Berlin - meh. Arrived in Berlin, bought my ticket to Warsaw and headed for my hostel. Unfortunately, other than Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie - which is absolutely wonderful, I don't feel like I saw that much of the city. Yes, I saw the Brandenberg Gate for a hot minute, took a few pictures of the remains of the Wall, gazed upon Checkpoint Charlie....and that about did it. I was in a decent hostel just off Freiderichstrasse, but forward momentum was difficult to come by.
1. I needed to buy pants and that took 1/2 a morning.
2. It was time for new toiletries.
3. I had to go back to the Hauptbanhoff b/c the ticket person put the wrong date on my train to Warsaw. Yet another reason Rail Europe sucks....the pass is not good in Poland so I had to purchase a new ticket.
4. Had to buy a new SIM card....again.....and after having it in the phone for a night, discovered the next day - at the Brandenberg Gate - that it didn't work. This forced me to skip the cool walking tour b/c I had to sort the phone out immediately and I didn't want to leave for Poland without means of communication when trying to meet up with people. Ridiculous. I have choice thoughts about having a phone in Europe as well.
5. Didn't sleep well in Berlin b/c of 1. a rude Aussie in my room who banged in at 2:30am, 3:45am, 4:45am and 6am 2 mornings in a row. He was in and out of the room before I could get my befuddled wits about me to give him a piece of my mind and 2. The Barcelona Soccer match was broadcast from my Hostel and apparently that brings all of the neighborhood to the hostel to get rowdy. I watched for a while, but I hate to say that I'm a true American and just can't get that fired up about Soccer. Yep, I said Soccer.
I know it sounds like I am hating on Berlin, but it was really just the place it fell in my trip. I wasn't there long enough to do it justice, it was "errand" time which always takes longer when the language is difficult and I never really meant to go there. Berlin was a last minute decision simply booked as throughput to Warsaw, and my experience there reflected all this. I should classify it as one of those cities that "I need to get back to"....but I don't know if I will. It falls low on that list as well.
As Mom would say, "Too Bad, So Sad".....off to Warsaw.
Warsaw, O-M-Gay - there are a couple of you reading this that may remember a group of Polish people I met in Knoxville many, many, many moons ago who had fallen on some bad luck. They had come to America through a language program and upon arrival in Knoxville- and taking a but out into the middle of nowhere - were confronted with an empty trailer in the woods. There money had been stolen, the language program did not exist and they had fallen prey to a scam. Two of them ended up finding jobs at the Copper Cellar - where I worked - and I befriended their group for the remainder of their time in the States. I have kept loosely in touch with one of the guys - Pawel - and met up with him and his finacee, Karolina, 2 years ago in Vienna. Well, 10 years have passed (ok, maybe 9...but 10 years has a better ring to it!) and I finally made it to Poland for a visit.
Pawel was a welcome sight in the train station and after another big hug, we piled into his car bound for the grocery store- Halay Banana - as I termed it. I couldn't pronounce the real name. Pawel wanted to make sure I had proper provisions since I would be staying in his old apartment with his brother and brother's girlfriend. This was my first introduction to a delicious Polish tidbit called The Pierogie. Mmmmmm....what all can I say about The Pierogie to make your mouth water and to crave them as I did while trolling the streets of Warsaw. Pierogies are Poland's answer to the dumpling - made with potato. I was a Pierogie virgin upon arriving in Warsaw, but upon leaving - felt like I had turned into one. Pierogies made an appearance during at least one meal for my entire time there. Mmmmmmm.....Pierogies - just conjuring them now makes me want to go all the way back to Poland. The wonderful thing about Pierogies is that they come in so many different flavors - both sweet and savory. Trust me, I did the research. For my first foray into Pierogies, I let Pawel do the choosing - he said depending on how hungry you are 8-12 make up a meal. So, we got 35 or 40!! Don't laugh! He wanted me to have some for breakfast the next morning. We got Spinach and Feta, Kraut and Mushroom, Meat (this is about what it sounds like....meat. No real idea what kind of meat....not my favorite ones), Russian - potato and onion, Blackberry, Sweet Cream Cheese and Strawberry. There are 2 ways to prepare the Pierogie - you can 1. Boil them in water until just tender, slop them out on a plate and throw a pat of butter on them OR 2. Pan fry them in a little olive oil and butter. We boiled the savories and I pan-fried the sweets the next morning. Mmmmmmm....Pierogies.
Let it be said up front - that, Polish hospitality is second to none! I was shuttled everywhere, shown the entire city, every comfort attended to, entrance fees paid for, meals purchased and my every whim indulged. If it sounds like I acted The Princess - please don't think this - my friends just wanted to show me the best that Warsaw had to offer and they wanted to make it an unforgettable experience....which they did in spades!!
Here is what I saw in Warsaw - prepare yourselves...not many stones were left unvisited!!!
