Traveler's Note: Connecting in Europe?

Welcome to Traveler's Note, a quick impression & feedback editorial on different places around the world in a nutshell. Note: All the writing material in Traveler's Note is that of my personal experience and opinion, thus it does not necessarily reflect nor portray how this location may appear to you on your own travel time.

Millions of people connect through Europe on daily basis, whether because it's more budget friendly or to take in some fresh Euro air, or be it any other reason you may not tell us. If you're not a frequent flyer, chances are you may end up in the wrong place that can either ruin your experience, or make you search for a different connection next time around. Well, you don't have to do that. Connecting through Europe is one of the easiest, most efficient methods to achieving convenience in your long distance flights. 

My top recommendation is always AMS (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol). From the numerous flights I've connected on, whether domestic Europe or international bound, having a layover in AMS has always been a pleasant experience. Time is money, and that's one of the primary reasons I recommend AMS. While it is large in size, connecting to different terminals is relatively quick, and customs (passport control) move the lines along relatively fast, even when things pile up a bit. 

In terms of bars and lounges, AMS offers some very fancy options. Food and drinks selection is also offered with a good variety in mind. Yes, Starbucks is there, and more than one. 

AMS is a beautiful airport, with a modern design concept of all glass windows and clean, new environment inside terminals. If you're a shopping junkie, this isn't the best of places, however, there is reasonable stuff to be found. If shopping is one of your primary goals during layovers, highly consider LHR (London Heathrow Airport), but that's another story for another day, wink wink. 

Anna Karenina Movie on What-is-Love?

My Mom said that some people go through life without knowing what love is. She said that if I want to know about love, I should watch Anna Karenina. And I looked sideways at her thinking...but I know what love is! I am in love! Of course, that wasn't what she was talking about or implying. I just decided to take it personally.
But it is a serious question that people ask every day. What IS love? That top-of the world feeling that they talk about. My mom says that everyone needs to experience love in it's most raw, real form, whether it lasts or dies, whether you suffer in consequence or bathe in happiness, whether it changes your life for the better or worse; you just need to experience it. And, of course, everyone experiences 'top-of-the-world' differently because each relationship takes on different dynamics. Thank God for that because I was thinking I was screwed for life after the bad ones ;)

And so I sat on my super comfy new couch and watched Anna Karenina -- completely enchanted. A true, classic, Russian Romeo and Juliet. In fact, the movie was my homework sort of -- me, a Russian-Canadian, watching a Russian classic to test just how Russian I am at heart. And let me assure you - or should I say, assure myself? - that I am as sensitive to Russian ways of thinking as ever. I understand why many say that Russian literature is amazing in its cold, depressive way, where suffering and love linger in every corner.Well, I added the 'amazing' part in there -- you really have to be Russian to understand the greatness behind a painful, cold love story...you can argue with me on that if you would like. I am always down for a good debate. I just hope that other nationalities are warmer at heart than us Russians :-)

Anyway, the Anna Karenina strory showcases all kinds of love: love for a husband, for a lover, for a child, for a parent...But the one type of love that lives throughout this story is the die-for-you unconditional love. This is the love Anna Karenina experiences from her husband Karenin. Karenin's love for Anna is eternal, yet grounded.

A lot of criticism focuses on Anna's steamy love affair with Vronsky, the terribly attractive younger guy. But I don't believe that this is the focus of the movie. I think that the focus of the movie is on the true love that comes from Anna's husband, Karenin. I think that you have to be in love to see that (eh Mom?! ;))

The Anna Karenina movie actually made me think about a different question: what boundaries does love have? Can you love someone so much that you are willing to accept and tolerate the most obvious form of infedelity? Can you love someone so much that you stick by them even though they have admitted to be in love with someone else? Would you say that this love is one-sided? I wouldn't. I think that Anna loves her husband, but she loves him differently - as her friend, as her old man. Is this kind of love fair? Probably not.

Anyway, those are my (scattered) thoughts on the movie. Feel free to comment.

With love,
moon girl

Dear Readers

Hello again,

Thanks for your continuous support! Even though we have been offline for a long while, you have been visiting, reading and commenting. And I appreciate that.

I have neglected this blog for many long months and I truly missed blogging and, of course, all of you. So I am back and please, don't stop coming back to this little spot on the web. Let's do this.

with love,
Moon Girl

Bite an aluminum fruit or paint a robot green?

Ready, set, go! iOS or Android? Apple or Google? Snickers or Mars? Okay, that last one wasn't supposed to be in there.

No, at Things De Jour we have appreciation for simplicity, therefore answering any of those questions in a definitive way is the last thing we'll ask from you. Instead we want to share something that will hopefully help you decide which door it is you'd like to open.

You may not care about smartphones. You especially may not care about what software they are running. To you, you may prefer a mobile phone that works fast and is smooth in everything it does. So in our current day and age, if we take a look at things on a global scale, there are two companies people tend to prefer when it comes to smartphones; Google and Apple. It used to be RIM and Nokia as well, but we will go into those on a different post. So in essence, it's a battle of iPhone vs Android.

