Warsaw

BOU AVENUE
Warsaw

On 24 August 2023, Teresa Kosmala, Zosia Zgolak and I drove to Warsaw, Poland and spent the day touring some of the local attractions. When Zosia and I were last here in the winter of 2018, time constraints and cold temperatures limited our visit, but on this day, we had more time and better weather for sightseeing. When we had our fill of monuments and museums, we drove to the town of Brwinów on the outskirts of Warsaw to check into a comfortable B&B for the night.

	Tucked in an apartment courtyard between Sienna and Złota streets is this remnant of the Warsaw Ghetto wall.
	The monument commemorating Polish resistance fighters of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 is located next to the Polish supreme court building.
	Zosia examines a small display of some of the weapons and equipment used in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising inside Związek Powstańców Warszawskich (Association of Warsaw Insurgents), a small museum just around the corner from the supreme court building.
	Teresa and Zosia stand in front of Sigismund's Column in Castle Square.
	This intriguing art installation along the sidewalk of Krakowskie Przedmieście street celebrates the work of Nicolaus Copernicus.
	Located in Pilsudski Square is the Monument to the Victims of the Smolensk Tragedy. On 10 April 2010, Polish Air Force Flight 101 crashed in Smolensk, Russia killing all 96 people on board including the president of Poland and numerous other VIPs.
	Fontanna Wielka (The Great Fountain) can be seen behind Zosia and Teresa in this park just west of Pilsudski Square.
	The Palace of Culture and Science is the second tallest building in both Warsaw and Poland. Designed by a Soviet-Russian architect, it is seen by many Poles as a reminder of Soviet influence, and as such, there is strong support for the building’s demolition.
	Teresa and Sonny enjoy lunch at Oh! My Pho, an authentic Vietnamese street food restaurant.
	Teresa still uses one of the vacuum cleaners on display at Muzeum Życia w PRL (Museum of Life Under Communism).
	Zosia reads a book in a typical communist-era Polish living room.
	Sonny tries his hand at typical communist-era Polish Internet blogging.
	Teresa and Zosia are ready to go on a typical communist-era Polish vacation.
	Sonny and Teresa enjoy some ice cream to help cool off during the hot afternoon. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Arm bands worn by the Polish forces during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising are on display at the Warsaw Uprising Museum.
	Teresa and Zosia venture into a mock-up of the sewers used by Polish forces to travel through German-held territory during the Warsaw Uprising.
	Apparently, few visitors bother to take the elevator to this viewing platform atop the Warsaw Uprising Museum. This is looking east toward Warsaw Spire, the third tallest building in both Warsaw and Poland.

The next day, 25 August 2023, Teresa, Zosia and I rendezvoused with Gosia Zakrzewska and her parents, Teresa and Stanisław, at Pałac Karolin (Karolin Palace) in the nearby village of Otrębusy. Pałac Karolin is a cultural and educational center for Polish folklore and is home to the State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, "Mazowsze". We toured Pałac Karolin's exhibitions and also went for a short walk outside before relaxing with some refreshments at the center's café. We subsequently drove back to Gosia's and her parents' home in Łódź where we wrapped up the day with a fabulous dinner prepared by Gosia's mother. Dziękuję bardzo, Gosia, Teresa and Stanisław!

	Built in 1911, Pałac Karolin (Karolin Palace) was originally a sanatorium for people with mental illness but evolved to become an expensive health retreat and then ultimately a cultural and educational center for Polish folklore.
	This hallway rug is made from the same fabric used in some folk costumes.
	The dudy podhalanskie (highland bagpipes) sounds about as weird as it looks.
	This is mural of Lajkonik which features a man dressed as a Tatar riding a hobby horse. Lajkonik is an iconic symbol for the Polish city of Kraków.
	Apparently, it was advantageous for Polish miners to play a musical instrument such as a trumpet, clarinet, trombone or French horn so that they could form a wind ensemble whenever they were not mining for precious metals.
	Zosia auditions to join the State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, "Mazowsze".
	The Diabelskie skrzypce kaszubskie (Devil's Fiddle from the Kaszuby region) is definitely one of the weirdest-looking musical instruments ever.
	The lush forest surrounding Pałac Karolin is ideal for a relaxing walk.
	Gosia, Teresa Z., Teresa K., Zosia and Stanisław prepare to eat kopytka (hoof-shaped pasta or dumpling) for dinner.