The First Conference for Over 50s.
I have just spent 10 days in Budva, Montenegro at The Age of Happiness Festival where I was invited to do a talk on Alternative Ageing for Well Over 50, the theme of our conference. The audience was mainly Russian, 80% women, and the speakers & performers came from all over the world ranging in age from 51 to 97, and, apart from the disappointing weather, a VERY good & inspiring time was had by all!
First, Montenegro itself. It rained torrentially on and off for a good six days, but it was still very mild and beautiful. and in between the monsoons it was really warm and I did manage to have a swim in the Adriatic probably the last swim in the sea this year!
THE GOOD DAYS:
THE NOT SO GOOD DAYS (still beautiful)
THE FOOD: unbelievably cheap, delicious & healthy! For those who don't know. my mother was Bulgarian so this was like Mummy's cooking day in and day out! True Balkan/Meditarranean type cooking. From haute cuisine at Dukley's fabulous restaurant .......
HAUTE CUISINE AT DUKLEY BEACH RESTAURANT, BUDVA, MONTENEGRO.
BEEF STEW IN CETINJE, MONTENEGRO.
to beef stew, salad and glass of red wine for 7 Euros, it was a fantastic meal and really warming on a day we went to visit Cetinje in torrential rain.
Of course, the most important part of the Age of Happiness, Well Over 50 Festival were the speakers and workshops. Anyone who had appeared in the Age of Happiness books was invited as a Hero and I met the most awesome women and men. Here are just a few, and if they don't inspire you no one will!
From left to right:
VLADIMIR YAKOVLEV, THE MAN BEHIND WELL OVER 50, THE AGE OF HAPPINESS.
THE STYLISH SARAH JANE ADAMS, SARAMAI,& ARI SETH COHEN, ADVANCED STYLE.
BORIS GREBENSHIKOV, THE BOB DYLAN OF RUSSIA! A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WELL OVER 50
97 YEAR OLD YOGA MASTER, TAO PORCHON-LYNCH. BEST EXAMPLE OF WELL OVER 50! SHE WEARS VERY HIGH HEELS, IS A WINE EXPERT & DANCES FOR SEVERAL HOURS EVERY DAY AS WELL AS TEACHING YOGA!
LEV KOROGODSKY, I CALLED HIM THE SEX DOCTOR! APPARENTLY, WE SHOULD ALL BE ENJOYING SEX AT ANY AGE!
ME WITH THE LOVELY IRINA BAR & THE AGE OF HAPPINESS BOOK SHE AND I ARE BOTH FEATURED IN. PROUD!
THE LOVELY LURDES BERGADA WITH THE BOOK SHE'S FEATURED IN. A GREAT DESIGNER FROM BARCELONA.
GRETA PONTARELLI, FROM THE USA, POLE DANCING IN HER 60'S. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!
THE AMAZING GALYA MORRELL, WHO LIVES IN THE ARCTIC WITH AN ESKIMO HUSBAND. SHE DESIGNS BEAUTIFUL SILK SCARVES & DANCES ON THE ICE! SHE'S 55!
And then of course there were the parties! Boy did we party and dance, and dance and party! Here are just a few of the highlights below. Thank you Vladamir and all at the first Age of Happiness Well Over 50 Festival. Thank you Vladimir & Dukley. It was amazing. Looking forward to many more!
You will find more photos of the many stylish women I met, all Well Over 50, on I Like Your Style!
