The best place to buy fresh vegetables and fruits is the open market (and the cheapest one ;) ); I always loved to go to the open market in Romania, even though usually I was ending up spending so much time in trying to decide which is the best to buy or ... hmmm ... this also looks good ... this must be so yummy.
Here I was a little bit disappointed when I found out that the open market is only 2 days in a week (Wednesday and Saturday for Wageningen) and it usually ends up too early for me (13.00 on Wednesday and 16.00 - 17.00 on Saturday).
Anyway, the topic of this post is about what a smile and a little bit of patience (or the lack of it) may do.
Two weeks ago I was doing my usual tour of the market, as I was in Wageningen. I stopped at my favorite stall from where I buy the grapefruits and where the old man screams out loud the prices (twee euro kilobanaan één en de helft"). I picked my grapefruits and the waiting begun; I just had to give the money and I could go on my way. I don't remember what it was in my mind or what I had seen but I know that I had a huge smile on my face. As my patience was left home (I had to hurry to get in time to cook my first ever cake ... very important thing :) ), I begun moving from left to right and the other way around, trying to get the attention of any salesman available to take my money :)) . An old woman that was selling there saw me and apologizing, she told me that I'll be served as soon as possible. She even asked a cute girl that was helping her to came and see what I want to buy (that brought another smile on my face). In the meantime I couldn't help my self and picked some bananas ;). In the end, the old saleswoman came to me, and as an apology for my waiting she smiled while she put 2 other fruits in my bag and a merveilleux pineapple (yey, my first ever fresh pineapple :) ).
Yesterday, I've been again to the open market, as last Saturday I went away from Wageningen in a wonderful trip. Of course that I headed to the same stall, this time only for bananas and oranges. I head a great surprise when the same old saleswoman came to the corner where I was waiting. She apologized again for making me wait (she was speaking with another woman), that brought a smile on my face (this time a very shy smile, as my cold was controlling my face). But this time ... no pineapple, no reward for my patience ... she just attention me that the tomatoes are expensive when I asked for a kilo. We have a saying in Romania: The pitcher doesn't go twice into the water (translated mot-a-mot).
The next time you'll go to the open market, smile to the old saleswoman ... she may give you a pineapple ;)
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Wait and smile
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Great expectations
Last Saturday I went on another amazing trip around Netherlands; that kind of traveling that I really enjoy: seeing all kind of places, human made things, flavour of different cities, smaller or bigger. The days before it I haven't thought about it not for even a second ... I just knew that it's going to happen and my mind didn't bother to make plans or preview it. This is what gives such powerful and unique and full of life flavour to my travelings: wake up in the morning, drink my milk/tea and step out the door without thinking at all about how it's going to be.
A few weeks before I was talking with a friend and setting up some expectations, reasoning the act of adventuring in this new trip. There were some good ideas there but they couldn't bring to me the joy of doing it.
Maybe a new time has come for me: living without being blinded by my own great expectations or idealistic approach on my acts. It's happening more and more often.
I have the same thing with human relations (a girl/woman that I like, friends, or just simple people around me): setting up my expectations and blindly going forward just with them in my mind; wanting one thing so much that everything second is given for fulfilling it ... and I wake up laughing on what a foul I have been.
Life has so many colors and flavours and it is so complex and dynamic that none of my fixed ideas can resist it. It has to go by itself like that smile that I've met on a sunny day.
Religion, living, happiness ... they know one word: courage
