Warsaw part 2
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Our 3rd day in Warsaw was spent on exploring. We started with a breakfast at Kafka which was super delicious and consisted of cheese, cold cuts, jam and bread.
Afterward we went to the river Vistula, had a look at the Warsaw University Library along the way, it has a great roof garden.
On the way to the river we bought a bag of cherries from a small green grocer, what struck me immediately is that the shop only sold seasonal home grown produce cheaply. I miss these kind of shops so much. We sat by the river and ate, it really reminded me of my childhood.
We spent most of the day by the river, crossing the Swietokrzyski Bridge, getting lost in Warsaw streets, eating doughnuts and buying produce from street merchants. I got some nice honey and bilberries. In the evening we met up with a friend and drove to the beautiful Wilanow Palace – a baroque country retreat for the royals now turned into museum. It was really nice to leave the buzzing city behind and have a drink in a park.
Our last day was spent on organising train tickets from the absolutely horrible and dirty central station. The station is overshadowed by the monster of Warsaw – The Palace of Culture and Science – Stalin’s gift to Poland.
I stared and stared at the building and was trying to understand how anyone could approve the plans for it. It’s huge and bulky, Gothic and classical at the same time, horribly ornamented and clumsy. Understandably, hated by Varsovians.
Sculpture of youth with The Communist Manifesto
On the way back to the hotel we visited Zacheta National Gallery of Art, it only had a very small show on and not a very good one either, the main part was closed.
More eye pleasing architecture near our hotel, on Pilsudski Square, is The Metropolitan building designed by Sir Norman Foster. I found it interesting and elegant.
Our last dinner in Warsaw was at Zapiecek, bit too folky, bit too touristy but very very delicious! Each of us had a plate of dumplings, mine Russian style and hubby’s with wild mushrooms. After dinner we walked to KOM for a cocktail, the interior is average but the service and drinks were excellent. I heard the food is pretty good too.
We were sad to leave the city but excited about vising Silesia. In the end we decided to skip visit to Lodz, maybe next time, we had way too much fun in the capital.
I definitely haven’t seen enough of the city so will surely be back.
