Family

G is for Grażyna

Grażyna is the daughter of Dad’s oldest living brother, my Uncle Włodek.  He lives in Zgorzelec, and this post just seemed to follow on naturally from that one.  Grażyna was born in Zgorzelec, but when she contacted me, one of the first of my 26 Polish cousins to do so, I was astounded to find that she was living here in England, in Norfolk, with her husband and 3 sons.  Jarek is a boat builder by trade, and has built his own beautiful little sailing boat, so whenever they can, they go sailing on the Broads.

Mariusz, learning boating skills from an early age

And having fun with younger brother, Arek!

Norfolk isn’t exactly on our doorstep, but it’s much closer than Poland, so we’ve had the opportunity to get together a few times.  They came to the North East for Dad’s 80th birthday, soon after he was reunited with his Polish family.  We went exploring Norfolk with them the following year.  And their visit when the Tall Ships were here in 2010 was a fabulous occasion never to be forgotten.

Alexander von Humbolt by Tony Dowson

Last night fireworks by Tony Dowson

We met up again in Zakopane, in Poland, for the occasion of Adam and Marta’s Silver Wedding.  That was my first opportunity to properly meet Grażyna’s brother Wojtek and his family, who live in Wrocław.  We had great fun entertaining the six youngsters in the hotel gardens in Poronin.

They don’t have too many opportunities to get together, but last year Wojtek and son Mateusz came to Norfolk to celebrate Grażyna’s two youngest boys First Communion.  We arranged then that my niece Basia, Wojtek’s oldest daughter, would come and stay with me here in Hartlepool this summer.  Of course, I got to stay with them in Wrocław first.  More than a fair exchange!

After the First Communion, Grazyna, Rafal, Mateusz, Jarek, Arek and Mariusz

Dad, the priest, and Grazyna’s family

So that’s how we came to be together again with Grażyna, just briefly, this August.  She came to collect Basia for her first visit to Norfolk, and return home to Poland. Our get togethers are always very emotional, but we have a lot of fun too.  We all love the sea and boats, and we have an excellent free museum, perfect for those not so sunny days.  The Museum of Harlepool was the source of lots of mirth, as well as painlessly imparted knowledge.

We went to the beach first, but rain stopped play

Not before we’d created the SS Polska gunboat though

So, the Museum of Hartlepool it was :

Father Mariusz and Father Arek search for suitable gowns for their mission

A nautical look might be better for Arek, affectionately known as “Blondie”

We weren’t sure if this was a good look, but Mariusz liked it.

And there was no way to keep Arek out of the act!

They were more themselves in a boat, of course

Grażyna is a loving and wonderful mother, and she makes the most delicious cakes.  She brought a huge carob cake with her this trip and it was gone in a blink.  She is also the most affectionate of cousins.

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to watch this new family of mine growing up.  If you’re not familiar with Dad’s story it’s told in more detail here.

This post is part of my personal A-Z of Poland.  The idea was Julie Dawn Fox’s and I am indebted to her for the opportunity to share my Polish story with you.  If you would like to join in, you can find the details on this link, or the banner below.

Z is for Zgorzelec and Zakopane

I expect some of you have heard of Zakopane, in the Tatry Mountains in Poland?  Zgorzelec, maybe not, but it is a town of great significance for me.  It’s the home of my Uncle Włodek, whom I was lucky enough to visit this Summer.

River Neisse links the twin towns of Zgorzelec and Gorlitz

Until 1945 Zgorzelec and Görlitz were one town, with a shared history.  Görlitz (or Gorlice, as it was then known) was founded in 1354 by German settlers.  In the 13th century it became rich due to its location on the Via Regia.  This former trade route is one of the oldest in Europe, and reached from Kiev to Santiago de Compostela.  The town became a cultural centre, led by mystic and theologian Jakob Böhme, who inspired progressive thinkers like Goethe.

I don’t pretend to understand the complications involved, but the town has since been part of Bohemia, Saxony and Silesia.  At the end of World War 2, which scattered families like my Dad’s far and wide, the Rivers Neisse and Oder were established as the border between Poland and East Germany, and the town was split apart.   The German part retained the name Görlitz, and the Polish part became Zgorzelec.

