A cosmopolitan's short narratives.

“Welcome to the kingdom of my imagination. Welcome to the world of the unpredictable reality. I live in Florida (sometimes in Sweden). My country of birth doesn’t exist anymore (SSSR). I am writing in English and Russian about my day-to-day life and the experience of living in different countries, observation of people’s life, traveling and fashion. Welcome,” jelena717@gmail.com.

March 30, 2011

The Costa Rica nature




My first canopy adventure.


I am on a mission with a very serious face, because I was nervous. After all, it was my first zip lining.



The white little spot, deep in the giant forest, it is I.

March 18, 2011

Curiosity killed the cat...

Some members of my family are always accusing me in my excessive curiosity. I never looked at it from the negative side; I always felt a strong desire to explore things. Yesterday, in college, our teacher introduced to us a new American proverb:

“Curiosity killed the cat…. but satisfaction brought it back.”
“The deeper I study human nature, the more I am convicted that curiosity is a sign of intelligence,” said the author of the book.
I like it!

March 16, 2011

Yoga retreat in Costa Rica.

I don’t know what to say about my silence. Actually it is nothing to say. I had been sick for two weeks, and lately I was not in the mood.

Today is a good day, finally after long deliberations and doubts I got the unique opportunity to go to Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica, and I am very grateful for it. It is a life changing experience, with two yoga classes every day, morning meditation and life coaching sessions during evenings. I hope, I really hope it will help me to return stress-free, in shape, and re-energized with a new perspective on life.

March 8, 2011

C праздником 8 Марта!!!!

Желаю всем женщинам любви, здоровья, успешной карьеры и быть всегда красивыми.



March 2, 2011

Machu Picchu


Machu Picchu is ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and an iconic symbol of Peru. This ancient place was “discovered” by Hiram Bingham (a historian from Yale University) in 1911. The village couldn’t be seen from the valley floor and was overgrown by greens, which preserved it untouched for more than 400 years. Many artifacts from Mach Picchu were transported to the US and now it is about the time to return Peruvian treasure back where they belong.




Machu Picchu is a small city of 200 homes and 1,000 residents. The city had been abandon after the Spanish conquered Incas, but Spaniards never were to Machu Picchu. The reason why the city was abandon is mysterious.



There is so much to see and explore; you need to spend at least one full day at Machu Picchu ruins. I would recommend you find a place from where you can enjoy the magnificent view, to have a moment to grasp the first impression, meditate on the scene and just relax for a minute.



The best thing is to hire a tour guide and sink in oblivion of ancient story. If time allows you can have two tours, because each guide has a different narrative style and adorn the story with his or her particular details which are depended on the guide’s interest.  The tours are affordable and the tipping in a range of $7-$10.




We were not so fortune and were limited in time, because we made the tip from Cusco to Machu Picchu and back in one day. The transportation was uncomfortable and tedious. Two hours by buss and then two hours by train, which was delayed, to Aguas Calientes the city below the city.


The train to the city of Aguas Calientes

The final part, climbing up hill trough the crooked and narrow path by small buss to the entrance of Machu Picchu’s park, took additional 25 minutes. In high-winter seasons there is a train directly from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, but during summer (the winter in Europe), a rain period, the trace is closed due to harsh rains.

The narrow path up to the village.


By entering the sacred gate of the ancient village at 12:30 we had had just three hours for our disposal and two of those we spent with a tour guide. The remaining hour I was rushing and jumping around trying to take pictures. Unfortunately, I hadn’t enough time to fully relax and enjoy the moment. In addition, the high altitude and steep stairs made me reconsider my self-assurance of my top physical training.



And yet, I enjoyed every moment of being in this magnificent place and I still remember every detailed of the prodigious beauty. I was puzzled how the Incas managed to build such a place in such challenging conditions. The soil was brought up from the floor villages and the building materials such as huge stones were dragged from the special place in the valley. Incas worshiped the nature and thought even the stones and rocks had souls. They cutout from the rocks different shapes which were adorning the village.

The profile of a Inca with a crown on his head.
I want to visit this place one more time and stay a little bit longer than three hours. I want to learn more about the Incas culture. I want to take an Incas trail, a four-days walking tour from Cusco to Machu Picchu. I love to climb up to the top of the Huayna mountain and enjoy the view.