Olden times in Wrocław and Gliwice

Travels by train around Poland are somewhat hit-or-miss these days with big delays being commonplace; is our railway infrastructure being hit by hackers from Russia? Opóźnienie może ulec zmianie. Za poniesione niedogodności przepraszamy. ("Delay may succumb to change. For indignities sustained, we apologise."). My return from Wrocław was punctuated by an hour-long transfer at Gliwice, chance for a wander around. 

The railway station (below) is complete, but access to it from front and back is complicated by a mass of reconstruction work from the front, and the building of a new bus station at the rear.

Below: plenty of pre-war architecture to remind one that this was once the German city of Gleiwitz. 

Below: unthinkable that ghost signs in German would have been visible even 20 years ago; with Germany and Poland both comfortable about their present borders, it's not a issue.

The same in Wrocław, 90 miles (145 km) north-west of Gliwice. Below: a pre-war shop sign adorns a branch of Poczta Polska on ulica Kościuszki; tastefully renovated facade, listed building. Google Maps Street View image from 2017 shows the building without the pre-war sign.

Below: I stayed at the Hotel Europejski, which I can highly praise for the price/quality balance. If you're thinking of staying here, choose a room facing the side street; the trams are noisy early in the morning.  

Below: Wrocław Główny station, always worthy of a snap. 

As I crossed ulica Oławska, I spotted this delightful two-door Opel Manta (the pre-facelift B1 version 1975-81); the butt of German jokes in the 1980s, but today a classic. 

Another two-door coupe of similar vintage, the Honda Prelude (1978-81), again in original pre-facelift form. Both these cars will hit their half-century some time this decade! Good to see a thriving classic car scene in Wrocław.

Below: some brutalist architecture from the 1960s, ul. Powstańców Śląskich

This time last year:
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This time two years ago:
Thoughts - trains set in motion

This time four years ago:
Great crested grebes and swans hatch

This time six years ago:
Jeziorki birds in the late May sunshine

This time seven years ago:
Making sense of Andrzej Duda's win

This time eight years ago:
Call it what it is: Okęcie

This time nine years ago:
Three stations in need of repair

This time ten years ago
Late evening, Śródmieście

This time 11 years ago:
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This time 13 years ago:
Paysages de Varsovie

This time 13 years ago:
Spring walk, twilight time