Entry #3 from June Travels

Sat 26th Jun 2010

I'll pick up where I left off. I was on the train for 6 hours (which was quite boring, really). I ate the fruit (nectarines and cherries) and few slices of bread that I had with me. And then, for some reason, I got off the train at a large station, following a long announcement in Polish that ended with "Warsawa Centralna". Unfortunately for me, there weren't any signs on the station we'd pulled into, otherwise I might have found out a little sooner that it wasn't Warsawa Centralna, but another Warsaw station. In fact, I didn't even find that out until I left the (rather dilapidated) building, because it wasn't written anywhere inside, either.

So, I walked for a while, searching the bus and tram stops for stations that sounded familiar. Finally, I found Centralna listed as a stop on Tram #22's route. So I rushed onto the tram, which was pulling in as I read the sign, feeling mildly panicked about not paying. Most of the trams are really old and there's no ticket machine on board. So, I sat patiently on the tram for ten minutes... until everyone else piled off. I realised that it was the end of the line. So, cool as you like, I got off the tram, crossed the tracks, and waited for a tram back, hoping desperately that no one had seen me (with my rather distinctive blue Puma bag) and noticed what an idiot I was. I came to the realisation, by having the time to properly read the sign, that the one stop highlighted on each poster is the one you're standing at. (It would have been helpful had the first tram stop I found actually been labelled elsewhere, but unfortunately that's just how it goes.) I'd caught the right tram, but alas, in the wrong direction.

So I got on Tram #18, which access the same stops, and made it to the city centre. I walked to the hostel, which was both conveniently located and easy to find, once I'd gotten my bearings. I checked in, put my bags down, and immediately asked for directions to a supermarket - I was starved! I decided on the better-stocked but futher-away option, knowing that the corner store also suggested by the receptionist was unlikely to have soymilk. So I bought soymilk and oats for breakfasts, a bag of frozen mixed veg, pasta, a jar of sauce and a bag of nectarines. It was all really cheap, actually. I went back to the hostel and made pasta with veg for dinner, saving the leftover for today's lunch. I found out that the sauce that had suggested itself as Mexican-style was, in fact, must closer to Sweet and Sour. Oh well. I ate, washed my dishes, used the interenet and borrowed "The Kite Runner" from the communal bookshelf. I went to sleep ridiculously early and got up at 6am today.

I'd laid out my things the night before, so I grabbed what I needed and went for a shower. Went to the kitchen and had oats, plus coffee of course. I talked to a couple of New Zealanders and a Japanese girl, who were also eating. Realised (yet again) how awul Australian and New Zealand accents can be (especially on girls with really hoarse voices). I was outside by 7:50am, wandering around and taking photos of the old town before it became crowded with tourists. My feet were already sore - my green sneakers were still a little damp, so I was wearing my 2-pound tennis shoes with paper-thin soles.

I went back to the old town, took photos in St Anne's Church, and then went into the Palace. Saw some nice, ornate rooms, generally gilded with gold. I had to go around twice because I couldn't find the exit and was ushered by an overly helpful staff lady into the first room I'd started in, which meant I got to walk the one-way circuit yet again. I felt a bit silly, walking through it all briskly again. After that I tried to go to the Warsaw Museum but it was closed for Renovations. The lady said to come back as 12 for the English film screening but I was busy with other things by that time.

I went to the Pawiak Prison Museum, which was quite small but relatively interesting, but made the mistake of having too many tiny artifacts with vague English labels and not quite enough information to join them together into some kind of narrative. (Ed note: That seems to be a common problem with the Polish museums I saw, now that I think about it.) I saw the Warsaw Rising Monument and the Ghetto Monument. Walked back to the city via a small but very long market - bought a couple of massive peaches. My feet were really hurting by then, and I kept having to stop to rest.

I went into a Supermarket (Ed note: Carrefour, which I've since learned is in dire financial trouble, despite the amount of money I poured into them whilst in Poland), buying some pierogi for dinner, kidney beans, tinned tomatoes, a Lipton red iced tea and a salad. I walked to a nearby park (plenty of those in Warsaw!) and ate the salad whilst relaxing on a shady bench. It was a very warm day, so the iced tea was completely necessary. I went back to the hostel, still somewhat hungry, and finished off the remnants of last night's dinner. Used the internet, and read a bit more of the Kite Runner.

I decided to go out to shop, having a few things in mind, but only bought a pair of shorts - admittedly very useful, but I got overcharged, and didn't feel like pointing it out to some woman who only spoke Polish. I went into another supermarket to buy bandaids for my feet, which were blistered from wearing new shoes all day. I also bought some frozen peas & carrots for dinner, a tupperware container to use for food (essential whilst travelling) and some bikkies as a treat. Came back to the hostel and made dinner - pierogi with tomato sauce and kidney beans, plus peas and carrots. I made two meals, with the other going into the new tupperware and into the fridge for the next day.

I talked to an Italian and an Australian. (I met more Australians than any other nationality! Get out of Europe!) Had a cup of tea and my bikkies, then came back to the room. Ate two nectarines, which was a bit greedy considering the size of my dinner. Then I repacked my things, so that tomorrow I have access to shower things and clean clothes when I get up, and won't need to rustle around in my bags looking for things while people are still sleeping. It drives me nuts when other people do that. I make sure everything is all in one bag, so I can just take it from the locker and go straight to the showers.

While I was packing, a new girl came in. She hasn't said a word to me, despite coming in and out of the room several times, so I'm happy to ignore her too. My other (Korean) roommate is nicer, even though I get rapidly bored with talking to strangers. Plus the new girl just opened the window that I shut a few moments ago. I'll leave it open for a little longer, but when I go to bed, it's getting closed. I'm already covered in red welts from evil European mosquitoes. I don't know why people think that insects in Australia are a problem? It's evident they've never seen a European Summer.

So today I've done nearly everything that I had planned for Warsaw. I'm a very efficient tourist, not lingering anywhere for too long, in the fear of missing out on something. What that means is that I get more tired than anyone else. Oh well. Tomorrow is the Warsaw Rising Museum, Jewish Cemetary, and the old Synagogue. I don't think I've actually been into a Synagogue before. I'm going to wrap this up here, so that I can get into my pjs and crawl into bed.