Yesterday I set a trail for the Ithaca H3. I did it here in Horseheads at Harris Hill, the soaring capital of America (soaring being gliders, those lovely engine-less planes). Due to my inner city-girl tendencies, I was terrified at the idea of setting the trail all by myself. What if a coyote, bear, or big cat found me wandering about in the woods all by myself? How would a bag of flour help me in that situation? So, I enlisted the aid of my younger brother to set the trail with me (mostly just to walk as my bodyguard against the forces of nature).
The trail was great! We lucked out because there was no snow or rain, both of which were forecast at different times. The flour didn't always stand out in the grass, due to its resemblance to the patches of snow. Once in the forest, it was so much better, since we could splatter flour on the trees (this works better on ones with bumpy bark, not as good on birches). Lots of "shiggy", too...briars galore, frozen slush, mud, hills, ponds.
It was a small turnout; apparently all the Ithaca folks were out of town. But four guys did make it down, one all the way from Cortland (about 90 minutes away). They liked the trail, really liked the seasonal beverages at the drink checks, and were pleased with the shiggy and the views of the valley. One guy was insane, wearing shorts (too cold in my opinion). My brother and sister-in-law turned out as well and had a great time. I think they might look into hashing in Ithaca in the future.
Did the Cairene on-on afterwards; four of us went out to a nearby bar for drinks and dinner. Fun day, too much good beer, and running through woods like a little kid!
It was fun watching my niece open presents this morning. She definitely takes after her dad in that arena...open a gift, then play with it and ignore the other presents. I was of the "rip everything open immediately and look at what was actually inside later on" school.
Hope no one else got coal in their stockings this year!
Well, I managed to arrive in NYC despite the blizzard that was just beginning when my plane landed. I woke Sunday morning to streets and sidewalks covered in snow. At first I thought that would put a damper on my plans to walk through the city, but it didn't. I bundled up and ventured out, walking from East 51st all the way down to Soho....without falling on my doopah!
Being in NY means that I was engaged in my two favorite NYC pastimes...shopping and theater. The shopping was effective; I think I now have enough clothes for chilly Cairo for the next few years. I managed to keep my yarn purchase to just two skeins for a hat I saw on knitty.com in their winter issue. I ran on a treadmill and was given recommendations for new running shoes, which I'll be testing on the roads and trails later this week.
Theater was a great experience. The tickets booth employees are very helpful; they have workers who stroll the line and answer questions about the shows. The most recommended one was "Next to Normal". What an interesting show...a bipolar mother has hallucinations that her dead baby lived (he's now about 18), her husband stands by her, her overachieving daughter is going nuts herself (and makes her stoner boyfriend seem more normal as the musical progresses) and the songs are all very rock-based, with multiple characters singing different lyrics at the same time (thus making it a bit hard to understand). But an enjoyable show. Tonight I saw "Ragtime", which follows the stories of three different families at the turn of the century. Great music and dancing, and a very diverse cast (for a change, seeing as most of Broadway is still lily white).
Tomorrow morning I catch the bus upstate to Elmira. Looks like a white Christmas might be in the forecast. Once I'm there, I'll post some pictures...NYC in the snow is very pretty!
I think I might be quite sick. I've had a cough for a few weeks, congestion in my head and chest, tiredness, occasional fever and sore throat, tummy problems...if I was vomiting, I'd have all the symptoms for swine flu. Since I'm not, I figure it's just a bad case of bronchitis. Also, I haven't grown pink ears and a curly tail...yet.
One benefit to being sick in Egypt is that you can self-medicate at the pharmacy. Earlier this week, when the health office sent me home from school since I had a fever, I went to buy some cough syrup on the way. As I'm asking for the syrup, the pharmacist must recognize my fondness for prescription medications and inquires as to my other symptoms. I explain the fever, the stuffed up nose, do a fine demonstration of my hacking cough inside the shop.
He says, "I would like to give you an antibiotic."
"Great!" I reply. Saves me the trip to the doctor to be told I need one anyways.
He leans in closely. "Do you think it might be the swine flu?"
"No, I think it might be the bronchitis."
"Are you sure? It could be the swine flu."
"No, it probably is the bronchitis, since I felt, sounded, and looked like this last summer."
Now, when he first asked about the swine flu, I really wanted to respond with, "I don't know. I did eat pork chops last night. Do you think that might have caused it?" However, it's such a big deal here now, that I'm afraid to joke about it in a pharmacy. Next thing you know, I'd probably have my school shut down and I'd be quarantined in my flat for a week. And if that happened, who would walk Howie?
So I left the pharmacy with Zithromax, cough syrup, echinacea, throat drops, and more tissues. He wanted to sell me something else, but at that point I started to wonder about drug interactions and though the better of it. All I can say is, three days of big doses of antibiotics have only made me sicker. So today it's off to the doctor anyways.
Ok, so last night I went to the British Community Association's Holiday Ball. I had a dress made (which I will wear again next week at my school's winter party), got ready in about 30 minutes post-hash (haring a run then attempting to run was not a good pre-party ritual), and wore shoes I couldn't walk in (which I of course kicked off once seated at the table). I went expecting to enjoy myself, but not anticipating staying until almost 3am! It was a blast thanks to my friends who were there: Yvette, Nicola, Julie, Keith, Ken, Ken's wife, Krista, Luc...
The funniest part of the evening was during the band's second set. There was an announcement of a last-minute raffle prize of a custom-made ball gown to be awarded to the woman with the best moves on the dance floor during that set (about an hour or longer). Well, I won. No clue how. For those of you who know me, you do know that I am the most self-conscious dancer out there. I have no rhythm or moves. But apparently, I was better than the other ladies on the dance floor.
Since it was judged by a bloke, I'm considering factors that might have influenced his decision:
I was wearing a low cut dress and jumped up and down to a few songs.
I did a lovely dirty dancing impersonation with a guy in a kilt.
I did some hip shimmies with my friend Yvette.
I was right in front of the judge.
And contrary to popular opinion, I did not bribe the judge!
...I'm sick. Yes, I was lucky enough to avoid any head cold drama while 25m under the Red Sea, but now my head has more pressure in it than when I was underwater. At least I returned to find out the school was closed for the week, and that we would be doing distance learning. So, it was easy to take a sick day because no sub plans were needed. Today it's just me, my couch, Howie, tea, and tissues.
Diving was fun. I was back in Taba at the Hilton. I did three boat dives one day. The water was very rough, the current a bit strong, and the wind was ripping across the boat...not the ideal conditions for my first boat dives. Once underwater, all was well, but it was a challenge climbing a ladder with fins on in those conditions. I saw lots of fish, more coral, a pyjama slug (tiny, bright orange and blue), and a stonefish. No sharks, which was good considering I got a bloody nose on all three boat dives. Must have been a warning of the head cold to follow! In all, I did 9 dives over the weekend, met a lot of fun Canadians and Americans, and made plans to return to Taba in January to work on the Peak Performance Buoyancy course...that might help me use less air underwater (I seem to breathe a lot).
