Saturday 28 July 2012

Warsaw

Warsaw is not a city I particularly wanted to visit, unlike the others on this tour, but I’m glad I did.  It was basically razed to the ground by Nazis in WWII. Apparently 85% of the city was destroyed, just for the hell of it. Almost everything you can see was built after the war. As much of the original building’s bricks and foundation was used as possible - sometimes you can tell what part is original and what isn’t.

We had a guided tour with Anna in the morning, which took us past the Palace of Culture and Science (a.k.a. Stalin’s Tower – hated by all Poles). It’s very hard to miss , being in the middle of the city and nothing higher allowed in the past (though they’re building like mad to hide it now!):

Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

Our first stop was the the Belweder in Lazienki Park. We didn’t actually go in, just looked from the outside:

Belweder, Lazienki Park

We stayed at Lazienki Park for a little while – it’s very nice and worth seeing – firstly at the Chopin Monument, where we had a group photo taken by a photographer. He wanted 10 Euro for a printed photo to take home, and I wasn’t that fussed only to have something to lie at the bottom of a drawer until it’s thrown out. Anyway, they have free Chopin concerts here in the rose garden on Sundays during the summer – we missed out though. They had these benches throughout the city, that give you information and if you press a button, it will pay a Chopin piano piece for you for free:

Chopin Monument, Lazienki Parknear the Chopin Monument, Lazienki ParkChopin Monument, Lazienki Park

We walked through the park, along lovely avenues, past little follies and small palace buildings:

Lazienki ParkLazienki ParkLazienki ParkLazienki ParkLazienki ParkLazienki Park

There was even a fake ruin of an amphitheatre with a stage separated by a canal, which is also used as a stage during the summer months:

Lazienki ParkLazienki Park

It has a nice view of the little palace above, too:

Lazienki Park

More buildings in Lazienki Park:

Lazienki ParkLazienki Park

We got back on the bus and then drove past the Summer Palace:

Summer Palace

and this Church of St Alexander that looks like the Pantheon in Rome:

Church of St. Alexander, Warsaw

Tamas wanted us to see the football Stadium that was built for the European Soccer Championship that was on just before I left on the tour. This little detour took us past these little castle buildings on the bridge and then past the Stadium:

Bridge in WarsawNational Stadium

We then drove past this monument – the partial facade of a building that you see at the other end of the square is a monument to the palace that used to stand there:

Monument, Warsaw

and then the library:

Building in Warsaw

and the Palace of Justice right next door:

Palace of Justice, Warsaw

Then we drove past this monument to the Uprising:

Warsaw Uprising Monument, Warsaw

and stopped here at the Jewish Monument. They’re building a new Jewish Museum here, too. It should be finished next year.

Jewish Monument, WarsawJewish Monument, Warsaw

The bus then dropped us off at the edge of the Old Town from where it was a walking tour of the Old Town. But first a toilet stop, where we saw these panels, obviously left over from when Poland was ruled by Russia:

Old Town, Warsaw

The Old Town may be UNESCO World Heritage listed, but you have to remember it’s all built since WWII. Only the facades look old – everything behind them is modern:

Palace, Old Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, Warsaw

When the tour finished, it was the end of the tour for me, too. The rest of the time was free time, so I would not see the group together again. It was sad to say goodbye, but I didn’t have to quite yet – Frank and Bridget and I had lunch with Tamas at this place he recommended. It has baked Pierogi, which is something of a specialty, apparently. I had the version stuffed with Hunter Sausage and some Horseradish Sauce to go with it. I also had some nice honey and spelt beer to go with it. Very yummy!

Lunch: Baked Pierogi stuffed with Hunter Sausage and Horseradish Sauce

Frank, Bridget and I stayed together to explore for the afternoon. We first headed off, through the Barbican:

Barbican, Old Town, Warsaw

to the New Town (only a couple of hundred years younger than the Old Town, but still old!

