My travels (travails) : Poland

Well, I turned around and headed back to Europe yesterday and got to Poland a whole 2 hours before I had to talk. Without much sleep and being late, right after lunch, I think the talk went pretty well, other than the one time when the whole thing completely locked up. Anyway, I'm just glad I made it in time.

I was booked into the Marriott, but because my plans changed, I was supposed to be here yesterday and wasn't, so lost my reservation. So, the gal here setup a room for me. I'm so tired I keep falling asleep in my chair. I'm hoping things will settle down a bit now as I have no more transcontinental flights until I return home.

My first impression of Poland was that it looked an awful lot like Kansas. Flat.

I still have that impression. :) The roads are bad, it's still cold, and the wind blows constantly. There are still remnants of the old steel curtain days here, but, there is a lot of modernization as well.

On my way here I met a tibetan budhist monk named Enzing Gurong. He was a very quiet and friendly. It was interesting chatting with someone so far from home. He was wearing the full red, orange and yellow outfit seen in movies. He seemed comfortable.

At the Paris hotel I was using the bathroom and the cleaning lady came in to clean. She didn't hesitate a bit and I remembered that things are little different around here. She actually bumped into me as I was standing at the urinal. Not used to that kind of thing. Reminded me of Japan and the fuds (public baths) where the old ladies keep in clean and they'll literally walk into the bath where everbody is showering and soaping up. I never got used to that.

Anyway, I turn around tomorrow and get on a plane to Oslo. I'm hoping to get a little rest there cuz we have an extra day.

This is the view from my hotel room window. Nothing too interesting. I've heard that Warsaw is interesting. I'm about to go out and have something to eat at a restaurant, maybe I'll get to see some sight while I'm out. I loved the throwback soviet uniforms the immigration officials were wearing.

Anyway, not a terribly exciting place, but then, I could be catching it at the wrong time.

Ahhh, sleeeeeep...