We spent today (~8.15 to 12.30, then 1.15-2.30ish?) shifting huge piles of dirt to another area and then digging deeper so we can get a level field going and finally, at some point this week, start troweling for graves. I volunteered as a bucket person (fondly called bucketeers who go bucketeering, which makes me happy) which felt easier to me than shoveling, so I felt a bit guilty, but the couple shovelers I talked to said they'd rather do what they were doing. So on the whole, if it's good for them and good for me, I'm okay with arrangement.
Tomorrow looks to be much of the same, but if we stay at the rate we went today (a pace we were already regretting by the 10.15am break time) we'll be level in no time! Our field leader (K) was talking about tomorrow's events with another digger during dinner, but I couldn't really hear, so it'll be a surprise for me!
The scenery here is absolutely fantastic. Our dig site reminds me a bit of our area in New York. On the side of giant green hill (mountain? hill? We're near the Carpathians, but I'm not sure what separates a mountain and a hill here, they're both huge and beautiful.), with beautiful deep green trees against the lighter green grass. All set against a blue, blue sky, with a few white-grey-white clouds.
It sounds like Lake George, until you see the town down the road. Red terracotta roofs all over the place, topping short, squat, white buildings. The blue, blue sky, but not the clear blue and not the lake-reflected blue, more of a gem blue? Like looking at an aquamarine necklace or a blue diamond ring against the dark jewelry case interior.
So the scenery is incredible, and the food is bloody fantastic, and the dig should be lots of fun once we get into it; Hungarian is super-fun to listen to, and I like quoting Dr. Daniel Jackson (archaeologist character from a sci-fi tv show) on an actual dig; but I have to say, I love the colors the best. Everything is good so far, but the colors are striking me most. The houses are a thousand different colors; bright yellows and suede grey and electric blue and electric green. Bright flowers everywhere (purple, pink, white, bright lipstick red) against the greenest, lushest foliage. Red terracotta roofs. Flags and signs and outfits, there's so much color here and it's so bright. It surprises me, against the dimness of the roads and the grimness of some peoples' expressions, and the assumption of a dreary, vampire-infested, post-Communist land.
I promise I'll get pictures uploaded sometime soon! I owe you Budapest as well as Odorhei.
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