It’s known the fact that, even for the people who step for their first time in the USA, feel that they were here before. This feeling exists because in fact America is exactly how we know it from TV, but is more complex. Here in the USA is something for everyone: city life like nowhere on the planet, known and unknown food from all over the world, monuments, top resorts, cars, industries, parks, fun, sports and craziness. The only difference here in the USA I think is, the fact that here, you can find all of those in one place and in much bigger size than in different parts of the world.

                    The United States of America has, had and will always have something new and interesting to offer to the hungry tourists, who decide to travel, to have good time and to satisfy even the unexpressed needs and wishes in discovering new beautiful places and aspects of the planet.

                       Images with famous wonders from the USA were promoted all over the world, during the time, from the time of the beginning of the expansion of the humanity to the West. The famous National Parks such as Yellowstone, Arches or Grand Canyon represents the foundations of the traveling industry in the USA and this fact burgeons the wish of traveling for people from all over the world.

               From the corals reefs of the South Florida to the glacial areas of the Alaska, from the swamp areas of Florida to the desserts of Colorado, Utah or Arizona, from California’s beaches to the Colorado’s or Utah’s ski resorts, America can speak for itself superlatively. All those natural beauties, continuously impress with breathtaking landscapes, grabbing the attentions of the tourists, many of them becoming “slaves” of their photo and video cameras. From all this travelling around the USA, we definitely learned one thing: ” To live in the USA and to not own a photo or video camera, you are either a blind person or a crazy one!”

                 Because of those two ways that we experienced traveling around the USA, we reached the point where we are thinking that the traveling by car it is more interesting and more beneficial for our family.

               – Time to Reach the Destination – for example when traveling by plane it is not necessarily a big amount of time to reach the destination, but at the same time by car the time consumed to reach the destination will be way longer. Sometimes is better to arrive faster to your destination and to have more time to spend there. For us traveling by plane means losing time in the airports, on the way to and from the airport, to check in and out our luggage. All this time, consumed to get in and out of the plane, can be easily used to visit something new.

                 – Chances to Visit Different Objectives on the Way to our Final Destination – when we are traveling by car, the options appear to be more often to visit different objectives that we can meet on our way. We always use the chances, on the way to our vacation destination, to build an itinerary that will help us to visit some friends and family.

                    – Costs – traveling by plane is more expensive in balance with the less expenses we’ll have traveling by car. For example, the plane tickets, plus some rental car fees at the destination, will cost us more than the gas price for the car if we’ll decide to travel by car.

                – Continuous Chances of Learning Something New - Traveling by car we have the chances to see different aspects of the American Society and details about its structure. For example, any time we have to stop to relax or to rest, because we drove a big period of time, we choose to stop somewhere where we can visit something. Many times the good time of our vacations improved because of those necessarily stops we chose to see some museums, parks or historical monuments.

                     – Freedom in Movement – the flexibility of driving is offering us the freedom to make some stops at any time that we feel like we need to get out of the car seat. Compared with traveling by plane, where we are stuck in one seat and in very limited space, when we travel by car we can stop anytime when we need to do some stretching and this way to relax a little bit.

                - Chances to Try Different Cuisines – the long period of time, that is necessary to reach the destination, puts travelers in the situation to be obligate to make stops in different areas of the country to eat. This way offers us the chance to taste the flavors of different cuisines. We like to try different types of food. When we have the chances to meet different kind of restaurants, we don’t hesitate to try new cuisines. This way we start to love sushi food, Mexican food, Chinese food and many types of food that we didn’t try before.

                    – Ownership of Your Vacation Time - traveling by car is giving us the option to manage our time. This way the good time of our vacation depends only on us and we don’t depend on specific time of the flights or the times of returning rental cars.

                      - Flexibility in Building Our Escapades Beneficially – traveling by car, another advantage is to choose to visit more objectives and take the most profit from our vacation time.

                       I hope everybody is and will appreciate the variety and beauty of this country. The traveling process, by car or by plane, is a learning, relaxing and fun activity. All the travel, especially by car, will bring benefits to both, the traveler and the American Society.

