Pączek i Praga

Some of today's photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60142466@N03/sets/72157626106465663/

Today the weather was Spring-like, so I had to spend time outside from the time my class ended until the sun began to set. Once I finished my informative Polish lesson, I headed towards downtown to have lunch at Salad House, where I had planned to go after passing it on a walk a few days ago. I had a "Green Kiss" salad with smoked chicken, lettuce, red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic dressing. It was good. :)




Some of the inside of Salad House

After Salad House, I decided to have my belated pączek - Polish donut filled with some kind of jam/marmalade/filling. There was no line today. :-P I asked for apple - of course - and was told there weren't any, so I decided to do the one of the more "standard" fillings, rosehip jam (I guess that is what it translates to). The paczek was a bit warm - which I hoped for - and super soft. The donut tasted identical to Krispy Kreme and was glazed, not powdered, with a hint of the red-colored jam. Not sure what the flavor could be compared to... but that was a good donut from someone who is no longer into donuts. I am glad I didn't wait in a long line or settle for just anything on Pączki Day -  Fat Thursday (which was the Thursday a few days ago). Instead, I chose this place and celebrated belatedly (both Fat Thursday and yesterday's Fat Tuesday). :-P I also know of two other places in the area who are known to make good pączki, but I am not really a donut-person, so I am not sure I will go on a taste test myself.

Paczek with random sprinkles (only a couple)

I walked around a bit (saw a 4-door Mini Cooper!) and decided to head to the other side of the Wisla/Vistula River into the Praga area. I walked through a nice park and saw the E. Wedel chocolate factory - it actually DOES smell of chocolate in the air right nearby - and its special chocolate store. I used my local's guide map to see some interesting sites around Praga - a weird cultural area with pagodas and dragons and other Asian-themed architecture - for people from Vietnam I guess it is said, a statue to Mary [Mother of Jesus], a mural, the longest building in Warsaw, a vodka factory - and even saw a mall in the area (nothing special compared to ones I've seen before that are a bit easier to access from my dorm).

Tomorrow includes one class in the afternoon with some laundry and Skyping beforehand. I also will try and make it to the Jewish Historical Institute, Copernicus Science Center, and Warsaw History Museum on Thursday, Friday, or Sunday (leaving Saturday as the main day-trip day). I am planning on having a somewhat Copernicus-themed weekend with going to Torun and his science center being the main points. I have some researching and a bit of homework ahead of me.

From a great one:

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." —Steve Martin

:-D