Day 5: Domki budnicze, Poznan

I can say this was the best day in my trip. Still.

Since I found out that the train "Berlin-Warsaw-Express" had a stop in Poland's west city Poznan, I decided to have a short stop there before arriving the Poland's Captial. From Berlin, I arrived Poznan at about 9:30 in the morning. I can see how different between Germany and Poland, not only the train station and styles of building but the people.

As I expected, they don't speak much English. (I guess Russian would be easy to communicate with the mid-ages?) So the way to buy ticket at train station is write down the place you'd like to go. I got a bad news, as what I saw on PKP (polish railways)'s website, there would be a slow train from Poznan to Warsaw at about 14:00. But it fake me. There are only 11:30 and 17:30 trains, my only choice is the 2nd one so that I can have enought time to go thro Poznan (as I am already here).

I got 7 hours in Poznan, this wasn't in my expectation. But you never know. Poznan had a large strike in 1956 (a movie about it had shown a few years ago in HKIFF), other then that I don't know much about Poznan.

I lost my way, went totally the opportsite way to old town. But an emergency student "save" me. Yes, he did "save" me and light up my europe trip, at least, the first half of trip. He had his exams at 16:00 but he did my free local tour guide for the whole afternoon. His English was not very good (neither than mine, but I guess I speak better than him), his german is even better. It was so funny he didn't know 13 is "thirteen", he kept repeating "dreizehn", mhaaaaha. My limited deutsch. :)

We took trams, walking through the old town, churchs, Ostrów Tumski (small corner of Cathedral), took Kolejka Parkowa Maltanka (tiny trains in the Lake Malta park). We chat everything: his university, his friends, his family, climbing, Poznan, Poland, Polish language, my trip, my studies, Hong Kong, Chinese, Asian, european history... I couldn't list out all. IT WAS SO GREAT. T.T...

But the fact is: I had to head to Warsaw and he had to have his exams.

This is life.

My heart was bleeding when I get on my train to Warsaw. Warsaw at night was so crappy, so many strangers around, seems extremely dangerous. But hostel I stayed was good, just 4 Dutch boys in my room calling me to have a drink with them... if there was no such thing happened this afternoon, I'll surly get drunk with them, but... my mind was 1XXkm away from Warsaw.

I guess this wasn't special for others, but for me, a boring Hong Kong girl, this was the best afternoon I have ever had.

I still remember the accent he speaks English, the way he talked. I wish we'd have a slow food together.

I don't what's the reason that even we had the contacts but it can't keep on ever. I wish you're safe in climbling mountains and driving.

Let's see. I'll be back to Poland.

You never know.

(backblipped on 29th Sept)