How Did That Get Here?

It wasn't what we expected to find in Poland. The LT of Lithuania, yes; the D of Germany, yes; CZs; LVs; even a GB wouldn't have raised a brow; but Oregon? There attached to the rear of the VW Synchro in front of us was an Oregon U.S.A. license plate. Now how did that get here?

We were at the top of a road in Zacopane, Poland; we'd driven there hoping to find a trail head where we could park. But the road ended in a large paved lot filled with tourist micro buses and one VW Synchro with Oregon plates. We didn't have to wait long to get an answer to our question. The owners returned almost as soon as we pulled beside their van. I rolled down the window. "Don't tell me you drove that here from the States."

They are a family of four and, in a sense, that is exactly what they did. "We live in Britain now. We travel around Europe when the kids have holidays from school. What about you? You don't sound German." They were referring to our German plates. "We're in disguise," I told them.

We talked for a short while about Portland, about Europe. We wish our conversation had been longer; it would have been fun to hear of their adventures.

"How did you guys get up here?" they asked. "This is a restricted area. We got slapped with a forty dollar fine the minute we stopped the car."

"We just came looking for a place to camp. Where do you go around here?"

"Well, unfortunately, the best advice we can give you is to turn around and go before you get a fine too. The police are everywhere."

So we did. Our waves and theirs trailed behind until they were out of sight. Maybe we'll run into them again in some other unlikely European city; we certainly can't miss those plates.