Water, kayaking and Kielbasa

Kayaking was something I have never tried before and something I wasn't sure I would be able to handle without capsizing but throughout the whole trip to Mazury, it didn't happen once. I spent a total of seven days cruising through beautiful canals and lakes with a group consisting of 3 Latvians, an American, an Irishman, 7 Poles and 'Homer' the Labrador, who loved teasing us with sticks which he held with a vice-like grip in his teeth.
The dangers we faced in the wild came from hissing swans who threatened us by arching their wings and swimming close by with their young ones. The other threat was the torrential rain which unfortunately made life difficult over the last three days. Glimmers of sunshine soon morphed into apocalyptic clouds which burst upon us at regular intervals. Sometimes we were able to find shelter under nearby trees but on a couple of occasions I remember feeling so wet that I lost the will to care about sheltering.
Mosquito's were plenty in this part of Poland and despite using 'OFF', I think we all struggled a little with bites and itches.
Despite being far from towns and cities, we weren't totally away from civilisation as there were many bars on the camping sites and many locals who sold cakes and other locally produced goods along the banks of the canals.
There was also a sense of normality by having a daily routine. The first most important thing upon arrival was to set up our tents and then to find firewood for the cooking of sausages or potatoes, toast and cheese for the vegetarians, of which there were surprisingly a high number.
When I came home from this trip, Asia insisted I have two showers to wash away the stench of the accumulation of sausage and smoke which covered my clothes. It was something I had become so used to that I couldn't smell it at all. So now it is back to civilisation and daily showers.

Home in a Foreign Land

What makes one city different from another and why does one place have more than another?
Is it due to man's influence alone or is there something else involved. In Krakow there is a rumour which could be tourist influenced that at Wawel Castle there is one of the seven chakra points in the world. I have often observed people standing there at the assigned spot looking like they are waiting for something miraculous to happen.
I have never tried to tap into Krakow's power in this way but I do know that when I stepped off the train from Brno I felt something stir within me.
I didn't feel the same thing in Prague or in Brno despite their beauty and numerous attractions. Prague especially is like a fairytale city which lacks realism in many ways.
I enjoyed Brno as it is smaller and less tourist infested than the Czech Republic's most famous city, so famous in fact, that I have met many travellers who believe it is a country.
Despite being in these places and the city I was born and lived most of my life in, I only felt at home when I arrived in Krakow so perhaps there is some chakra connection after all.

Exploring Tunnels

Today, under the guidance of my brother, I explored a tunnel on the Irish coast in the town of Dalkey. Earlier we explored the island but today we went underground for the sake of some photos. This tunnel is connected to a castle 75 metres away from the entrance and was so dark inside that it was easy for the mind to conjure up strange and unnerving images in what seemed like an endless distance ahead. The entrance was quite small and we were a little afraid that the tide would rise trapping us inside the narrow tunnel. I was happy to get out of it alive. Earlier that day I took some much more pleasant photos of the town I work in - Bray.

Coastal Trip

The sea is something that is strange to see having been living in the south of Poland for so long. In Dublin the vast blue Irish sea is not too far away and Dalkey island is a place I had never been to. The coastal areas of Dublin are very different from anything in the city. Places like Dalkey and Blackrock are like small villages with their own unique atmospheres. Dalkey especially is a place I had never been to before but only heard about as it is famous for being where Bono lives or at least has a house. My brother and I took the train (DART) out there and a boat to the island which contains the ruins of a tower built in preparation of an attack by Napoleon which never materialised. It is also the home to the ruins of a 7 - 10 th century church and another fortress. Goats live there as well as many squawking seagulls. I didn't venture too close as they were well armed.
The weather was also amazing. It's amazing that I get sunbrnt here and not in Europe. Fortunately I used suncream beforehand and only suffered from a small strip of sunburn near my wrist.