                 The traveler is receiving the benefit of improving the knowledge about this great country. At the same time the American society is receiving the benefit of being more known and more appreciated. I really hope in everybody is growing the challenge to travel and visit this great country and automatically support the beauty of it. I am saying to support the beauty of the USA by spending money on fees that needs to be paid to enter the national parks and to visit different cities.

That money represents our small contribution and our financial support to preserve those interesting and valuable places !

“ The World is a book , and those who don’t travel read only a page ! “  – St. Augustine

Dupa ce , ca doi baieti cuminti o ajutam pe Deima cu udat florile si arnjat putin la vita de vie, e timpul sa ne distram si noi , asa ca punem adidasi de alergare si plecam sa mai dam si noi putin din sunculita jos, eu si cu Rocco !

Around the house ! from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.

                                 La putin timp vede Subaru apropiindu-se pe strada si isi incepe tantos  parada de barbatie si de ocrotitor al casutei, in asa fel incat sa isi primeasca portia de atentie de la stapana casei si stiti ceva , REUSESTE cu varf si indesat !

Rocco, ready to take Deima for a ride !

                       Dupa ce Rocco isi face spectacolul de seara , fericit si obosit se retrage in gradina iar dupa lasarea serii, se intinde pe langa noi si admira la randul lui micul foc de tabara pe care il afcem mai in fiecare seara, sa ne bucuram de linistea si aerul curat al Colorado -ului.

Guarding the Moon !

Rocco around the house, waiting for Deima to coming home ! from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.

Valentin si Deimante

COFARU

Patru  ani de zile in care soarele este mai stralucitor, viata este mai frumoasa, iar setea de viata este infinit mai mare !

Patru ani de fericire , patru ani de incercari trecute mult mai usor in doi !

Patru ani plini de succese si reusite! 

Sa ne ajute Bunul Dumnezeu sa o tinem tot asa, sa ne dea puterea de a vedea calea cea mai buna, luciditatea de a o urma si puterea de a ne tine de ea !

Multumim tuturor care au fost alaturi de noi, care au ramas alaturi de noi si care ne-au ajutat in drumul nostru ! 

We thank you, my Lord,  for the love

You are implanted in our hearts!

Bless our marriage with peace and happiness

And make our love fruitful for Your Glory

and our Joy both Here and in Eternity !

AMEN

 NOW:

” REMEMBER, TODAY is the TOMMOROW you worried about YESTERDAY ! “

                                How, I think all of you know already, in the Summer 2010 I started to study at the Arapahoe Community College. In the beginning of my adventure here at the college, I had the chance to be student in a class of this great teacher, that I’ll recommend to everybody, in special to Deima, my wife, to attend her classes to meet a teacher who really enjoy to build great students and to make them more comfortable with the English language, a language that all of us have the idea that is an easy language. It is not, trust me!

One of the class that I attended this summer, was ENG 090  English Composition – teacher Ms. Colleen Weeks.

P.S. Ms Colleen , I know this is a Run on sentence , but I wanted to  proof my point. Please forgive me !

Photo 2

                                I placed here few pictures with my great colleagues. All three picture and the movie from the final, are from the last day of our class. I just want to mention here that I finished this class honorably , but only because of Ms. Colleen Weeks, our teacher that in the begin of this class recommend me to don’t drop this class because she have trust in me and she is thinking that I’ll pass it. I said this because in the beginning I wanted to drop this class and to attend a class with a lower level of English, because I didn’t feel comfortable.

                                     Was not an easy class for me, but after extra work  and a lot help from Ms. Weeks in the end I passed this class with a great degree.  Again and probably not for the last time:

 THANK YOU,  Ms. Colleen Weeks !

Photo 3

Here all the class around our great teacher.

At the same time I want to thank to all my colleagues for the chance to be a part of their group and to feel no one second a difference between us.

Thank you guys and I wish all the Best Luck in your carrier!

                           At the end I invite you to watch this video montage that me and my colleagues  put together to express our gratitude to Ms. Colleen Weeks and at the same time to feel free to leave us your thoughts !

ENG 090 Composition – ACC – Summer 2010 – Ms. Colleen Weeks class from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.

Gasca romaneasca, gata de pescuit

Langa tabara de corturi romanesti !

