2009 Europe Trip - The condensed version

Due to the following factors: 1) lack of time 2) my immense enjoyment in posting pictures on Facebook and 3) the fact that I have several other things I want to blog about, I have decided to forgo the traditional approach to assigning a blog to each of the cities I visited. Instead in this blog for each of the remaining cities I will post one picture and give you my 5 favorite things from that experience.

If you want to know more about my trip, let's go old school and actually talk to each other live and in person...

Auschwitz
1) Finally getting to see a place that I have read so much about.
2) Witnessing history that should never be forgotten
3) The 1.5 hour drive from Krakow to Auschwitz
4) My amazing tour guide who balanced extremely well the facts and the emotion of the experience
5) Never forgetting


Malbork
1) Standing in a place where the Teutonic Knights once were
2) Dominika's father's "informal" tour
3) Seeing firsthand a medieval castle
4) Walking around in the rain
5) Goofing around with friends


Gdansk
1) Seeing the gorgeous waterfront
2) Communist apartment blocks
3) Walking through the open market
4) Taking pictures in St. Mary's Church
5) Kebobs - the Polish Taco Bell



Kartuzy
1) Spending time with the Fard and Szreder families
2) Witnessing the wedding of two wonderful people
3) Cute, friendly Polish kitties
4) Hunter's stew
4) Vodka, good food, and throwing glass against a rock


London
1) Troilus and Cressida at The Globe
2) Ordering the same sandwich at the same place (from when I was a student in 2003) and having it tasted the very same
3) The Florence Nightingale Museum
4) Cute 21 year olds who ask me to go salsa dancing
5) The 39 Steps


Also fulfilled another goal: 45) See Auschwitz

2009 Europe Trip - Krakow

These past couple weeks I have been on a...wait for it...vacation! I know, me, right? Two full weeks off that didn't involve moving, changing jobs, or a family event. I'm a little closer to being a saint, because surely that is a miracle. The trip consisted of a few different cities, with the main shindig taking place in and around Kartuzy, Poland - the marriage of a close college friend!

On today's agenda - Krakow. What can I say? I friggin' love this city! I had no expectations when it came to traveling to Poland - I am very interested in the history of the country thanks to my Polish and Lithuanian Commonwealth class in college and the stories of Leon Uris. But modern Poland? I knew very little. Thankfully, the city and I got on like a house on fire.

I stayed in a hotel near the old town which is more of a tourist part of the city, but also provides easy access to all the main sights - perfect! First on the agenda was a trek to Wawel Castle - where the country's rulers used to be located for five centuries. Wawel Hill contains the castle, the cathedral and the surrounding land. The cathedral is amazing and beautiful, especially the tomb of Queen Jadwiga. After flying from Chicago to Paris to Krakow, however, Wawel Castle was the only thing I could handle the first night!

The next couple of days consisted of a trip to Auschwitz (more details on that later), a golf cart tour of Krakow, visits to the cloth hall and the main square, yummy Polish food, walking around the city, and taking lots of pictures.

However, my hands-down favorite part of the city was Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter. I find the history of the area fascinating and took plenty of time to explore the area including several synagogues, both active and not. My favorite experience, however, was at the Stara Synagoga (Old Synagogue). Heavily damaged by the Nazis during World War II, the synagogue was rebuilt and is now a museum and conservation center. I attended an exhibit there called "And I Still See Their Faces," which consisted of images and photographs of Jews pre- and post-war. What was amazing was the where the photos came from - family members that had emigrated, photos found in clothing taken at concentration camps, photos and glass prints found hidden in Jewish homes, etc. The experience was somewhat emotional - especially after witnessing images of entire families that had been wiped out in a concentration camp.

But this history buff still managed to enjoy the present as well - watching the fire dancers in the square, shopping for fun souvenirs, eating gelato, trips to several beautiful churches, and basking in the sun while people watching.

Unfortunately, I only got three days there - I could have stayed much longer!! However, I definitely have totes good memories from this incredibly beautiful city.

Summers are relaxing right?

• Find new apartment with larger kitchen, more windows, and non-crappy neighbors - done
• Thanks to above said new apartment, call electric, gas, insurance, and get mail forwarded - ummm...sort of done?
• Actually move to above said new apartment - started, but not close to done
• Deal with a potential life-changing decision - done
• Plan a trip to Europe involving four different cities, three flights, and two hotels - done
• Buy super fun new suitcase for above said Europe trip - done
• Do the loads and loads of laundry that I have - haven't even started thinking about it
• Get an extension on my call to jury duty - done
• Have dinner with my cousin and his wife and their three ridiculously cute kids - done
• Answer all of my outstanding e-mails - thinking about it
• Book trip to Dallas for the weekend before I leave for Europe - done
• Do all of the work that needs to be done for that trip - ugh, I know, I know!
• Stage a Red Bull intervention on myself - hahahahaha, that's funny
• Remember that I have a blog and I need to post - close enough

Ahem...

