“Fiction is freedom” Terrific talk Edinburgh International Book Festival this afternoon - Andrei Kurkov talking about his new book The Silver Bone (translated by the brilliant Boris Dralyuk) with Adam Biles. Whisky, poison, wandering ears. Much wit and brilliance, audience rapt.

Running, running and more running.

Wrocław’s railway station concourse is impressive with its flags and green neon.

Liver, onions, coleslaw and mash lunch yesterday at Poznań’s iconic milk bar, Pod Arkadami. Weighed and served.

Sunset from the banks of Poland’s Vistula River. And goodnight 💫

Ukrainian ingenuity and strength in action - so much love for Olia and her family 🧡

History of Łódź on a manhole cover

Devastating news. David was so sweet and kind. I can’t believe it.

Next time you’re in Warsaw eat at Krym, and order the Crimean Tatar yantyk and a glass of Moldovan red.

Occasionally in life, if you are lucky, you meet a beautiful person. David was very beautiful. He also was a supremely talented journalist and through his Ukraine war podcast leaves a major legacy. On a personal note, I've lost a friend. telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/0…

A candle burns for David Knowles who has died aged 32 – a brilliant The Telegraph journalist & much-loved friend. His award-winning podcast #UkraineTheLatest brought stories of ordinary Ukrainians to countless listeners. We pray for him, his family & friends. May he rest in peace

Friday night chess in Kraków

Cold Kitchen has made it to Kraków and the famous Café Camelot where your breakfast omelette comes with watermelon on the side. Chapter 8 is set in Warsaw and Kraków, digging into ideas around food in art and myth-status meals.

In 2015 I was lucky enough to travel around Haiti. The only bad meal I ate was on the United Airlines flight in from Miami.

Sickening and shameful.

Yesterday at Massolit Books (Kraków), coffee so strong it almost cured my writer’s block.

You master a handful of Polish words and then you’re in … Hungary 😵‍💫 As ever, I am in awe of linguists.