2 September 2019: Big Breakfast, Goodbyes, and A Quiet Afternoon Listening ToThe Rain.

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Well, what a difference a day makes.

Steady rain is falling in the Square, the temperature has dropped 18°c to a chilly 14°c, and I left all of my warm clothes in Luxembourg. I just need to survive until 4pm tomorrow, and I’ll be in the air on a flight to Lisbon; 33°c tomorrow, thanks very much.

With most people moving on today, all of Sue’s and my family have gathered for the last breakfast together in Poland. We ate at Mleczarnia, The Dairy, and a comprehensive menu satisfied all tastes, from the healthy porridge and fresh fruit to my choice which was the bacon and eggs with a salad.
As we left, the dark skies opened and the first rain since Paris caught me without my rain gear...again. We managed to make it back to our home without being drenched, and sat with the cool breeze coming off Plac Solny. The whole city transformed into a quieter place, and the damp atmosphere even made it smell different. It’s as if the food odours, the flowers and car smells were all neutralised by the cool breeze. The wedding was over, our Poland visit was coming to an end for now, and it was time to move on. Am I getting to spiritual for you now? Well, pick your own flavour, I am getting a bit cheesy. Plus all of my ‘warm’ clothes are in Luxembourg, where I left them to reduce weight. Great plan .

Tomorrow we fly into 33°c Lisbon, so rather than complaining, I should enjoy this brief respite from the heat.

In preparation for the next phase of our trip, some clothes were laundered, and Lynne ran a couple of loads through our washer to prepare for their cruise.
Sue and I went for a last walk to the main square to take out some cash and pick up a few gifts for Ezra, our grandson, explored a few narrow lanes separating the commercial buildings in the centre, before settling on an ice cream cone in a store off the main strip.
Wet or dry, Wrocław is a noble city. It has colour, character, a very friendly vibe - on display nightly at the club/bar below us at street level unfortunately - and of course the main reason for our visit, a family wedding.

It’s funny, but I’ve been asked a number of times by Natalia, independently and on behalf of her parents, what people thought of the town, did they enjoy the wedding etc etc.

It goes without saying the wedding was a huge success , people enjoyed the warm inclusive welcome that set the tone for a united night of partying with the newlyweds.

I’m not mentioning it again; they’ll just have to believe me. I think by now Natalia knows me well enough to know I’m not interested in a popularity contest; if I don’t like something, I’ll let you know. It will be remembered as a wonderful 2 days, and a restful, relaxing visit in an interesting beautiful city, with an interesting complex history that is reflected by its resilient fun loving people.

Of course, some people will remember more than others. You know who you are.

In the late afternoon, Sue and I were nearly back at our apartment when a call came from Natalia.They were going for Polish dumplings with Camilla ( I hope that’s spelt correctly) and Paul and Patrick were joining us a little later. Camilla is like an energiser bunny who never stopped dancing and partying at the wedding and then continued on Sunday as if the night before had not occurred. She is a friend from Luxembourg so hopefully we all catch up again. Paul MC’d most of the night and has a big bright personality, and shared his informed insights into what makes Poland tick. As a Polish American man, his opinion was not formed by nationalistic loyalty, and he sees a bright future ahead for Poland , led by the fresh optimistic youth who will lead the way. Sounds like history repeating itself to me. Patrick is more reserved and quiet but you sense there is a wicked sense of humour lying just below the surface, and it would have been nice to be around long enough to see it escape. Three young people who contributed to making our Polish visit special.

We had dinner tonight with Stephen and Catrine, and Jan and Craig, and Lynne and Ross joined us later. Tomorrow Poland will be rid of this plague of Australians, and will be all the worse for it. We enjoyed Poland, and I like to think Poland enjoyed us.

Sue and I will say our sad goodbyes tomorrow , but we’ll be back.

Thanks to all the Australians who turned out for this. If nothing else came out of it, Nutbush City Limits had a brief revival, the vodka industry had a temporary lift, and we all had a ball.

Catch you tomorrow from Lisbon.

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Photos

The Dumpling Shop
We had ‘Waiting Food ‘ before the pierogi came. The variety of styles and flavours leaves the Asian dumplings in the shade. Carmella, Paul, and Patrick joined Tim, Natalia, Sue, and me for a light meal before our main meal. These were just some of the wonderful people that we have met, and Paul was a great MC for some of the antics that took place.

The Dumpling Place
Don’t know it’s name but the food was great and the decor and ambiance were very cool.

Hungry Poles
When Paul was asked what he wanted, he waived at the menu and replied,” A lot ! “. A classic example of the Polish love of food. Really good comfort food. In the cold bleak winter, I reckon warm tasty food would be really be looked forward too

Bye Bye From Wroclaw
Come back soon!