First off, I am having waaaaaaay too much fun playing with my pictures using the Photo Gallery software that came with my new computer. Ouch...this blog update should have been done hours ago, along with scrubbing the floors (I'm not exactly in love with my dog right now. He seems to have picked up some bad bathroom habits at the Pet Hotel...arghhhhhhh)! At any rate I'm here and ready to go....!!!
I will be perfectly honest...I wasn't sure what Michael would think of Wrocław (please note I figured out the keyboard - check out the doo dad on the L). It is not exactly a modern, cosmopolitan-looking city and, frankly, can look a bit downtrodden in areas, but Michael fell in love with it right away! It is large enough to provide plenty of things for young folks to do and small enough to feel homey. I was excited he was so welcoming and receptive to my new home because I truly do love it here!
We didn't give Michael much time to get his land legs after three airplane flights and about 15 hours. Heck he's 21 and has probably stayed up all night before so this should be nothing, right? I planned on capturing his arrival with my camera but found myself in tears when he came through the gate. He looked great! After heading home and settling in (as much as he can settle in sleeping on a day bed in a rather compact office space) we headed downtown to grab a quick lunch. He was up to trying a personal favorite of mine...a gyros sandwich Polish style. Soon afterwards we left to pick up Craig and get ready for dinner with some friends here in town.
Michael didn't seem as thrilled about trying the Polish favorite smalec. I agree, it is something that takes some time to grow on you but I was a little surprised about his reaction (I've posted a picture). I guess a lard and bacon sandwich on a jet-lagged stomach speaks for itself!
As I suspected Michael really enjoyed our good friends Gareth and Basia who joined us for dinner. It's probably a good thing Gareth and Basia were heading off to Croatia or the three of them (ok Gareth and Michael) could have turned Wrocław on its side!
Bright and early Saturday morning we hit the road and headed toward Kraków. Yes, Michael slept the whole way, but let's face it, he would have slept the whole way even if he wasn't jet-lagged! Our plans were to stop in Ościem to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau. I'm not sure "visit" is the right word because "visits" should be an up-beat time spent with family and friends rather than spending five hours in a place with a horrendous history and mind-blowing evidence of the atrocities carried out there. I will post pictures but withhold comments since there are no words that can adequately express the emotions and hatred for the people responsible. Enough said....
We all thoroughly enjoyed our "visit" to Kraków. The weather was beautiful and the company even better! Michael - being the good sport he is - even slept in a closet on an air mattress without complaint! I guess we don't really treat our guests that well do we????
After enjoying the sites - human and otherwise - we headed back to the hotel for some much-needed rest. That was, of course, up to the moment the ghost appeared! I'm not kidding. I sat up, blinked, blinked again and clearly saw a man - roughly 60 years old - with gray, curly hair and wearing prison garb like we saw at Auschwitz. I would have scoffed except he showed up again the next night! Weird, huh???? Still get the willies thinking about him.
A visit to Wawel Castle and its dungeons topped the agenda for day two of our visit. Once again, the weather was great and the crowds manageable. Giggle for the day???? On a clearly marked "stay off the grass" area on the castle grounds a man and woman prodded their little girl to take a potty break on the lawn!!! Poor little thing couldn't walk and tug down her panties at the same time. Mom and dad - as good parents should - followed the rules and stayed off the grass! I couldn't get my camera out fast enough and Michael refused to take a picture to avoid being labelled a pervert! Is it just a "Cindy" thing or do things like this happen to anyone else???
Being 50-something Craig and I weren't up for the nightlife so Michael wandered into town himself. Of course, he managed to find someone to chat with and show him around. He is magical that way! Not only did he have to sleep in a closet, but upon his return he discovered his key no longer worked. He must've thought we really didn't want him visiting us (there is that "visit" word again)! Being the bright, intelligent guy he is he managed to get things straightened out at the front desk without disturbing the "old folks"!
What a great start to our time with Michael. Next installment: Berlin!
FYI: I still promise to talk about "I can ride my bicycle with no handlebars"!
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