I just keep chasing pavements

Last weekend there was a 7th Warsaw Half Marathon taking place. We had a big group running from Accelerate (there were 41 people signed in, although I'm not sure how many people took part in the race in the end) and I had a friend coming over from Austria.

On Saturday we did some sightseeing:

Most Poniatowskiego (Poniatowski Bridge) and National Stadium

Pedro with his national flag at Half Marathon Expo in Centrum Olimpijskie

Sunday, day of the race:

Day of the race, on the way to the deposits

National Stadium from inside

National Stadium from inside. In September there will be Warsaw Marathon and the finish line will be at the stadium, there where the blue arch is.

After the race with Rafal and Marta. Rafal was running in the Sparta Team, which collects money for the disabled kids. Find out more about Sparta.

After the race with Marta and our precious medals. I did not do my personal best, but still 1.59.45 was very satisfying for me at this stage of lack of shape.

Agnieszka Osiecka (famous Polish song and poems writer) at Saska Kepa, Francuska street. She lived here and as it is across from the National Stadium we went here in search for a good meal.

Neon light in Prosta Historia where we had some fabulous burgers. Oh yes, we've deserved it!

Friends

Stacja Powisle. Old train ticet cash desk, rented or bought by some people where they've created very nice venue.

At the end of the day we went to the terrace of Palace of Culture and Science to see the city from the top. Even though I've been living here for more than 4 years I still did not have an opportunity to be there until now.

Me, myself and I in Helsinki

This was what I needed, some time on my own. My, myself and I in Helsinki.

Design Museum in Helsinki - Marimekko patterns

Design Museum in Helsinki

Design Museum in Helsinki

National Museum in Helsinki

Helsinki Parliament

Cathedral

Pipe organ in Cathedral

Looks familiar, with one difference, in Poland instead of fishermen you would see miners or some other kind of heavy industry workers

Bay in Helsinki

Another 'Bridge of Love' after that one in Wroclaw. Ironically I'd say - right in time...

Home is where I want to be

Recently I've spent two lovely weekends in Poland, one in Warsaw and the other one visiting my parents in Gliwice and, as well, my brother in Wroclaw. Nothing super duper, but just nice.

Warsaw:

Warsaw's Market square with Zygmunt column

National Stadium

National Stadium and W-Z way

The one with bollocks rules

Wroclaw:

Murals

Old trading center

Ostrow Tumski - the oldest part of the city. It was formerly an island between branches of the Odra River

Padlocks locked on the bridge by the couples to stay together forever

With mum and bro

Gargoyle

Nice, but you have to pretend not to see the dick

Dragonfly

Wroclaw's market square

Wroclaw's market square

Wroclaw's Dwarfs - there are many of the through out all the city. This in is the Banker

Dwarf the "Garbageman"

Przejscie 1977-2005. This installation shows 13 people entering the underground on the one side of the street and exiting it on the other. It was set there on 13th of December 2005 to memorise Martial Law. It symbolizes transformation and entrance to the democratic and free Poland

Dwarf the Newspaper Seller

Mediothek

Dwarf the Reader

Dwarf the "Pierogi Eater"

I'm on my way to the party right now

According to the unwritten rule of the company where I work, stating: "Work hard, play harder" we finally had team event. It's started in Nuuksio where we were divided in four teams and we had small competition on the snow. Running in snow shoes, building snow tower, potkukelkka race and sledges race. There were also some intellectual tasks, where our team could catch up, as we were mostly girls there and we were not able to compete with male teams.

Afterwards we got some good food in the teepee: mushroom soup, game stew, mashed potatoes, lappish squeaky cheese with cloud berry jam. Teepee was heated by fireplace so in the end everyone smelled with the smoke from the fire.

Afterwards, when the official part was finished there was a bus that took us to the city center, where we continued the unofficial part. Some of us headed to Molly Malone, but this part of the outing is not documented ;-).

Ready for the competition

Nice, ain't it? This was our 'cloakroom', but it can also be rented for a night.

Snow tower building competition

Getting ready to potkukelkka race

Snow fight?

Kill'em all

Sledging

Dinner in the teepee