Less time than Scaramucci!!
Now that’s saying something.
Let’s embrace Fika
Here in Sweden they have Fika, which according to what I found on the internet means: “Functioning as both a verb and a noun, the concept of fika is simple. It is the moment that you take a break, often with a cup of coffee, but alternatively with tea, and find a baked good to pair with.”
Swedes are supposedly the worlds highest coffee drinkers, with eight cups consumed each day!
While I wouldn’t drink that many, this is one tradition I can get behind!
Hello..!
… Stockholm
Walls…
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?
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.
Okay so this next one isn’t painting on walls – but it was in the middle of the housing estates!
Some of the images are politically influenced (not surprising given the country’s history).
If you are ever in Gdansk in Poland, I highly recommend the trek out.
Last hours in Poland…
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…
Some walls!
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.
For those also on holiday
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!
No photos.
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.
Things you see… pt 2
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!
Warsaw was… hot!
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.
