The Krakow Files

What I miss

2009-07-26T00:21:00.003+02:00

is the architecture in Krakow.

I even sort of miss the cobblestones (although my ankles don't):

Sklep

2009-07-26T00:11:00.002+02:00

This art supply shop is located only a few steps away from my former flat in Krakow. I walked by it almost every day, always peering in the windows to see what was new, yet never actually going inside.

Pansies

2009-07-08T14:59:00.003+02:00

I took this pic my last night in Krakow, at the flower market in the Rynek, and completely forgot about it until I downloaded my photos a few days ago.

Buty

2009-07-06T04:02:00.004+02:00

I finally downloaded all of the photos I took the last few months I was in Europe and have spent the last few hours looking through them.

This snapshot is for K and P who each bought something like 6 pairs of shoes while visiting me in Poland in early April. Oddly, I don't think I purchased even one pair in the entire two years I lived there.

We found this shoe store in Zamosc, a lovely town in eastern Poland. Not sure how many pairs the Canadians purchased here, but I know it was more than one.

You can go home again

2009-07-05T02:54:00.002+02:00

I'm lying on the couch in my newly renovated living room. I've just cleaned it in anticipation of showing it off to my grandmother tomorrow afternoon.

I guess I've been back in Canada now for 6 or 7 weeks and I finally feel like I belong here.

The first few weeks were rough: I was sad and depressed about leaving Krakow and felt completely displaced (for a while I bandied about the phrase relocation dislocation) and at loose ends. I hid out at my friend S's house in Leslieville, working from there most days and leaving the house only to run errands or to go to the gym and to check out the progress on my renovations.

But I've adapted. I'm living in my own house now and the renovations are almost completely finished. I no longer have to spend most of my non-working hours making house or car-related decisions leaving me more time to spend reconnecting with my friends.

Plus, it is summer and despite a strike by the city employees (creating mounds of garbage everywhere and shutting down public services like pools and ferries), Toronto is a pretty good place to be. The trees are green, the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining (well most of the time), and the patios are open.

A part of me will always miss Krakow, but for now I'm home and I'm happy.

Young Poland

2009-05-24T00:55:00.007+02:00

Last Saturday, on my flight back to Toronto, I spent a few hours reading about my favourite period in Polish art: the Young Poland movement. The book was a farewell gift from a friend and provides art and architectural examples of the movement in and around Krakow.

Several of my favourite churches, galleries, and buildings were listed in the guide, and I was thoroughly enjoying reading about Krakow, when I turned the page and saw a picture of this guy:

This gargoyle perches on the building I lived in for the past two years. Imagine my surprise to see him featured in a guide to Krakow!

I knew my building was designated as a heritage building (it was the former power plant for Krakow before it was converted into an architect's office and apartments), but I guess I didn't realize how historically significant it really was.

Yep, I lived in a building with a gargoyle. Not many people in Toronto can say that.

Derek and Flannery

2009-05-17T15:41:00.002+02:00

Here's the first anecdote of many about Derek:

Soon after I moved to Toronto from Waterloo, Derek was accepted into the publishing program at Centennial College. We ended up being roommates, living in a 2nd floor apartment in an old house on Keele St in High Park.

I've got so many great memories of that year: sitting on the deck gossiping and sharing stories about our lives for hours, both of us being terrified of the huge raccoon that used to live on the roof, laughing at our upstairs neighbour Rocker Dude, hosting cocktail parties that lasted all night (I don't think I've had someone pass out on my kitchen floor since those days), and just hanging out in our pjs watching TV.

That year was also the year I decided I would get a cat. For months before actually adopting the cat, I mused about what I would name her (for it would be a female). I wanted something literary. Perhaps Jane or Margaret after one of my favourite authors. Or maybe named for a fictional character. Possibly Daisy.

Meanwhile, Derek picked out his own name. For him the only possible choice was Flannery. Didn't matter to him that I had never read Flannery O'Connor. He stuck to his guns, referring to my future pet as Flannery in conversation whenever he could. And then he dealt the final blow, telling me (with a sparkle in his eye) that it didn't matter what I decided to call the cat, he would call her Flannery.

The morning we went to the humane society, Derek finally relented, saying that whatever I wanted to call the cat would be fine and he would go along with my choice. I think he secretly knew by that time that he had already indelibly imprinted the name Flannery on my brain.

So Flannery she was, and still is. I can't imagine her as being anything else.

Yet even though Derek gave me a Flannery O'Connor novel (aptly titled "A Good Man is Hard to Find") for Christmas that year, it was years before I could bring myself to read it. What would I do if I didn't like the works of my cat's namesake?

But, as always, Derek's recommendation was sound.

And oh how Derek loved Flannery, always scooping her up for a cuddle whenever he came over and wondering if she remembered that they had lived together all those years ago. Of course she did.

Derek

2009-05-17T15:11:00.005+02:00

I'm sitting in Derek's home office, typing this at his desk, surrounded by his CDs and his books, looking at pictures of him and the people he loved, comforted by his cat sleeping a few feet away.

Although I desperately wanted to see Sari, I admit I was a bit apprehensive about staying here until my stuff arrives from Krakow. As long as I was in Poland, I could fool myself into believing Derek was still here. And I knew that there was no way I could keep his death at bay once I came back to Toronto.

But being in his space hasn't induced the grief I was scared of. Just the opposite - I feel much better being here with Sari and am comforted by staying in his house.

And now I realize, I don't have to write one letter or blog entry about Derek and what our years of friendship meant to me. There's no need for one goodbye or one final summing up. I've got so many memories and stories to share. I'll just write them down as I'm ready.

Home

2009-05-17T15:00:00.004+02:00

After a long day, I made it home without incident.

Although I fly a lot, it never ceases to amaze me how you can be transported from one side of the world to the other in such a short period of time.

This morning I was thinking about the months-long sea crossings people had to make 100 years ago. Although incredibly difficult and grueling for some, the trip itself gave them time to realize that they were leaving one life behind and starting another in a new world.

14 hours on a plane didn't seem like a long enough time to end one stage of my life and start another.

But, regardless of how long the journey took, the new phase of my life starts today. I wonder what it will bring.

In transit

2009-05-16T08:53:00.004+02:00

I'm on my way home, waiting in the Krakow for my first flight of the day. My suitcases are a hell of a lot bigger than this one, and I'm not looking forward to carrying them up the many stairs in my Toronto home.

Wish me a speedy and safe journey.

Saying goodbye

2009-05-15T23:04:00.003+02:00

It's 11:00 pm and I'm sitting in the lobby of the Krakow Sheraton reflecting on my last day in Krakow. It is fitting that I'm staying here on my last night in Krakow. It's where I stayed on my first night here, and every other subsequent trip before moving here.

I woke up this morning with a feeling of panic, worrying about how I was going to make it through so many goodbyes today.

But I've made it without sobbing, although I felt like it several times. I walked around the Planty this morning, taking photos every few steps, then met my landlord to go through my beautiful apartment one last time.

And I made it through saying goodbye to 4 floors of people without losing my composure completely, although I teared up the very first time I said goodbye.

Tears threatened again at dinner tonight with my closest friends, but most of the time I just enjoyed their company.

I know I'll miss everything and everyone in Krakow, but I've finally said goodbye.

Note: I'm not ready to say goodbye to this blog. I've got thousands of photos to wade through, and memories associated to everyone, many of which I hope to share with you all. So more posts to come once I am back in my home and native land.

Last night

2009-05-13T22:54:00.003+02:00

As I was getting ready to meet a friend for a goodbye drink at my favourite cafe tonight, I realized that this is the last night I'll be staying in my apartment.

I've been extremely privileged to live in this beautiful place for the last two years. Everything about it is lovely: the marble heated floors that the cats (and I) couldn't get enough of, the exposed beams and brick wall, the seven skylights on the top floor, the beautiful (yet terrifying for many) open staircase, the large arched windows, and the loveliest bathroom I'll ever have.

I love all of the views. From one side I can look down at the street life and the action in the neighbourhood jazz bar. From the other I can check out people feeding the pigeons, walking their dogs, or just relaxing in the small park. From that window I can also check out the line up, or the occasional protest, at the nearby embassy. But to get to my favourite view I need to stand on the bidet in the bathroom and open the skylight. I am just tall enough to peek out over the sill and see all of the rooftops. To me, that view is quintessentially European. I feel like an artist in a garret (okay, an extremely lovely, luxurious garret).

The space is large, bright, airy, and stunning. Everyone who enters it stops a few steps in from the doorway and exclaims. A few of my favourite quotes: "It is so beautiful, I think I'm going to cry", "What a grown up apartment" and the most apt for tonight, "Your place at home is nice, but how will you ever leave this one?"

Stage 1

2009-05-13T12:23:00.003+02:00

I've been mentally procrastinating about it for months, but I've finally accepted (sort of) that I'm leaving Krakow this week.

I guess I've had to, as the pet mover just picked up Flannery and Small for the first leg of their long journey home to Canada. After much last minute anxiety and stress (changing dates, flights, missing documentation and so on), the cats are on their way to Warsaw by car where they will hopefully catch a flight to Frankfurt tonight. Tomorrow they'll fly from Frankfurt to Toronto, where they will stay in a kennel until we can move into our home. That date all depends on when my stuff arrives from Poland.

Tomorrow morning the movers come to pack up my stuff and transport it to Warsaw. Not sure why all roads to Toronto must go through Warsaw on this trip, but even I am flying through Warsaw on Saturday.

So, I'd better get cracking. I've got a lot to do before the packers show up tomorrow.

Silence

2009-05-03T09:50:00.005+02:00

In the early hours of Easter Sunday one of my closest friends passed away suddenly. Since then, I've been trying to make sense of this new world I find myself in.

Although I've written a thousand sentences about Derek and our friendship in my head, I can't bring myself to commit them to a page yet. It hasn't seemed possible to write about anything else until I've done that.

But, as unbelievable as it seems to me right now, life has moved forward. Since that day, I've finished my work assignment in Krakow, had two lovely farewell parties, and spent 4 quiet days in Croatia.

