images

And what they capture.



An Afghan man offers tea to soldiers



A firefighter gives water to a koala during the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, Australia, in 2009



A Russian soldier playing an abandoned piano in Chechnya in 1994

http://worldtruth.tv/here-are-the-30-most-powerful-photos-ever-taken/

Find the core of your soul.

Yours truly.
M.

visuals

I realised I haven't posted any photos really in so-so long!
So I shall rectify this right now.

First of all, a pap from my session with the pretty one, on this terrace in town.
Also, Maria's Book Recommendation: Jenny Diski "Stranger in a train."

Really do read this book.
So very enjoyable and so very excellent.
This was given to me by A.

And now the rest of the stuff I found.

I was helping a friend of mine do up their flat.
That day was GLORIOUS.
Worked on the flat, had some lunch in North Tallinn.
Just my kind of day.
I was a sweaty builder and loved every nano-second of it.

Tour flowers and latenight food at Spaniard's.

Helped dad build a fence.
This is the after shot.....

.............compared to the before.
Woo!

This amazing manor house, and the decor.
Just the kind of house where your wealthy anthropologist adventurer friend would live.

Some sunny, swimming days in Tallinn.

This was the last of the last.
Last gig, last minutes.

And so.
Tomorrow.

The forever elusive tomorrow.
I'm going to throw out a bunch of stuff.
Make some space.

...avant et arrière ∇.
M.

flickr

I like my flickr.
It started as a random option, a way of getting photos to the blog.
And now they updated it, and I really like it, all of a sudden.
So here you go.

No one apart from me (and now you) knows this exists, I don't keep it to pap expensive things or impress. It's just a record for me, of my things and whatever.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marriiialistra/

Photos.
M.

sthlm

So, here are some photos from my adventurous travels to STHLM.

My trusty trusty friend!!!
A. found this as we were eating some delicious soup, with her dad, in Sturekatten,
STHLM's oldest cafe. And me and this map didn't part ways from that moment on. I LOVE MAPS.

Such divine springtime it was craaazy! King's Castle on the left (out of the shot).
Ooh, I also saw the King, driving by. I waved. 

Bromma is my absolute favourite STHLM airport.
It's small, very quiet and it's a 17 minute bus journey to the very centre of town.

Frozen frozen frozen (view just before landing in STHLM)

A's DIVINE pad, and I mean, DIVINE.

Me and A accidentally wearing the exact same outfit.
Because why not. Different clothing is over-rated.

Basically all I did in town this time was walk about, a lot.
A had her lectures and stuff, so I took the time to get to know STHLM.
I don't know about you, but I find walking around in a new city so relaxing and equally as exciting.
Lana was keeping my ears company, and the weather was just ridiculous.
Me and the ducks had a great time.

The textbook STHLM centre-parting that I always go for - I just heart blending into the local crowd.
And A's parka, that just makes me feel like I'm on a mission, or being highly useful.

Do you not like a plane that looks like a private jet?
Just me and my 10 friends..flying to TLN.
"Holla!" for short Nordic flights.

photos

This is going to be a ridiculous post, by the way.

I think E is uploading the pictures of the weekend madness tomorrow, but for now I'm going to forward to you my birthday in food.

Okay, so numero 1, A and I made Eggs Benedict (a hands-down favourite of mine, A's, AEM's and just our banterous breakfast from my LDN times) on Saturday morning, because we are awesome chefs. Egg on egg anyone? Thanks.
Numero 2, a little later on Saturday, A and I went to this awesome cosy Chocolaterie in the Old Town in Tallinn with my parents. We shared many many chocolate treats and this was my slab of cake. Milk chocolate mousse with a cream cheese layer and cherry jam-ish stuff. And it was divine. Not to sweet. Kicked butt.
And numero 3, is the pasta we demolished to put the world right again on Monday, with the pretty one, just before A's flight. We went to Vapiano (again a shared favourite of all three). My one on the left is chicken, orange-chilli sauce and pak choi, JESUS I've had it so many times and it doesn't get old. And A had her sausage and fig thing.

Nom-nom.

Eat well.
M.

STHLM pictures, as promised

A's future husband.
We went out for dinner, and saw this guy, bearded, beanie hat.
Holding a baby on one arm.
We died. So therefore, this guy in the middle could do the same thing. He's allowed.

Indoor market in Stockholm. Pastry. I heart pastry.

Textbook A+M situation/Chaos and Mayhem adventure
= 3AM in Macdo.
The people, and I mean the circus - one of the best I've ever seen.
You get a point, youths of Stockholm.

Bag of coated nuts (omg the variety), and tea.
Location: A's floor. White, wooden. No carpet!

Same indoor market, wintery festive cheeses.
My favourite is the snowman one.

Just some pretty lights.

Since I was wearing A's red Converse (cause I had no other flat shoes),
I couldn't resist the temptation for a self-take at H&M.
Oh, and I fully embraced "the Stockholm pony" -
middle-parting, low-pony-tail.

Oh, and we tried on the same dress, different colours.
Potentially for New Years. It still might be on the cards.

Sweden's biggest out-door museum - it's a biggg village.
All working little houses, and a pharmacy, and a tavern,
and people in national dress.
A. and I danced around a Christmas tree with some children,
for 30-40 minutes.
And then I had a Lussekatter. It's basically a saffron bun.
And its name ends in "cat".

All red. Before heading to the airport.

TALLINNNNN.

sorting sorting sorting sorting

...sorting sorting.

What am I sorting, you ask? (Or maybe you don't, but I'm going to hope that you would ask, what am I sorting.)

Stuff, is the answer.
I'm stewing a secret plan, of returning to my homecountry (ES-TO-NI-A!) for some time.
I've lived in London for 6 years (with the 7th currently running). Which is a lot of time. Nearly a fourth of my life.
Crazy.
Absolutely crazy.

So now with various things here and there, and A. being SO international, and all the sweethearts at home, et cetera, I've found myself actively thinking about this.

So therefore, because I am a HUMONGOUS chicken-pants (direct translation from Estonian), and by that I mean HUMONGOUS, I thought that actions could turn themselves into words. Since I'm too scared to actually say it and therefore make it official, I'm simply sorting through everything. My pre-step to moving.
But I think it's working.

And I'm having fairly significant amounts of fun with this. Finding old things, trying on all of my clothes to see what stays, what goes. Old posters, and other bits and pieces.
With Energy FM pumping great club-beatz at me. This is an Estonian radio station, and they are great.
http://www.energyfm.ee/ (go crazy. great tidying, sorting, workout-ing, whatever-ing music.)

Here's a picture of all the rings I found, none of which I wear, ever.
But much like the 5-year-old that I am, I put them all on at once and felt great about this situation.

My room was so lovely this morning. Alas, this sorting business has taken a little longer than I expected.
So now, my haven has been turned upside down.
Sigh.
Not to fear, tomorrow I will valiantly finish this quest!

Chicken is sorting. 
M.

procrastination

Procrastination, you will always be my biggest enemy.

I really should be
- writing a list of my tour repertoire
- compiling a selection of songs for this summer course
- packing
- sorting some e-mails

Instead, I am watching football (redeeming feature: it is a good game.) and thinking of procrastination. Why? So many people do this. I think it's absolutely hilarious really, this cycle.

However, I console myself with the fact that tomorrow is also a day (simple pleasures) and that the night is so far from over. So I can still be productive. After the football, she says..

(For the time being however, I shall post some pictures, and then some photos from my travels to Schweiz.)