Never in my life have I waited in line to get somewhere during the day (if we count out banks, post offices, doing administrative and paperwork at uni... you get the point, I'm talking about coffee places & bars & such). Well, ok, I rarely even waited in the night (I would usually not go to places that are so popular you have to wait to get in there). I cannot even remember what the last time I waited was... um, maybe six months ago in Paris? So as long as I can remember it seemed to me that these two things go together - actually, I wouldn't ever, not for a second, even think otherwise - lines are for night clubs, and that's it. Then I went to a place in Berlin I read about, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I got there and witnessed a line of about 50 people. At 7 PM. It seemed just crazy. Again Berlin-themed blogs and websites I'm following found a place to tell everyone about - apparently I wasn't the only reader... My flatmate and I weren't sure whether we should stand in the line or not, because I only had time for like one drink. But then we decided that's it, we're getting in after coming all the way there ('there' being Neukölln, not really a neighborhood you visit daily).

How to Pack in a Carry-On for Three Weeks

I was strolling through Venice with my friend Chaya, and then I saw an old-ish couple struggling with three enormous suitcases and a number of smaller bags. "What do they need so much luggage for?!", I asked Chaya in a disbelief. She laughed: "Tihana, I wonder the same thing about you!"
Almost three weeks before I was packing for my Italian trip. I don't own a big backpack, so I had to pack a suitcase, and I was aware of the fact that I would have to drag it around every time I change city - which was like every two-three days. I have two sizes: a small one, carry-on, that I use for weekend trips, and that can be in fact used for up-to-five days' trip, so that one I didn't even consider; and a big one, that I use for summer holidays, trips home, and well, moving countries. So I had to pack wisely, pack only things I will definitely wear, bear in mind that I don't want it to be too heavy... the usual things. I failed miserably, and it was during the very first half of the trip that I realized it. And now I'm here to share the wisdom.

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Belated Birthday Post - 30 By 30

When I left for Italy, I had a solid number of almost-ready-to-post blog posts here. Some were totally ready, others required a little bit of photo editing, or a little bit of writing, but I thought I could totally manage with posting regularly. I also planned to post about Italy on the go, and I was silly enough to think it would be possible to go out in the morning, spend a day outside and then come home and choose and edit photos and tell you about my days. Well - didn't happen! Travelling is beautiful, but also exhausting, so when I would get back home in the evening, I just wanted to s.l.e.e.p. Also, not to mention the internet thing - when you're travelling, you're highly dependent on wi-fi, which I hate. So anyway, one of the things I planned to post was sort of a bucket list, but not really, only things I plan (=wish?) to do before my 30th birthday*, and I wanted to do that on my 26th birthday, which was two weeks ago. I've always loved my birthday, and somehow I don't think 30 is too much - at least I changed opinion when a close friend of mine turned 30 and she was still the same person! But still, as I said here, one more year and I will have to refer to myself as being in my late twenties, which is crazy - especially when it comes to how I feel (and look!). And I feel like a teenager. OK, I shouldn't have told you this :)

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So, if you want to get to know me better, keep on reading. And enjoy your age, whatever it is!

Tasty and Wild - Benvenuti a Napoli!

Finally I am settled down in one place and have time to start re-living my big Italian adventure here on the blog. For those of you who missed it (how could you?!), I was travelling through Italy in September for almost three weeks. September is the time off in my master's program—except for the conference Science of Aphasia that we are supposed to attend. The conference is held in a different place every year, so this time it was Venice we had to go to. We've known about this for a year and I was very excited, because I had never been to Italy - even though it is rather close to Serbia. But it never bothered me too much because I've always known I'd go to Italy someday—who would miss this gem of a country anyway? So as the summer approached, I decided not to go to Serbia in September - that's why I went home in July, I wrote about that on the blog—but to Italy. From Rome up north! But then a dear Italian friend of mine told me to go to Naples. Naples? Ummm, I've heard of it, of course, but why should I? "They have the best pizza there," he explained. "Naples is the home of pizza. You will not have better pizza anywhere else. And you should trust me on this, because I am from the north, Naples is in the south, and we're not each other's favorite people... so when I tell you pizza is the best there, you know I'm not lying." Well. Pizza indeed has been my favorite dish since I was a little child. Didn't take much until I booked my ticket to Naples.

I am here!

