I ♥ Chopin

The first weekend that my mom was here we decided to show her how much Poles LOVE Chopin!

Our first stop was to Chopin's hometown: Zelazowa Wola.

It's a little hard to get to this area as it is located about 20-30 minutes outside of Warsaw by train.  Then you have to take a bus (which runs like once an hour) or a taxi to get to his hometown.  We opted for the taxi.

I had heard (for years) that if you could play Chopin's works, that you could play his actual piano.  False.  They don't allow this.  And whoever told me this - you really got me good!  I was suckered into believing that you could play his piano.

The inside of his home takes you through a guided tour telling all about his childhood and interesting facts about Chopin.  Here is one interesting fact that I learned that I never knew before...

... The actual birth date of Chopin is unknown.  The Parish Register shows his birthday as being February 22nd.  However, Chopin always signed his name with his birthday underneath as March 1st.  His family also always celebrated his birthday on March 1st.  So... I'm going to say that Chopin was born March 1st.  Because it's a great super-awesome day to be born.  I'm just going to believe that the parish register marked down the DUE DATE because he was too lazy to be around for the actual birth.

Even though the house is full of fun facts, the gardens outside were amazing.  As you walk through them you hear Chopin's music playing throughout the greenery.  As well, you can hear frogs croaking and birds signing.  It really is gorgeous around the home.

Well, except for the mosquitoes there. It was a warm day, but there were quite a bit of mosquitoes annoying me.  So I'd rather be hot than itchy.  Michal even caught me in the action of swatting away the bugs while I was getting my picture taken. 

Remember how I said that we opted for the Taxi cab ride as opposed to the bus?  Well, we got the most incredible driver that took us there - and back.  On the way back, he liked us so much that he turned off the meter and took us on a tour of this little city.  He told us all about it and was so excited to share his city with us.  Apparently his wife died about a year ago and so to keep himself from getting lonely, he decided to become a taxi driver.  He didn't need the money, but wanted the companionship of being able to talk to others.  I sure hope that we made his day more enjoyable by chatting with him and getting to know him and his hometown better.   He told us some interesting stories.  He told us about how his father had immigrated to the United States, but came back to get his Father (the cab driver's Grandfather) from Poland.  He came back right as the war hit Poland and was snatched up by the Nazis and shipped off to a concentration camp - where he later died. Therefore, he was raised by his grandfather and stayed in Poland instead of returning back to the United States with his dad.  What an interesting story - right?

The next day we took mom to Lazienki Park (pronounced: Wah-zhenk-ee - which, ironically, means Bathroom). I think that it comes from the fact that there used to be Turkish baths in this park hundreds of years ago.

Every Sunday at Lazienki park they do Chopin concerts at noon and 4pm. It is absolutely beautiful and so relaxing.  This happened to be the first concert of the summer.  The lady playing had participated in every concert since they've started and is always the pianist to start the annual tradition.  The only catch is that you are ONLY allowed to play Chopin's music.

The concert lasts for about 45-50 minutes.  Afterwards we decided to take a stroll in the park.  I had heard that there were Peacocks in this park somewhere.  And you know me - I can't miss out on finding peacocks.  So we went hunting.  And find the peacocks we did!

(Random statue of Ronald Regan across the street from the U.S. Embassy.  For those out you who know how liberal Michal is - I think that I deserve a pat on the back for getting such a great shot of him in front of this statue.  But seriously, Poles love Reagan.  He is an icon here and probably, one day, will mean as much to Poland as Chopin.)

 This concluded our Chopin centered weekend.  It's a shame for people to come all the way out to Poland and not be able to see how much this artist is revered here.  

Mom comes to Poland!

From May 23-June 11 my mom came to visit me in Poland.

I had...

SO.

MUCH.

FUN.

with her!

It was really great to show her all around Poland and be able to talk her ear off NON-STOP!  Living in Poland has taught me what it's like to be illiterate or unable to communicate with others.  Having my mom here I unleashed 6 months of stories on her and I'm pretty sure that she couldn't get me to shut up once I started.

Here she is - arriving from the airport with two bags.  One all for me (and one for her)!

The first day she was here I didn't want to do too much because it is hard to adjust with jet lag and everything - so we decided to just "take it easy" and go grocery shopping and show her around my little neighborhood. 

The next day she was up for a whole lot of walking as I took her on a walking tour of Warsaw and all the things that I have seen and loved learning about since I've been here.

One of the first places we made sure to visit was the Church where Chopin's heart is contained.  Chopin was buried in France, but he said that he always wanted his heart to rest in Poland.  While you can't see his heart (which would be gross) - there is a monument which lets you know that it is there. It was my first time in this church, as every other time I've tried going it hasn't been opened.  There isn't anything too elaborate about this church - it's just special because this composer really creates a lot of pride among the Poles.

 Along my "walking tour" we passed a statue of Copernicus - who was also from Poland.  (Remember, Poles really take pride on famous people that have come from their country).  So, being a Math Major (and as Copernicus was a mathematician along with an astronomer), I had to have a jumping picture in front of his fabulous statue.

