Hilly

It is great in our area in some ways. We have a number of hills in the surrounding area which are created from the groundworks that helped build the neighbourhood and metro line. They provide a great place to sit and watch the planes come and go, and to enjoy a nice sunset or sunrise if one can get up that early. It of course also creates a great little natural wild park, and on this site a bike track for the BMXers of the area. Also, in the area you can easily find wild plums, hops, and horseradish.

Wild horseradish leaves

The wild hops

Wild hops soon to be in a beer

Picnic on a hilltop

While the weather is good we wanted to take advantage of the sun, the pleasant long evenings and the free time we had and so, decided to have a little picnic. We headed to the man made hill, Kopa Cwila, in Ursynow. It is probably, I would guess, about 40-50m high and is made of by product from the building of the Ursynow district and the metro line. It has a great view of the surrounding area, covered in wild flowers, grasses and amorous couples.

Proud of riding to the top so lets take a photo

Heck, let's both get in there.

We also invited the glamours Doroty

All full of style, and something mysterious in her pocket I think.

Some dips, some knackerbrod, some drinks and some organic tomatoes from Doroty's in-laws.

Getting the swiss army knife ready to rip open the bottles

Doroty looking fired up for a meal.

Sun makes you squint

there is a bad moon rising.

Let's end with a Mate Cola product shot.

Old Londonia Town - the morning edition.

So I took Marty to London for a whirlwind trip, a little over 40 hours in the largest city in Europe (if you don't count Istanbul or Moscow). So we landed rather late, as the plane was delayed. Then we missed the first train from Gatwick and at 11 at night, it means that you have a half an hour wait or so till the next one leaves. Luckily for us, it was proving to be mild in London compared to what we had left behind in Warsaw. So it wasn't such a bad wait. Into London town, get Marty the old Oyster card and then we are off, only a couple of tube stops to
yes, the stereotypical location for Aussies in London. Though we weren't there looking for a Walkabout pub and some vegemite, we just happened to land a hotel there on the cheap. Barkston Gardens, not too bad when it comes to London hotels, that is. Jason Langdonian from Adelaide and Marty's friend Ewa caught up with us after we checked in, but with it now being midnight and being in London, all was closed with the exception of KFC, McDonalds, Burger King and the Kebab shop. So we grabbed a couple of drinks at the off licence; alas, even they couldn't sell alcohol so it was just a couple of ginger beers and a redbull. We had a few hours chat to prepare us for the next day.

Ok, so we rose on the Sunday at a reasonable time. Had a massive eat-in breakfast at the hotel and hit the happy trails. First stop was two tube stops awayat the popular Notting Hill Gate home of Portobello Markets (also before you get bored and click onto some internet porn or gossip site, this is the last tube sign photo, I promise). I was very glad we did this first thing, as previously I only ever seemed to visit these antiquities markets in the late afternoon on sunny days. Which spells crowds and pushy tourists.
Some of the stalls have faux antiques, where as most of these things are straight off the boat from China.
While others are too, but they sure look pretty in the sunlight.
I have always had a thing for fobb watches. They just scream regal class.
I took this one, right before seeing the sign telling me not to photograph. Another advantage of the early morning, people are too busy setting up, drinking coffee and wiping the sleep from their eyes to care what you do.
A photo like this wouldn't be possible in the afternoon rush, as A) I wouldn't have seen it and B) it would have had a million map reading tourists in the way.
Contrats and colours and morning sunshine. Also nice to see some red bricks again after Warsaw's fear of bricks.
I didn't know who was looking the more worse for wear, the delivery bloke or Horace, the wobbly legged Giraffe.
Sometimes even the public toilets can be attractive. This is the curved exterior of one at the bottom of Portobello Road.
I just love long shadows, there is nothing like crisp early morning light.
So enough blending with the locals, it is time to make Marty a tourist!