17 December 2019, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), Holland
Here I am at the end of the earth — Gate E-17 — in an area that’s being renovated but definitely not completed and not on the D concourse where I usually await return trips. Ah, well. Nothing about this trip has been very ordinary.
It started on Sunday, 1 December, with a flight to Detroit (DTW), a long layover and no Internet access. I sunk $29 to enter/use the Delta lounge thinking I might log on there. Not.
Since I have a MacBook Air, I’m used to this happening when wi-fi is free and not secure, as it is in most airports and many hotels. And although I appreciate all of Apple’s security precautions on my behalf, it is still frustrating, very frustrating at times (just ask Glenn). My laptop remembers passwords for friends’ wi-fi systems despite long periods between visits … but it takes hours or sometimes a day before it’ll accept free access. Sigh.
Uneventful flight to AMS and my friend Ana was waiting for me as she’d promised. I arrived at a fairly reasonable time, 8 am, and not the 6 am arrival time of my usual Minneapolis flight. Going through DTW was less expensive, so …
Had a lovely visit with Ana and husband Art. They made a delicious baked salmon dinner the first night, and we went to dinner at Cafe Amsterdam the second. In between I wandered their neighborhood, then took a taxi to the new showroom, office and warehouse for their women’s apparel business. What an improvement over the previous space; it was a nice waterfront location but minimal light and small showroom. This large open showroom was surrounded by huge plate glass windows on three sides allowing lots of light. Their samples are so much easier to peruse — I kind of pine for working when I see the gorgeous suits in their showroom. After closing up, we went to the cafe, and Art found parking with a nice walk of the place.
In an old industrial building, the Cafe Amsterdam is a huge open plan and had a Christmas tree to match its ceiling height of at least three or four floors. The cafe buzzed with good vibes. Unfortunately the food was less than stellar. Ana and Art both had chewy, over-cooked venison. My lamb chops had good flavor but were more medium than medium rare, not worth a complaint. Desserts and wine … and the removal of two entrees from the check … improved the experience.
We took a closed canal boat to see the annual Amsterdam holiday light festival. Some extraordinary lighting pieces sited all over the center city and done by artists from around the world. This year’s theme was DISRUPT. Hard to say which was my favorite, and of course I didn’t take any photos. “Icebreaker” gave the illusion of a frozen canal ready for skating but also warning of the hazard of the ice breaks more common with global warming, a common sub-theme. The disruption of a flood was depicted as cars, trees, poles and such were partially submerged in a canal, and in another the colorful, high rise buildings of a major metropolis were partially submerged.. Near the Amsterdam Zoo, luminous eyes of various colors flashed among the “darkest of dark” trees and bushes, and elsewhere seven bright blue butterflies rose and fell with the water illustrating the Butterfly Effect.
The next morning Ana graciously drove me to the airport for my flight to Warsaw (WAW) which was uneventful. Steve (board member of long standing), Jim (board member candidate) and I grouped at the Marriott Courtyard across the driveways from the airport. We were to meet Piotr, our driver there. However, someone new greeted us, and it took a few seconds to recognize Grzegorz, the Center’s new president and our designated driver that day.
Since we decided to forego our traditional stop in Piaczeno, we took the newish motorway to Radom, then worked our way through that city to the roadway toward Sandomierz. If Polish pottery was going to be purchased, it would have to be done in Sandomierz. We interrupted the trip for obiad (dinner) at a restaurant familiar to Grzegorz. A chance to chat informally and get to know each other better over good Polish food — źurek (sour rye soup with hard boiled egg halves and kiełbasa bits) for me. Steve, Jim and I were having dinner with Hala and family that night. ‘Nuff said about not overeating at lunch.
Weather was Polish winter, mostly overcast, chilly and damp — and dark by 3:30 in the afternoon. Dinner at Hala’s was typical Hala — delicious and too much. Of course, we sampled her husband Michał’s newest liqueurs. All quite tasty although I declined to taste the one made from green walnuts; it smelled awful but Steve said the taste was okay. Because I knew the Center would load me down with “stuff” (candy, books, meeting papers), I tried to decline to bring some home. Michał’s surprising reply was, “What about Glenn? Maybe he would like something.” I think he’s finally accepted Glenn. I graciously accepted a bottle of raspberry liqueur that I’d enjoyed and Michał had filled into the moonshine jug I’d brought him.
