Sadly, summer is over and it will take over eight months at least for it to come back. Well, but today, weather was great in our fascinating, diverse and vibrant city. With temperatures climbing to 17C degrees, ain't bad for the end of October. Global warming, huh? At least sunsets over the River Thames make it a nice sighting. One of the good spots to see them is the Canary Wharf Pier. Oh, that spot also boasts a few good places to eat, including one of London best steak houses - the Gaucho Grill. And a word of warning - the Royal China Restaurant, which is also there is rather terrible - I highly recommend to avoid it!
Oct 18, 2009 12:00 AMUstka (PL) - Getting prettier
Ustka's local authorities have recently received an award for the second best place in Poland in creating EU-sponsored projects to boost the local economy and improve the standard of living of the local community. Indeed, considerable amounts of money have been spent in renovating the old town, whose street layout had not changed for centuries.
Weather was good, so I went to see the effects of the work. And yes, this little summer resort is getting prettier. There is still rather much to be done, to bring Ustka on par with some of the extremely photogenic coastal resorts of England, France, Germany, etc. But, if all goes well, and the old town is going to be saved in its entirety, a few years from now, the town might actually get there. I was also glad to see that the recent mighty storms did not ruin Ustka's grand seafront promenade, and the beach was spared too. Both of them.
Oct 17, 2009 12:00 AMStrzelinko (PL) - the Charlotta Valley
There have been a few disputes on several fora on the internet regarding the name of the place. The Slovincian name is Mlyn w Zamelowie (Mill in Zamelowo), but the proprietors of the valley changed its name to the Charlotta Valley. Allegedly, it has something to do with the Bismarck family and a girl named Charlotta. But I could not verify that. Anyway, the place is great. A little lake created by the Slupia River, is the focal point. Fishing contests are a common activity there, but the main interest is about the hotel, spa, a little zoo (only local wildlife presented), and an amphitheatre, which houses rock festivals, attracting rock legends from around the world. The amphitheatre, which is obviously an open air venue, is surrounded by natural forest and can sit 4000 spectators. The Greeks and the Romans would cringe probably seeing the word amphitheatre with a reference to cultural events, for emphitheatres in the Ancient times were only used for blood-sport, whiles all cultural events took places in theatres!
Anyway (again), I only came to check this place out. I had not been there before. The hotel looks decent, and the personnel seemed friendly. The little house on the island and a beach looked like an absolutely perfect spot for a holiday far away from civilisation.
Oct 16, 2009 12:00 AMGdansk (PL) - still handsome as ever
I was three hours late in Gdansk. Wizzair gave me £4 to wipe my tears and shut my mouth. I landed at about 02:40 a.m. instead of 23:20 (11:20 p.m.), but the morning in the city was glorious. There was not a single cloud in the sky. And what a sky! Blue, blue, blue. The old town looked stunning illuminated by the sun rays falling on the elaborate facades at a low, autumn, angle. The shadows created by the porticoes and reliefs were equally photogenic. I took a wee stroll along the Dluga Street, and the Dlugi Targ Street, Dlugie Nabrzeze Riverfront Alley, and wandered around the Granary Island (Wyspa Spichrzow), and its little sister - the Lead Isle (Olowianka). I stepped into Brovarnia Bar for their own brewed wheat beer. The bar was closed, as it was too early, but I, being me, managed to blag my way in though the hotel. I wore a nice, expensive shirt, which most definitely did the trick.
Gdansk will host a few matches during the FIFA European Football Championships in 2012. The Baltic Arena is being built right now, and the construction site has been praised as one of the best organised in the world. The stadium is already taking shape, although they had only started building a few weeks ago! Apart from that Gdansk will see improvements in the roads network and enhancements in the transport system - new trams, rebuilt stations, and a new airport terminal. All good, good, good.
Oct 15, 2009 12:00 AMGdansk (PL) - here I come!
So, I am back on the road again. This time, it is in Poland. Weather has recently broken down, shifting from a lovely and mild Golden Fall to a wintery storms, bringing snow and drizzle. Temperatures plummeted and the winds uprooted and broke down trees and disrupted power transmission, leaving people with no electricity. This is not exactly what I wanted, but hey - I will take it.
I am taking Wizzair, the Central Europe response to Ryanair. Their prices are not as cheap as Ryanair, but they fly to more places in the region. The only downside is that Wizzair does not have online check-in.
