special post

Today is a very happy day for many reasons but the number one reason in my book is...drum roll please...IT'S FREEZING!!  I know that doesn't sound like good news but what I mean is it is actually freezing (32*F) and lots of the snow is melting and things don't feel as cold.  Believe me, it really is a YEA! moment.  Good luck Giants; I'm waiting for an upset!!

krakow the 27th #2

I forget exactly what this story was
but when the Nazi's were looking
for Jewish people during WW2 this
was a hideout.  I do remember Thomak
saying someone hid behind the
plant/tree you see here. 

I'm a sucker for "cute" pictures!

Isn't this bridge cool?

Not going to explain.  Think WW2 and
Jewish people.  Need more, email me
personally  or comment on my
blog with your email and I'll be
glad to explain!

I had no idea!!  Max Factor started
in Europe, more specifically Krakow
Poland!  This was where it started;
I believe Thomak said the creator
was the first millionaire in Europe...
or something along those lines.

This is the section of Krakow where
the furniture...well, it's in my last
blog and I'll let you read about it!

Our tour went by the Schindler Museum.
You don't know who Oscar Schindler
was???LOOK HIM UP!!!   I learned that
he himself actually wasn't the idea
originator of  "the list", he had help!
Either way, it's always encouraging
to read about people who stand
up/find a way around injustice!

Again at the Schindler Museum.
Sorry you all have to strain your
necks!

I know The Giants are not predicted  to
beat the Patriots but there have been bigger
upsets before and I would like an
upset.  GO GIANTS!!  Thoughts and prayers are
in Indy this weekend praying for a clean
game with no major injuries.  Also that
my family and friends in Indy can get around
without too many problems!!  Love and hugs
from here!!   I read somewhere where someone
said they were happy because it isn't too
cold.  I'm jealous. We're having the winter we
should have had last winter.

Krakow the 27th

I sat down this afternoon all set to do my blog and my computer started messing with me.  Everything's fine now.  I forget exactly where I left off but we boarded a night train headed to Krakow, Poland at about 6, or 8-I can't quite remember, the evening of the 26th.  This time it was an 11 hour train ride.  We got to K in time for breakfast and then headed for the hostel to drop our stuff.  We took a tour of the hostel and then headed out to change money.  Poland uses the zloti and when we were there it was about 3z for every 1$.  Immediatly we were drawn to the Christmas markets and toured those for awhile.  We discovered a walking tour starting after lunch and decided to join that.  Our guide's name was Thomak, or Thomas, and, since we were a little early for the tour, he decided to have everyone introduce themselves and tell where they were from.  YOU ARE TOTALLY NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED NEXT!  If Jez and Rachel weren't with me the whole time I would have sworn they had something to do with this!   I said I was from Indianapolis and he said "isn't there a basketball team or something in Indianapolis?"  I gave Jez my cup of hot chocolate and went and gave him a hug.  I asked him later what he knew bout the bball team in Indianapolis and he said that was about it.  Since the tour itself was around 4 hours and we hadn't had an actual lunch, I decided to forgo the chit-chat in order to keep our stomachs happy.  What are the odds???  The tour ended up being very nice and informative!  We saw where Max Factor, the makeup brand, started and learned something, which is gone from my brain now, pretty cool about Star Trek.  He took us to the Schindler Museum and we saw part of the actual wall that seperated the Jewish people from the rest of Krakow.  Lots of history there; most of it appaling but history nonetheless.  We saw the section, kinda like a center square, of Krakow where, after the liberation at the end of WW2, the German officers/soldiers raided the homes of Jewish people and literally threw all their furniture out of the windows to the center below.  Today there are statues in the shape of chairs scattered throughout this part of Krakow.  More on that later.  At the end of the tour, we gave donations since it was a free tour and I threw in an extra 5z because he mentioned basketball.  We went back to the Jewish section we had been to earlier and had a late lunch/early dinner.  Then it was time to go actually check in to the hostel.  We hit up the Christmas market more that night and discovered this cupcake place that just happened to be right next to our hostel.  That was a sign right there I'll tell you what!!  We each enjoyed a different kind and then of course had to try a bite of the other 2.  We saw on the sign that the flavor for the next night was oreo, grasshopper, and another flavor that was a big draw, and made a pact to go back the next night.  I think we headed back to the hostel after that and called it a night.  Oh yeah!  Jez and I went for a walk, got some adult beverages and chips, and sat on a bench and chatted for a bit.  After awhile the conversation paused for a bit and she says, in Bulgarian, "I think that we should speak in Bulgarian now because I have a homework assignment from my tutor to speak Bulgarian some during this trip...and YOU DO TOO!"  Her tutor is a very nice lady who I met once when I was visiting, and makes awesome banitza, and knew we were going to be together.  I thought it was pretty funny.  I think we called it a night after that and I am now going to as well!  It's COLD here!!  I think today it was -14*C which is about 6*F.  Classes have been shortened all over B because of the cold temperatures.  Stay warm wherever you are and love and hugs from here!!

As promised!

Jez and I with the Charles Bridge
in the background.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY WYATT!!!

Rachel and I with the C.B in the
background.

entering the C.B. 

walking across the bridge.  You
can see the Prague Castle in
the background, or at least I
think that's the P.C.

this was just looking down a street.
I think the streets in Europe
are just so cute with their narrowness
and architecture.

Rachel and I overlooking Prague. Now
there's a sentence I never thought
I would say!!

Jez and I. I told myself the hat, untied,
makes me look like an Amish girl with
her braids and bonnet.

delayed!

I'm going to do it to you again.  For Prague the 26th pictures tune in tomorrow.  I got a late start to today, we lost power this am. and I decided to stay in bed where it was nice and warm, and have a full day.  Tomorrow I'll have more time.  It snowed again last night and I think is snowing now.  Not very much but it's sticking.  I tried to look out my terrace windows this am to see what was going on and couldn't see because they were covered with and frost!  I guess that means it's cold!!  Love and hugs from here!