Well, it's time for me to snuggle down now with a book and some more tea. Here's hoping I recover by Thursday night so I can have a fun night out. I'll post a few pictures later.
I should be thinking about writing report cards, but instead I'd rather share what I did over the weekend. Despite the doctor's orders to not walk, I set the walk course for the sock hash on Friday in beautiful Wadi Hof. Then, I proceeded to walk it later. In all, over 9km covered. The ankle was wrapped with a bandage and I wore a brace, but I still managed to twist it a few times. Will I never learn?
The walkers ascending the hill on the long trail. I took the short option no thanks to an extremely slow hasher who had to stop on the first uphill bit for several minutes.
Wadi Hof...gorgeous hills about in this area. I love the trails here and the beautiful views. It had rained the previous weekend, so there was water and it was greener than usual (yes, this is green for a wadi).
Howie pretending to be a raffle prize...can you believe no one took him?
Ok, so I've been home for a few days, but I just wanted to give a wrap-up of the many things to do in Bahrain. But before I begin to examine the cultural heritage of this kingdom, let me just say that it is one mighty clean place, probably thanks to these nifty little inventions. Note: Egypt, you should invest in about a thousand of these!
Dude in a dress throwing away trash...where's the headscarf?
First, the architectural wonders. Look at the craftmanship and stunning Bahrainian design!
A nice mix of traditional and modern...and there was construction everywhere!
Next, there is the souvenir shopping. A store sponsored by the government no less, where all the visitors rush to immediately upon arrival!
The government run liquor store... I'm happily holding five bottles of lovely red wine!
Finally, there is the cultural experience. There is nothing more meaningful than partaking in local customs and ways, and doing things as the locals do!
The sparkly, glossy wonderness of the City Center Mall.
Overall, the literacy coach training in Bahrain was very beneficial and inspiring. There are oodles of teaching books that I want to read NOW! However, Bahrain itself gets a big yawn.
On another note: it seems that the cold spell hit while I was away. While Bahrain was comfy and temps were hovering in the 90s, Cairo had dropped to the upper 70s/low 80s. It's definitely time to dig out the sweaters...I'm freezing!
I'm in Bahrain for a few days attending a literacy coach training program. We finish at 4:30 each afternoon. Yesterday, we went to the front desk of the hotel for tips on something to do. There's a great mosque, but it closes at 11am. The old fortress also was closed by 5. Anything else? The mall was suggested, along with the Marina Club. We opted for the marina club, since my companions hit the mall the night before and were not impressed (except for it's people-watching potential).
So, we grab a taxi and head to the Marina Club. Well, turns out it was a private yacht club. We sweet-talk our way in without having to pay the guest fee, find the bar, and order cosmos. No go, they're out of cranberry juice. So we opt for vodka and soda and are convinced it's just 7-up. At least we can see out over the water, although it's already dark outside at 5pm and we only can see a few boats with lights on.
So, we call a taxi, and then we head off to an area that supposedly has good restaurants. We end up at a dive that serves just about everything, but mostly Chinese and Indian. We order quite a bit, and the total bill comes to less that $15.
Of course, it's only about 8pm, but it appears there is nothing left to do, so we go back and use free internet at a cafe.
Life in Bahrain is just so exciting. So makes me want to come here to teach...
Note: It's also really flat here. Lots of tall buildings, but flatter than a pancake.
My life is a bit pitiful. My dog, Howie, has twice weekly playdates with my friend's dog, Phyllis. They spend between nine and ten hours together while I'm at school. The two of them are so cute together. They run around, chase each other, fight over toys, chase each other some more, bark at the door, and then collapse before starting the fun all over again. By the end of the day, they're both exhausted. Howie usually spends the next day passed out on the couch.
The flipside to these fun-filled days is that they are now learning each other's bad behaviors. Howie has started nipping at my hand when I try to put on his leash. Phyllis has started roughhousing with her owner and barking at hallway noises. They emptied my bathroom trash one day and chewed the contents to bits all over the living room.
Too bad they won't be making cute little hairy tan puppies anytime soon!
As I post this, they are both lying down next to each other on the couch. They just finished a round of WWF wrestling and some bite contest. Now, they're just panting and falling asleep.
Isn't there some quote along the lines of "With age, comes wisdom"? Well, another year has gone by and I sometimes feel that I still do the same stupid things. When will I learn? Oh well, but not always acting my age, people generally think I am quite a bit younger. Of course, the jokes over the weekend of turning 22 were definitely in jest!
Not to sound too sappy, but I must say that I have a fantastic life. I live in a great place, I've seen so much of the world, I have a fantastic job with some little lovies, my friends and family support me, and I'm fairly healthy.
What were the high points since my last birthday? Well, I was probably one of the youngest patients in the back ward last December at Emory's Spine Hospital when I had my back fused. I returned to Poland to volunteer and met some great new people. I visited Polad, Ireland, Taba, Dahab, Fayoum, and Bahariyya. I got back into the dating scene after a dry spell called "Japan", but that was a bit of a roller coaster (still is, but I'm loving the ride). I became Grand Mattress of the Cairo hash (aka social coordinator). I started running and scuba diving (not at the same time). I organized a ball for the hash (and won Harriette of the Year). My sister became a mom (who saw that coming?!?) and I got to meet my nephew last summer. I babysat my niece a few times and continued to fuel her coffee and shopping addictions, despite her cries of "I don't like my Carolyn". But best of all, I was given an orphaned little monster named Howie the Horrible, and adorable little Peke with teeth like razors and a personality of a trained killer pit bull. But he loves me!
So today, I'll wish myself a happy birthday and look forward to what the next year will bring!
Last night was the 29th Anniversary Ball for the Cairo Hash House Harriers. As the Grand Mattress of the hash, it was my duty to organize the event. Well, it went off quite well, once the DJ got set up and started playing some music. My dress was a hit...it incorporated old hash t-shirts as patches all over it. We danced, we laughed, we had a great time...perhaps too good of a time! Best of all, I was named "Harriette of the Year" for being the girl that contributed the most for the benefit of the hash. Good to see that all my efforts towards the hash did not go unnoticed!
We could have seen the Sphinx, Instead we all saw smog, Not the best field trip, I think!
(Apologies to the Cairo Hash for mutilating their song.)
Our field trip to the pyramids was yesterday. This is at least the fourth time I have been there (yes, I've already lost count!) and I do believe visibility was at an all time low. On the drive there, there was no blue sky, only grey. We didn't even see the pyramids until we were practically on top of them.
However, our lunch location did allow for the best view of the Sphinx and the pyramids...if you ever go, this place does have a/c and the best views around! Conveniently located as well!