Riverside cafe in Zgorzelec

Riverside cafe in Zgorzelec

Peterskirche across the river in Gorlitz

I have to admit to a degree of fascination with this divided town, and I had never before set foot in Germany, so I was delighted when a visit to uncle’s home presented me with the opportunity.  I didn’t really know what to expect as I approached the Old Town Bridge.  Certainly not the 5-tier grain elevator, emblazoned with the effigy of a face and palm.  It was designed to represent an Artistic Image of a United Europe.

The grain elevator with its symbol of unity

The elevator and St. Peter and Pauls

The bridge itself was blown up by the retreating Germans in 1945, but has been replaced with a modern steel structure, reuniting the towns.  Peterskirche, or the church of St. Peter and Paul, is a mighty building, dating from 1230.  It is famous for its sun organ, depicting 18 suns among its pipes.

Old Town bridge and Zgorzelec, seen from St. Peter’s

The atmosphere changes completely as you step off the bridge into the cobbled streets of Görlitz, and are at once in “Bavaria” as I had always imagined it.  I pause to pick up a street map and my ears struggle with the unfamiliar sound of the German language.  A street festival is in full swing, complete with oompah music.  You can get a flavour of it from Collectibles, which I wrote for Jakesprinter’s Sunday Post.

Don’t you love the pastel colours?

And the eyes in the roof!

Such pretty architecture

In such wonderful shades

A sunny shopper’s paradise

But what a strange place to have a bath!

In any event, Görlitz was a delightful place to spend a few hours, and there was more to see, but the main purpose of my visit was to see my uncle.  Włodek’s wife Janina died just a few months ago, and it was the first time he had “entertained” on his own.  He could not do enough for us, and was proud to show off his domestic skills.  These included his homemade sour cherry jam, putting me to shame.

Dad (left) and Uncle

The famous jam, niece Basia, Dad, me, cousin Wojtek and his wife Agnieszka

After all that, Zakopane may seem like an anticlimax, but it definitely wasn’t.  I was there in September 2009 for the occasion of my cousin Adam’s Silver Wedding celebration.  Sadly I don’t have many photos to share.  You’ve guessed it!  I was too busy eating, drinking and dancing my legs off.

Zakopane at night, from Wikipedia Commons

Zakopane is known primarily as a ski resort but is extensively used as a hiking centre in the Summer too.  Just 20 kms south of Krakow, it sits in an area of national park and outstanding natural beauty.

I was there before the snows had arrived, but was happy to take the funicular railway zooming 1388 metres up Mt. Gubalowka for the panoramic views.  The top of the mountain is one enormous playground.  There are a variety of stalls selling woolly mittens, socks and hats, all in a riot of colours.  Smokey mountain grilled cheese can be washed down with grzane wino, heady local mulled wine.  Sideshows attract the young at heart, who can also whizz down the slope on a metal toboggan ride.  Adventurous types teeter in the trees on an aerial wire.  And all to a background of spectacular beauty.

If you’re interested my guide on http://www.simonseeks.com/travel-guides/zakopane-fun-snow__118121 will give you a more complete picture.  I’ll focus here on family.

Adam, wife Marta and a neighbour at the Silver Wedding celebration

The church in Poronin where their wedding vows were reconsecrated

Dangling among the trees (no, not me!)

Michael, me, Adam, and Lynne and George, who came all the way from Canada

So that’s me at the tail end of my personal alphabet of Poland.  Of course, I have a few gaps to fill in, but Julie Dawn Fox, whose idea this A-Z challenge is, doesn’t seem to mind.  And my lovely friend, Frizz, knows much more about Germany than I ever will.  The ZZZ Challenge is up this week so check that out too!  Click on the links or the banner below for more information.

Sunday Post : Collectibles

Having just returned from Wrocław with over 300 photos, you could say that I collect photographs!  However it’s wonderful of Jake to unexpectedly present me with the opportunity to display some of them with his theme for this week, Collectibles.

