Ele cooks; Tete sweets; Eleo sings

5 people standing in front of a large world map — Terézia Ligačová (Lužianky, Slovakia) Hania Robaszkiewicz (Puebla Mexico / Łódź, Poland) Eleonora Prudenzi (Rome / London) Lucas Hayes (Newcastle, Australia) Justa Sobótka (Puebla Mexico / Łódź, Poland)

5 people landing on the ground after jumping in the air — Land!

Thursday Night

19 November ’15
The bus driver told Eleonora not to speak to anyone in Rosemead because it is a very dangerous city!

Then she got a little lost walking home.

Then her phone started to run out of battery.

Scary night!

Friday

20 November ’15
Friday started off a lot better. We walked over to East Gourmet Seafood at Garvey Ave & San Gabriel Blvd for a little dim sum breakfast.

Justa, Hania & Terézia seated at a table at East Gourmet Seafood in Rosemead, Ca — Justa, Hania & Terézia enjoy their first dim sum breakfast ever!

Venice Beach

After breakfast Hania, Justa, Lucas, Terézia & Eleonora headed off to Venice Beach. All 5 of them packed into the tiny Fiat 500 that Hania & Justa rented. They got to enjoy the eclecticism of Venice, dip their toes in the November waters, and experience first-hand a Friday afternoon cross-town commute in Los Angeles.

interior shot of 2 people in a Fiat 500 — Justa & Lucas in the front seat

Interior view of a Fiat 500 with 3 people in the back seat — Terézia in the back seat along with Hania & Eleonora

Wall Warts Be Gone!

While the gang was off to Venice beach I noticed the chain of “wall warts” Eleonora needed just to charge her sexy new Alcatel phone from Boost Mobile (US$60 for a smart phone and a month of unlimited service!!) The sad sight gave me a sort of aesthetic toxicity and I realized I needed to change the tired, old wall outlet in the Budapest Train Station just as I had previously done for the Sonthofen Ski Lodge and Curaçao Beach.

photo of a string of international power adapters sticking out of a USA wall socket — BEFORE: Aesthetic Toxicity: So many power adapters just to charge a phone

photo of a USB connector plugged into a USB wall outlet in the "Budapest Train Station" room at Casa Glenn — AFTER: Aesthetic Bliss: Pure USB wall power elegance

Cooking with Fire!

… or, you know, a potato masher…

Photo of Eleonora Prudenzi's omelet sandwiches — When the tired travelers returned from their idyllic LA freeway commute, Ele made these delicious omelet-sandwiches. Mmm!

Photo of a bowl of Terézia Ligačová's "Avokado Pudding" — After Ele’s delicious sandwiches, Tete treated us with her amazing Avokado Pudding dessert! What a dessert she’s created! Such a unique taste experience.

Universal Eleonora

And then around the magical hour of midnight, “Eleonora #2,” aka “Eleo Rey”, aka “Universal Eleonora” arrived. Her presence was as robust as I’d imagined it would be.

Terézia Ligačová & Eleonora Rey on a couch as Eleonora plays a Venezuelan Cuatro — Tete curls up on a couch in the Sonthofen Ski Lodge as Eleo plays her Venezuelan Cuatro.

After hugs for everyone, Eleo sat down in the entrance hallway of the house and played a song for us.

Lucas playing a Venezuelan Cuatro late at night, in a candle-lit room — Lucas trying Eleo’s Venezuelan Cuatro as Tete, Eleo & I listen

A while later Ele went to bed. Eleo, Tete, Lucas and I talked in the Sonthofen Ski Lodge.

Another while later Tete crawled onto the other sleeping pad in Ele’s Budapest Train Station room. Eleo, Lucas and I stayed up a bit longer.

And another while later I went to bed. Eleo and Lucas continued to play the Cuatro and sing in soft melodic tones as I drifted off to sleep.

Saturday

21 November ’15

Hania & Justa drove their Fiat 500 to LAX for their flight to Mexico City and the drive to Puebla around 4:30 this morning. I thought I’d get up and wave goodbye, but I slept through it. Lucas woke up, at least enough to see them depart.

Hania & Justa and Eleo slept under the same roof for a few hours, but they never, at least in waking life, met. Hania & Justa went to bed before Eleo arrived. They departed before she awoke.

Eleo Rey in the kitchen with a cutting board — Eleo ventured off to the Asian Market this morning and proceeded to prepare the most authentic Venezuelan breakfast she could with ingredients from the Asian Market.

Terézia Ligačová & Lucas Hayes at an outdoor table drinking smoothies — Lucas enjoying the unique, not-gonna-find-at-Robeks-or-Jamba-Juice notes of Eleo’s smoothie as Tete skypes with her mom and boyfriend back home in Slovakia

people sitting around a table and eating a meal — Lucas, Eleo & Tete at the IP3 diner enjoying Eleo’s plantains, tofu, and other culinary delights

Close-up of dishes of food at an outdoor table — Eleo’s breakfast / lunch

Launderland

Terézia wanted to wash some clothes. Lucas was thinking of getting a guitar when he was down in Central America. Inspired by Eleo’s Cuatro, I suggested Lucas might like to take a peek at the Pawn Shop down the street.