Kadyny

banqueting room, Kadyn

So we finally managed to get away from it all. I didn't even realise how much I needed a weekend break together with my family. I mean my thoughts'd often been circulating around forcing the kids into the arms of their grandmas and running away from them as far away as possible. This weekend proved how wrong I was. Now I can't wait till spring comes and we can go somewhere TOGETHER.

The whole thing got off to a bad start. We'd been stuck here for sooo long that I came out of practice as regards packing and logisticks. I was running like mad in all directions grabbing things we didn't need, clothes that didn't match, forgetting all sorts of important things. It made me so exhausted I was almost on the verge of refusing to go at all. On Saturday morning I was woken up by a terrible stomachache which evolved to diarrhea and pain so severe that I lay on the floor for fear of fainting and smashing my head ( the last thing I really needed). Strangely enough I recovered my senses before my family managed to wake up properly and was able to go, although the nausea kept coming back every now and then.

Once the boys were strapped to their seats I felt the excitement of the trip. Because dinner was planned for evening hours we decided to stop for a pizza  in our favourite place in Elblag. The kids were so excited they hardly ate anything. They played nicely together in the kids' corner and gave us the chance to the pizzas (ours and theirs). We need to get Adam a multi-storey car park for his birthday, he was so clever at using all these lifts and ramps.

Having filled our stomachs off we went to Kadyny, which is a 30min. journey from Elblag. But what a journey! This is one of the most picturesque roads I've seen in Poland but ironically no one's heard of it cause it goes through the most underdeveloped, undersubsidized and generally God forsaken areas in Poland. Nowhere else can you drive higher and higher along a narrow, winding, bumpy road in the midst of centuries old beech forest cut with deep gorges, just like in the mountains. The difference is that from the highest elevation points you can see the sea! I really love going there, especially in the summer, but even in this greyness it looked stunning. No pictures taken, unfortunately.

self-portrait in the rain

When we arrived at the hotel the boys went mad with excitement. I was amazed that Adam somehow realized that he was going to spend the night there. I've never seen these guys soo happy. Mikolaj surprised me with his social skills, I'd always believed him to be a loner, but he instantly found a friend in a boy of his own age and initiated a running competition on the dancefloor. Great! No need to worry about him!

The hotel surprised me with its interiors. I know the decor was supposed to be very old-style, and unfortunately it was, but in a bad sense. Instead of old-style it was simply old without being vintage. The rooms were very clean, the sheets starched and white, the towels (provided in abundance) were also freshly washed, but you could see that they were in use for years and lost colour and shape. I've seen much better in much cheaper hotels. Perhaps that was meant to introduce homely atmosfere? My towels are also kind of used.

on the way home

We were really sad to go back home. The weather prevented us from exploring the surroundings of Kadyny, but I know we'll be back, we liked it there a lot. On our way back home I entertained myself photographing the ugliness of Polish winter. We were so reluctant to go home that we went to see what the stadium for Euro 2012 looks like now and at what stage the construction works are. Inspection results are fine, it stands there ready to be played in!

the stadium

Encouraged by the success of our little journey and its concilliatory effect on all of us we started planning our summer holiday. We're definitely going to Chabowka to see the steam engines and perhaps we'll get some accommodation in Slovakia. It's so empty and beautiful there.