Stawowa Street

Stawowa Street - a walk in the very centre of Katowice - only for pedestrians. If you go straight ahead, you'll encounter a funny frog fountain [stay tuned! the frog will be here soon!], and the ugliest railway station in the eastern hemisphere :-) [its photo's ready and waiting for its turn]

Coffee anyone?

They offer delicious hot chocolate, exquisite pralines and coffee.
It's in Silesia City centre, next to the fountain.

2007 World League

Yestrday the Polish team won over Bulgaria. Today, right now they are playing again. Hope they will win the second time! :)

"Brazil, Bulgaria, Poland and Russia are already qualified for Final Six tournament of World League in Katowice. Final Six of volleyball World League will take place from 11th - 15th July 2007.

Brazil did not lose one game in Pool A and one week early gets its ticket to the Katowice. Russia has reached the FIVB Final Six tournament from pool C losing just one match in Havana. Poland overtake Bulgaria in Pool D. Poland won all the pool D matches, Bulgaria lost just two times with Poland.

Final Six teams: host country - Poland, the winner of each pool, plus one wild card chosen by the FIVB."
(source)

Orange freak

To complete the previous postings (here, here & here), today is the close up of another piece of "machinery turned into decoration" which adorns the lawn in the front of the Silesia City Centre. Don't ask me what it is...

Tyrannosaurus rex

In the Chorzów zoo they have dinosaurs...
(made of concret ;)

Before the storm...

On Friday there was a terrible storm here.

Gigantic...

These gigantic pots act as decoration of the square in front of the Silesia Citly Centre.

Fire engine

Evey little boy wants to be a firefighter (until he changes his mind, of course ;)
Fortunately, there was no fire when I took the photo, "the boys" had some other, less dangerous business to attend...

Lilliputain tree

On the other hand: it looks like a gigantic bonsai ;)

Hippo

I've visited the Zoo today. Actually, the zoo park is in CHORZÓW, a town neighbouring Katowice. But, as I've written many times before, Silesia is a big urban agglomeration of many towns. Today: greetings from the hippo :)

At the bus stop

The people are waiting for a bus on this bright and sunny day. It's soooo hot in Katowice...

Trabi

This photo was actually taken in Mysłowice (a town some 15 mininutes drive from Katowice), at the Car Market - one of the biggest in Silesia. You can sell your car there and buy a second-hand one.
This yellow tabant is one of the very few that can be seen on the Polish roads, a kind of "keepsake form the past", owned nowadays only by enthusiasts, who often form fan clubs.

Polish people used to give trabant many funny nicknames in the past: Trabi, Trampolina (which actully mens "springboard", but sounds funny whith reference to trabant ), Trampek (which actually means "sneaker" or "plimsoll shoe"), Mydelniczka (which means "travel soap box" - 'cause trabant's body was made of plastic)
or Honecker's Revenge :-)

Unbelievable

Will you believe that this dilapidating house is in the very centre of the town, close to the railway station? How sad...

Baloon

A ballon carrying an advertisement of the "Perfect Boxing" show that is to be held in Spodek on June 9, when Tomek Adamek will fight against Luis Andres Pineda. The trophy is the IBO Cruiserweight Championship, and I don't have to write that I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Adamek. Also, Andrzej Gołota will fight after a two years' break.


[edited after the event]
Both Gołota and Adamek won their fights!

Street market

Wanna buy something inexpensive (though not of the highest quality)? Go the market - a lot of people, a lot of goods, a lot od pickpockets... in general- a lot of fun.

Jack Sparrow rulez ;-)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

Just for fun I'm posting this poster for the third Jack Sparrow's film. If you like the poster - just follow the link - and you'll find more nice pictures.

Stawberry season....

Strawberry Season has officialy begun in Katowice!

Sweet :-)

This in another "decoration" in front of the Silesia shopping centre. This piece of machinery is front-end overhead loader, but the English name doesn't sound so funny like the Polish one: ładowarka przedsiębierna zasierzutna :)))).
In the past such things were used in underground mines here in Silaesia, and, as you can see, it is on display in the beer garden.

An ancient press machine?

I have yet to discover what the original function of this machine was. Nowadays it's pretty decorative - whatever it is. It's quite huge, something like 2,5 - 3 meters tall, I think. It's a pity I haven't asked someone to pose next to it to see the proportions.

Old machinery

To keep the "traditional, industrial atmosphere" of the place, the old machinery has been brought on display in front of the Silesia shoping centre. These old machines, once used in mines (or factoris?) have been painted with bright colours (the orange and green shapes in the photo), and nowadays form a huge, intriguing decorations or monuments.... I'll post separate photos of them later this week.