So here is an insanely long post about our trip to Poland. I put a few sarcastic comments here and there but didn't go to all the trouble of naming all the major tourist attractions.
I have to admit that when I thought of Poland I pictured a lot of dirt and not much else. I knew nothing about it and had no real desire to become an expert on the subject. Everyone around here is pretty excited to go get Polish pottery, but I'm more an Ikea-plastic-plate kind of girl. But since visiting 35 new countries was one of the goals on my "30 goals to finish before I'm 40" list, Poland was an awesome way to cross one of those 35 off the list.
We bought the new car DVDs for the big event, and Ollie got to sit facing forward for the first time.
We didn't buy nearly enough pottery. I guess we'll have to go back.
A large Ikea quilt can make any parking lot into an impromptu play land.
The flower markets were fantastic.
Giving balloons to kids is never a good idea. Eventually, when swinging them harmlessly in the air gets boring, they are going to start hitting each other with them until they pop.
Can't you just feel Oliver's heart dying a little bit as his balloon loses air?
Fried cheese and jelly:
My favorite game -- Settlers of Catan. Seeing this game made me miss my old neighbor in Japan, Josh. We would play board games with him and his wife every single week. It always got a little rowdy and irreverent. Eventually, Josh would get a little tipsy and start playing the game like a renegade - only placing his pieces on the fish square, building roads across the middle of the game so you could only play on one side of the board, and refusing to trade with anyone, EVER. Dang I miss him.
Abby was SO good on this trip. This was the one meltdown she had. It involved taking out her hair, crawling into a ball, and refusing to get up and keep walking.
I met her half way; she could ride on the front of the stroller if I could fix her hair. Looking at us for the rest of the day was optional.
Delicious Polish delights! White raspberries (with small snails hidden in the middle), jelly filled cookies, and perogies.
You and your partner profess your love to each other and then lock it for eternity on the side of the bridge. Next time I'll have to remember to bring a lock.
This is a working nunnery. It was way fun to see them all walking to and from the huge church down the road.
Big thumbs up for Poland!
So Abby and I decided we were going to walk up the large church tower to the lookout point to take pictures. We did not realize that you had to pay when you got to the top. I had left my wallet with Jeremy in the basement, of course, so we walked all the way up and then down without the awesome view payoff. The stairs were insanely tight and steep. I barely fit.
Headless bird sitting in a nest sculpture. What the? I detest art in a serious way.
Abs new passion is blowing bubbles. She's a rock star at it.
Fried cheese in honey with marinated figs.
Balsamic-infused peaches and onions on a tender pork cutlet.
Mad balance talent.
We're so cute they made a statue of us.
I have some deep thoughts about this photo. I'll blog them later.
These was the Poland-version of the Bellagio fountains. They were even set to music. AND it was totally free to watch for the evening.
We were thrilled to see they had a Japanese garden near the fountains. Both Jeremy and I got a little teary walking through it. I can't believe how much I miss Japan. Four years seemed like forever while we were there, but so short now that we're not.
