the sun. Twinkle as a star when it's dark. See the rainbows even when it rains and count the sheep even if it's cloudy around you. These few sentences should be remembered always but especially in the moments when the life gives you lemons, you feel alone, winter is coming or your days feel sticky. Be the rainbow in somebody's cloud and a lodestar for yourself, especially then.

Säteile kilpaa auringon kanssa poutasäällä. Tuiki tähden lailla kun on pimeää. Näe sateenkaareet ympäröivältä sateelta ja laske lampaita kun ympärillä näkyy vain harmaa pilviverho. Tämä kannattaa muistaa aina, mutta etenkin silloin kun elämä riepottaa, tunnet olosi yksinäiseksi, talvi tekee tuloaan tai arki tuntuu tahmealle. Ole satenkaari toisen pilvessä ja pohjantähti itsellesi, etenkin silloin.