Stockholm

Last weekend the Saffa and I extended the already long weekend and decided to take a trip to Stockholm. Actually, we had had other ideas about where to go for a weekend getaway but as it turned out he was just returning from a business trip to South Africa and had to be in Stockholm on Tuesday for another business trip so to keep it simple we settled on Stockholm.



I had no real expectations but was looking forward to a nice getaway as I travel so rarely now and felt the need for a change of scenery. We decided to stay at a B&B after seeing the hotel prices in the city. I normally don't like the B&B scene as I prefer the anonymity of hotels and have found B&B's always to be a roll of the dice on what you actually end up with. In this case we were in luck and the location turned out to be perfect. The room was very nice and private with a fantastic balcony and view over the city. We were in room SCE5 and would happily recommend it.



Stockholm itself also pleasantly surprised. We did the touristy things - harbor tour, bus tour, Wasa museum - and also just wandered around on our own quite a bit.

What stood out:

• We had a funny communication problem. We could understand the Swedes very well but they struggled to understand us, or at least that is what I think was happening. For example, if I ordered a Cola I got a Fanta. Or if the Saffa ordered an ice cream without any topping, he got rainbow sprinkles all over it. It didn't seem to matter with my American accent or his British accent, we both had trouble. So maybe it wasn't our English, maybe the Swedes just all have ADD.
• The city seemed much more influenced by American and British culture than in Munich. Pubs were everywhere and we saw our fair share of American style restaurants, clothing, cars, TV shows, etc. It seems the Swedes have a love of all things Harley. They were everywhere. Hot dogs too.
• The long, long days. Twilight came around midnight and by 3 AM it was bright as day again. I can't say we slept very well as our body clocks were completely confused.
• It is fun to try to imitate the language. In a high pitched voice with the tendency to put the accent on completely different syllables than I would guess by reading the words. Yes, this is the part where we were just making fools of our tourist selves but we were amused.
• There is something so invigorating about so much water everywhere. It wasn't quite like being by the ocean but the sun was hot, the breeze was cool and we couldn't help but feel uplifted.
• We had great meals the whole time. Breakfast rolls with cardamom, smoked reindeer, salmon, swedish meatballs with dill cucumbers, mashies, and lingonberries, shrimp salads with dill and avocado...it was all great. And everyday a soft serve ice cream in the homemade waffle cones they were freshly preparing in each ice cream shop. I did skip the pickled herring - maybe next time.

It was a lovely getaway for us and I would be happy to return again. It would be nice to make it a longer trip and we talked about going back next summer to spend a few days in the city and then head out to the country for a week at a house on the water.


Posted from Munich

Dublin and London

Guinness Tour, Dublin, Ireland

I've been off a-traveling.

First, I just have to say, traveling for fun is, well, fun. I always suspected I would miss traveling all the time for work but I don't miss it at all. So long as I get a bit of sight seeing here and there, it is enough to keep my travel bug under control.

So first stop was Dublin for a weekend to meet up with three other American friends, two of which are expats in Europe as well. It was a perfect group to travel with as we were all of the same mind when it came to sight seeing (some, but not too much), napping, food (perfectly alternating deep-friend Irish pub food and top notch frou-frou fancy) and a finely attuned sense of just the right moment for a lazy afternoon coffee break with gossip and chatter. On Sunday afternoon the rest of the gang moved on to Belfast so I had a few hours before my flight to take the city bus tour. Don't knock it, I have become a fan of them in recent years. They are perfect when you want to get a quick overview of the city and some of the more famous and infamous stories. I left Dublin with two thoughts - what a fun city it would be to live in if I were in my mid-twenties and how much I would like to give Ireland a longer visit sometime in the not too distant future.

Last weekend I headed off to London with the Saffa. We were looking forward to playing cheesy tourist in his home town of the last 12 years but on Friday afternoon I started feeling the beginnings of a sore swollen throat and the telltale aches and pains and fever that meant more than likely I was going to be spending the next days with a lovely head cold.

