Łazienki with bikes

Another peerless day. The twins require less wrangling than usual to get ready. They sit obediently on the top step of the cellar, while Mamuśka descends into the cavern and emerges carrying two blue bikes. She strings them nonchalantly over the handles of the stroller and we hop on the bus to the bus interchange at Plać na Rozdrożu. Last time I got off a bus here, there were a couple of high-stepping reindeer and a carriage, illuminated in honour of Christmas. Today it is a blaze of yellow and red tulips.

We enter Łazienki through a gate guarded by a man who yells out something that clearly means “Get off the grass” as Jaś heads in under the trees. A loudspeaker booms at the same time, and Jaś gets off the grass, quick sticks. Fortunately we can see a red digger (the current passion, along with garbage trucks) in the distance, so we hurry off to watch as it lifts a bucket-load of bricks to the man on the scaffolding shrouding the Orangery. And when the digger goes, there is the statue of a sleeping dog.

Today's pace is very different. Somehow bikes slow us down. Occasionally Maja tests the “not on the grass” rule, nosing the bike off the path. My daughter says “No Maja. Pani will have a hernia!” in a loud voice and my politeness-anxiety has to remind itself that pani probably doesn't speak English. We meander our way past the White House and its fountain and ducks and tulips, adding another layer of memories to this place. Squirrels approach hopefully, until they are scared by a squeal of delight or a sudden movement. When we reach the Chinese pavilions, Maja wheels her bike up and down the stairs, up and down, up and down. Jaś splashes hands in a puddle and runs round and round, shouting “A house! A house!” The rhododendrons are still very small: in twenty years they will be splendid.

Now it's time for a picnic lunch. We finally reach an area with a sign that says “lawn for leisure” rather than “keep off the grass”. Deck chairs are piled high for the taking, so we assemble five and join other people reclining in the sun, stripped briefly to short sleeves.

When we arrive home after a lunch of cauliflower, barley and preserved lemons, our hosts have left us our second key and a bunch of daffodils. J and I can now pursue our separate pleasures.

 

Off to the park

 

Plać na Rozdrożu

 

Maja scooting

 

Jaś and the dog

 

The White House

 

Pool in front of the White House

 

 

 

Mandarin duck

 

Chinese Pavilion

 

Rhododendron

Łazienki vista

 

 

Lunch on the special chairs

 

 

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