We arrived home late at night, thus our short vacation in Ukraine has ended. This is the last and final post I'm uploading on Travelpod, as the site is being shut down, unfortunately. To everyone who has ever read and responded to my blogs - thank you. And to Travelpod - thanks a lot. It's been a great ride! :) As Hans Christian Andersen …
We arrived home late at night, thus our short vacation in Ukraine has ended. This is the last and final post I'm uploading on Travelpod, as the site is being shut down, unfortunately. To ever…
Today we visited the somber park of Babi Yar, where as many as 60,000 Jews were slaughtered here during WWII. It was an emotional visit. Following the visit we did some final shopping and head…
After a good night sleep, we went ahead to explore an island on the river, a palace and some monuments. In the afternoon, we rested a bit and in the evening went out for a night on the opera -…
We landed in Kiev at 8AM and waited for our luggage at least 45 minutes. We then took a pre-ordered shuttle into town, arriving to the hotel at 9:45AM. Thankfully, our rooms were ready and we …
theshis
Dear Wojtek.
Thanks again for your detailed reply.
First of all, thanks for taking off some years of my actual age - I feel young again. Actually, I'm getting very close to 40 years old. :)
Oh, I totally agree, one cannot grasp an ongoing slow change in a city during a 3-day visit - you are absolutely right. But as in other things in life, there's that thing that's called "first impression". Unfortunately, as you noticed, I was not impressed. but you are correct - perhaps I should've taken a guided tour to better understand the change.
Yes, I've seen the new Jewish museum being built near the ghetto monument, and if I'll ever get back to Warsaw, I'll sure visit it.
The term "God forsaken" was probably a bad choice of words, although I meant it literally - even as a non-believer Jew, God had forsaked the Jews in Warsaw. I'm sorry if it was offensive.
So thanks for your reply - please drop me a private message if you wish to keep in touch.
Cheers. :)
Wojtek
Dear Theshis,
After reading your entries I highly doubt that you’re thinking about visiting Warsaw again ever in your life, but if by as luck would have it, try to get in touch with a well-oriented local of your age (I presume that you’re in your 20s or early 30s) before arriving and try to explore city, as they say, “off-the-beaten-path”. Warsaw is one of those cities that reveal their charm charily, it’s not an easy lady… but once you get to know people and places it gains in sympathy.
For clear reasons, Warsaw will never have (nor it ever had) original architecture much the same as some Western European capitals, but it has a unique combination of well-restored classical style and socialist realism (plus too much of dull blocks, but in some time they will be replaced as it is happening in Germany).
What makes Warsaw interesting is a dynamism of change. In 5-10 years whole quarters will look different, just as they differ now from what I remember in the ’90 and on.
Obviously, I wouldn’t expect anyone on a few day trip to take pains of looking for a soul of the city, but Warsaw is an exceptional one as it survived its own dead. Maybe it was your expression: “God forsaken city” that hurt me the most.
Next year Warsaw will have a new museum that you should find more interesting than The Warsaw Uprising Museum – I can understand that not everyone has to be historical sensitive even if this 63-day long battle took about 200,000 lives, 90% civilians. It will be a Museum of the History of the Polish Jews.
Maybe you’ll have a chance to visit it, sometimes in the future, and also to look at the city again. I cannot guarantee that you’ll like it, but certainly it will be different…
Take care,
Wojtek
theshis
Dear Wojtek.
Thank you for your reply.
Prior to visiting Warsaw, I did an EXTENSIVE research about the city and actually INSISTED on visiting it.
To my surprise, almost each and every site on our itinerary (atached below) was disappointing, plus, having spoken to numerous locals in Warsaw we were told that, yeah, Warsaw is only ok during the summer time and that after September people prefer to stay at home since it's too cold to go out in the evening. Unfortunately, the walks we took during the cool evenings of the beginning oif October proved it correct - we almost felt lonely in places that shoul've ben PACKED with people (either locals or tourists).
Atached it the list of itineraries we've been to during our 3 day stay:
Zygmunt’s Column
Cathedral of St John
Jesuit Church
Church of St. Martin
Royal Castle
Old Town Square
The Barbican and City Walls
Monument to the Warsaw Uprising
Church of the Holy Spirit
Church of St. Jacek
Ulica Freta
New Town Square
Church of St. Kazimierz
Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary
Capuchin Church
Primate’s Palace
Branicki Palace
Pac Palace
Krasiński Palace
Arsenal
Palace of Culture and Science
Nożyk Synagogue
Zachęta
Saxon Gardens
Umschlagplatz Monument
Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto
Monument to those Fallen and Murdered in the East
Łazienki Palace
Church of St. Anne
Statue of Adam Mickiewicz
Carmelite Church
Namiestnikowski Palace
Church of the Visitation
Church of the Holy Cross
Staszic Palace
Nowy Świat
Plac Trzech Krzyży
Warsaw Rising Museum
Wilanów
As for "only boring people are bored" - well, I was never bored on any of my OTHER travels, so if Warsaw made me a boring person - so be it. :)
Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it. :)
Wojtek
Well, you obviously did not like Warsaw… maybe you just came here with a thesis or did not bother to explore it . I can understand not being enthusiastic about this city, but calling it “boring” proves that your visit was highly superficial. There is also a saying that only boring people are bored…
theshis Nope, we just walked past it... .