I'll be leaving Poland for good in less than two weeks. For most of April, I desperately wanted to be in Toronto, but now I'm a little terrified to go home. I can't envision that city without Derek.

I've been unable (or just unwilling) to say goodbye the last few weeks. To my friends and colleagues here, to the city and the country I've come to love, and above all to Derek.

I know I'm going to have to, but I just can't. Not yet.

Warsaw

2009-04-06T15:35:00.004+02:00

I finally downloaded my pictures from my trip to Warsaw a few weeks ago. Poor Warsaw has a reputation for being grey, and unfortunately the weather was the weekend I was there. I only saw the sun for a few hours in 3 days.

However, the grey skies and the chilly weather didn't dampen my enthusiasm for the Polish capitol. The architecture is extremely diverse - from the old town, which was totally destroyed in WW2 and then rebuilt in the 50s based on 17th century paintings, to the social realist/brutalist style, to modern skyscrapers. The art and design magazine Wallpaper was so impressed with Warsaw that it dedicated an entire travel guide to the city.

Here's a pic of the iconic, yet locally hated, Palace of Science and Culture.

The Palace is a pretty impressive building and can be seen for miles. However, Stalin built it as a gift for the people of Poland, which doesn't make it popular with the locals.

More pics to follow in upcoming posts.

Too good to be true

2009-04-05T19:15:00.002+02:00

For the last several months, I've felt like I've been on a roller coaster.

During the first several weeks of 2009 I was focused on trying to stay in Krakow. After I received the final answer that I would be moving back to Canada this spring, I needed to concentrate on the logistics of my move, finding a new position at home, figuring out who would replace me here, and many many other details.

On top of all of that I decided to renovate my home before I return to Toronto, and I turn 40 next weekend.

Frankly, it all is a bit too much for me.

So, imagine my glee when I checked my Canadian bank account last weekend and noticed that I had received a very substantial tax refund.

The euphoria didn't last, as lately I've learned to wait before celebrating any seemingly good news.

Sure enough I got an email yesterday telling me that this wasn't my 2008 tax refund, but some repayment from the government for my dual tax payments in Canada and Poland in 2007. The email stipulated that this money is not for me, and I must promptly send a cheque off to my employer.

Back to that roller coaster . . .

Not so small

2009-03-29T18:53:00.002+02:00

As I sit here writing this Small is meowing at my feet, wanting to be fed.

A few weeks ago, in preparation for our upcoming move, I weighed her. She now tips the scales at close to 11 kg - I am not even going to translate that into pounds as the number is appalling large for a cat, no matter how big . . .

When I looked at the paperwork I kept from our move two years ago, she only weighed 9.5 kg.

So, she's on an even stricter diet. Needless to say she doesn't like it. Today I caught her eating the crumby remains of my blueberry muffin.

Glitterati

2009-03-19T21:17:00.002+01:00

I finally made it to Warsaw - I figured I shouldn't live in a country for two years without ever visiting the capitol.

I already have much to say about the city and I've been composing this post over dinner, but somehow I have landed in the middle of some swanky Polish celebrity event. I'm literally in the middle of it: the hotel "business center" is actually a desk with a computer in the lobby. I am surrounded by tall, gorgeous women in beautiful frocks and the papparazzi is everywhere.

I'm pretty much blinded by the flashess.

And since I feel a little out of place typing away in my comfy, baggy travel pants in the middle of the party, my impressions of Warsaw will have to wait.

I'm hoping to snag some of the swag they are giving the starlets (Frey Wille bags), but I think they'll realize I'm not with the party.

Stangely there don't seem to be any male stars here.

Coincidence

2009-03-18T09:37:00.004+01:00

I was at my book club last night when one of the members told me she'd been reading my blog. I haven't really publicized it, so I was a bit surprised (but very pleased, since she told me she'd read the whole thing!)

Apparently she was searching on Krakow and Benjamin Moore paint (she's decorating a new flat) and she somehow happened on my friend S' blog Apropos of Nothing. S' blog is about her life in Canada and her blog, like her life, is mostly consumed by her house renovation. At some point she must have been discussing Benjamin Moore paint.

From there my book club buddy noticed S' link to my blog about living in Krakow, and she figured out it was me. Funnily enough she lives just across the street from me!

It really is a small world.

Tears

2009-03-13T22:48:00.002+01:00

I found out a few weeks ago that I will be going back to Canada in a few months, as was originally scheduled when I moved here in May 2007. For most of the last year I thought I'd be staying in Krakow longer (perhaps a year or two more), which really pleased me, but, as everyone knows, the economic climate has changed since then.

So I'm going home. I cried when I found out and have shed more then a few tears about it since.

It's not that I don't love Toronto and all of my fantastic family and friends in Canada, but I've fallen in love with Krakow, and I'm not quite ready to leave.

The toughest part was telling my team this week. I interviewed and hired all but one of them (currently there are 12), and have watched them all learn and become passionate about our profession. They truly are a great group.

By Wednesday I thought I was prepared for it, but as I started to tell them, the tears started again and I had to stop and compose myself.

But I got through it, and now I am concentrating on all of the things I need to see and do in Poland and at work in the next two months (believe me there's still a long list and I haven't even gotten to my European list yet).

And, as my mother keeps reminding me, I have had a fantastic two years here. I'm not quite ready to summarize it all yet - there will be more then enough time for that when I'm back in Toronto.

Chim chim cher-oo

2009-03-13T22:25:00.003+01:00

The other morning, on the way to my early morning tennis lesson (7am!), I noticed two men dressed entirely in black. On their heads they wore small black caps, and over their shoulders carried long coils of cable.

I realized they were chimney sweeps. Their outfits reminded me of the illustrations in one of my favourite childhood novels, The Water Babies.

Although Krakow is in many ways a modern and westernized city, small details like the chimney sweeps in their Victorian era uniforms remind me daily that this is a very different place, with a much stronger sense of history and tradition, then where I'm from.

The sweeps I've had in to work on my chimney in Toronto wore blue jeans and white coveralls. Not nearly the same effect.

If only I'd had my camera with me.

Note: The wikipedia article linked to above mentions that sweeps in Croatia still wear the traditional dress with the small black caps. I should write in to append that they do in Poland as well. Note that the sweeps in Krakow were not wearing the extremely odd headress-like hat that is in the accompanying picture.

March fool

2009-03-13T22:18:00.003+01:00

When I returned to Krakow from Canada March 2nd the weather here was positively balmy, at least compared to Toronto which hit -25 the day I left. Somehow I convinced myself that spring had sprung.

I wasn't the only one. The restaurant and cafe owners in the Rynek put out their tables, umbrellas and chairs March 1st, ready for the spring/summer tourist traffic to appear.

Since then it has snowed at least 3 times.

Family

2009-02-23T13:19:00.002+01:00

My grandma has three children (all daughters), ten grandchildren, and fourteen (I think) great-grandchildren. In honour of her 90th birthday, many of us met in Toronto yesterday to celebrate.

Not all of us were at the party, but it was the largest gathering of the clan that I can remember. My entire immediate family (parents, two brothers, two sis-in-laws and 4 nieces) flew in from Western Canada for the festivities.

Seeing the four generations of our family in one room was fantastic: Grandma's smile was ear to ear for most of the day. Watching the tribe of great-grandchildren roar around the hall together was even better.

It took me 24 hours to get here for the party, and my luggage didn't arrive until after it was over, but I'd do it all again in a minute.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Winter travel: Part 2

2009-02-22T11:38:00.004+01:00

I'm in Toronto right now. It is 5:37 am and I've been wide awake for an hour thanks to jet lag.

I arrived here around 11 pm (Toronto time) Friday night after a very long and frustrating travel day.

My trip started off well enough Friday morning. I got up sometime around 6 am, the taxi arrived promptly at 7 and I made it to the airport and checked in without incident. I did note as I left the house that it was snowing, but that didn't worry me.

It should have.

After I checked in the clerk mentioned that my flight was about 15 minutes late arriving. Three hours later I finally boarded the bus to take me to my first flight to Munich. Apparently a snowstorm in Munich had slowed all traffic in and out of that airport, so I had hopes that my Canadian flight, which was supposed to leave shortly after I finally left Krakow, would be delayed long enough for me to make it.

No such luck. It left one minute before I arrived in Munich.

Then I was rerouted to Frankfurt to wait for another flight to Toronto. I boarded that flight on time, but it ended up leaving an hour or so late because of various difficulties, my favourite being the plane parked behind ours, which meant we couldn't back away from the gate.

Finally 20 some odd hours after leaving my home in Krakow, I arrived in Toronto, only to discover that my luggage hadn't.

Thirty-some hours later it still hasn't appeared. I just checked the baggage tracer online and the status is still showing as tracing in progress, which means they don't know where my bags are. When I called to check on them yesterday, the clerk told me that they had located one of my bags and it would arrive tonight (48 hours after me), but that they didn't know where the other one was yet.

And, somehow while sitting on the plane, I managed to rip the knee out of the only pair of pants I now have.

Ain't air travel grand?

4 weekends, 3 countries

2009-02-16T20:50:00.003+01:00

After a relatively travel free January (I only left Krakow for a few day trips to ski), I've got the traveling bug again.

I spent the first weekend in February skiing in Austria, the second shopping for Polish pottery in a town near Wroclaw, and will spend the final two weekends of the month with family and friends in Toronto.

Let it snow!

2009-02-15T20:39:00.004+01:00

I made it home safely today, on clear roads until about 50 km outside of Krakow. Snow started to pile up on the roads then and it started to snow.

It is snowing lightly now and the forecast says more snow for the rest of the week. But I don't have any road trips planned between now and Friday, so I'm happy with more of the white stuff, just as long as it stops snowing long enough for my plane to take off Friday morning. . .

How much of the white stuff should I expect in Toronto next weekend?

