Poland Again!

THIS AUTUMN, 4 years will have passed since I called Krakow, Poland my home. Skype was just coming into its own, and this was my first blog. I took my laptop, so this trip was different from all my other transcontinental travels – I had constant contact with my friends and family while living in a medieval, Polish-speaking town. That experience – connecting online while living separately – was a harbinger of things like Twitter and Facebook, and set the stage for how I communicate today. Reading it again is great – although that part where my keyboard kept dropping all the d’s can be confusing. Still, they’re good stories, all. And the sausage count – extraordinary!

Since I returned to the states I’ve spent 3 of these last 4 years working on my new company, BookGlutton.com. Working on a new idea can be all-consuming, and I have to admit most of those years are a blur. Recently I started thinking about PL again. Just 3 weeks ago Aaron showed up with a bottle of Zubrowka vodka he picked up in Chicago, and we had a delicious Polish meal. Shortly thereafter I pulled out some of my videos – I was working on a video project at the time so I took quite a bit of non-touristy video.

Then, to my surprise, an article about BookGlutton showed up in the Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland’s most important newspaper, on Monday. Aaron remembers people reading it all over Poland, and our Polish language teacher Jagoda recommended we read it b/c it’s published near Krakow. We often get mentions outside the US, the Internet is worldwide after all, but this was really a big deal on a personal level. We’ve gotten quite a flood of visitors from PL and we hope to have more for them to read in Polish soon. The article is called Pożeracz książek w internecie and can be read here. Tom Crestodina, a friend from Poland I still keep in touch with, translated it and we’ll post it on BG’s blog.

Seems kinda full circle, and we’re launching our store on the site next month. Makes you wonder if this is some kinda of turning point….

New Blog is up and Running

Polish Box

Originally uploaded by talber.

…with a fair share of Polish flaire, by way of Buffalo and Chicago. Check it out sometime and see where I am this week:

visit ——>>>>>>> T BLOG

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Polish Package

Polish Package

Originally uploaded by talber.

It arrived! It took 2 months…musta been on a slow boat from Poland, eh?

New Blog?

Travis in Wroclaw

Originally uploaded by talber.

Yep…it’s coming.

Meanwhile I’ve sent a few cards and packages out Poland’s way. I hope they get there before Arpil. After all, we’re still waiting for the package we mailed to LA a month ago (mostly books and clothes. and of course, shoes). I have confidence it will get here. Eventually. i hope. The whole month-long delivery journey confuses me a bit. When we were mailing it people asked us if we wanted to send it by plane or boat. Huh? It looks like it’s taking a slow boat from Poland.

New BLOG?

Travis skiing in Buffalo 2003

Originally uploaded by talber.

Back by popular demand. I’m going to be keeping a blog starting with the new year. I’ll post something here Jan 1, 2006 with the new link…

Prague Tram at Christmas

Prague Tram at Christmas

Originally uploaded by talber.

There were lights strung all along the walk home. This is where it actually set in that our trip was over.

At the risk of being a little too melodramatic: it’s been an inspiring journey. I’ve met great people, learned more than i could have ever predicted about a culture I knew next to nothing about, been encouraged by the small amount of Polish I did learn to speak (which in turn explained the culture, the food, and the people), and started down the path of creating a new interactive piece that’s close to my heart.

We’re now back in LA and trying to settle in to our old digs. There are good things and bad things about being back. In my dreams I’m still walking the streets of Krakow.

Old Town Prague Tree

DSCN3839.JPG

Originally uploaded by talber.

The tree was wonderful. It must have been 20 feet high, maybe more, and it towered over the square. The thought that it came from an old growth bohemian forest was all the more cozy.

Prague Manger Scene

Prague Manger Scene

Originally uploaded by talber.

This was the manger scene in the Old Town Square — hand carved wood.

Prague Christmas Market

Prague Christmas Market

Originally uploaded by talber.

So, we did some shopping at the market, not to mention a bit of walking around. My high point was coming up with the last of the required souveniers. My low point was accidently walking into the men’s bathroom.

We stayed out for about 3 hours, as neither one of us was ready to go back to the hotel or bold enough to seek out a place to eat. In the end we just got a little too cold and headed back.

Aaron at the Prague Christmas Market

Aaron at the Prague Christmas Market

Originally uploaded by talber.

There was also quite a bit of spiced wine. We tried it a couple of different places and found the best, of course. It warmed us from the inside out, which was just what we needed.

We also at one point ordered a hot, spiced mead. It was almost too sweet for me (naturally I stress the word “almost,”) but it was a bit like drinking superheated, alcoholic honey, with a little sugar added for good measure.