warsaw
As is complusory in Eastern Europe with an interrail ticket, I booked a reservation. I got to my seat and some bald git was happily sitting in it. Just to be sure I asked a chap near me whether a word on the ticket did indeed mean 'seat'. It did. He was preparing to go and explain the situation to Mr Coot when I intervened. It's only 2 hours 40 mins, I meekly said. I can look out the window (it was dark for heavens sake) and I'll happily sit in the narrow gangway. Ejjit. I was tired and ended up sleeping doubled over with my head on my upright backpack. Ejjit twice. Next time I will dispense with the silly reserve.
I had paid for the first night at my hostel in Krakow. An associate company; just 35 zl (9 euro). I was told someone would meet me at the station, I arrived at 9pm. They didn't. I scurried off to find an internet cafe. Got my bearings. I asked a taxi guy outside for a price - 60 zl. I knew the distance could be no more than 4 km so I told him to stick his tender up his ar*e. I walked. Took ages, it was freezing and the hostel was closed. I was told it was a 'summer' hostel. Great. Luckily the bloke directed me to the other hostel bearing the same name. Got there at 11.15pm. I had a bottle of water inside a side pouch of my bag. It had turned into a slush puppy! I should have brought some blueberry concentrate.
Straight into bed and noticed the belting noise of traffic coming from the Road outside. I popped in some earplugs ( my usual defense against farters and snorers) and hoped the traffic noise would subside in the early hours. It didn't. The grand prix continued. I noticed some windows were open in the room, I assume, to counter the intense heat from the radiators. I figured it better to burn and sleep. So, I closed them and there followed a little game with some bloke in the room (it was an 8 bed dorm) of me closing the window, him opening it, me closing it, him opening it....
I got little sleep.
It was snowing heavily the following day. The first time since Belgrade that it had stuck to the ground. I like it like that. Mind you walking around in it for hours is a pain in the a*se. But hey, I came here to wander about. I must have walked 15 km that day. My nostril hair began to stiffen ! That amused me. The Varsovians (I think that's right) did a great job restoring their anicent old town. (The Germans gave it an almighty kicking during the war). It's beautiful again though, mien destroyers, take note! More so, in the snow. I came to Warsaw thinking this will be a quick in and out job. I figured it would be a communist type architectural nightmare. Some parts, yes but others, are very pleasant indeed. I abandoned my plan to see Gdansk. Besides I needed a transit visa for Kalingrad to get to Vilnuis from there.
After the goofing at the buildings, I ventured off to find the Jewish cemetary. It seems, to me, inconceivable that a community with a graveyard of 100,000 tombs just vanished. We all know why. It was quite serene in the snow. Then I took another marathon walk off to see the citadel. The damn thing is a military complex and I was quickly ushered away by a gun tooting boy soldier, me cursing him under my breath. F*cking lonely planet guide. So many damn errors, so many omissions. Probably written by a Yank! Getting back indoors I had a palpable sensation of the skin on my face expanding. Weird but nice!
The Irish bars here are very disappointing. Full of Spainards complaining about the cold constantly. It's f*cking winter, you d*ckheads! Did you check your calender when you booked the trip! Very tiresome. I thought I'd get back to the hostel and change rooms. No way could I put up with another night of motor racing outside and I had little appetite for more window games with some spooky silhouette. It could get nasty after all. So I upgraded away from the rabble at 9 euro a night to the elite at 20 euro a night. A room with a view, a balcony, a bog, a shower. Just wonderful. I wasn't going to be slowly killed by a radiator either. Bliss.
I was meant to leave for Lithuania yesterday but the trains were multi-stop, and I don't have transit visa's (really, what the f*ck are they all about anyway, do they want hard currency or what?, it's not like I want to live there) for Belarussia and the lure of my wonderful bedroom was too much. So, sorted out the ticket today. Rather than a 5 change journey over 22 hours, I have a 10 hour journey with one change. How much? 30 euro. Only sore point is getting out of bed at 6am. Besides that, I just plodded around today. Without any particular objective. Wandering. All day it has been drizzling. You can't see the top of high buildings. A low cloud of mist abounds. Not so much unpleasant, but like a shadow.
