Bialystok

After packing everyone up in Sokolka we headed to Bialystok (translates as white slope) for a quick lunch, a stroll and then to get back on the bus to Warsaw.

the main thoroughfare.

We stopped off for some lunch. Here is Zurek in a bread bowl.

A Lithuanian lager

Ciebureki - the tatar pasty

Duck in berries

a little Golonka

Some fried trout

One of the locals with another local.

Now back to Warsaw on Polski bus. Probably the cheapest and best way to get between most major cities in Poland and beyond to Berlin, Prague and some others..

The advantages of getting old

Whilst many people fear getting old, for me, it isn't an issue. I have no real reason to worry, I have a wife who is younger than me and strong enough to carry me or push me in a wheel chair. Also, I feel the older I get, the more I am learning and the more I can fit into my life and brain. I am reading more books now than when I was at school and HAD to read them. I see more movies than ever before in my life. I am taking more photos now and feel more creative. I have the chance to bake, brew, bottle, and butcher most anything. I am experiencing another new culture in my life, possibly my most foreign. Many of my friends and peers are now having children or more children. I have no idea how they have the time, energy or willingness.

So, enough preaching, now to my birthday. Marty took me to lunch as my birthday this year was conveniently located on a Friday, perfect for a lazy day and slightly longer weekend. I just did my classes in the morning so that I could start the weekend with Lunch. My lovely wife and I have a few favourite restaurants, however as we love cooking so often ourselves, we rarely visit them. A couple of them are Zielnik and Villa Nouva I can thoroughly recommend these if you are looking for a great quality meal with really high quality service. So, we thought we would go to something new for my "special" day. My students, specifically Sarge and Ola, had recommended Stary Dom (The Old House) for its beef tatar or is it Tartare or tartar (there are multiple spellings of this). As I mentioned in my post about the Tatar Village, I had never had this rare meal. Notice the pun. So to the Domek it is!

Awaiting the food and included pomp and ceremony.

Nothing a little sour cream and chives can't help

Marty's stuffed capsicums

The amazing chopping man

Hands are just a blur

Add some pickles, some onion, a little marinated mushroom, some egg, salt, pepper maybe some paprika yum.

Check out the video above, Marty without knowing it, gives a great story.

The finished product, 25PLN 8.55AUD 5.60GBP 9.10USD

Wack it on some fresh bread and....

Bob's your Uncle. As the saying goes. It tastes pretty darned good.

So while we wait we take in the surroundings.

The tatar was really good, having the man prepare it in front of you was a great treat as well as the fact that you know it is fresh and not some old mince that had been laying around days.

The salmon with new season asparagus

Pork schnitzel with bigos (23PLN 7.85AUD 8.40US 5.30GBP)

It certainly is well organised.

A quick review would read like this, the food was pleasant, Tartare was really good, although of course I have no comparison to this meal. The schnitzel and salmon were fine, not outstanding, service was prompt and attentive. So it all appears swimmingly. Until we got the bill, being my birthday I just paid it and never read it as we had had a lovely day. Note to self, always check the bill, when I got home I realised they had charged us for a couple of things we didn't have, and it wasn't like the restaurant was busy, and the prices were already upper-mid for Poland especially for the Salmon which was fish of the day. Oh well still was fun.

Tea for two.

I stopped off to buy Marty some tea as a birthday present because it isn't your birthday thing like some parents do for the child whose birthday it isn't. Thanks Marty for the great day, may many more continue.

The way it will all end up.

 

Sometimes I get distracted.....

Yes, yes indeed, lots of things happen in my life. Some good, some not so much good as great. With the very odd bad event happening.

It really is fun being me sometimes, my life experiences jump from one random thing to another. However, it isn't all pate and crumpets, sometimes, well, most the time, I find hard is keeping up with myself. If my hairy coyote legs could run anywhere near as fast as my thoughts, then Mr Bolt would easily be the second fastest ex-cricketer in the world.

I take photos with thoughts of things I will do in my mind, I think of ways I would love to photograph things or people. Then I realise I don't have the facilities, knowledge or models for the things I think of. Oh well, I am sure something will come up, one day.

During summer we had lots of fun, it was nice when you didn't even need to wear at least 3 layers of clothes and the only time you shivered was when you grabbed a cold bottle of wine or beer from the fridge.

So one thing that happened is that Zuza, one of Marty's friends from Warsaw by way of Madrid, came over for lunch on a lovely sunny day.
Is she just eyes?
Obviously not.Having a very heated debate about what part of the Macarena comes next.
Let's face it, anything can be overcome by sweets.Sweet-Biscuit base with fresh raspberries, blueberries and some sweetened cream........
Yes, it was indeed a ram it in your mouth morsel.
Could anything else scream summer more? I ask you.