What did we do before the post office?

Yes - I know it's nearly the end of June. But I have a list of excuses as long as your arm. First of all, having been to Belgium we came home to Krakow to a sudden uping of pace at work. Yes, that's right. The end of the year is nigh and there were reports to write, tests to think about and then we had the finales.

I wasn't looking forward to them and then guess what? I ended up on a free trip down to Zakopane. Now that was just perfect. We went courtesy of our boss who had an English couple staying. The rain held off until we got to bottom of the gondola but we went above the clouds and I have to say that the view was wonderful. I did my usual - stood with one leg in Polska and the other in Slovakia! We walked along the ridge and I was especially interested as my father has fled Poland in 1939 through the High Tatra Pass. This wasn't it, but I got a clear idea of what it must have been like. There was still snow as you can see, and we started off in wetproofs but went to shirt sleeves!

We also had a weekend in Korbielow (Polska) on the Slovakian border, and did the Zywiec Brewery, and went into Slovakia. Thanks to Schengen, there are no longer borders and we just drove through. Mind you, we had to negotiate our way through the crowds of cars driving up to a Mass on the border! It was Corpus Christi weekend! We wanted to see a particular castle and it was worth the short trip. After avoiding being killed by manic Polish drivers intent on stocking up with cheap Slovakian beer, we arrived at Oravsky Podzamok, built on a precipice. It was a great trip. Not the place for those with no head for heights or for those working for any Health and Safety Unit! Up and down so many steps - I lost count. We also managed to have a lunch and as we were in a bit of a hurry before we joined our Polish tour round the castle, we just chose anything on the menu. Yes.... David got the garlic soup! Y-U-K!!!!!!

And of course we stocked up with beer on the return trip... REAL Bud, not that crappy Yank stuff. This we drank on the balcony of our awful "Edward Gierek Memorial Hotel" real name Hotel Harnas. NEVER stay there. Believe me, it was unreconstructed communism. Bar? Closed. Heating? It comes on at 15:00. Restaurant? You must book your meals 24 hours in advance (and they were measured in grams!) Breakfast? Well, kind of if you like chocolate cereals and strange fish pastes!

So to the post office. I have tried to write a letter to my aunt and uncle in the UK. The trouble is that after I put it in the post I heard that the PO was on strike. Well, funny how the offices were open. Yes true. They were hading out the pensions but NOT accepting letters to post. So here I am sitting with another letter and about to post that when I hear that they went on go-slow but now are back on strike. Three weeks later we suddenly see they are no longer on strike. How did we know? Easy. We got our phone bill!! Oh joy. But now it's hardly worth posting the thing as we're off across to UK and I'd be faster taking it with me!!!! Aarghghgh....................

Yes, semester is days away from being finished and then I have the whole summer to travel and play and try to put posting on this blog! So look out for things from: Scotland, Turkey, Germany, France, Belgium, Czech Republik, Slovakia, and maybe Bulgaria.