Let's Go to Old Town!

It’s 8:30 in the morning as I sit here and type this and the sun is shinning brilliantly. We have this wonderful deck/patio that is basically the size of our entire apartment. Otis and I like to come out here and play and lounge. He is due for a tricycle soon so this will be a good practice space.

We had a full day on Monday that started off with Otis getting to attend a Montessori school about a 25 min walk away from our apartment. We met with the Director, Jana, for a consultation and to discuss Otis’ potential enrollment. The teachers were great with Otis, and he got to see all the other kids gearing up for a field trip to the zoo. Everything went so smoothly, and we are looking forward to him attending come August. They take off for the month of July, so in that time we will be busy wrapping up potty training; with all the movement, we have taken many steps forward and way too many steps backward. Pray for us! Haha!

It’s pretty crazy how inexpensive childcare is here. Otis will be able to attend as much or as little as he would like between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:30 pm. For an entire month, plus food, it comes out to roughly 450 US dollars a month. Yes! I am taking full advantage of this while we are here. In Anchorage, I have friends who pay between 1,000 & 1,500 dollars a month (and that’s for one child). Family friendly is the name of the game here, and it’s such a refreshing outlook and lifestyle.

In the late afternoon, after Lex met with a coworker for lunch and Otis napped, we made our way to Old Market Square (Old Town), which is a popular tourist attraction here in Poznan. It is known for its colorful buildings, good eats, delicious ice cream, and seasonal markets. Oh, and who can forget the clock tower with the butting goat heads. The goats only come out at noon, so we will have to make a special trip in the afternoon so Otis can see them.

(The clock tower pictured right)

Also, thank goodness for my epic find at Once Upon a Child in Anchorage. I found a travel stroller in great condition for 60 dollars! It’s called City Tour by Baby Jogger, and boy has it been a life saver. I think I clocked it at breaking down in 6 seconds. It’s super compact and even comes with a backpack to put it in. Yes, it’s that fantastic – highly recommend for those taking any kind of trip with littles! Going to and from trams and buses with a sometimes tired and sleepy Otis has made having a perfect travel stroller a necessity. However, in Old Town, the tousled cobblestones made it a little difficult to maneuver. Luckily, it is easy to carry! We have thought about getting a stroller or wagon with bigger wheels to go on longer excursions, but eh, we will just have to be patient with Otis, and he’ll get exercise. ;)

One of our most memorable pit-stops in the market was the Parish Church of St. Stanislaus (Fara Church), which took over 50 years to build. The Basilica’s overwhelming beauty literally brought me to tears. Everyone who was in the church viewing its grandeur was at some point, hunched over in prayer in the rows upon rows of pews. Unlike when we visited Ireland, the churches here are still very much in use, and although they are tourist attractions, there are signs everywhere to be silent and respectful, as services are still conducted. I am looking forward to going back at some point. Being surrounded by such a peaceful presence is addicting.

Lastly, as we made our way back home, we stumbled upon many pieces of street art and artistic instillations. I thought this 2% art (as we call it in Anchorage), was pretty neat. It’s a fairy tale story written across several boards, and was filled with fun, colorful images.

Wow! We did a lot in one day. I guess the next few days will be a little calmer, but this weekend, Alexis has a 4-day, so here’s to the adventures ahead!

With Love from Poland,

The Clods