My uncle Włodek lives in the Polish town of Zgorzelec, snuggled so closely to the border with Germany that it has a counterpart across the River Neisse, in Gorlitz.  The two are one, but divided by language and a boundary.  On Saturday morning when we went to explore this curiosity, it transpired that there was a large market in process, and the following caught my eye.

Don’t you love this pottery?

Or maybe this style?

With a tealight? Delicious!

Motyli – butterflies.  I don’t know what they are in German?

Something more for the garden?

 

Or maybe him? He’s looking pensive.

 

While the horse looks patiently on.

I have to confess, I love pottery and spent happy minutes just browsing.  When it comes to collecting, though, my real vice is postcards.  I filled a suitcase with them, and when it was overflowing, decided enough was enough.  But I still gaze longingly at postcard stands.

So much “stuff” we collect!  One of my nieces came back to England with me and we were looking in the local museum yesterday.  The teddy bear collection was everybody’s favourite.  Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear -what would life be without them?

Many thanks again to Jake for presenting yet another opportunity to share my world.  I’m late this week (for good reason) but maybe you’d like to join in next week?  The details are all on Jakesprinters home page.

Sunday Post : Valuable

Jakesprinter’s theme for his Sunday Post this week is “Valuable” and I’ve held off posting what came immediately to mind.  It’s still with me and it’s Tuesday already, so I’m going with it.

Michael on the land train at Barril

There absolutely isn’t anything in life more valuable to me than my husband.  Ok, I can hear the groans, but we’re not soppy (well I might be tempted to be, but he most certainly is not).  Please don’t tell him, or let him see this post.  He’s a reserved kind of guy and would be highly embarassed.  Who can blame him?  The blogging wife must be a constant hazard.

I grumble and moan about his deficiencies, but in truth, most of the deficiencies are mine.  He is my rock, and yet, my playmate too.  We’ve weathered many a storm together, and no doubt will have to fend off more.  I picture myself the great world traveller, and he, the anchor, dragging along reluctantly in the sand.  Still, I cannot imagine my world without him.

Michael in “A Taska”, one of our favourite Tavira restaurants.

When set free to roam, I am as happy as that sand boy.  It is in my nature and I cannot change it.  But I would never underestimate the value of the man who welcomes me home.

Thanks Jake, for giving me the opportunity to say this.  I love your challenges.  They make me think, and also appreciate what I have.

To join in with the challenges, click on Jake’s link, or on the flying dragon logo.  It’s superb, isn’t it?

E is for Eagle, “elokwentny” and Edyta

It’s taken me so long to get around to my next Polish A-Z post, the letter E.  Lots of interesting things got in the way, but here I am- good to go!

Tapestry of the Polish and Lithuanian Coats of Arms circa 1555, from Wikipedia Commons

Isn’t this a beautiful tapestry?  I saw many in the collection in Wawel Castle in Kraków, but not this one.  You may have noticed that I use the Polish Eagle in the logo for my personal A-Z of Poland?  I thought I’d tell you a little about it.

Orzeł Biały – The White Eagle

The White Eagle is the national coat of arms of Poland.  It is a stylised bird with golden beak and talons, and wearing a golden crown, on a red shield.  What species of eagle it is remains the subject of dispute.  The symbol of an eagle appeared for the first time on coins made during the reign of Bolesław 1 (992-1025), and has been adapted many times throughout Poland’s tumbling history.  Down the ages it has appeared on shields, coins, ensigns and seals.

Through numerous partitions of Poland, the eagle has clung on, sometimes accompanied by the Lithuanian symbol, Pahonia.  After World War 2 the communist authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland deemed the crown “reactionary”, and had it removed from the eagle’s head.  Still Poland remained the only Eastern Bloc country with no communist symbols on either its flag or coat of arms.  After the fall of communism in 1989 the crown, of course, returned.