- Dale Carnegie     

Bunatati romanesti !

Sunt extraordinare momentele de relaxare la un picnic cu prieteni si romani care au trecut prin aceleasi incercari ca si tine , care departe de tara incearca s conserve spiritul romanesc si sa pastreze traditiile romanesti puterni

Barcutele clanului !

Dimineata dupa micul dejun ne pregateam sa punem barcile la apa pe ritmuri de muzica romaneasca.

Inainte de plecare !

Dupa cateva zile de relaxare si ambianta romaneasca traditionala, intristati dar si cu speranta ca vom reedita actiunea facem ultimele fotografii si ne uram putere de izbanda in viitor.

Rafa – Picnic Sylvan Lake 2005 from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.

                                Dupa o absenta notabila, pentru care ne cerem scuze revenim cu drag prezentandu-va iarasi cateva ipostaze din atat de frumoasa zona din sudul Floridei – Fort Lauderdale si mai exact din unul din locurile noastre preferate pe care vi-i le-am prezentat pentru prima data   AICI  anul trecut si unde am poposit si anul acesta pentru 3 zile cu ocazia scurtei noastre croaziere in Bahamas, dar despre asta in cateva postari viitoare.

 “ La rasaritul soarelui pare ca se trezeste costiinta Universului “    – Victor Hugo

Spectacol la rasaritul soarelui !

                                 Nu vrem sa afectam atmosfera superba de care ne-am bucurat aici , dar vrem sa dedicam aceasta postare prietenilor nostri din sudul Floridei, simpatica familie Marian si Cristina Tarpan, Vasilica si Adelina Median , prieteni de care suntem alaturi in momentele de stres prin care trec datorita situatiei din golful Mexic. Dumnezeu sa fie alaturi de noi si sa ne ajute sa trecem si de aceste foarte grele incercari si sa ne dea puterea sa ne bucuram si pe viitor de planeta noastra . DOAMNE AJUTA

                         In sfarsit, cu speranta si increderea ca  intr-o oarecare masura viitorul va fi unul mai stralucitor, cam cum se vede la acest rasarit de soare superb de pe coaste de est a Floridei, rasarit admirat de pe terasa noastra de la hotelul Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale, revenim prin a va mentiona ca anul acesta inainte de a incepe semestrul de vara de la facultate am hotarat sa evadam pentru o saptamana undeva in Paradis, evadare care s-a concretizat in 3 zile aici in Fort Lauderdale , doua zile inainte si una dupa o croaziera si un mic sejur de alte patru zile in insula Grand Bahamas.

Raiul pe Pamant !

                      Bineinteles ca va vom bombarda cu detalii care mai de care mai atractive , credem noi, despre Bahamas – o destinatie noua pentru noi, o particica de Rai , dar pana atunci va prezentam primele doua zile de fericire traita din nou in Fort Lauderdale , unde am avut placerea sa ne reintalnim cu prieteni foarte dragi, Marian si Cristina Tarpan , Vasilica si in acelasi timp unde am fost insotiti de simpaticii Lucian si Mihaela Oprea, care au acceptat sa ne insoteasca si ei la randul lor sa se relaxeze putin dupa tensiunea si munca accerba la care au fost supusi cu ocazia aparitiei numarului   100   al ziarului  Gandacul de Colorado, ziar pe care l-au creat si  il conduc .

                                              Suntem super entuziasmati si impresionati de rasariturile si apusurile de soare de la munte , dar de fiecare data cand ajungem in Florida asistam cu drag si in o tacere plina de respect la spectacolul oferit la rasarit si apus de soare aici pe malul oceanului Atlantic.

Cofare-ii pleaca pe plaja !

                               Distractia de aici a fost pe masura, chiar daca vacanta a inceput putin imbibata de suspans, si spun asta deoarece trebuie sa va povestesc de peripetiile noastre in drum catre Fort Lauderdale. Dupa un zbor de patru ore in momentul in care ne-am apropiat de Fort Lauderdale nu am putut ateriza deoarece in zona era o furtuna puternica si dupa ce am survolat cam 20-25 de minute Fort  Lauderdale-ul , pilotii au decis sa zboare si sa aterizeze in West Palm Beach , 15 minute de zbor , pentru a realimenta cu combustibil si in acelasi timp sa treaca furtuna. Dupa ce am aterizat in West Palm Beach, am alimentat am zburat inapoi in Fort Lauderdale unde am aterizat fara probleme, vremea imbunatatindu-se considerabil.

