Another trip to Poland, this time heading to Wisla in the south. It's kind of a quick trip, so I don't think I'll get much sightseeing in, unfortunately. Had dinner in Warsaw my first night with Jacek Zięba and we went to Restauracja Zapiecek - Polskie Pierogarnie z Tradycjam (see photo below), a pierogi restaurant that Clilly & I found on our first trip here. Since they had pierogi's, I already wanted to eat here, but the addition of fried chicken livers moved it to the top of my list. I just don't eat pierogi and fried chicken liver enough at home. Although I am a Slovak on my father's side, my Polish pronunciation is apparently very bad. So, while I was trying to order a Tyskie beer, I apparently mangled the name so badly, the waitress wasn't quite sure what I was ordering. I said it a few more times before she started blushing and spoke to Jacek in Polish while I tried to point to the beer in the menu. While relieved to see I was ordering beer, but still blushing, she explained to me that the way I was saying it sounded like the slang for "tits" and she was trying to figure out why I was asking for tits from her. We all had a good laugh about it and it became a running joke everytime I ordered a beer with Jacek.
On Wednesday, we drove from Warsaw to Wisla with Jacek & Piotr Panek, who are learning the AudienceGames system for some upcoming events here in Poland. Also with us on the bus were the 10 model/hostesses for the event in Wilsa, who started out pretty strong, laughing, talking, etc., but were soon all sacked out.
We stopped at Wiejska Chata, a small, roadside restaurant that seem to be all over the highways here. Old-fashioned places, kinda' like truck stops, but very rustic and charming. They served very traditional Polish food, including a very sweet, berry drink that I unfortunately didn't try. Next time I guess! I had some more pierogi's and would've eaten more if not for an earlier stop at McDonald's. Although I'm not slim by any standards, I'd really be huge if I stayed here for a while and continued to eat pierogi's, kielbasa and drink this much beer.
We stayed at the Hotel Gołębiewski and it was a well-known, Polish ski resort. Although for the life of me, I can't understand why a resort with as many modern amenities as this one, only offered dial up internet in the rooms and only one place, the lobby, with a wireless hotspot. I heard a few people grumbling and when I asked the clerk at the front desk, she said Yes, everyone complains about that. Here's a Brand Experience Lab Rule -- if everyone is complaining about something, it's probably something you should fix! The show went well and I, left Jacek & Piotr behind to party with our model friends, as I headed back to Warsaw, so I could be back on Saturday for my flight home.
I decided to head into Warsaw for one last meal at my pierogi place a little sightseeing. Yes, I got the same waitress as I had the other day and we laughed again about my bad pronunciation!
I also went to Fotoplastikon Warszawski (see two photos below), something Clilly & I missed the last time we were here. It opened about 1905 and since then, it's offered residents of Warsaw a 3D journey around the world and an escape during bad times. It's actually a stereoscopic display with approximately 3,000 photographs in the collection. Just seeing the stereoscope system itself was pretty cool. According to their information, it's the only system of its type in the world. As someone who studies how audiences react to group experiences, it was really cool to see something that's been around as long as this has. If you're in Warsaw, make sure you stop by and see it. It's at Jerozolimskie Avenue 51, in the courtyard.
We're two hours away from NYC and its another successful AudienceGames installation and another good trip exploring the world and meeting new people. If my family were with me, then I'd be able to say It doesn't get any better then that!
Look how beautiful is Poland - more photos and information at www.greetingsfrompoland.com
Posted by: Michal | November 05, 2008 at 06:40 AM