They all think I’m taking a shower, I’ll keep this as short as possible: two young women from Iowa, Tanya and Chris, are boiling eggs in my kitchen. Chronologically: Went to see the library at the Melk Monastery yesterday. It’s about an hour’s drive from my house up the very scenic Danube valley. Fortunately for Pat, yesterday was a big fasting day in Austria because of Good Friday, so it wasn’t hard to find vegetarian entrees to eat. Unfortunately for Pat, the access road to the library was closed for repairs due to flood damage, but we enjoyed the outing. Some Dutch tourists asked us for directions at one point, and Pat ended up trying to record them with his tape recorder.
And he keeps saying, “Kruuuuugerstrassssse” in what he thinks is a funny accent.
And Alpha has started saying what a nice guy Space is, and how he is more cultured than your average American. And so polite. And Pat is so good with the kids, especially Gamma. Scheesch. Kruuugerstrassse.
And these two are costing me a bundle in telephone charges. It’s hard to keep them off the Internet whenever we’re home. Have to go out more.
In the evening we went to the Irish pub in Vienna, “Paddy’s Singing Irish Pub”. Space and the two Iowan coeds we met the day before talked incessantly of Iowa, comparing Vienna to Iowa. “But in Iowa it’s like this…” “Yes, but in Vienna the beer’s better…” etc etc. Iowa this, Iowa that. What could I do but drink? After a while, I had Jameson’s with my Guinness, big mistake.
Pat, meanwhile, met a Filipino guy I vaguely knew from the U.N. and talked to him for a while.
The music was good, I had more beer. Then I woke up in my bed this morning, went down to the kitchen in my pyjamas and everyone is already awake and giving me funny looks… Tomorrow is Easter. Beta is 12, so she is going to confirmation class at church. This being Easter week, she’s quite busy with church stuff nearly every day. Sunday, Easter, big day. Beta – without asking us – volunteered to color twenty dozen eggs. So that’s what they’re doing in the kitchen right now. Instead of getting upset over I’m still not sure exactly what, Alpha put four young American strangers to work hard-boiling and coloring 240 eggs in our kitchen. I admire her approach. More later, time for a shower and more coffee.
Sounds like fun- Alpha’s a good sport. It also sounds like a bonus for you that you woke up in your bed with your pajamas on :)-~
Heh. you could at least read my posts before I tell you about your behavior.
this is so fun to read about. good thing you got good and drunk, Mig, sounds like a great evening.
eh, left that bit out: I woke up in my bed in my clothes, which stank of cigarette smoke because the bar was so smokey, changed into my pyjamas thinking… no idea what I was thinking … and went down to the kitchen…
The phone charges? Perhaps the Americans don’t realize that you pay by the minute? No local dial-up there, ay, Mig?
no, you get charged for local calls as well here. and my village is so backward it has no cable.
Space knows, if he reads his comments, that you get charged by the minute like everyone else in Europe. Hi Space, go use a cybercafe. But maybe don’t take the family car to do it.
Miguel, is some terrifically sordid buddy trip story in your past that you’re atoning for, here? ;)
Happy Easter, and congrats to Beta on her confirmation. So cute!