2017 – Europe and Japan | Bromptoneering or bust

Things I have learnt…

Posted on August 10, 2017 by kymdt

1. That the enigma code was broken by Polish mathematicians in Poznan – they passed their information to the English at the beginning of World War II. Here is a picture of where these mathematicians worked.

2. Sometimes the best coffee are in the least expected spots. For example, the best coffee we found in Berlin was in the bottom of a communist showcase building on Karl Marx avenue. Yum!

3. Free High Speed Internet does not mean that it’ll work. For some reason Helen could upload her photos from her iPad, but I couldn’t. Weird hey? So anyway here is a photo you would have otherwise missed thanks to the very high speed internet here in Warsaw.

4. Pavlova probably originated in Germany! Poland seems to enjoy Pavlova and Pavlova derivatives much more than Aussies.

5. You’ve got to be careful on Warsaw’s big roads – best to stick to the footpat !!! The small roads are o.k.

6. A lot of people will assemble to watch two prentend goats butt heads at 12 noon?

What is cycling with your Brompton like overseas?

Posted on August 11, 2017 by helenhmk

Awesome! It’s great because the bike fits me, and I know how it performs. Usually on holiday when you wanted to cycle you spent time trying to understand the bike share system of the city… (app, credit card whatever system) and hopefully the bike you picked would perform ok, but adjusted to your height etc. At least this way we are in control- if we get a flat we can fix it.

Little did I know, but this tyre was flat when I took this…. we had stopped for coffee.

Have we had a flat tyre? Yes. So far we’ve had a flat in Berlin, and one in Warsaw. I blame the large amount of glass on the roads, footpaths, bike lanes! Thankfully we brought a three spares – but we bought a couple more yesterday after getting the second one – not wanting to tempt fate. On the bright side the shop was literally on the same block as our hotel – magic!

Are there any downsides? Probably the size of the suitcase – which isn’t a problem itself. But pulling it over cobblestones is annoying to say the least. There is also the lack of storage space on trains, because you really can’t lift them to be placed above your head.

Things you see on holiday…

Posted on August 11, 2017 by helenhmk

There was nothing else on the van to inform me about the company….

Warsaw was… hot!

Posted on August 13, 2017 by helenhmk

Watching the weather I thought…ah the heat front in Europe won’t get as far as Poland. Yep, I was wrong.

But on the up side there is always opportunity for lody!

Thankfully, there was some amazing icream available right around the corner from our hotel! They do different flavours every day – and do coffee too. Ah – what luck.

It was so good, we went back before catching the train to Gdansk. Thankfully we can walk quick – despite the cobblestones.

Things you see… pt 2

Posted on August 13, 2017 by helenhmk

You can buy a balloon or have you photo take with the bunch – we decided on neither. Looked good though!

The tower in Warsaw had a display of items created out of metal. But we decided not to pay 20ztl to see them – ones in the foyer and at the top were fine!

No photos.

Posted on August 13, 2017 by kymdt

It may surprise you, but sometimes we are not actually taking photos. For example, during the unexpected thunderstorm while we in the Praga district of Warsaw. There are no photos of wet cyclists seeking refuge under a tram stop shelter. Nor are there any photos of me trying to use the ticket vending machine for the tram (one of which was broken) – and why is it that the ticket vending machines are not under cover!?!

The good news is that we riding with Bromptons. We merely folded the bikes and boarded the number 74 tram instead.

You’ll have to make do with this photo from the Neon Museum.

For those also on holiday

Posted on August 13, 2017 by helenhmk

Cheers!

Currently at the beach in Gdansk. It was either that or wander the city streets and tourist stuff with the rest of the tourists. Cycling to the beach was the better option… so far done 16.7km!

Some walls!

Posted on August 14, 2017 by kymdt

Just so I can beat Helen to this post about some fantastic walls in Zaspa.

I am sure Helen will share some close ups with you. Or, you check out my Flickr photo stream for more.

Last hours in Poland…

Posted on August 15, 2017 by helenhmk

What do we do? Looking for pierogi to eat for lunch of course. We headed back to the “milk bar” for lunch… but the queue was a very long way out the door. Another place we went didn’t have pierogi left (how is this possible?). They tried to suggest a polish style sandwich, but we weren’t into that so we left in search of an alternative.

Kym remembered a place called Omandu... punched it into maps and we were there in no time at all. There was a slight queue out the door, but we thought… since we had well over an hour before catching a ferry.

Once we got a seat, and ordered we were informed there would be a 40 minute wait. That’s okay… in the mean time we had soup. I had borscht with a cabbage filled sausage roll, and Kym’s was a vegetable soup. Both were fabulous. The raspberry lemonade was equally enjoyable.

Then we waited…… but it was worth it! I had hand minced meat, and Kym had black pudding, and on the top had onion and bacon.

We gobbled them up (combination of hunger and needing to get luggage to get to boat)… and our desert ones spiced apple with raspberry and cream sauce we took as a takeaway so we could enjoy them on the boat. Thankfully, we quickly walked to the hotel packed the bikes got taxi and got to the boat in time. So, the lesson in all this is the sign below…

Walls…

Posted on August 15, 2017 by helenhmk

On a sunny, Sunday when in Gdansk you could go to the crowded streets (and I mean streets, as practically every street had something and lots of tourists) and look at stuff you don’t need (St Dominic’s fair) or go look at walls in Zaspa. Which do you think we chose?

https://flic.kr/p/XCsEXY

Zaspa is a sprawling 1970s housing project constructed on a disused airfield, and it was the former home of Lech Waesa.

The cycle out to Zaspa was pretty cool (bike lanes are awesome!), and only slightly over 5kms. At Zaspa there is only apartment blocks between 5-8 stories high. The murals began in 1997 to add some colour- and they continue to be added to each year.

When there you just need to cycle round the different apartment blocks and you can easily see them as they take up the whole wall. It’s a feeling of wonderment as you don’t know what is hiding around the next corner.

I have to say it’s better than anything I’ve seen. To see so many together – is great. It’s great for the community who live there and the art work is treated with respect.