Warszawa, Poland - Old Town & Beyond - April 17-18, 2003

We're are now just coming up on the old town of Warszawa...

The statue that greets you to the old town. A man bearing both a cross and a sword...symbolic of Polish history.

Making our way into the heart of the old town...towards the rynek, or market.

And here's the rynek. The amazing thing here is that this, like 85% of Poland, was completely destroyed in WWII. However, the Poles rebuilt this so as to recreate what it looked like before the war. Lots of people here selling their artwork and fellows roaming around with their chess boards looking a game!

Passing out of the old town through the old fortifications. Lots of folks here selling their drawings, painting, and wood carvings.

Including this fellow, who also plays his guitar to attract customers!

An example of an old town building.

Another church, here just outside the old town.

Two more looks at the walls of the old town.

Yes, another church!

Interesting architecture on this church.

A sign that announces your entry into the rynek of the old town. Anyone have a translation? I would guess it means that the old town was destroyed in 1944 and then rebuilt in 1951-1953.

Heading out of the old town. The walking beer has tracked me down once again!

My first Polish meal. Started with Pierogi ruskie okraszone podsmazana stonika. Potato and cheese inside...

Followed up with Kotlet schabowy z kapusta i ziemniakami. A pork cutlet with potatos and the requisite cabbage, along with a Polish beer...Zywiec.

Finished up with apple pie, which is very popular in Poland and chez moi!

And here was one example where all of a sudden it just started to pour. Luckily I was safely under cover.

Started rambling around the city now...here someone had actually carved all of this out of the side of their house!

A seemingly fearless Polish bird and three cats. Nevertheless, Poland is dog country...dogs everywhere! Someone even brought a dog on the plane ride back from Warszawa to Geneve in a little carrier that had a whole seat reserved for it.

In the distance you can see some Polish police. These are also everywhere. I never felt unsafe there, perhaps that's part of why...Also, the public transport bus in the foreground.

Poles recycle. One of those must say glass and the other aluminum, but I don't have any idea which.

A University bookstore with an interesting design...

Music, math, and organic chemistry!

The inside was also interesting...

Poles tend to be pro-American from what I've heard, but not everyone as the grafitti here shows...

My only photo of the Wisla, or Vistula, River. Not a very impressive sight.

Part I / II / III / IV / V / VI / VII