Winter

2009-02-14T22:04:00.002+01:00

My first two experiences of Polish winter were disappointing. The temperatures for the two weeks I spent here in February 2007 were all well above freezing, and last winter we barely had any snow after November. Thus I was pleasantly suprised this year when Krakow had snow for most of January, and even happier when the mercury dipped to nearly -20 one day. Yeah, I know you all think I'm crazy, but I grew up in Edmonton, and we pride ourselves on our cold winters.

Plus, I just like snow.

Or at least I thought I did.

I've only been on two roadtrips in Poland this winter: the first one in December with my parents to Krynica, and the second one this weekend to Wroclaw and Boleslawiec with some friends.

On the first trip in December I had to drive through the mountains in blowing snow for nearly 5 hours to reach a town that is normally a short 2 hour drive away.

Yesterday, it started to snow early in the morning, and kept up all day, snowing particularly hard when we left around 4:30. Snow was piled up on the highway, and I constantly used my windshield wipers. But when we reached Wroclaw around 8 pm the snow had stopped and the town was bare.

However, when I woke up this morning at 7 am to drive to Boleslawiec (a town that is all about pottery), sure enough, snow had accumulated over night and was still falling.

And it continued to fall throughout the drive there, the entire day, and the drive back. We witnessed several cars in the ditch and one big pile up, but made it there and back safely.

As soon as we got out of the car, the snow stopped falling.

I am just waiting for it to start again tomorrow around 2 pm when I plan to head home.

Tree update

2009-01-25T18:43:00.002+01:00

One final note about my Christmas tree . . .

After asking several Poles what to do with my tree, and receiving answers like, "chop it up and use it for firewood", "I don't know", and "I plant mine" (it was live), I finally took one friend's advice to sneak it into the garbage area in the courtyard in my building. He told me to make sure no one saw me do it. Easier said then done when the object you are carrying is an 11 foot Christmas tree.

So with the help of another friend, I took the tree to the garbage area under the cover of darkness. Luckily we didn't encounter anyone as we maneuvered the tree down 66 steps, but my luck ran out when I tried to put it in the garbage shed. The tree was far too big to go in and blocked the door when we tried to lean it against the nearby wall. In the next location we tried, it blocked the neighbour's clothesline.

Finally, somewhat desperately, we just dumped it in a pile of snow against one wall and took off.

I then spent the next 40 minutes sweeping up all the fallen needles, so the trail couldn't be tracked to my door. I did consider creating a trail to another neighbour's door, but figured since everyone else keeps their tree up until the end of January, it was going to be pretty easy to realize the Canadian was the culprit.

Happily, I noticed that the tree was finally gone this weekend. I'm not sure if the garbage men took it, or someone else chopped it up for wood, but it's no longer in the courtyard.

Click, click, click

2009-01-25T18:29:00.002+01:00

Life's been keeping me busy lately. January is performance review time at work and I've spent many hours the past few weeks writing and delivering assessments to my team. Plus, I seem to have had more social engagements this month then I have had in the past 3 months combined. I've also been getting out and enjoying the snow (skiing!) while it lasts.

But I realized the other day that this blog isn't the only thing I've been neglecting. Poor Flan's claws are so long that she can no longer sneak up on anyone, which is imperative for most cats (when I say most cats, I do not include Small. It is hard to imagine 10 kg Small sneaking anywhere). Instead the click, click, click of her claws on the hardwood and marble floor announces Flan's presence far in advance.

I'm happy to report she's back to her stealthy self today. Small, consider yourself warned.

Choinka

2009-01-04T16:42:00.015+01:00

Although the Poles keep their Christmas trees (choinka) up until the end of January, I'm going to start the process of dismantling mine today. The branches started to droop a few days ago, so much so that the lower ones are now resting on the floor. The tree is looking a bit sad.

However, it was a glorious tree in it's earlier days. At over 10 feet tall it just fit into the corner of my apartment. I've never had a tree this big, and am probably unlikely to have one this tall again. You can get an idea of the height of it from this pic, with my dad on the stairs in the background for perspective.

Decorating such a tall tree was a bit of challenge. I stood on chairs, a ladder, and the windowsill, before Dad suggested moving the tree over to the stairs to decorate the top. Then I ended up buying an angel for the tree the day after I finished decorating the rest of it, so we had to use Dad's trick again to get her on top.

I went on a bit of an ornament buying binge in December (but what else does one go to Christmas markets for?) Here are a few of my favourites:

I bought this fairy in the Christmas market in Dusseldorf. Somehow I thought she was unique, so I was a bit irritated when I saw her featured on a website for a home decor shop here in Krakow. Oh well, I still love her.

My mom bought these two, as well as a few hot pink sparkly ones, at the local food (and everything else) market. I thought she was crazy at first, but the striped ones looked fantastic on the tree, and even the hot pink sparkly ones grew on me.

These straw ornaments seem to be quite typically Polish, as we saw them on trees all over Krakow.

Even after Christmas, I couldn't stop buying ornaments. I found these two last Sunday in a small town about 20 km from Krakow. They were in a flower store, which was the only store in town open that day.

These two are pottery, and are made in the southwestern corner of Poland. This pottery is extremely popular in Krakow, and I hope to purchase some dishes in one of the patterns to bring home with me.

Here's one final look at the dressed tree:

Now I just have to figure out how to get it down the three flights of stairs.

Gingerbread

2009-01-01T22:38:00.004+01:00

Gingerbread is a big deal in our household. As children, we always made gingerbread men both to eat and to hang on the tree. As we got a little older, gingerbread cake became our traditional dessert for the big turkey meals of Christmas and Thanksgiving.

At least one of my writers made a ginger cake for Christmas, so I knew it existed in Poland. I wasn't quite prepared for my mother's gingerbread quest though. It started when she saw gingerbread cookies being used as decorations in the hotel we stayed in in Krynica, and continued through lunch in Nowy Sacz, where gingerbread was decorating a wreath hanging from the ceiling.

Somehow we ended up with two different types of gingerbread cookies, and three gingerbread cakes. But even with all of that gingerbread in the house, I couldn't resist purchasing this gingerbread fish (yes, fish) when I saw it.

Mom declared it her favourite of all the gingerbread items, particularly after she whipped up some cream to go with it.

I have to agree - I've just polished off the tail.

Christmas in Krakow

2009-01-01T21:15:00.007+01:00

Christmas in Krakow was everything I had hoped it would be. My parents and I started our celebrations with a lovely walk through the very empty old town. I've never seen the Rynek so quiet.

After wandering around snapping pictures of the many Christmas decorations, we ended up at a local hotel, eating a traditional Polish Wigilia dinner. And yes, it was 12 courses (10 full courses, with beverages and bread taking it up the required 12 dishes). Here's dish number 5.

Luckily for me, 4 or 5 of the courses were fish, which I don't eat, so I had room for the dessert course, which was actually three dishes: gingerbread, compote, and some kind of fruit cake.

I should mention that both of my parents made it through all 12 courses. I really don't know how they did it, as I was full just from my paltry 6 or 7.

After dinner, we walked (waddled really), over to the yard of the Franscican church for what turned out to be my favourite moment of the evening. We stood amongst the crowd watching the live nativity play, complete with donkeys, goats, lamas, and sheep. Several times during the play, the audience spontaneously joined in the hymn and carol singing, filling the night air with ancient songs.

Families were wandering around the site, warming their hands at bonfires, while children joyously tried to pet the donkeys and lamas, who were really more interested in munching hay.

Around 11 pm we went into the Franciscan church to view the nativity scene inside. Enchanted by that display I decided we should visit another one in a church a few minutes away, before heading to midnight mass. As we walked through the Rynek this time it was alive with people on their way to mass or just enjoying the atmosphere with friends.

After visiting the 2nd nativity scene, we made our way back to a third church for the mass, but unfortunately the church was full. No worries I assured my parents since there are dozens of churches in the old town. However we left it a little too late, because even though we tried 4 more churches as my father quipped "there was no room at the church."

No matter, the whole evening was lovely, and more than just a little bit magical.

Wigilia

2008-12-24T15:30:00.003+01:00

I'm spending Christmas in Krakow this year with my parents who arrived last Thursday (after 24 hours of travel, and one missed flight). In preparation for my first Yuletide outside of Canada, I've been quizzing my colleagues about their traditions for the last few months, and am hoping to experience as many of the Polish Christmas events as possible.

Today, December 24th, is the day that Poles celebrate Wigilia, the traditional Christmas Eve supper. Wigilia is a meatless meal (yippee, although it does include fish, which I don't eat), and typically includes twelve dishes. Since I can barely cook one Polish dish, I decided that it would be best if my parents and I went out for dinner. So tonight we are off to a hotel that promises to serve a traditional Polish Wigilia meal.

According to tradition, we should be starting to eat when we see the first star in the sky, which would be about 4:30 pm here. Apparently that's when all my colleagues will be eating, but I didn't know this until after I made reservations for 7:30 pm.

After dinner we plan to visit several of the churches (there are literally dozens within walking distance of my apartment) to see the nativity scenes, including one with live donkeys and sheep.

Then, if the oldsters can stay awake, we plan to attend midnight mass. Since we aren't Catholic, and my parents don't understand any Polish, I've opted for mass at the Dominican church, as several sources have stated that " the Dominicans put on a good service."

I'll fill you in on the details sometime in the next few days.

Wishing you all a very peaceful and happy Christmas wherever in the world you may be today.

Nutcrackers

2008-12-11T18:54:00.005+01:00

Nutcrackers were everywhere in the Dusseldorf Christmas markets. For unknown reasons I am not a huge fan of the traditional soldier nutcracker, but I couldn't resist purchasing a small Bishop nutcracker.

In flight

2008-12-11T18:23:00.004+01:00

I've taken close to 40 flights this year, most of them around Europe. There was a time not so long ago when I didn't like flying on smallish planes, but these days that's my usual mode of travel. Note the propeller in the picture below. I've been on more than a few prop planes this year.

On my trip to London a few weeks ago I was rerouted through Vienna, which turned out to be a good thing. I was glued to the window throughout the whole 50 minute flight, entranced by the beauty below. This was taken somewhere between Krakow and Vienna, most likely over Slovakia.

