Saturday in Krakow

 

I was up and at breakfast at 7.30am, always the early bird!

Firstly scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, followed by my body weight (which is increasing as we speak) in cheese, OMG, goats cheese, mild blue cheese, marinated feta cheese, you name it, it was on my plate. 

I waddled back to my room, where I watched 'Midsomer Murders' dubbed in Polish for half an hour. Now here is an interesting piece of information ( gleaned when I watched House early evening). I think that there is only one dubbing artist in Poland, he seems to do all the American and English programmes..............AND he does all the characters including the woman! It makes for a very monotone  commentary. When I was watching House, Hugh Laurie was getting very animated but 'the voice' remained calm and carried on reading ( obviously for a sheet). When I saw Ghandi dubbed in Spanish it was nothing like that!

I headed out at about 9am to walk to the old town, to my Museum of the day. I am just going to leave this here before I am asked. I have chosen not to go to Auschwitz. I know what happened and I really do not want to go. If I come again I possibly would. I just wanted to be in the city and see what it has to offer. 

And off to the main square I went, which was very quiet although there was lots going on around the 'edges'.

I helped an old lady who was struggling down the steps of a mini market (good deed for the day) and then wandered through the cloth hall, were modern day traders were setting up their wares.

My museum of the day was Rynek Underground, a museum which is spread  under the market square. This museum is the result of 5 years archaeological excavation, it takes you on a journey to medieval Krakow.

Lots of interactive information as well as great displays .

There are parts of the old traders stall from the 13th century. As well as the original street cobbles. And that's just scratching the surface
I was here for over 2 hours, I guess you could do it in an hour, but I read every piece of information, and went on every interactive board.

At a price of  just over £6 entrance fee, it was worth every zloty.

I came  back up to street level and headed over to the St Marys Basilica

A wonderful example of 13th century Gothic architecture.

 There was a service on so  I lit a candle and said a prayer for all who need some help or support at the moment. I'm hoping to have time to go today for a walk around.

I took a long  and winding way home, I sat in the park at the entrance to the old town, and watched the world go by, the trams running through the city and the children playing  in the park, sometimes it is worth just stopping and watching for a while.

By this time it was mid afternoon and I decided to head to the river and have lunch, there a few floating restaurants near the hotel so I went to 'Aquarius' which I had read good things about.

After a belly busting lunch of traditional potato pancakes for starters and non traditional tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, washed down with a Mimosa Eldeflower buzz (very very nice), I was ready to have a nap, which I did.

My evening was very much spent walking and taking in Krakow by night, there are lots of stalls set up around the city to sell kebabs, tacos etc which are very busy all day long.

I came back to the hotel and decided to test a bottle of Polish wine.

This was a fizzy red wine, which was very nice, although sweeter than expected.

Good bubbles which stayed right down the glass.

18 zloty  which is just over £4

Enjoyable.

And now................off for breakfast and a new day, its raining so it will have a lot of brisk walking and plenty of coffee stops.

9

9

Krakow adventure

 

I arrived in Krakow at about 6.30pm last night and hopped into a taxi to the hotel. 

What a brilliant taxi driver, he gave me a run down of the best restaurants serving traditional Polish fare and also the best Polish street food to try, he was amazing and by the time he dropped me off I was pretty much sure that I would be 20 stone when I get home.

I checked in, and what lovely staff! I left reception armed with my map and lots of information.

I headed off to my room,  which is HUGE! and has a bath so 20/10 there.

I went up to the roof top restaurant for something to eat and the views over the city were wonderful. I went out onto the terrace and walked around, just soaking up the views..

Quick bite to eat, and it was soooo good. Baked  goats cheese with winter berries and chopped nuts. I have decided to go again on Sunday evening, for the full 3 courses.

I also had dessert which was just as wonderful to look at as it was to eat, it did beat me and I only managed half of it.

After dinner I walked round to the supermarket next door and then went and sat by the river. It was cold but invigorating.

Back to my room and  a  bit of CSI ( dubbed in Polish) before bed.

I'm now off for brekkie and then go and find my museum du jour.

Not quite how I wanted to start to my 60th year

 

Well, I've sort of been through the mill over the last few weeks.

Not quite how I was hoping to start my big birthday year.

There I was with the image of me sailing through January, reclining on a chaise longue, eating chocolates and drinking champagne, to ease myself through the month.