The Saffa, as per his laid back personality took the whole thing in stride, carted me off to the 'chemist' as they say there and got me a cold survival kit to try to at least help relieve the symptoms. We took it easy and stayed in Friday night and then, feeling a little bit better, we bundled up and took the Old Bus Tour around the city. The weather was in our favor with some warming and sun breaking through the early day clouds.

One of the highlights was something he had to drag me to see, the National Gallery. It's not that I don't like art. But my tolerance for any museum is about 30-90 minutes. Unless there are lots of dinosaur bones, mummies, live animals, freaky insects and spiders, aquariums and weird science exhibits. This was relatively low risk as the museum was free (although we made a donation as kindly suggested) so no big investment to trap us there. Once inside, I have to admit I was drawn into the different styles, use of color and just pure talent that these artists had and time passed quickly as we lingered here and there through the centuries.

On Sunday, I took a turn for the worse but I found a lovely little spot for breakfast and we spent a couple hours there enjoying people watching and the fantastic food. Afterwards we did a bit of DVD and book shopping, a little more sight seeing and then it was off the airport for the return home.

We agreed we need a do-over another time when I am feeling better, and maybe when the weather is a little warmer, but it was still a nice weekend and I especially appreciated the TLC and the understanding when we had to bag most of our original plan. Just sweet.


Caravan, Islington

Posted from Munich

Berlin

Vacation? What vacation?

I have a foggy memory of overeating and too hot weather and a whole lotta cats.

Continuing on the theme of 2010, which seems to be 'Busy on Steroids', I hit the ground running when we returned and haven't had a chance to catch my breath since.

It's not all the details of the trip that are really so interesting to write (or read) about but it was a lovely trip and a walk down memory lane with Mr. Kilt by my side. A friend commented on my facebook photos that they made him feel very patriotic (he also is an American expat living in Munich). I didn't have that as a conscious goal but I noticed that when I photograph places I travel to, I end up taking photos that not only show how a place looks but also help me to recreate how I feel about a place. I was showing Mr. Kilt my favorite parts of America and, maybe, just maybe, I was a bit proud of the place.



We flew back on Sunday night, September 12th, and landed on Monday September 13th. Mr. Kilt is not so keen on flying and was having no part of returning on September 11th. His parents arrived for a 5 day stay that afternoon. And I started German class (4 days a week, 2 hours a night) that very same evening.

I had a frantic weekend at home trying to get a few more home projects crossed off the list (my office space is really shaping up now and I have a guest bedroom that is ready for B&B duty) before the influx of Wiesn visitors this weekend.

This past weekend we made a hectic and disorganized dash to Berlin so Mr. Kilt could run the Berlin Marathon (his first and, he says, last marathon). His training was nowhere near what it could or should have been with all the other things going on but I am really proud of him. He ran the whole thing and had a time of 4:26. We managed to find each other in the rain and I dashed through the crowd to give him a big hug and something to lean on. In the next couple of hours I doctored him up and saw him off on the train and for whatever reason felt full and content.

Berlin is oh so amazing. We were limited in what we could see and do as the focus was on the marathon and the weather was terrible all weekend but I must get back there soon with some more time to explore and photograph. I am not sure I could live there as the place put me in a strange mood. There is some kind of emotional current running through the place and it felt raw, alive, sad, hopeful, defiant, new and rundown. WEBMU 2011? Yes, please.



I can barely keep my eyes open so better roll over and get to sleep. First Wiesn visitor arrives tomorrow and 7 more on their way for Friday. My Wiesn, League of Nations style.

Good night.
Posted from Munich

July, Done and Dusted

Already a week into August. This year is flying by!

After surviving the Firmenlauf, Mr. Kilt and I headed to Brussels for a long overdue visit to a friend of mine living there. Back in 2004 she had gone for a few weeks to work in Germany. At the time she was working for the same company as me and we had been my second roommate at my first project back in 2001-2002.