Marcin, Hala and Michał’s son, and his wife and toddler daughter joined us. Poor Zusia got the scare of her life when Steve leaned on the empty chair next to him, it collapsed and he fell to the floor. No injuries but one screaming child and one embarrassed man. In his defense, Hala showed us how the back chair legs are closer together than the front, making the chair somewhat unstable. This wasn’t the first to break.
As previously arranged, Steve, Jim and I met with Grzegorz on Thursday afternoon to discuss the state of the transition to a new leader. Grzegorz took over in August, an outsider and a man after 25 years of Hala and the last couple, Anna. First, we drove to a new facility for persons who are mentally challenged, and sometimes physically too. The facility provides day activities, counseling, art classes, training in cooking, budgets and more as well as some housing. The aim is to prepare people for their future lives as many are dependent on their parents now. It’s a marvelous facility, and the area and country could use many more like it.
We drove to Grezgorz’s parents house where his father served us lunch. The meeting went well, and I was impressed with how open Grzegorz was about the issues he’s facing and his willingness to accept our assessments and help. We hired him to challenge the staff, to push them from their “business as usual” rut and chart a path for the future. Although the road has been a bit bumpy so far, our confidence in Grzegorz was in tact.
That evening board members gathered for dinner and catching up before the actual board meetings started. The morning session of Day One (Friday, 6 December) was quite a surprise — Grzegorz had arranged with the leaders of three municipalities to attend and sign an agreement to work together on future programs and projects. It was quite an unexpected extravaganza of slide shows and speeches and explained a lot about why Grzegorz was so busy. The afternoon saw the usual staff reports. I decided it was too difficult to try to hear the new translator who was sitting between Steve and Jim, and relied on my minimal Polish language skills and the written word.
At dinner that evening, we had three honored guests, Anna, Hala and Ewa, our former translator. Thank yous and toasts abounded as we said good bye to long-term colleagues — Anna and Hala to retirement and Ewa to her ever-growing translation business.
As is my custom in Sandomierz, I only ate half of most foods that were served. Portions are always too big and when it comes to the Friday banquet, I know that 10 minutes after coffee is served, kolacja (supper) will come out. That means a delightful and vast array of prepared salads, cold cuts and cheeses, herring, breads, cakes and vodka. I didn’t stay long after kolacja was put out as I was beat and I didn’t need more food.
The formal board meeting saw the professor’s official departure from the board. Czesław, a tenured professor at the Kraków agricultural university, and I sparred frequently, but as with other differences of opinion on the board, we all supported the final solution or decision. I’m going to miss him; he was a worthy opponent. Jim joined us as his replacement. Steve will complete his service in June, and Barbara (an ag professor recommended by Czesław) will replace him. We had met her and agreed she is a good choice, but I was floored that the professor nominated a woman. That’s an area we often debated. I told Ryszard J., our chair, that I have three potential candidates for my spot next December, and board member Krystyna has a woman she suggested to take Ryszard M.’s place in December. OMG, the Center Board could have three female members out of seven.
Usually whenever I get a chance, I go outside for a walk, to get some fresh air and to shop. I buy for and mail KinderEggs to Spike and Jonah in Boston, get postcards and stamps for my “kids’ list,” and buy undies at a little shop that carries a brand I like. For whatever reason, I barely left Hotel Basztowy this trip. In addition to being chilly, it was very windy — maybe that’s why. Or maybe I decided that I shouldn’t spend money. Who knows?
I made up for that over the weekend in Puławy where I stayed at Ewa’s. The walking, not the shopping. We went to the nearby spa town of Nałęczów on Sunday and walked and talked and walked and talked — and had lunch at Wedel, the Polish candy company cafe. I overcame my desire for a hot chocolate, a Wedel specialty that I look forward too. See, I told you this whole trip was weird. Me, foregoing rich dark chocolate. Go figure.
Took a bus — well, actually an over-sized but comfortable van — from Puławy to Warsaw on Monday afternoon. The van’s terminus was near Pałac Kultury i Nauki (Palace of Culture and Science), Warsaw’s ugliest building, and from there I caught a taxi to Dorota’s. Rush hour in Warsaw rivals that in any big US city — bumper to bumper cars, buses, vans all vying for the “fast lane,” whatever that is.