Hello lovely people,

I wanted to quickly say hi and excuse myself for not posting anything these days. This is in fact the first chilled out day I have had in almost a month! I have tons of blog material, but I haven't had any time so far to make it postable :). You might have noticed that I was travelling through Italy in September for three weeks and that was one of the best trips of my life! Italy is amazing, I had a blast, I fell in love with Rome like with no other city and I think I need to live there at least three months in my life. I celebrated my 26th birthday in Milan (one more and I will have to refer to myself as in 'late-twenties', urgh!), flew back to Germany and two days later I moved to the Netherlands. I am now living in a beautiful town of Groningen in the north of the country. This is my first time in the Lowlands so I'm very happy, I haven't had the time to explore the town yet but I'm looking forward to it. Of course, I am also looking forward to visiting a very dear friend in Amsterdam, and I hope it would happen soon. 

I don't have any photos of this cute picturesque town I'm in, so I'll just leave a photo of one of the wonderful perks of living in the Lowlands: stroopwafel! 

See, Hear, Feel Berlin: Video Clips

So far I've been trying to show you Berlin in photos and words, and I hope I've been at least a bit successful in a way that you thought 'oh, this looks interesting / worth visiting'. Today, a few weeks before I'd leave Germany, I'm bringing you some songs with videos filmed in Berlin. I think it started when my friend posted a Seeed video you'll find below, and then I started watching related videos, playlists and such. Over time I've come up with this li'l list of mine of songs I enjoy both because of the music and the videos. I hope you like it!

This video by Alle Farben for the song She Moves (Far Away) was filmed in Tempelhof during a music festival. Doesn't it look just relaxed and as if it's possible not to have any worries in life?! If you like the song, you can also find the official video here.

East Side Gallery

If you come to Berlin as a tourist, this is a place unlikely to be missed. After having seen Alexanderplatz, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburger Tor, one needs to take a relaxed stroll down this section of the Berlin Wall. It's located close to the center, in Friedrichshein, along the river Spree. It's the longest open air gallery in the world (1.3 km long, which is also the largest remaining section of the Wall). 

After the Wall came down in 1989, artists from all over the world gathered to make this unique and original piece of art. They transformed the former untouchable Wall with bright paintings and activist messages, celebrating life, joy, freedom and hope. 

Summer of '69

Raise your hand if you're a girl and have never watched Sex and the City and/or Gossip Girl. I don't see any! These two have been guilty pleasures of mine for years; and although I know that none of them is very intelligent nor deep, I loved both for many reasons, one of them being the supporting character: New York City. I fell in love with it like you fall in love with a person you know online: you see many sides of them, yet you've never seen them in person - but it doesn't stop you from being completely and utterly in love with them. I've read and heard about severe NYC winters and awful hot summers; but at this point I feel I'd forgive every sin of imperfection to this city. We'll see how it goes once we meet - no plans so far, but it'll definitely happen. Until then, fall knocking on our doors, I leave you with these shots of NYC and its people on a hot day in 1969, taken by photographers of Life magazine. Aren't they beautiful?! You can almost hear the car horns and feel the humidity. 

Welcome to the Hipster Kingdom

I once thought Kreuzberg was my favorite part of Berlin. It's fun - cobblestone streets, cute cafes on the pavements, a lot of greenery, hipsters, immigrants and their stores, what more could you ask for? But then I went to Friedrichshein. Friedrichshein is WOW! While I find Kreuzberg more relaxed and laid-back, with people eating vegan stuff and drinking beer lazily while sitting on the sidewalk, sipping coffee and working on a computer in a coffeeshop, Friedrichshein is so alive. For example, when you arrive at Warschauer Strasse station, probably the first thing you will hear is a singer or a band busking outside of the station. Turn to your right and cross the bridge, you will find punks on their couches on the street with little cardboard boxes saying something like PLEASE DONATE FOR WEED.

Instagram Jul & Aug: It Should Have Been Summer

This time I won’t mourn over the past two months and how time flies and this and that; we’ve entered September so it means New Year’s is just around the corner, and you canot neglect that fact. Moreover, it’s my birthday in few weeks and to be honest, it’s hilarious that I’m turning 26 and I’m still being asked for my ID when buying... ummm, when entering clubs. :) So, if you’re living in Europe, this past summer was probably one of the worst you’ve experienced – weather-wise. Actually, did I just say summer? I don’t know what was wrong with it, but it was summer for maaaybe ten days. Two weeks? Apart from the beginning of June, Germany was cold. I was looking forward to going home to Serbia, wholeheartedly hoping it would be warmer there because hey, it’s in the south, right? – but nope, Serbia bailed on me. I mean, okay, I did experience some sunny days and a few were even hot, but rarely would it exceed 30 degrees Celsius. Which is fine if you ask me, but it’s not normal for this time of the year! In Serbia we’re usually swimming in our sweat during the whole months of July and August, so excuse me, but this sudden change is not normal, no matter how convenient! And back in Germany I had to admit that the fall was here – not later but in mid-August. How awful is that?!