Christmas market mania

2008-12-11T18:09:00.004+01:00

Dusseldorf is definitely a town that gets into the Christmas spirit. The city is sprinkled with 6 Christmas markets, each with its own theme. My friend Y and I hit them all last Saturday, as well as many, many stores - Dusseldorf is also the fashion capital of Germany.

If you love Christmas, you'll love Dusseldorf. Although if you love architecture, old or new, art, or shopping, you'll also be enchanted by Dusseldorf. Like Ljubljana and Bratislava, Dusseldorf makes it onto my little known but highly recommended cities to visit list.

Home for a rest

2008-12-09T20:59:00.003+01:00

In the last 10 days I've been in London for 48 hours, back in Krakow for 5 days and a 60 hour work week and then in Dusseldorf Germany for another weekend trip.

The trips were action-packed, full of sightseeing, art gallery going, shopping, eating and lots of lovely time spent catching up with friends.

But I am ready to hibernate for a while or at least until next weekend when my parents arrive for Christmas.

Delayed again

2008-11-28T13:44:00.002+01:00

I'm off to London this weekend for a quick 48 hour trip. That 48 hours in London is gradually shrinking - my first flight to Warsaw was cancelled and now I am being rerouted through Vienna, which means an extra 2 hours in the tiny Krakow airport.

Regardless, I am very excited about this trip. London is one of my all time favourite cities and I haven't been in years. I think the last time must have been in the early 90s. Plus I am visiting friends from Krakow who live in London and they've been busy planning my schedule. It's nice to go to a place where you know someone who can steer you to all their favourite places.

I'll also have a chance to meet up with a fellow expat - a friend of a friend who visited me in Krakow in the summer and is currently living and working in London.

I just hope I get there soon!

Cherub

2008-11-23T23:08:00.000+01:00

Another painting from the Karlskirche dome:

A good week

2008-11-23T20:59:00.003+01:00

It's Sunday night and I'm lying on the couch with Flannery and Small listening to Leonard Cohen, feeling quite content, and reflecting on the week that was.

Work was tough this week, as it is often is, and I worked long hours most days, but overall it was a satisfying work week.

Several other events helped make this week a good one. On Tuesday night I attended the first meeting of a book club sponsored by the international women's group I belong to. I've missed my Canadian book club and attempted to put one together a few times last year, but never got it off the ground. Tuesday's gathering was small (only 3 of us showed up), but I enjoyed it nevertheless. Now I've got to figure out a book to pick for the next one. Any suggestions you have are welcome, as I am not quite sure what book will appeal to the group. Plus we also have the additional obstacle of a limited choice of English books.

Friday night I organized a Girl's Night Out event for the same organization. I made it easy on myself by reserving a table at the jazz bar across the street from me, and the night turned out to be a hit. I think everyone enjoyed the live jazz music by a local group, and the evening didn't end until after 1 am, which is later than I've been out in quite a while.

Saturday morning I woke up to the first snowfall of the season and spent much of the day running around the old town doing errands and Christmas shopping. Everywhere I went people were out enjoying the snow. I witnessed several British stag parties scooping up snow and engaging in impromptu snowball fights.

After spending a good 15 minutes cleaning off my car (I love the snow but miss my garage), I drove over to some friends house for Saturday evening.

Today I met another friend at the art gallery this morning and ended that visit with some tea and cake. I love the Polish tradition of eating cake before lunch . . .

I spent the rest of the afternoon doing yet more Christmas shopping and watching more people enjoy the snow (which is still falling), then curled up at home with a good book.

To end the week off right, I booked myself a quick trip to London next weekend.

Yep, it was a good week. I'm hoping the week to come goes just as well.

Streetscape

2008-11-16T19:37:00.004+01:00

Ground floor apartments in Krakow tend to have windows that open directly onto the street at waist level or just slightly above. I've noticed that this makes these windows the perfect height for chatting with passersby.

More than once I've been slightly surprised by a friendly "dzien dobry" from my neighbour as I walk past his window towards our building entrance.

Many of my neighbours, usually elderly men, spend their time sitting at the windows, watching the action on the street, waiting for people to stop by for a visit. Sometimes I even see people on the street knock on the window instead of using the door.

Laundry

2008-11-16T19:00:00.004+01:00

I remember when I used to have to drag my wash out to a laundromat and would spend hours sitting in some dingy place feeding quarters into the washer and dryer. I was so excited when I moved into an apartment with laundry facilities in the building. But the thrill quickly died as I realized there weren't enough machines in the building for the number of people, and everyone was jockeying for position. More sitting and waiting in the laundry room.

I finally achieved laundry nirvana when I purchased my own home, complete with a washer and a dryer. I could wash my clothes whenever I liked and didn't have to compete with anyone. Sure the laundry sometimes still piled up, but I could even do laundry while I slept if I wanted.

Here in Krakow I do have a washer and dryer in my own apartment and I can still do laundry whenever I like, but the washer and the dryer are combined, which means you can only wash a load, or dry a load, not do both simultaneously. Washing a load takes 90 minutes, and drying takes multiple hours. The entire system seems to work differently than in Canada. Somehow the water is suctioned out of wet clothes (don't ask me how - it is just different) and clothes never get fully dry in the dryer.

Luckily my bathroom, where I hang my clothes to dry, is really warm, thanks to the heated floors and the heated towel rack. I've always hung most of my clothes to dry, but here I end up drying my sheets and towels for close to two hours in the dryer, and then hanging them in the bathroom (I've discovered the shower is the perfect height to dry sheets) to get the dampness out.

I do miss my high powered North American washer and dryer. The wash cycle took 20 minutes and sheets and towels fully dried in less than an hour. What did I do with all that extra time?

Karlskirche

2008-11-11T18:08:00.012+01:00

Author's note: I'm just back from my long weekend in Budapest, but I never got a chance to blog about my weekend in Vienna in October with my old friend MJ, so the next few posts may jump around a bit.

In the past 18 months, I have visited more churches then I can count. Although I'm closer to agnostic than believing in any particular faith, and I rarely enter a church for a religious service, I can never pass a church or synagogue without wondering what it looks like inside. I'm fascinated by the effort and devotion that the building of these churches must have required and by the beliefs that sustain them.

While wandering around Vienna with MJ a few weeks ago, we stumbled across the Karlskirche. Although it's monumental and one of the top landmarks of Vienna, it hadn't really been on our radar (Vienna is all about the art of Gustav Klimt for me), and it was a surprise to see it looming over the landscape.

Naturally, I had to go in. Normally, I am not crazy about the monumental, grandiose churches, instead preferring the smaller and more intimate buildings, but everything about the interior of Karlskirche won me over. Somehow the architect was able inject enough natural light into the building to create a warm glow in the space. The rosy pink and gold interior is welcoming and although the the church is huge, the decor is light enough to make it feel airy instead of cavernous.

Karlskirche is still undergoing restoration of its beautiful ceiling, which allowed us to take an elevator up to the dome.

The elevator let us out onto a temporary scaffolding structure at the widest part of the dome. Just being at that level was enough to make me gasp with pleasure at the close up views of the paintings meant to be seen from the floor of the cathedral several stories below.

The visit got even better when I realized I could climb another temporary staircase to the top of the dome. I had butterflies in my stomach as I started the ascent, when every step brought me closer and closer to the ceiling and the paintings.

I was still giddy with the proximity of the art as I descended the stairs, and going down my senses were working on overdrive as I felt like I was walking straight into the air - not an experience for those afraid of heights!

Budapest Redux

2008-11-08T21:03:00.003+01:00

I'm currently in Budapest for a long weekend with some fellow expats from Krakow.

Budapest is just as lovely in the fall as it was this summer, although blissfully much cooler. Since this time I am staying on the Pest side directly across from the castle, I decided to splurge on my room (worldwide economic crisis be damned!) and upgraded it for one with a Danube view. I think it was well worth the extra bucks to gaze out onto the Chain Bridge and castle hill,which are both wonderfully lit at night. It's one of the lovieliest city views I've ever seen.

We spent most of today on the castle hill. The castle, which is so breathtaking from the outside, was renovated by the communists in their preferred social realist style, which means the interior doesn't live up to the beautiful exterior. Luckily, the castle contains the national art gallery, so at least its plain walls are covered with art.

It's raining right now, and my companions are settling in for the night, but I needed to walk off my dinner, so I just snuck over to the Four Seasons hotel for a quick peak. The hotel was built as a corporate and retail building in the first decade of the 20th century and is an Art Deco (or is it Art Noveau? I always confuse the two) masterpiece. I'm definitely planning to go back for a meal, or at least a drink, and while I was admiring the architecture I also picked up a brochure about their spa . . .

Tomorrow I hope to get inside the parliament buildings, which were closed the last time I was here, then wander around the Pest side of the city and maybe take in a concert at the State Opera house, or see some Tango at the National Dance Theatre.

Monday, we hope to visit one of Bupapest's famous baths (last time I stayed at one of the most famous in Budapest, the Gellert,) and maybe, just maybe, do a little shopping.

Along came a spider

2008-10-20T22:59:00.004+02:00

Hydrangeas have long been one of my favourite flowers. My grandparents had huge bushes in their front yard that bloomed unbelievably every year for over 50 years

I don't know whether it's the pinky, blue, purpley colour, or the memory of my grandparents that attracts me to the flowers, but I can't pass by them without stopping for a second look.

I had to get out my camera for these hydrangeas near my brother's home in Vancouver. I was so entranced by the colour of these that I didn't even notice the spider hiding out in the flowers until I saw the web.

The spider is barely visible, but if you look carefully you can just see the legs.

Leaves

2008-10-20T22:42:00.005+02:00

When I was in Vancouver at the end of September the leaves were just beginning to turn. I couldn't resist photographing these.

I think my mom asked me last year if Poland has all of the same fall colours as we do in Canada, and yes it does. The Planty is beautiful this time of year, and I was out in the country this weekend and saw fantastic red and orange foliage. Maybe I can convince some visitors to come next fall.

Yum!