From the seal of Przemysl 2nd, 1295

Coat of arms from Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Polish coat of arms 1919-1927

Coat of arms from the November Uprising

People’s Republic of Poland 1945-1989, without the crown

Current coat of arms, since 1990

There is a rather charming legend associated with the White Eagle.  Long, long ago three brothers, Lech, Czech and Rus, left their overcrowded village in search of a new home.  They rode for many miles, over mountains and rivers and through thick forests, till they reached uninhabited, wild terrain.  At the top of a mountain crest they separated, each taking a different direction.  Lech continued straight ahead, finally reaching a beautiful meadow, with a lake at its centre.

Just then an eagle swooped low and returned to its nest, high on a rocky crag.  As it spread its wings in the setting sun, the tips appeared golden and the bird purest white.  Enchanted, Lech declared that this was where he would make his future home.  He named it Gniezno, after the eagle’s nest.  He and his people built many houses.  They called themselves Polonians, meaning “People of the Field”, and flew a red banner with a white eagle over the rooftops.  Gniezno became the first historical capital of Poland, and Bolesław 1’s coronation took place in the cathedral in 1024.

A modern day view of Gniezno- a nice place to set up home?

Gniezno Cathedral by night (both photos from Wikipedia Commons)

Today the eagle adorns many public buildings, the reverse of Polish coins, and the shirts of the national football team.  Grateful thanks to Wikipedia for the selection of coats of arms and much of the information.

Elokwentny

There are few words in Polish beginning with the letter “e”, but one of my favourites is elokwentny, meaning, of course, eloquent.  It is my heartfelt desire to become eloquent in the Polish language.

Edyta

I think Edyta is a lovely name, and it’s one that I’d never heard of before meeting my Polish neice.  Remember the young lady with the rabbit, from my A is for Aunts post?  This is how she looked on Dad’s recent visit to Poland.

Growing up before my very eyes.

Once again I need to give credit to Julie Dawn Fox, whose idea the personal A-Z challenge is.  Do any of you want to describe your homeland, or a hobby or enthusiasm, by way of the challenge?  The details are all in the link or the banner below.

Wedding photos

I recently passed on the Kreativ Blogger award to Cath of lizzierosejewellery.  It was her first award and her delighted response was immediate.  One of the lovely things she shared about herself set me reminiscing.  She married at 19, and wore her mum’s wedding dress.  I would love to see a photo of Cath’s special occasion, and thinking of all the wonderful friends I’ve made in the blogging world, I thought that it would be fabulous to see photos of their wedding day too.

Me and Mick at St Luke’s Church, 12th August, 1989

The “little uns” are all grown now, some with families of their own

So I’ve started you off with mine. We had a wonderful day with family and friends.  Sadly some are no longer with us.  Mam lived just long enough to see me happily married and to hold her grandson, James.  She was always camera shy and you won’t see her here.  My Lisa inherited her curly hair.

Me and Mick

Confetti! My stepmum Laura is no longer with us.

Whoops- my “tiara” fell off! Lisa couldn’t help but laugh.

I love the black and whites.  I always enjoy looking back at my wedding photos.  I’m hoping you won’t disappoint me and I’ll get a chance to look at yours too.  Good idea?  Everybody loves a wedding.

Kreativly tagged!

Such a lucky lady I’m feeling today.  I’ve been given the Kreativ Blogger Award by Sam of Two Black Dogs  I’ve often admired this logo in other people’s sidebars.  Now, if I can just remember how to put it there, I’ll be able to admire my own!

I had a thoroughly good time reading the blogs of my fellow nominees and have made some lovely new friends, so thank you Sam, both for the award and for putting me in such good company.  Sam blogs very appealingly about dogs (of course!) and “other things she loves”, so off you go and take a look.

As is traditional, I now have to share 7 things about me, and nominate 7 other Kreativ bloggers.

1. “Can we just go to the NEXT corner?” has been my gambit on family holidays for years.  They’re ahead of me now though, and usually either turn back when it suits them or sit down, pointedly, and wait.

