Dragomirna Church, Romania - 2014 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage Grand Prix WINNER !!!

The winners of the 2014 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage have been presented with their awards for excellence in conservation and heritage-related work.

From among 160 entries, panels of experts picked 6 projects as Grand Prix winners:

• the restoration of 17th century frescoes covering 900 square metres of wall at Dragomirna Church, Romania. This project also won the Public Choice Award after an online poll involving 10 000 voters.
• a project to restore the vernacular architecture of the late-16th to mid-19th century Walser Houses in Alagna Valsesia, Italy
• the conservation of 8 wine-making cooperatives in Catalonia, Spain, built in the early 20th century in the Modernist style and still in use today
• research into Roman building methods in the Peloponnese, Greece
• Kempen Landscape heritage association, which has devised a unique way of conserving and managing 800 hectares of a historic landscape in Belgium
• a project to raise awareness of the cultural heritage of Miskolc, Hungary, a city with a rich history that has fallen into decline since the 1980s

Each of the winners received a trophy at the Vienna ceremony on 5 May, presented by opera tenor Plácido Domingo, president of Europa Nostra. The Grand Prix winners were also awarded €10 000 each.

Europe - whenever you’re ready

Tourism has an important role in restoring economic growth in Europe. EU countries account for over 39% of global arrivals, making the EU the world's number one tourist destination. 

Europe – whenever you’re ready, is a campaign by the EU tourism to highlight the diversity Europe offers travellers and tourists, at any time of the year.


Check the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Europe.whenever.youre.ready

European Smart Borders: enhancing mobility and security

This should interest all non EU foreigners visiting Europe (the Schengen area) and the non-Schengen member countries. The new package proposed by the Commission wants to speed-up, facilitate and reinforce border check procedures for foreigners travelling to the EU.

 

Smart Borders means efficient border management by using state-of-the-art technology.

 

The package consists of

• a Registered Traveller Programme (RTP) and
• an Entry/Exit System (EES) that will simplify life for frequent third country travellers at the Schengen external borders and enhance EU border security.

Business travellers, workers on short term contracts, researchers and students, third country nationals with close family ties to EU citizens or living in regions bordering the EU are all likely to cross the borders several times a year. Making it as easy as possible for them to come to the EU would ensure that Europe remains an attractive destination and help boosting economic activity and job creation.

More information on the website of Home Affairs Directorate.

Nu este foarte clar daca o tara ca Romania care nu face parte inca din spatiul Schengen (si nici nu prea sunt perspective reale) dar care foloseste pasaportul biometric, va obliga cetatenii romani sa se inregistreze in acest program si baza de date.
Rusinica mare daca vom fi nevoiti...

Boieng 737: zbor de cosmar

Nu e chiar ultimul film cu Segal dar a fost cu siguranta un zbor de toti nervii!!!

11:00 Brussel National Airport - Bucuresti Baneasa -> Blue Air

CheckIn: o coada de referinta chiar si pentru perioada comunista...1 ora si 20 de minute de stat in sir, imbrancit si blocat co-nationalii mai cu tupeu...urari de bine si multe injuraturi la adresa taxei de bagaj care s-a majorat la 10 euro cu prilejul sfintelor sarbatori...din toate casele de check-in doar la Blue Air trebuia sa astepti agentul sa iti taie chitanta de 10 euro pe bagaje inainte de a primi biletul...un "portarel" cocotat pe casa eliberand chitante...de tot rasul...10:50

Boarding: dupa o goana nebuna pentru a face toate formalitatile de vama si stabilirea unui nou record de viteza pentru parcurgerea celor 40 de piste (fiindca Blue Air are mereu ultima pista) ma regasesc la o alta coada...11:05...din nou suntem imformati ca trebuie sa asteptam: se vor imbarca intai primii 100 de locuri apoi restul...

Taking Off: 11:20 - sunt asezat...am reusit sa imi inghesui rucsacul si haina printre ursuleti de plus si multe sacose cu Menneken Piss de ciocolata...multa zarva si multa spiritualitate romaneasca...Baiii!!!

Not Taking Off: 11:30 - suntem anuntati ca decolarea intarzie cu 15 min...ne relaxeaza cu muzica si apa rece...gratis!

Not Not Taking Off: 11:45 - o voce suava ne informeaza ca vom astepta inca 20 de minute bagajele...vuiete, miscare, pocnituri si multe cuvinte ce incep cu FAQ...aceeasi muzica in difuzoare ... apa nu ne mai dau!

You can't handle the truth: zarva mare, carucioare cu bagaje vin si pleaca, agentii arunca gentile in toate directiile, vanzoleala mare in cala, noi toti inghesuiti la geamuri privim intrebatori de ce gentile noastre sunt aruncate cu atata manie...muzica deja se repeta iritant...13:00 - aflam ca 60 de bagaje nu se gasesc...sunt ratacite pe undeva prin celalalte avioane ce asteapta sa decoleze...cauza: o defectiune tehnica a sistemului de sortare belgian! Ha!

Taking Off: 13:20 - decolam cu 60 de bagaje lipsa si cu speranta ca ne vom gasi geanta de partea cealalta...mananc nervos un sandwish de 4 euro si beau apa (primita gratis)...e curent si am amortit...

Landing: 17:00 - aterizare cu succes, asteptam nerabdatori scara inca 15 minute si autobuzul inca 10...sunt -10 grade...toate lumea glumeste fals despre cum am ramas fara haine si cadouri...

Baggages: 17:30 - omor la pista caraghios de mica a aeroportului Baneasa...200 si ceva de oameni luptandu-se pentru un loc aprope de pista...ma uit trist pe geam cum ultimele bagaje sunt aruncate din cala...al meu nu e! ma uit pierdut de speranta dupa orice troiler...dezamagiti alergam la biroul de bagaje care tocmai se inchide si suntem directionati spre casele de check-in....dupa 6 ore am ajuns tot la ghiseul de check-in de data asta fara bagaje.

Rescue: 18:30 - iar imbulzeala, misto-uri, glume proaste, miros de ceapa, injuraturi si dezamagire...4 fete de la Blue Air lupta eroic cu masa de oameni dezlantuita...fiecare primeste o cerere de recuperare si multa incurajare ca in zilele ce vor veni bagajele ne vor fi restituite...

There is no place like home...