Well, a few weeks turned into a few months and now a few years have passed and she is still living in Europe. She married a man from Brussels and they now have two little ones. Life's funny that way.

I had never been to Belgium and Mr. Kilt hadn't been since he was in University in Amsterdam so it was a nice combined visit and sight seeing tour. We had good weather, which is apparently unusual in Belgium and did a day trip to Bruges. Lovely visit, enjoyed both Brussels and Bruges and would be happy to go back any time.



My friend's mother and father-in-law spoke nice in slow in French and was good to be able to still understand what they were talking about. My friend's children understand French and English but are incredibly shy about speaking English and would only speak French. It was a lot of fun playing with them all weekend but between the two of them and two step children, I can see why my friend has decided to be a full time Mom for the near future.

After the Brussels trip, Mr. Kilt and I decided to just lay low for a few weeks. We are in preparation for a 2.5 week trip to the US at the end of August and when we get back we have the following weekend in Berlin (where Mr. Kilt will be running the Berlin marathon) and Oktoberfest will be in full swing.

I am having way too much fun planning out the itinerary for the US trip. The first week we are going to New York City, Philadelphia and Boston - three of my favorite cities in the whole world - and it will be his first time there. The second half is a bit more laid back - my parents in CT, Newport and Portland, Maine to see my sis and her other half. We just can't wait for it!

I am trying also to leave the house in order and ready for visitors that will descend on us for the last weekend of Oktoberfest. Although I have been slowly moving along on house projects since I moved in there is still so much to do. I am not really in a rush but would like to reach a comfortable plateau while my visitors are here.

Yes, a hectic couple of months coming up!


Dog Days of Summer

Posted from Munich

Revisiting a First

The very first time I came to Europe, in December 2004, with my shiney new passport in hand, I flew from Washington DC to Zurich, connected to Frankfurt, spent a night there with M. and then we headed east to the great city of Prague. In some people's opinion, the city was already spoiled by the great influx of tourists and the Western influence on the culture and economy after the fall of communism.

To me it was simply magic. The beautiful architecture, the cozy restaurants and bars, the delicious food and the impression that it was both exotic and familiar all added up to an unforgettable trip and the best ringing in of the New Year I could imagine.



That was five years ago and I had not been back since until this weekend. It was hard to compare this trip to the last visit. It was freezing cold winter, I had just met M. and Europe was completely unexplored by me. This time it was warm and sunny, I have lived in Europe for over four years and seen much more and journeyed with my Mr. Kilt.

One thing has not changed though. I still love Prague.

We spent one night in a small village outside of Prague, visiting a friend of Mr. Kilt, his wife and 1 year old baby. Lovely and silly. Down to earth people and a smiley, cute baby, and a nightcap of Croatian wine and Bon Jovi on DVD. Then we moved into the city for a second night. The weather was spectacular and since I had already seen most of the sites on the first visit, we just kind of strolled aimlessly, chatted about life, stopped here and there so I could shoot and then joined the massive crowd in the main square to watch the World Hockey Championships Final - Czech against Russia, with Czech winning. The crowd was ecstatic but well-behaved although a few probably overindulged and were teetering around.



The one thing I did not realize before is that Prague is only a 3 hour drive from Munich. Now that I know that, I won't wait 5 years to go back again!



Posted from Munich

Public Holidays and Vacation

I know. I have gotten so spoiled.

When May is approaching, I start daydreaming about long hikes, weekend getaways, barbeques on the Isar, and days off...

In Germany, and especially in Bavaria, there are more public holidays than I had ever dreamed possible. And in May and June there are two or more long weekends, where the holiday is observed on a Thursday and it is almost assumed that you will take Friday and maybe even Monday off. The Friday is called a bridge day and most people take advantage of the nice weather and holiday to either enjoy the great outdoors in and around Munich or skip out of town for a few days.

This year it did not work out optimally.

