A series of short posts
May 4
Lawrence and I are going to write a bunch of little posts because so much is happening all at once such that we think it best to just do little riffs on a couple of different subjects.
Shiko and the Man
We spend an inordinate part of the day in the bathroom with the children. It isn’t that they don’t have wonderful self-care skills, they do. It is just the hotel room and the downstairs bathrooms are just so interesting that we have to go with them to make sure they don’t milk it. The down stairs bathrooms have a hot air blower which of course higher than their heads, so each trip to the bathroom downstairs includes a blow dry as well.
We now know, oh so well, the little kid words in Polish for pee and poop. Shiko and kuppe. We had the kids for two days and for two breakfasts. No breakfast is complete with out at least two Shiko runs. Of course, little D has to tell the other folks who are about where we are going. My niece Sharon used to do the same thing when she was little D’s age ~~Cause that is what 5 year old girls do. Lawrence calls our bathroom upstairs, “the bathroom that doesn’t sleep”. He is trying to put words to the tune of New York, New York about the whole experience. I’ll try to dissuade him from regaling you all with it. You may thank me later.
Lost in Translation
I’m not sure if we made it clear the hotel is not walking distance to anything but a small bodaga type store and a home style (Polish) restaurant. We see Jozef or Ania to pick up the kids but except for two internet runs and two runs to Tesco we have been nowhere. To all that I hoped to bring a little piece of Poland to, I apologize. Right now all I’m bringing home is dirty laundry and lots of it.
We have been having the food at the Hotel Sylvia for about a week. Don’t get me wrong. It is very tasty but the food on the menu is very fancy, quite caloric, and not kid friendly. We have hit upon some stuff that the kids like and we like giving to them but we have to convince each waiter that “Yes, we want the chicken cutlet but no we don’t want to it to have it drenched in a rich cream sauce. Yes, we just want a plain salad with dressing to the side”. They have their menu translated into English but the some of translations are quite off putting.
“Pork oin in cheese-tomato shell in the neighborhood of assorted vegetables”.
“Cheese pyramids in nuts with Whortleberry sauce”
“Onion soup smelling of Cote De L’Azure”
“Herring, served in cream, with blissful apple”
“Grill mix out of three kings of meat”
“Hawaii fruit salad with Melissa with mint flavor”
It is a meat rich environment especially in Pork. Lawrence has been calling it “Pork and Pork accessories”. Even the “vegetarian dishes” have bacon in them.
And since the place is fancy, the waiters keep trying to serve the kids like they would adults. We have had to confiscate more than one knife from “M” who is 3 and is the size of most 2 year olds. And use our limited Polish on “We don’t need a lighted candelabras near small children, thanks any way.” And one of the reasons we are happy that we are insisting on getting the food family style, it that is comes out piping hot. This way we have a chance to let it cool for the kids eat it.
Also, with the salt and pepper there are two mystery substances that we haven’t figured out what they are supposed to be used for.
Travel books never really cover the things you need to know
Like, what the heck are those rolling papers doing on every restaurant table. (Fortunately the kids were able to show us that they are napkins.)
We are still working on trying to get the eggs cooked “tight”. We are successful about 50% of the time.
Folks drive like maniacs and you take your life into your hands trying to cross the street. You only marginally safe in the car.
We have some interesting times trying to figure out how to work the shower, the toilet, and trying to find an electric plug in the room.
Water is not served with meals.
Diet Coke is Coke a Cola Light
There is melon-favored yogurt.
Lawrence and I are going to write a bunch of little posts because so much is happening all at once such that we think it best to just do little riffs on a couple of different subjects.
Shiko and the Man
We spend an inordinate part of the day in the bathroom with the children. It isn’t that they don’t have wonderful self-care skills, they do. It is just the hotel room and the downstairs bathrooms are just so interesting that we have to go with them to make sure they don’t milk it. The down stairs bathrooms have a hot air blower which of course higher than their heads, so each trip to the bathroom downstairs includes a blow dry as well.
We now know, oh so well, the little kid words in Polish for pee and poop. Shiko and kuppe. We had the kids for two days and for two breakfasts. No breakfast is complete with out at least two Shiko runs. Of course, little D has to tell the other folks who are about where we are going. My niece Sharon used to do the same thing when she was little D’s age ~~Cause that is what 5 year old girls do. Lawrence calls our bathroom upstairs, “the bathroom that doesn’t sleep”. He is trying to put words to the tune of New York, New York about the whole experience. I’ll try to dissuade him from regaling you all with it. You may thank me later.
Lost in Translation
I’m not sure if we made it clear the hotel is not walking distance to anything but a small bodaga type store and a home style (Polish) restaurant. We see Jozef or Ania to pick up the kids but except for two internet runs and two runs to Tesco we have been nowhere. To all that I hoped to bring a little piece of Poland to, I apologize. Right now all I’m bringing home is dirty laundry and lots of it.
We have been having the food at the Hotel Sylvia for about a week. Don’t get me wrong. It is very tasty but the food on the menu is very fancy, quite caloric, and not kid friendly. We have hit upon some stuff that the kids like and we like giving to them but we have to convince each waiter that “Yes, we want the chicken cutlet but no we don’t want to it to have it drenched in a rich cream sauce. Yes, we just want a plain salad with dressing to the side”. They have their menu translated into English but the some of translations are quite off putting.
“Pork oin in cheese-tomato shell in the neighborhood of assorted vegetables”.
“Cheese pyramids in nuts with Whortleberry sauce”
“Onion soup smelling of Cote De L’Azure”
“Herring, served in cream, with blissful apple”
“Grill mix out of three kings of meat”
“Hawaii fruit salad with Melissa with mint flavor”
It is a meat rich environment especially in Pork. Lawrence has been calling it “Pork and Pork accessories”. Even the “vegetarian dishes” have bacon in them.
And since the place is fancy, the waiters keep trying to serve the kids like they would adults. We have had to confiscate more than one knife from “M” who is 3 and is the size of most 2 year olds. And use our limited Polish on “We don’t need a lighted candelabras near small children, thanks any way.” And one of the reasons we are happy that we are insisting on getting the food family style, it that is comes out piping hot. This way we have a chance to let it cool for the kids eat it.
Also, with the salt and pepper there are two mystery substances that we haven’t figured out what they are supposed to be used for.
Travel books never really cover the things you need to know
Like, what the heck are those rolling papers doing on every restaurant table. (Fortunately the kids were able to show us that they are napkins.)
We are still working on trying to get the eggs cooked “tight”. We are successful about 50% of the time.
Folks drive like maniacs and you take your life into your hands trying to cross the street. You only marginally safe in the car.
We have some interesting times trying to figure out how to work the shower, the toilet, and trying to find an electric plug in the room.
Water is not served with meals.
Diet Coke is Coke a Cola Light
There is melon-favored yogurt.