Warsaw To Krakow

We made to to Warsaw intact and departed our train and started the search for our train to Krakow. 

Warsaw Central Station was very busy, small and cramped. Low ceilings over tiny cramped shops sold everything from cell phones to ladies underwear to sandwiches. Having planty of ladies underwear, I went for the sandwich (kidding, I hardly have any ladies underwear).

Image Source: Wikipedia

 Trivia:

"The station was one of only a handful of public buildings in Warsaw which suffered a technical fault as a result of the millennium bug. The indicator board shut down for approximately 24 hours on 1 January 2000 while its timing chip was replaced. In the meantime, all departures were announced over the public-address system."

Source: Wikipedia.

I showed the lady working at the sandwich place a 5 Euro note and asked her if she took Euro's? "No, Kantor" she said, and pointed to a sign down the hall. I went that way, and saw she was pointing to a cash exchange or 'Kantor', I had just learned my first Polish word. There was a bank machine near by so I used that instead and withdrew cash, as it is less expensive than using a Kantor.

I went back to David and we saw that our train was now showing on the departures board and it was  on time, we went to the platform and boarded our train for Krakow.

We were expecting an older type of commuter train, which we've seen before and have travelled on and we got just what we expected. First class is nice. Second class is usually very comfortable too. The train is full, there are a few young people sitting on the floor. We are lucky to be in a strange room at the end which I think is meant for people to put their luggage. It is heated and there are three seats and two other benches, so it's fine.

There is another guy here with us who is friendly enough, but doesn't speak any English (or so I thought when I wrote that last sentence). He did speak great English and helped us on arrival, to find our way out to the street we needed to get to our hotel.

I went looking for the bathroom, or W/C (water closet) as they are referred to over here only to find three men waiting ahead of me. When it was finally my turn, I wedged myself into the closet like space, did what I had to do and pressed the foot pedal. To my surprise the flap at the bottom of the toilet flipped open and the contents were unceremoniously dumped onto the track flashing by below.I knew these toilets used to exsist, but I admit that I was surprised to see one in operation.

Countryside

The ride is quiet and uneventful. The landscape quite flat, with small family farms scattered around. I just saw a man in a large field by himself stacking loose hay into piles. The field next to him held several of these piles so I think he must have been at this for awhile today.