A Sunny Stroll

Hard to believe this was only a fortnight ago. I am sure we'll get some great sun bursting through soon! Positive of it.

Always good to come home with some wild foods, Mirabelle plums and horseradish leaves used for the bottom of bread when I bake it.

Mokotow Strolls.

It is that time of year when strolls around Warsaw and it's burbs are certainly more enjoyable. Yes, there is sun, there are smiles and there are many more people whiter than me. So when the legs are out I don't feel so bad. A few weekends back we decided to enjoy the sunshine in one of our popular haunts in Mokotow. You may have already seen photos from the Granny Park and Królikarnia well the area in these photos is quite nearby.

So off we go.

The Metro from the stairs, this is the view of Racławica as we exited. I kind of liked the error as I obviously took the light reading off the lights and not the darks, photo speak for Garth screwed up but is relatively happy.

City love

Old ball boy

Two battered ball boys

Malinowa magic

You can see gramps thinking about another icecream, while his young companion tells a friend how great it was

is that Prince William?

it is all foreign to me!

Go banana!from Ralph

This picture reminds me on a song sung by Marty.

Street stroll No.2

Next from the Plac I continued my amble down Marszałkowska. I popped across this nicely adorned scooter, all the sun made it shimmer like stars.
As I have mentioned previously there are so many different styles of building in Warsaw, some old some new, some borrowed and some blue. This one just has great repetition, some people may find that boring. Not me, I love the simplicity of repetition, maybe because I am so bad at doing the same thing twice....
It was so warm that cafes are starting to get their outdoor seating organised, this is Green Cafe on Marszałkowska, I am yet to coffee test there, but it is rather popular and has a great view of the Palace of Culture.
You know it is "THE" season, when all the big big sunnies come out. I was looking just the other day at all these people wearing sunglasses and as an already bespectaled, I am not sure if I envy sunglass wearers or not. In the old days when I did wear them, I know I was always dropping them, breaking them, losing them or just plain forgetting them. Anyway, the cool kids, especially the women in Warsaw, are right into them now.
As are these two on Marszałkowska as they power walk all the big brand shops
and this one on Świętokrzyska.
While Mr. Wieslaw conquers the world, apparently.
There were plenty of people out on Krakowskie Przedmieście, just soaking up the sun.
Skwer was heaving.
Whilst others perused the Easter market.
They sell Palms here that are blessed for Easter at the church directly behind or their own favourite family church.
It was a free for all, there were people buying these things, lord only knows why. Oh hang on, he probably does, too.
So I might as well finish again on what will probably be a recurring theme for a while in spring, yes, you are right. Women in beige.

Warsaw Street Scenes

Well, the Winter is slowly flicking off its mean nature and allowing us some sunshine. It still isn't the hottest weather you have ever seen, but it allows you the chance to at least see people rather than in Winter when I tend to stay inside hugging the heater and yelling at my computer for not allowing me to leave the house, due to it continually finding me distractions in web form. So we decided to stroll about the streets and I took a few snaps just to show you all the thawing streets.
Here we have a regular winter street scene, two bears wanting to attack an old man. This, unfortunately, has been a major cause of death to senior men, attack by angry bears.
Here is another old man, who is in a much safer position as the bear is in front of him, and he has an Indiana Jones hat to help him feel more in control.
I wanted to take a series of photos of silly hats, as there are some classics here in Poland in winter. Alas, I am thinking I will need to leave that until next year. But, this one is a combination of funny hat and cool braids.
There is love everywhere in Poland, even at the Central Metro station.
This is a really attractive new building going up on the corner of Aleje Jerozolimskie and Ulica Bracka, it is called Wolf Bracka. You can read a little about it here for technical info or here (if you speak Polish), it is actually right near the Australian Embassy.
Warsaw is slowly coming alive.... defrosting if you will. It is the best time to be here.

And the Stroll Home.

After a lovely day of drifting about in fantastic winter sun, then guzzling down coffee and cake, all in the Near Vistula area of Warsaw, it was time to head to the Metro and home. The problem for Marty, no matter how cold, hungry, thirsty, bursting for the bathroom or bored she is, photography still manages to distract me. Especially when the sun is getting low and soft making great long shadows and dragging my eye from one scene to another. I do honestly wonder why she comes out on walks with me sometimes. I know that when on holidays, I am always worried about losing her, as I do put my head down and chase photos regularly or goof around trying to get the image right or just wondering about something I see.

So I got distracted here by the sharp like and sharper shadows.
I love when light plays tricks on your mind. Like here making you think that the light is on while it is just the sunlight.
To make the boss happy, I made her look movie starlike, and she decided to ignore me as any good movie star would.
Then we get to a favourite corner to people watch, Ulice Swietokrzyska and Nowy Swiat. Nice burst of sunlight and some long loping giantesque shadows.
Then when I totter over to the Western side you get to see some nice architecture and I can hide in the dark shadows.
So I can take photos of girls in Grannylike jackets smoking at crossings.
Then I decide to run further up the street and hide in more shadows while people squint into the sunshine and I snap away freely.
Then we see a couple of old friends, Mr Palace and Miss National Bank.
The latter home to the classical Wonky Windows photo from a few years ago. I thought I would have another try.
Then, in a science fiction styled twist, we are attacked by the eye of the Intercontinental, run my children, head for the underground.
Of course on the way to the Metro, I needed to stop at the lights, so why not take a photo of Polish winter fashions.....
Or Just grannies with really strange hats and looking like they are holding hands? Either way, we must run to the Metro to escape! Run!