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| The King Zygmunt III Waza Column (Photo by Gregg Mnaalo) |
Poland was a part of our European
historical tour in 2015. From Berlin, we travelled eastward until we reached
the Polish-German border. From there, I saw the obvious difference between
Germany and Poland not only in terms of infrastructure, but also in the types
of cars plying on the roads and the physical appearance of villages that we
passed by along the way.
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| Beautiful and colourful bridge in Poland. (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
Our GPS took us to country roads although
we had been desperately searching for autobahns (motorways) for us to get to
the Polish capital, Warsaw, faster. Google advised us in advance through its online
map that our trip would had been more or less 5 hours, but the GPS was telling
something different – almost 8 hours – which caused us to fret and find an
alternative route.
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| Enchanting alley in German-Polish border. (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
The eastward route from Berlin to Warsaw
was dominated by big farmlands and small villages which were mainly made of brick
houses that were reminiscent of old Europe that I am so fond of. In our quest
to find the autobahn, we passed by several gas stations and asked for
directions which hopefully would lead us to the autobahn, but we always ended
up on country roads until we finally decided to purchase a map.
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| Maps are available at gas stations along the way. (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
The low-tech map told us that there are
very few autobahns in Poland and there is one originating from Berlin which
goes all the way to Warsaw. We didn’t take it because we were faithful to the
high-tech navigator. Sometimes, the good old map is much better than the more
advanced GPS.
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| Warsaw at night. (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
Upon reaching Warsaw, I saw signs of economic development. Skyscrapers are very visible and several construction sites are
paving for new establishments such as hotels and office buildings.
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| Statue of Nikolaus Copernicus (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
Warsaw is a prominent city in history
books. Just like most European cities, it saw and suffered from the ravages of
wars. Old pictures of Warsaw which I saw posted on the walls of some of the
sites here took me several years back when the city was devastated by bombings.
It was simply horrific.
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| Marie Curie Museum (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
But today, Warsaw is a booming city in
Eastern Europe and a popular tourist destination. I saw swarm of tourists all
over the city especially in popular meeting points such as the Old Town Market
Square and the Royal Route. Several restaurants and cafes that line the streets
are almost always full.
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| The Warsaw Mermaid Statue at The Old Town Market Square (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| Old Town Market Square (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
Free Wifi spots are available at the Old
Town Market Square. This feature is especially beneficial for those individuals
who would like to share online status and pictures with friends like myself.
Speaking of Old Town Market Square, do check out Wasza Art and Coffee. It serves
exquisite cakes and drinks. I had my very first apple pie and hot chocolate
with chili there and I was more than satisfied. The ambiance was great with all
the old pictures and books which you can browse (and read if you can understand
Polish) while waiting for your snacks and drinks. It also played great
background music which could complete your relaxing mood while enjoying your
drinks and snacks.
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| Wasza Art and Coffee (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| A selection of dumplings is a must-try. (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
One of the great things about Poland in
general is that food is much more affordable compared to other European
countries. Euro, by the way, is not accepted here, so it is wise to change
money and get the local currency – Zloty. Speaking of food, their dumplings
which come in different varieties are a-must try for tourists. I tried them
myself and I find them really delicious. Do try also their local drinks – an
infusion of different fruits and herbs – which are packed with health benefits
so they claim. I tried them and they’re really refreshing.
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| The Church of the Holy Cross (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| View of the Church of St. Jack (Dominican) from Pauline Church of the Holy Ghost (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| St. Joseph's Care Church (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| St. John the Baptist Archcathedral Basilica (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| The Church of St. Kazimierz (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| The Church of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| The Church of St. Francis Seraphic (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
Catholic churches are found everywhere in
Warsaw which probably is the reflection of how religious most Polish people are. I could
consider Poland as a country of Catholic Churches! They have all sorts of
Catholic churches – Dominican, Franciscan - and
they were properly identified. Unlike other countries I visited, Polish
people seemed to be very religious. Inside the church, I saw a mixture of old
and young people meditatively praying. The gestures they showed when they enter
or leave the church such as bowing or kneeling down also showed how much they value
and respect the Church and how they practice their faith.
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| The Adam Mickiewicz Monument (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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The Staszic Palace (Photo by Gregg Manalo)
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| The Barbican ((Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| Square and the Large Bronze Bell from 1646 (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| The Little Insurgent Monument (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
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| Warsaw University (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
Another great feature of this city is that
the location of tourist spots such as historical landmarks and parks. They
situated very close to one another which makes it very convenient for tourists
to walk from one to the next. In one day, we were able to completely see all
the important and identified landmarks in the new and old centers based on the
tourist guide that we got from Tourist Information Center. Yes, it is highly
recommended that you carry a map either from your hotel or the one directly
from the Tourist Information Center at the Old Town Market Square which clearly
indicates the location of the important landmarks in the area. However, I can
recommend that three days and two nights would be the more ideal length of stay
in Warsaw for you to be able to completely see and enjoy all landmarks.
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| The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Pitsudski Square (Photo by Gregg Manalo) |
