A merry month ago...

November 30th - December 2nd; weekend away in Wrocław, sort of pronounced like 'vrotzwav'.

I won't delve into detail too much, if you're at all curious ask... I will say these are only some photos of the lovely things we saw, it was a marvelous city, and I'll post separately about arts etc., this is just us wandering around an unfamiliar and welcoming place.

Swanky new Katowice train station.

Shiny!

Wroclaw station was super fancy too.

More like a castle really....

I came to realize this city loves its' 'public art', or street sculpture, lot of Bronze too...

The dwarves are sort of a famous Wroclaw thing, like 'nobody knows how many there are' type stuff...

Our 'double room' at The One hostel.

I don't know!

Oh dear...

cheeky disguised bottle of Krupnik, a very nice herbal liqueur, drinking in the streets is not permitted in Poland.

This was a huge up-ended train sculpture, quite strange and lovely. 

And of course there was a Christmas market in the square.

Weather was very kind to us on days two and three after an uncharacteristically drizzly day Friday.

Veggie cafe 'Kalambur', it was beautiful to look at from the outside in the daytime, pleasant and warm to be hidden away in the evening.

Then we came upon this street with brass engraved/embossed tiles on the cobbles, commemorating historical times in the city's past.

Essentially the plaques show each time the city changed hands (German, Prussian, Austro-Hungarian (Ottoman), Czech, and U.S.S.R I guess, jeeze, talk about bad neighbours!), or something historic took place, so 2012 would be Euro 2012.

The architecture was crazy and beautiful, Ecclesiastical, touches of Deco and Nouveau here and there, and shameless socialist brutes to boot!

As I understand it, the German's built the huge exhibition hall in 1913, and it's all lovely, etc., so later, in the 50s or something the Russians decided to build a giant needle, to show they can build too, and that they're 'ard I guess. Google's just a page away but I'm too lazy to verify at this stage of the evening!

Onion?

Moonrise Kingdom!

Another Vegan heaven.

I couldn't sleep, neither could she, late night hostel view.

Pronounced like gwoov.... I know.... !

hello little fella

Dining cart. It was a proper train, with compartments and everything!

Sunday evening snow in Katowice. 

Snow in D-W

Last days in Poland

Ok, I'm like 5 days over my self-imposed deadline of last year round-up type posts.

When I set the damn thing I was confident I'd meet it somewhat (you know, at least one post of a segment of last-year's happenings), but, of course not, whenever I impose something on myself, or indeed other forces do, I'm rarely accepting and forthcoming. When I wrote my blog-intentions earlier in the week (I was inclined to write "last week" but sources tell me it's only Saturday, time as ever eludes me) I was positive, sure I was a bit disappointed that all the pre-homing aspirations and hopes had of course not been realized, that is communicative clarity with family and friends (or at least more attempts at communication), ease of job-securing (or less anxiety about not being good enough to be a paid drone, indeed I'm only suitable for voluntary droning at present), ah and the rest of it - no dice. Sure there was that, but I'd been looking back on photographs (attempting a 'back-up' since my Mac's been poorly, and no, I have yet to back-up my data onto my hard drive) and feeling ok. Feeling a bit 'hey, I've done stuff, I've left the house, been places'...

I should always know better, as a person whose New Years resolutions (far from the lofty be kind to others, let things go, exercise, eat cleanly, live simply) really need to be 'remember to shower often, look into flossing teeth - or at least remember to replace year-old toothbrush... I had to laugh recently, I'd been reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live (which is incredibly well researched and informative, eye-opening for most I'm sure) and there's a section where he discusses frequent excuses for lack of exercise and healthful meal-prep, he says something like "You don't have time? You make time to shower daily and floss for better health, why not an extra 30 mins (or whatever you can spare) for exercise?". I read it and thought "shit, people actually shower every day, and what the heck is flossing?!" Of course I realize now what flossing is, I'd tried dental floss in the past once, without success, I didn't realize at the time that the high pressure in my mouth due to too many teeth/not enough space meant inter-dental brushes and stringy stuff were too big to fit between my fat ass teeth and put the failure down to inexperience


Right, so here's my last few days in Poland.

No work today so I made/painted these before the ballet.

After the ballet.

Last day, in Katowice - last minute shopping.

Dobra Karma - Vegan friendly restaurant.

Interesting seasonal decs.

Gluten-free Vegan Pizza.

Reading a mag in 'good karma', I liked the placemat and table with the page.

On our way out.

Bye-bye Katowice.

I'll miss your interesting 'public art'.

I'm missing these clear blue wintry skies.

Stop-off in Dąbrówka Wielka for prezzies for the Andrzejewskis.

Last sunset in this lovely little flat.

Off to Piekary central.

Hello Moon, Kazimierza Wielkiego.

Last ever game of Carcassonne, I won!

Home to D-W, beautiful shadows.

I came home to discover this lovely gift from my students!

Finishing off cards for Mat's grandmother and parents.

Mat