2008-10-12T22:11:00.002+02:00

The pumpkin pie is done and after eating a small piece I can declare that it is pretty tasty. So tasty that I had to have another small piece.

Maybe I won't take it to the office tomorrow after all.

It's in the oven

2008-10-12T20:41:00.003+02:00

I had a bit of trouble with the crust, but after I added more oil and water it seemed to hold together. So far so good.

Another 30 minutes or so in the oven and I should be able to give it a taste test, before I decide whether or not I can inflict it on my team at work tomorrow.

Pumpkin Pie

2008-10-11T20:24:00.003+02:00

To celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving I decided to give in to my craving for pumpkin pie and attempt to make one. I'm not much of a pie maker - I can't remember the last time I actually made one and I'm not sure I've ever made a crust from scratch, although I do own a rolling pin in Canada and recall using it, so maybe I have.

I had the same idea sometime last September and ended up ordering canned pumpkin from a Canadian food company. But, since it didn't arrive in Poland until January, there was no pumpkin pie last year.

In preparation I emailed my mom asking for her recipe, and my dad scanned a page of instructions on how to make pie crust from Mom's ancient cookbook. I can't cheat and purchase a frozen pie crust as the Poles don't eat pie.

Mom reminded me that I'd need a rolling pin and that made me realize I didn't bring a pie plate with me either. So, I headed out to the mall late this afternoon to see what I could purchase.

I found a rolling pin at my first stop, but nothing that resembled a pie plate. Cheesecake pans, flan pans, pans of assorted shapes and sizes, but nothing that seemed just right for a pie.

Two stops later found me in the grocery store looking for condensed milk (check), and then searching the kitchen aisle for a pan. I finally decided on a medium-sized pan for tarts and flans. Not quite the right depth or shape of a traditional pie pan, but I am sure it will do.

I'll find out tomorrow when I attempt to make the pie. If it's anything like my other baking adventures in Poland, the pie will be slightly unusual by Canadian standards.

I'll keep you posted. In the meantime enjoy your own pumpkin pies and all the rest of the Thanksgiving edibles.

Tongue biter, teeth grinder

2008-10-08T21:20:00.003+02:00

While I was in Toronto last week, I saw my Canadian dentist. Since the face swelling, lockjaw incident in June my teeth have felt out of place, which if you've never experienced it, is really, really irritating.

My dentist did a complete exam, during which he said things like, "evidence of tongue biting" and "cheek chewed on right side."

He showed me said evidence. I thought my tongue was just naturally grooved like that on the sides.

Apparently teeth grinding, which is related to tongue biting and cheek grinding, is very common in women between 30 and 50. The diagnosis is that I do all three when I am sleeping and that I somehow I strained my jaw muscle which caused my face to swell.

He's making me a mouth guard to wear at night on my next trip home.

Toronto

2008-10-08T21:02:00.003+02:00

Five days in Toronto is definitely not long enough.

However, it was long enough for me to vote (my timing was perfect for the advance polls), see my doctor, dentist, and hair stylist, buy 3 pairs of shoes, spend a fabulously girlie day with S and D at the spa, drinking tea, eating, shopping, drinking wine, and eating some more, celebrate not one, but two 40th birthdays, attend Nuit Blanche, and even work.

Oh Toronto, I forgot how much you have to offer me. I should have stayed longer.

The beach

2008-09-30T02:00:00.003+02:00

I spent three lovely sun-filled hours at Vanier Beach in Vancouver today with my sis-in-law, two nieces and the family dog.

Ella built sand castles for hours, while Loki repeatedly retrieved balls from the Pacific ocean. I divided my time between throwing the ball, filling buckets with water (to create mud), and holding Mia, who slept the whole time.

I always forget how beautiful Vancouver is. I took several photos, which I'll post some day soon.

On my way

2008-09-26T07:51:00.003+02:00

It's 7:51 am and I am sitting in the business class lounge at the Krakow airport sipping orange juice and wondering if I really want to eat paprika potato chips this early in the morning.

I'm off to Munich, then Frankfurt, and then finally Vancouver. With any luck I'll be meeting my new niece in 16 or 17 hours.

Spinsterhood

2008-09-18T22:33:00.007+02:00

At dinner tonight, one of my friends told me that the Poles consider a single woman over 28 pretty much a spinster. I wasn't particularly surprised as one of my employees mentioned a few months ago that her mother was concerned that she would never get married.

She's 24.

I will add these tidbits to my list of things I should have learned about Poland before moving here.

Geek fit

2008-09-18T22:33:00.006+02:00

Although I've never been a big gamer, I've been coveting the Wii since I first played with it last Christmas. And my desire for it grew even stronger when I heard about Wii Fit.

My friend S raved about Wii Fit so much when she visited me in June that we went looking for the Wii when she was here. We didn't find it that day, and I sort of forgot about it until my brother and his family showed up in August. My mother had just bought it for the girls and they told me all about it.

We just happened upon it one day while we were all out shopping, and after that I couldn't get it out of my head. I ended up buying the Wii the next day, and my brother bought me the Wii Fit as an early Christmas present.

It just might be the 2nd best Christmas present I've ever received (I don't think anything will ever top the great guinea pig event of Christmas 1980). I've used Wii Fit everyday since I got it. 19 days - I know exactly how many because it tells me when I first turn it on, along with other facts I am not so keen to know, like my weight, my BMI, my Wii Fit age, and my center of gravity.

But once I get past those not so happy thoughts, I am all over the exercises. Who knew virtual hula hooping was actually a workout? And who would have thought it was fun? Today I hit 405 spins (right direction) in 90 seconds. Top that!

Somehow, getting scored on push ups and other strength and yoga exercises makes me want to do them more. And having my total workout time shown to me after each exercise makes me think, "just two more minutes". Which often ends up turning into another 30.

I'm addicted. And if I keep it up, I just might meet my ideal weight goal, which Wii Fit set for me. It tells me I've got 74 more days to make it.

Rain, rain, go away

2008-09-18T22:33:00.005+02:00

Not only has it turned cold, but it's been raining non-stop since Monday. It's chilly, grey, wet, and generally miserable.

Plus I can't remember how to turn the heat on, or figure out how to fix my skylight that's stuck slightly ajar, 12 feet up.

To top it all off, I had looked at the weekend forecast earlier today and it said sunny and 16 on Saturday (hurray!) and slightly cooler but still sunny on Sunday. Now it's forecasting rain both days.

It's making notoriously rainy Vancouver look good.

3 weekends

2008-09-15T22:30:00.002+02:00

without guests or a trip is apparently my limit. Last week (after only one free weekend), I got it in my head that I needed to go to Canada. So after a short discussion with my boss today, I booked a plane ticket for the end of September.

It will be a whirlwind trip with stops in Vancouver and Toronto (with even shorter stops, I hope, in the Munich and Frankfurt airports), but I am sure 10 days will be enough to get my much needed Canada fix.

Fall

2008-09-14T10:06:00.002+02:00

It's 10 am in Krakow and 8 degrees. The forecast high for the day is 13. Plus it's grey and cloudy.

Last weekend it was 30 degrees on Saturday and 29 on Sunday. Last night it was so cold I had to get my winter duvet out.

I am not ready for summer to be over yet. I'm hoping this is just a blip . . .

The Wild West?

2008-09-13T21:21:00.003+02:00

A few weeks ago a note went around my office inviting everyone to a company picnic. The theme for this year's party was the Old West, complete with native dancers, cowboy-themed games and country and western dancing.

My first reaction was laughter. After all, I grew up in Alberta, and my hometown hosts an annual rodeo, which is part of the qualifying circuit for the Stampede. Poland doesn't even have beef cattle!

But then I became intrigued. How would the Poles interpret the old west?

Today I found out. The dancers (all Poles) wore native costumes with varying degree of authenticity. Some looked similar to what I remember seeing in Alberta and in museums there, while others looked like they might have actually come from India.

Although the dancing was enthusiastic and participatory - audience members were dragged in - one of my Polish colleagues remarked that some of it looked remarkably similar to a Polish waltz.

However, the country music later in the evening and the accompanying dancing was a bit closer to the mark. I was never part of the country scene growing up, and can't two-step to save my life, but hearing several old country songs while sitting in a Polish hall, watching several of my co-workers attempt to line dance made me yearn for the real west.

Dancing queens

2008-09-05T18:32:00.003+02:00

During my holiday with my brother and his family, I often threatened my nieces by promising to write about their (mis)adventures on this blog.

Although they pretended to be mortified by such exposure, I know they are secretly craving the fame that comes with a mention here. So my little bratanicas (Polish for nieces), your 5 minutes has come.

From now on, I'll always think of Budapest when I hear certain ABBA songs, particularly Mamma Mia and Super Trooper. The bratanicas saw the movie Mamma Mia (twice) just before they came to Poland, and their father thoughtfully loaded their iPods with the soundtrack.

We spent many, many hours on trains to and from Budapest, and ABBA was in high rotation. H particularly likes to sing along with her iPod, which isn't always the best idea when you are sitting in a train compartment full of your family members. Being resourceful, and tired of the relentless teasing, she found an empty cabin where she could sing aloud to her heart's content, much to the amusement of the conductor who came to check her ticket.

A similar train compartment was the site of my favourite moment of that trip. After 10 or so hours of boat and then train travel, we were all tired and a bit giddy. H was still singing aloud to her iPod, when I realized I had ABBA on mine. I suggested that we try to synch up and listen to the same song.

So with one earphone in my ear and one in M's, and H sharing hers with her mother, we starting listening to the same tunes. And as everyone knows, you can't just listen to an ABBA song, you have to sing along. So slightly out of synch, and terribly out of tune, two generations of Hex women sang loudly and enthusiastically to all the hits. We gestured, we giggled, and we made up the words.

I loved every minute of it.

The kitchen is closed

2008-09-05T18:17:00.002+02:00

After 5 months of hosting many of my family and friends, my last house guests have gone home.

And I'm sad about it.

But not sad enough to invite anyone else to stay just yet :)

I think I spent more time with the important people in my life in Krakow this past spring and summer then I did when I was living in Canada. And without fail, after each visit I wished that the family member or friend lived here so that I could see them more often.

