This acknowledgment has been long overdue: many thanks to campervan adventurer Vicky and travel-loving Sunshine for nominating me to receive the Versatile Blogger Award, and to Sheila from Cape Cod for nominating me for the Awesome Blog Content (ABC) Award! It’s a very gratifying feeling to know that when you post something on your blog somebody out there is actually reading – and enjoying – what you write =)

About the Versatile Blogger’s Award
The Versatile Blogger’s Award is a way for bloggers to support each other and recognize interesting and inspiring blogs. There rules to accept this award are:

• Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging
• Let the nominated bloggers know that they have been nominated for this award
• Share 7 random facts about yourself
• Thank the blogger who has nominated you
• Add the Versatile Award picture to your post

About the ABC Award
To accept the ABC award, nominees are supposed to use the alphabet to describe themselves and then give the award to six deserving bloggers.

So here we go… My alphabet self-description keywords: amber, bakery, chleb, DC, echinacea frequent flyer, guitar, history, ice-cream, Jaleo, Kirschtorte, L’Enfant, mint, nasturtium, ogród, Poland, quest, roundtrip, sandstone, travel, unknown, vino, Wurst, xtra, Yaxche, zapiekanka

Seven random facts about me:

1. I’m a Pole living in Washington DC
2. I speak π languages, i.e. the sum of languages I know with varying degrees of fluency is approximately 3.14159
3. My favorite author of travel essays is Ryszard Kapuściński
4. I like history, especially local history – it gives me a sense of place
5. My favorite gelato flavor is black tea & cardamom
6. I’m experimenting with a tiny urban edible garden
7. I irrationally love squirrels

…and 15 special fellow bloggers (in no particular order):

1. Bucket List Publications – Leslie gave my blog its first “like” which was a great encouragement to keep going =) http://lesleycarter.wordpress.com/
2. Travel Photography by Dmitrii Lezine – Gorgeous photography, a labor of love http://sillymonkeyphoto.com/
3. Violets and Cardamom – great photos, fashion and decorating ideas, and delicious recipes! http://violetsandcardamom.com/
4. Red Pants and Moustache – exploring Coffee Shops in Stockholm – love the premise =) http://redpantsandamustache.wordpress.com/
5. Marina Chetner’s blog always is source of inspiration through travel marinachetner.wordpress.com
6. So Many Places – Kim and Brian’s tale of becoming full-time travelers http://www.so-many-places.com/
7. Neighborhood Nomad – Kate explores the question that I ask myself a lot: what makes a place feel like home? http://neighborhoodnomad.wordpress.com/
8. Curious Cat on the Run – an insightful account of an epic trek through Central and South-Eastern Europe http://curiouscatontherun.wordpress.com/
9. Emily’s Musings – Not surprisingly, I highly enjoy Emily’s “slight unhealthy obsession with Eastern Europe, Poland in particular” http://emrez.wordpress.com/
10. What an Amazing World! Bama’s blog is thoughtful and colorful, a joy to read! http://harindabama.com/
11. Sight See – Jennifer’s beautiful travel photography http://sightseephotos.com/
12. Where Is My Suitcase? Hilarious accounts of travel trouble & more by sell-proclaimed “Air Traffic Control Hazard” http://whereismysuitcase.wordpress.com/
13. Andrew Petcher’s motto is “have bag, will travel” and he lives by it http://apetcher.wordpress.com/
14. World Music – a great place to find music from around the world http://xworldmusic.wordpress.com/
15. Yannah the Wonderer’s blog makes me want to go back to the Philippines! http://yannahthewanderer.wordpress.com/

Long live blogosphere solidarity!