There are 13 public holidays recognized in Bavaria, more than anywhere else in Germany. They are:

New Year - Jan 1
Epiphany - Jan 6
Good Friday - April/Varies*
Easter Monday - April/Varies*
1st of May - May 1
Ascension Day - May or June/Varies*
Whit Monday - May or June/Varies*
Corpus Christi - June/Varies*
Assumption Day - Aug 15
German Unification Day - Oct 3
All Saints Day - Nov 1
Christmas Day - Dec 25
Boxing Day - Dec 26

Those marked with a (*) are fixed on a weekday (Thursday, Friday or Monday). For the rest it's luck of the draw. If they fall on a Sunday, or worse a Saturday, for the normal Monday to Friday working folks it is just another weekend day. If it falls on Saturday all stores are closed, resulting in no shopping possible at all for the weekend as the stores are always closed on Sundays.

So, in 2009, as it worked out 10 of the holidays fell on weekdays. So 10 days off! However in 2010, we will only get 8 days off. Bugger. In 2011, it is back to happier days (off) and we will have 10 again.

Now, comparing to the US, the number of holidays is really dependent on your job and employer. Federal employees observe 10 (yes 10!) holidays and generally get a Friday or a Monday off if the holiday falls on a weekend. I guess federal employees are the Bavarians of the US.

Most businesses observe a total of 6 holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Three are always fixed on a Monday and one always on a Thursday so the typical American can expect at least 4 days off each year. Businesses may or may not choose to grant a Friday or Monday off when the holiday falls on a weekend and may also give the Friday after Thanksgiving off. So best case, we are talking 7 days off for the year.

It's worse for those working in retail. For them, usually the only guaranteed holidays are Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when the stores are actually closed.

So, in America, the worst case is 2 days off and best case is up to 10.

Combine the public holidays with the average number of vacation days per country (US a measly 13 and Germany a generous 35) and it becomes a major quality of life point in favor of Germany. Even in my line of work, where we are under heavy pressure to achieve project deadlines, taking vacation time is treated as sacred and not to be challenged unless under the most extraordinary of circumstances.

In the US, my vacation time piled up each year because there was never an ok time to go. The spoken and unspoken pressure and implied consequences of actually chilling out for a few weeks meant that few manage more than a week or maybe two each year even when they have a more generous vacation package. You can understand then a little bit better the crazy American tourist, who feels compelled to visit 6 countries in 7 days. There is no time for loafing around, even on holiday.

When I first moved to Switzerland I found it shocking how much time we spent discussing and planning holidays into our project schedules and how forbidden it was to consider denying, delaying or cancelling vacations when project schedules and budgets were billowing out of control. Four years later, I am more than happy to have the time to recharge throughout the year. I come back with new ideas, more energy, a fresh perspective and more productive then I was when I was on the death march in the US. You can argue whether or not Europeans are more productive with their fewer hours in the office I suppose. I don't have any data to support either position. However, I personally have come to appreciate my work-life balance and still feel I manage to achieve my goals at work.

So, after a very intense period at work recently, I will be enjoying life European style for the next two weeks and recharging a bit. Tomorrow I fly to England to meet up with Mr. Kilt and we will tour parts of Scotland for a week. The week we return, I am headed for a long weekend (oh yes, including a bridge day) in Sicily. The camera is cleaned up and tuned and I am hoping to capture lots of nice photos of the trips and also just enjoying time with Mr. Kilt and relaxing!

Posted from Munich

Sunday in Mexico

I really think I might retire here if I make it that far.

Posted from Queretaro, Mexico

Exploring Germany

It is always a little bit shocking that after four years in Germany I have still not been to Berlin or Hamburg. They are both an easy weekend's trip away but for one reason or another, despite several loosely laid plans to go, the trips never materialized. Therefore when a last minute offer came up to go to Hamburg this weekend, I jumped on the chance. It was only 15,000 air miles for the RT flight, hotel booked on points and 31 Euros for a Hamburg card for three days for 2. Cheap!

