Warsaw, Poland

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We arrived in Warsaw on an overnight bus from Vilnius which took 9 hours, getting us to Warsaw at 6:30am. After realising we were not in the central station, but way out west, we walked the 4km into the centre of town and eventually found a very welcoming hostel with a traveller's biggest luxury...free all you can eat breakfast!!
Despite what we had heard before we came to Warsaw, it is a beautiful city with wide streets intermingled with cobbled back alleys. Having been almost completely destroyed during the Second World War, the Old Town has been entirely rebuilt in the same style. The Old Town square is especially charming with higgledy-piggledy, tall, terraced buildings surrounding the central mermaids statue. Apart from the melancholic shire horses who walk the same tourist routes everyday, there is a noticably relaxing atmosphere and a strong cultural heritage.
We've especially enjoyed strolling down Nowy Swiat, the main shopping street in the New Town, which still has all its christmas decorations up, and a number of quaint little bars and cafes. We spent one day walking around the suburbs of the city to look at many of the War monuments and to walk through the famous Saxon Gardens. We also visited the only synagogue in the whole of Warsaw to survive the war and the remains of the Ghetto in the Jewish sector.
We splashed out and went to two authentically Polish restaurants in the Old Town, trying Gulash, dumplings, fresh cranberry sauce and a variety of traditional cakes for about five pounds per head, including drinks! One evening we stumbled across a flute quartet recital in a church- it was amazing to listen to amongst such ornate surroundings, and it gave us a chance to warm up as it has been getting steadily colder and colder!
We left Warsaw on a train to Berlin in a flurry of snow, and even took a slight detour to the station so that we could see the Old Town under a covering of white- it was beautiful!!

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Comments

[Fi]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Hello! Happy Birthday!! Wow 22 years old-do you feel old now? I hope that you have an excellent day and celebrate well. Where are you know? Still in Germany? Am loving all the pics-everything looks so pretty and it sounds like your having an excellent time. I'm very jealous, and can't wait till we head off. Have a great day. Lots of love, Fi xxxx

[Lizzy]

Hey girlies! Glad you are having such a fab time! Thank you so much for your phonecall on Thursday it was great to hear from you all - sorry my signal was so rubbish! I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope the Daley's have enjoyed having their mum to stay! Take care and miss you all lots xxxx

[Ciara's Mum]

Call Me
Hi Ciara It's seem's you are not getting my e-mails I have sent you 3 since we got back from skiing. Ciara please call me. Love you Mum xxxxx