Monday, April 25th 2016

Unexpected Findings

Mondays are challenging - Museums and historical sites are often closed

But churches are always open - Much to Sandy's despair

Frederick Chopin's body is buried in France but his heart remains in Poland

His actual heart in an urn at the Church of the Holy Cross
Fortunate to listen to a Polish church choir in the church crypt

Unfortunate with unexpected rain/sleet upon leaving but it was lunchtime

Found a cozy BBQ place with a irresistable menu item (28 zlotys is $7)

Walked a few blocks to the Palace of Science and Culture. A present from the Soviet Union in 1953 to Poland while under Communist rule. It remains loved, hated and Poland's tallest and biggest building. It's an outdated monster.

It's not a vibrant place

Some of the floors are likely scary 

Went to the observation deck on the 30th floor

Signage was specific, the elevators were replaced with modern ones from Western Europe 

Visited the Museum for the History of Polish Jews, an interactive exhibit with movement and sound around the artifacts

A unique building where we returned for an evening concert

(Acoustic guitar accompanied by subset of Warsaw symphony orchestra)

Embedded in the sidewalks throughout Warsaw are reminders where ghetto walls stood

There are also benches playing Chopin music 

Where he was known to live, work, play, drink

Warsaw is an "interactive" city 

Truly found dinner near the museum - No restaurants for blocks

In the midst of high-rise apartment buildings - A small Thai place

Thank goodness for Google Translate - No problem 

While in the old part of town ...
Walked and "found" little plazas, churches and places we'd missed and viewed others from a  new angle,

Tuesday we planned a long drive
From Warsaw to Krakow

Visiting one more castle ruin along the way

Completing a big loop through Poland

We were supposed to leave Wednesday morning

But were notified
There's a planned work stoppage in Germany
Forcing a change

Our New Plan ...
Stay in Poland until Friday 
(We'll arrive home the same day)

It's time to organize
Can we extend the car?
Where do we go? Where do we stay?
Need to notify Wells Fargo
Then we tell everyone else
Gotta go, there's work to be done