1. First up, The Palace of Culture and Science - aka The Pahl-ahse. This sounds quite lah-di-da...but it is a really a big, HUGE building that was a gift from the nations of the USSR in the 50's. Snort. It was built in the central point of the city, to replace the houses destroyed during WWII. It is 234 metros tall, including its spire and houses numerous institutions, such as cinemas, theaters and museums, restaurants and shops. However, to me, it looked like a big building. The only activity were people like me paying my Zlotys to ride the elevator to the top to see the panorama of Warsaw. Even funnier - the woman in the elevator whose job it was to push the buttons. She had herself a little fan rigged up, a box to rest her feet on and a book in front of her face the entire time we rode with her. The only motions she made were to push the button and to turn a page in her book. No eye contact, no smile, no welcome....nothing. Back to the Palace....and remember, it is not a Palace....it is a big skyscraper looking building. There have been many lans for the Palace's demolition or conversion - but these have remained on paper only. Some want to destroy it because it symbolizes the Soviet occupation and some want to keep it because at the end of the day, Soviet occupation is a part of Poland's history - and destroying this big, beautiful building will not erase those years. So, it stands....and offers amazing views....for a price, of course!!
Karolina bought me a book on Warsaw at the Pahl-ahse and I used it my entire time there, checking off the sights as I saw them. Almost every picture and page in this book is now checked off!!
2. The Old Town - From the Pahl-ahse, we decided to park and walk to The Old Town. The Old Town is one of the most beautiful places in Warsaw. Its romantic streets and corners encourage visitors and city dwellers alike to stroll around the area where the history of the city began. What is most fascinating about The Old Town is that what you see today is a total reconstruction of the original. Like the rest of Warsaw, it was absolutely obliterated during WWII. Not just destroyed, but OBLITERATED. Nothing left standing. With the help of old paintings by Canaletto, photos, writings and archival notes, a total reconstruction was undertaken - which you can see and experience today. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Sight despite not being the original.
I spent quite a bit of time down in The Old Town - we strolled and wandered, visited The Royal Castle, walked Castle Square, rubbed the big bell, took pictures of The Monument to the Young Insurgent, splashed about near The Mermaid of Warsaw (she is the symbol of Warsaw), went by the monument to the Shoemaker, Jan Kilinski, and Sigismund's Column - the first secular monument in Poland....although he is holding a huge cross...hmmmmm, walked along The Barbican (the old defense walls) and viewed many churches.
I even saw the Polish Bruce Willis while waiting on a pizza at Pizza Hut. No, I did not know it was Pizza Hut. I was following Karolina. AND, the Polish Pizza Hut looks NOTHING like an American Pizza Hut. It is like a proper restaurant. Apparently the Polish Bruce Willis is on a popular Soap Opera....saw him. Karolina was trying to say OMG to me (to be funny) and ended up saying O-M-Gay....Ba-hahahahaha (since "G" is not Gee in Polish). We laughed and laughed about that one! O-M-Gay, indeed!!
Old Town....check.
3. Walked around the grounds of the University of Warsaw- entered through the neo-Baroque gate designed by Stefan Szyller in 1900 - and visited one of their newer buildings - The Library that has a neat rooftop garden and great view of the Vistula river. Saw The Casimir Palace - the oldest university building - and today is the rector's office and the University museum. Went by the monument to Nicolaus Copernicus (didn't know he was Polish), the Baroque Holy Cross Church, the Baroque Church of the Nuns of the Visitation, The Church of the Carmelites, walked up Nowy Swiat Street - part of the Royal Way - and saw the monument to the "great" poet Adam Mickiewicz...I say "great" b/c I have never read any of his poetry. I may have to take the Poles' word for it.
That night for dinner - along with delicious Pierogies - I had Bigos. Something I will have to attempt to duplicate at home....warm Kraut, pork bits and some kind of fruit. This is where it helps to have Polish friends - I only have to write them for an authentic recipe. Bigos, Bigos, Bigos!!
4. Took a boat cruise along the Vistula River. Had high hopes for this, but alas - it was a bit of a bummer. Too many people on the boat, not enough seats, blazing hot and only Non-Alcoholic beer served. Yuck and pointless. The views were decent, but there was no "tour" aspect to it - as in, I didn't really know what I was seeing as I was seeing it. Still, being on a boat is being on a boat...and I love them. Got to see the Soccer Stadium being built- Poland is hosting something big in the next year so they are frantically working on their infrastructure....they have a ways to go.
5. Lazienki Park - pronounced Wa-zshin-ski. I cannot put the slash through the "L" that tells you to pronounce it like a "W". Lazienki Park was developed at the site of the medieval hunting forest of the Mazovian dukes residing at Jazdow. In the 17th c., the owner built two small pavilions in the forest: the Hermitage and the Bath (because we all need an entire building devoted entirely to bathing). The domed circular hall of the Bath imitated a grotto (Hugh Hefner, what?) with a fountain in the middle and the bathroom was supplied with 2 tubs. That was the origin of the name Lazienki, in Polish "baths". In 1764, Ujazdow Castel (yep, the names in Poland are ridiculously hard to spell and make very little sense with their pronunciation) and its environs were bought by the King who intended to adapt everything into his summer residence. In order to make the Bath suitable for living, it had to be enlarged and refurbished....of course it did!! As a result, a beautiful Palace on the Water was built, also called the Palace on the Island (real original name). More buildings were erected and the part was suitably arranged for the King.
