Fotoplastikon, Warsaw

(Aleje Jerozolimskie 51)

We went to Warsaw, in Poland, last February. I've decided to post the highlights of that trip.

A fotoplastikon was a popular device to watch three-dimensional images in the early 20th century. It's a stereoscope the size of a small to medium sized room, with the images rotating on the inside. The fotoplastikon in Warsaw is one of the few in the world still in working condition. The regular admission fee is 4 PLN (less than 1 Euro) and it's free on Sundays. When we were there, they were showing old pictures of Paris.

I love the subtle colouring of the woman's skirt.

Check out the bus-slash-space shuttle they drove back in those days.

Just outside the fotoplastikon, there's a tiny little shop. It's filled with little sculptures made out of the gingerbread. Additionally they sold little cards which I like to call Arrietty cards (After the Ghibli film). Dried flowers and seeds are creatively stuck between two slightly translucent papers. I keep the one I bought on the windowsill and it's quite lovely in the morning light.

A Quick Walk through Amsterdam

After having taken a train, a bus and a plane, we decided to take a break from our travelling and take a walk through Amsterdam. We took another train, dumped our luggage in a highly secured locker area (I counted six cameras in the hallway alone) and said hello to my sister at her work. Having been in Amsterdam before, I took the lead and showed Tessa and Linda around. We went to the Bloemenmarkt and looked around a few shops in that area. Bought a Chinese Yizing clay teapot for my besty ( <3 ).

We ate dinner at De Laatste Kruimel on Langebrugsteeg. It’s an adorable little bakery with the most delicious truffle mayonnaise. Besides their fantastic sandwiches, they have homemade quiches and cakes. For some reason lots of people always stand outside and take pictures and don’t come in to try anything (weird). We all still had a long travel home, so we swung by for another hug with my sister, and climbed into our prospective trains.

University of Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent

Having planned only 3 days in Nottingham, we regrettably had to move on to Stoke-on-Trent for the workshop. We had to switch train in Derby (which is pronounced “Darby” and not “Durby”). We stayed at the North Stafford Hotel, directly (and I do mean directly) opposite the train station. The front desk service was questionable but the location was ideal. The university was less than a ten minute walk.

The University was rebuilt the prior year with a ₤30.000.000 budget. All equipment was state of the art and drool-worthy. Not only does the university have a drug license, they have a gun license and even a small ballistics room. All the teachers were enthusiastic and extremely nice. There were a few intern-students from our school, who were also extremely helpful. We went to the Crime House the next morning. Decked out in SOCO suits, we tackled our fictional crime. We photographed, sampled and measured every inch of the bathroom, which was the scene of our crime.

In the evening we had a team meal at the Rose of Kashmir, an Indian restaurant on Liverpool Road. I’m not really one for spicy foods though… After one bite of something, my taste buds died a speedy and horrible death. At least they had an all you can eat dessert buffet table.

On our third day in Stoke-on-Trent, which also happened to be HALLOWEEN, we were allowed to examine the evidence we found in the Crime House. We had to do a short presentation in English about what we thought had happened at our crime scene, after which we were given certificates.

One last night in Stoke-on-Trent was spent as by first having dinner at the White Star Pub with the additional company of Denise and another Tessa (with our Halloween disguises!) With full bellies, we then proceeded to the Crime Scene House to pretend to break in (Apparently there have been people stupid enough to really try this). We took a late night walk through the park on the way back to our hotel and spent our last night at the Stafford.

Galleries of Justice Museum and the City of Caves, Nottingham

You can get a discount if you go to both the Galleries of Justice Museum and the City of Caves, with an even bigger discount for students (lucky!). The Galleries of Justice Museum was more of an interactive tour than a museum, guiding you through a justice system of the 14^th century: from the courtroom to the prison sentence to the deportment to Australia.

The City of Caves started from inside the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. We were led into a part of the cave systems beneath the city which was formerly used as a Tannery. Our guide took us through the techniques used to tan the hides in the olden days and how the caves were used during World War I and II. 

The Tokenhouse, Nottingham

While walking around in Nottingham we came across the Tokenhouse on Bridlesmith Gate: the cutest little shop selling everything from stationary to jewelry to knobs. If ever in Nottingham, find your way here!

A Night Out in Nottingham

At the hostel we came across Eric and Jay and invited them on our pub adventure. We started at the Salutation with a pint of Aspall Cyder and game of cards. From there we went to the Trip, which was partly built into some caves. After which we shot some pool at the Major Oak Pub on Pelham Street (I personally switched between missing my shots and watching the others win).

Eric had mentioned a secret bar earlier and Tessa had been baiting him ever since, whether it really existed or not. He finally caved and took us to the mysterious Boilermaker. We went into a tiny store, could be no more than ten square feet, with boilers hanging on the walls. Quite strange for a store to be unlocked and empty at night though…Music could already be heard through the back walls. Eric pushed a small button on the counter and a few minutes later a security guard came through the left of two doors. The five of us plus the guard then squished into the room to the right, which happened to be a tiny red bathroom. Once the door closed behind us, Eric pushed the sink away and voilà! The secret entrance to the Boilermaker lounge. (It was something out of a film.)

Homemade, Nottingham

We picked up Linda and dumped her luggage at the hostel, where we found out that she had been placed in a different room. We had to ask three times whether Tessa and I were being moved around too. After having come to the hesitant conclusion that we were to stay in the same room as the night before, we went out again. Adjacent to Thurland Street was Pelham Street, which housed a lovely little café by the name of Homemade. The food was good and the service was fast. But watch out for the portions... We skipped dinner that night!

Robin Hood Pageant, Nottingham Castle

While waiting for Linda to arrive for East Midlands Airport, Tessa and I stumbled upon the Robin Hood Pageant at Nottingham Castle. Admission was 8 pounds for adults and 6 pounds for students (even international students!). Entertainers were dressed in historical garb and stalls were set up with all kinds of interesting goods. Music was played, Falcons were flown and Battles were reenacted. All in all it made for a very interesting and entertaining morning.

The Nottingham Ghost Walk

The University of Staffordshire was hosting a Crime Scene and Evidence Analysis Workshop. I and two friends decided to extend our trip and visit Nottingham beforehand. Tessa and I arrived on Saturday and Linda would follow the next day.

Tessa and I checked into our hostel on Thurland Street which is right in the middle of the city centre. The young manager had heavy accent and seemed disorganized. We would be staying in two rooms in the span of the three days we would be there. We’d stopped by the Nottingham Tourism Centre earlier and saw a leaflet advertising the Nottingham Ghost Walk. The Nottingham Ghost Walk is only hosted on Saturdays and leaves from the Salutation on Maid Marian Way. From there we followed the entertainer by the name of Gary who was garbed in a top hat, a long coat and fingerless gloves. He walked around with a flute and put me in mind of the Artful Dodger.

Gary took us on a 90 minute walk around the centre of Nottingham, stopping at specific location and telling the local ghost stories. We walked past the Royal Children’s Pub, the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (“the Trip”), the Robin Hood Statue, Nottingham Castle and ended beneath the Salutation in part of the cave system that runs underground throughout the whole of Nottingham. 

Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven

The Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven is an annual event in winter. The different design schools such as the TU and the Design Academy are major players each year. Artworks are fastened to the tops of taxis and the whole city centre is filled with interesting conceptual designs and art. The Design Academy’s Graduation show is one of the top events. With my limited time I was only able to visit the Graduation show and the “Klokgebouw”. I have to say that the Graduation show was unbearably warm; I had on a long-sleeved shirt and felt as if I was visiting Hawaii decked in ski-wear.