Picture is of the Petrovaradin Fortress from across the Danube. More on the Fortress during week 2 in Novi Sad.
Tuesday, July 16, 2007
Dobar dan! That is the greeting here.Wow! I can't believe I've been gone a whole week.It is hot, hot, miserable hot here. Even at 10 in the morning it ia about 90! They said it hasn't gotten this hot here in years--just my luck!Eleanor and I arrived last the other day and we got the smallest room at the end of the little corridor with no air flow. We were told that we could be anywhere we wanted in the building once all the guests here for the music festival left, but yesterday we stayed down there because it is contained and away from any potential guests. The dorm is actually owned by the city and the director has no control over who she accepts as guests. If the city calls and tells her to take people, she has to do so. Considering the mixed gender character of the crowd here for EXIT, who were also college-age and a little older, we felt better in a dorm setting staying in a more contained area.
After last night however, Brenda (another mother) and I changed our minds and searched out the rooms with morning sun instead of afternoon and good windows for cross ventilation. There are no screens, but at this point I'm willing to take my chances with the bugs! As soon as they clean up the block of rooms we chose, we are moving into the main wing. The girls want to be together too and this adds a room so they can. I had 2 additional girls in my room last night and it just got that much hotter in that small space with extra bodies.We have also asked about the location of a store where Brenda can buy a new hair dryer and I can buy a small electric or battery operated fan! I know I'm a wuss, but give me some credit--I'm staying in a hostel at my age (which for the unenlightened is 45!).
...I probably should have titled this something like "My Kingdom for a Yugo". The car is still made here and there are lots of them here in the former Yugoslavia. For those of you who don't know, Will had a little red Yugo when he first graduated from college 20 years ago or so. Will drove it until the wheels fell off--I think I saw it yesterday with the wheels put back on! :-) It was a little more banged up too! Stevan said I could buy one for $3,000; $5,000 if I want A/C. If it weren't so cost-prohibitive to ship home, I might be tempted to get one for Will. Really--where in the US can you get a brand new car for $3-5,000?
...Well, I got lost today. I thought I had a good sense of direction...I guess not. In the process, I also learned that they sell small portable A/C units but not fans! It is 105 in the shade; real feel according to Accuweather is 107. Maybe I'll get skinny with all the sweating I am doing. ... We are sitting in the shade of the town square across from the Hotel Vojvodina and Brenda just walked across to see if they had A/C and if so how much their rooms are--it is that hot! If I thought the hostel would let me get away with putting one of those portable units in one of the rooms I think I would pay the approximately $300 for one right now! The forecast for this weekend is 111 with a real feel of 115.
On a brighter note, we had lunch in a little cafe off the main square and I had some truly excellent pizza. We are learning that you have to sit outside all the time though because they are very heavy smokers here. The smokers always seem to already have the choice spots inside and even the promise of light A/C isn't worth enduring that atmosphere for us.
There is an English language bookstore by the hostel which is advertising Harry Potter on the release date. I might have to get a copy on Saturday! Update--I went in the bookstore and they will have the English version of HP--I reserved 1 copy! I told Eleanor I get to read it first, but I bet she will get it first anyway.
We came back and struck up a "conversation" with the ladies in the kitchen. We found out that they each have 2 children--a boy and a girl each. I had pictures of my house and Will and the girls on my iPod and so I showed those to them and learned the words for daughter and son. It was a special encounter even if we didn't share language.
I got my clothes back from them then too. Oh my--I've never looked so good! They ironed them!!!!!! I don't do that--I just go around wrinkled. :-). I still don't know what it costs but since the average income here is $500 per month, it can't even come close to what the service is worth to me!
Stevan came back with the girls and had a Coke with us and did some translating. He promised to see what he could find out about a fan. I told him I didn't care what it cost! He also said he is checking into the possibility of some excursions this weekend, including the possibility of hiring a boat tour down the Danube. He'll let us know what he finds out and costs. He said local weather is forecasting the possibility of rain this weekend and cooler temps next week. His great niece said that the weathermen just lie here though. If the real temp is 38C, they say 28 so people won't just stay home from work because it is too hot! I told her our weather men were always wrong too and she said theirs were just liars! Too funny.
Sandra has taken the girls to see Harry Potter tonight. She said it is in English with Serbian subtitles. I told Eleanor to ask her if the theater is cool during the day, get directions and show times. The moms will go tomorrow during the heat of the day.Eleanor is really enjoying the freedom I am giving her. This is a small town and very safe so she is getting to go out with the group without mom and, now that we have changed rooms, she is staying with the girls instead of me. I have a room to myself and am happy too.
Well it is close to 9:30 and much cooler too. I think I'll finish and send before it gets too late and I forget. Good night.
K and E
P.S. I appreciate the email I have gotten from so many of you. I've tried to respond to all of them but may have missed some of you. If so, I apologize. I appreciate your responses so much.
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