Percival at Wianki nad Wisłą 26-06-21

A few days before the Wianki nad Wisłą Festival in Warsaw last Saturday, I saw that Percival would be playing so it became imperative to get there:

Before last Saturday, I'd seen Percival once before on the Wild Hunt tour about three years ago which was a brilliant audio-visual experience.

And on Saturday night, the band didn't disappoint:

Offering a nice balance of tunes that I recognised such as Lazare and Sargon, and songs that I less recognised such as Marichko Chycheri.

Really like the kind of dynamic, melodic Slavic folk music that Percival create.

And on Saturday night, the concert was at a wonderful setting, near the riverside and Old Town:

Below, the band are taking in thoroughly-deserved applause at the end of a great 90-minute set:

How great it is to have live music back again. 

I'm grabbing as much live music as I can over the summer, because we all know what's coming again over autumn.

Three Quiches

 Three delicious-looking quiches from a kitchen in eastern Poland.

Zamość Old Town Wall Walk

 Really enjoyed walking round the walls that encircle Zamość Old Town the other week:

Have seen the walls before on countless trips to Zamość:

 But this was the first time I had a proper walk round them:

Saw a few strange-looking statues while doing the walk:

But they all seemed to fit into the greenery nicely.

A Triangular House

Really liked this triangular-shaped house that I encountered in the scenic Maryśin suburb of Warsaw:

The tree-like shroud kind of adds a sense of mystery to the house.

The Zamość Bugle Call

 

If you look carefully in the middle of these two pictures, you'll probably be able to glimpse the Zamość bugle caller:

 Have just read that the bugle caller does his job at midday each day between May and September.

I heard the bugle call while I was eating this delicious kebab and grilled vegetables in an Armenian restaurant next to the Town Hall:

Of course, this was nicely washed down with a glass of Zwierzyniec, one of the best beers in Poland:

A Good Polish Cider

 

Never expected to say this but I've come across a cider that I really like. 

Cydr Lubelski, which I first came across in eastern Poland and now drink in Warsaw, is an incredibly subtle but refreshing drink which is absolutely perfect for quenching a thirst when the temperature exceeds 30 celsius.

Also, at 4.5%, Cydr Lubelski isn't that strong which is good as I enter my mid-50s. Gone are the days when I drink 6-7 bottles of 6% beer on a Friday night session.

DakhaBrakha: Warsaw Progresja 20-06-21

A few shots from the DakhaBrakha gig at the Warsaw Progresja Letnia Scena (Outside Stage) on Sunday:

After going about eight months without any live music, this gig was like a gift from the gods. 

Live music with a couple of beers does really soothe the soul.

Was happy that I recognised quite a few of the DakhaBrakha tunes, especially Yanky and Sho Zi-Pod Duba. It was a great set and really uplifting to see people dancing and enjoying themselves again.

Warsaw: Church of St. Felix of Cantalice

 While in the Maryśin district of Warsaw, I passed the incredibly tall Church of St. Felix of Cantalice:

Have just discovered that St. Felix of Cantalice was a Capuchin friar who lived in the 16th century and went round with a begging sack seeking alms for the poor and needy. For this reason, he was the first Capuchin to be made a saint, being canonised by Pope Clement XI in 1712.

In the grounds of the Church of St. Felix, I also saw this wonderful Lourdes grotto:

Plus a statue devoted to a famous nun or order of nuns:

A Couple of Garden Shots

 A couple of garden shots from our place in eastern Poland.

The garden seems to have a mind of its own and periodically attracts moles so it's not easy to keep on top of things.

Szczebrzeszyn Riverside Walk

 

A wonderful, short riverside walk that I did in the small town of Szczebrzeszyn, eastern Poland last Sunday.

The walk first passed my wife's childhood school:

The river had several turnings:

and wooden shelters where people could stop for a picnic:

After about 20 minutes, the short, beautiful walk ended, and the river naturally continued its course:

Dinner in the Gazebo

 Great dinner in the gazebo from eastern Poland.

Plus lunch too:

A Hanging Plant

 

Like the way that this hanging plant brings a bit of nature into an upstairs room at our place in eastern Poland.

Kotek Sunbathing

 

Nice shot of Kotek sunbathing at our place in eastern Poland.

From early morning until deep into the afternoon, Kotek likes to follow the sun round the house to get a nice warm catnap.

A Marian Picture and Highlander's Hat

 

A Marian picture which holds central position on a wall at our place in eastern Poland. 

In the bottom right of the picture, there is a traditional Highlander's hat that a private student gave me in Nowy Sącz, southern Poland, many years ago.

Eastern Poland: Homemade Bread

 Nice shot of my wife's homemade bread:

From the kitchen in eastern Poland:

A Few Mainstream Polish Beers

The first three mainstream Polish beers below (Królewskie; Lech; and Warka) are not my favourite brews:

 But at around 5%, they're all relatively easy to drink:

However, at 6.5%, Warka Strong is too strong and sweet for me to neck, as the old Lancashire colloquialism goes:

 

Kotek's Vegetables

 

Here's a nice shot of Kotek with some vegetables, I think that he may've viewed them as a kind of small garden.

As can be seen, Kotek seems to be especially impressed with the radish: