Plane disappears while smog lingers

What goes up without planning permission must come down; the Ilyushin Il-14 that appeared on the corner of ul. Marszałkowska and Świętokrzyska last summer was yesterday removed by the authorities. As I was coming to work, around half past eight, a small group of workmen and police were busy dismantling the vestigial wings and tail, ready to take the fuselage away.

And by this morning there was no sign of it. Rather sad, I must say, but on the other hand as a restaurant it failed. The small cluster of Middle- and Far Eastern restaurants on this corner of the crossroads could not compete with Ming Wok to the north (13zł for copious amounts of pork fried rice - hold the surówka) and the Scottish Restaurant to the east. Plus two really good kebab places to the north-east of the busy crossroads.

I can honestly say, that passing by it daily, neither was I ever tempted inside, nor did I ever see anyone actually dine within its fuselage. As a tourist attraction - it worked, so many people taking selfies with it in the background - but as a dining experience - failure. Below: how it looked in September. My office window clearly visible in both shots.

Meanwhile, the smog stands over Warsaw; as soon as there's high pressure, no wind and a frost, out it comes, out of the fireplaces and chimneys of old homes around the suburbs and out of the exhaust pipes of short-distance, one-per car commuters. The rest of us are having our health endangered. The city authorities - which took eight months to dismantle a plane that was doing no one any harm - will have to act quickly because anger is growing.

By way of contrast - photo below taken in December 2016 shows what I then considered to be a smoggy day.... The chimney at Kawęczyn relatively clear. Visible at least.

The face of the smog - a cyclist in a Warsaw office building yesterday. It is outrageous that the very people whose transport habits are making the air cleaner should imperil their lungs because of the stupidity and selfishness of a small percentage of Varsovians.

This time last year:
Walker's London

This time last year:
Deconstructing political graffiti - London and Warsaw 

This time four years ago:
Europe's peripheral woes

This time five years ago:
Winter returns to Warsaw

This time six years ago:
Babcia vs. Roma action, Centrum 

This time seven years ago:
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This time eight years ago:
Skiing in the Beskid Wyspowy

This time nine years ago:
What's to be done about Warsaw's unmade roads?

This time ten years ago:
Jeziorki in the fog