 My mom has such an eye for cool pictures.  She found this news company who was out interviewing people (who knows what for), but their dish atop their van said: SWE |||  DISH.  How clever.  Of course - my mom took a picture for Fatima - my sister-in-law from Sweden.

Along our route I took my mom to the tomb of the unknown soldier.  When we got there they were in the middle of the changing of the guard.  It wasn't a big production, but still cool to see and experience. 

We got lucky enough to see - another - changing of the guard right in front of the Polish Palace.  It is where the President of Poland lives and it is the equivalent of the White House in America.  We hit the timing just right because the ceremony started at noon and took about 20 minutes.  There was a lot of heel clicking, drumming solos, trumpet playing, and gun twirling.  It wasn't a huge production - but one that was impressive as their timing was right on with one another.  It reminded me a bit of when they used to play the national anthem at BYU and the ROTC would do a flag ceremony.  I mean, this was longer, but it still reminded me of that.

While we continued wandering down Nowy Swiat (New World Street) we took pictures of anything and everything that looked cool and worth noting.

My mom really liked the square with Zymunts column and seeing the old Polish wall which ran around the old town hundreds of years ago.  This is one of Michal's and mine favorite places to go on walks after he gets off work.  It just has a lot of energy and a lot of color.  It's very European and can put a smile on any one's face once they get there.

I read (in some little travel book I have) that there was this old bell in a little square between Zymunts Square and the Rynek.  If you walk around it clockwise three times you will be blessed with good fortune for the next year.  Here is a picture of my mom walking around the bell.  I was the one who ran into difficulties.  Once I got to the bell about 100 little 1st graders crowded around and it took me forever to make my way around.  But... I did make it around... so here is to good fortune for the next 12 months!

 The Rynek is another beautiful area.  It has the statue of the Mermaid which embodies the spirit of Warsaw.  

We saw some amazing street vendors who really give a new meaning to hand-carved souvenirs.

And we finished up the old town by exiting the old wall gates.   I can't wait until I get to heaven and can rewind and see what this city really would have looked like hundreds of years ago!

 After the "old town tour" we went on a "Warsaw war/Jewish history" tour.  Our first stop was the monument to the Warsaw uprising.

And Krasinski's Palace was in-between this particular "tour" so we made sure that we included it as well - even though it didn't particularly match our "themed tour."  However, here is where I taught my mom to Jay-walk.  Going to a cross-walk would have taken AGES - and it didn't appear that any cars were coming - so we ran across the street.  From this little dare-devil act - my mom and I started to get the giggles.

... and the giggles just got worse as we turned to the backside of the palace.  There was this massively large man sitting on a bench who appeared to be sunbathing.  It was disgusting, but my mom wanted a picture - just not with him in it.  I remedied the situation by standing in front of him while she took the picture.  She was laughing so hard, I was wondering how long it would take to get the shot.  Afterwards we needed to find a bench because if we didn't calm down from laughing we would have to make a pit stop to a nearby (nonexistent) bathroom.

I wanted to show my mom the "Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto" but they are putting up a museum right next to it and it is impossible to get in and see it.  Here was the best shot that I got of the BACK of the monument through a crack in the fence.

 We then saw Umschlagplatz monument.  This is the site where nearly 300,000 Jews were shipped off in cattle cars to the death camp Treblinka.  In memory of them, this monument was set up.  It contains the first names of all those who had been sent off to die.

 We then went to find the only building of the Warsaw Ghetto that wasn't destroyed in the war.  The Germans didn't want to admit to what they had done, so they leveled the whole area prior to the end of the war.  However, a few fragments of the wall, and this sole building is all of what remains to be seen of the Warsaw Ghetto.  It was really humbling to go there and walk down the same street and look at the building and just wonder what was going through the thoughts of those who lived in this building and walked this same street daily.

 The pictures that are placed in the windows really adds so much character of the building.  It really brings it to life and makes it more a part of history than just a lame super-old building.

The wall was the next must see site on our list.  There isn't much remaining and it's extremely hard to find.

 The very last must-see site was a monument which was to the Warsaw Uprising.  The rebellion took place in the sewers and this monument represents those who made it out alive - and those who died valiantly while coming out of the sewer in their attempts in trying to save Poland during WWII.

 The front represents those who came out alive - and the back represents those who lost their lives in a courageous battle.  This was also an extremely hard monument to find.  But we were adventurous and found it!

This concluded our walking tour.  The next day Mom & I decided to do Museum & Shopping tour of Poland.  We went around to the National Museum and the Museum to the Uprising of Warsaw and spent our whole day there.  It was fabulous.  Lots of history. Lots to learn.  I feel like I wish we would have spend more time at the Uprising Museum and less at the National (half of which was closed anyway) Museum.  And, of course, I can't leave out that we went shopping.  Mom bought a few super stylish European outfits.  I can't wait until she sports them back home and gets lots of compliments from others about her stylish clothes.

Overall, showing my mom around Warsaw was a blast.  Not only did I learn a lot and see a lot of new things too... but I got to spend some good quality time with my mom.