I'm not ready to leave Krakow yet, but I do wish you all lived here too.

Back from Budapest

2008-08-24T09:20:00.005+02:00

I've been on hiatus for a while due to a quick business trip to Germany and then a longer action-packed trip to Bratislava and Budapest with my older brother, sister-in-law, and two nieces (ages 12 and 13).

The two Bs, Bratislava and Budapest, were lovely cities, full of castles, great architecture (both old and communist era), good food, and tourists.

Budapest was scorching. I don't know what the daytime temperatures were, but it was over 30 degrees when we went out for dinner each night around 8 pm. Luckily we were staying at the Gellert Hotel,an institution in Budapest, and made good use of the baths there. I particularly enjoyed swimming in the "effervescent pool" which was surrounded by Greek columns.

Somehow my nieces (and the lure of those columns) got me up earlier each day on my vacation to swim laps then I do to go to work. However, the novelty has worn off for them; it is now nearly 10 am and they are both still asleep. So much for H's resolution to get up early every day.

We're back in Krakow now - I'm tanned, tired, and happy.

More on our exploits later.

Peanut butter cups

2008-08-07T22:00:00.003+02:00

Are my new addiction.

At some point in the last year my American colleagues shared their stash of peanut butter cups with me. I've always been a peanut butter (and chocolate) fan, but hadn't missed it until they mentioned them.

But once I had that first peanut butter cup in Krakow, I was hooked.

Since then, I've had a few people bring me over peanut butter cups, which I try to ration to a cup a day or less. Sadly rationing has gone out the window this week as my last visitors brought me a bulk box of king size cups, which come in packs of two.

I didn't know king sized peanut butter cups even existed.

I prefer not not to think about how many calories are in each one and just savour the peanut butter chocolatey goodness while the box lasts. Which likely won't be long . . .

And her name is Mia

2008-08-07T21:49:00.002+02:00

I finally got in touch with my little brother tonight, and found out more about my new niece (I did find out her name, via email, a few days after she was born).

Some days living on a different continent from the rest of my family seems like a crazy thing to be doing.

Hooray!

2008-07-31T12:52:00.002+02:00

I have a new niece! She was born in Vancouver on Sunday morning at approximately 7:30 am and weighs close to 7 pounds 4 ounces.

That's all I know. She's still waiting for her name to reveal itself.

It seems amazing, yet completely right, that you can love someone you've never met, heard, or even seen a picture of.

Welcome little girl, I can't wait to meet you one day soon.

Canada needs more dragons

2008-07-23T21:34:00.004+02:00

I never realized how dragon deprived I was growing up until I moved to Krakow, a city full of castles and dragons, including one that breathes fire.

This is the only dragon I consorted with as a child in Alberta:

It's a bird, it's a plane

2008-07-23T21:14:00.005+02:00

Sometime in May or June, I don't remember exactly when, only that it was a rare Saturday without a guest, I checked out the annual dragon parade in Krakow. This year's version was led by this giant flying beast

The beast swooped and soared, and much to the delight of the gathered crowd, came perilously close to landing on the masses. Instead of fear, the beast inspired joy in the hearts of all (including me) who were lucky enough to touch his giant head as he sailed down upon us.

And if he were to turn nasty, we were lucky enough to have these knights to protect us. I am particularly fond of the knight wielding the cooler lid as a shield.

Cat, cat, cat

2008-07-23T20:41:00.004+02:00

Like all my houseguests, Sofie was fascinated by Flannery and Small. Most guests, however, do not run after the cats, yelling "cat, cat, cat" at the top of their lungs.

It took Sofie only a few tries to be able to pronounce Flannery correctly, but throughout the week she insisted on calling Small Tiny.

L told me yesterday that Sofie now refers to all cats as Flannery. And kisses the cat page in her animal book. Apparently Sofie's strongest memory of her trip to Poland (her father's birthplace), is of my cats.

Flannery and Small miss their petite admirer. It's not often their every move is greeted with such enthusiasm: "cat going Mama", "Mama, cat", "see cat" and my personal fav, "Who dat?" whenever a cat walked by.

And Tiny never even bit her.

And . . .

2008-07-21T19:48:00.001+02:00

I just planned two more trips for later this fall. So much for boycotting air travel.

Jet setting

2008-07-21T14:56:00.003+02:00

One of the perks of living in Europe is the proximity to, well, the rest of Europe. Since I moved here 14 months ago I've tried to visit as many places as possible, usually just for a few days or weekend.

However, the downside of all this jet setting around is air travel itself. The flight schedules are always seductive: Look, I can be in X, Y, or Z in just 2,3,or 4 hours.

But that's the best case scenario. Yes, I can be in Paris in 3 hours if everything is on time, which, anyone who has flown in the post-911 era knows, occurs very rarely.

And it seems more and more lately, that even if the plane is on time, the luggage isn't, as I discovered on flights in both January and February. It's not much fun skiing when you are at the hill and your skis aren't.

So you won't be surprised when I tell you that my short weekend trip to Nuremberg to visit Y this weekend ended belatedly just a few hours ago.

It all started well on Friday, with both me and my luggage arriving on time in Nuremberg. The weekend, which involved a new haircut and colour (yes I've succumbed to the bob again), lots and lots of shopping and purchasing, and participation in a city-wide inline skating event, promised to end well when I arrived on time for my flight at the Nuremberg airport Sunday evening.

Until the woman at the desk told me the flight to Munich was canceled. The next woman I talked to at the ticket desk seemed to believe that I could make my flight in Munich, which is two hours away by car, by taking a taxi, even though my flight was scheduled to leave for Krakow in exactly two hours. So, although skeptical, taxi chit in hand, I hopped in a cab with a German businessman. Everyone involved seemed to think I would make my flight, except Y, so off we went.

The taxi driver made a valiant attempt, sometimes driving up to 190 km an hour, but couldn't do anything about the traffic we encountered 30 km from the airport. By the time I arrived at the airport it looked like I had missed my plane.

I briefly regained hope that I might make my flight when the woman at the check-in said they would hold the plane for me, which was already delayed, until she saw my luggage, which was too big to carry on. Damn those rollerblades.

I ended up staying in Munich overnight, along with many other displaced passengers of various flights (apparently the Munich airport had suffered severe weather late Sunday afternoon, playing havoc with the schedule), and was back at the airport around 9:45 am ready for my flight.

I shouldn't have been surprised when I made it to the gate and saw that the flight was delayed.

I'm home now and maybe I'll stay here for a while. At least until I am seduced by the idea of being in another European capital in a few hours.

Shake!

2008-07-13T22:58:00.003+02:00

The jazz restaurant and bar across the street serves real, honest-to-goodness milkshakes. That is, a milkshake made with ice cream and milk, and whatever else you care to put in it. It's the first ice cream milkshake I've found in Poland (other than at McDonald's which I try to avoid), and it was excellent!

Technically, I shouldn't be drinking milk or eating ice cream (lactose issues), but sometimes, a girl's just gotta have a milkshake.

So the next time you are craving live jazz with your milkshake, I know just the place. And it's right next door . . .

Waiting for Sofie

2008-07-13T22:32:00.003+02:00

Tomorrow afternoon, Sofie, star of Letters to Sofie, arrives in Krakow, with her parents in tow.

Sofie, at the ripe old age of 20 months, has the distinguished honour of being my youngest overnight guest to date. As a result, special preparations are in order.

I've borrowed a pack and play (a portable playpen for those of you not in the know), a car seat, and a giant cardboard box (more on this later) just for Sofie.

I also made a special trip to the grocery store to stock the fridge for her dietary needs. Apparently Sofie, unlike almost every other toddler I know, does not eat yogurt, bread (!), or cheese. But she does like fruit, crackers and cookies. And she likes her milk as high in fat as possible (I was only able to find 3.2 percent, which seems luxurious compared to my skim milk).

I also purchased some apple juice, because every other kid I know drinks it. I'll keep you posted on whether that's on her yes list.

Back to that cardboard box. I may not have explained that my apartment (oddly enough, just like my home in Toronto, where Sofie lived for several months last year), is a death trap for small children. Although beautiful to behold, the open wood and glass staircase doesn't meet any safety code I know of, particularly not one to protect toddlers.

So my friends lent me a large cardboard box that I plan to use (in it's flattened state) to block the upstairs entrance to the stairs. The box is so big that a friend and I spent a good ten minutes getting it into my car. I spent even longer trying to get it out by myself this morning.

I haven't quite figured out the logistics of keeping Sofie safe, while allowing Flannery and Small free run of both floors. I forsee there may be a few long nights of meowing ahead.

But Sofie (and her parents) are more than worth it.

Check back in a few days here or at Sofie's own site for an update on what Sofie thinks of Krakow.

Zalipie

2008-07-06T11:53:00.005+02:00

While on my short roadtrip in May with EO, we visited the village (perhaps more aptly described as a hamlet, as the village didn't even contain a main street) of Zalipie. Zalipie is famous for folk art, particularly painted houses.

We spent a few happy hours driving around the area, stopping almost every time we saw anything painted.

The detail on this house is quite typical of the Zalipie style:

For more pictures of painted dog houses, doll houses, barns (including cows), and houses, see here.

Summer nights

2008-07-04T22:38:00.002+02:00

Several months ago a new restaurant and jazz bar opened up in the building directly across the street from me. I've been meaning to try it for weeks, but it wasn't until S visited that I finally checked it out in person.

The food and decor were fine, but my favourite part of the experience was listening to the live music.

However, sitting here at my desk writing this, listening to the sax accompanied by the noises of the street on a summer night, is even better.

Kazimierz Dolny

2008-07-01T20:44:00.005+02:00

When S and I finally embarked on our abbreviated tour of Poland a few weeks ago, we headed to Kazimierz Dolny.

I'd heard a lot about Kaz D over the past few months. It is only a few hours southeast of Warsaw (to which I still haven't been), and has been an artists' haven for the last two hundred years. Plus it has fantastic architecture and is set in a lush forest on the banks of the Wisla river.

