Final Post from Poland

It’s January 6, 2006 and we leave tomorrow. Overall it’s been an eventful trip. Let me bring you up to date since my last post. The day after the birthday party, Oliwia and I went skiing in Goldap. The resort is a whopping 300 vertical feet. The lift to the top was an o-bar (the pole you put between your legs and get pulled to the top) that kept breaking every 15 minutes. As people waited in line, Oliwia and I reverted to our roots and hiked to the top 3 times. Once people saw that we were getting laps in as they waited, they began to copy us. It was very fun. I guess that if one is a skier at heart, getting out and making turns sooths the soul! Nonetheless, I am looking forward to some Utah champagne upon return. People from all over and all abilities were skiing. We encountered people from Russia, Germany, and of course Poland. Some tried the “Better Off Dead” approach of going this way really fast and trying to turn if something gets in their way, others tried the yard sale while some went straight down. The lights came on at night which are now a modern contrast to the old concrete towers hoisting rusted metal cups that used to house lights. There was only one run open in the resort that has one other lift and one other o-bar. Not the typical experience one connotes with Europe but skiing nonetheless. Then it was back to Oliwia’s parent’s house for a Jacuzzi and some Polish beer (Lech is my preferred brand) and a potato dinner.

The next day we left for Warsaw, spending the night 45 miles east in the town of Broszkow. I thought a lot during the ride about what I’d like to share on my final blog. There are 4 things that came to mind. First, is the Polish landscape. I can definitely see the influence of the homeland on artist and friend Adrrzej Skorut. There are vast open fields, some decorated with bushy and currently leafless trees. Concrete block houses with triangular roofs populate the small towns throughout the country. Second, the forests seem to have no low branches. Even though the trees are hundreds of feet tall, all of the branches are at the top. Therefore you can look into the forests and see light and distance. One could travel into the forest and see another from a distance of 300 yards making it difficult if one were to play a game of hide and seek. Third are the tree-line roads. One can drive through what can best be described as a barren field with the exception of trees, 3 feet in diameter and also hundreds of feet high, that dot either side of the road with overhang that creates a tunnel. I have been told but have not verified that the roads were designed this way so that Polish soldiers could travel by night unnoticed by Nazi forces during WWII. Fourth, are the highways themselves. They are either two-lane roads similar to those of New England or 2 and a half-lane roads that allow for passing mainly when one care veers to the shoulder. Passing sometimes reminds me of something out of an old spy movie when you only have inches to spare. It is not uncommon to see an old tractor and tractor trailers become more prevalent the closer you get to larger towns. Make sure your car has guts if you want to drive here.

As a final thought only to shed more light on this culture, people do not use dryers. Washing machines are small, ironing is prevalent but people still hang dry their clothes. Obviously it is done inside in the winter. Even though people can afford dryers, it just isn’t part of the culture.

Well, this concludes the summary of our trip. I hope you have found some enjoyment in reading it as it has been therapeutic for me to write See you soon.

Love Matt and Oliwa.

January 3, 2006 -First 2006 Blog

It is now January 3, 2006 and we are back in Goldap. New Year’s was an enjoyable party and with fireworks, drinking, eating and dancing. Reflecting upon this party versus that of two years ago, my overwhelming sentiment is that capitalism has really settled in over the last 2 years. 2 Years ago I was a great novelty being from the U.S. Now that you can get everything in that you can get in the U.S. in Poland, people aren’t as interested. There were a few of the 50 or so people at the party who talked behind my back but for the most part people were very friendly. Also, the still love to smoke! Because of road conditions, we were forced to stay an extra day at the New Year’s Eve house. I spent the majority of the day by myself in our bedroom because it was just to smokey downstairs. I could hear the stereo blasting through the thin wood walls which stopped me from studying or reading. On the bright side, I now know all of Michael Jackson’s songs by heart. The town was very small (we’re talking probably 50 people) so there wasn’t much to do. Additionally, I didn’t know the area and had no running shoes so I was eager to leave when we did.

