The Loch Ness Hard Worker Finally Caught

In a blogpost here a while ago I wrote about a menial worker who for me represents everything that's commendable about Polish attitudes to work. Yesterday I finally managed to get a snap of him in action. Actually I am rather pleased with the slight and accidental blur around him. It gives the impression that he is in a world of his own, oblivious to anyone around him, focussing on the task in hand, and that's exactly how he acted as he once again methodically cleans the entrances to Raclawicka Metro Station. Good on you sir.

I was fascinated by the Gentleman below's large, gnarled and mottled hands with their thick protruding veins and deep tan. They were big hands, like a worker's, but he looked well educated with his high forehead and sad, mournful eyes and although I noticed the edge of his trousers were frayed with age, I just couldn't quite place him. Off to Church in his Sunday best, or a dapper gent who dressed like this daily? Did he live alone, or did someone he'd known all his life welcome him home? I could live in Poland a long time before I would be confident to hazard a guess.

And I also adored the glowing lights in the eyes of this dog. In fact these two characters rather reminded me of each other somehow.

For non-people-living-in-Poland, small dogs are very much de rigeur. Small apartments aren't very conducive to anything bigger than this chap, although German Shepherds are quite popular and also terrifying. There's one in Siekierki who I have been trying to befriend for months and he always looks as me exactly how I look at raspberries just before I open the packet: ravenously.

Finally, one completely universal and irreducible fact. It doesn't matter whether there's a new chef in town or there's attractive prices, there is nothing appealing about eating faux Chinese from a little wooden hut behind the back of a tower block. the popularity of these places mystifies me even if they are cheap.They are absolutely everywhere. I suppose they're the equivalent of fried chicken outlets for the UK. Bleurgh.