2.  My need to try something new when presented with a menu has led to some serious disappointments.  Starving hungry one evening in Italy I looked aghast at a dish of sea creatures in their shells sitting in a dish of tomato sauce.  Not my kind of thing at all, Michael with his “safe” choice smugly looked on while I dipped bread in the sauce.  Much worse the time I walked him and son James for miles across Lisbon, seeking out a recommended Chinese restaurant.  We passed several and each time they would stop, eye up the menu, and say “this one looks ok”.  Not good enough, it had to be this specific restaurant, so when I ordered crab curry they definitely had the last laugh when I was presented with a bowl full of legs, and couldn’t eat a bite!

3.  I’m a pretty average cook, and fly into a complete panic if I have to entertain.

4.  Still talking culinary, we’ve had a barbecue at the house in Tavira for 8 years and only ever used it once!  I’m clueless and Michael is completely disinterested in donning a pinny.

5.  I must get some things right, I guess, because my lady friends and me have been hosting monthly “girl’s nights” for 40 years, and they still all turn up when it’s my turn to cook (or maybe they’re too inebriated to mind).

6.  I was brought up largely by my maternal grandmother, long since deceased, bless her.  Mam and Dad went their separate ways when I was quite small.

7.  I have two amazingly talented and gifted children.  Lisa has appeared before in my blog pages.  She can sew anything, basques and Victorian costumes included, and I can’t wait to see the creation she comes up with for her wedding gown.  James doesn’t sew, but he’s a mean guitarist!

This goes back such a long way- I don’t have many of the two of them together

Talking about gifted and talented people, I’m now going to turn my attention to a tag that was passed to me by Vicky…the Northern Chicky.  The pretty red tag above is her design, and if you follow the link you will see that she has presented me with some quite difficult questions.  I have to choose one to answer from eleven options, and then pose eleven new questions to my unsuspecting candidates.

Like myself, Vicky has Polish ancestry, but there the similarities end.  She lives in the USA with 5 children, and is contemplating a life changing move- compulsive reading!

Vicky’s questions were:

  • What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
  • What is the most defining moment of your life thus far?
  • Is it more important to love or be loved?
  • What’s the one thing you’d like others to remember about you at the end of your life?
  • What small act of kindness were you once shown that you will never forget?
  • Are you happy with yourself?
  • What is your most prized possession?
  • In your lifetime, what have you done that hurt someone else?
  • Right now, at this moment, what do you want most?
  • What’s something most people don’t know about you?
  • Who would you like to forgive?

Some big issues, huh?  But I’ve done enough soul searching in this post already (and probably bored you witless) so I’m going to make a flippant choice.

What’s something you know you do differently than most people?

My answer is going to be “Six word Saturday”!  My six words are almost always illustrated by a gallery of photographs.  It has been pointed out to me that I should rename my posts “Six photo Saturday”, but Cate of Show my Face gave us carte blanche to adapt our own style.  Travel is my passion and I can loose myself for hours in photos of our amazingly beautiful world.  You know what this is leading up to, don’t you?  I can never resist a few more photos of Portugal.

Casa de Alte

Water feature powered by the Fonte- the young uns love it!

Can anyone identify, please?

“Scarecrow” image, traditional on May Day

Church roof in Alte

Castro Marim

Are you still with me?  Here are my nominees for the Kreativ Blogger award.

http://travelpenandpalate.com/

http://lizzierosejewellery.wordpress.com/

http://catbirdinoman.wordpress.com/

http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/

http://stephaniecalvet.wordpress.com/

http://retireediary.wordpress.com/

http://hobbyfabulous.wordpress.com/

Wonderful photography, interesting ideas, talented people- that’s what you’ll find.