Driving to Ruin

I spent the weekend in Wexford in the 'sunny southeast' as they call it. Between my brother and my dad, we managed to explore some of the forgotten treasures in this part of the country. There were so many crumbling abbeys and castles and some of the houses appeared looked like they were abandoned after the famine of 1847. We were discussing this and wondering when we actually found some evidence of this.
Other highlights were walking along the beach and visiting a fort which had a lot of history connected to it from the rebellious Irish past right up to it being prepared in case Hitler attempted to invade Ireland. It was nice to get out of the big smoke and into the sticks for a bit of adventure.

Back with the Leprechauns

It has been a while since I wrote anything here and I suppose it needed a change of surroundings to inspire new thoughts which I feel like sharing with the world out there. My brothers obsession has moved on from abandoned factories to abandoned castles and other such ruins. It has also taken hold of my parents so my first day back involved tracking down such old bricked ruins some of which are amazingly right next to housing estates.
Of course there were the usual 'Private Property' signs but how can people own such places which are part of our cultural heritage?
Walls and fences were scaled enabling us to snap away at such of these eerie buildings which have long since fallen into neglect. The best preserved is a lead mine which was only missing a few steps and this was perhaps to deter stupidity.
We probably traipsed on numerous graves in the process of adding to our photographic archives but at least these people will be remembered in more ways than one.

Captured in Flight

http://www.krakowcyclechic.com/2009/04/kwietniowi-rowerzysci.html

I unsuspectingly found out that I was captured on a website for bikes. I knew nothing about it but I like the photo. It was the day I saw a bike rally in the Market Square but I was going the other way having work commitments to attend to. It was strange to hear about it but I suppose it is hard to ride a bike in private these days. The comments I have received on it have been nice though.

Easter Ireland

Just back from the land of green and ginger people. It was a nice but brief visit to my homeland where weather takes priority above all else and surprisingly, it was pretty good. We took advantage of this and went to visit Glendalough which is a very picturesque place - for proof look above this. I only went into the city a couple of times and spent most of the time at home or out on drives which turned into long walks. Asia enjoyed herself and into the Easter spirit by sinking her teeth into a bunny. I ate a little too much and felt a bit sick from too much chocolate.

Here comes the summer

Tired of writing my assignment and wasting the first decent weekend of good weather for what seems like a long, long time, I took my bike and hit the road trying not to get myself killed or be sucked into the depths of one of the craters at the sides of the road. I went in the direction of Nowa Huta and kept going not knowing what to expect but determined to burn off some restless energy.
I certainly did so but the thing I enjoyed was the small village I came upon which is not far from the end of one of the tram lines but still hasn't been sucked into the city's suburbs. It lacked all the things that a village lacks such as people, and buildings of interest but it was still nice to do something different. I even came across an abandoned building (don't read this Dave) but I was too scared to venture very far inside. It's too scary when alone.

Rusty - RIP

It is sad when you have to say goodbye to your pet who has become more than a part of the family. Rusty had his evil moments especially when he threatened to sink his teeth into anyone attempting to remove him from various areas in the house and also when he became a little too 'excited' and tried to physically show these strong feelings that he needed to express, but he will be sorely missed. At least he was given the best life humanly possible to give and his life was well documented from his first feature film to the thousands of photographs which captured his many moments.

Travels in the East

Three days in the east of Poland brought me a lot of interesting pleasures. In total I visited four places - Zamosc, Lublin, Nalecow and Kazimerz Dolny, and finally fulfilled an obsession I had had for about three years since I first read about Zamosc.
For the second time in my life, I got to sleep in a football stadium but this time, the sports hall was fully functional and I got to observe the young talent in Zamosc (no perversion intended). The city is a charming place and the people are very hospitable. Despite this, it was enough to spend one day there and admire the aesthetic beauty of the main square.
Following this, I went by minibus to Lublin. Reading a book by one of Poland's and at the moment also my celebrated authors, Ryszard Kapuscinski, was a good idea on the road and was an inspiration despite the poor snowy conditions.
Lublin's old town is a strange place and why so many buildings are neglected is a mystery to me. At least they are renovating some of them. If you suffer from claustrophobia, I wouldn't recommend this city as some of its narrow streets threaten to squeeze you into oblivion and conceal the fact that you or the street ever existed.
Nalecow gave me a chance to drink some foul smelling water and Kazimierz is a charming small town surrounded by nature alongside the Wisla. All in all a good trip and a nice venture into a part of Poland where I didn't hear anyone speaking English despite seeing menus and other information in my native tongue.

