It has taken an unforgiveably long time to get this one up but I have certainly gained a more realistic outlook on the capacity for internet communication in Eastern Europe. Since the last posts I have been on my merry way from Krakow here to Nowy Sanz, a stone's throw from the Tatra Mountains and the Slovakian border. My lasts two days in Krakow were needless to say as eventful as all previous had been. On Monday as I had said I was to be picked up by Damien from the campground and taken to the mechanic's where my car would be waiting and I would ride off into the sunset. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the mechanic's my car was lifted eight feet off the ground and as yet not a scrap of work had been done other than a diagnosis of the problem. I had been assured Friday that whatever the problem was would be fixed immediately but apparently Monday they decided that I should be consulted first though the problem was as it was thought to be. At this point the whole affair was comedic so I was far from being upset by it.

A discussion then ensued about where I was to sleep as it was four in the afternoon and the work couldn't possibly be completed so late in the day. The garden was offered for me to pitch my tent though I would be without a toilet throughout the night which I figured I could handle barring any major bouts of eating or drinking. At some point in all of this a neighbor had joined the conversation and upon learning of my perdicament he offered his home for the night. I was again assured that the work would be completed in the morning and then was led off to the neighbor's home. His wife and son were away so he said it was no problem to have me sleep there. For dinner I was given a marvelous slab of tuna which he kept apologizing for saying it was poor quality. It was perhaps the finest tuna I have eaten so I tried to reassure him that I thought it marvelous. It should be made clear that though he spoke some English it was still a very limited conversation. He was a very friendly man and enjoyed trying to tell me about his wife and children. All evening we had short chats that ended with him saying he was off to bed and then returning to talk briefly again. I ate and slept well and early in the morning, he had to go to work, was escorted back to the mechanic's to wait until the work on my car would commence.

To make this story short the mechanics packed one hour of work into about six hours. The majority of the time was spent in the shop office smoking an incredible number of cigarettes and drinking the local ale. Intermittant calls were made to order parts that they needed but even this was done not all at one time but strategically seperated to spread out the work (judging from the number of cigarettes the frequent breaks may have been out of necessity) and still have my car completed in time for the end of their day (about 2pm). Sadly for me the price for the repairs hardly reflected this but I was at no readiness to argue price in Polish and was also just ready to have my car back and hit the road. They obviously overcharged me being well aware of my foreigness but I am happy in one thing that I was overcharged in zlotys and not in euros. Upon completion I headed straight away for Nowy Sanz. My time in Krakow, while being the most expensive stop thus far, was a joy of new relationships and an incredible reminder of the faithfulness of my Savior.