Later but still 17 December 2019 (gotta love west-east travel), Detroit-Wayne International Airport (DTW), Detroit, Michigan, USA
Relatively uneventful transatlantic flight after a good night’s sleep at the hotel. I flew from Warsaw yesterday and treated myself to the Sheraton that is right across the streets from the airport. Got to my room and tried to check in with my flight, but my Mac didn’t like the hotel’s free wi-fi. So I hustled back to the airport and used one of their self-service machines to check in and get my boarding passes. Also tried to pay close attention to how I worked my way to Departures 2 Sky Priority through the huge shopping area that I have to navigate from where I’d entered the terminal. Got in some good, long walks.
Now, back to my story …
Story-wise, it’s Monday, 9 December. I have the codes to enter Dorota’s building, just not a key to the flat. I’d sent her a text from Puławy, and she’d told me that Franek, their son, would be home when I arrived. I think she wanted him to practice his English. He was and we did. “How was school today?” I asked. “So so,” he replied.
One of my favorite Polish foods is dill pickle soup. I can see your eyes rolling, but it’s delicious and Dorota makes a fantastic version. She left me a pot of that to heat and enjoy, which I did, along with some good Polish chleb (bread). I was in hog heaven. Doubly so as I had a new bed. I generally sleep on a mattress on the floor in Dorota’s husband Jacek’s office. A perfectly fine arrangement. But Franek had donated his bed which was moved into my spot. Made getting out of bed in the morning much, much easier.
A bit of background. Dorota was my first Polish teacher in Peace Corps training, and Małgościa was head of the language training program. They started IKO to teach Polish to foreigners more than 20 years ago. Besides individual and group classes in and around their central Warsaw office, they provide Polish to students at the newish university started by some Turkish investors. Dorota does much of the work on the university program, including teaching occasionally. Right now she’s teaching in a town more than an hour away. She arrived home tired and hungry and worried.
Just before I arrived, Dorota had tried to arrange dinner with a mutual American friend who prefers to remain unnamed. And said friend informed Dorota that she had just been diagnosed with some form of lung cancer that had already metastasized. Dorota didn’t totally understand, but our friend was awaiting a call back from the doctor about when she’d go to the hospital for more tests. Oh, Dorota also told me that our friend had reconnected with her high school boyfriend, and he’d acquired his very first passport and was in Warsaw with her. Wedding talk was in the air.
Between texts and calls, we got a little more information, offered to go to the hospital with our friend and waited. I asked about getting a second opinion at Mayo, and she agreed. The hardest part of that day was waiting seven hours until the work day started in Minnesota. I called my contact there, provided details and gave him my email address. Later he emailed info and instructions for getting an appointment, which I passed on to my friend. I also contacted my friend/translator Ewa who now has a specialty in medical translation; she’s available when needed.
In the midst of this, on Tuesday I made quick trip to the big shopping mall near Dorota’s to buy KinderEggs for Jonah and Spike, two of my “adopted” grandsons (their dad and I were Peace Corps volunteers together). Also got a few for my two older granddaughters, Sara and Emma. Callie is way too young for something as small as the prize inside the egg.
And I got together for dinner with my Peace Corps counterpart Krzysztof whom I haven’t seen in almost 20 years! He and my late son Peter had become friends when Peter stayed with me for five months in 1995-96. We spent a couple of hours talking, and I learned about his marriage, divorce (shocker), teenaged daughter (bigger shock), girlfriend and several long-term jobs. Last time I saw him he was with a mobile phone provider, now he’s in the automotive parts business, both a long way from our days at a regional chamber of commerce in Nowy Sacz. Krzysztof looks much the same and has the same smile and way about him that I remember. We’ll definitely get together again.
On Wednesday I returned to the mall to meet my former business partner Lynn. We walked to a nearby Italian cafe for lunch. Lynn, her husband and their two younger kids are back living in Warsaw; the older son is in college in the US. They divide their time between Poland and Florida. It was fun to touch base and catch up. Lynn is still Lynn, which is good.
I spent much of Thursday with my friend at the hospital. She’d checked into the best hospital for lung diseases. Instead of the biopsy that was scheduled, they removed a small lymph node. I had a chance to meet her local doc, a pulmonologist with excellent English language skills AND great bedside manner. He was straightforward, answering questions honestly and with compassion, reminding her the final diagnosis wasn’t in yet. I liked him a lot; reminded me of my son Peter’s ophthalmic surgeon at Mayo.