Snapping

I am delighted with my new camera and take it out far more often than I expected and when I don't have it with me, I curse myself for missing out on such great opportunities which I can see but cannot capture .
Flat problems are the highlight or should I say lowlight of things at the moment. Power cuts have been followed by a non - spinning washing machine which has somehow become the responsibility for me and my flatmate. On top of this there is the smell from the bathroom. That's the thing about living in the centre - great location but appalling standards and the former is the excuse used by landlords and ladies.

Winter Blues

Winter has not been kind so far as temperatures are reported to have dipped to as low as -24 degrees which is not the type of thing which makes you want to leave your home. In my case problems with heating and electrical breakdowns made moving in anyway the most important means for surviving these tough frost biting times.
Still, the brightness of the snow does brighten up the place and I ventured out to take some snaps with my new camera. On the first day, there was too much snow and the cold started gnawing at my exposed hands which were screaming at me to be covered. The second attempt brought about a more extreme situation. I had to go into a music shop to try to ease the pain which was rushing through my hands having been exposed for too long while trying to get some photos. There was only one problem though, I couldn't see a thing as my glasses were fogged up. It took a long time but eventually a hot coffee in a nearby cafe brought the blood back into my hands.

Thankfully the temperatures have increased a little and my fuseboard has been replaced with a modern one. The heating is now on full blast with no let up. The absence of insulation doesn't help matters much though and summer seems so far away...

Technological Difficulty Solved

Everyone has now been given the chance to comment on anything I have written to date and what will come in the future thanks to the help of someone who knows more than I do about Blogs and computers in general (this is not very hard, really!). I would like to thank Asia for her help and her encouragement in making this Blog what it really is.

Out With The Old, In With The New

2009 is upon us and like most people I am wondering where 2008 went to. It is a sign of increasing years I suppose when you start sounding like your parents.

My trip to Ireland was an enjoyable one and a relaxing one. One of the highlights was 'squirrel feeding' - the new hobby among my family. A quick tap on the ground was enough to encourage these cute but deceivingly sharp-clawed creatures towards our outstretched nut-bearing hands.
The aim of the whole exercise was to take as many photos as each of us could and I think we did okay.
One of the other highlights was encouraging my dog to take part in the festive spirit.

New Edition

Bound In Tune

My new book Bound In Tune is now available to purchase. It is a collection of short stories in which the common theme is music. I have been writing this for quite a long time and am glad to be able to present it to those who are interested.

Yesterday I went to Tarnow which is not too far from Krakow. It was a big Sunday out. It is quite a ncie city and like a miniature version of Krakow. I was with two friends. We didn't explore too much of the town but got involved in the local culture by going to a death metal show. Despite wearing ear plugs, my ears are still full of throat-ripping roars. 'Hell United' was the headline act but the heroes of the show was the band in the photo whose name escapes me. Next Saturday they are coming to Krakow. See you there!

It's been a while since anything has been entered into this space. A trip out to the infamous Nowa Huta is the reason for this return. I was warned before going not to speak English and to be very careful as the area is reknowned as being the most dangerous in Krakow. Rejected by people from Krakow and even seen as another city despite it being included within the city border, this was an area of rich agricultural land which was developed in the fifties 'Communist Style' as a means of breaking the intellectual spirit of Krakow by installing a massive steelworks factory not far from the historical centre of the city. It seems not too much has changed in this area although tourist trips are becoming more and more popular, a clear sign of what we can expect to see in the future. The atmosphere is different and I felt myself in Berlin again - the East for obvious reasons. What amazed me is that, a short walk away from Plac Centralny (Central Square) are fields of unused land (photo 2). The centre of this 'city' exists so close to the countryside. I have only really touched on this area and expect to investigate it further in the near future.