Another goal fulfilled!

59) Make an enemy

Since this situation is loosely work related, I will not go into detail. However, I will say, someone wanted a lot for nothing last year and I had to play bad cop. This year, I am now referred to as "that woman."

Done.

I enjoy being a girl...sort of...sometimes

I've never been what one would call a girly girl. When I was little I had Barbies and Cabbage Patches. But instead of Barbie cooking in her Barbie Dreamhouse, she had to deal with a Dreamhouse break-in. When I received a Barbie campsite tent and accessories, well, unfortunately the campsite was mauled by a bear. I didn't carry them around, but my Sis and I did set up a Cabbage Patch hospital. I'm pretty sure I might have missed the point of dolls. Although I was very protective of my stuffed animals.

As I got older, it didn't get much better. I didn't wear make-up until later in high school and even then pretty much used what my mom handed down. When I did buy some, it was almost always in funky colors. When most girls were getting highlights in their hair, I dyed mine blond in the front and then had red and purple highlights in the rest of it. To this day I still don't have an overriding interest in hair and makeup. My hairspray, when I have any, usually goes bad before I can use it, I keep mascara way too long, and the thought of lipstick frightens me.

And still walking into an Ulta, or the like, makes me break out into a sweat. Who needs a $150 curling iron? And there had to be at least 10 kinds of straighteners...don't get be started on face cleaners. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I have no idea what 70% of that store is used for. And I still maintain eyelash curlers amount to about the same thing as a medieval torture device.

Now, don't get me wrong, I definitely have girly traits: a healthy obsession with shoes, a lifelong love of all things Jane Austen, and a strong devotion to Betsey Johnson. So when I was feeling kind of blue tonight, I thought, "Hey! I should pamper myself and see if that helps." So, I tried my new curling iron (only $13.99 thank you very much), but I'm convinced that my hair looked the same as it did before I tried to curl it. So I then painted my toenails bright blue, made a mess, and had to remove about half of what I put on. Anyone who's lived with me can attest to this sort of thing happening on a regular basis. I consider myself fairly smart but somehow nail polish confounds me.

So when pampering wasn't quite the success I thought it would be, I decided to turn to what I know best. I put on Mad Max for a healthy dose of violence and action and called it a night.

God. Country. Notre Dame...Me

This past weekend I attended my five year reunion at my alma mater, University of Notre Dame...and good times were had by all. Thursday night, my ex-roommie LW drove down from Madison and stayed the night, then Friday morning we skipped the light fantastic over to South Bend to get the party started! And a party it was...

The weekend was full of reminiscing, taking pictures, catching up with old friends, and long walks around campus. It included lunching at the dining hall, picnicking in front of the stadium, and free wine from 3pm to 1am. I thought of all the good times, and a few less than good. I exchanged stories with friends about marching band, dances, dorm craziness, and squirrel chases. I slept in a dorm room and realized I didn't miss that aspect of college at all!

I took several trips to the grotto and ached for all the times I wish I could have been there when I needed it the most. I remembered how many times I kneeled in prayer in front of the candles, and of all the friends that had come with me to pray at times, and I can still understand why I love it so much.

I listened to Father Hesburgh give the homily at the all-class mass and stood with everyone else to applaud him when he was finished. I spent too much money at the bookstore but with no regrets. I laughed, I talked for hours, and didn't tear up once. But I came close at the end of the mass as everyone stood, including the oldest alum present (Class of 1930), and sang the alma mater.

Notre Dame, our Mother

Tender, strong and true

Proudly in the heavens,

Gleams thy gold and blue.

Glory's mantle cloaks thee

Golden is thy fame,

And our hearts forever,

Praise thee, Notre Dame.

And our hearts forever,

Love thee, Notre Dame.

To which I say "Tant pis"

I will never be a genius in the kitchen...tant pis.

I will never pull off the demure, professional look...tant pis.

I will never have the patience to not visualize some people as voodoo dolls with pins in them...tant pis.

I will never stop yearning to visit places I haven't seen...tant pis.

I will never prefer the color pink - hot or not...tant pis.

I will never let society or the "norm" pressure me into something I don't want...tant pis.

I will never try to understand the fascination about twittering...tant pis.

I will never blindly accept the judgement of others...tant pis.

I will never stop being disappointed that most people don't write letters anymore...tant pis.

I will never get into the whole Wii thing...tant pis.

I will never break my habit of completely ignoring everything around me while I read...tant pis.

I will never be able to do my work without music or a movie or some sort of noise...tant pis.

I will never apologize for who I am or the choices I make...tant pis.