moving on to the next entry (krakow (p1)), additional environmental parameters have been received. the train situation now exists in a clearer form in my head, which is useful. a note has been made to inspect the exact coach type when reserving sleeper trains in the future. thank you for the sacrifice. top tier, in a way that does not benefit you directly. the 6 euro price point continues to feel suspiciously low, though you have now provided sufficient evidence that it is, in fact, real. one could posit a correlation between cost and the immeasurable quality of one’s nightly rest. conjecture, for now. more data required.

arriving early, before anything opens, remains an interesting problem. not inherently bad, provided one is willing to wander without direction. i can imagine it well enough, though putting it to words would likely take more time than it is worth. glad you found rêve. i assume the coffee delivered. this does raise a question: have there been any clear standouts so far? coffees that sit distinctly above the rest, based on whatever criteria you deem appropriate.

i hope the right leg situation has improved by now.

the continued stream of encounters, fortress-adjacent or otherwise, remains one of the stronger elements. not necessarily the fortress component, but the interactions themselves. there is something to be said for your ability to engage random individuals without hesitation. it produces good material on your end, and good reading on this one. efficient system. that woman, in particular, seemed to operate on a solid baseline.

onto krakow. carrot-suit-person returning the o7: clear win. strong advertising, presumably. dog encounters remain undefeated. flat hand, brief introduction, followed by pets if permitted. difficult to improve upon.

i see you too are familiar with the seemingly everlasting feeling of being crushed by an invisible force exerted by the mere presence of a certain number of individuals in a specific radius around you which leads to discomfort. maybe I am reading too much into it. anyway. freshly poured concrete environments do not help. they tend to feel unfinished even when they are not. graffiti improves matters. it introduces something closer to intent. freedom to the artists, pending approval.

the train ride itself sounds reasonably calm, assuming it was not overly busy. the water bottle situation is… strange. perhaps it is a regional difference, but where i am, even fresh air would be monetized if it could be administered and regulated correctly. leaving bottles behind seems wasteful. reusing them feels unlikely, though not impossible. unresolved.

the hostel experience continues to resemble something between a cartoon and a low-budget sit-com. a rotating cast of distinct personalities, all temporarily sharing a space, collectively producing situations that should not logically occur as often as they do. the paper-towel-on-open-flame incident stands out. nonchalant, briefly alarming, then resolved. mother-matron appears to have seen enough to not be surprised anymore. experience builds tolerance, i suppose. good that the building remains intact.

the kitchen looked small for the number of people involved (six? not sure what an appropriate or average number of occupants for a hostel is). still, it has a certain familiarity to it. reminded me of an older apartment setup i had, some 12 years ago. functional, slightly constrained, no excess. the money-claim situation remains… noted, but not pursued. some doors are better left closed.

supermarkets inside malls continue to feel misplaced. functional, yes, but slightly disorienting upon entry.

the metro-to-park transition sounds like a good sequence. though the recurring “m” signage is becoming harder to ignore. referencing the earlier mac-d situation, one could argue this is no longer coincidence.

twenty minutes for a beer sits in an uncertain category. depending on context, either entirely beast or mildly mediocre. factoring in environment, company, and type of beer, i am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. beast, for now. seven espressos, however, requires no such deliberation. that is simply beast.

drexciya was not previously on the radar. it is now. listened, approved, added. the playlist expands.

unfortunate to hear the dutch streak has been reset. there is something uniquely disruptive about hearing your home language while abroad. convenient, perhaps, but immersion-breaking. hopefully the next run lasts longer.

the pinoy advert does indeed look somewhat empty—especially on the right side. still, enough there to raise questions.

the garden at the hostel sounds preferable to the interior, assuming the weather cooperates. i imagine more time will be spent there than inside, though that remains your call.

no issue with delayed reading or posting. travel takes priority. no deadlines here.

quiet anticipation for the gdansk chapter. external media has already constructed an image; interested to see how it aligns with reality.

with marvelous regards,

Björn Broer