Being a child of the Eastern European panel apartment blocks wide-spread during the communism, I have long been convinced that I know everything about floors, elevators and towering flats. Until I set foot in Hong Kong. We had visited Dubai, Los Angeles and Singapore a couple of years earlier so we thought we’ve already seen some skyscrapering but the concrete forests of Hong Kong beat them all.

One of the first things I noticed upon our relocation to Western Europe years ago, was the astonishing fact that many local people had no idea who is Amber or Scarlet O’Hara, who is P.G. Woodehouse, what does Shogun mean or what does Erich von Däniken write about. From my book worm’s perspective this was totally unacceptable and instantly sent me on a book saving quest.

Not without concern I’ve noticed lately how many people have rude manners and display a horrid lack of courteousness and respect (and lack of common sense as well but that’s another topic). Impolite acts always generate an atmosphere toxic and unpleasant, to which only three antidotes have been discovered: beauty, sun and humour. We enjoyed them all at once on our trip to Kreuzteich Lake, back in 2016.

A friend jokingly told me the other day that she envies the free time I have on my hands, to invest in preparation and decoration of such a lavish birthday party (referring to my daughter’s shabby high tea obviously). It is true that we practice decoration devotedly and on any occasion but not because we have free time or free money. We just find it important.