Good morning. I am in Dotty’s flat – our schedule is a little different since she is not teaching . I just got out of the shower – you can tell by looking at me that I have been on the road – no makeup (Dotty doesn’t wear any; so when in Rome..) – I look like a before ad for a hair product. I am wearing my last pair of socks, although I still have some underwear. I think I will buy a pair of socks today so I will only have to do wash once.
Dotty’s back. Not sure when I’m going to email. Hmm. I love my emails – my connection home. Although I am not homesick really. At night before falling asleep (which I am having trouble doing, although it might be partly due to the 5:30 pm expresso. But it’s either that or be dull and lazy. Good house guests and good world travelers are neither) I think about my daughter, my beau and my doggies - so many miles away, and asleep when I’m awake and vice versa. Right now it’s 3:00 in MO; 4 am in NJ (hope you are sleeping soundly Ellen).
……..
Ok, it’s after lunch – a Greek salad with too much dressing but it was yogurty so that helped. We walked to a farmer’s market and then went to the Arkade (the mall.) Didn’t see much of anything you couldn’t get in Oak Park Mall but managed a few purchases nonetheless. We’re at home again – I’m using Word to write this, Dotty’s going to the library to use their computers, we’ll schlep this to McD’s to use their capitalist but reliable wifi, send this, schlep the computer home (cute little laptop that it is), and head back out. Don’t tell my feet and legs – they are enjoying having the weight off. It will be a packed day.
We’re heading to tour a cathedral or two – to tell the truth Dotty told me where we are going but I don’t remember anything but St Stephen’s something. I missed the porcelain factory by the way – I arrived at 3:25 – the woman ran and found someone to speak English (few people do) and so I was told that since it closed at 4 they wouldn’t let me in since I wouldn’t have time to finish. I was a little perplexed by that but because of the language barrier I didn’t bother suggesting a Plan B (like they waive the admission and let me see what I can in 35 minutes).
Forgot to tell you - Wednesday night we did go to a gallery opening, and yesterday we visited a church in the town square – dating back to 240 a.d., built by the Romans, then destroyed and rebuilt by the Mongols (!) in 1241, then the Turks tore it down and built a mosque there in 1579, and so on and so on. There is evidence of all this – there are some muslim artifacts – the holy water fonts are actually carved stone Turkish foot baths (eww), and the architecture is noncommittal as to what century it’s from. I expect this afternoon’s tours to be the same – amazing, layers and layers, literally, beginning below ground, of history.
The jury is still out about Pecs, though, in my mind. I am trying to ignore the construction - every view has a piece of heavy machinery and chain link fence in it – and the gray dank weather – I finally broke down and borrowed a hat. But it’s a pretty run down place – there is graffiti everywhere and a sense of decay – the buildings are weathered and need repair. We are considering bringing the students here, but I don’t know – even in pretty weather sans the cement mixers, this is not a joyous city. The economy is poor – and the life span of the people is short and the suicide rate is 4x that of the US, 3x that of the UK. Our host last night explained that by the poor health care system as well as the poor education of most people. People with successful careers tend to leave. Plus I think our students would prefer a city where the odds of finding someone who speaks English is better than 1 in 10.
Dinner at Laszlo’s was pleasant enough. I was nervous about meeting him, the Director of the Center for the Study of Moving Images at the University of Pecs, and wouldn’t you know it, he was visibly nervous about hosting us. Just shows to go you. He’s also a bad cook – too ambitious, and some very odd choices (PLEASE don’t tell Dotty I am saying all this!) He made garbanzo bean soup that was served somewhere between chilled and room temperature, fairly successful Mandarin chicken, and Japanese fish pancakes, which were like burritos sort of with tomatoes and celery. They were inedible, frankly. I was glad when Rita, Laszlo’s companion, stopped eating hers so I could follow suit. She was very pretty and didn’t say much, as she spoke hardly any English. Although I don’t think her role in the relationship is to provide interesting conversation (meow).
Ok, Dotty is waiting – she has returned from the library – we will schlep to McDs, once again.
More tomorrow, I’m supposin’.
Xos/mom
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