I finally got home from Dahab yesterday (finally referring to the massive amounts of traffic once we hit the outskirts of Cairo...and the stop at the canal for bags to be checked...and the long stops at the other bus stops...). What a weekend! I ended up doing four dives on Monday: Moray Garden, Golden Blocks, and Um Sid during the day, then back to the Canyon for a night dive...all the way back down into it as well (we maxed out at 30.3m). All amazing dives with lots of coral, fish, and the thought of what could be out in the blue depths.
Howie was not too happy to see me when I got home. Now he's sound asleep on the couch. He doesn't seem to ready to start his day, and I must say the same for myself. Today is the first day with students in over two weeks. Luckily, it's just a two day workweek, and I have lots of assessments to do. I need to see what the kids did during their two weeks of homeschooling.
Now, when is the next diving escape? Probably not until late November. We'll see!
We were joking this weekend about some guy who signed a letter with his name, Divemaster. All weekend we have been making jokes about diving certifications versus college degrees, and whether it's pretentious to call yourself a doctor if it's just a PhD, and how funny it would be to have Name, B.A., PhD., Divemaster.
But back to the diving. Yesterday, I did two dives towards my Advanced Open Water: Underwater Navigation and Peak Performance Buoyancy. The Underwater Navigator challenged my multi-tasking. When diving, I find I could my inhales (i.e. "inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6"--used to do this during yoga as well). During this dive, I had to count fin kicks, watch a compass, try not to crash into the bottom, and still was counting my breaths. Needless to say, although my orientation on my square was impeccable (my instructor was above me watching the compass--she saw that I was right on target), I didn't get to the starting point (I think I way undercounted the first side). Oh well, I did ok with the natural navigation and swimming in a straight line. I don't plan on diving without a guide at any time soon or in unbelievable murky water, so I should be ok.
Yesterday's second dive was the Peak Performancy Buoyancy. I hovered underwater, having to rise and fall based on the air in my lungs. Then, I did it upside-down, which was interesting, since I was used to bubbles hitting my face while diving...upside-down, they hit your belly. Then, we swam through some triangles that were set up underwater. We went sideways, upside-down, and regularly. It was a fun dive, and I think my buoyancy is better now that I'm at a good weight for me. Not too much to see on either dive yesterday, though.
Today was my day to go deep...30 m. We started with the Deep dive at a site called The Canyon. We swam out into a reef, then descended down into a canyon to 30 m. Before the dive, we had to take a quiz and time ourselves, so that at the bottom, we could do a similar quiz and see if it took longer (it should, due to the nitrogen in your body--makes you seem a bit drunk). Well, I rocked the quiz underwater! I finished in less time than on the surface. While at the bottom of the canyon, Catherine (my buddy--she's a divemaster in training) and I looked around a bit. Then, we swam out and saw lots of fish and coral. During our safety stop, I did my first underwater somersault and danced around with Catherine. We then drove further down the coast to our second dive site, where we relaxed for a bit and ate some lunch. I had a full glass of karkade spilled on me by the waiter, which caused Catherine and I both to exclaim that a vampire exploded on me! Let's just say we've watched too much True Blood lately.
Our second dive, the Multilevel/Computer dive, was incredible. We started at a site called The Bells. You descend down a narrow passage, then swim out through an arch. We swam along a coral wall and saw incredible amounts of fish and eels. The best one was a huge lionfish (and yes, I know things appear bigger underwater, and this guy was bigger than any others I've seen). To the left, all you could see was blue (I watched for sharks, but didn't see any). We stayed at 28m for a bit, then went up to 18m, then up to 12m. The site was beautiful, and the wall extended beyond visibility (no idea how deep it goes, don't think many people do, but apparently lots of folks have died there trying to go as deep as 80m). Then, we swam into the Blue Hole and saw some skin divers...not my cup of tea. While on our safety stop, I performed two more somersaults and did some rolls. It's amazing being so far below the surface, look up, and see fish and sunlight overhead. It almost looks like the surface is much closer than it appears. It was a great dive...lots to see, challenging environment, and the thrill of wondering if a shark might swoop in from the left to have me for lunch!
Anyways, upon return to the dive center, I filled out the paperwork that certifies I am an Advanced Open Water Diver...and promptly signed up for four dives tomorrow, including a night dive at The Canyon. I will return to Cairo on Tuesday exhausted, but exhilarated.
Imagine being in a dark, quiet, mysterious area. A flashlight guides you, but it is not enough to really see far in front of you. You turn to your left and see a wall of coral. You turn the light to the right and see a wall of fish, but beyond that…nothing. You see some movement along the bottom, and look to identify the fish.
I just returned from the first dive of my Advanced Open Water PADI training, a night dive. There were six of us on the dive. I was the only student, along with my buddy Catherine (who’s working on her divemaster, so she was assisting), and Tracy, the instructor. But then three more of the dive shop employees decided to tag along.
We entered at the shore with a nearly full moon overhead. After some struggling to get on my new fins (good thing the BC keeps you floating), we went under and began swimming. We went to 18 m along a coral reef. I saw my first turtle…he appeared to be sleeping, until we kept shining the light in his face, at which point he swam to the surface for air, then returned to the safety of the bottom. I saw an octopus pulling itself along the bottom. I saw puffer fish, opened corals, an eel, and huge schools of fish. I stayed pretty close to my buddy, Catherine, though at one point I lost her and thought one of the guys was her (hey, swim trunks can look like a shorty!). Luckily, she was right in our group, but it’s hard to see clearly in the dark.
It was an amazing experience; although I must say it did challenge some of my fears. It’s hard to see what’s beyond the reach of the light. Who knows? There might have been a giant shark there watching, thinking, “Gee, what’s that light source over there and does it taste good?”
I’m interested in returning to the site for another dive tomorrow. It’ll be interesting to see what’s there in the daylight.
After two weeks of online distance learning, I am so tired of sitting at a computer all day! I miss my students, I miss being active during the day in the classroom, and I miss being challenged by my job. Since Sunday, I have been working on a Language Arts order for my team, which drove me crazy (especially once I realized that the book I was using to select books by level was outdated in comparison to the website...had to recheck over 100 titles).
Luckily, the forced school closure did not impact our five day weekend! Tonight I am off to Dahab, which I am sure will be an adventure. Dahab has been described to me as a "hippie beach town". It's on the eastern side of the Sinai. Almost everyone I know who's been there loves the place. I am going to get my advanced open water PADI certification, which means I'll be able to dive to 30m. I'm interested in seeing how the Dahab diving compares to the Taba reef.
I have yet to pack, but that's ok, since I leave tonight on a bus at 7:30pm. That will be an adventure as well, since it's the public bus that we're taking down. I think it takes eight or nine hours to get there. Good thing our room will be ready and waiting!
I opened my cupboard this morning, pulled down a box of cereal (which I haven't eaten in two weeks), and saw little tiny sugar ants all over the shelf. Yuck! I keep my kitchen clean so that this won't happen, I try to spray frequently to keep them away, and I haven't had any problems with them since I first moved in to the flat.
