Looking back at the year that was 2019, it seems to me that, for myself, my son, and my family, it was a strange year. In many respects, it was a year almost of extremes in terms of the highs and lows.
Yes, there were lows, to be sure. Being forced to move out of the apartment was a definite low, and the instability that it caused my son going to a new school right in the middle of a school year. It felt disappointing, like we were letting him down. Then, there were financial difficulties in the autumn, which were very difficult and trying.
On the other hand, there were some highs. My son, my girlfriend, and I went on a trip to Europe that felt magical. We mostly stayed at her family’s home in rural Poland, in the southeastern corner known as the Bieszczady. This trip was my son’s first ever trip to Europe, and I had been dreaming of taking him there for a very long time! In particular, I had wanted to take him to France, especially to Paris, and we were able to manage that with two long layovers that allowed us the opportunity to visit Paris for what amounted to a day and a half, including one overnight.
We visited some other places, as well. We landed in Krakow, and visited much of the Biesczcady, which is a beautiful, mountainous, and forested region of Poland. We relaxed for a week in Srednia Wies, the peaceful hometown of my girlfriend’s family, which included a stream and the opportunity to eat some raw hazelnuts on the side of country roads. We also managed to take a day tour of L’viv, in the Ukraine. That was as close to visiting Russia, a country that has always fascinated me, as I have ever been.
There were other countries that we visited, as well. We crossed into Slovakia on our way to a visit to Budapest, which was both beautiful and fun! We returned to Slovakia, visiting the capital city of Bratislava, but not before a stop in Vienna, Austria. Then, on the way back to Krakow, Poland, we crossed into the Czech Republic, briefly visiting Brno, before returning to Poland, where we stopped for dinner at Katowice, a city in Poland that I had long wanted to visit, as well.
Paris Day
Poland
L'viv, Ukraine
Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria
Bratislava, Slovakia
Brno and Prostejov, Czech Republic
Paris Night
That trip of two weeks was an absolute highlight for the year, and it feels to me like the definite highlight! There were a few other trips, as well, including several to visit my parents at their new, beautiful home in Hornell, in western New York. My son and I also visited my brother up in the Adirondacks, and we got to visit that beautiful region of the country more thoroughly, visiting Lake Placid in October, which is the site of two different Winter Olympics, including the one in 1980, best known for “The Miracle on Ice.” We even got to see the arena and ice skating rink where it all happened, which was a bit of a thrill! There were also some beautiful mountain views that we got to take in, and we took another side trip to Montréal, in Québec, Canada, for an enjoyable afternoon and evening.
As great as the European trip was, it also led to one of my personal lows for the year, which were the financial difficulties that became more or less the norm for basically the duration of the year.
There were some other highlights, though. This was the year of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, and I took my son to see several original Woodstock musical acts, including The Who, John Fogerty (who performed with the Creedence Clearwater Revival), Canned Heat (which was with my brother), Arlo Guthrie (an artist I had wanted to see for a long time), and Dead and Company, who are basically the Grateful Dead minus Jerry Garcia, and with John Mayer. We also some other really cool concerts with some legendary musical acts, including Fleetwood Mac, Voivod, and the Rolling Stones, as well as Bob Dylan.
My son made his own makeshift Halloween costume, as a Jedi or a Sith, deliberately being vague about it, so that he could pass as either/or. I was impressed with his imagination and originality in the outfit, and was so pleased to take him trick or treating. Sometimes, they grow up too fast, and you never know when your child will outgrow those things. It was a blast to be with him for trick or treating this year again!
Some other favorite pictures of 2019:
Some other favorite pictures of 2019:
