9/1/19-9/4/19 Warsaw Poland

As you are aware, we were staying in the outlying area of Berlin, so it only took 15 minutes driving for us to reach the A2 autobahn, where the GPS told us 578 km to Warsaw and our new home, so away we go! About one hour of driving we reach the Polish border. The border agent asks a couple of questions and we are in Poland. We notice the gas prices posted at the highways stops are much different here? So we roll along until our old friend, the Toll booth, shows up for a visit! The electronic sign at the booth says 38.00. I reach for my wallet and start to complain about tolls, I pull out 40 euros and the person in the booth says Zlotys not euros. We didn’t know we would need different money here😳 They were nice enough to take our euros however. The drive between Berlin and Warsaw is flat through forests and fields, no city’s and no livestock?

Couple more Toll stops and we arrive at our Airbnb in Warsaw. Quite a nice place, newer building, underground parking and an elevator👍

On the drive into Warsaw, we notice police everywhere and barely make it across several streets before they are closed. Then while we were enjoying our deck we hear and see huge black helicopters, flying really low, with serious weapons mounted on them? Cindy googles what’s happening in Warsaw? It turns out it’s the 80th anniversary of the beginning of WWII, with leaders from around the world attending the commemorations. Quite a busy night.

The next day we get up early and do a walking tour of our neighborhood, and try to find a bank for some Zlotys! Lovely neighborhood, mixture of old and new, including restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores. A fun spot.

Palace of Culture and Science, a gift from the people of Russia to the people of Poland. Quite an eyesore right in the middle of everything.

We get the Zlotys and decided to try and find a sausage maker I’ve known about and stop by Lidl for some groceries. So off we go in the trusty Peugeot, bad news the sausage guy is closed on Monday, so we get our groceries and head home. Guess what, the roads are closed for the world leaders including V.P. Pence. We drive around in a circle for 2 1/2 hours before they open one of the roads and we make it home. Lucky we did, the roads were closed for the next three hours. Helicopters, sirens and hundreds of police, quite the show. That’s enough for a Monday.

Tuesday, up bright and early to visit old town Warsaw. Great, simple Tram system here and easy to get around.

Old town was particularly destroyed by the Germans in 1939 during the bombing of Warsaw and then completely in 1945 when the Poles tried an uprising. What you see was completely rebuilt after WWII. Now It’s quite lovey and walkable.

As I said, the Poles attempted an uprising against the Germans in 1945, as the Red army was closing in on Warsaw, the Poles knew the Russians wanted to annex Poland. The Germans quickly put down the uprising and burned old town completely, killing 200k in the process. The Russians did not intervene and the Germans were without mercy.

Memorial to Fallen Polish hero’s 1945

The Germans captured over 400,000 Jewish people in 1939 when they took over the city, building a Jewish ghetto in Warsaw that was under 1.3 miles in size. They starved them and then sent over 200,00 to extermination camps. Unbelievable. Only several parts of the ghetto wall still stand

Memorial to Jewish hero’s

Warsaw is an unbelievably beautiful city. However, they do not forget the horrors which happened here, which they shouldn’t.

Part of the old city, saved so we don’t forget.

Ok, tour director Cindy is done with me today. Twelve miles walking today, but we did have some fun in Warsaw. Got to tell ya, we loved this city!

Today another walking tour, the Presidents residence and the parks surrounding it.

Then, through the city one last time. Loved it and highly recommended Warsaw .Only 9 miles today, Cindy’s getting soft with her promotion 😜 👍

Off to Krakow tomorrow, the adventure continues😎✔️