Do widzenia!

Looking back, those last few weeks in Poland went by so fast that I didn't have time to do anything, let alone try to keep this going! I can now reveal that .... after getting home safely to Krakow and our little apartment, we had, ooooh, no time before we were off for Sylwester! That's right. We got back to Krakow on the 29th and left on the 30th!

We had 2 missions. First to head up to Warszawa to put boxes into store - we had rented out the place and these were our things that weren't to be left. Then we drove west towards Lodz, but stopped in a little town, staying at the Chopin Hotel! Now, it was very pleasant but the restaurant was pretty empty and the food not particularly memorable. It wasn't that it was bad...but we weren't exactly impressed.

The next morning, we had a bit of a wander round and found a museum that was open...it was interesting as it was a museum about the battles that took place in that area. But ... it was the 31st, and we had to get going to my cousin's house west of Lodz. We had been invited to spend Sylwester with them and they don't speak English! Ya-hoo!

What a night. They'd invited 2 other couples form the village and as ever the food was just fantastic, the wodka was plentiful and all-in-all, we had a great time. Then at midnight we all went out into the village to see fireworks - our own and other people's, and we walked round the village. It was quite cold!

And so January 1st 2009 dawned and we had a wonderfully lazy day with them. We were all tired, lived on left-overs and generally were a tad couch potato.

Next day we went to see another cousin and stayed overnight with her. But we also went across to yet another lot for kolacja. We both had a lovely afternoon and were very sorry to have to leave. And even more sorry the next day to have to go back to Krakow to return the hire car and think about a) work and b) the fact we were leaving in 12 days time!

We spun out the journey by visiting Czestochowa again, and as ever we enjoyed the atmosphere as well as seeing the Black Madonna again. It's a place that symbolises Poland and as such should not be missed - if you can make the time to visit.

We did 8 day's work - and it felt strange and silly to have to do it - I was glad to see the back of the school - NOT the teachers or office staff, just the boss actually! I knew I'd miss the students as I'd had a such a great time teaching there...but we've now got friends in Krakow and feel we have a strong tie to the place, as well as to Poland.

So, skipping the boring stuff like cleaning the apartment, doing a mege-throwout, trying to say bye to everyone..... we finally left Krakow on January 16th 2009.

And as I sit here in hot sweaty Brisbane, I wonder if it was all a dream - then I look around and see my little wooden picture of the Black Madonna - and know it was very real. We went to a country that was and is amazing. Communism failed to subdue it, so it is vibrant and fast changing. More importantly, I got to know my family, whom I was denied the pleasure of meeting during that time . I understand why they react the way they do, why sometimes they can be reticent... but most amazing is that we now know each other and accept each other and every time we meet is special. These family ties are the most important thing I gained from living in my father's country - and now mine! My only sorrow is that he didn't live to see Poland a free country - or to see me living there! I now have very strong roots in Poland -and can't wait to go back! Koniec!

Farewell Transylvania 28-12-2008

A final farewell....

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There is something terribly sad about leaving a place where you have had a great holiday. It's all very well saying "You can always come back", but we all know that it's never the same second time around. Maybe the expectations, maybe it's that the people have moved on, and maybe it's that the group you hung around with and had such fun with are not there. Whatever it is, we knew on the 28th December, that we were leaving a place that had given us one of the best Christmases ever and that in reality, we wouldn't be able to repeat.

We managed to hang around to see our friends who were not leaving -and we had a somewhat curious ceremony! David had professed admiration for the tights worn b y the Renaissance group on Christmas night, so it was truly refreshing to see that this was acknowledged by our friends! And his lordship was duly presented with some rather natty support hose form good old
M & S!

Then we waited to see the horses and carts that were to be this day's outing - sadly not for us...but it looked so much fun. Mind you, it was -17C - no wonder we felt a tad chilly!

But we had to leave. Brasov was our destination - felt like Groundhog day! We were taken into the station, and tried to buy tickets. Oh oh! Not again. Much pointing to timetables and loud Romanian for "There isn't a train till ???" Had we been here before or wot! Oh well, we bought tickets for some train or other, and after putting our luggage into Left Luggage we wandered off, ate lunch and then went back to wait for our train.

You know, it's funny how railway stations are pretty much the same all over. A hint of romance, especially in snow; strange and exotic names and
announcements in foreign tongues; a sudden feeling of fear in the pit of one's stomach at the thought of being on the wrong platform, then utter relief when one sees other people with similar tickets; people coming and going. They say that airports are like that, but to my mind railway stations hold the award for atmosphere. They really do have an air of sadness, joy, desperation... and Brasov was no exception.

And how else can you travel from one country to another, meet so many different people and still feel vaguely human at the end. I cannot begin to count the interesting people we have met in this year on trains - too many; I can't think of one we have met on a plane!

But I digress - and I think I am becoming a touch maudlin! I tell you, railways do that to you - especially when you've travelled as much on them as we had! I suppose, that just as I didn't want the holiday to end, I don't really want this blog to end. Because you see, in one more installment's time, my tale of what was supposed to be a Polish year, and became a Polish 15 months will be over!

So, back to the train. A double decker train to Bucharest with rather sad seats in the upper entry - with NO windows! Not good. We dozed, and David kept an eye on the suitcases as there were Gypsies on board - and please don't go all politically correct on me. Romanians told us NEVER to trust them - and they should know!

The final scare? Arriving in Bucharest railway station in total darkness! Not a singe light on the platforms...now that's kind scary! Polish family take note: You want to be scared - go to Bucharest railway station in the dark! Knocks any Polish station into a cocked hat, my dears!

A quick trip to the airport, a strange non-organised check in...and then into the gate...with an hour's delay! Thank goodness we had a hotel booked in Vienna at the airport...

So - we went to Romania, to Transylvania. We found beauty, openness, friend;y people, wonderful food and wine - and brandy; we made some good friends; we experienced a Romanian Christmas without the tat of Australia; we saw the simple way people still live.

We had an unforgettable time. Thank you, Transylvania!! We will return!