…though as I write this, it is raining and I have just dug out my fingerless gloves as it’s starting to get noticeable chilly. It will probably be more chilly in the north of Poland in a couple of weeks as I will be venturing into unknown territory, towards the border where Poland meets Lithuania and Belarus, to learn traditional paper cutting methods from a folk artist in the Kurpie region.
Going interrailing on my own in my 60s gave me a new courage and sense of adventure, so although this trip will really be a voyage into the unknown in so many ways, it also feels exciting. My Duolingo Polish is rudimentary to say the least, and I suspect there won’t be so many tourists in that part of the country in October or much helpful information for English speakers. But having navigated the sheer sensory overload of arriving in Warsaw central station earlier this year without a clue where I was going and not being able to find a single person who spoke English, it will I hope feel a bit more familiar this time.
Meanwhile, I’ve been making some folk art style votives in the kins of colours you’ll see in Polish traditional crafts. They’re nothing to do with paper cutting but what the hey. They are all made with recycled materials and make me feel cheerful, even on an overcast rather chilly day.
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