Warszawa Vs Berlin

Third round in Poland, this time further to the East in the country. A long and full weekend to discover this city, meet my not only Norwegian friends from Oslo and eventually meet locals and/or spotters. It was a good weekend for many reasons putting aside the fact that I was travelling alone. I experienced or entered different layers, networks to get to know this city.

This time I traveled with the Die Welt von Gestern de Stefan Weig which I was reading in French.

I use the public transport, tramways are so cool in Poland.

I made new connections.

I got frustrated to not be able to say more than three words in Polish.

I traveled slow and cheap, train and bus, in total 1000km for a total 82€.

Warsaw - troisième jour

A last full day full of resolution. I crossed the city by tramway, entered its many parks, visited the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews and later in the afternoon met the Oslo team again.

4:00pm we are all waiting for our guide for a scheduled tour of the city. Then he arrives with its old cool mini yellow van. No need to worried about safety belts as there are not safety belts. We just need to relax and grab the red and black fur on the seats to not fall at every turns or bumps on the road.

The path followed by the mini van brought us to many places I have seen the last two days, but the tour guide was entertaining. To conclude our exploration we crossed the river and had a snack in what we can call a witness apartment of old Polish communist time. The vodka was good.

8:08pm despite the aperitif we start looking for a place to have diner and we end up in a kind of semi classic restaurant called Folk Gospoda. To give an image it's all in wood, a bit German style, waiters and waitresses are wearing "traditional" costumes. In comparison to the German version, the waitresses are wearing white socks, semi short skirts revealing her knees but without "décolotté pigeonnant" Bavarian style.

About the food is was way too big, good but way too big, but the beer drinkable. And sadly I could not see the couple making out in the other restaurant room in my back, but at some point two of my friends said "I think the woman on the back is giving an hand job to the guy next to him, noooo" we all said turning synchronously our heads. That was fun.

11.34pm the day isn't over and I left my Norwegian crew at its hotel and continue my city exploration. I have not idea where I'm, but I'm. I met again the Polish and French pair of yesterday with more Polish people. A very nice end of my short trip in Warsaw. I never thought this trip will have ended up with a long and passionate discussion about color imaging and ACES, but life is full a surprises.

I will have to go to bed at some point, my Polskybus is leaving the city in a few hours.

Warsaw - deuxième jour

11:01am early awake but later than yesterday! A short look into my spotted by local app and decide for  an hummus breakfast. Then I aim for the sky, go toward the Palac Kultury, got lost in the building and finally find the elevator. The view once almost on the top of the building is stunning. I can see where I went yesterday and can locate where I had my delicious hummus and halloumi burger some minutes ago in  Beirut.

Back on earth I enter the nearby located Museum of Modern Art. It's squeezed between towers but you don't feel compressed once inside. If you like poster and book shop, that's the place to go.

4:04pm second try for the planetarium, I failed but I successfully acquired some bike accessories in antymateria. At the question from one of the shop crew member "how did you find out about our shop already?", "well" I answer, "I'm coming from Berlin, know some shops there, asked there if they know people in Warsaw, then I talked on the net with shared connection being a frame builder in Warsaw that recommended some addresses and here I'm!"  thanks to the bike messenger communities in the different cities I thought.

8:03pm I meet my Scandinavian crew in a Polish posh restaurant - as will later describe our tour guide the next day. I lost some money on that game but I kept my clothes, so the honor is safe. Being a bit ill at a fancy restaurant is problematic as everything taste the same, color and  texture are changing but still you don't get the full experience. Anyway...

11:33pm a drink at a panorama bar in the city center and we split the group. At that time I thought I already entered a parallel world while having diner in the previous restaurant - the Belevedere - but I was wrong. There are many parallel universes or many ways to explore cities or interact with new spaces, I explain in the following lines.

It's passed midnight and I'm meeting a French journalist - also writer for spotted by locals, not for Warsaw but Budapest. Thanks to the internet I got to know during the day that she was visiting Warsaw and a Polish friend this weekend. Where do we meet she asked? I checked on my foursquare, found out some places recommended by Lithuanian friend - other spotter from Vilnius this time, I met him in Berlin in Amsterdam. So here we are, three people, one true local and two local travelers having a last Saturday drink in Kraken. Funny because at the beginning of my day I had not idea I will conclude my path in the same place I started - the hummus place and this bar share the same address.

3:33am  late again but I got a lift home to my beloved Campanile hotel. Another full day.

Warsaw - premier jour

6:15am  and I'm on the platform at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof. As opposed to the train driver the other travelers and me are in time. Luckily the train  - the Warsaw Express where Express has nothing to do with the speed - being not full means you can seat comfortably and enjoy the long ride to Warsaw.

2:04pm I leave the train station, elevator and bamm I have in front of me the Palac Kultury. I blink my eyes, nooo am I in New-York or what? No, I'm in Poland. 900m further I enter my hotel room located nearby the Warsaw central station. A shower and I'm ready to explore the city. My phone is fully charged, my spotted by local city guide for Warsaw up to date, let's go!

One pass for the public transport in my pocket, I jump in a bus direction the Copernicus Science Center, I heard often about this place during my last job, despite the relative short distance to Berlin I never managed to visit it.

My phone indicates me a 20min bus ride but I left my coach before my final destination, I have seen a bike shop in the street... I meant that one Rowery Bajery. I talk a bit with the owner and manage to leave without buying a bike. A crêpe in Rue de Paris and I finally reach the science center.

4:47pm I pay my entree for the science museum. It's Friday, full of kids from the school running around. I guess the only difference with a weekend day will be more parents in zombie mode with kids running around. But the place is a giant playground for who wants to play with science and get introduction to basic concepts, installations are working, many experiments are doable, friendly staff.

On my way back to my hotel I locate more bike shops - thanks to the local tips I gather before leaving Berlin - but I remain strong and only ask for prices. The street is going up, bike shops, music shops and sometimes bar and bike shop together, an awaken dream this city.

Getting close to a large avenue I spot the palm tree. To me a very good integration of urbanity and modern art. First surprising and then finding it completely in harmony with the roundabout, the cars, the bus, the tramways and buildings.

8:11pm evening is coming and I meet a Morten, a Norwegian scout - but also a friend - here some hours in advance to prepare the field for more Scandinavians. Always nice to meet the friends from other places in other places.

10:11pm the rest of the troop is finally arriving and we all go to the Bazard Klub. The place looks fine, but arriving late together with the staff members we are the only not drunk people.

Then it's time to go sleeping, I'm awake for way to long today. On the way back to our hotels I'm the last leaving the taxi. I continue alone the discussion with the driver, in English - because my Polish sucks - even so it could have been in German. He told me his grand mother used to leave in Berlin not far from where I live.

A full first day in Warsaw.