Friday morning I touched base with my no-name-please friend. She would leave the hospital later in the day, diagnosis would be given on Tuesday. She was still hoping to return to the US for the holidays on 19th as planned and booked. Lest you think this was the only bad news of my trip, I learned that another friend’s alcohol problem has escalated so seriously that it’s affecting her work. And another friend had been hospitalized twice earlier in the year with no clear diagnosis yet. Did I say this trip was more downer than upper? Anyway …
Halinka, formerly of the Center in Sandomierz, knows how much I love Śliwki Czekoladowy (chocolate covered prunes) and gave me a half kilo for Christmas, way too much for me. So I packed three each into small padded envelopes addressed to US friends who also enjoy this Polish sweet. I also boxed the boys’ KinderEggs and mailed the box in a padded envelope. (Using these envelopes means I don’t have to fill out customs form!) It’s our semi-annual challenge to see if the KinderEggs are delivered (they’re illegal in the US). For mailing, I decided to use the post office nearest to Dorota’s, rather than schlepp to the main Poczta in the center of town. I’d passed the PO directional sign many times and decided to follow it. The tiny post office had a helpful clerk and no line. What more could I ask? Dispatched everything and parted with about $30 in postage.
That done, I walked to the taxi rank and caught a cab to Iza’s place. Soon we were off to Nowy Sacz in her snazzy new red car. With an influx of EU money, Poland has upgraded its roadway infrastructure tremendously. We were on four-lane divided freeway from Warsaw to Kraków, and the roadway through the mountains to Nowy Sacz was waaaaay better than when I lived there.
27 December 2019, Pittsburgh PA USA
As you can see, my relaxed (read: lazy) blogging habit hasn’t improved with the new site. I’ve been home, celebrated Christmas Eve at Glenn’s younger daughter’s and Christmas Day at his older daughter’s and basked in the joy of children’s glee as they rip into Christmas presents. These holidays are so much more fun with kids around!
Back to my Poland trip … it’s the weekend of 13-15 December
I’ve known Iza since Peace Corps, but only a few years ago learned that her mother’s family was from Nowy Sacz where I was a PCV. We’d visited back then and she reconnected with some cousins. We spent this weekend with one, Bozena, a widow with adult children. The weekend was perfect in many ways — Bozena was such a gracious hostess and so forgiving of my poor Polish. Since she doesn’t speak English, I spent the weekend using my limited vocabulary, even more limited grammar and paying close attention when Iza and Bozena were talking … and I went to bed exhausted each night. We ate, of course, because this is Poland and guests must be well fed. Bozena made fresh whole trout for obiad before we walked on Saturday. I had forgotten how wonderful trout from the local streams can be.
We had great walking weather, crisp but mostly sunny dry, and we did a lot of walking. On Saturday we walked all the way from the town square to where I used to live to a mall across the river and back to where we’d parked the car — more than two hours in all. Sunday, before driving back to Warsaw, we walked along the river levee for almost an hour. It might be December and it might get dark too early, but I’ll take this kind of weather anytime.
Back in Warsaw, I checked into the MDM, an updated old hotel that I’ve stayed in many times over the years. In the old days I’d find a bunch of mimeographed business cards under my door, as did every other hotel guest.
Short aside for funny story. Jim, board candidate who was my original project manager on the Center project, and I were in Warsaw on business and stayed at the MDM. We agreed that I’d knock on his door when I was ready to go to dinner. But I knocked on the wrong door, and a highly cologned man answered and was completely flummoxed to see almost 50, ordinary me and not his young, svelte hire-a-date. Oops.
Back on track … I walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner, then settled into reorganizing my luggage for the overnight in AMS and trip home. I wasn’t going to schlepp a carryon in DTW. My flight wasn’t until noonish the next day so no need for a wake up call. I had a leisurely breakfast with lots of the MDM’s good coffee, then taxied to the airport.
Uneventful flight to AMS, overnight at Sheraton and flight to DTW. Long layover again. Walked the length of the airport three times but couldn’t manager more. I was too pooped since I hadn’t slept all night. Uneventful flight to PIT and a grinning Glenn was waiting for me and already had my suitcases. Big hugs, many kisses. I was home.
And that’s my story and I’m sticking to it, as my late mom used to say. (I think she stole it from an old song.)
Hello All from Suzi 