The home of  the journalist Ryszard Badowski in Warsaw is decorated with souvenirs from all the continents - evidence of a life filled with trips and encounters.

"Six continents" - that is the name of Ryszard Badowski's long-running show about various countries and cultures on Polish TV. "Six continents" -  repeat all the cab-drivers, as soon as they recognize the man on the porch of the house.

When I returned from a trip to Poland in early January, I realized that the house in Warsaw with its hospitable owners has become one of my beloved places on Earth. Memory of Mr. Ryszard, enhanced by photographs, TV films, journal articles, scenarios of broadcasts and letters make up a time-travel machine which takes the visitor decades back, from one country to another, and offers the opportunity to hear about nuances of historical events from an eyewitness.

When Stalin died, the young journalist took a train to Turkmenistan to undergo practice at the offices of "Iskra" newspaper.