Sunday, July 26, 2009

The lonely fisherman

catching fish

See the red spot on the steep rock? That's a young man dressed in a red shirt catching fish in the Bistrita (Bistritza) river in north east Romania. The name Bistrita has its origin in the slavic word 'bystrica' meaning serene water. Serene indeed, and not only the water, but the whole landscape surrounding it. It's not the same serenity one experiences at the Dead Sea, for instance, but still ,serene enough for a relaxation vacation and for catching fish.

Anyway, I saw the fisherman from the back and wanted to capture him from the front. So I went up the bridge, but I coudn't see him at all from there. I stretched my arm in the proper direction (where he was supposed to be) with camera face down, and clicked. Got him. (Who says I have no photographic skills? LOL). When enlarged , it is quite a nice picture with a cute , lonely fisherman. I like it.

It so happened that on that day, we had fish (good source for Omega3 oil) and mamaliga (polenta porridge) for dinner. With the local sparkling mineral water , it all tasted great.


road bridge over Bistrita seen from below

the road bridge


the serene waters of Bistrita

18 comments:

  1. Hi Duta, I thought your photo of the fisherman epitomised all fishermen everywhere: concentrated endeavour. At first I thought he looked lonely as well, but when I enlarged your photo I thought he looked peaceful.
    Loved your photos of the river. You captured the calm tranquility that mighty rivers can have when they are gently pottering along, rather than flood times when they are steaming along at a great pace. Thanks for posting them.

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  2. Vera,
    I'm glad you liked the photos.

    As for 'lonely',indeed the fisherman looks mainly peaceful. When I wrote the title to the post, I had in mind "the lonely shepherd", a famous musical piece performed by a pan flutist (his picture is on my sidebar), and I thought the same phrase would nicely fit the post on the fisherman.

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  3. Good aim, Duta...LOL
    I can see it now, Duta hanging from the bridge to get the perfect shot...LOL I love it!

    You are so cute :) I love the pictures...what a gorgeous lake. When I go to Israel in October for my birthday to visit my friend we will be visiting the Dead Sea too. More relaxing than this beautiful lake? Wow...I think I am going to be in heaven :)
    Thank you for sharing your fun story and pictures with us...always a treat!
    Have a Beautiful Day!

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  4. Mamaliga was a staple in our house when I was a kid. My grandmother would bring it to the table on a big platter, a steaming golden mound, and we'd slather butter or sourcream on it. I thought we were the only ones who had it, and I even suspected that the name was made up, until I read "Dracula" in high school. It's one of the last things the hapless Jonathan Harker enjoys while stopping at an inn on his way through the Carpathians to Castle Dracula.

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  5. Thanks again Duta. For someone who has never travelled outside her country's borders, your blog is a godsend. When I read it, I feel as if I am visiting all those wonderful places with you. Where are we going next?

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  6. The color of the sea is gorgeous. Romania is a beautiful country. Belissima!

    Hugs

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  7. Beautiful! Makes me want fish for dinner tomorrow night...

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  8. TheChicGeek,
    Kelly you're like the sparkling mineral water that I sooo like to drink. Now we are even. You called me "cute", I called you "sparkling water".
    Hopefully, the weather in October will be fine, to make your birthday visit to Israel a
    lovely one. Now, it's unbearable.Your friend probably keeps you updated on everything , but if you need any specific info, I'll be glad to help.

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  9. TallTchr,
    "steaming golden mound.." - I like that. Your language is so special, at least in my eyes. When I read one of your posts or comments, I sometimes have to look up some word in the dictionary, but I do it with pleasure as I enjoy the reading.

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  10. A human kind of human,
    Thanks for your kind words. I don't go too far. I've never been in America, for example. I have visited South Africa because I was asked to do a favor to a friend of mine and accompany her mother to her sister who lived in Williamstown. I was very impressed with the beauty of the country.

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  11. Michelle P'
    Hi Michelle,
    Thanks for stopping by.
    You're right about that. Romania is a very beautiful country, with superb landscapes, friendly people, and gorgeous food.

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  12. The Bug,
    You may eat fish any time: it's tasty and healthy. Frankly speaking, I'm not eager to prepare it myself as I'm a bit sensitive to the smell.

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  13. Your life is so different than mine. I love reading your posts and seeing your pictures. I sometimes feel way too self-focused, and your blog opens up the world to me. Thank you.

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  14. Bica,

    Thank you for your nice words. I'm glad you like reading my posts and seeing the pictures.

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  15. Your story reminds me of a lovely childhood song
    Pescarul amator


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3aTSsvQNBc&feature=PlayList&p=F4A9A65C282A82FF&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=19

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  16. Rahel/Rodica
    Thanks, Rodica. The youtube video reminded me too of the song about the amateur fisherman. You've got quite a memory, and that's quite a nice song!

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  17. Can I travel with you? Will you support my vices? Vodka & cheese?

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  18. Hi Kimberley,
    I'm not much of a traveller now. Most of my travels were in the past. I suppose vodka goes well with cheese, but I wouldn't recommend it to you.unless at a time of some special celebration.

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