I was in for a surprise with the city as well. M. used to work there for about a year and had never liked the city at all so I had a negative perception of what it would be like under his influence. In fact, I thought it was a great city for a weekend getaway. I can't speak to liveability as that is always different than spending a weekend for a visit but I would go back anytime for a visit.



Guide books in tow we visited some of the main tourist attractions - harbor tour, walk through the city, gawking at the Reeperbahn, church tower climbing, a spice museum visit, shopping and dining and even the infamous Fischmarkt for a 7 AM breakfast with the crowds arriving alternately from the bars after a long night out and their beds after a good night's sleep.

Friday night we met up with a very fun and easy going bunch of expats who adopted us for an evening of tapas and great chat. Hopefully some of them find themselves in Munich for a visit sometime soon. It would have been nice to meet up with the Hamburger bloggers but I was beyond organizing anything as it was so last minute. However, I would fully support a WEBMU up that way anytime to come visit again!

I had forgotten how much fun an evening in an Irish pub could be and really enjoyed Murphy's Irish pub for some pints of Guinness and a sing along with the live music. In fact during the weekend we checked out four Irish pubs - there seems to be no shortage of them in Hamburg.



Ironically, we also had a good dose of Bavaria in Hamburg. We could not resist the pull of the oompah music issuing out onto the street in the Reeperbahn and headed into a large bar where the atmosphere could only be described as Oktoberfest-like. I don't recall the name of that one but heard many of the Oktoberfest favorites.

The harbour tour was fascinating to me. The flow of boats and goods through the Hamburg Harbour is really a rather impressive logistics operation. Unfortunately we got a bit soaked on the tour and the photos are not the best. It decided to start raining just after we left the dock and came to a stop only once we returned. Typical. Hamburg hair is a bit of a nightmare.



Posted from Cuernavaca

San Miguel de Allende

Last Saturday, a colleague and I headed to San Miguel de Allende for some sight seeing. This town was really a joy to photograph. I felt the urge to posess the whole town through my lens. When I am in a place and I really want to see and experience it, I need my camera with me. It provides a connection and I find myself dwelling on the smallest details one moment and the next trying to figure out how to sum up all the parts into one special photo. Fortunately my colleague was indulgent and let me potter around at my own pace. Normally I can only do the kind of exploring I like alone; most don't have the patience to wait for me.

There were so many inviting courtyards. From the street you felt only like you were in a city but through the doors you could see the oasis waiting inside. This was a hotel we passed by and it took a lot of self control not to wander in. I wonder how they know how to put it together like this?

We happened to be in town for a special weekend of festivities. As part of that, around late afternoon on Saturday October 31, a number of mariachi bands started to arrive and soon enough they started playing their beautiful music, first one band in one corner of the park, then the next, round and round. The people laughed and danced. For even though the following days were for remembering the dead, they were also for remembering the happiness of the lives they lived.

These colorful displays of papers were hanging everywhere. If I understood correctly the different colors represent different months of the year. Mexico is already very colorful but these papers fluttering in the wind over the whole city took it up another notch and created a beautiful effect.

We came upon this lovely shop as we strolled around town. This mobile of glass humingbirds had me tempted as it looked so gorgeous against the sunlit courtyard behind it. The store was also full of tin star and glass lanterns, some so huge they could only belong hanging from a high ceiling in a dramatic entranceway.

The main cathedral in San Miguel. There were many to visit in town and we saw a number of them but this one was magnificent in the setting sun. The stones radiated a rosy warm pink as the sun dipped low and down below the people sat in the shade of the lemon trees listening to the mariachi bands.

Posted from Cuernavaca Mexico

Mexico Misery

I love Mexico. Since the first time I came to Cabo San Lucas for a week long girls get away to the trips to magical Tulum with M., I always enjoy the time I spend here. Over the years I have been to Cancun, Cozumel, Tulum, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas and now Querétero and Cuernavaca. They are all special in their own way.