This trip starts in Gdansk. Then, ... well, I will see. It will probably be Ustka, Slupsk and Kobylnica. I will take a memory card with me and will use my brother's and my parents' cameras to shoot a few scenes/landscapes in various places. I am looking forward to see how Ustka has changed since my last visit.
Oct 11, 2009 12:00 AMBerlin (DE) - another day of nothing
It took until about 3pm for my eye to bear dimmed daylight, and half a flask of Vidisan by Bausch & Lomb, for that matter. So, considering my flight was at 8:30pm, Sunday was also a lost cause.
I managed to go out for a late lunch, still wearing my sunglasses, despite of the rainy weather, and got a bottle of red Spanish and a bottle of red Italian wine to nurse my grievances. It worked. The pain in my eye was easing and I could just tolerate, only just, a tv screen. So, the afternoon on a chocolate leather (like mine in London) sofa, sipping wine and laughing at Bruno.
Oh, well. I guess that in such case, I just need to go to Berlin again. At the earliest convenience.
Oct 10, 2009 12:00 AMBerlin (DE) - the inflammation of the cornea
So, as I suspected, I had an eye infection, or the inflammation of the cornea. I felt it on Friday afternoon, but on Saturday it was more than obvious it was it. And I am not talking about the grain of sand feeling under the eye lid. I am talking a full blown intolerance of light. Even the slight flicker of a candle was unbearable! This meant that Saturday was effectively written off for me. I had stay indoors until it got completely dark outside and I still needed sunglasses to shield myself from the street lights, and, what more important and painful, the cars' headlights.
I got to Simon Dach Strasse, full of bars and restaurants and lounges, and I stopped at the Himmelreich. And never left it until my eye felt like it was going to explode!
So, that was the only thing I did in Berlin on Saturday. How ironic that I was hoping to see the lights of the city - a show that Berlin put this year. Basically illuminating the prominent sights with magic lights. So I heard. I could not see it, obviously.
Oct 09, 2009 12:00 AMBerlin (DE) - Ryanair's fanfares of obsession
Although I arrived in Berlin 15 minutes late, Ryanair still insisted to play their fanfares of the on-time arrival. Hmm... It was not hilarious. It was pathetic! Well, what can one say? Should I write a letter of complaint? Should I inform the CAA, or the competition? Or the press maybe?
Anyway, I took a taxi (I could not wait for the non-coming 171 bus) to the centre, and was impressed with the new motorway that now connects the Berlin Shoenefeld (aka Berlin Brandenburg International in the making) airport with the city centre and the other city motorways, one of which leads to the other, still yet to be closed airport called Tegel. And I am hearing from the locals that although the BBI is due to open in 2012, the rail link with the centre is not going to be ready for another four years, or so. That is so unlike Germany. So disappointing! But the city is almost broke. The few businesses and scarce industry based in Berlin, do not pay enough taxes to fund all that transformation of the Germany's capital.
There was not much for me to do other than go clubbing. It was late. Too late for dinners. Too early for breakfasts. Just about time for clubbing. :)
Oct 04, 2009 12:00 AMLake Como (IT) - on the way back
Got up late. Well, if 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday is early, then I got up early. I agreed to be up by 9 a.m. to see some of the guest off as they were trickling out and started to leave for their home countries, the USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Poland, England and a few other places.
I had to leave for London, at about 2:30 p.m., so on the way to Bergamo, I stopped in Bellagio for a short stroll and window shopping. My lady friend managed to acquire a green belt made from real crocodile skin with a gold platted buckle, the one she always wanted and could not find for ages... (sic!)
I was actually surprised that shops were open on Sunday. I expected them to be closed, but hey, life is not easy... hehe.
Oct 03, 2009 12:00 AMComo (IT) - a day of relax
The day after wedding, a group of us (a party of 12) took three cars and travelled from Lezzeno to Como for some wandering, shopping, and lunch... The original plan was to go Switzerland for some high volume shopping, but we just could not be bothered. It was simply too far, it would involve crossing the lake, etc.
Como was at its best. It was busy and people, mainly Italians, wandered about, shopped and ate at the restaurants and cafes around the old town. It was a good day. Lots of laughs, teasing, pasta and wine.
In the evening, we met with the newlyweds in Bellagio for dinner at the Silvio restaurant, which served fresh fish. Actually, the owner himself, Silvio, was taking our order and the food was delicious.