I didn't expect to do quite a lot of local travel, be reclining on examination beds and waiting on results and more results and even more results., but well, the best laid plans and all that.

I now have no nails, am slightly more reclusive than I was before and finding it very difficult to talk about it all without bursting into tears, hence writing it down, I did say that I would document my year!!!

It all started as I was just getting over the flu ( and yes it was the flu and not a cold), I was hobbling towards New Year when I went on what I thought was a routine appointment  and it just spiraled from there.

 I waited for results, only for more tests and waiting again for results.

By this time, worry, shock and thinking 100 steps ahead had taken hold. The first couple of weeks, I could hardly eat ( to be honest, I could last quite well just living on the resources stored in my rump!). So tired all the time I would  just take myself to bed, whether I slept or not. I mentally made notes of what needed sorting out. 

The time spent waiting on results is the longest time ever!!!

Numerous sets of results came back negative, but still they couldn't find an answer to the problem, so more tests were done.

I am now awaiting a further set of  test results, and next week the investigation steps up a notch, and then? well I don't know, I just hope I find out something.

And so I am in the second month of my birthday year still hoping to get some answers, very soon.

I do ask that you don't comment, and I'm not answering any questions regarding all of this, I don't actually know anything myself, I just thought it easier to write it down ( in hope that it takes it off my mind for 5 minutes). The whole thing has taken a huge toll on me and I just want to concentrate on getting answers.

I am now heading off to the airport to try to put this all behind me for a few days as I fly off on my next trip.

a tick for January

 

I decided it was time to tick something off for January, for my big year challenge.

I remembered  yesterday that it  was the last day to see the Flying Scotsman at Locomotion in Shildon, which is part of the National Railway Museum at York.

I quickly booked a ticket online, hopped out of bed and headed off the   miles down the road.

Locomotion is so close to my house and its somewhere that I go to quite often, I think its good to support something so wonderful and so local.

I really am not sure if I have ever seen The flying Scotsman before, it may have been at the huge steam cavalcade that came through where I live in 1975, to celebrate the 150th annivesary  of the Stockton to Darlington railway. Its first lines connected the collieries at  Shildon and passing through where I live now, although it wasn't even thought of then, having just celebrated its 75th birthday. It was one of the first new towns from the new towns act brought into place after WWII.

Anyhooo, I digress. I may also have seen it  York, but I'm not sure, so as this was the centenary celebration, it was worth heading off. Good to see something older than moi!!!!

And it didn't disappoint,

If you are ever in the area, Locomotion  is well worth a visit. They change the exhibits often and always have things on in the school holidays.

After all this excitement I as quite hungry, soI then headed off to Redworth Hall which was on my route home, and had a light lunch. 

All in all it was a good first tick of the year and a lovely morning out.

And so I am looking for something else local to collect another tick before the end of January.

Oh yes I also booked another antiques fair, its in May but it will be a new area , I'm spreading my wings.

Have a great week.

2023 was some year

 

Wowsers!  I started 2023 thinking, I might have a summer beach break, who knew I'd pack quite a lot in.

Mid January I got a great deal on a mini break to Amsterdam, so I hot footed it to North Tyne Dock at the end of the month and sailed over to Holland. The weather was kind to me ( although I am a fairly good sailor) and Amsterdam didn't disappoint apart from not enough time.

Got home, came down with covid! after 3 years it finally got me.

I felt pretty ropey and the after effects are still ongoing ( cough and awful fatigue).

That pretty much wiped out February for me.

I headed off to the beautiful cottage in Yorkshire for Easter  weekend in April, the peace and quiet there was just what I needed. 

The cottage is one bedroomed with amazing views, and very close to Sutton bank, not a drive that ever intend to do again, once was enough for me a couple of years ago!

May saw me head off to Tunisia, for a none stop thrill filled week, well breaking my nose within half an hour of arriving at the hotel, has to be a first in my book.

I have been to Tunisia many times, and sometimes the idea of going back is nicer than the actual reality. I had a good holiday, but have no desire to go back  again. It had lost a lot of its appeal under a blaze of neon, fast food and over building. I appreciate that things have to move with the times, so I decided that it was time for me to lay those memories aside once and for all. 

June saw me travelling to Marlow in Buckinghamshire, primarily for work, but also great to have some free time in a lovely town. Fine dining was very much the order of the week and a very tired and over indulged Lainey came back home. 

