July 26, 2021
Zakopane is darling, but since I haven’t met anyone to hang out with it’s time to go. I get up early to make the long journey to Warsaw. I have to take a quick bus back to Krakow and then wait for my bus to Warsaw in the station.
The Warsaw bus station that I arrive at is far from the Old Town, so I have to take a bus over and then walk a bit. I check into Oki Doki Hostel. The property is pretty modern, and I like the privacy of my bunk, but the management was actually horrible. I had to wait like 30 minutes to check in when I needed to go to class and it seemed pointless. I understand that sometimes volunteers are working, but you need to provide a basic level of service. What was worse was that later they also asked for my feedback as if it wasn’t obvious what they were doing wrong.
It’s been a while since I had Mexican food so I have the crazy idea try a restaurant named El Popo. This restaurant is definitely a Polish take on Mexican food, so there’s Polish spices and pickles involved. It didn’t really hit the spot, but that’s not to say it didn’t taste good. It was just strange.
July 27, 2021
I have a lot of work to do today and gymnastics to watch (the Olympics are happening!), but I’m balancing that with seeing the famous sites. I start off by doing a quick self-guided tour to Kolumna Zygmunta, Statue of John Kilinski, Statue of Little Insurgent, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the Saxon Gardens. Then it’s time to get breakfast and get to work.
I go to Manekin, which has great vibes and food. I was able to work and eat tasty pancakes, so I am happy. This reminds me of Silver Diner back in the US, but I actually prefer it. They had good WiFi so I was able to watch the Olympics and get stuff done at the same time.
I spent the entire morning at Manekin, but I still have class in the afternoon so I switch to Wiodowa Café. They look like they have fun deserts like macaroons, which I don’t try. I can give the coffee a seal of approval though.
After a long work day, it’s time for some pho. I go to Mama Pho, where I sit outside on one of the main streets of Warsaw. The vibes were good, but I needed more food.
I pick up my tour where I left off now that I’m on the opposite side of town and make stops at Old Town Market Place, Holy Cross Church, Barbykan, The Castle, The Wishing Bell, Zacheta, and Krakowkie Przedmiescie Street (Royal Road).
I must have looked like an easy target walking around somewhat aimless with my earbuds in because someone approaches me speaking Polish. I’m a bit confused and I just say I don’t speak Polish when he quickly switches to English and asks me on a date. I’m working my way out of the situation without getting caught in a lie when we pass a little grassy area with chairs and live music and he says, “Why don’t we just do the date right here?”
I kind of love this fact about Europe that you can be walking on the street and two minutes later you’re on a date with a stranger so at this point I give in. I don’t have to worry about my safety because there’s lots of people around, so why not? We sit in the chairs for a while chatting. He offers me a beer but I decline. The date ends up turning into a career advice session when I reveal that I’m studying computer science because Roger (that’s his name) is trying to switch to tech from economics. He says he’s already working for a Spanish startup, so I think he’s actually ahead of me because I’m here because I couldn’t get a job. I give him my best advice anyway, and once the mosquitoes come out, I escape back to the hostel.
If you’re wondering if this date led to anything, it didn’t. Roger was actually heading back home to Wroclaw the next morning because he had just finished his exams. I definitely wouldn’t say this was a love connection anyway, so no worries there.
I’m a bit stunned about what has just happened as a walk home so I treat myself to ice cream to top off this colossal day.
July 28, 2021
The Walkative tour in Krakow was a success, so today I’m doing the Old Town Tour here. Interesting facts about the old town include that it was destroyed during the war pretty badly, but rebuilt quickly enough that it is able to count as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s also free drinking water right in the middle of the town square. (Edit: If you’re reading this because you’re heading to Warsaw, I’m begging you to take a picture I neglected to get on this tour. The tour guide explained it’s significance at the time, but I didn’t see the beauty in it at the moment. Even if you don’t take the tour you’re bound to pass it everyday in Warsaw so please help a girl out! Contact me for the location.)
The tour was 3 whole hours which was a bit much for me. I’m spent so I need a pizza reward. I go to Ciao Napoli because it’s connected to the hostel and we get a discount, plus I have no energy to go anywhere else.
I had a weird interaction here where I think I kind of skipped someone in line, but they weren’t being clear about what they were trying to do. I felt kind of bad, but then again if an old man can’t stand up for himself what am I to do? He also got seated seconds later. Should I feel bad?
I want to see the University of Warsaw Library Gardens, so I plan to take class from the coffee shop inside. I’m not really sure if I missed the gardens or they weren’t that impressive, but this excursion was kind of a flop because the WiFi gave me trouble and the coffee shop was a chain.
Afterwards I went to Falla for dinner because I wanted something healthy. The falafel I got wasn’t exactly healthy, as much as vegan, but it was a nice change of pace. This is a casual falafel restaurant, not a kebab shop.
July 29, 2021
I’m leaving Warsaw tonight because I’m running out of time on my trip and I’ve been in Poland for what feels like ages, although that’s completely untrue. I’ll absolutely be back to Poland one day, hopefully with family or at least friends. Unfortunately that means I’ll be taking the night bus, but fortunately, I have some time to explore.
I stop at Lazenski Palace Gardens (which is very beautiful) and Hala Kosziki (I didn’t get anything here because it didn’t seem super special). That’s really all the exploring I get to do because I have class. I try to go to Cofeina Café because it was recommended for digital nomads but when I went the WiFi was down which was a big disappointment. That’s all the excuse I need to go back to Manekin, which of course was a success. This was a new Manekin location and I can say they were both great.
After that there’s not much to do but head back to the hostel. I plan to walk a bit and then take a bus home, but it never comes. I’m not sure what went wrong, but now I have no plan and no internet. I try to get internet by standing outside some restaurants but none are easy to connect to. I also try looking at the maps at bus stops to see if I can figure it out but nothing is working. Eventually, I look at the map on my phone and see that there are two main roads that connect me to the old town. I figure if I can catch a bus on the one I am currently on going toward the intersection with the other, that would be helpful. I wait at the first stop I see going in that direction and luckily that bus takes me to the intersection without making any detours. I try my luck again on the second road, and voila, I’m back at the old town. I knew I could find a way home somehow but I’m glad I observed that the buses here are pretty orderly and dependable, even after only a few days, because it saved me.
I made it back to the hostel a bit later than I hoped but there’s still plenty of time before my bus. I get my luggage from the storage room and change into warmer and comfier clothes, and then head to catch the bus back to the bus station.
I waste some time at the station and buy some snacks, but there’s not really good food options and I have a lot of time on my hands so I end up walking a short distance to KFC. Even though it was short, this felt a little scary to do alone with all my luggage. In Poland and many European cities you have to cross under the streets instead of using crosswalks and that can feel dangerous at times. Luckily nothing happened, but this is exactly why I avoid night buses at all costs (besides the fact that it’s super uncomfortable and you arrive feeling dead).
Finally the bus arrives and I find out the worst news: I didn’t pay for a seat (which I have never done before and never had a problem), and they’ve put me in the middle back row. That means I can’t rest my head anywhere and I can’t recline. This is going to be a long night. I am pretty annoyed by this because lots of people have empty seats next to them in other rows, but I don’t want to make an enemy so I suffer and hope one of them gets off at the next stop.
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