Not missing out on Warsaw

William Feather once said, "One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure."  Therefore, Michal and I decided to go out and embrace Warsaw.  We decided to head out and make sure that we see all the museums and sites which gives Warsaw its character.

Our first stop: Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego.

(The Warsaw Rising Museum)

This museum was put together to show what WWII was like from a Warszawian's perspective.  It doesn't take sides - just gives facts on how the Germans AND the Russians invaded Poland.  Poles wanted to preserve their culture so the museum teaches how Poles resisted, silently and publicly, the invasion of their city.

The Museum isn't organized very well, but it has some incredible artifacts!  Not only that but it puts you in the middle of the action with sounds of bombs and sirens constantly going off.  It also is very interactive as you can pick up various calendar-page-pamphlets which teach you about what historic "uprising movement" happened on that date.  The pamphlets are all in Polish - luckily I had my own private translator with me!

Michal loved this motorcycle with the attached seat at the side (like in Indiana Jones).

Within the Museum, you can wander the sewers of Warsaw.  It helps you to have a feeling of what those who ran through the sewers and were a part of the Warsaw underground experienced as they tried to pass information along to rid the city of the invaders.

 While in this Museum, Michal became like a little boy when he saw this old Radio.  I learned, this day, that his grandpa had one just like it when he was growing up.  Going over to dzadek's house was one of his favorite past times as they sat together and listened to this radio and Michal was able to hear war stories from his Grandpa.

This museum does a great job of showing how much Poles loved Warsaw and even when the population was reduced to less than a 1,000 people - it was still rebuilt and now remains as an amazing city full of adventures and things to explore.

In fact - The Warsaw Rising is so important to Warszawians that every year on August 1st - at 5pm - a siren goes off.  The siren lasts for one whole minute and the whole city stops to pay its respects for those who fought valiantly to keep the culture, traditions, heritage, and language a part of Poland.  This single act defines so much of Warsaw's history and explains how passionate Polish people are about who they are and where they come from.

Sites in this video: from the first slide to the last - The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, The Palma (The Palm Tree at a Major intersection in Warsaw), Zloty Terasy (The Downtown Mall), Plac Defilad (by the pala, Centrum Metro Station, Kolumna Zygmunta (Zygmunts Column), The Hard Rock Cafe at Zloty Terasy, Palma (On the building in the background it says: The Nation is Building it's Capital), Centrum Metro, Plac Konstitucji, The National Opera House, Charles de Gaulle Statue, The Piłsudski Square, Near Centrum, Palac Kultury i Nauki (The Palace of Culture & Science), Centrum Metro, The Piłsudski Square.  

I absolutely love this video and I absolutely love Warsaw.  This video makes me feel a sense of Polish Pride to have lived there and experienced such an amazing place.

After leaving the Museum, I realized that remnants of the Warsaw Ghetto wall weren't far away and Michal had never seen this during his tenure here.  I felt a little proud to be his tour guide... but truly - my favorite part of this picture is the fact that Michal is carrying my purse.  He is such a gentleman and in many pictures can often be found carrying my stuff for me!

 On the way home, that wasn't the ONLY cool thing that we came across.  I can't believe that I have missed these accents in Warsaw.  I loved them and always wanted to remember them - so - I took a picture of them.

#1.  I love it how when you pull into a MALL parking lot - it tells you how many parking spots are left in the whole lot.  Since it was a Sunday evening, and the mall was closed, this lot was very empty.  But as you proceed to the entrance it tells you how many spots are on each level so you don't have to waste time driving around looking for one.  Once in the parking garage there are little lights located above the spots - green if they are open - red if they are taken.

(I stole this picture from a friends blog, so hopefully you can see what I was talking about.  Red means the spot is taken - and green - off in the distance - means a free spot.)

My favorite find of the day: the Piano crosswalk between the Palace of Culture & Science and the Zloty Terasy square.  I LOVE these crosswalks.  I can't tell you how many times I've crossed here and never noticed this piano keyboard.  Maybe it is the crowds, or me not paying any attention - but it was my happy moment of the day.  Admit it - you like it too! 

 My second favorite happy spot of the day - this lady's outrageously colored hair.  I believe that I have seen every shade from carrot orange, to magenta, to purple on someone's head who lives here.  I don't know if it's on purpose, or accidental - but it brings a smile to my face every time I see it.  The only requirement is that you have to be a short Pole between the ages of 50 and 65.  I haven't seen this extreme color on anyone else - but trust me - if you were to visit this city... it would be one of the first things that you notice immediately.  The bright, uncomfortable, hair colors you see on older lades.  Well, that and Men between the ages of 30 and 50 who wear fanny packs... and teenagers who wear American flag paraphernalia. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photographs of the latter two.

 I believe you have heard me talk about how Poles idolize Chopin.  He is so important to Poland and Warsaw.  Thus, we had to visit the Chopin Museum.  I don't have anything positive to say about the museum and therefore won't be writing much about it here.  The other sites (Zelazowa Wola & Lazienki Park, and the Chopin benches downtown) are much, much, MUCH better!

I love, love, love Warsaw and am so happy it has such a rich culture and history that I can explore with Michal... (and that he can translate everything for me that I don't understand!)