So, I took everything off the shelf, found the container of crackers that they were busy noshing on, and sprayed them all into oblivion. Unfortunately, I can't find their source...I'm not sure where they are coming from. There was no little orderly single file line leaving the crime scene. I sprayed on top of the cabinet to be safe, but I have a suspicion that their friends will return to avenge their comrades' deaths.
Ok, back to my cereal!
Update: I came home from school yesterday to find they had relocated to the toaster and stove area. Sprayed some more. When I got home last night, there were more out, but all dead, save the one atomic one that was going from dead ant to dead ant, looking for a comrade to save.
Last summer, many of my Cairene friends departed the land of sand and sun for their respective homelands. I managed to convince one of them, Yvette, to return for 10 days. We started our week diving in Taba...
Doesn't this look like fun?
...then commenced to have too many late nights with good friends. Let me tell you, I did my best to make Cairo seem like the best place to be. We laughed a lot, gossiped a lot, played around a lot...lucky for me, my students were not at school (classes were canceled for two weeks by the Egyptian government due to H1N1). Doesn't this look like one happy camper?
Now, I'm just wondering which friend I can convince to visit next? Julie? Aileen? Diving could be in the works! Don't you hear Cairo calling?
Over the weekend, I journeyed down to Taba, a lovely little place (village doesn't even seem to fit) on the west coast of Sinai at the Israeli border. From the beach of the Taba Hilton, you could see the coasts of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the "Welcome to Israel" sign. Our last night, we heard some booms in the air and saw missiles going off over the water (target practice, apparently). High rocky cliffs dotted the coast, the ocean was calm, the water blue and clear.
But I didn't go to be a tourist and lie on the beach; I went to learn how to dive. And boy, was it worth it!
During our first "pool" session, this little fellow greeted us:Bernie the Barracuda He circled us a few times and came back almost every time we were in the water. All of our "pool" sessions were at the house reef, and all of them ended with a little swim around the reef.
Then, we did our open water dives and ventured further out. We saw so many fish: clownfish, angelfish, a little juvenile angelfish (with a bullseye pattern instead of stripes), frogfish, moray eels, spotted sea snake eels, pufferfish, stonefish, and tons of others. Plus, all the coral. But by far my favorite fish were the ones below:Lionfish - there were a lot one day right before dusk when we went out, just swimming all over the reef Parrotfish - these guys were just so big and colorful!
All in all, it was an excellent weekend. On our final dive, we went over some coral canyons and saw a school of yellowfin tuna. I'm hoping to get my Advanced certification next month, and I am planning another diving trip to Taba in late November.
Many thanks to my friend Krista for putting me in touch with her boss, Barry, the best dive instructor ever! Also, thanks to Yvette for coming all the way from the Netherlands to learn to dive with me. Nitrogen narcosis was blamed for our giddiness and silliness throughout the weekend!
When I first thought about running on the hash, my one concern was, "But don't you fall? Won't the rocks trip you?" It took three hashes for this to happen: And that's just my thigh...you can imagine what my hands, arms, knees, and lower leg look like. And it happened about a minute into the run. After I did a spectacular face plant along the side of a cliff, I hopped up, brushed myself off, and carried on! This is some of the spectacular scenery...it was a long run, lots of ups and downs, and a gorgeous stretch along a ridge that afforded great views of the canyon. Here, Ken is having to explain the concept of a group hug...which people didn't seem as keen about as usual, due to the heat and our general sweatiness. But we finally did show some love, then continued running back to the RV. On On! Now, I would have typed more, but my right hand is bruised and sore.
Driving to the pyramids today to play a round of golf, I couldn't resist taking a photo of the truck barreling down the highway in front of us. This is not unusual for Cairo. Many items will be haphazardly loaded on the back of a truck, fastened with a little bit of rope, and magically stay on while the truck careens in and out of traffic.
I liked the white stuff that looks like giant toilet paper rolls. Not sure what exactly it was, but it was humorous. As long as things bring a smile to my face, I am ok here.
Cairo is a bit different from Japan in the turnover rate of friends. I've met some lovely folks here the last few months, only to have them move away soon after really getting to know them. It's kind of sad. Out of my friend base at the end of June, the majority who are still left are primarily teachers I work with that were hired with me (hence, they are still stuck here another year). Out of my remaining friends, several left in June, some I "lost" in July, and other left in August. Still more are leaving before the end of the year.
Now, since for the most part I am utterly awful at keeping in touch with anyone after I moved away (be it people from high school, university, Boston, Atlanta, Kobe), I do need to say, good thing there's Facebook!
The sand bowl is without a doubt one of my favorite places to hash. It's out of the city, has gently rolling hills, and lots of great places to run and walk. The Sand Bowl is so named because you drive down into what is basically a bowl of sand--high hills all around you. Plus, how can you not love this: Hashers sliding down the walls of the sand bowl.
For my friends from hashes in other parts of the world, here is what I'm used to seeing on the hash: See, no obstacles to go over/under! No tree branches! No raspberry prickers!
The on-on was a BBQ at the hash. These are always loads of fun, as everyone throws meat on the grill, sits around a fire all night, and does crazy stuff (like throwing lamp oil on a burning fire--I did NOT do that!). I brought some marinated steaks and zucchini, both of which grilled up very nicely. One woman had a guitar and sang. I ended up sleeping out in the desert under the stars with a Boy Scout of a hasher, who had an extra sleeping bag and mat in his car. I enjoyed sleeping out, but don't think my dog did...he was damp and covered in sand this morning. Yes, there was actually dew on the sleeping bags! Surprising for the desert. See that white car? I slept in that location.
All in all, a lovely way to spend a weekend before school starts tomorrow!
Well, it's likely the scratching noises I heard emanating from behind the wall of my filing cabinet over the weekend were likely caused by rats. My lovely teaching colleague, Sandra, came to school today to find a rat hanging out in one of her bins of books. She had a typical response and jumped up on a table, only to watch as the rat climbed up a pole towards her air conditioning unit. I'm amazed I didn't hear screams...that's what I would have been doing if I saw one in my classroom. Screaming, and running out of the room. Then, probably, refusing to return until there was a carcass, preferably on a stake. One would think that with all the stray cats that live on our campus, rats would not be a problem. Guess again!
Other than that, I am doing my usual start-of-year procrastination. I look around my classroom at what needs to be done, then check internet, make travel plans for literacy coach training in October, answer some emails, walk to the health office for the mandatory HIV test, go get another coffee from Peter in the library, walk to the pool to check the summer hours, look around the classroom some more, check last spring's orders to see what should be coming in, and then finally get a burst of inspiration and make a list of what my aide can do to help tomorrow. Oh, and I did move a bit of furniture around and thought a little more about how I'd like to arrange the room. I am going to be very sad when we move into our new building next year. My current classroom is HUGE; cathedral ceilings, high windows with lots of bright light, lots of open space (it had been a resource center and two offices before being converted for my class), and plenty of room for little bodies to move around. Tomorrow I'm going on a tour of the new building and can see just how much smaller my classroom will be...sniff, sniff!
