ello again, nice to have you with us, you're looking well, is that a new shirt ? it suits you... no, really the colour looks good on you....Well enough of the formalities, lets get into it.
August was a great month, we worked and played pretty hard.
On the 19th, we were invited to participate in a traditional tube float down the American River. We say 'traditional' because our friend had hosted this event for 17 years in a row - what a legend !
The weekend started out with some tent pitching in the dark (we arrived late Friday night), luckily we met a nice lad named Eli who helped us erect our borrowed tent, he was very helpful and we were very glad he knew what he was doing.
The next morning tubes were inflated, banana pancakes were cooked up and a few vodka jellies were handed around. There were approx 60 people attending this event, so we decided to take along some vodka jellies to share with the troops, we made 140 jellies which got consumed faster than a chocolate bar at a weight watchers meeting.
Once the chilly bins full of beer were strapped in, the lifejackets were donned and the photos were taken, a few brave lads went down the class 3 rapid which was located directly beside our campsite. Then the rest of us (who weren't as brave) started on our adventure down the river. We all managed to get liquored up quite nicely as we floated down the class 1 & 2 rapids.
The rest of the day was a blur, but a couple of vivid memories include Manu jumping off a bridge and the boys erecting a 'nightclub' in the middle of the campground.
All in all it was a fabulous weekend that we will never forget.
Our next excitement involved a lengthy trip to London & Poland to attend our good friends (Matt Parsons & Ala Rys) wedding. Manu left a week earlier than Anita, to host and participate in a week long bucks party for Matt. One night the boys (Matt Parker & Manu) got Parsons dressed up as Scooby Doo to go out partying. On the way to the party Parsons got approached by a little boy who wanted his picture with Scooby Doo - he graciously obliged the little boy who I'm sure went home and told his family all about Scooby Doo wandering the streets of London.
Once Anita arrived in London we left for Poland and spent 4 wonderful days exploring Krakow. We visited the Salt Mines, took a sobering look at Auschwitz and sampled the local specialties which included barszcz (a fermented beetroot soup - surprisingly delicious) and a variety of crumbed meats with boiled cabbage.
On the Friday we met up with the rest of the wedding guests and were taken, by bus, to Limanova (Ala's hometown) and then to a hotel in Rytro where the reception was being held.
The wedding was held in a beautiful catholic church in Limanova. At the conclusion of the wedding, guests gave the bride bunches of flowers and showered the bride & groom with coins.
At the reception, the speeches were especially interesting as they were dictated in a combination of English & Polish. If somebody told a joke in Polish you'd hear all the Polish guests laughing their asses off, then a minute later (once the joke was dictated into English) the English speaking guests would join in the frivolity.
Then, in between the speeches the band played a song and guests toasted the bride and groom with shots of vodka and shouted "nastowia !!" - which made the jokes even more amusing !
All in all we had a wonderful night full of fun people, vodka, jellied meat & dancing. The night ended around 5am when the band wrapped up, so Matt & Ala finally got to make their way to their hotel room to find we'd strewn toilet paper throughout (ah the games just never end....).
We had a wonderful week though - thanks heaps to Matt & Ala for taking such great care of their wedding guests.
Till next time.
Big Manu hugs
Anita & Manu
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