You wouldn't think it, looking out the window today, but it's currently spring. This means the welcome arrival of storks, lambs...and more importantly Toruń's summer beer gardens. Here are some shots of the latest garden being resurrected in the old market square.
This is one of Toruń's most famous buildings...the leaning tower! It was originally part of the city defences but gradually started to lean. There is a quiet pub inside where you really can feel like you're drunk even if you're not (the walls are all at one angle).
On Saturday night, our school organised that quintessential of British traditions...the pub quiz. We had a very successful evening with a pub full of Polish students and native English teachers...with each teacher presenting a round of questions. My round was all about Toruń!
With the weather becoming warmer, now is the time to sit outside, relax and drink Polish piwo!!
There are many great bars to hang out here in Toruń. Most of them though are hidden below in basements. What makes Lizard King so great is that it's on street level and resembles the Tardis. Small on the outside, but pretty big inside. They often have live music there and is a great place to party, party, party...as I've done several times before! ;-)
Spotted this hanging rooster outside a local pub. Thought it was quirky enough to put it up here on TORUŃ DAILY PHOTO!
This karczma (traditional pub/restaurant) is looking rather festive at the moment!
This is one of our favourite pubs here in Toruń...Niebo (meaning 'Heaven'). It's warm, cosy and has friendly bar staff. It's even better now that is completely smoke-free (since the Polish ban on smoking). You can now only smoke in a bar if they provide a completely separate ventilated room. Having said, one or two of the Poles have already been known to have lit up in pubs since the ban. Sooner or later they will be caught and will have to pay a fine.
This quirky item sits on the bar at Damroki. He certainly doesn't seem to be happy that he has a set of hair made from straws!!! Either way...it's a fun piece and TDP certainly had to take a photo of it!
This beautifully festive decoration is currently hanging inside Damroki a rustic pub/restaurant in Toruń. I particularly love the fruit...nice touch!
This interesting tree carving stands in the entrance of the restaurant Karczma Siwy Dym - a rustic Polish restaurant in Łysomice (9km north of Toruń). Well worth a visit.
This sign says it all!!! Like most pubs here in Toruń, this pub is situated down in a cellar...which provides great atmosphere but little ventilation from all the heavy smokers here in Poland!!
Pub quizzes are a great British tradition. In fact, there are over 22,000 pub quizzes every week in the UK! So what better thing to do than bring the pub quiz tradition over here to Toruń. Last night, I organised the first ever English pub quiz and spent the following 3 hours of drunken fun as Quiz Master. It was a great success and well done to our team of students who won (actually beating expats from Britain!!). Roll on the next pub quiz very soon!
This is the view looking up, as you climb the stairs back up from the "Niebo" ("Heaven") pub in the Old Square of Toruń. Most pubs in Toruń are hidden below in the basement and many offer attractive surroundings. Unfortuantely, due to the lack of ventilation...many are smoke traps. All you need to do is walk in a pub here for a few seconds...and already you will stink like an ashtray! Bring on the anti-smoking law like in the UK!
Dusk over the River Vistula...creating an almost peaceful and calm nature. But don't be fooled...hidden within the river lie whirlpools and unpredictable currents that prevent any swimming or bathing.
Well you glimpsed it in yesterday's crimson post, but here it is in it all its glory - "Krzywa Wieża" aka the leaning tower of Toruń!!! Built in the 14th Century, the tower was originally one of the defence towers along the city wall. Poor foundations led the tower to substantially lean at an angle. There is a supersition, that if you can stand against the wall, with your legs together and your arms outstretched in front of you for more than 5 seconds...then you are considered unfaithful. It's virtually impossible!! ;-)
As a student city, Toruń is famous for its pubs. In fact, there are more pubs in Toruń than in Krakow! Most of the pubs are in the basements of the old tenement buildings. Whilst, they are attractive...they are also smoke havens due to the lack of ventilation. It's a relief then to find this relatively new addition to the Toruń pub scene. Tantra is a Tibetan /Buddhist themed pub is completely different to anything Toruń has seen before. It's a very relaxed pub decorated with exotic paintings like this piece of wall art.
