learning to slow down in Vama Veche

There is a saying that in order to better experience a place you have to slow down. The more I try to fit as many things in as little time as possible, the more I become frustrated and tired.
Of course, like any good advice, I generally ignore the ‘slow-down’ advice. How can I stop and relax when there are so many interesting things going on? When I visit another country – be it an exotic place or close to home – I am usually in a frenzy to see as much as possible. Whether I shoot 800 pictures or cram 3 museums in a day, I start to burn out after a few days.

Knowing that when travelling abroad I usually dismiss ‘slowing down’, I decided that maybe a whole week in Vama Veche would prove a good occasion to try and well…..slow down. I have to say that by the end of the second weekend I really felt relaxed and at peace. I usually scoff at terms like ‘regenerating experience’ – but staying on the beach, enjoying a few beers with friends does come close. And how could I not be relaxed when the hardest thing in a day was decide what and where to eat?

And for the first time I actually managed to even take some photos at Vama Veche. This was another pet peeve of mine – because of lightning-fast weekend getaways, I never managed to use my camera.

The point of this post? Beside showing a few photos and distracting you on a weekday morning? Maybe you should also try to slow down  whether travelling or vacationing.

[pe2-gallery class=”alignleft” ] [pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xrvxFUS_UVw/UBfzjFil6OI/AAAAAAAAPTY/P-MEk2Xvj4o/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5191.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349231606819042″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”seashells in Vama veche | Fuji X10″ ][pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5EOdk8lfcp8/UBfzkUwtekI/AAAAAAAAPTg/Ktw4gK16rxw/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5219.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349252872436290″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”seashells in Vama veche | Fuji X10″ ][pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nMTVfSBccIQ/UBfzoxhvSwI/AAAAAAAAPUA/9vbyonrSiBU/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5268.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349329313745666″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”old wooden door at Cherhana in vama veche | Fuji X10″ ][pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nKNAvI1bFBE/UBfzpunRz4I/AAAAAAAAPUE/nUlf-Jlf5DU/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5271.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349345711542146″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”Cherhana in vama veche – best seafood in the village | Fuji X10″ ][pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NDivUzQjtqE/UBfzqDoLvlI/AAAAAAAAPUQ/FaGxGrEtU0M/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5297.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349351352483410″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”dandelion close-up” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u_uZ3XOkeiM/UBfzragEASI/AAAAAAAAPUg/cIsQtqfxmIs/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5299.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349374672306466″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”dandelion close-up” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-btLNo8K_SD0/UBfzseIHIwI/AAAAAAAAPUc/fVFy7pBqGKg/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5312.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349392825459458″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20120721-DSCF5312.jpg” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fP-mO2LQ3Vc/UBfztNoP0JI/AAAAAAAAPUk/PQSTHdj-yyg/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5321.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349405576712338″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”old boat in Vama Veche” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3puN2p8EuLg/UBfzthpiZxI/AAAAAAAAPUw/68u6uj3p3og/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5345.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349410950833938″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”quiet pub at the end of the resort” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hOu_EMpgfzE/UBfzwGr4ONI/AAAAAAAAPU0/Sh615z2NYAU/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5375.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349455252502738″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”relaxed reading in Vama Veche” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-58KYJ21Hof8/UBfzw2UoTDI/AAAAAAAAPVA/Vzo-lziS644/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5377.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349468039892018″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”pub at the north-end of the resort” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E_N2EmgVpuI/UBfz1BO5uaI/AAAAAAAAPVQ/nc4jx8bW5MQ/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5385.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349539688135074″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”quiet pub at the north end of the resort” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BfUfzZe3S0s/UBfz1wqBy_I/AAAAAAAAPVU/af8sZtCpgrw/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5393.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771349552418376690″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”overhead view of Vama Veche | Fuji X10″ ][pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-idOEpowq3RA/UBjyzgyE1II/AAAAAAAAPWc/HaUy0I3DI1I/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5102.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771629889262507138″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”clothes pins” ][pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E_MTJWUojBI/UBozn_t_HXI/AAAAAAAAPXk/jmTRqbCMKlc/s144-o/20120721-DSCF5185.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/118269665079131306201/2012VamaVeche#5771982634640940402″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”seashells close-up with the Black Sea in the background | Fuji X10″ ][/pe2-gallery]