Warsaw...I actually like it here. All the locals seem confused and surprised when I say that, but I think Warsaw has a lot to offer. Yes the old town has been completely rebuilt in the past 50 years, yes there is lots of Communist-inspired architecture, yes there are plenty of "contemporary" (for now that is) tall glass buildings but I still like it.
I started my visit at the Warsaw Uprising Museum. I was really glad I did - you can't really appreciate Warsaw without understanding it's history. The 3D film depicting what Warsaw looked like after the war is amazing for the detailed way it shows the complete devastation and destruction brought upon the city. I only wish I had more time, I got kicked out at closing time.
The next day I took the Adventure Warsaw tour which is off the beaten path but a nice alternative to the main touristy tours. We rolled around in a retro Nasa bus which sometimes emitted smoke from the dashboard (nothing to worry about according to our guide). Among the stops were the Jewish Ghetto, Constitution Square, a vodka tasting, a walk around Praga (the poorest part of Warsaw with an up-and-coming bohemian vibe) and a traditional milk bar were we lunched on pierogis and bigos (among other things).
I took a stroll down Novy Swiat into Old Town later that afternoon anyway, so I didn't miss any of the major tourist draws. There was a festival in Old Town (or maybe it's like that every weekend) so there were many stalls selling food and local craft goods. We had dinner at Pod Sansonem one night at the suggestion of our tour guide and it was fantastic! I highly recommend the borsch (with the dumplings) - YUM!
Palace of Culture
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