Coventry Library

I desperately needed a print so I went to the big library in the city center, the only place where I know I can do this. I asked lots of people and everybody directed me to this place.

I'm going in and I see 4 people at the front office. They redirect me at an upper floor. There, at another office 3 people were dealing with customers.

I ask: " - Can I have a print please?"
The answer: " - Do you have any sort of identification?"

Shock. Surprise. Lack of movement. " - Yes... "

They accepted my card and created me a visitor account, valid for one hour.

I have to mention this procedure took 5 minutes, since they were not computer literates and I think they had a problem with the software. There was a little panic for everybody and they were looking desperately for solutions, I had the feeling that it was like in an action movie with terrorists and the world is very close to the end. In the end, a guy fixed the problem with a "CTRL + ALT + DEL" secret combination key. Everybody was relieved that the crisis situation was over.

One nice lady showed me my computer and gave me the instructions for printing.

I do everything as asked and when I want to connect my USB stick I notice that the USB cable is missing. I went back to the office and asked them what do I have to do regarding this issue.

Panic again!!! They couldn't find something to help me so I asked them if I can take out the case from it's place and plug my stick in the USB port. They agreed, even I am not sure they completly understood what I meant.

I click print my page and I see a message on the screen telling me that I have to go to confirm at the office my print.

I'm going back to the office and they confirmed the printing order, telling me that to complete the process I have to go back to my computer and finish my session.

I do that, I go back to the office, confirming that I need 2 copies for my print.

It already passed 20 minutes, when I'm passed to another person dealing with the printer. I receive one copy...

I remind them that I need 2 copies and notice that they start to look each other, searching...

"No... Nooo... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

All I wanted was a print... in 2 copies...

Suciu. Ovidiu Suciu... on Google.

Here I strike again!

I was asking myself: how would I look like if I would start a bodybuilding career?

Probably I would look like this:

Ovidiu Suciu, the butcher

I was searching on Google after the words "Ovidiu Suciu" and I was pleased to see my blog on the first position.

I tried again for "Suciu" and I noticed that I have much more competition! almost 700.000 pages with the name "Suciu". I couldn't find mine in the first 100. I found this guy with the same name instead...

Why does his page a better ranking than my blog? Why? We have the same name and I have much more information! I guess once again it's a proof that size matters... :) I'm jealous!

here is a link to his profile, if you want to admire his body:

http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/SUCIUOVIDIU/

"Ovidiu" -the name and the alcoholic drinks...

The name "Ovidiu" is most probable to have it's origins in the Latin "ovis" (sheep), so the meaning of the name should be "the Shepard".

The high spread of the name "Ovidiu" in Romania is due to an old story, the exile of Ovidius, an ancient Roman poet. Apparently he was deported from Rome to antique city of Tomis (today Constanta), one of the most far Roman colony at that time because he was involved in a plot against the Emperor Augustus. Being very sad because he was sent far away from his love (his 3rd wife), he started to write sad poems, which were having impact into the local population.

Ovidius' statue in Constanta

His story became known in the area and his name was transmitted further through generations.

Now, there is also a small town in Constanta area with this name.

I was wonder why do they like my name for the alcoholic drinks... Is it because a small drink is taking care of your soul when you're sad?

old label of a local brandy

Ovidiu's tear, a popular strong wine in Romania

for new beginnings

2009...

The year started ...not so good, with bad news, several people passing away, one of them being my dear Grandfather... the one I'm most related with, in terms of DNA. Surviving 2 world wars, he was forced at a moment to start again almost from "0" his life, and he succeeded, with hard work.

His legacy: a large & united family, a family after the moral principles I grew up; it just was his time to pass away... may God rest him in peace!

my grandparents from my mother's side

So, as the bad news were coming from all directions, finding out that we have free access to the Portuguese labour market came as a small relieve...

So... hopefully we will move this year, in the country where we have been one year ago and we liked it! ... good weather, good people, the place where we felt like home, Lisbon.

For new beginnings,
Ovidiu

London

Are you prepared for a long post? Breath in, breath out!

We had some free time during Christmas Holiday so we decided to visit London. We stayed 4 days, having enough time to visit some of the main touristic objectives: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Palace, Westminster Abey, London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern, British Museum and Natural History Museum. We wished that we could visit more, but the daily schedule of all these finished usually at 5:30 and it was very cold outside making any more visits difficult.

