Pools in Bucharest

I'm far from being a good swimmer. I just practice a lot.

But since swimming is an important part of my life, I've been frequently asked about the best pool&gear.

As far as I'm concerned, I've tried several over the years and what I seek in a pool is perfect clean water, clean lockers, and if it's crowded I prefer people who swim to people who chat&kiss at the end of the lane.

And one more little detail - I like my pool blue - cause there is a black one, for the real depressed but posh swimmers.

1. Dinu Pescariu

been there for a couple of times.

+'s - 25 m, clean, far from crowded ( price I reckon )

-'s - the rather long corridor between the pool and locker area, price.

2. World Class Downtown.

used this one for 1.5 years

+'s - the price

-'s - 22m, really crowded if you go there to swim, crowded lockers as in walking naked silicon valley (boys, it's not pretty, trust me)

3. IDM - my recommendation

using it since November.

+'s - 25m, price, cleanest water ever, not crowded

-'s - the clerks.

4. Olympic Pool - Izvorani

++ 50m, great water.

I'd swim there everyday, but since it's out of town, it just counts as one of the coolest pools ever, not your everyday swim.

It's open to public but you need to call first.

5. Dinamo - outdoor

if you don't mind seeing the occasional leaf - from the trees near, it's perfect for summer week-days, early evening swims.

50m, clean water.

avoid during the week-end - it's very crowded.

Hope this is helpful.

I'll get back with a post about gear.

The world is dead - Long live the world.

Been preparing this post for a while and now it's time to share my thoughts.

When I was a kid, I used to have a nightmare - over and over again. I was locked in this house with no doors, just windows and the house was slowly flooding. Concrete grey all over. And my darkest fear was that water is going to reach the plugs and I'm going to die electrocuted.

I told my mom about it - she said that even in dreams I can stop it and dream about something else. It's true. I never had that dream ever again.

My 2011 was like a nightmare battle where you keep fighting but you're not getting anywhere. You want to prove yourself and the whole world that you're the absolute best.

You have no idea who you're fighting with. You know that you simply have to keep doing it cause... wait. And you stop. Why do I have to do this? I'm way too tired for this and I don't like this armour. It doesn't match my eyes.

And you drop your weapons and say, fuck it. I quit.

When you drop the sword, the battle stops and suddenly everything is changed. It's not a battle anymore. It's a dance in the dark. You have no idea how to do it. You heard about people elegantly moving together but you have no idea how to do it. Oh wait, there's music. Oh my, so many new things.

And you start moving, led by something you can't explain. You're clumsy as hell and you feel ashamed, naked in a ballroom where everyone seems perfect.

And then, the ballroom warms slowly by guiding floating lights and you have a pretty dress and a tiara and you're not that bad. You're still very clumsy and still scared but there are some people smiling at you while you unintentionally step on somebody's foot, light is complementing your eyes and you trust yourself to keep doing this new thing, even if you're not very good at it.

Color and love flood the space behind your eyes.

I wanted this post to be a confession about the many things I've began to see only this year.

I pictured it smart and full of wiseness. Instead all I could write is ( if you've reached this far ) what you've already read.

I was blessed with pain and guiding lights disguised as people teaching me, tenderly and sometimes not so tenderly about music, vulnerability, friendship and love.

Thank you beautiful people in my life.

I like dancing with you. I can only hope I'm not stepping on your foot too much.

Keep on teaching me new moves please.

I wish we all have an elegant year no matter what the DJ plays.