There was a "nice" art exhibit at the Palace on the Water - but someone needs to let the Poles know that when exhibiting very "dark" art...i.e. art with not a lot of color....it requires some illumination to be seen. I walked by one "blank" canvas after another because you could not see what the picture was. Silliness!!!
I went to this park twice. Once to see the Palace on the Water and the Frederic Chopin monument - which is quite impressive, set amidst a red rose garden - and another time to visit the Botanical Gardens. Beautiful, peaceful, colorful and sad. Gardens also make me sad - Mom loved them so.
6. A Modern Art Museum - this was a total joke. Most of the museum was closed while they moved things around, but that didn't stop them charging full price and only having 5 paintings to view in one gallery - and they were mostly black with a few squiggles of white on the canvas. I wanted to demand my money back but Karolina was too polite....and I knew I could never make the woman at the ticket counter understand. She didn't speak any English. Ridiculous. From there, we went to Poland's version of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - it is guarded just like ours is and seeing the changing of the guards is very moving.
7. Museum of the Polish Uprising - aka The Warsaw Rising - This is one of those museums that should be on everybody's "Must Do" list when visiting Warsaw. It is a relatively new museum and one my brother recommended to me. I won't go into this too much because you have to really be there to understand.... but will give you a couple nuggets....
1. Poland suffered heavily under both the Germans and the Russians all throughout WWII. It was invaded and occupied on 2 sides in 1939. The Russians were supposed to be allies of the Poles, but on September 17th, 1939, the Soviet Union joined Germany, violating former agreements with Poland stating, "If there is no government in Poland anymore, there is no non-aggression pact either." There was "no government" in Poland at the time because the Nazis had invaded and taken the capital. SO, rather than coming to the aid of their allies, the Soviets took advantage of this catastrophe and took what they could.
2. The occupation begins and its cruelty exceeds everything that Poles had experienced over the past centuries under Prussian and Russian servitude. Both occupants introduce the policy of extermination of POlish leaders. From the very first days, there are numerous carefully planned deportations, expulsions, various types of persecution including starvation, administrative harassments and executions. Food supply disturbances threaten the biological existence of the whole nation. Poles were forced to subsist on 3x less the caloric norms. The Polish Ghetto is introduced by the Germans and starting in December 1941, extermination camps are introduced.
3. Education was abolished. Art and Literature are destroyed.
4. The Catholic Church is outlawed and its priests, monks and nuns are murdered.
5. The Rising began on August 1, 1944 and is quite possibly one of the most overlooked heroic efforts ever. It failed and most of its participants were killed - but they refused to bend to Soviet and Nazi will. If they had only had a little help from the Allies - the outcome would have been different. But, they didn't.
6. All throughout this exhibit, there are signs that say "Attention: Drastic Scenes"....and they are. The pictures of the Liquidation of the Ghetto were the most disturbing. I'm sure I don't need to describe what I saw in these images.
7. Warsaw went from being a city of 1.3 million people to one of 900,000 after the Ghetto was introduced to only 1,000 people after the Rising. For those of you who saw the movie, "The Pianist" - this was Poland if I'm not mistaken. Wladyslaw Szpilman is one of the 1,000 who was in Warsaw after The Rising....living in a totally obliterated, bombed out city with no buildings, no food, NOTHING! The city was one big graveyard.
8. I watched the 6 minute 3-D movie called Miasmo - to see what Warsaw looked like after The Rising and after the Germans and Soviets had finished with it. I'm know that Warsaw was not the only city to be completely destroyed, but it was my first time to see the level and breadth of destruction that took place. To be walking those streets today and to know that 60 years ago, nothing existed here is astounding.
Towards the end of this museum, I had a fit of claustrophobia. We were downstairs and underground.....and the museum seemed to just go on, and on, and on, and on....and I couldn't be surrounded by destruction and death for any longer. I needed to see the light and to breathe fresh air. There were faces of the dead peering down at me, voices speaking, evil men looking out of photographs, images scrolling by, the sounds of bombs in the background, remnants of the city in cases.....it was overwhelming.
Warsaw was a really wonderful experience. I got to relax, see friends, meet their gorgeous 16 mo. old daughter, Veronica, see a wonderful city, eat typical Polish food and got a massage and a pedicure while I was there. Perfection....and at only $30 for an hour massage, I need to go back to Warsaw sooner than later!!
Karolina and I went down to Krakow for my last day and night in Poland....but that is for the next posting as it was where I visited Auschwitz, and that deserves its own posting.
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