Other than school, Cairo is hot. I'm currently finding ways to avoid cooking. I'm keeping busy outside of work with Howie, the hash (plug for HASH BALL ON OCTOBER 15, planned by yours truly), exercise, and watching movies and TV shows on my computer. It's amazing how quickly I fall back into my Cairo life and routine.
Today, I went into my classroom with the sole purpose of staying for two hours, unpacking one of the closets, and getting my desk in order for the start of the new year. An attainable goal. Was I ever wrong...
First, when I unlocked the closet, one of the doors was stuck. I'm pulling like mad, thinking, "Gee, this door worked last year, it was actually broken on one of the hinges." I'm pulling, not budging. The door wasn't painted, so it wasn't sealed. Then, I notice a small piece of metal inside the door, at the lowest shelf. SOMEONE bolted the door shut...on the inside. Now, this cupboard had all my electronics in it, along with the basic junk that was on top of my desk that I didn't feel like dealing with at the end of the year and just crammed into the closet to deal with now. So, of course, the things I need to take out and put away are all behind the locked part. I commence pulling out tubs of books and science materials, free my computer, and figure I deserve a break.
Off I go to the teacher's lounge (Did I mention that my a/c unit is blowing only hot air, despite being set at 16C?) and proceed to play on the computer for an hour. Of course five minutes was school related (checking school email account), but the rest was looking at my usual sites. Then, I figured I should get something done, and went back in and got my desk in order and dug out the things I could easily reach from the cabinet. By now, I have a sore throat from the dust, in addition to black hands from all the dirt. At least I didn't find any rats or rats' nests in the cabinets (I feared this happening, we had rats in our rooms last year), only a few strange bugs (not insects, since they had far too many legs).
Feeling motivated, I decided to attack the other closet, since it didn't appear to have been bolted shut. Now, the other closet had all of my math materials in it...which I had my first graders put away. I vaguely recalled that the bins were precariously balanced, lids were not on tightly, and some things were shoved in at odd angles. Truly, did you expect much better for six and seven-year-olds? So, I closed my eyes and cautiously opened the doors, expecting an avalanche...and all was well inside! Mind you, things were going to fall if I was not careful with extracting the bins, but I did not have anything land on my head and knock me unconscious...and there was no rat's nest behind the bins on the floor (though there was a large crack/hole in the wall that I think might be the entry to one).
Of course, I have loads more to do to get my classroom prepared (since I did not put things away well), but by then my two hour limit had passed, and I figured it was best to go to lunch and not return to school. After all, I still have two more days this week to go in for two hours and get nothing significant done.
I remember when I was young, and I first learned about what actually is involved in giving birth...and I wanted nothing to do with being ripped open to allow another living, breathing creature to populate the Earth. No sirree, adoption would work well for me, if I ever got around to having kids.
Until I hit my 30's.
The biological clock started working a few years ago. Suddenly, I found babies to be amazing. I looked into adoption, but found the costs to be very high. I understand the need for some costs, but $20,000? Also, my work at the time would only give two weeks maternity leave for adoption, which I found biased, since a pregnant woman got 12 weeks. It can take 12 weeks to get a baby in some adoption scenarios.
So, I started to rethink the whole human body as incubator situation, and realized that I probably could handle getting myself knocked up and popping out a little person. Hey, and it would be covered by insurance! And then, my siblings started knocking up their girlfriends and continuing the Jeziorski name.
Finally, last January, my sister, who used to swear she never wanted kids, popped one out! And wants more! And after spending ten days with my niece full-time and my nephew part-time, I realize that kids are just amazing little people. I still want one of my own, but I'm getting old and it just isn't happening anytime soon!
I never thought that I'd be the one kid in my family to be childless and single at my age. What is wrong with me? Answers are more than welcome!
Oh, and to all cute boys out there: no worries, I am safe in bed and am not looking at you only for baby-making futures. I'm not that desperate!
One of the things I've discovered since moving overseas is an intense need to restock on visits back to the states. Restock what, you might ask? Well, on this trip, I needed some new clothes (since losing weight in Cairo), some books for my literacy coach training, some food items that are not available in Cairo and that I missed last year (flaxseed and wheat germ--homemade dog biscuits to follow!), running shoes, running clothes, and a year's supply of allergy and asthma medication! Also, some lovely bottles of liquid nourishment for the Rehydration Hash and to share with friends...
Of course, all this means three bags are returning with me tomorrow. I'm sure at least one is a tad overweight. I'm envisioning a mad repacking in the Lufthansa cue tomorrow as I reshuffle items, remove all the meds from their packagings (I'm sure 36 thin boxes weigh at least a pound), get rid of some of the clothes, and look for other ways to save on weight.
Why can't packages just be shipped to Egypt without being destroyed or stolen in customs? Life would be so much easier then!
Oh, and as cute as the sheep chair is, it is NOT mine and is not returning with me!
It was a lovely day, despite the rumbles of thunder in the distance and the few raindrops that managed to break their way through the humidity. A lovely day for a wedding!
The bride and groom
The Ithaca Hash House Harriers...a lovely group of young, enthusiastic, friendly folks who think nothing of running off into the woods, though briars and brambles, over logs, across creeks, in mud, and under trees. I have no idea how long the trail was, or where exactly we were during most of it (there were no paths during the majority of the hash), and there were three beverage stops (amazing that the hares got coolers to all the locations). I felt like a kid running through the woods and will likely have scars to remember this day (though I wonder if it's not poison ivy as well!).
One of the "BC" stops in the woods...definitely not the desert hash I'm used to!
I am looking forward to joining up with them again. It will make visits home much more enjoyable, that's for sure!
After living overseas for six years, I have come to the following conclusion: I would be unbelievable obese if I lived in the US (or, I'd be working out two hours a day to avoid that). There is so much junk for sale in grocery stores! And such quantities of it! A box of cereal is actually about 10 servings. Now how many of you get 10 days of breakfast from a single box? Add to that the amount of sugar in a serving, and you're eating a day's worth of sugar. Then, if you look at food prices, the most over-processed, least nutritious stuff is what is cheapest. And we wonder why America has a weight problem.
Then, going out to eat here is also eye-opening. Portions are huge! I remember as a kid, being able to go out and order dinner and a dessert, sometimes sharing an appetizer. If I were to do that now, I'd have to be rolled out of the restaurant.
I have read The Omnivore's Dilemna and Fast Food Nation (which in my opinion were just updated versions of The Jungle) and thought there were good points made. On the flip side, when I watched Super-Size Me, all I wanted to do at the end of the movie was go have a burger at McDonalds.
Ok, I'm off to the grocery store. On foot...but that's another gripe I have about this country. Why drive when walking is an option?
