I set out early Saturday morning. I passed by the building that houses the Polish Supreme Court - the court has been under attack by the current President of Poland and his administration. The building now has this sign at the entrance: Justice is the mainstay of strength and permanence of the republic.
Next to the court building is the Warsaw Uprising Monument.
Our tour was scheduled to begin at 10:00, but I arrived around 8:30 with a plan to eat at a cafe near the Kolumna Zygmunta. Unknown to me, they were setting up displays for the 100th Anniversary celebration - WWI and WWII military equipment.
After my breakfast at Warszawski Zznyt, I went out and this photo shows how foggy it was - fog lasted all day.
Near the meeting point was a memorial to those massacred at Katyn.
In what was the moat around the old town and palace, there are now walking paths.
Our tour began at 10:00. One of the things we learned was how the city was nearly destroyed in WWII, both from the invasion from Russia in 1939, the later occupation Germany, then the reoccupation by the Russians at the end of the war. Everything we see now is basically what has been reconstructed, first under the Soviets (primarily Russians) until 1989, and then with help from the USA and EU since then. Even the walls above and the Kolumna Zygmunta have been rebuilt.
Among other things, one of the main highways goes under Old Town and the Soviets had installed escalators connecting the levels. We learned about the old controls that were saved in this memorial.
From the Kolumna Zygmunta or Sigismund III Column, we walked down Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street and there is a photo showing what the street looked like in 1774.
We passed by many historical buildings that had been rebuilt as well as this statue of the Virgin Mary.
We went by the statue of Poland's greatest author, Adam Mickiewiczowi.
We passed by the location from which Frederick Chopin left Warsaw for the last time (he never returned to Warsaw from that trip). Now the building houses the regional prosecutor's office (I had to have a photo of that).
We saw the presidential palace.
We also saw the palace which is now the Ministry of Culture.
We learned about St. John's Archcathedral - this reconstruction is very different from the original.
Our tour guide told us that the best locally brewed beer at the best price is at Celibar.
We visited the Old Town Market Square, again all of it reconstructed after WWII although some buildings are very similar to the originals as seen in photos. The first photo below has out tour guide, I believe his name was Jaryk.
There were many signs and displays celebrating the 100th anniversary on November 11, 2018.
We then had lunch of Polish soup and a plate of roast pork, potatoes and salad. I also tried one of Helen's pierogies.
After lunch, everyone went their own way. Helen and I went back to Kolumna Zygmunta - now the displays of WWI and WWII vehicles were swarming with visitors.
Helen and I went to a coffee shop (there was no coffee or dessert after the Angloville lunch) and chatted for about 30 minutes. We then went our separate ways. On my route back to the hotel, I passed by the offices of the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - they have been supporting the Polish Supreme Court in fighting back against the right wing government's push to weaken the Supreme Court.
Then it was back to Ibis Hotel for a quiet Saturday evening.
Next to the court building is the Warsaw Uprising Monument.
Our tour was scheduled to begin at 10:00, but I arrived around 8:30 with a plan to eat at a cafe near the Kolumna Zygmunta. Unknown to me, they were setting up displays for the 100th Anniversary celebration - WWI and WWII military equipment.
After my breakfast at Warszawski Zznyt, I went out and this photo shows how foggy it was - fog lasted all day.
Near the meeting point was a memorial to those massacred at Katyn.
In what was the moat around the old town and palace, there are now walking paths.
Our tour began at 10:00. One of the things we learned was how the city was nearly destroyed in WWII, both from the invasion from Russia in 1939, the later occupation Germany, then the reoccupation by the Russians at the end of the war. Everything we see now is basically what has been reconstructed, first under the Soviets (primarily Russians) until 1989, and then with help from the USA and EU since then. Even the walls above and the Kolumna Zygmunta have been rebuilt.
Among other things, one of the main highways goes under Old Town and the Soviets had installed escalators connecting the levels. We learned about the old controls that were saved in this memorial.
From the Kolumna Zygmunta or Sigismund III Column, we walked down Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street and there is a photo showing what the street looked like in 1774.
We passed by many historical buildings that had been rebuilt as well as this statue of the Virgin Mary.
We went by the statue of Poland's greatest author, Adam Mickiewiczowi.
We passed by the location from which Frederick Chopin left Warsaw for the last time (he never returned to Warsaw from that trip). Now the building houses the regional prosecutor's office (I had to have a photo of that).
We saw the presidential palace.
We also saw the palace which is now the Ministry of Culture.
We learned about St. John's Archcathedral - this reconstruction is very different from the original.
Our tour guide told us that the best locally brewed beer at the best price is at Celibar.
We visited the Old Town Market Square, again all of it reconstructed after WWII although some buildings are very similar to the originals as seen in photos. The first photo below has out tour guide, I believe his name was Jaryk.
There were many signs and displays celebrating the 100th anniversary on November 11, 2018.
We then had lunch of Polish soup and a plate of roast pork, potatoes and salad. I also tried one of Helen's pierogies.
After lunch, everyone went their own way. Helen and I went back to Kolumna Zygmunta - now the displays of WWI and WWII vehicles were swarming with visitors.
Helen and I went to a coffee shop (there was no coffee or dessert after the Angloville lunch) and chatted for about 30 minutes. We then went our separate ways. On my route back to the hotel, I passed by the offices of the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - they have been supporting the Polish Supreme Court in fighting back against the right wing government's push to weaken the Supreme Court.
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