The starters were two types of pirogies; one Russian and the other filled with sauerkraut and mushrooms. One of the other guys also tried some red borscht or beet soup. I’m not a big fan of beets but the soup was quite tasty. Frankly, I was surprised.

My main dish was called Peasant Sausage which was a smoky grilled kielbasa with an onion/mustard paste on the side. I believe it was the best sausage I’ve ever had which is a bold statement for me. Horseradish sauce supplemented the other flavors and added some spice to the meal.

For the latter half of our meal, a live band playing traditional folk music from the region ignited our sense of being immersed in the true Polish culture.

Good friends, great food, new flavors, good music and a long walk back to the hotel all combined to give us a very pleasant evening. These are some of my favorite things to do while traveling.

Michael

If you look at photographs of Warsaw from 1944 or 1945 you will see a bombed out pile of rubble. Approximately 85% of the city buildings were destroyed by Hitler’s army. The current old town was rebuilt over a couple of decades to look as close as possible to the original area. They really did an extraordinary restoration job.

After the Soviet Union left in the later part of the last century, the city and country has grown by leaps and bounds. It was fascinating to hear stories from my friend about standing in a line for hours just to get a few eggs. Life changed dramatically for the people here after communism retreated.

I like the Polish people with their sense of humor and ability to say exactly what needs to be said. They don’t hold back and you don’t need to read between the lines. I enjoy that. It’s quite refreshing.

I hope to come back and do some more exploring here. There is a lot to discover. You just need to get out and look.

Michael

But, I’m fairly adaptable with changing plans. That’s one good thing I’ve learned in my position over the last few years. Change is not as fear inducing as it used to be. I’m not saying I don’t have problems with change still, but it is far less than seven years ago.

One new of way thinking for me is to view change as a new adventure. Since I like adventures now in my life, change seems to be a natural part of that new way of thinking. Adventures (i.e. changes) are good as they keep you on your toes, both in your thinking and adaptation skills.

The flight was good in one respect. I was in business class. But two things took some patience and adaptability. The plane was quite bumpy for 90% of the trip from Newark to Warsaw. I’m much better at handling that but after seven hours I was starting to feel woozy.

Secondly, to add to the already woozy feeling was the bad odor emanating from the guy next to me. It was quite overwhelming. All seats were filled so I had nowhere to go. So, I had to adapt and quickly. For large periods of time, I kept my pillow over my face. The rest of the time, I tried to keep my head turned to the right. My technique worked most of the time.

Phew! I was very grateful for landing; more so than usual. It took me a couple of hours to get my stomach settled down.

Here’s to less smelly travel.

Michael

Two more great restaurants. Kom, a fusion place and The Boathouse. Both very nice. Food was wonderful, service was fantastic, wine was quite good and the atmosphere was relaxing.

Nothing like a nice dinner with friends. Good conversation, laughter, discussions and just enjoying the entire time. I have a co-worker that says he can never find a good restaurant here in Warsaw. He says the food is terrible. I just smile because I continue to find really nice restaurants with great food. Hmmmm. I wonder if that has anything to do with my attitude?

I was able to experience some real Polish food last night at a lovely restaurant. I believe it was called Dom Polski Restauracja. I may have mis-spelled. We all tried different dishes. The “atmosphere” and food were quite lovely. A nice bottle or two of Spanish red wine complemented the meal and the conversation. The service was some of the best I have experienced in Warsaw.

Have a great adventure today!

Quote for the day:

Freedom is not worth having it if does not include the freedom to make mistakes. - Mahatma Gandhi

I am always thinking about who I might meet, what adventures will I have, what new things will I see, what new foods I can try and etc. I have been fortunate that my current career has given me the opportunity to travel a lot. It was my primary reason for taking that position. I have been able to travel to six countries (2 more next week!) and 43 states.

Each trip has had its own “flavor.” No two have been the same. I met one of my best friends on a flight from London to Boston after we both got upgraded and then sat next to each other. From that one “chance” (I don’t believe in chance, by the way) meeting, I have experienced things and met people that have fundamentally changed my life for the better. It’s part of why I’m the way I am today. In other words, I’m just happier overall.

Traveling has also allowed and helped me overcome a number of basic fears I use to have. One of them was a serious fear of flying. In the past, I actually needed help to walk to the gate from the car. But no more. I overcame that fear one trip and one flight at a time. Now, several years later, I fly 50K – 100K miles per year.

I think it is a good think to get out of your “town.” See some new places, talk to some new people, get some different perspectives, shake up your comfort zone. All this helps to keep one centered and not affected by the changing world around us. Change and newness become the norm. Comfort and freedom are the outcomes.

Is this for everyone? No, but you can at least take a trip to a neighboring state or city. See something new. Eat a local food or delicacy. Find out about the local history. Take a walk in a local park. Visit an art gallery. Go fishing. Take some photos. Anyway, you get my point.

I’m in Warsaw, Poland this week and I’m looking forward to meeting my adventure whatever that becomes.

Have a great day!