I’ve broken down my time in Donegal by day here, mostly because at first I was writing posts each day (so my Alzheimer’s leaning brain wouldn’t forget what I did). Going out to the wee hours meant that most of the days didn’t really get going until after noon. Mornings were spent updating photos, checking email, reading, and looking at the rain. At some point in my life, I hope I can learn to sleep in…
Day 1:
I arrive at the Dublin airport just after 2:30pm. The plane takes a lovely drive around the airport, taxiing forever to get to our gate. It was like a Sunday afternoon drive, only in a gigantic gas guzzling machine, and the entire time I was thinking, “I need to catch the 3:20 bus. I’m never going to make it.” We finally parked, I dashed to the baggage area (luckily, the Dublin airport is not very large), and proceeded to watch everyone else’s bags ride the belt before mine appeared. 3:15pm at this point. I wheel my bags like mad and look for the bus park. On the way, I do notice that cars are coming at me from the right when I cross over. I had forgotten they drive on the opposite side of the road here…Japan flashback! I get there at 3:25, but it seems there’s a cue and a bus! I ask if it’s the line for bus route 30, and it is! The bus was a few minutes late arriving to the airport from downtown.
The ride to Donegal took about four hours. Once we got going, the downpour started. Not drizzle, not sprinkle, but pouring buckets. The bus made a short stop in one town, and I had just enough Euros to but some crisps and a diet coke (I neglected to mention nothing was served on Eir Lingus, and I was hungry since breakfast had been forever ago and I couldn’t find my energy bars). Arrived in Donegal to pouring rain and smiling Richard and Claire. They are the best hosts ever!
During the ride, I decided that Ireland was very green, had lovely countryside, and most of the residents were sheep or cows. Seriously, I don’t think I saw many people outside except in the towns (I suppose that was partly due to the rain, but still). And there were very few houses out in the countryside, but lots of cattle and sheep grazing away. The few houses were adorable, though, especially the older-looking stone ones. And it all was so green! I have a feeling Cairo is going to be looking very dusty and brown when I get back.
We went to their house, Claire’s brother-in-law Johnnie joined us for dinner, and then we went to the pubs. We visited at least four that night (if I remember correctly). The first place was teeny tiny, but quite cozy. They let me pose behind the bar and pretend to pull a pint. Another one, the Reel Inn, had live music—traditional Irish stuff –that was quite good. We left the last pub after 2am, which is when the basement disco there apparently begins to get busy. But I was yawning like mad and needing to go to bed.
Day 2:
Sunshine! Hooray! I even managed to sleep in until 8:30, but stayed in bed until about 10. Eventually we had “breakfast” (if you call it that at 12:30pm). Then, Richard, Claire, and I went for a walk down to the beach. Along the way, we passed lots of cows and sheep. One field of sheep had recently been shorn. The shorn ones looked like they received a bad homemade punk rock haircut; their remaining fleece was clumpy and spray painted blue. Near the beach, we watched a horse jumping competition (not jumping over horses, but riding horses and jumping over fences). The tide was very low, and we could have walked out for quite some ways, but due to our lack of wellies, we passed on that. We meandered along the coastline and worked our way around the peninsula. We saw oyster and mussel equipment out in the water (they harvest them here and ship them to France and Japan), more cows, lots of little islands, and lots of empty shells. We’re going to take a water taxi around the islands later this week.
Shortly after returning to the house, the rains started. It poured quite hard for a while, but then cleared up. After it cleared, a huge rainbow appeared in the sky and was visible for quite some time. No pot o’ gold or leprechaun in sight, unfortunately.
Claire’s sister, Terese, joined us for dinner last night. We hit the pubs just after 10pm again. At the first pub, McCafferty’s, the bartender let me pull a Guinness! Then, I pulled a Heineken and a Carlsberg. I think I should scrap being a teacher, move to Ireland, and become a pub wench. We went again to the Reel Inn again and I met the owners, both of whom were performing. We went to at least two other places (again, they do start to blur together after a while). A lovely old man from the first pub followed us to a few of the other locations and bought me a few whiskeys. Richard was introduced as my dad all night, and Claire was my child bride mum. I chatted with some lovely Irish blokes that night as well. The musicians from the Reel Inn found us at the last stop we made and stopped to say hello (they remembered me because Claire said I was from Cairo). We made plans to meet up with some of our new friends tonight (and apologies to the one we called at 3am regarding his intentions). And again, got home after 2am, and we sat around the kitchen table having a nightcap and eating lovely little sweets.
Day 3:
If I am going to be out until the wee hours every night, I really need to learn how to sleep in. I was up again at 8:30, but did manage to fall back asleep for another hour.
Today we took a drive west along the peninsula of Donegal County to see some of the sights. We passed through Killybigs, a port town with tons of fishing trawlers parked in the dock. From there, we started on a windy, curvy, uphill road with plenty of dips, thus making driving fun for Claire, who couldn’t always tell where the road was going next.
We finally arrived at Slieve, which is the location of the highest sea cliffs in Europe. Just as we parked the car, the skies opened. So, we put on the raincoats and got out anyways. We climbed to the top, avoiding the sheep droppings that covered the trail (I mean, really, couldn’t they just keep it in the grass that made up 99% of the area?). The view from the top was amazing for the heights, but not for the distance. Visibility was not great at all. On the drive down, the dips and curves were more pronounced, and I was thinking it was a good day to spin off over the cliff and into the ocean…wet road, curves, oncoming cars, small roadwidth, unhappy passenger (not vacation-related cause)…
Next, we drove over back roads to Glengesh pass, where we parked for another photo op. Glengesh is where Claire’s dad grew up. It’s basically a little town between two big hills (that seems to be the case for most Irish towns). I saw the house where he grew up (just from the road), and more cows and sheep. We continued to to Maghera, which had a lovely waterfall, made all the lovelier thanks to several days of ongoing downpours. Claire’s mum was from that area. We saw the church where her parents married, too, which was in Angara. We also saw some “new” waterfalls coming down off the hills and running along the roads, making driving safe and even more enjoyable. The ditches were overflowing on the road!
After dinner, we hit the pubs again. When we met one of the blokes from last night, we decided that we all must have had our beer goggles on by that point, because he was boring as anything. So, we ditched him at the second pub and continued on to the Abbey. There, we met a couple of blokes, one of whom was trying to convince me that they made movies (while his friend was trying to keep a straight face). In actuality, the one was a shell farmer and the other was a solicitor (lawyer for my American friends). They both were funny guys, though, and the solicitor did make me a travel itinerary plan for Yeats Country (the Irish poet, W. B. Yeats, is buried nearby).
Day 4:
Today, we stuck around Donegal Town. We started at the central diamond (no, it’s not a square, it’s called a diamond in Donegal). I picked up a few souvenirs for family (but not everyone, since I seem to be in a shopping rut and unable to find things for those people I usually get presents for). There was a lovely bookshop, an old-style department store, and even a yarn shop with locally spun wool (bought one skein, for really warm socks or a hat and mittens).