New Town, WarsawNew Town, WarsawNew Town, Warsaw

We stopped by churches including St. Hyacinth's Church:

St. Hyacinth's Church, New Town, WarsawSt. Hyacinth's Church, New Town, Warsaw

and Holy Spirit Church:

Holy Spirit Church, New Town, WarsawHoly Spirit Church, New Town, Warsaw

and continued toward the end of the New Town:

New Town, WarsawNew Town, Warsaw

We ran into CT and Sau Wan:

Sau Wan and CT in New Town, Warsaw

But they’d been where we were intending to go, so we didn’t team up. We continued just a to the end after we came past this beautiful Church of St Casimir. This was closed to the public, but I got a photo anyway:

Church of St Casimir, New Town, WarsawChurch of St Casimir, New Town, Warsaw

And on:

New Town, WarsawNew Town, Warsaw

At the end, we walked down towards the Vistula River to see the big park with fountains etc. This is also very new:

Park at the bottom of New Town, Warsaw

So we turned around and headed back through the New Town

New Town, WarsawNew Town, WarsawNew Town, Warsaw

to the Old Town

Old Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawOld Town, Warsaw

past the famous Warsaw Mermaid statue (unfortunately in front of scaffolding):

Warsaw Mermaid, Old Town, Warsaw

There were dudes selling balloons everywhere:

Old Town, Warsaw

on our way out of the Old Town:

Old Town, WarsawOld Town, Warsaw

past the Primate’s Palace:

Primate's Palace, Old Town, WarsawOld Town, Warsaw

We stopped for a coffee because it was way past coffee o’clock, and we were getting tired from the heat. I tried to introduce Frank to Iced Coffee but he wouldn’t have it. He only drinks lattes, thank you. We drank our coffees not too far from this beautiful Carmelite Church, where a wedding was ongoing:

The Church of the Carmelites, Old Town, WarsawThe Churchof the Carmelites, Old Town, Warsaw

Frank and Bridget weren’t as curious as I was, and waited for me across the road:

Frank and Bridget in Old Town, Warsaw

We continued onwards, past the Presidential Palace, the Bristol Hotel and the Church of the Visitandines:

Presidential Palace, Old Town, WarsawOld Town, WarsawThe Church of the Visitandines, Warsaw

to continue our way down the Royal Mile some more:

Royal Mile, WarsawRoyal Mile, Warsaw

past Chopin’s house and the church he attended:

Chopin's House, WarsawHoly Cross (Chopin's) Church, WarsawHoly Cross (Chopin's) Church, Warsaw

and the Copernicus statue outside the Scientific Society Building, where kids were playing in the water curtain put up for just that purpose:

Copernicus Statue, WarsawPlaying in the Water Curtain, WarsawRoyal Mile, Warsaw

We turned onto Jerusalem Street shortly after, past this monstrosity:

Jerusalem Street, Warsaw

and then towards the Palace of Culture and Science, behind which our hotel was. There were a few statues still left over from the European Soccer Championships. Naturally, I had to get a photo of Frank and Bridget with their flag:

*Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawPalace of Culture and Science, WarsawPalace of Culture and Science, WarsawPalace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

We went inside the ‘Palace’ and decided to pay the fee to go to the top, for views across Warsaw. It cost about AUD 6.00 or so, a sight less than what we’d be paying in Sydney! The Poles say that the best view of the ‘Palace’ is from the viewing platform, since you can’t actually see the building from there. The view is great, though the buildings you’re looking at aren’t so beautiful, mostly. I will be putting together some panoramas later.:

View from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

The interior was big, but not especially beautiful, except for the nice marble floor:

View from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawView from 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

It was the golden hour by the time we came down from the top of the tower, so I grabbed a few nice shots of the building.

Palace of Culture and Science, WarsawPalace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

We went to the shopping centre near the hotel for some dinner. I thought we’d go to the food court, but we ended up in a restaurant on the outside of the shopping centre for my farewell dinner. It was very nice, too. The beer I had with mine didn’t have any honey in it though. Must be just for tourists.

Dinner (Salmon with caper sauce and seared vegies)

Frank and I decided to take some night/dusk shots, since the time was right. I couldn’t be bothered going up to my room for the tripod, though, so the shots aren’t great:

Shopping Centre next to Warsaw Central Station, WarsawPalace of Culture and Science by night, WarsawPalace of Culture and Science by night, Warsaw

And that was the end of the tour for me. I had to be ready for pickup at 7:50am the next morning, so went up to bed and didn’t even caption my photos!