                                Fericiti si dupa ce ne-am intalnit cu Lucia si Mihaela am luat un taxi si am descins la hotel unde dupa cum se poate vedea si aici in fotografia de mai jos vremea s-a imbunatatit substantial.

                         Ca un sot grijuliu, trebuie sa contribui si eu la detaliile vacantelor de vis: aici inainte de a pleca din Colorado am comandat un buchet de lalele si o cutie de bomboane de ciocolata personalizate cu numele Deimei, cadouri care au asteptat-o cu zambetul pe buze in momentul cand am pasit in camera noastra de hotel. ( In Colorado am invatat o vorba de duh : daca sefa nu e fericita , nimeni nu e fericit , asa ca m-am conformat imediat )

                   Din atmosfera de relaxare oferita de ocean, plaja si piscina nu au lipsit nici serile romanesti alaturi de prieteni, in prima seara la restaurantul Transilvania iar in ceea de-a doua seara la restaurantul Casa Romaneasca , fostul restaurant Dracula iar serile se incheiau pe terasa camerei de hotel la un pahar de vin romanesc oferit noua, cadou de catre Marian si Cristina, o salata de vinete pregatita cu drag de Vasilica, plus o gramada de bunataturi romanesti procurate de la restaurante , mai bine zis impachetate frumos de gazde deoarece avizi de macare romaneasca am comandat cat am vazut cu doi ochi si bineinteles ca nu am putut manca atat cat am dorit .

Noaptea pe plaja !

                          Sunt mult mai multe de povestit dar cred ca filmuletul de la final va poate reda mai in amanunt atmosfera de vis traita de noi aici alaturi de prieteni dragi.

Va multumim pentru rabdarea cu care ati ramas alaturi de noi !

Again at the The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale ! from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.

                    In fiecare an, undeva in luna August are loc in Boulder Colorado festivalul romanilor din Colorado, festival organizat de  Romanian American Freedom Aliance - organizatia romanilor din statul Colorado .

                     Aici am asa va arat cateva momente din editia din anul 2005 , editie la care am participat si eu pentru prima data cu o expozitie de fotografie romaneasca , moment la care am fost placut impresionat de cerinta cu care s-au vandut fotografiile de diferite dimensiuni in care am imortalizat in timp frumoase locuri din Romania.

                         Festivalul s-a desfasurat pe bulevardul principal din orasul  Boulder  pe durata a 10-12 ore , perioada in care pe langa standurile cu articole romanesti, bucataria romanesca de unde cetatenii de mai toate nationalitatile s-au bucurat si au gustat renumitele sarmaluteromanesti, mititei si bauturi romanesti incepand de la deja cunoscuta apa minerala Borsec si terminand cu vestitul vin romanesc, placinta romanesca si toate astea pe acorduri de muzica populara romanesca si vizionand un frumos spectacol de dansuri populare romanesti.

 Bineinteles ca nu au putut lipsii si bunatatile romanesti , aici fiind standurile cu mancare traditionala romaneasca si renumita apa minerala Borsec !

Standul BORSEC !

 Cu succes a fost prezentat si artizanatul romanesc de catre distinsul domn Fotino , pe care il puteti observa in fotografia de mai la incheierea articolului.

Romanie plai de dor !

Si cum putea sa aiba loc o adunare romaneasca fara o hora romaneasca !

Drag mi-i jocul romanesc !

 Cu ocazia acestui festival am avut ocazia sa ma intalnesc cu ziarul romanesc al Colorado ului si implicit sa il cunoastem pe Lucian Oprea, intemeietorul acestui ziar !

Redactorul ziarului "Gandacului de Colorado" !

"Artizanat romanesc" , stand-ul d-lui Fotino !

" Hai sa dam mana cu mana ... ! "

 Pe finalul festivalului , cu mic cu mare , toti cei caream simtit romaneste ne-am incins la o hora romaneasca autentica !

