It was quiet before the storm. Before work and fun we were given time to settle down. And it means so many things. Unpacking is the first obvious thing that you think of. But apart from unpacking, there’s tons of stuff to do! For example, exploring the town, and not just being a tourist and visiting the local landmarks, but also it includes exploring the supermarkets, greeting all the neigbouring dogs, finding a sunbathing street, a path to ride a bike, and so much more.
The supermarket crawl was the first thing we’ve done, of course. Still it’ll take a lot of time to settle on one store or the other, but I think I’ve found my favourite already (but don’t tell the other ones about it!).
The exploration was another big thing we’ve done.
First step was to get out and see the town. Tourist mode ON! One thing that got stuck with me is the Castle Museum of Szécsény, which is on the picture here. And behind the museum is an English style park. So all together it has a 19th century general feeling, and makes me think about Jane Austen quite a lot. Horses and beautiful dresses. We just need to add these two things to complete the look.
In general, I’d say we have a variety of one-two level buildings, all different shapes, colours and styles. Oh, and also we have what’s left of the castle wall, dating back to 14-15th century or so, and ruins of a chapel/church, where we have an altar. And as a matter of fact, there’s a well and a club “Paradise” right next to it. So make your guess about the activities we’ve thought of concerning this altar. One important point to mention: cats are almost nonexistent in this town.
On this cheerful note…let’s proceed!
We saw an opportunity and we were eager to take it. It happened that in our garage we have a number of bikes. And it also happened that we have a destination. Our destination was a lake nearby Szécsény. It’s a small fishing lake, and a tough muddy road leading to it. Nevertheless, it was a warm sunny day and the trip was for sure worth the struggle path we took. Also, turns out a child can be better in riding a bike than an adult with years of experience. But it’s a talent. And that’s how life works!
We spent half of the week exploring, settling, decorating, cleaning, sorting, greeting, meeting. And absolutely, this was the right thing to do! It feels like home.
Love,
Catherine
Adventures of a random volunteer 