Poland

Trip to Poznan was long. Got up at the crack of 4am so we could leave for Luton Airport at 5am. Got there without event - traffic not an issue when people should be sleeping and most are. Mum left her car keys on the seat in the bus from the long term car park, but fortunately someone noticed and chased after her. Got on the plane and enjoyed sitting next to a group of guys heading to Krakow for a bachelor party.... I don't think I need to describe what they were like as flight companions. Took a train from the airport to the main train station and bought train tickets to Poznan. This was where the trip diverged somewhat from the picture I had had. We decided to fly into Krakow because we planned a couple of days there after the conference. And I thought we would just nip back and forth to Poznan on the train. I mean how big can Poland be? I was thinking about a 3 hour train ride and it turned out to be 6 with a change of trains in Warsaw. Pretty grim after that 4am wake up... Were we ever pleased to get to our cushy room at the Sheraton and crash in nice comfy beds.

off to Poland

Writing this on the plane to Atlanta. I like on board wifi. I would hate there to be cell phones on planes, but this is nice. You get to check the weather ahead and start fretting about what you didn't pack:)

I hate the car too, Alison.

One result of my recent trip to Toronto was the realization that I have allowed this city to turn me into a car dependent human. I drive to work every day when there is a perfectly good bus. I was really struck that my Toronto friends take public transportation as a matter of course and when I timed it I saw that I could do it here in less time than they spend, and yet I don't. So I came home resolved to take the bus some days. The first morning I mistimed things and saw the bus streaking by as I was still a little ways from the stop. Now, the difference between here and Toronto is that at rush hour you still wait thirty minutes between buses and I didn't have that time so back home and back to the car. But since then I have managed a few days of bus travel. Yesterday I needed to spend a couple of hours at the office and as it was a lovely day I rode my bike. I have done this before, and it is doable but still quite a work out - 13 miles round trip with some uphill climbs. It being Saturday the roads were filled with recreational cyclists decked out in spandex. I followed them towards the end thinking that they would have a short cut, but wound up up by the zoo having added two miles to my trip. Still I felt quite pleased with my self.

catching up

In two days I will fly off to Poland via England and I haven't even posted pics from the last trip to Toronto. So here are a few memorable visuals.

On the shores of Lake Ontario.

Spectacular new space at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
More eye-catching architecture.

The new facade of the Royal Ontario Museum.

Fabulous cheeses.