S and I spent a few days wandering happily around town, checking out the artists' workshops and buying several of their wares. We also managed to visit a few castles, climb a few hills, see a Red Army Cemetery, and get lost in a farmer's field.

All in all, I'd highly recommend it next time you are in Poland.

See more of Kazimierz Dolny and the surrounding area here.

Dzien Kanada

2008-07-01T20:33:00.002+02:00

At some point in the last few months, I had big plans for Canada Day. One of the writers on my team is also Canadian and we had discussed multiple ways how we could possibly celebrate the event. But as I wrote in my last post, as the day got closer, I seemed to run out of ideas.

Somehow July 1st snuck up on us both, and we arrived at the office today without any plans.

So, last minute, I decided to invite my team for ice cream to celebrate all things Canadian after work. No matter what your nationality, ice cream is always a crowd pleaser.

It was all very nice, but I'm missing Canada right now. Funny how I miss home more on the national holidays then I do on the regular everyday days.

Canada Day in Poland, Take 2

2008-06-29T09:55:00.002+02:00

On Tuesday I'll be celebrating my second Canada Day in Poland. I'm trying to think of a way to celebrate it with my team, but am stuck on what to do. When I asked my American colleagues if they were going to celebrate the 4th of July here, they answered that you need a picnic with hot dog, hamburgers and fireworks to really celebrate it.

And I guess that's what a lot of you will be doing in Canada on Tuesday.

Any suggestions as to what I can do here? I am thinking of kidnapping my team for the afternoon and taking them on a picnic, albeit without hotdogs, hamburgers, or fireworks.

Obviously I need some inspiration. Help!

De Do Do Do

2008-06-29T09:22:00.002+02:00

The Police were probably the first band I fell in love with in the early 80s, but I never got to see them in person, as I was too young to attend concerts when they last played live.

So you can imagine my envy last summer when I heard the Police were touring again, playing concerts in both Edmonton and Toronto. You can also imagine my delight in March when I drove past a huge billboard advertising the Police in Poland.

Thursday night found me and two friends, one German, one Polish, in an old football stadium in Chorzow waiting for the Police to play. As the concert began, I realized that most of the 50 000 plus fans would have never seen the Police before, as western bands couldn't get into eastern Europe in the 70s and 80s.

The size of the audience seemed even more incredible when I found out that fans wouldn't have been able to purchase any of the band's albums in Poland when they were first released.

But the crowd, largely made up of people in their 40s and 50s, obviously knew and loved the Police, cheering wildly with each song, and dancing enthusiastically in their seats and on the field.

At the end of the night when all 50 000 of us were standing and singing along with Sting, it struck me that most of the audience didn't speak English, yet knew every word of every song.

Fantastic concert. Even better memories.

I should have bought the t-shirt.

Solo

2008-06-21T23:19:00.004+02:00

For the first time in a month I am without guests.

It feels odd, and just a bit lonely to be alone in my flat with just Flannery and Small to keep me company.

Not sure what I'll miss more - my friends' sparkling conversation or all of the lovely home-cooked meals they have made me.

Only 3 more weeks until the next set of visitors arrive.

Queuing

2008-06-17T08:25:00.003+02:00

Over the past year I'd heard horror stories of having to wait in lines at various Polish offices, however until this past week I'd never experienced it first hand.

Last Thursday I met my agent at one of the government offices to pick up my residency card. She told me that she'd already been in line for 90 minutes and that the line had barely moved, quickly pointing out various people who were in line in front of us. The structure of the line wasn't obvious, as some people were sitting in a row of chairs, while others were standing in spots around the hallway.

As a foreigner, I would never have figured out this system alone. The office was behind a door, and it seemed logical to my Canadian mind that I would go in that door first, instead of waiting outside in the hallway. Which is exactly what some other foreigner did, only to be told by someone waiting in line that they had to go to the back of the line.

I got to test the system out myself yesterday when I went to visit a dental specialist for my aforementioned jaw issues. Since I didn't have a specific appointment, only a referral form from the emergency department I visited on Friday, my first stop was reception to find out where I should go. The English-speaking receptionist took pity on me and escorted me up to the 2nd floor, telling me to sit in the chairs in the hallway while she went in to talk to the dentists.

When she reappeared, she told me that they would see me, but I would have to wait, maybe for an hour or more. So I did, sitting patiently in my chair until everyone else around me had gone in. 90 minutes later I saw a dentist briefly only to be sent off to for x-rays in the basement.

Navigating the x-ray cue was a little trickier. First, I wasn't sure what x-ray was in Polish (rentgen for those of you who are interested), and wandered around the basement floor looking for it. Next, I wasn't really sure what to do about the line. Did I sit in the chairs in the hallway and wait, or did I take my chit into the x-ray technicians and wait to be called the way I would in Canada? Still unsure of protocol, I went with what I knew and went through the door.

I was quickly told by someone waiting in line that I had made the wrong choice and that I had to wait in line too. So out I went and sat in the last vacant chair. A few minutes later an older Polish man motioned me into the chair in front of me. I am not sure if he was just being polite, or if I had actually arrived before he had. For the next 30 minutes, every time someone went into the office, everyone in line stood up, moved over one chair and sat back down again.

When it was my turn, I went in, gave my chit, explained I didn't have Polish insurance, then was sent upstairs to pay before I could have my x-ray. When I came back down, I didn't know which line to stand or sit in. I chose to just stand in front of the door, and sure enough when it opened again, I showed my receipt and was motioned in to finally get my x-rays.

Finally I was sent back upstairs to see the dentist again, where I had to figure out what to do all over again.

Jaw update
My face was back to normal size by the time I went to see the specialist, but I still have some pain. No one could give me an answer on why it happened, but they all agreed it wasn't dislocated, which didn't really satisfy me. I have to go back again in 6 weeks to see someone who is going to make me some kind of mouth guard, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that my face doesn't balloon up again before then. Today most of the pain is gone, but I am still eating soft foods and am taking my painkillers with me on my abbreviated vacation this week.

Oops

2008-06-15T22:45:00.002+02:00

Poland's next game is actually Monday night, not tonight, as S and I found out when we wandered by the big outside screen tonight and wondered why the crowd was small and not very boisterous. Turns out Turkey was playing the Czech Republic.

I expect tomorrow night to be much louder.

Euro 2008!

2008-06-14T09:56:00.002+02:00

Many of you will know that the Euro 2008 cup is on right now (although I wager just as many of you have no idea what it even is).

Euro 2008 is a huge deal in Poland, as it is the first time that the Polish team has made it to the final tournament. Red and white flags are everywhere and the bars and squares are full on game nights.

A huge TV screen has been set up, complete with bleachers and beer tents, in plac Szczepanski which is just minutes from my house. S and I wandered over to see the action (if not the game) Sunday evening when Poland was playing their first match against Germany. The stands were full and the crowds were chanting "Polska, Polska" and everywhere everyone was having a great time.

The party atmosphere dissolved when Germany won 2 nil, but we were fortunate enough to be in the same area Thursday night just as Poland scored their first (and only goal thus far) in the tournament against Austria. The cheers were enormous and people were jumping up and down and hoisting others in the air.

Next game: Sunday night vs Croatia. I expect you all to be cheering for Poland!

Friday night in Nowa Huta

2008-06-14T09:09:00.003+02:00

My original plan for today was to be on the road somewhere with my good friend S, who is visiting me for two weeks from Toronto.

The revised plan is now to lounge around my apartment taking painkillers and muscle relaxants.

A few weeks ago, I started to have some discomfort in my jaw, and after my experiences in March assumed that I was going to have to spend some more time in the dentist's chair. However, it was only minor discomfort, and I was traveling, so figured I could wait until an appointment I had scheduled for later in June.

Then last week while in Berlin my jaw just near my ear was quite tender to touch. I resolved to go to the dentist this week and booked an appointment for Friday, which turned out to be a little too late. By Thursday night I was in agony and couldn't chew anything as my bottom and upper teeth no longer touched.

I managed to fall asleep only to be awoken by a nightmare that my head was breaking apart. Not much sleep for the rest of the night, as I had pain in my head whenever I lay down.

Friday morning wasn't much better. I was slightly freaked out by my appearance: right side of the face swollen and teeth still not able to meet. So off I went to the dentist, who thought that they might be able to manipulate my jaw back into the correct position when it was frozen. After a few painful attempts and a consultation with the dental surgeon, they decided I needed to see a specialist.

Being late Friday afternoon, the only option was to go to the emergency wing of a maxio facial department in a hospital. The dentist recommended one in Nowa Huta, which is the large communist planned suburb outside of Krakow.

So address in hand, S and I set off Friday evening by cab to the hospital. Turns out it was the same hospital that I visited last year for my one and only previous medical appointment in Krakow.

The other patients in the waiting room seemed to have experienced face traumas (ie lots of blood). One young boy had obviously had a bad fall off his bike and was scraped and bleeding from numerous appendages, as well as his chin. Another man, who lucked like he was down on his luck, seemed to be feeling no pain although his face was mangled and bloody.

When it was my turn, the doctors poked and prodded me, making me open and close my mouth repeatedly, which sounds benign, but actually was so painful that I teared up. After much discussion in Polish, they decided that my jaw was not dislocated, but that the swelling was causing me not to be able to close my mouth, and that I have to see a specialist Monday morning to put the jaw back in place and determine the cause of the swelling.

To get me through the weekend they prescribed the aformentioned cocktail of pain killers and muscle relaxants, which enabled me to sleep through the night and feel human again.

This morning, optimistically, I told S that I thought the swelling had gone down, and that my colour had improved. However, she just looked at me and shook her head.
She did admit just now that yesterday I looked yellow and now I just look pale. Regardless, I feel better. And hopefully, on Monday I'll be able to chew.

So my vacation is postponed, at least until Tuesday, and S has a few more days to explore Krakow (albeit by foot as I am not allowed to drive while taking these drugs). With any luck we will be able to head out to location in Poland on Tuesday.

