...we take a light aircraft by Polish LOT airlines to reach from Vilnius to Warsaw in one hour...we start at 10am and reach at
10am ...and rewind our watches..
....from the Lithuanian countryside...we arrive at this city which is urbanizing at a tremendous speed...
.. ...we reach our apartment suites...... ...in wronia...a very important historical site ..where battles had been fought....
...we keep our luggage in cloakrooms as our rooms will be ready by 3 pm....... ...we go over our plans...meanwhile.... ....online...gps...tourist maps...all...
... ....Our RETRO FIAT arrives bang on time to take us on a Guided Tour of the city.... first thing first... ...totally besotted with our guide...needed to take this memory home.
...the first stop is Palace of Science and Culture....something I ahd seen before only in a Hindi movie...Salman Khan starrer. .. ...something like our Habitat Centre in Delhi...art galleries, theatres, cultural events, sciences, offices, food courts. ..and sprinklers to keep you cool as Europe gets progressively warmer every year.
...extolling the history and geography of Warsaw with ardent sincerity.. ...while our men are only interested in the amount of Vodka shot they are entitled as part of this tour
....the next stop...Palace on the isle amidst nature......and souvenir corners...and.....small little lemonade stalls..
....as we pass by.... ...the massive Polish National Stadium... now called PGE Narodowy...one of the largest in the world
....on to Praga district.... ....the Soho Factory area....a new upcoming place in Warsaw....a blend of industrial and artistic innovations...a lot of cafes to just sit back and relax
we reach the Neon Museum... ....old neon lights as signposts....a museum that tells their stories...
...as we cross the bridges.. ..and espy Vistula Boulevard...another new and young address in Warsaw which comes alive at night.....where we couldn't spend much time because of the rains and less time...
......we reach Milk Bar for lunch...iconic places to get economical food during the communist period....initially began with only milk products....but weren't we glad to see the chicken and rice with mashed potatoes...
As we drive into Old Town Square...St Anne church and the bell tower....panoramic views on top....but no takers that day...victory column ...old world charm....but this place was razed to the ground twice...once by fire and once by the world war...BUT RESTORED through paintings as reference points....Warsaw being the most destroyed city during the World War II...rising like the Phoenix.. ...as their protector...the Mermaid Syrenka looks on...
...but our time is over...our tour guides return us back to our familiar graffitti painted walls beside our hotel.. ..and this tall building...48 storey Warsaw Spire Tower...the new address in town...remember this, if you lose yourself...some advise..
....evening comes...we dress up and board the tram.....as we reach Panorama Skybar....for city views from the 40th floor....of the Marriot hotel.... ...we try and click pics of the Palace of Science and culture opposite us.....but end up enjoying the ambience and our drinks more...especially when they are easy on your wallet....come down and catch awesome views of the Palace....realize Skybar is overhyped for the views.
...as it starts drizzling...we look for shelter...and HEY I spot the Zlote Tarase mall...the architecture of which is mind boggling... ...on our itinerary list...this mall is iconic of the new emerging Warsaw....the flowing, glazed lines of the transparent roof is an architectural wonder...and Hard Rock Cafe beside it!
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