Rafa 2005 from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.

Protagonisti ai " Titanic "-ului !

                                     Printre atatea nazbati, traite alaturi de gasca in acel an , asa cum v-am spus si  AICI   am avut sansa si placerea sa redevin pentru o zi elevul lui Sensei Sandu Sorin , de asta data Sensei avand rabdarea si bunavointa de a ma ajuta sa imi imbunatatesc cunostintele in ale Snorkeling-ului in timp ce doamnele s-au bucurat pe puntea micutului vaporas  ce ne-a purtat in largul Oc Atlantic , de calduroasa imbratisare a soarelui .

Prietenia Profesor-Elev, dainuie peste ani !

 ” Prietenia este o relatie interpersonala care se bazeaza pe Incredere, Cinste si Toleranta !”     - August von Kotzebue

Ne facem noi prieteni !

                      Asa cum cred ca v-am mai spus , in cadrul acestor croaziere , sampania este din abundenta din parte casei , asa ca dupa efortul destul de mare de inotat/ scufundat in ocean pe o perioada de 30-60 min  un pahar de sampanie cu prietenii dragi de peste ani, nu poate decat sa imbunatateasca atmosfera si sa intareasca o prietenie de  daca nu ma insel , 16 ani !!! 

                        Sper ca si peste ani, chiar daca soarta ne-a aruncat peste mari, oceane si tari, sa ne reintalnim cu placere la un pahar de sampanie , fie pe varfurile muntilor Stancosi de aici din Colorado, fie in croaziere pe oceanele lumii, fie, si asta chiar ne dorim mult, pe partiile de la Straja sua pe vreo insula in Grecia alaturi de alt prieten bun de al nostru si coleg de antrenamente Adi Dancu si sotia acestuia Camelia, si uite ca nu ma pot opri, sper din toata inima sa ne reunim odata pe un litoral cu Mateo, Toni, Adi Campeanu, Adi Roventa si multi alti colegi de antrenamente si sa retraim momentele frumoase petrecute in stagiile de pregatire de la Olimp-Neptun de acum 13-15 ani ! 

DOAMNE CE FRUMOS A MAI FOST !

Sarbatorim cu sampanie aventura subacvatica !

                     Aici dupa ce ne-am primit cadourile de la scumpele noastre sotii, camasutele caraibiene binemeritate dupa nebunia din ocean, ne cinstim cu sampanie, sampanie care ne face, intr-un timp relativ scurt , sa ne felicitam pentru faptul ca nu am venit cu masina pana in port !

Toata gasca sarbatoreste Apusul de Soare si Revederea !

” Cel mai mare lucru pe care-l poti face pentru un prieten nu este sa ii dai din bogatiile tale, ci sa i le scoti la iveala pe cele care sunt ascunse in el insusi ! “    – Benjamin Disraeli

Soarele se scufunda in ocean !

                         Si binenteles ca punctul forte al serii in Key West este spectacolul Apusului de Soare, la care asistam tacuti si multumitori pentru frumusetea acestei lumi care ne este oferita fara a ni-i se cuvine de multe ori !

Frumusetea serii in Key West !

” Adevarata frumusete izvoreste din sublim si simplitate ! “   – Voltaire

Faleza ne primeste cu bratele deschise !

                     Si asa cum s-a desfasurat intrega zi , intr-o atmosfera de relaxare si implinire sufleteasca, tot asa s-a asternut si seara peste Key West creind o atmosfera de pace sufleteasca in care ne-am contemplat cu toti si ne-am retras catre universul de la Coconut Mallory, resortul unde suntem cazati.

Liniste de seara in Key West !

                                 Din pacate nu putem pune aici toate fotografiile care am fi vrut sa vi-i le prezentam, incercand astfel sa va facem sa simtiti  putin din atmosfera de fericire traita de noi aici, dar speram ca filmuletul care urmeaza sa redea mai in detaliu fericirea noastra de acolo ! 

” Natura picteaza pentru noi , zi dupa zi , imagini de o  infinita frumusete ! ” - John Ruskin 

Snorkeling 2007 from Valy Cofaru on Vimeo.
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