News from Poland!

I am excited to report that this weekend I made a down payment on my first home. Here is a picture of the front door:

A few things need to be sorted out before I move in, namely mortgage logistics, my education and career plans, how I will cope with living in Krakow, and what the inside looks like. But with a mosaic like that over my front door, I see everything being worth it in the end.

In other news, here is the non-pilgrimage part of this weekend’s Poland trip in bullet points, because that is all I have time for. I hope that I am not so shallow as to completely reduce my pilgrimage to a few sarcastic bullet points, but the holy-site-visiting-part was much more extensive than what follows. So here is a taste of my weekend, and hopefully I'll get around to more of the important things before the week is through.

Czestochowa:

• There’s nothing like trying to sleep on a nine hour bus ride from Gaming to Czestochowa help you get acquainted with the person sitting next to you.
• There’s also nothing like a good half mile sprint from the bus at 5:45 AM in 40 degree weather to make it to the Jasna Gora Shrine in time for the unveiling of the Black Madonna.
• Sprinting at 5:45 in the morning in 40 degree weather to make it to Black-Madonna-unveilings is worth it. No contest. They had brass accompaniment.

Krakow:

• The result of Poland’s epic getting-conquered-over-and-over-again-in-every-conceivable-time-period is something I call gothiromabaroquissance-style architecture. That’s Mary lingo, not encyclopedia lingo. As Proof, I give you Wawel Cathedral:

• Lots of Polish women get married on Saturdays. They also ride put the ride in bride.

• It is perfectly acceptable for a Polish bride to have her wedding reception at a kebab stand. That I did not have my camera for, but I think God gave you an imagination for this very situation.
• Dad, I will have my wedding reception in the yard so long as we fly in a kebab chef from Krakow.
• Cramming nine people into a horse and buggy makes for a cheap carriage ride around the city.
• I do not recommend cramming nine people into a horse and buggy.
• Dear Ta, Spain's soccer team has influenced Polish furniture outlets. You were missed in Krakow.

• Except for the Divine Mercy chaplet, the Divine mercy chapel, and this picture:

…most of the Basilica of Divine Mercy is incredibly not beautiful at all.

• Conclusion: the 70’s were not a good time for architecture.
• Noah did not land on top of Arka Pana church in Nowa Huta after the flood, but it looks like he did. Yes, that is an ark. Yes, the church is another unfortunate product of the 70s.

Wadowice:

• Buy four Pope Cakes, get one free. No, I didn’t eat 5 Pope Cakes, but I wish I did.

Not to bribe you or anything, but I like comments. If you comment, I will maybe send you a postcard, provided I don’t run out of money or patience with the Austrian ladies at the Post. Deal? Deal. Great. I love you all. God Bless.