August 17 In transit to Warsaw

 

From the air Venice and its extensive waterways were an unexpected vista

This morning we fly to Warsaw and are feeling rather sad to be leaving Venice, La Serenissima. Our delightful hosts carried most of our bags to an awaiting car which whisked us away to the airport. It was a day like all transit days – long and full of frustrations.   We were met at the Warsaw airport by a taxi we had arranged in advance. The drive into the city was interesting along lush tree-lined boulevards. I was following our route on my phone (it is what I do in unfamiliar places) and good thing too because at a bridge over the river, the driver headed in the opposite directionto where we needed to go. I tried to question him but he didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Polish. Eventually I managed to convince him he was off course and he found a place to turn around but then got lost getting to our hotel which was in the old city. I ask you! We had to walk the last 100 or so metres with our luggage as the roads were closed. We were booked to stay in the Castle Inn on the edge of the old square – deliberately chosen for its location, but when I checked in, I was told that no, we were staying in another place 'just down the road’ – about 1 km! I was not impressed and huffed off with a dodgy mud map (Reception was on the 2nd floor with no lifts. Fortunately I had convinced Lins to wait downstairs with our cases!). After a few minutes standing scratching our heads and wondering what to do, the receptionist came running down after me to say that their handyman would help us.  Thank goodness! Otherwise we would have got totally lost in the mass of cobbled laneways. The building though charming enough from the outside, was fortress-like and the entrance protected with a keycode. Then we had to climb two floors up with our cases - no lift. My heart sank but the saga didn’t end there. There were still two doors to get through both with different keycodes neither of which worked. Eventually what seemed like an hour later and multiple phone calls, the handyman got codes that worked. Phew! A barn-like room welcomed us. big windows out onto the street but no aircon just a floor fan. Temperature was well over 30 C  - but we were there!

Our room

I can't tell you how many times we climbed these stairs

Then we went out wandering to blow away the negative feelings that were closing in.  A G+T, dinner and vodka later and we were fine.  Vodka every place you peer into.

Outside our accommodation there was a string of restaurants

Dinner with pierogi and vodka - you can't get more Polish than that ..... but we did!