Still Towering

The second tower is getting done now.  I feel like I'm making progress.  I'm over halfway done with part eight.

Browning The Peacock

I feel like there's too much brown on this peacock.  I did get to do some dark purple brown on it this time, but I'm getting tired of brown!

Krakow Buses Tourist Unfriendly

I got a $50 ticket on my first ever Krakow public transportation ride.  I still am pretty upset over it.  We decided to ride the bus to the Wieczskla salt mine from Old Town, since there's a direct route.  Andreas bought tickets, but could not find the language button, so he tried to do it all in Polish.  Needless to say, he messed up.  An inspector came on board the bus several stops down the road and made a beeline to the only obvious tourists on the bus - us.  He asked for our tickets, and Andreas handed over what he thought was the correct thing.  The guy started shouting at us in Polish, refusing to speak any other language.  Granted, he might not speak any other language, but his whole demeanor was very hostile.  Long story short, he fined me for not having a ticket.  We had  to pay on the spot.  He didn''t even bother to check anyone else, and left the bus at the next stop.  It was pretty obviously a case of tourist harassment, especially as he tried to do it to us again a few days later when we rode the same bus again.  By that time, Andreas had figured out where the English language button was.

We love Krakow, but we hate this kind of harassment on the bus.  It can turn a decent holiday into misery, especially as it seems to be a deliberate policy on at least one inspector's part.

On The Inside

 There were about 15 Germans per bunker.  They were crowded, if you can imagine them inside these spaces.

New Daily

This has now become my daily project, since I've finished the Medieval Town Mandala.  I'm working on it steadily and hope to have it done by the end of the month so I can get it framed as a Christmas present.

Krakow Barrette

There was a little central European celebration at the square behind St. Mary's in downtown Krakow one weekend while we were there.  I bought this barrette there.  I like all the wavy swirls.

Pont Du Hoc

Pont du Hoc was the hardest place to take during D Day.  It also overlooked two beaches, so was necessary to take to succeed.  Needless to say, the Allies bombed it severely, but some bunkers were left.  A battalion of Army Rangers scaled the cliff below it to take it on that day.  There were very few left.  You can still see the bunkers and the scars there.  We went to Pont du Hoc on a chilly summer day last year.