My 25th day - came to the countdown, ending my trip. I would be back HOME to HONG KONG very soon. Arrival HKG 08.07.19 17:xx.
Now in WARSAW, POLAND.
Since I left BUDAPEST, I have been to TOKAJ & EGER in HUNGARY - two famous wine regions. TOKAJ was just lovely, a little village - and the people there all enjoy wines so much. The "natural" cellars there are cute too, and it seems like every family has that in their backyard or somewhere nearby home. Happened to try some wines from "private cellars" free of charge - in fact, just pass by one of those houses, and got invited to see underground there... and tried some sweet TOKAJ.
EGER - another funny place. I arrived there quite late in the afternoon time, and realized that the pension I booked was actually up on the hill. Then, my HIGHLIGHT of this place became 'view of EGER from hilltop'... plus, just 10minutes after I left the pension - wanna go to the town centre... STORM came!! STORM on the HILL... got me so wet... then I couldn't really walk anywhere, just found a bar - stayed there at the bench outside the bar, having a bottle of beer, watching the storm there... seeing the STORM come and go... Ended up, I toured around the centre for around 3 hours the next day before I took the train to my next destination...
***
"Next destination" - originally was KRAKOW, where I thought I would go directly from EGER. Yet, last minute - I changed my mind. I would like to drop by SLOVAKIA.
Very much interested seeing this place after I realized that SLOVAKIA will be the next country starting to use EURO (from Jan 2009). Therefore, quite curious how this country is.
I didn't pick the capital this time, instead - I chose KOSICE - which is closer to EGER where I last stayed, and closer to the destination after in POLAND.
KOSICE - a fairy tale town. If you have ever seen photos of Disneyland, or have been to Disneyland, you might be able to imagine how this town looks like. The centre of the town is like the MAIN STREET in Disneyland - yet, REAL stuff though.. not that artificially built like Disneyland - got the colorful houses and no-longer-operating tramway along the long street, got a musical fountain there - music on all day long at the park, where there is the fountain with different water splash pattern.. so lovely..
And happened that the pension where I stayed got a window-ceiling... so I was there looking at the sky turning from deep blue... to darkness... to sunshine the next morning...
***
After KOSICE, I ended up in POLAND.
Dropped by KRAKOW first for two days, then here in WARSAW. KRAKOW was such a nice place, with many bars and cafes around. Feel like even if I live there, I just could not have a chance to check out most of them... the atmosphere there was good too - with all the mix of history & modern times, with all the mix of vintage architecture & contemporary arts stuff...
On FRIDAY night, happened there was the STREET THEATRE FESTIVAL going on. Shows going on here and there... drama performance, breakdance... all sorts of performing arts...
Back hostel early though, shared with my new friend a bottle of HUNGARIAN wine I bought -- a semi-sweet OLASZRIZLING 2001. Lovely...
***
Now in WARSAW - arrived Sat afternoon. As suggested by many friends - very true that KRAKOW is more preferred as destination than WARSAW. Once I went outside the Central railway station - I knew why.. and I agreed.
After all, WARSAW is the capital city of POLAND, and probably the heart of all the trade/ business/ finance... so it is more like a commercial place to me.
Unfortunately, it was raining quite heavy outside, and I just didn't have to mood to go out and see around... so I just stayed in my hostel and cooked my dinner there... with some reading...
I do think I would like to come WARSAW again - so no hurry to go to all those so-called "MUST SEE" spots...
***
POLAND is one of my favorite destinations during this trip - especially KRAKOW. Though for some reason, I did not really like it for the fact about history - about the JEWISH... so gloomy and heavy...
Anyhow, time flies, everyone has to move on, and live with the history. Just good example to show here, and for people to learn something from history (if ever anyone is learning...)
***
So, after WARSAW, I am going BERLIN on Sunday. 6.5-hour train ride. I would be there until 08.07.16... then I would go direct to PARIS - my beloved PARIS.... from there, I would fly back HOME...
[to be continued]
No comments:
Post a Comment