travel | matching tracksuits

Afternoon at the Lake

Saturday 20 August 2016 | 0 Comments

I wouldn't know about them but for the Olympics, which have put in us in front of the television more than usual lately, but State Farm has been apparently hiring known musicians to embed their "Like a good neighbor" in one of their stylized creations. Clever, I guess, but it's a meaningless ad if you don't have good neighbors. We have great neighbors, and we spent the afternoon at the lake with them today.

E has been eyeing our neighbor's boat for years, and Mr. F has been promising to take him out on the boat for ages. Today was the day. Mrs. P, who works at E's preschool, told us that he's been talking about today's outing for the whole week. "Everyone knows he's going out on the boat with Mr. F," she laughed.

When we arrived, everyone went straight into the water while Mr. F went to put the boat in the water. The plan was simple: swim, lunch, boat ride.

The first part of it went fine. They even managed to slip a short boat ride in just before lunch.

But then the rain began and intensified and it was fairly clear fairly quickly that we weren't going on another boat ride. The thunder began and it became clear that we weren't even going back into the water.

So it's a good thing the kids got the short boat ride in before lunch.

I was talking to the Boy about it, wondering how he'd take it. I tried to set things up to ease the reality of going home sooner than expected.

"But we're big boys and not really upset about it, right?"

"Yep."

"Because we can't control the weather, right?"

"Nope, can't control the weather."

If only all disasters were so easily averted.

Stone Mountain Vacation

Saturday 30 July 2016 | 0 Comments

Georgia Aquarium

The first stop was the Georgia Aquarium, reportedly the biggest in the world with over ten million gallons of water in their various tanks. The kids were fascinated with most of it, but the highlight was the dolphins, both in their display and during the dolphin show. With the way the trainers were hugging and kissing the dolphins between the tricks, it was surprising the kids were begging for a pet dolphin afterward. Instead, they were begging for a stuffed dolphin at the over-priced gift shop.

"We can order one online and it will be cheaper," K and I explained to no avail. They had already decided: they would split the cost between them and buy the dolphin, sharing it for all eternity.

We all knew where that was headed...

Stone Mountain Day 1

We arrived at Stone Mountain on Tuesday, which would have technically been our first day, but we spent the evening setting up camp and fixing dinner, so I don't count it as day one here. The first full day at the park was packed: the line park (such as it was -- nothing in comparison to the challenge of the line park in Babcia's region) followed by a train ride, a trip to the top of the mountain (which is the largest deposit of granite in the world, with only 1% visible -- the rest of the deposit stretches ten miles into the earth and spreads to five states under the visible ground), and the famed laser show in the evening.

Stone Mountain Day 2

The second full day got off to a slow start due to the late hour we all made it to bed after the laser show. But somehow, I look at the pictures I'd loaded earlier and think, "Wait, these are from when we returned Friday, the final day, day three." So what of day two? Not sure -- such is the nature of a good vacation: it all blurs together in one's mind.

Lake Jocassee

Sunday 20 September 2015 | 0 Comments

Day Trip to Charleston

Sunday 06 September 2015 | 0 Comments

The Yorktown at Patriot's Point

USS Clamagore

Isle of Palms

Return

Saturday 01 August 2015 | 0 Comments

Routines, it turns out, are easily formed. It only takes a few mornings of waking alone, eating breakfast alone while glancing through the news on the Internet and sipping coffee, and enjoying the peace of a quiet morning. Only a few mornings of this and it becomes a new routine, replacing the old. On the other hand, it only takes one morning of noisy breakfast preparation, of kids laughing, fussing, and playing—only one morning and everything returns back to normal. The Saturday morning ritual conversation with Babcia through Skype, with the kids downstairs while I sit upstairs reading the news and sipping coffee, falls back into place as if we'd been doing it all summer.

Another Day in the Valley

Wednesday 29 July 2015 | 0 Comments

To the Forest

Tuesday 28 July 2015 | 0 Comments

Berries and Soldiers

Monday 27 July 2015 | 0 Comments

Approahing Floriańska

Sunday 26 July 2015 | 0 Comments

As you emerge from the tunnel that passes under the intersection of Westerplatte, Pawia, Baszowa, and Lubicz streets in Krakow, you emerge into a green park that surrounds the old city center. All tourists who arrive from a train or a bus must walk this way, and it's the logical place for buskers, solicitors, and beggars to line the wide sidewalk and compete for attention. There's always an accordion player or three along the way, numerous students working for a few extra groszy by handing out fliers, and beggars. One tends to grow accustomed to them all. "Dziękuję," you learn to say politely and briskly to the students who are near enough that you can't simply ignore. The buskers merge with the city traffic and the general conversation to form an ignorable element of the soundtrack, unless a given performer is really gifted. And the beggars: they're everywhere. The conscience hardens, especially when you suspect their motives. (Beginning in the nineties, some younger beggars were more honest, holding placards that simply read "Piwo" with "Beer" possibly scratched underneath for foreigners.)

But some of them get to you.

Last week, as we were walking the kids towards the old city center, we passed by an elderly woman sprawled on the sidewalk, her hands shaking violently and her medicines spread out in front of her.

"Why is she shaking?" L asked.

"She's sick, honey," K replied.

We took a few more steps and realized what we'd done.

"Here," I said, giving L a couple of five-zloty coins. "Go take this to her."

The Girl grabbed the Boy by the shoulders. "Come on, E," she said solemnly. They went back and clanked the two coins into the small metal box that held a handful of change. Hopefully, a small, quiet lesson for them.