There is always one downside. It seems inevitable that Montezuma joins the trip at some point. Not that you wanted to know that but there it is. The first time I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as all four of us on the girls get away were struck on the same day while sharing a very small hotel room (2 double beds, 1 small bathroom, no soundproofing). In the end I opted for laughing as each one dashed into the bathroom as soon as the previous could vacate. That trip marked the end of the college student cost cutting approach to vacations. We all have to grow up sometime. I want my own bathroom in countries prone to making travelers sick.

Then there was the time in Cancun when a hurricane was bearing down on us, we needed to try to evacuate a day early but didn't dare to leave ourselves in a situation where we could be more than 1.5 seconds from the nearest toilet. We made it on the last plane to leave the airport. Very Casablanca.

It was also great fun after being out of all contact with the rest of the world for a week when M. and I landed in the chaos of the first day of the new liquids ban in Philadelphia airport from Mexico and the wait at the checkpoints was hours long. Neither of us was up to that at the moment but had to soldier on to Boston.

We will leave out the 'surprise' business trip to India right after returning to Europe from Mexico on that occasion.

This time I am here for work but no exception to the rule. One and a half weeks into the trip and after enjoying mexican food, limonatas galore and maybe some fruit that was not officially on the safe list it was game over. I spent a crampy, miserable long weekend (thankfully alone) in my hotel room two hours south of Mexico City wondering whether I hoped I would or would not just die already.

As my mother said, why didn't you go to the doctor? Actually it was more like, WHY DIDN'T YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR! Simple. Do you want to have an error in translation resulting in a treatment that makes you worse than you started when in Mexico? Me neither. I am sensitive enough to drugs and rarely even take aspirin if I can avoid it. Today, I finally caved in and went to the doctor.

I asked him politely to please not kill me, flashing him my friendliest smile. Not sure he got that. Or maybe I had the expression of a crocodile. Anyhow, he doled out the drugs and let's hope I am on the road to recovery. It is a 21 hour trip door to door on Thursday night to get home. Crossing fingers for no new world crises, screening procedures at the airport, long waits in traffic, and trips to other countries with their own set of special critters in the food and water.

I am more than ready to get home. But would I come back? Yeah.

Posted from Cuernavaca, Mexico

Mexico!

In Mexico for work for 3 weeks, but my camera is never far behind.


Posted from Querétaro, Mexico

Saturday Night

Posted from Ashford Kent

Little Red Phone Booth

Posted from Ashford Kent

Italy, You Never Disappoint

The pace of life has picked up considerably in the last two weeks. The project demands have reached full pitch and I am not willing to abandon my hobbies and personal life, so the only thing left to squeeze is my good night's sleep.

After work trips to Geneva and the Netherlands last week, I headed off to Italy to catch up with some friends from the US who are over on a two week holiday. I flew to Rome on Thursday and spent two days there with one of my best friends plus 3 couples and their combined 5 children aged 7 months to 3 years. On Saturday afternoon we road tripped up to Tuscany where they had rented a gorgeous villa near the town of Poppi for the week. I could only spend one night there as I had to fly back late on Sunday to Geneva from Florence.



It is really hard not to enjoy Italy. I know Rome somewhat from a previous visit so I made sure my friend saw enough of the impressive sites, we had a hilarious club hopping night out and indulged in what must be some of the most perfect wine and cuisine in the world.



I was nervous a bit as I had to drive us from Rome (car pick up at the train station) to Tuscany and then along on Sunday from Tuscany to Florence to get my flight. All I can say is that Italians are up there with the world's worst drivers. Once I got used to the two cardinal rules of Italian driving (1. Lanes and roads are just a friendly suggestion & 2. Whoever's car is slightly in front has the right of way) I was just fine.

