Warsaw revisited

I visited Warsaw in 1996, so when I began planning my summer travels this year I was hoping to meet Nathaniel in a new place rather than return to a city I'd already seen. Between his work schedule and the proximity and timing of my other stops in Europe though, it worked out best for me to visit him there - and I'm glad I did!

I took the train from Vilnius to Warsaw, a pleasant all-day journey that took me past green farmland and forests - lots of birch and evergreens, kind of the way I picture the scenery in a Tolstoy novel. I changed trains at the border, and on the second leg I talked quite a bit with a friendly Dutch couple sitting next to me. When we got closer to Warsaw they asked if I'd booked a hostel; they were hoping to find one when they arrived and wondered if I had any recommendations. I told them I was staying with my cousin, but that he'd be meeting me at the train station and would surely be able to steer them in the right direction. He did recommend several hostels, pointing them out on their map, and also gave them his card just in case - and about an hour later they called and ended up sleeping on his couch since those places were all fully booked.

I actually don't remember much of Warsaw from 12 years ago; I think then I actually spent more of my time in Poland in Krakow and Gdansk than I did in the capital city. From what I do remember, I can definitely say that Nathaniel has moved up in the accomodation world; he's got a classy, newly remodeled apartment in the center of the city, which the Dutch couple and I were really impressed with. He's got a cleaning lady now, too. Back in '96 I slept on a broken hide-a-bed (which I think was actually his only bed; Nate slept on the floor, so I can't complain!), and bathed in a rather dirty bathtub, as I recall.

This time around, I spent lots of time wandering the streets of Old Town, stopping in churches and shops and enjoying coffee and pastries in outdoor cafes. I visited the new Uprising Museum, which tells the inspiring but sad story of a futile Polish rebellion against Nazi forces during WWII. Also on my itinerary: a tour of the Historical Museum of Warsaw, a walk through the remains of the Warsaw Ghetto, and a visit to the Jewish Historical Institute - which documents the history and culture of Polish Jews, focusing especially on what life was like in the ghetto. It was a sobering and depressing but very worthwhile history lesson.

Those sites were all worth going back for, but in addition to that I think this time I also enjoyed just getting a better feel for the city. There are certainly other places I'd like to visit first, but Warsaw is an interesting, underrated place that definitely deserves at least one visit - if not a second or even a third!

If you're interested in photos of Warsaw, just click on the album below:

Warsaw