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Whining is fun, for both the whiner and the … whinee? Don’t we all like to complain, or hear about other people’s misery. Human nature, I guess. That’s why scandal sells. I also suspect misery in general is more creative. How many happy rock stars have you heard about recently? Our blog is mostly complaints, as you can see if you browse all the articles. I want to break this habit and write a happy, and hopefully not to boring, post. About how much I like my new city: Brasov.

My husband and I moved to Brasov in January 2008, one month before our daughter, Alex, was born. She was the main reason for our move. Both of us had lived in read more…

Imagine a form of transport that is virtually free, gets you healthy, and can get you anywhere within Bucharest in less than an hour. Is the humble bicycle the answer to our transport problems?

Anxiety is growing about the price of oil, which has quadrupled in recent years and shows no sign of coming down in price. Suddenly, renewable energy and alternative forms of transport are looking more attractive than ever before.

As a long term resident of Bucharest (I first came here in 1986) I can guarantee that there is no better way of getting around town than a bicycle; it is fast, cheap and healthy. And I have tried it all: car, bus, tram, metro, foot, skateboard. Cycling is ideal for business people as they value their time, health and money. But you do have to be aware of the risks. read more…

If I had stood for the local elections I would have come with an ecological strategy that would have provided everything required for a campaigning politician; connection to a hot global issue, a ready made framework that would create jobs, cut pollution, solve transport problems, attract tourists and bring discipline to construction. And I would have a framework to slam other candidates for using eco labels in their campaigns but failing to address the threats of global warming and the upcoming energy crisis (this is known as “greenwash” in the UK). read more…