We visited Donegal Castle, built back in medieval times. I’m ready to move in, once they fix the roof over the new wing of the building. The tower was incredible and the stairs were interesting. They were designed so the occupants would have the advantage when fighting invaders—curved to the right going up, different heights, and, thanks to centuries of use, very slippery now and slanted downward. After that, we went to the site of an old Abbey (most of which’s stones were used in building the castle), which is now a cemetery. Some of the graves dated back to the 1800’s.
Then, we took a drive to Lough Eske (that’s “Lake” Eske, for my non-Irish friends). There were two luxury hotels there, one of which was an old castle, but not in the same style as Donegal Castle. This place looked more Versailles than stone, and had some interesting sculptures in the garden. The lake was beautiful and peaceful. The road to and from the lake was scary as usual, with the narrowness, bends, and high grass…plus cars zipping along at 80 km an hour!
That night, we went for dinner at a great little Italian restaurant in Donegal, then did our usual tour of the pubs. We watched some Irish dancing at the Reel Inn, and again ended our evening in the Abbey.
Day 5:
My last day in Donegal County. We headed south along the coastline towards Sligo County to visit Claire’s sister, Anne. First, we stopped off in Drumcliffe, to see Yeats’s grave. His grandfather was a pastor at the parish church where the cemetery was located, and he grew up in the area. The cemetery was beautiful. I don’t know what it is, but I really do like cemeteries and I’ve seen some beautiful ones in the world (especially one in the Ukraine). Maybe it comes from living the first six years of my life with a cemetery across the street that doubled as our play area!
Next, we arrived in Sligo, a beach town complete with a boardwalk, ice cream and chip shops, and surfing lessons. Yes, in the rain and wind and cold (for me) temps, crazy locals were not only surfing (wearing wetsuits), but swimming in the water. I was shivering on shore in fleece and jeans. There were gorgeous, steep dunes that I climbed to get a better view. We also had tea and scones with Anne.
This was our first night at home. We ordered Indian food (very good!) and were in bed early, since I had a 7am bus to catch to Dublin.
Overall, I had a lovely week with Claire and Richard. They were very friendly, great hosts (I was only allowed to buy one round of drinks the entire time I was with them), and good company. I am already planning on returning to visit them again in the future. There’s a lot more to explore in the area (and I might miss the Abbey, the Reel, and my future job at McCafferty’s).
For some reason, my photos are refusing to upload to blogger at the moment. If you'd like to see pictures, friend me over on Facebook.
I’m writing this on a bus that is zipping up and down the green Irish hills on its way to Donegal. Poland is now behind me, though the rains that hit Poland seem to have followed me here. What’s the deal with that? This has been one of the rainiest summers I’ve experienced in a while.My last week was marked with highs and lows, making it the most memorable yet of my vacation.
First, I hashed with the Warsaw H3 last Saturday. What a welcoming group they were! Witch Doctor had graciously answered all my stupid email questions in advance, I was warmly greeted by Tampon Jelly and ***Nipple?????*** at the Warsaw Marriott and rode to the RV with them and ***DOROTA*****. Hashing is different when it’s not in the middle of a wadi! We were on paths that were also frequented by cyclists and picnickers. There were trees and grass everywhere. There were 13 of us that day, yet the circle seemed as long as our Cairo ones with five times that number! I learned some new songs and saw what happens to departing Warsaw hashers (let’s just say they don’t get a personalized copper mug). They made the virgins drink beer out of their shoes (but we were lucky enough to keep it in the cup!). My favorite part was when Shasta, Witch Doctor’s new German Shepherd pup, was baptized as the new “Hash Hound”.I think my little Howie deserves that in Cairo! The on-on was at Cindy’s, who was a hasher leaving Warsaw. I made it back to Minsk Maz. at 7:15 am on Sunday, thus canceling my plans to hit the free Chopin concert in Warsaw that day!
The last week of camp was fun. I had four quiet girls and seven energetic boys who wore me out every day. Nine were with me last week, while two were moved to my group this week. We learned new words, I tried to get the kids to use English, and I think there favorite part was break and lunch (kids are alike everywhere). The parents had a barbeque for us on Friday night. Let me explain Polish hospitality. Poles feel that you can never eat enough. If you clean your plate, more food is piled on. If you hide your plate in order to avoid getting more food, a clean plate is given to you with more on it. There were kielbasas, chicken, pork chops, salad, homemade bread, homemade berry pastries, and fresh fruit. The parents were nice enough to leave their kids at home, too. It was a fun evening and the parents were very grateful for the program. They shared that their children came home everyday and wouldn’t stop talking about what they did at American Summer. Kudos to Eliza and Cheryl for coordinating the program, and my fellow volunteers Damon, Matt, Steve, and Cory for being such fun companions during the two weeks!
The hash was not the only social event of the week; in fact, I socialized more this week than I have in a long time! On Monday, the group of volunteers played a game called “Ticket to Ride”, where you build trains across Europe. We skyped Joe during the game and chatted. It was almost like old times, when Joe would be in Minsk Maz., too. Next summer, hopefully, he will be able to return.
On Tuesday, one of the assistants, Marta, had all the volunteers and assistants over for a bonfire at her house outside Minsk Maz. We grilled skewers and kielbasa, enjoyed the few hours that the rain stayed at bay. Her grandfather brought his accordion over, and the Poles serenaded us Americans with some traditional bonfire songs, one of which I remember from Siennica (all I know of it is to yell “Hey” during the chorus). Unfortunately, I was not in the best mood that evening due to an unwelcome email earlier in the evening (the low point of the week), so I didn’t stay long. Instead, I took a long walk back to the hotel along along the shoulder of the Warsaw highway and thought to myself, “Gee, I really shouldn’t wear all black at night” and hoped none of the trucks would hit me! It was the only way I could get some alone time (that was something I needed that day, and it’s hard to get when you are with people 24/7).
Wednesday night I was treated to a pub crawl by Dorota from the Warsaw H3. We started with dinner at a Balkan restaurant in Warsaw. What is Balkan food, you might ask? Well, what I ate could have been Egyptian food! I shared mezzes, kebab, kofta, and wine. The food was delicious and the restaurant itself had a lot of character. After that, we went to one bar, but the people we were supposed to meet had already left it (dinner went late). At the second bar, we found Jenna. Just as we got our beers, Jenna’s group was moving on to a disco, so we finished the drinks off quickly and joined them. They played 70x/80x music at the disco that night, which was perfect for me since it was all the songs I used to dance to in my youth. We shimmied until about 2 am, and then caught a taxi to Dorota’s. Unfortunately, I only got about three hours of sleep, because I had to get back to Minsk Maz. to teach on Thursday, which took almost two hours by buses and tram. But the lack of sleep was worth it, since I had fun and it kept my mind off things.