Now for my 11 questions :

1.  Which place would you most like to visit, and why?

2.  In my next incarnation, I would like to be…?

3.  Which person from history would you most like to meet and why?

4.  What has been the most exciting experience you have ever had?

5.  Have you a life lesson that you would like to share?

6.  The best meal I ever had was…?

7.  What changes would you most want to implement if you were a leading politician?

8.  The best holiday I ever had was…?

9.  The quality I most admire in a friend is…?

10.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

11.  Do you have a favourite walk, and if so where?

I’m taking a leaf out of Vicky’s book and tagging the people who comment most regularly on my blog.  If you happen to be reading this and fancy making a post out of any of these questions, you’re very welcome to join in.  Consider yourself “tagged” if you’re on this list.

http://theurgetowander.com/

http://francineinretirement.wordpress.com/

http://justasmidgen.com/

http://algarveblog.net/

http://apetcher.wordpress.com/

http://titabuds.com/

http://thismansjourney.net/

http://hferrati.wordpress.com/

http://thelaughinghousewife.wordpress.com/

http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com/

http://rlavalette.wordpress.com/

Hasn’t this been a marathon?  I daren’t even think about Francine’s “Sisterhood Award”.  I’m off now to notify everybody.  Cheery-bye!

Six word Saturday

“A Day” project- did you participate?

I’m not sure where I first saw details of the A day project but it seemed like a fun idea- people from all over the world recording their day for posterity, on May 15th.  The day dawned cold and wet, but undeterred off I went with my camera.  Take lots of photos, it said on the website www.aday.org. So I did, but then discovered that I was only allowed to upload 10!  You just know I’m going to share a few more, don’t you?

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Did anyone else submit photos?  I’d love to see the results.

Can I also use this space to say how very much I am going to miss the support and participation in the blogging world of my dear friend Sonel of Sonel’s Corner.  She has decided to take a break from blogging but I very much hope that she will be back soon.  Her blog was a real source of inspiration for me.

Thanks are due as usual to Cate of Show My Face for encouraging us to share our week in Six word Saturday.  There’s always room for new members, so why not join in?  Just click on the link or the banner above for more details.  You can read my previous posts on my Six word Saturday page.  See you next week.

 

D is for Dobry (good)

The village of Poronin, on the way to Zakopane, Tatry Mountains

Dzień dobry  (good day or good morning) must have been the first piece of Polish I ever learned.  At the time I didn’t think about it too literally, being more concerned with how to say it. (dz is pronounced like the ds in odds, according to my text book)

It wasn’t until I came to say “good evening”- dobry wieczór– that I realised the significance of dobry, meaning “good”.   You have also dobranoc- “goodnight”.  Noc is night (pronounce the c as ts) and dobra is the feminine form of dobry.

Język polski, the Polish language, is Latin based and I knew I was starting to struggle when I came to do widzenia- “goodbye”.

From the text book:   dobry = masculine, dobra = feminine and dobre = neuter

So : dobry hotel (m), dobra książka (f) and dobre mieszkanie (n)

Good hotel, good book and good flat

In conversation, I kept hearing dobrze and dobra, appearing to mean “good” as in “ok” or “alright” but hadn’t a clue when to use which.  You’ve realised by now that I do a lot of head nodding and smiling, with a bemused expression, when in Poland.

Just to prove that I have applied myself a little, I thought it would be fun to do a Polish question and answer exercise, using photographs.

Co to jest? (What is this?)  To jest moja rodzina (This is my family)

Only a small portion of them, you understand!  Lynne and George, who live in Canada, were visiting the Tatry Mountains with us for the occasion of Adam and Marta’s Silver Wedding.  Arek is having a little fun with Lynne’s heavy handbag, containing the camcorder (out of shot).

Co to jest? (What is this?)  To jest Balon Widokowy (This is a hot air balloon- literally a “balloon with a view”

On the same holiday, Adam was keen for us all to take a ride in the Balon, soaring over Kraków from the banks of the River Vistula.

Co to jest?  To jest kościół (This is a church)

Older churches are very beautiful in Poland.  This one is similar in style to the one in Poronin where Adam and Marta reaffirmed their wedding vows.

Kto to jest? (Who is this?- spot the change?)  To jest Irena, moja kuzynka (This is Irena, my cousin)

I’m not going to get grammatical here.  Irena is my lovely cousin and the wife of Arek, who was clowning around in the group photo earlier.  They have two great youngsters, Robert and Weronika, and this is taken on their patio in Bełchatów.  Arek runs a market garden and they have a shop to sell the produce and seeds in the town market.  The handsome stranger is, of course, my Dad.  Click here to read his wonderful story.