A Short Analysis of Where I Am

Living in another country has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes it feels like a magical dream surrounded in a misty haze where everything seems to intrigue and fascinate the senses as the adventure continues with each step. On the other hand, on those grey miserable and wet days, the thought of lifting off the covers, and exposing my skin to the biting cold as I nervously place one foot on the cold uncovered wooden floor and make my way to the bathroom fills me with fear and dread as my finger presses the snooze button for the last possible time resulting in another five short and delicate precious minutes in bliss.
Nobody expected me to end up here and there was no great master plan which stated in large bold letters that ‘I WILL LIVE IN POLAND’. Like most things, it just happened and is the only answer I can give each time I am asked. I often feel that this answer doesn’t quite satisfy the curious, a lot of whom have friends or colleagues in my country, who are planning to go there or indeed have been there themselves. Some people frown in puzzlement and look at me as if I am missing something vital to a logical functioning brain and never seem to accept that I am not working for the tourist board in Krakow. Others accept my answer more easily and get down to the task of comparing and contrasting everything from the best way to prepare tea to the prices of renting a flat. I am well prepared for the latter type of people with detailed answers that have been fine-tuned to perfection but the former group is always a challenge which requires an enormous amount of energy and determination.
There are many differences between this country and the one I come from and certainly most of them are have taken time to discover and analyze in microscopic detail. One of the first ones is the obsession with change in Polish retail. This constant asking for the exact change and the vicious looks I receive whenever I timidly hand over a hundred zloty note in return for my purchases ensured that ‘drobny’ was one of the first words etched into my Polish vocabulary tablet. Queuing can be a testing business at times and especially on those days when you are lacking patience or a good mood. A short dip in concentration can rapidly be taken advantage of in lightning quick style by a conniving and well-practiced individual. In Poland the strong emphasis on the family is clear on those numerous occasions which draw willing or perhaps unwilling family members together to partake in various forms of celebration and ritual. I have witnessed many such so-called ‘long weekends’, the longest of which defied reason and continued for one whole week, which have sometimes left me feeling quite homesick especially when students gasp when I tell them that I will not be going home to visit my family on each of these occasions. These moments of homesickness are quite rare though and that is why I am still here. Will I go to another country and grapple again with more new customs and nationality traits? The answer to that is unknown but as long as Krakow continues to interest to entertain and sometimes to completely confuse me, I will be here.

Wexford Again

Back at the beach where I spent many childhood days swimming, making sandcastles and holes to fall into.

The Irish weather continued and now Asia knows why we Irish are so obssessed with weather. The reason is because it is so bad most of the time and on those rare glorious occasions when it is good, we have to take full advantage of it.
It si funny because since I have been back I have spent more time shopping for clothes then I thought possible. The amazing fact that clothes are cheaper in Ireland when you have the likes of 'Penny's' and 'Heaton's' (two clothes shops) makes it worthwhile.

The Electric Picnic

The Electric Picnic was as I was promised from the many previews I read just before it, an 'eclectic' mix of culture and mayhem. The highlight for me was seeing Stephen Malkmus and the silent disco was a lot of fun. There was a nice crowd of friendly and open-minded people allt he way through the weekend except for the last day when the mood seemed to change. Personally, I blame the Sex Pistols for the change in atmosphere as scumbags appeared from their tents.
The rain also started and Asia and my worry about the ability of our tent to stand up to the rain became irrelevent when we returned to find our tent had completely disappeared. Eventually we got out of there on the six o'clock bus. A sorry wet end to a great weekend the scum will not triumph over the good people who I met.