Translated Romanian Authors

The bilingual edition of "Aventuri de excursionist" (in Romanian and English) is proudly displayed in the Translated Romanian Authors Section of The Humanitas Kretzulescu Bookshop.

My Favourite Face Cream

I was asked to write about my favourite face cream. And since I do consider this product to be wonderful, I wasn't going to keep this article away from you.

How to Recapture Your Youthful Appearance

If you’re over thirty, you’ve been dealing with this new urge of taking extra care of your looks. Sure, you’ve been paying attention to this so far, but admit it. Somehow, lately it has been different for you. You have noticed some small wrinkles on your face. The skin on your elbows is not as smooth as it used to be. And sometimes it’s rather white and scaly. Not to say that even your rosy cheeks have had something to suffer.

Whatever you do, don’t panic! I have the greatest news for you. You will receive the help you need in order to face these struggles. I will share with you one of my dear secrets. Tried and tested, so that you don’t have to go from one disappointment to another. Yes, just like you, I have tried and tested solutions to no great end, so I do understand the importance of receiving a trustful recommendation.

Yes, I am pretty sure you have heard about miracles so far, but this one is different. And the difference is in the fact that my experience will guide you into looking no further. The thing that you’ve been looking for is here.

This miracle’s name is Apidermin. The label simply describes it as a face cream, but it is far more than that. 

Apidermin is not a simple face moisturizer. Its formula contains royal jelly and vitamin A. Two ingredients that are renowned for their efficiency in the fight against wrinkled skin. Due to the mixture of active elements from natural wax, royal jelly and Retin-A, the skin recaptures its natural glow and in-depth hydration.

What is great about Apidermin is that you can use it as a day or a night cream, or even both. You’ll be the one to decide when’s the best time for you to use it. I suggest you first try it as a day cream and see how that works out for you.

Another aspect I should mention is regarding the way Apidermin should be applied on. No miracle will work unless it is correctly used. That’s another lesson I learned on the way. So, when applying Apidermin to your face, be sure to follow these steps:

1. Put a small amount of face cream on your fingers.

2. Apply the cream on your face, making white polka dots on it. You should consider as areas, to apply the face cream on, your cheeks, your forehead, the tip of your noise and your chin.

3. Massage gently the cream into your face, starting from one of the cheeks and working through to the next one. Then, go from your forehead to your chin. Massage in a circular motion.

A lot of people forget about the area of the neck and décolletage. Starting from today, you are no longer one of those people. Namely, because you will know how important it is for the skin on your neck and décolletage to be cared for. You will make use of this great information in order to achieve wonderful results. I guarantee you’ll have a younger looking skin as soon as Apidermin has made its way into your daily use. Join me in this wonderful new era of natural freshness.

I know you might think that Apidermin cannot be for all skin types. But actually it is. Should you have oily skin, just apply a pea-sized amount of face cream. Be careful to apply only to your cheeks. 

Isn’t that great?! If you have oily skin, with Apidermin you can save money on the long run. One recipient will last longer than any other face cream you might use. Great skin and more money in your pocket. That is quite an offer you can’t refuse!

Also, Apidermin can be used as a make-up base. And it does not trigger intolerance reactions, being tolerated by even the most sensitive of skins. A miracle, indeed!

Just try it already and let me know the wonders that have appeared in your life ever since you’ve started using Apidermin!

Ayaan Hirsi Ali – ‘Infidel’

It was a mere accident, me discovering Ayaan Hirsi Ali through this video. I liked her ideas and started afterwards searching for information regarding her on the internet. With every information, I became spellbound. I didn’t expect such people to exist anymore.

My dilemmas regarding what happens to women in different corners of the world has been tormenting me for some time. I have tried a couple of times to discuss them with other people, but somehow it seemed to always come up against a ‘democratic’ wall – every one should deal with their problems in their own way. Far is from me to consider myself a Joan of Arc fighting for the rights of women throughout this planet, but I do admit that I have often felt responsible or even ashamed to be able to enjoy liberties and rights, while other women were simply not. And I admit that I have often felt terrified with the thought of being born in another part of this world, where being a woman values just as much as a door mat. It was, thus, a mere happening that I was born here and not there. A happening that makes one appreciate a different meaning of the word luck.

As for the issue with religion, I stand by the questions raised by Ayaan Hirsi Ali in her book ‘Infidel’. How many of ‘our Orthodox beliefs’ aren’t, actually, superstitions? Why, if God loves us all as equals, do we have to stand while in church to the left, for women, and to the right, for men? Why should women cover their heads when entering a church? Why is the fact of covering one woman’s head more important than receiving the communion? Why the mentioning of women’s submission to men? Why must women multiply like Rachela? Why, if God loves us all as we are, some must hide or be ashamed regarding their sexual orientation? Why... ? And finally, as Ayaan Hirsi Ali recommends for Islam, why do we stand against an update of the religions that exist on this Earth? Why do we continue to live our lives according to ancient precepts that no longer have anything in common with the way society is now?

The novel ‘Infidel’ cannot be suspected of trying to attract followers or divide religions into good or bad. It is a confession of a woman who has gone through terrible life experiences, she has survived them, she has fought (sometimes, even against her own prejudice) and lived in order to tell the story. Ayaan Hirsi Ali does not incite to any hysteria against Islam. She only asks questions, and I would add, encourages us to ask ourselves important questions, too.

P.S. The rating on goodreads does not reflect Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s book, and it was influenced by the quality of the editing. Actually, I recommend this novel with all my heart. The Romanian version of the novel ‘Infidel’ lacks around thirty pages of the English version. I contacted Rao Publishing House, but I received no information regarding this error. Should you buy the Romanian version, please pay attention to what comes next after page number 160. If it is follwed by page number 129, then you have the same version as me (from which pages 161-192 are missing).

José Saramago - 'Raised from the Ground'

The novel 'Raised from the ground' has its own spirit. One that enthrals according to its wishes. It majestically starts with a quotation from Almeida Garrett:

If the essences of the planet Earth we inhabit had to be described, José Saramago's novel would succeed in moving the unitiated about terrestrials' truths. The novel was written with love. Actually, with a lot of love for the people working the land, who know the meaning of a sudden change in the clouds, a swish of wheat, a breeze and the implications these might have on the harvest. Also, the novel gives praise to the simple people who managed, no matter the sacrifices, to rise against Portuguese landlords, regardless of the political regimes they lived under. Bad-Weather (the name of the family presented in this novel, which is in Portuguese Mau-Tempo) is not at all a fetter, but a support.

Brimming with charm, the narrator's voice gives a different perspective to the novel, blending together with those of various characters. And even if one has never been reliant on the fruits of the land, one is bound to find themselves vibrating while reading these pages.