Interior of the library at Warsaw University, which uses a lot of glass in windows and ceilings to give a bright and airy ambience.

With colleague, Oliver Mayer, we met Ambassador Ono, Japanese Ambassador to Poland at an evening reception for conference participants.

Japanese popular culture is making appearances in Poland, as in this snack advertisement tied in with the successful animated film 'Spirited Away' (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi).

Punk music also seems alive and well judging from this poster.

En route to Warsaw, I visited the infamous concentration camp, Auschwitz, 90 minutes south of Krakow by train. Find out more.