2015-01-24: Horsies! Grown Ups!

We haven't been horse riding in over a month. I have probably forgotten everything. Arguably I never really knew much and was highly dependent on my horse, PJ, knowing what was meant to happen and I just hung on.

It is fair to say I tried to confuse him a lot.

So we went looking for a place we can ride at. We intend to learn horseback archery and it would be good to not fall off the horse immediately.

But first snowman maintenance.

As Poland is currently in the middle of winter any open arenas are not really ridable and for trail / field riding the owners want to see you ride first which is a bit of a catch-22.
The horse riding industry here is a bit behind on the whole web page, answering the phone and everything front. We travelled far and wide visiting different places.

Some of which needed a horse to get to

I started to think adding to my Tad Kossie Oss Ko street sign collection would be my only achievement for the day

 We did get to meet some nice horsies which was fun for Iza.

 

 

All I could think of was Hippo Therapy. Which might mean Hippo riding was available.

Finding this town was a pretty good achievement though. I was hoping they would have a "Pies" (Dogs) warning sign nearby, that would be cool.

I sang "The Long and Winding Road" because I am just so damn ironic and hipster.

The last place for the day turned out to be exactly what we were looking for.

 

The horsies looked friendly enough, the instructor had that usual "I am fit and pretty" appearance which always hides the scalding tongue of a venomous she-demon.

So I think we will fit in well. Next Sunday, horsies time!

This guy is ready for any tourists of the Ukraine variety.

Białystok has lots of storks in the surrounding areas (25% of the worlds storks live in Poland). I don't know enough about storks to know if they source their babies from here to deliver elsewhere or vice versa. I do remember chimneys were involved but the local chimneys seemed a tad on the small side.

Storks make other birds balance look like crap

Unfortunately the storks are due back at the end of march and we will have left by then. Fortunately they have been arriving earlier recently and so if we are really lucky they will get here before we leave.

Birthday girl

In the evening there were more birthday celebrations. This time instead of cake we went to a bar. It happened to be the same MultiBrowar bar which we have been to a few times before (2014-12-18 & 27). I discovered they had a tasting board so grabbed that.

Those lines are close together.

Food and Beverage Review: Limited edition Beers from Browjar

8 beers on a platter. I think it is meant to be 7 beers but because one of the beers is out of stock they give you two extras to prevent complaints.

And given the one they ran out of is one I have had it is a good deal. Except it was a great beer.

I think the glasses are about 150ml. So 18zł ($6) for 1.2 litres of beer. Which is also a good deal.

These glasses are so damn cool. If I was able to have possessions I would buy some.

For those that read Polish or can be bothered with translation

For individual beer reviews my standard of 6 meaning "would have again if nearby" changes. Beer is too important for such simplistic determinations. A rough and ready breakdown.

<3: pour it down the drain and insult whoever gave it to you
3-4: meh. Want a beer and it is nearby? it won't kill you
5-6: Nothing new or good on the menu? get this.
7-8: Usually good examples of a style I don't really go for.
>8: Consider planning frequent encounters with this beer.

Koniec Świąta from Pinta: Like thin apricot nectar mixed with beer. Surprisingly nice. The bitterness is much more like almond bitterness than hops. Interesting. Ewa liked it. Apparently a style of beer only made in Finland, Estonia & Sweden. I guess that is a problem as Pinta is in Poland. Anyhow, great interesting drink. 9/10

Belgian Blonde from Browar Wrężel: I thought this would be boring and had it first. Glad I got two of them. Way more like a trippel than a belgian white. Sweet with creamy mouthfeel and long lasting bitterness. This is what I would order first next time. As good as Tripel Karmeliet (my favourite beer)? Maybe not but I am not going to promise that until I can try them beside each other. 10/10

American Pale Ale from Browar Wrężel: Stupid over-hopped american pale ales. This is one of them. Doesn't have the floral notes from cascade hops that make the bitterness worth it for me . Wouldn't have again. 4/10

Stout Oswiany from Browar Wrężel: Strong coffee upfront. Not enough malty sweetness for me though. At the time I thought maybe wait til it gets warm however from the other reviewers apparently it gets a distinct sewerage smell when it is warm. Good thing I drink quick. 4/10

Jasne Pszeniczne from Browar Wrężel: Supposed to be a weizen but basically a pilsner with a bit of a dirty flavour. Wouldn't bother with it again. 3/10

Komes Potrójny from Fortuna: Sharp and Spicy. and Bitter. Very bitter, long long bitterness. Has nothing on the Baltic Porter which is probably why that has sold out. 4/10

Magnus Toffee from Jagiello: This was what I thought Ewa would like (she likes Vienna Reds). I was right. Super sweet and toffee flavoured. Not notes of toffee. Toffee flavoured. Has just enough bitterness in the finish that by the time you put the glass down you are almost ready for some more. 7/10

In retrospect and having read what the beer styles were meant to be and other people ratings I am really sure that what I was given labelled as the Belgian Blond was actually the Komes and vice versa. Especially given I didn't really find any of the Wrężel beers that good but the other Fortuna I have had was absolutely excellent. I guess I will have to go back and get some of the Komes Trippel to check. That's a shame.

Rating: 5/10 (good to try a bunch of beers but wouldn't buy this one again. A Fortuna tasting tray on the other hand would be awesome, I could make one myself by just buying pints of their beers. That's good thinking!)

Pretty evening stroll for digestive purposes.