Crack pottery...

What do you get when you cross 1 Korean, 1 Hungarian, 1 German and 4 Americans???

(and No, this isn't the beginning of a bad joke where they are walking into a bar...)

The Answer.

An 8 hour car trip through 4 different countries to buy Polish Pottery. 

Who knew pottery could bring so many nations together? :)

Some of us, I won't name names {**cough, cough**...Heidi}

Have done this 11 TIMES!! 11!!

While some others were on their 2nd and 4th trips! {Meeja, Christiana and Sacia}

The rest of us were pottery newbies and amazed by the whole phenomenon.

Being a military spouse for as long as I have been, I knew this

stuff was around and for a lot of my comrades it has been as addictive as crack.

Don't believe me?

every store or factory we went into was swarming with 

American military wives from the numerous bases and posts

throughout Germany.  

They literally come by the bus loads. 

We specifically went on a week day to avoid the craziness.

As we were driving out Saturday morning we passed the buses coming in.

It's really an American thing. 

Every European I have talked to about this seems to have no idea 

what it is. Even a lot of the Poles. 

Weird! 

 I have seen an enormous amount of it over the years. But never really jumped on board 

with the whole idea of it. I told myself I would never buy any unless

I had the opportunity to get it the way it was meant to be acquired.

By actually going to the little village of Boleslawiec and getting to take in the whole experience.

{who knew it would actually ever happen, and I would like the stuff??} 

So I feel like I can officially carry my military ID card with pride.

I have gone and conquered and spent my small fortune on Polish pottery.  

our whole group...see Holly's sweet Tisza mustard and black bag on the end. It's Hungarian retro from communist days and I felt like you all should know this brand exists because its cool and you can only get it in Hungary.
You're welcome.

this little village is full of these cute little ceramic statues posted on street corners and roundabout circles.

The shops are small and filled to the brim and no two shops are the same. We only went to 8 different places and I dare say that wasn't even half of them. By the end you can't remember which pattern you saw and where. 

our hotel restaurant had a cozy swing in front of the fireplace that Holly and I enjoyed.

This was restaurant is THE PLACE to eat while there. Seriously, I think it was the only place...I didn't see any thing else.
Isn't it cute though.

The weird rabbit statue out in front, I am sure it has some sort of meaning

The pottery is all painted by hand by people  like these. Can you believe it? I just walked into a shop and in one corner is pottery and the next corner is the workshop.

My roomies, Agi and Holly! We might have had a little too much fun our first night and regretted it a little
for our 6:30 wake up call. Pottery shopping is serious business. Shops open early and close by 3 or 4,
no rest for us.

Agi was just slightly cold... 

This is just one of our two cars packed to the brim.

All my little pretties!

I think I may need some more......