Warsaw growing in the sun

Last night, yesterday, was foul - nine hours of rain, +6C; puddles, mud - awful. Then overnight, something wonderful happened - the wind changed from a warm westerly to an icy northerly. The temperature fell ten degrees overnight, by dawn it was -4C, I opened the curtains this morning to a clear blue sky and snow on the lawn. But no time to lose - I headed into town for 8am to chair our Construction and Real Estate Breakfast at the Westin. On the way from W-wa Śródmieście WKD station, I passed the viewing platform (below) from which work on Warsaw's latest and greatest skyscraper, Varso tower, can be observed.

What a day! The clarity of the sky offset somewhat by the biting wind, but my quilt-lined M-65 jacket stands me in good stead. "No such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." Below: view from the top of the viewing gallery. Varso (designed by Norman Foster & Partners, developed by H. B. Reavis) will be the highest building in the EU, and is due to be completed next year.

Below: from Varso Place's website, an impression of the restaurant and bar on the 53rd floor. I can't wait to have a drink here and look down onto the Palace of Culture below!

Warsaw's bright new face shining in the sun. Below: the junction of Al. Jana Pawła II and ul. Grzybowska, the Q22 building in the centre.

Below: the strong wind blows away any smog, the chimney at the Kawęczyn district heating plant 9km to the east of our office is as clear as it's ever been on a winter's day, the horizon razor-sharp.

Below: cranes over the Widok Towers (also known as J44, Al. Jerozolimskie 44), on the site of the old Universal building. And, just in front of it, the new PKO Rotunda takes shape, replacing the old Rotunda (rebuilt after the gas explosion 40 years ago that killed 49 people). Worth comparing with the post, from March 2017.

There's much construction going on in Warsaw with many new towers that will be complete over the next two years, the urban skyline will change, no longer dominated by Stalin's gift to the Polish nation, which from the south-west at least, will disappear from view.

Below: looking towards a setting sun, from the end of platform 6 at W-wa Zachodnia station. In the distance the Radomiak heads off towards Radom, via Drzewica and Przysucha (in other words down the CMK avoiding the modernisation work between Czachówek and Warka).

This time last year:
Of Consciousness and Will across the universe

This time three years ago:
The Devil is indeed Doubt

This time four years ago:
Are you aware of your consciousness?

This time five years ago:
"Why are all the good historians British?"

This time seven years ago:
Central Warsaw, evening rush-hour

This time eight years ago:
Cold and getting colder

This time ten years ago:
Uwaga! Sople!

This time 11 years ago:
Ul. Poloneza at its worst