New National Library building

This week the building for the National Library opened in Bucharest, it has a long story: the construction started back under the communist regime and it was supposed to be ready by 1990, but the 1989 revolution put a pause (or even a stop) on many of those Communist building plans, for a lot of reasons, some more legitimate, some less.
Time passed the the almost ready building started to degrade, there were rumours some greedy people got hold of it and will change its destination, the government lacks the money for for big investments, the country (and the world's) economy is in really bad shape...
But at least the building is done, it was opened and is used, as initially intended, for the National Library. Is even better: it won't be that ugly building that was originally projected, now it has steel, more glass and lights, is looking like a modern building.
This week was the official opening, a good opportunity to take a few pictures. Also a good time to learn is not all roses: they have a severe lack of funds, employ only about a quarter of needed people, so the working hours are severely affected, not all the halls are open yet, not all the archive was moved yet... they still have more work to do and an accute need for funding.

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SMAEB 2012: Bebelușele

If SMAEB 2012 had its share of pretty girls (unfortunately, not that many as in previous years), it also had its special attraction, Bebelușele, the famous dancers from some TV show. They are pretty, but I think the previous Bebelușe were prettier and more photogenic.

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SMAEB 2012: the girls

Bikes? Checked! Stunts? Checked! The other obligatory ingredient of a motorbikes show are the girls. Sitting on motorbikes, of course! So... Girls? Checked! ...and I bet there is a cleavage that will get you impressed...

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SMAEB 2012: the stunts

A must for a motorbike show are the stunts and SMAEB 2012 had some of those too, both with climbind and jumping and the obligatory fire. The crowd appears to enjoy them, the photographers too.

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SMAEB 2012: the bikes

SMAEB is the Bucharest motorbikes salon and this year it took place again in Băneasa at Romaero, the old Romanian aircraft factory, which is barely used those days... but the hangars are good for such shows. There were bikes exposed in the hangars but also bikes outside, from the many bikers who attended the show.

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Solitude

Some people go to watch the sakura blossom in groups, throwing real parties there (that's called "hanami"), some go in couples to have romantic moments and some others go by themselves, enjoying the solitude in the beautiful landscape.

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Easter in the land of the Stupid

Romania is one of the poorest country in the European Union, while is also one of the most religious one, this is not a coincidence: people wait for "someone" to come and solve their problems instead of putting their asses to work and get done what is needed. I was reminded of this Saturday night at the Easter mass, when, despite the rain, churches in Bucharest were flooded with people wanting to "get the light", it was one of those moments there is no hope and the indoctrinated masses have no future.

Ironically, a couple of days later, I meet a few kids on a park, having a whiteboard and asking people to write down a reason they think "Romanians are beautiful". I turned-down the offer, Romanians are sheep.

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Happy Easter!

I am no religious person (by the contrary!) but surely I can enjoy a holiday: a free day from work and good food, that's not something to pass :D And if I kind of celebrate the Easter, I should probably join it's spirit... not with candles, prayers, priests or shit like that but with bunnies! Here's a recently took picture of bunnies, enjoy :)

Note: in Romania the Easter is celebrated by the christian orthodox calendar and this year it takes place one week after the catholic holiday.

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The girl, the oil can and the cars: a SIAMB conclusion

On the SIAMB 2012 grounds I meet my old friend Iulia working for a motor oil company. So we took a vintage-looking motor oil can and took a tour of the entire exhibition place, having a lot of fun, taking some photos, advertising the oil and the cars.

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SIAMB 2012: faceless

If you missed the pics from the SIAMB 2012 series, here are a couple more, this time with no faces, but still interesting things to look at. Both of them are motorbike-related this time.

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E..M.M.A. promo shoot

This was a promo shooting for Organizația E.M.M.A., an NGO from Romania that "provides support to families who have experienced the trauma of losing a child and, especially, for those who have lost their baby before it was born". We took pictures of a kit for preserving the memories of the children, those photos are to be used as a base material for a campaign.

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Run to me

Beside admiring the flowers, a beautiful evening in the park is also a good time to have fun: run, jump, sing, smile, laugh.

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Charmed

She said she was charmed by the beautiful flowers which brought her is a dreamy state, it is probably so since the blossom was beautiful and the light almost perfect.

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Hidden kiss

Wile everybody else was busy watching the blossom, this couple was busy with other spring matters :D Well, I am sure sooner or later they also noticed the cherry tree flowers, it was fitting their mood.

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Hanami

Yesterday the Japanese cherry tree blossom (sakura) was probably at its best for this season in Bucharest: lots of flowers, beautiful sunlight, warm weather - anything you wanted from it.

And if everything was perfect, people were there watching and enjoying (Hanami is the traditional Japanese custom of viewing the tree blossom).

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