Thursday night was experiencing nightlife in Minsk Maz. We went to a bar for karaoke night. It was great! Fueled by Zubrowka and apple juice, we sang and danced our hearts out. Cheryl did a fine job on the power ballad “My Heart Will Go On” (watch out, Celine Dion!), Matt sang “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, Eliza, Cheryl, and I sang “It’s In His Kiss”, and we all killed “Yellow Submarine”, the Grease mix, “Sweet Caroline”, and “Pretty Fly For a White Guy”. On the last one, I was the only one able to sing the verses and follow the words. Not too sure that’s something to be proud of, but hey, I did lose my voice that night. It’s still not back 100%. I was hoarse all day Friday and Saturday. During karaoke, Matt discovered that by chatting with the guys hanging out around the bar, he could get drinks bought for him. So, I gave it a try and started talking to three fine young men. A drink was purchased for me, and I stayed and chatted for a bit. One of the aides, Agata, came up to me to tell me that one of the guys I was talking to (remember, I said they were fine young men) was in her year at school…so he was only 18 or 19. Made me feel like a huge cradle robber, but also grateful that I still don’t look my age. We stumbled back to the hotel around 1:30 am and slept a few hours before going for the last day of the program. Needless to say, that last day I was working on a combined total of seven hours sleep in two days.
And now, I am in Ireland, watching the rain fall, the cows and sheep grazing, and freezing my doupa off. Hopefully it’ll warm up a wee bit and the rains will cease. I’m looking forward to another great week before moving on to NYC, Atlanta, and Elmira.
Yummy kielbasa...glasses are there for size comparison.
As I munch on a big piece of monk-crafted kielbasa and contemplate my next piwo z sok malinowy, I thought I would reflect on my favorite city in Poland (and incidentally my current location): Krakow.
I’ve been lucky enough to spend the last two days in Krakow, a city that I have visited numerous times during my trips to Poland (often more than once during the same trip…I tend to use it as a starting/ending point). I love the city and would move here in a heartbeat. It has charm, character, great people, great food, and great public transportation. Since I’ve done almost all the touristy stuff on previous visits, I spent this trip just wandering around the streets, people watching, and reacquainting myself with Polish cuisine and beverages. Oh, and finally going inside Wawel Castle. You’d think after all the times I’ve been here, that would have happened long ago.
I’ve decided to create top ten lists of what I like and don’t like about Krakow. Enjoy!
The church at Wawel Castle
What I like about Krakow…
1.A great Old Town square where you can sit all day and people watch. Just pick the spot with the comfiest chairs! As you sit, you can see the cloth hall, churches, and old buildings. No need to get up and tour things, just sit back with a beer and say you’ve seen the sights!
2.Cheap piwo…with sok malinowy! That’s raspberry syrup with beer, for those of you who don’t know. Zywiec is the beer of choice for me, though I will settle for Okocim or Tyskie if those are the only choices. Polish beer is light, which is why I will only drink it with the syrup. Best of all, it comes with a straw, and as you know, everything tastes better with a straw.
3.Tasty red wine that is not made in Egypt! I’ve been drinking a glass with dinner every night. Let’s hear it for importing wine! On my tour today, the guide said that Poland always had great relations with the Hungarians, because that’s where they got their wine. I prefer the South African and Australian myself.
4.Cars that stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. Even without pedestrian crossing lights. Just step into a crosswalk, and the cars stop. Amazing!
5.The dragon’s den in Wawel Castle. I looked for the dragon, but he must have been hiding today! It was damp, cool, and dripping water. After you descend the spiral staircase, you emerge in a cave. Very cool!
6.Kasmierz, with it’s great galleries, restaurants, and bars. It’s really become trendy since I was here five years ago, but in a good way! I stayed here again this time, and I really enjoyed going out at night and people watching.
7.All the old buildings that have been renovated over the years. I wish someone would give me one to live in. Or at least a little flat in one. They’re colorful, have great molding, and usually include statues on them somewhere.
8.Hearing the bugler in St. Michael’s church play his reveille every hour. It’s fun trying to see him up in the window. The second he finishes, SLAM! goes the window.
9.Seeing nuns walking down the street in full-on, old-fashioned habits. Long dresses, long veils, and only their faces showing. Lots of different styles as well. Amazing that they aren’t an endangered species here. You even see young ones. I’m not religious at all, but it’s nice that the Poles still have faith.
10.Pierogies, pierogies, pierogies! I ate them just about every meal this trip. Go to Vincent’s pierogies (used to be a little hole in the wall in Kasmierz, but now they have a few other quaint little locations). Ruskie (potato and cheese) are the classic, but I liked the truskakowy (strawberry) this trip.
Things I don’t like about Krakow…
1.Pigeons all over the beautiful Old Town square, pooping, flocking, and getting in the way.
2.People who feed the pigeons, which encourages the pigeons to remain in the square and poop all over the place.
3.People who scare the pigeons, causing a mass exodus of pigeons flying right at you, pooping in fear.
4.Seeing pigeon poop all over the sidewalk near buildings, and worrying that the pigeons are going to hit you next.
5.The giant new shopping mall in front of the train station. As much as I love shopping, it just seems out of place there and totally detracts from the cool old station building. Of course, I did visit the H&M in the mall the first day…
6.That Krakow is now billed as the city with the most bars in Europe. Incidentally, this means drunken stag party guys all over the place, wearing matching shirts with numbers and nicknames on the back, make lots of noise, and are drinking too much beer. And lots of backpackers who are just coming now for the piwo and nightlife, missing all the great cultural offerings.
7.That you can’t bargain in the cloth hall any more. I remember back in ’93 when Gabe and I were getting 30% of the asking price on our purchases!
8.When the outdoor seating is full and I can’t get a table with a great view. Or, when the table’s umbrella doesn’t effectively block out the sun and it warms up your glass of something lovely.
9.That Polish food is basically carbs, carbs, carbs, and I gain weight just looking at it! I mean, dough stuffed with potatoes and then covered in melted butter, with bits of bacon on top?
10.Did I mention the damn pigeons?
I will say that Krakow is more fun when you come with friends. The last time I visited was with Joe, Eliza, and Stan. I don’t think I ever had as much fun people watching, drinking beer, and just hanging out as I did then.
Krakow was a great diversion, but now it’s time to return to Minsk Maz and be a do-gooder for two weeks, teaching young impressionable Polish kids English and all about American culture. Ironic, since I don’t live in America anymore and will be teaching them Japanese crafts like origami and shodo.
Postscript: I’m back in Warsaw waiting to meet one of the other volunteers to escort him safely to Minsk Maz. The rain hit last night, while I was out visiting some of the fine drinking establishments. Needless to say, I got soaked again. The rain seems to be here in Warsaw now as well. Fabulous, since I need to meet him outside and have my bags with me. I suppose I should just get used to being wet all the time this summer.
Cam, I should have listened to you when you told me to pack an umbrella. I blame the rain on you! Your mental powers are astounding!
And for those of you that actually read this to the end, feel free to make crude jokes about me munching on monks’ kielbasas. I did that opening line deliberately. What can I say, my mind is in a gutter.
Look at that view!
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