I'm happy though. Especially as for the first time this blog is up to date and I have another sweet engagement with my cosy room tonight. But first, some beers....
I had paid for the first night at my hostel in Krakow. An associate company; just 35 zl (9 euro). I was told someone would meet me at the station, I arrived at 9pm. They didn't. I scurried off to find an internet cafe. Got my bearings. I asked a taxi guy outside for a price - 60 zl. I knew the distance could be no more than 4 km so I told him to stick his tender up his ar*e. I walked. Took ages, it was freezing and the hostel was closed. I was told it was a 'summer' hostel. Great. Luckily the bloke directed me to the other hostel bearing the same name. Got there at 11.15pm. I had a bottle of water inside a side pouch of my bag. It had turned into a slush puppy! I should have brought some blueberry concentrate.
Straight into bed and noticed the belting noise of traffic coming from the Road outside. I popped in some earplugs ( my usual defense against farters and snorers) and hoped the traffic noise would subside in the early hours. It didn't. The grand prix continued. I noticed some windows were open in the room, I assume, to counter the intense heat from the radiators. I figured it better to burn and sleep. So, I closed them and there followed a little game with some bloke in the room (it was an 8 bed dorm) of me closing the window, him opening it, me closing it, him opening it....
I got little sleep.
It was snowing heavily the following day. The first time since Belgrade that it had stuck to the ground. I like it like that. Mind you walking around in it for hours is a pain in the a*se. But hey, I came here to wander about. I must have walked 15 km that day. My nostril hair began to stiffen ! That amused me. The Varsovians (I think that's right) did a great job restoring their anicent old town. (The Germans gave it an almighty kicking during the war). It's beautiful again though, mien destroyers, take note! More so, in the snow. I came to Warsaw thinking this will be a quick in and out job. I figured it would be a communist type architectural nightmare. Some parts, yes but others, are very pleasant indeed. I abandoned my plan to see Gdansk. Besides I needed a transit visa for Kalingrad to get to Vilnuis from there.
After the goofing at the buildings, I ventured off to find the Jewish cemetary. It seems, to me, inconceivable that a community with a graveyard of 100,000 tombs just vanished. We all know why. It was quite serene in the snow. Then I took another marathon walk off to see the citadel. The damn thing is a military complex and I was quickly ushered away by a gun tooting boy soldier, me cursing him under my breath. F*cking lonely planet guide. So many damn errors, so many omissions. Probably written by a Yank! Getting back indoors I had a palpable sensation of the skin on my face expanding. Weird but nice!
The Irish bars here are very disappointing. Full of Spainards complaining about the cold constantly. It's f*cking winter, you d*ckheads! Did you check your calender when you booked the trip! Very tiresome. I thought I'd get back to the hostel and change rooms. No way could I put up with another night of motor racing outside and I had little appetite for more window games with some spooky silhouette. It could get nasty after all. So I upgraded away from the rabble at 9 euro a night to the elite at 20 euro a night. A room with a view, a balcony, a bog, a shower. Just wonderful. I wasn't going to be slowly killed by a radiator either. Bliss.
I was meant to leave for Lithuania yesterday but the trains were multi-stop, and I don't have transit visa's (really, what the f*ck are they all about anyway, do they want hard currency or what?, it's not like I want to live there) for Belarussia and the lure of my wonderful bedroom was too much. So, sorted out the ticket today. Rather than a 5 change journey over 22 hours, I have a 10 hour journey with one change. How much? 30 euro. Only sore point is getting out of bed at 6am. Besides that, I just plodded around today. Without any particular objective. Wandering. All day it has been drizzling. You can't see the top of high buildings. A low cloud of mist abounds. Not so much unpleasant, but like a shadow.
I'm happy though. Especially as for the first time this blog is up to date and I have another sweet engagement with my cosy room tonight. But first, some beers....
posted by Ciarán at 11:18 p.m.
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