We were hosted at Pembury Hotel, close to Arsenal FC (Finsbury Park) . The employees were nice but the en-suite rooms are very small and for the Continental Breakfast you could choose a combination of ... bread, butter, cheese and jam. Additional tea, juice and cold milk and cereals of course... It looked so much with a Romanian Communist old cantine!!! You know that style... NEXT! HURRY! WE DON'T HAVE TIME! Views with people looking disappointed at their plates were not a surprise...The doors were blocked at 5 minutes to ten so there were people begging for that breakfast but they weren't let in. :) It was a funny moment when a Spanish guy staying at a table inside noticing that no personnel was close, opened the blocked door for another couple, making the Breakfast Nazis angry. A true hero that guy! All my respect for him!

We found near our hotel a Turkish kebab house and a Portuguese restaurant, so we were happy with some good, tasty chicken & lamb kebabs and Portuguese's dishes and our favourites Pasteis de Nata, of course!

Transportation is very easy using the tube, which is the fastest way of traveling inside London. It's £ 5.30 a pass for all day (zones I and II, where the touristic attractions are).

So... let's begin:

The first famous place seen was Buckingham Palace. Being the period between Christmas and New Year's Eve, the square in front of it was full of tourists. Despite the low temperatures, I think they were hoping that the Queen will get out for a jog or something, cause many were looking like hypnotised in the palace's direction.

Buckingham Palace

Westminster Abey and Westminster Palace (where Big Ben is incorporated). Unfortunately it was already a big queue, so if you wanted to step inside, first you had to froze outside...

Westminster Abey

Big Ben and Big Ovidiu

London Eye
(I'm looking like an icon, don't I?)

Tower Bridge

Tower of London

Inside Tower of London we found the British Arsenal, how the Saxon Castles were built and some stories. The fortress walls were designed first to impress rather to be efficient.

The White Tower

Here's what you can find in the White Tower: weapons and armours from different times. The structure was build with pipes in the walls, so from that castle there was no smoke, all the smoke from the chimneys was going through pipes up and down, heating the building.

Guns

Rifles

Gun Powder Barrels

The guide said that they had so many gun powder barrels that one day the ceiling collapsed...

Fancy Armour

Take a look at this armour! :) So now, after you noticed the middle part, you have to know that this armour wasn't designed for battles, it was more for ceremonies, the "penis protection" was according to the fashion of that ages. We don't know for sure it that was the real size... but for sure impressed.

The Garderobe

This is the garderobe, or the royal toilet with double function: the toilet had normal use, like a latrine, not with water system, but with gravity system instead. What was surprising is that they used this small room also to keep their clothes. Sounds hilarious but it was true! They thought that the ammonium in the urine is killing the parasite insects living in their clothes.

The Tower of London is also famous for the executions inside it. The nobles condemned to death (especially the ladies) had the privilege to be executed inside the walls, not in public. Since the convicts were also prisons in the Tower, many of them saw the platforms built for their own execution. For Anne Boleyn they brought a professional executioner from France since she preferred to be beheaded in the French way.

Madame Tussauds

It was a good experience, a real show inside. Totally worth it! Here are some pictures with some important figures:

J-Lo recognizing fresh meat

My sticky friend

Over there John, I saw some Indians!

4-3-1-2... Chivu in the left side! What do you think?

C'mon! Show me your best move!

My Princesses

Good party girl! hi5!

C'mon mate, let's drink a vodka!

I say: Let's impale them!

Madame Tussauds and I

Trafalgar Square, Lord Nelson upstairs

Covent Garden, lot of social life here

Be careful! If you take the underground to get here, don't take the stairs to the surface, take the elevators! There are 136 steps! There are more than you think! We made that small mistake...

inside Tate Modern, a kind of giant spider

If you like modern art, lot of patience and a guide it's worth it! Otherwise, not really!

St. Paul's Cathedral

The British Museum

The British Museum, inside

There are all kind of everything, some of the pieces are unique!

Easter Island statue

Rosetta Stone (ancient translations of Egiptian Hieroglyphs)

Sumerian Statues & Fresques

Egyptian Sarcophagus

Egiptian Mummies

Oxus Treasure

The Nereid Monument

The Natural History Museum

Inside, we found the dinosaurus! I want to tell you that since I had the Dino Album I was dreaming to see someday dinosaurus bones and relicts! It tooked me several months to complete that album, in the 6th grade and I was so happy now to see them for real!

Dinosaurus Fosil

Tyranosaurus Rex & Suciulicus Rex

London left me a good impression overall, for a multicultural city of its size. If you want knowledge, that's the place! I just have the feeling that we will return! :)