re: A sunny and windy day in Vienna.Ellen Did you go to the Jewish Museum as well?
re: A sunny and windy day in Vienna.theshis Dear Wojtek. Thanks again for your detailed reply. First of all, thanks for taking off some years of my actual age - I feel young again. Actually, I'm getting very close to 40 years old. :) Oh, I totally agree, one cannot grasp an ongoing slow change in a city during a 3-day visit - you are absolutely right. But as in other things in life, there's that thing that's called "first impression". Unfortunately, as you noticed, I was not impressed. but you are correct - perhaps I should've taken a guided tour to better understand the change. Yes, I've seen the new Jewish museum being built near the ghetto monument, and if I'll ever get back to Warsaw, I'll sure visit it. The term "God forsaken" was probably a bad choice of words, although I meant it literally - even as a non-believer Jew, God had forsaked the Jews in Warsaw. I'm sorry if it was offensive. So thanks for your reply - please drop me a private message if you wish to keep in touch. Cheers. :)
re: Final day in Warsaw.Wojtek Dear Theshis, After reading your entries I highly doubt that you’re thinking about visiting Warsaw again ever in your life, but if by as luck would have it, try to get in touch with a well-oriented local of your age (I presume that you’re in your 20s or early 30s) before arriving and try to explore city, as they say, “off-the-beaten-path”. Warsaw is one of those cities that reveal their charm charily, it’s not an easy lady… but once you get to know people and places it gains in sympathy. For clear reasons, Warsaw will never have (nor it ever had) original architecture much the same as some Western European capitals, but it has a unique combination of well-restored classical style and socialist realism (plus too much of dull blocks, but in some time they will be replaced as it is happening in Germany). What makes Warsaw interesting is a dynamism of change. In 5-10 years whole quarters will look different, just as they differ now from what I remember in the ’90 and on. Obviously, I wouldn’t expect anyone on a few day trip to take pains of looking for a soul of the city, but Warsaw is an exceptional one as it survived its own dead. Maybe it was your expression: “God forsaken city” that hurt me the most. Next year Warsaw will have a new museum that you should find more interesting than The Warsaw Uprising Museum – I can understand that not everyone has to be historical sensitive even if this 63-day long battle took about 200,000 lives, 90% civilians. It will be a Museum of the History of the Polish Jews. Maybe you’ll have a chance to visit it, sometimes in the future, and also to look at the city again. I cannot guarantee that you’ll like it, but certainly it will be different… Take care, Wojtek
re: Final day in Warsaw.theshis Dear Wojtek. Thank you for your reply. Prior to visiting Warsaw, I did an EXTENSIVE research about the city and actually INSISTED on visiting it. To my surprise, almost each and every site on our itinerary (atached below) was disappointing, plus, having spoken to numerous locals in Warsaw we were told that, yeah, Warsaw is only ok during the summer time and that after September people prefer to stay at home since it's too cold to go out in the evening. Unfortunately, the walks we took during the cool evenings of the beginning oif October proved it correct - we almost felt lonely in places that shoul've ben PACKED with people (either locals or tourists). Atached it the list of itineraries we've been to during our 3 day stay: Zygmunt’s Column Cathedral of St John Jesuit Church Church of St. Martin Royal Castle Old Town Square The Barbican and City Walls Monument to the Warsaw Uprising Church of the Holy Spirit Church of St. Jacek Ulica Freta New Town Square Church of St. Kazimierz Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary Capuchin Church Primate’s Palace Branicki Palace Pac Palace Krasiński Palace Arsenal Palace of Culture and Science Nożyk Synagogue Zachęta Saxon Gardens Umschlagplatz Monument Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto Monument to those Fallen and Murdered in the East Łazienki Palace Church of St. Anne Statue of Adam Mickiewicz Carmelite Church Namiestnikowski Palace Church of the Visitation Church of the Holy Cross Staszic Palace Nowy Świat Plac Trzech Krzyży Warsaw Rising Museum Wilanów As for "only boring people are bored" - well, I was never bored on any of my OTHER travels, so if Warsaw made me a boring person - so be it. :) Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it. :)
re: Final day in Warsaw.Wojtek Well, you obviously did not like Warsaw… maybe you just came here with a thesis or did not bother to explore it . I can understand not being enthusiastic about this city, but calling it “boring” proves that your visit was highly superficial. There is also a saying that only boring people are bored…
re: Final day in Warsaw.i owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooo...
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