I also headed over to Leeds for a weekend with friends where we  caught up  with Jason Gillespie, former Yorkshire coach.  great night was had by all.

July had me racing down the A1 and flying out from Leeds/ Bradford to Beauvais, an airport that feeds tourist into Paris, I was the only person on the flight not heading that way, and had booked an apartment in Beauvais. I had four fabulous days, including being escorted to the police station ( long story which involves me taking some cuttings of the local hydrangeas and finding some credit cards on the ground, its in a previous blog).

This was a most amazing place with a fabulous Gothic cathedral and a museum of the local area. You can also have a wander round the local fire station but I never got to do that ( Fireman's daughter so obviously of interest).

My apartment  was in the old town around the cathedral ( the cathedral was literally in the back garden, I kid you not) so timber framed buildings and cobbled streets and the city walls, fabulous for an architecture geek like me.

The end of the July saw me heading over to Sedbergh for the weekend to meet up with friends, Sophie and Terry. A great time staying in a lovely apartment just behind the high street. Lovely bars and fine dining to be had, definitely worth a visit.

I just worked in August, and stayed at home!

September saw me do my first Antiques Fair in 20 years, a good day and it gave me the confidence to do more.

I also headed off to Nottingham to meet my old friend Harry Latchman, I rented an apartment just a street away from Trent Bridge ground and walking distance of West Bridgford. It was perfect for the few days that I was there and handy for everything. 

October once again saw me racing down the A1 to Leeds airport, and this time flying out to Limoges.

What can I say, this was a beautiful city and the people were wonderful, I stayed once again in the old town behind their Gothic cathedral and in an apartment on a cobbled street ( make that hill, my glutes still haven't recovered). The timber framed houses were beautiful, the botanic gardens were so peaceful and the 'old town' was just wonderful. I would go again, it was such a wonderful place.

I'd no sooner emptied my bag, then it was time to pack my case for my birthday getaway and the start of my big birthday year. 

Yes the next 12/13 months are going to be fun packed as I head towards being 60.

So I nipped off to Spain to celebrate being 59, I booked a hotel in Torremolinos and was not disappointed, it was set in a very Spanish area, no English/ Irish /Scottish bars, no pizza restaurants, just prefect for me.

Had a great time visiting a Museum of crystal and china in Malaga, and finding the first hotel in Torremolinos, I liked it so much I intend to go back.

December saw a quick trip down to Berkshire for a retirement /Christmas 'do', and then me coming down with flu. Not the best start to the run up to Christmas.

I spent Christmas again at the lovely cottage in Yorkshire ( again), complete with chickens

 And enjoyed a  visit to stay at my friends new home in a tiny hamlet near Malton .

I rounded off 2023 with a meal for one at my house and an early night.

Time to get the energy levels up ready for the next chapters.

Christmas in Yorkshire

 

I had decided to spend Christmas in Yorkshire, at the lovely cottage that I hire often. I was no sooner settled in then I headed out to see 'the girls' who have been not allowed out on my last two visits due to avian flu.

They all looked very happy to be out and about, and came running down the field as I got to the fence. Obviously thinking there was food, and disappointed to find that I had none.

Christmas Eve was lovely, having been invited to lunch with the owners of the cottage and their family.

So very nice.

Christmas morning saw me  go out to feed the girls and be watched by the wonderful Herdwick sheep in the other field.

I had a very quiet day, which is just how I like it.

I was packed and away on Boxing day which was a beautiful crisp winter day, blue sky and sun.

I was heading over to stay with my friends Martin, Alison and Lily, who had moved to a hamlet outside of Malton called East Lutton, this added up to another tick for places I hadn't been before, but I ended up ticking off another place.

I had decided to not take a trip up Sutton Bank, my last trip up there I had promised would be my last, so I set off across country.

I passed through the village of Coxwold with the most stunning church, 

This is St Michaels Church and stunning to say the least. I didn't have time to stop but will be heading back this year.

The church is a fifteenth century church with the usual octagonal tower added later.

So a trip is in order.

I headed to East Lutton and had a wonderful time with good food and drink, including a secret recipe cocktail, which was exceptional.

I set off home on Wednesday just in time to hit the latest storm, and after fighting through flooded roads and hideous rain, I got back home, emptied the car, and settled down to having some time at home.

And so the new year begins and time to fill the diary with new adventures.