It was sad leaving on Sunday from the paradise of the Tuscan villa, where we were hosted by the adorable Francesca. She brought us eco friendly wine from her vineyards (5 gallon jug and it was lovely), fresh baked bread, veggies from her garden and help whereever we needed it. The view and the pool were equally enticing and I even managed to go for an early morning job up and down the Tuscan hills on Sunday morning. I loved how everyone waved and yelled Buon Giorno as I trotted by.



I can never get enough of the world's most perfect espresso and cappuccinos either. Seriously, how do they do it?

Ahh, Italy!



Posted from Munich

Back in the Netherlands

I flew to Amsterdam this morning to spend a few days with my client in the area. I checked into the hotel and being particularly attuned to bicycles these days I noticed about 40 Dutch bikes parked outside the hotel.

After check in and a quick glance at the hotel information in the room I found out you can rent the bikes for a few Euros. I decided to brave the break in the rainy weather, rent a bike and ride the 10 kilometers or so into the nearest town, Amersfoort.

The sun poked out and I took a nice tour around the city. The city has been around since the middle ages and I wanted to see the Muurhuizen (wall houses). I was kicking myself for forgetting the battery to my small camera in Munich as the lighting and setting were perfect for a shoot.

I stopped in one of the squares for dinner and grabbed a table outside. The menu was only available in Dutch so I had to guess what things were. I found that if I read the words phonetically many were somewhat close to German food words so I hoped for the best and ordered what I thought might be a steak with mushrooms.

Not only was I right, but it was the best steak I ever had in Europe. Yeah, I know that's not saying much, but it was excellent.

I rode back to the hotel, returned the bike and am starting to think I want one more Dutch bike, but this time an old one! One of my cycle tour mates is into fixing them up and has offered to help if I go for it.

Posted from Amersfoort

Krakow

I have lived in Europe for over 3 years and this past weekend finally made a trip to one of my 4 ancestral homelands. I have been meaning to start making these trips almost since arrival in January 2006 but for one reason or another it never worked out. I am 3/4 Eastern European by ancestry and the rest Sicilian. I had been in Prague in Dec/Jan 2005 on my first trip to Europe and remember feeling a hint of familiarity in that foreign land in the architecture, food and faces of the people.



Over the last year I have become good friend's with a colleauge's wife, A., who is Polish. Although they live in Singapore now, she is home for a couple of months visiting family and friends and we had agreed to meet up somewhere in Europe. I knew it was time to make the trip, the first one in 4 generations so last Thursday afternoon I flew to Krakow for what can only be described as an amazing trip.



I have been reading up on the history of Poland and so had the basics. However, my friend A. is a history and language buff and explained so much to me over the weekend. She was an amazing hostess. As luck would have it, it was also Constitution Day on Sunday so we got even more of a dose of history and culture including a parade and an assembly for national and religious singing in one of the squares. The experience touched me more than my past travels. This time and this place had a personal relevance.



Lest it sound too serious we also had fun like crazy Eastern Europeans, did our fair share of eating and drinking, shopping and cafe hopping, A.'s friends coming and going throughout the day and evening to meet up and share their stories and their humor. It was absolutely impossible to pay for anything myself and everyone was on board for showing me around, recommending their favorite nook, view, food and whatever else they could offer to make the experience special. We got steamrolled one night from Polish vodka and apple juice and I was kindly asked to assure all non-Polish that this really wasn't typical but I didn't quite believe them. All in good fun!



I was supposed to fly home on Monday morning but on Sunday, at the insistence of my new friends, I rebooked to stay one more day. A. went back home in the afternoon and left me to spend the evening with her friend from university, S. We made a last tour of the city, stopping several times in cafes for the last Polish apple cake, plum ice cream and finally for a late dinner at a Hungarian restaurant. I liked hearing his stories about growing up in Poland, Communism, challenges working in the global economy, outlook for the future, impressions of Americans and other foreigners, Catholicism, food and the age old questions of the meaning of life.

I hope it is not too long before I go back to Poland. I miss it already.



Posted from Munich