How do you know whether to go iPhone or Android? It comes down to what it is you plan on doing with your most used device on daily basis. Let's lay it out in a very common, comprehensible way.

Design options: How important is the look of a smartphone to you? Google's Android is open source, meaning world's largest manufacturers produce phones that run Android like LG, Samsung, HTC, and even Google itself. All of these phones are different in design, so you have plenty to choose from. Apple releases one iPhone per year on a strict basis therefore narrowing down your option to only one model. However, in credit to taking its time, iPhone is guaranteed to offer one of the most premium looking phones on the market.

User Interface: Apple's iOS 6 (latest software) offers a highly organized and simplistic approach. Navigating throughout the interface and getting where you need to get is as easy as it gets. Android's 4.1 (latest software also known as Jelly Bean) focus is on a more custom and a flexible approach in that you have more freedom to change things around, if you so choose, or maintain a minimalist approach.

Speed: With the latest version of each software, iOS 6 from Apple, and Android 4.1 from Google, both offer incredibly sharp and snappy performance. You won't have any trouble scrolling through apps, swiping through user interface, or just in general use of software.

Apps: Whether Android or iOS, you're guaranteed to have a huge selection of apps in each ecosystem's respective application store patched in with software. In Android's case, the app store is called 'Google Play' and its advantage is that Android offers more free apps than that of iOS. On iOS the generic term app store applies to its online application hub, known as 'App Store'. While Android offers a larger amount of free applications, iOS offers more apps in its App Store than does Android in its Google Play as a whole, in fact by quiet a margin (albeit that lead is quickly shrinking).

Your social integration: Both iOS 6 and Android 4.1 offer a quick, and a convenient way to update your social media, micro-blogging etc. on the go. iOS does have a slight advantage here as iOS 6 is tightly integrated with Twitter and Facebook, which allows you to post updates right from your home screen, without having to go into an app.

Artificial Intelligence: Alright, we're not exactly there yet, but we're sure on our way there with virtual assistants on both Android and iOS. Android 4.1 offers a feature called 'Google Now' which is a smart software assistant that helps you out in many different ways. For instance, tell Google Now to show you pictures of Sydney, Australia, and it will do so instantly. Ask Google Now who the current prime minister of Japan is, and it will reply instantly. Moreover, Google Now improves the already superior Google search on your Android smartphone by using your search and navigation history to tell you "what you need to know and when you want to know it." As a quick example Google Now will suggest alternate routes of your commute or even tell you when your next train is coming. iOS 6 from Apple delivers on the same virtual assistant front with a software known as 'Siri'. Siri is arguably more human and charming in its sound than Google's iteration of Google Now, and it also offers a lot of compelling features. Siri can answer most of your question on some of the most random topics, bring you sports scores, reserve restaurants, post directly into Twitter or Facebook, launch apps, and show movie reviews. In essence, both Google Now and Siri are tremendously helpful, and highly efficient.

Hardware & Specs: It's hardly a secret that most consumers buy a smartphone by how well its advertised on the hardware or specs front. In this department, if you want all bells and whistles, such as a quad-core CPU phone, with a 13MP camera, you go Android. Android phones have been traditionally known to pack superior specs and hardware than iOS-based iPhones. However, this is hardly a decisive victory for Android. While packing less punch under the hood, iPhones have always performed in a way you could have sworn they also packed the same monster specs as their rival Androids. This just goes to show that it's not about how strong a smartphone's specs are, it's about how well and efficient a phone integrates its hardware with its software for a satisfying user experience. When it comes down to delivering raw power however, Android takes the cake.

Pricing: This is a difficult category to talk about, as it really depends on where your location is. Generally speaking, if you're plunking down for a contract with a carrier, it will be the same fixed price whether iPhone or Android. However, and a big however here, Android offers a huge selection of mid-range budget-friendly phones where you get a good smartphone experience at a price that won't hurt your wallet. On the other hand, the advantage you have with an iPhone (particularly if it's a newer model) is that it has a fantastic resale value.

Punch line: While I won't declare a winner, as there isn't one (different strokes for different folks), I will bring some K.Os....or attempts, since phones don't have gloves. Or fists. Sadly. Actually happily.
iPhone: Beautiful, intuitive, solidly engineered and assembled. A true definition of a high-quality consumer electronics manufacturing. Simple to operate on the software front, and offers top-notch security so you don't have to worry about malware. Perhaps one of its biggest advantages: it's brand. It's the cool phone to have.
Android: Big (new Android handsets pack serious size), powerful, thin, versatile. A true definition of letting you, the user, have all the control you want of your smartphone. Yes, restrictions are gone here, baby. With the most free apps, top-notch hardware (up to 13MP cameras on upcoming phones), and freedom to customize, hack, and tinker while having the best from Google, it's a love affair.