I left KG in the morning, my Polsih friend Paulina drove me to the Málaga metro station, from where I rode to the bus station and boarded the bus that drove me to Madrid in a long uneventful trip. Outtside the window, endless beautiful olive fields, inside the bus, my meditation cushion as pillow, I slept. Unlike Brussels, where I got lost trying to find the bus that would drive me to the airport, transportation is easy. A girl gave me the Center's address in KG and I had no problem finding it. That is if we forget that I had to walk carrying a 23 pounds bag under a 40° temperature. At the Center I met with the two guys who live there, who, much to my surprise, are both of Latin American origin. A group of russians is there, they will return to their country tonight, an Rostislav, a kind and friendly Latvian, who later took me out into town, for a couple of beers and tapas, and a very pleasant walk through town.
The russians had met with Rinpoche at the Malaga airport and he had given them some medicines against ego, to take to combat dsuffering caused by disturbing emotions. They kindly offered me some and I swallowed them right there!!!
We meditated all together on sixteenth Karmapa and the feeling was pleasant and friendly, that of coming home again, united by our trust in our teacher and in our methods. The following afternoon, I was out again, backpack and all. The walk to the metro station was more than a bit difficult. It was so hot that I really suffered and had to stop every 20 meters or so and rest against a wall for a while before resuming my otherwise quite short walk. Once at the airport, my flight was delayed for 3 hours, due to weather conditions, but not canelled fortunately. We took off and I had the luxury of a beautiful sunset, 10,000 feet above the earth. The pilot told us when we were flying over Barcelona and Saint Tropez and I could just feel my heart warming up and feeling happy. A new chapter begins, a new adventure.
I landed in Warsaw at 12:30 and…. Kuba was not there! I almost collapsed!!! Since his parting words in KG were so convincing ("you can count on me") I had not even troubled myself with a plan B, and since I untimelingly forgot my cel phone in KG, I had no way of contacting him. So I decided to go around the airport and find a Wi-Fi spot, only to discover there was none, and the only café available would be closed until 2 am. So, thinking clearly at last, I decided to return to the place Kuba would look for me if he came to the airport and returned to the arrivals terminal, and sure enough, a minute later, there he was. I do trust space, but I must confess to bit a teary-eyedness (there seems to almost be a pattern here, don't you think?) So after hearing the most beautiful sound ever in that moment "Mar!" all my troubles disappeared. Once again, Kuba the bodhisattva was in charge. After slightly scolding me for not staying put where he'd obviously come for me, he took me to his girlfriend home, where dinner and wine was waiting for me, as well as a real BATH and a real BED (now, take into account I've been camping for two weeks!
The morning after, Kuba the multi-talented (he is after all an opera singer, a guitar player, an actor, a translator for Lama Ole's books, and now also a Chef!) prepared a delicious breakfast for me and took me shopping. Turns out I need rubber boots, since it looks like rain in Warsaw. We met Anna at the mall, she is Kuba's friend and she will drive me to Kuchary.
As we drove Anna and I became fast friends, she is also a single mother of two litlle girls, her eldest is named Marianna, like me. She also is an entrepreneur and just started her company, with state funds she won in a competition. I was truly inspired by her, and as it so often happens in the Dharma, she was inspired by me.
We arrived in Kuchary to find the sun shinning brightly and in fact I had to change my jeans and long sleeved shirt for a more appropriate summer tenue. Anna introduced me to her brother Zbyszek (pronounce Sbitchek, please), who instantly assumed his new role as my protector and set up my tent close to the one he is sharing with his gorgeous girlfriend Kamilla. Anna told me their story, how he met her and told his story all about her and even added thoughtfully "she is on her spiritual journey, and she is a buddist, only she hasn't discovered it yet" J
Polish are a different set of people altogether. They are warm, loving, kind, super funny, and extremely friendly. Men are the best gentlemen, and women are sweet and smiling. I have felt like at home. In fact I've liked Poland much more than Spain and I regret not speaking this pretty language to stay here in spite of the cold and the rain that have befallen us upon the second day and the fact that at 3 am it is already full daylight!
Anna didn't stay to sleep in Kuchary, she had a professional training that would last all week-end and I suddenly realise whe came all this way to drive ME to the course, as well as to receive the afternoon lecture, and she thanks me for that. After the evening lecture, I decide to head to the cafeteria and immediately start to meet friends. Rostislav is there and introduces me to a delicious honey beer, Gergeli, whom I met in KG and has actually brought me my cel phone, Bartok (who was at the 2009 Phowa in El Salvador) and DORCA!!!!! My beautiful Dorca, I felt so happy seeing her again, she immediately introduced me to all her friends and everyone was just as friendly and open.
The night was atrociously cold, but I was prepared, wearing layers upon layers of clothes, and I drank a hot wine at the cafeteria, which made me feel like taking my coat off, but I was smart and didn't. At 3:30, in broad daylight, I went to bed.
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