Day 22 - Day 25

I was driven to Ania's mother's place in half sleep, the next morning... I went with Simon to get some things from the shop... He is just 10 years old, but pretty handsome! Sure is going to turn into a heart throb when he's 20!!

I got some yogurt (I was craving for that since I had reached Polska!!) and cucumbers and tomatoes... Later in the afternoon, I had one of the most memorable meals of my life! Freshly hand picked carrots, onions, cabbage and paprika (capsicum) from their own garden cooked in cornflower accompanied my rice!

Ania's father came out of nowhere when I was sitting by the window watching the meadows, and gestured me to come to Ania's uncle's house (across the one which I was in)... I was surprised to see these people were still partying!! 3 bottles of wodka had already went under the table and there were 2 above it... I was asked to join in, with the same custom, passing the vodka circularly... The translator guy again, was the only one I could understand... They laughed a lot... And I almost did not understand any joke! But I was happy here, because everybody else was!!

"Piyangaa"

"Piyankaa"

"Piryankaa"

My name was difficult for them. But, I never corrected them once...

"Preeyankaa", the translator guy corrected it for me...

Hmm... somehow I found a friend in him... Now, was it the wodka that made me senti? I knew this guy not more than 2 days... and I was already feeling attached? I bet it was the dependence on him to communicate and the thankfulness I felt for his effort!

He started telling me about his life at Norway where he works, why he doesn't have a girlfriend, and how some evenings are just spent on drinking in their country...

"Do yoo know my name?"

"No"

"It's Marchin!"

"Marchin?"

"Yea, yoo can say Martin!"

Hmm... The wodka wanted me to be Martini, if you know what I mean...

"Ania ees worried"

"Why?"

"She theenk yoo weel..." and he gestured a crooked walk...

I laughed, bade him good bye and left with Ania, Sabina (her sister) and Sabina's boyfriend for Zakopane... which is a city some 100 km from the place where we live. It had McDonalds, KFC, Pizzahut to mention a few names I see in India... The place was very different than the ambiance around Ania's home...

Ania's home is situated in the hills and is very picturesque... a perfect example of the East European countryside... fine meadows... cows grazing and being milked... tractors and farms... distant houses... Zakopane was a buzzling city full of restaurants and expensive shopping arcades...

I was still swaying a bit, but it was controllable! I tripped once and Sabina's boyfriend (who incidentally was also drinking with me back at home) advised, 'Yoo wan beer? Eet weel help yoo get it off!' Yeah, right!!

We visited two restaurants... I ate at only one... and, what? Polish version of Neer dosa with the coconut filling!

As usual, I got back home and instantanously fell asleep!!