29 August 2019: A Long Day and A Short Post ; Wroclaw

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It was a quiet day today and my biggest task for the day was to sort out a few BandB problems. In no particular order they were toilet paper, soft soap and more power on the web.

The internet was the most pressing issue, as we needed to communicate with people arriving from Australia today. Anne and Michael, John and Andrea, Lynne and Ross, Craig and Jan, Suzanne, with Ingrid turning up later in the evening. An email to the host of the Airbnb drew a quick response and everything was stocked up and improved within the hour.

People slowly arrived from different parts of Europe; some by bus, others by trains, and a couple by air. Whatsapp ended up very confusing ; contact could only be made if both parties had wifi at the same time. And that didn’t happen often; messages were often outdated or superseded before they were received.

At the end of the day , pre wedding drinks were had at a local bar with both families, and a few friends present. It was good to meet a few of Tim’s friends and catch up with Ed and Mete, the other 2/3s of the Three Musketeers from their days at University. We left the bar late, so this is a quick post with a few pics.

Sue and I spent most of the day hanging out in a coffee shop, joining up with newcomers, and reacquainting ourselves with the beautiful plazas that flow from each other in the old town of Wroclaw. This is a must visit place on any trip to Poland and is a good stopover on the way to many other European countries. Budapest, Bratislava, Krakow, and Prague are a comfortable train ride away, and of course there’s the rest of Poland to explore.

This was the first day we’ve really had no agenda to follow and it was a much needed break. Tim was tired and Sue and I appreciated the luxury of wandering around aimlessly, looking for the little brass gnomes, and thinking about what to do tomorrow. It’s the last opportunity for some to tour the town as the wedding is a today affair and then people leave the day after.

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Photos

CK Bar, Reynak, Wroclaw
The lunch spot

No OH&S Issues Here
A Closer inspection shows a Polish lady cleaning the third floor windows by standing, on tiptoes, on her window ledge.

Our apartment is on the right.
2nd floor, 6 flights of stairs. I’m not popular with everyone..

The Bubble Man
A big hit with the kids.

The Gnomes of Wroclaw
A group called The Wroclaw Gnome Appreciation Society used to hold meetings to disguise the fact that they were really Solidarity Movement activists planning for the independence of Poland. The gnomes are placed around the town square to symbolise the importance of the Movement, and I think it honours all who were involved.

Our Front Door
A pre WWII building, it ain’t the Ritz, but it’s nice inside, you won’t get a better location, and the smell of old European building hits you as soon as you enter. I think it whiffs a bit of cabbages. We wouldn’t change a thing....or maybe that’s just me.