Catch Up and Poland

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Sorry that it has been a while since my last entry. I have been busy traveling and thinking. It has been an eye opening experience traveling with my dad. It is interesting to see how many similar traits we have in common. Some are good and some are eh. I am working on being a kinder, patience, and more understanding person. Always good to realize this sooner than later.

Okay, back to my travels. The rest of the sites we say were the Novodevichy Cemetery where Khruchev is burried, the convent next dor, a Russian market where they sell a lot of trinkets, Lenins tomb which was sureal (felt like he could get up at any time and walk away becuase he is preserved so well), the Great Patriotic War Museum (touching hall that has 2.6 milion crystal pendants hanging from the ceiling by gold chains signifying the lives lost in WW II that lead to a room wher a woman was holding a dead soldier's body), the Armory in the Kremlin (housed hundreds of gold and silver dishes, jewelry, carriages, dresses, Faberge Eggs....), and Tolstoy's Estate in Moscow (I really enjoyed visiting since I have read one of his books, Anna Karenina).

Dad wanted to have to to the airport early, but we made it just in time. We arrived at the gate and people were just exiting from the flight. After we boarded, we found out that the plane had a flat tire and that there might not be an extra time. After an hour and a half they found a tire and SAS borrowed Luftansa's mechanics to change the tire. Three plus hours later we were on our way.

Our connection to Warsaw was lost, but we spen thte night in Copenhagen at a nice hotel with good food. I was so happy to have a break form having to figure out which bus to take and what side of the street to find it on. I was soo happy to eat a tasty dinner as I found the food in Russia to be less than desired and restraurants hard to find.

It was so nice to stay in a business hotel in Copenhagen and have seperate rooms with a tv, a private shower, and comfortable beds. Ah, a nice break form out vacation.

Russia is a beautiful country, but it would be more enjoyable if I knew the language. It was more difficult to travel in Russia than in China. I missed the little things like toliet paper and soap in bathrooms, people smiling at me (when we ate dinner in Copenhagen a guy smiled at me and I thought it was strange, but he was just being nice).

Poland was breath of fresh air. The people are nice and actually go out of their way to help you, the food is good, and life is slower. A great change of pace.

Today we ate a great lunch. I had clead dumpling soup and pork loin with mushrom sauce. After lunch we went to the Warsaw Historical Museum which was very interesting. It contained many displays of the history of Warsaw from its beginings to the early 1990's. The WW II exhibit were eye opening and I can understand why many Poles do not care for the Germans and Russians.

Dad and I decided to head the the "Castle" in the middle of old town. It was a nice display of rooms dating back to the 1770's. Warsaw was leveled in WW II, so the Castle and all had to be rebuilt. Most everything were replicas, but it was beautiful.

After a long last two days, Dad and I unwound with a couple of beers. It was my first time drinking with my dad.and was a lot of good converstaion. I decided that we were hungry and we went back to the place where we ate lunch. Dad had soup and a shrimp and pea salad while I had a steak. Food never tasted so good in my life!

It has been great receiving emails from those that wrote. Thank you. It is always nice hearing from people back in the states.

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