Filip let me drive his Mercedes all the way to Goldap. What a great car! I think one needs to drive on small European roads to fully appreciate the performance of a car like that. The trip of 93 miles took about 4 hours although snowy conditions were primarily to blame. Driving into Goldap ( a town of 16,000 people in case I failed to mention that earlier) felt like entering a big city. I was so happy to finally get to Oliwia’s parent’s house.

The experience has taught Oliwia and I a lot about ourselves. Even though her family goes out of their way to help us, we are at an age where we would like to be in more control of our itinerary. Next time, we plan to rent a car and visit people around their schedules in contrast to them arranging everything for us. This will also enable us to travel to some other areas that we haven’t seen before. Please understand that Oliwia has a GREAT family. It is hard for people to give up independence and rely upon others in much the same way it was difficult for her parents when they visited us in Utah.

Today is Lucyna’s birthday. Earlier we went to town to look for some gifts. We bought her some flowers and a web-cam so that they can see us in addition to talking to us on Sunday mornings. The table is set elegantly as a few people will be coming over for a small celebration this evening. Of note in Goldap is that the many of the stores are closed for inventory. It is quite interesting that in the middle of the day when businesses would do the majority of their sales, they are closed. Also, and unrelated, on the walk into town, a drunk man threatened to beat me up for looking at him. Not a big deal at all but a reminder that alcoholism is still present much as it is in the U.S.

Well, that should bring everyone up to date. Weather permitting, we’ll be in Salt Lake in 5 days. It is painful for me to watch the ever-increasing snow totals at Alta. Please leave a line or two for me!

New Year's Eve 2005

Well, her I am and Poland is finally “kicking”. It is now New Year’s Eve and we are in a small town about 15 miles from the illegal Eastern European interrogation camps. Luiza’s hobby is scuba diving so we are hanging out with her friends at a local Dive Club house. She went diving today in her dry-suit but that still seems a little crazy to me. After all, it below freezing!

I am going to try and be more substantive in this post. The people here are all very friendly. The pocket dictionary has really come in handy. Not that I need it, as many people speak some English. I was talking with a 17-year old last night and he explained to me that his parents taught him from an early age that English is the one language that will allow a person to communicate anywhere in the world. Another woman has a job that requires her to communicate with Hungary and Romania from Poland, and English is used as the communal language. And just to set things straight, I love my wife so much. I could not have made this trip without her. She amazes me every day with her kindness, courage and generosity. And one more thing: I love my wife! She is absolutely amazing. ----See what happens when I leave the computer unattended for a few minutes, the truth comes out!!

There are certain smells that are synonymous with Poland. For me, they are those of kitchens. Whether it is Goldap or the current town, you know when you enter a room that a kitchen is near. I believe it to be an acquired taste but to borrow a slogan from a popular vodka maker, “Absolut Poland”. Tonight I had some tortellini for dinner. When we first arrived we mentioned that I was a vegetarian and they indicated that it wouldn’t be a problem. They offered to make me 5 different types of fish and all the eggs I could eat. Damn! Sometimes I give Americans a bad name. It makes me appreciate that I have the choice of what to eat as opposed to merely having food. As a side note, they are currently roasting a pig outside. And Oliwia is “pigging out” big time. Free range, happy piggy – yum yum!!

Before coming here, we spent a few days is Warsaw. Warsaw is similar to any major city along with all the amenities. I will post some pictures of a shopping mall that looks like any other along with Mickey D’s and KFC. Unlike most other cities, however, Warsaw was COMPLETELY flattened by the Germans during WWII. As a result, concrete boxes were constructed to house the people after the war. We visited an art museum and saw the most famous Polish painting by Matejko (sp). He is known for his extremely large paintings (20 ft x 30 ft) depicting a prominent battle during which the Polish defeated the Germans (Grunwald – Google it). If one looks closely, he/she will find the artist himself as one of the people in the painting. The city is covered in about 6 inches of snow. I challenge anyone to find a city that doesn’t look as beautiful, serene and peaceful in snow-covered blanket.

We continue to miss everyone! Have a safe New Year and we promise to bring it in style about 8 hours before you.

As for my advice, try traveling without a watch! I prefer to travel without schedules and agendas and enjoy the moments. I figure someone will tell me when it’s next year.