It's a long day's night...

My trip home started at the Lviv airport. I've been lugging four heavy jars from Hubici-gifts of local honey, jam and preserves- with little expectation of getting them through customs. The official, an older woman who actually spoke English, kindly took me aside after my baggage went through x-ray. She told me there was no hope that the jars would make it as carry-on in Warsaw. When I protested that it was from my grandfather's village, she smiled and said," Here in Ukraine we understand about honey from grandfather's village, but liquid regulations forbid it as carry-on." She then led me to a small table and advised me to take out some clothing from my checked-in suitcase and substitute the sticky treasures. With trepidation I did so, really afraid for the rest of my clothes. I found room for 2 jars and had to throw the others in the trash. When we came into Ukraine 2 years ago by train, the officials were really scary so this kindness is a good change for Ukraine.

On the plane to Warsaw I sat next to a Hutsul woman, living in Bucks County, PA for nine months of the year, who has a home in Yavoriv-deep in the Carpathians. We really hit it off-she told me about her own wedding on horseback, dressed in full folk dress- musicians playing traditional music with everyone singing. She mentioned that her home was big in Yavoriv and that I should come to visit and gave me her address. I intend to pursue this opportunity and spend time with the Hutsuls, who are related to the Boikos, both being early White Croate tribes (probably with origins in Persia) and, along with the Lemkos, were the first people to inhabit Western Ukraine. The Hutsuls were never enslaved as serfs because of their untameable landscape. They are known as fiercely independent people who have kept their folk customs until this day.

The rest of my trip was long and almost uneventful. In New York, customs took one look at me (tired and bedraggled) and waved me through, unaware of my sticky contraband. I made the last limo to Philly and traveled for 3 hours to arrive home at 2:30 a.m., to find that Alexander had accidently locked me out of my house and, unfortunately, I didn't have the right key! This has been the only flaw of my wonderful trip. Thank goodness my friend Bernice, who lives across the street, was home!

Finding a locksmith on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend was tricky but I found one who had to drill out my deadbolt and replace it-the bill being $300! What a stressful ending to a remarkable journey!

I finally opened my bag to discover that the honey and raspberry preserves made it home intact, almost making up for my expensive mistake!