Kto to jest?  To jest Jadwiga, moja kuzynka (Jadzia)

Me, Dad and Jadzia in her garden in Zawady.  I really am spoilt for lovely cousins.  Jadwiga and husband Andrzej have a daughter Ania and son Krzysztof.  Ania and her husband Hubert have a lively toddler Kinga, and their own self-contained flat in Jadzia’s home.  Krzysztof works in Reading with his wife Marzena.  We attended both of their weddings.

I guess it’s appropriate that Dad is heading back to Poland today and will see all of these and more.

I can’t complete this post without referring to my cousin, Dominik.  When I was considering the options for “D” he was heavily on my mind.  He died recently in tragic circumstances, still a young man, and his loss is heavily felt by the family.  Dad will be going to the cemetery to pay his respects, to Dominik and to all of the family who have gone before.

To end on a lighter note, has anyone told you about Polish cake, ciastko?  I need to say only that it is bardzo dobry– very good.  Bardzo dobry indeed.  Dad will be eating lots!

Polish cake. This is shop bought. The homemade variety is even more delicious.

Googling “dobry” (as you do?) I came across an artificially intelligent “chatbot” of the same name.  I could download him and just natter away, or even teach him simple foreign phrases.  I ask you- does that seem probable?  He’d be sure to prove more intelligent than me.

This post forms part of my personal A-Z of Poland, inspired by Julie Dawn Fox.  Follow the link, or click on the banner below, to read some very interesting posts from all around the world.  I may be late with my responses to any of you who are kind enough to read this, as I’m out of circulation for a week or so, but I will assuredly be back.  I just had to post it now because it was churning inside me.

Six word Saturday

Looking back on those golden days

It’s been a dreary week weatherwise so I haven’t been out and about as much as usual.  I’ve used the time well though and written a couple of Italian guides.  The old albums came out and took me back down Memory Lane, and I thought that you might like to come too?

Malcesine from Monte Baldo

Lake Garda was a family favourite when James was small.  Icecream, pasta and pizza- need I say more?

He was quite keen on the Power Rangers too!  Remember them?

We stayed that first year in a small family run hotel in Bardolino.  Our welcome was warm and the food memorable.  A simple tomato sauce with the pasta was the best I have ever tasted.  The tureen went round and around the dining room, till everyone was stuffed full.  You just couldn’t refuse!

Our days were spent hopping on and off ferries to explore the lakeside towns.  James especially loved the hydrofoils and his face would light up whenever he saw one.

Gardone Riviera

Limone del Garda

Castello at Sirmione

From the battlements at Sirmione

And then there was Gardaland!  Not on a par with Disney, but it was a good old family romp, with pirates, parrots and sealions.  The day ended following the procession, led by the park mascot, Prezzemolo (Parsley), a friendly green dragon.

Sunset in Bardolino

We had so much fun in Bardolino and still had lots to see, so the following year we returned to the top end of the lake, staying at Torbole.  This time we had a pool but the water was FREEZING!  James ventured in with his blow up dinghy, but I much preferred the ferries.

Torbole sul Garda

Windsurfers on Garda

A much younger Michael, lakeside at Riva del Garda

The moat at Riva

Torbole is the windsurfing centre on Lake Garda and some days the wind was quite fierce.  The surrounding scenery was spectacular however, and one day we went on a walking trip to Arco.

Spectacular Arco

James was mostly just impressed with the icecream, and playing in fountains, of course.  Another firm favourite was a tabletop game, a bit like pinball but played with a cue.  We’d seen it before in Austria.  Anyone else played it?

The following year we couldn’t possibly return to Garda again, so we went to Lake Como and lovely Bellagio instead.  More ferries to ride.  Still in love with Italy, Sorrento came next…. but perhaps I should save those memories for another day.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my Six word Saturday.  It’s all down to Cate at Show my face, who had the idea to share your week in six words. (which often lead to many more)  Go  check out her page so you can join in?  Use the link or my header above.  The button below will take you to my previous 6WS posts.  I promise to be briefer next week!