Tired, again

2008-06-05T07:08:00.002+02:00

I'm in a hotel just outside Berlin on course this week. It's a lovely, if remote location - the hotel is in the forest on the shores of Lake Muggelsee.

Somehow last week, I missed the end of spring and beginning of summer (perhaps because I was in the office working during the days). But here in Berlin summer has definitely started. The days are long and hot.

The one downside to summer both in Berlin and in Krakow is that the sun comes up before 4 am. At home in Krakow I don't have any window coverings for my skylights, which means that when the sun gets up, so do I. And regardless of how I arrange the curtains in this hotel room, the sun still manages to find its way in to wake me up.

Off to Berlin

2008-05-31T16:46:00.002+02:00

My house guest leaves Krakow on a 6 am flight tomorrow morning and I leave shortly after (at 8:30 am) for Berlin. I'm off for a week of training and will be back Friday night, just in time for my next guest who arrives on Sunday.

Between working and entertaining, I don't have much time to blog these days. Maybe in July . . .

Polish roadtrip

2008-05-25T18:19:00.004+02:00

My old friend EO is visiting me from the US this week and we are in the midst of a short roadtrip. We arrived in Sandomierz yesterday afternoon and spent the remainder of the day wandering around the pleasant little hill town overlooking the Wisla river.

This morning we visited a fabulous castle ruin in Ujazd. The castle, which was built by a rich eccentric Pole in the early 1600s, contains 52 rooms (one for each week of the year), as well as 365 windows, and a special 366th window that was only unveiled on leap years. The guidebooks described Ujazd as deserted and off the beaten track, stating that you might be lucky enough to be the only visitor.

Not so for us. Somehow we managed to visit Ujazd on the one weekend of the year that the castles hosts a medieval fair, complete with reenactments of battles and medieval life. Although I am not much for reenactments, I was impressed by the mounted soldiers dressed as Hussars, completed with feathered wings. I'll post pics when I'm home.

Tomorrow we'll make our way back to Krakow, via the painted village of Zalipie. Apparently the women of the village repaint everything the weekend after Corpus Christi, which was last Thursdaz, so everything should be freshly painted by the time we get there.

More details when I get home.

My heart will go on

2008-05-18T09:07:00.002+02:00

Apparently Celine Dion is coming to Krakow. According to one of my writers there are billboards all over the city and he was shocked that I didn't know about a Canadian superstar coming to town.

So he sent me this link.

I'm not a fan, but the idea of 60 000 people in the Blonia (a big open park in Krakow - 2 million of the faithful gathered there to mourn the Pope's death), intrigues me. I guess Celine really is a world wide superstar.

Several readers who accompanied me to Pelee Island many years ago may recall that Celine Dion's My heart will go on was in constant rotation at the restaurant in the hotel we stayed at. In fact, we believe it was the only CD they had. Who knew there were so many versions (all sung by Celine) of the same song?

Heavy

2008-05-15T07:35:00.001+02:00

I thought hauling suitcases and groceries up the 62 steps to my apartment was a pain, until I saw 4 men carrying a piano up to the top floor yesterday.

Sadness

2008-05-12T21:44:00.004+02:00

Although I've had company for the last week and have enjoyed it immensely, my thoughts have been with old friends who have recently lost people very dear to them.

One of the hard things about living in Poland means I can't be there in person for the people who matter to me. My parents will be my proxies at a funeral I would very much like to be at this week, but somehow it doesn't seem quite enough.

No matter how great technology gets, it will never replace a good old fashioned hug.

Marathon

2008-05-05T07:41:00.002+02:00

I started running again a week or so ago. I figured it would be easier to go running in the mornings before work (ha!) then get to the gym in the evenings when all my spring and summer company is here.

So far so good. I was particularly pleased with myself yesterday when I went running in the morning, despite the rain. It wasn't until I was a few minutes into my run that I realized the Krakow marathon was on. Part of my regular running route had been blocked off for the marathon. I just slipped under the tape and ran it anyway, enjoying the admiring looks of some of the passers by. Of course the real marathon runners were long gone.

I saw many of them finishing the race a few hours later, after I had gone home, showered, eaten lunch and done various other things.

In love with Ljubljana

2008-05-03T22:12:00.003+02:00

Ljubljana entranced me when I visited in mid-April. A small city of less than 300 000, it is entirely walkable and utterly charming.

See more of Ljubljana here.

Wroclaw

2008-05-03T21:55:00.005+02:00

I've taken advantage of a long weekend in Krakow to catch up on posting some of my photos from recent trips. I was in Wroclaw with my parents in mid April and thoroughly enjoyed it. See here for more photos.

Sigh

2008-05-02T18:12:00.003+02:00

As I was walking through the Rynek today (the main square in Krakow), I noticed that the Hard Rock Cafe has opened in a prominent location.

I suspect this means that other American chains like Starbucks and the Gap can't be far behind.

One year in Krakow

2008-04-30T22:28:00.003+02:00

Exactly one year ago today I landed in Krakow to begin my life in Poland.

I just got home from celebrating this anniversary with my team, who are the entire reason for me being here. When I moved to Krakow last year there were 4 of them and today there are 12. Three of the original four have moved to new positions, so I've hired 11 new writers over the past year.

I can't say enough good things about my team. They help me navigate daily Polish life, and brighten my days with their youthful enthusiasm (more than half the team is under the age of 26), and are always game for whatever I throw at them, including pumpkin carving, easter egg hunts and playing ultimate.

And although they sometimes can't contain their laughter at my Polish pronunciation, they constantly try to help me in my attempts to learn the Polish language.

Tonight one asked me what was the hardest thing I've encountered in my year here, and I couldn't really think of anything to say. When another asked me if I had any regrets about moving, I answered honestly, "No".

They'll probably never read this, but I want to thank them anyway for making my first year in Krakow fantastic. Thanks team, I couldn't have done it without you!

Consolation

2008-04-27T18:07:00.004+02:00

It's a beautiful weekend here in Krakow. The temperature has hovered near 20 degrees Celsius both days and the light has that special soft quality particular to spring.

I've taken full advantage of the weather this weekend: going for a long walk yesterday, stopping to sit in the grass by the riverbanks and blow bubbles with my friend and her 20 month old son; running in the Planty this morning, and then rollerblading around the Blonia this afternoon.

But my mind has been firmly in Toronto much of the weekend. In between outdoor activities, I've been immersed in Michael Redhill's excellent novel Consolation. The novel traces events in Toronto in 1997 and 1856. It deals with issues of loss, both personal and municipal (Torontonians have long been scolded for their inability to preserve the city's heritage), grief and loneliness.

The 1856 plot line involves a young Englishman struggling to make a life for himself in a new land in which he doesn't know anyone (sound familiar?), but what's even more compelling for me are the descriptions of the Toronto of 160 and 10 years ago. It's like reading a guidebook for the city I know so well. I've been transported to many places I haven't thought about in a long while.

I'm wishing I could visit right now.

If you don't see enough of your friends

2008-04-24T22:25:00.004+02:00

and family, move to Europe. They'll all come to visit you.

Since I moved to Poland, exactly one year ago next Wednesday, I've only had two months when I didn't either host visitors here or meet them elsewhere in Europe.

Tourist season is just starting to heat up for 2008. My parents were the first spring guests in April. My aunt and uncle arrive for a week in early May, followed by an old friend at the end of the month. Then another good friend arrives in June.

Today I found out that yet another friend will arrive in late July at the exact moment another friend was instant messaging about meeting me in France in early July.

Then to round out the summer, my big brother and his family arrive in mid August for 3 weeks in Eastern Europe.

I am now accepting bookings for September and October.

Passports

2008-04-21T19:47:00.002+02:00

Oddly, I know less about what goes on around me in Europe now that I live here, then I did when I was residing in Canada. And what I do know of current events in my neck of the woods often comes to me from overseas visitors.

For example, I found out from an American visitor (and confirmed with my parents) that when you travel within the European Union you no longer need to clear customs. Which is good news for non-EU holding passport travelers like me, as the lines were always longer.

However, I'll miss adding stamps to my passport. The pages of my passport, particularly those dedicated to Germany and Poland, have gotten pretty crowded over the past year. I was half hoping to fill it up entirely in the next year or so.

This past week I traveled to Slovenia via Austria, and only had to show my passport when checking in at either end. Quicker maybe, but now I'll never get to see what the stamp for Slovenia looks like.

Ljubljana

2008-04-20T08:55:00.002+02:00

I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't know where Slovenia was when I applied for the conference here, and I am not sure that I had ever heard of Ljubljana.

I suspect many of you may also need to look it up, which is a shame, since Ljubljana is one of the prettiest (and friendliest) cities I've been to in Europe. But instead of writing more about it now, I am going to get dressed and go see more of it.

I'll post some pictures of it (and of Wroclaw, where I was last weekend, and also highly recommend) when I get home.

It's a small world . . .

2008-04-20T08:44:00.003+02:00

I'm in Ljubljana today and have been since Wednesday. I presented at my first European conference here on Thursday, which was a bit of a thrill, but not really much different than presenting at a conference in North America.

I did love the international aspect of it all - although there were less than 50 people attending the conference, the attendees were from multiple countries: Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and of course, Poland.

And it really is a small world. The key note speaker for the conference was a Canadian, (currently working in Sydney Australia), who went to the University of Waterloo at the same time I did, in the same program, and who worked with a friend of mine in Waterloo.

Really, I'm an adult . . .

2008-04-09T07:13:00.003+02:00

But you wouldn't know it when my parents come to town.

I love it when my parents visit me, just as I love going home to visit them.

Last night I got home from work sometime after 7 and dinner was ready! Then after dinner my mom cleaned up, while I lay on the couch and chatted with my dad. At one point I asked her what she was doing (knowing full well that she was cleaning up), and felt guilty about it, but not guilty enough to actually get up off the couch and help.

I am a lazy, terrible person, but sometimes it's really nice to have your dinner waiting for you when you get home from work. Lately I've been so tired after work that I can barely make instant oatmeal for myself.

She's already planned tonight's menu.

Thanks Mom!