POLAND: Warsaw – Bombed Heavily in WWII – Some Gems Survive

As I have often mentioned, I am far more fond of smaller cities, but being in a plush hostel with a reasonable private room on the finest street in Warsaw, right next to the Old Town, makes this the right way to do this town.

I am in desperate need of a dental cleaning as well as the repair of a tooth so I need to dig up a good dentist while I’m here.

DREAM HOSTEL – A great place to stay on Krakowskie Przedmiescie, one of the best known and most prestigious streets of Poland’s capital.

 

 

OLD TOWN

ROYAL CASTLE

MORE OLD TOWN

 

WARSAW BARBICAN ON RIGHT

CATHEDRAL OF SAINT JOHN ON RIGHT

POPE JOHN PAUL II – Poland’s favorite son.

TOWN SQUARE OF OLD TOWN

 

WARSAW MERMAID – In the Old Town Square.

 

 

             Monument to the Warsaw Uprising Fighters

 

 

The dynamism and movement conveyed in this statue are quite astounding.

 

SO DETAILED AND VISCERAL

I found this sculpture to be more communicative of the struggle in the Warsaw uprising than the whole Museum of the Warsaw Uprising was capable of imparting to me.

I will definitely visit this monument on my next visit to Warsaw.

 

I have no idea what this building is other than well maintained and palatial.

JEWISH GHETTO MEMORIAL

POLIN – Museum of the History of Polish Jews & Frank Stella Exhibit

I did not return for the history portion of the museum due to my previous visit to Auschwitz, but I will definitely stop by on my next visit to Warsaw.

Frank STELLA – Lankorona I – 1971

Frank STELLA – Odelsk I – 1971

Frank STELLA – Olkienniki III – 1972

Frank STELLA –  Wardrobe [Flying Wardrobe] – 2008 [2016]

 

 

ELECTORALNA DENTAL CLINIC

Celebrities, politicians, cosmonauts and even a Miss Poland have had their dental needs met at this clinic. I stopped in for a cleaning, and for some bonding work on a chipped tooth. Their work was swift, competent and professional. Poland is known for its quality dental at low prices. Many people engage in dental tourism. I can see why. I priced the replacement of six veneers and four crowns at about $3200.00. The same procedure would run me $15,000 back in California. So next time you have some major dental on the horizon, consider a trip to Warsaw. You can even take a side trip to Krakow.

 

 

                                 Warsaw Uprising Museum

 

Cross marking the grave of the resistance fighter depicted in the photo on the middle right.

The 7.92mm wz.38M self-loading rifle (SLR) counts amongst the legendary Polish weapons created prior to the war. Designed by Josef Maroszek, it was not only Poland’s first military SLR but also one of the most modern ones in Europe. Unfortunately, the late stages of the design process were interrupted by WWII. Only 55 rifles were documented manufactured before the outbreak of the war. All of them got dispersed during the hostilities and for many years the fate of the  Maroszek rifle was an enigma. The wz.38M serial number 1019 on display at the Warsaw Uprising Museum is one of only five known survivors, and probably the best preserved one.

Captured German Pistol

 

Polish Air Force wear British uniforms, but they are distinguished by the eagle on their caps and the Poland stripes on their sleeves.

 

Much of the museum walls are plastered with small reading material, and it can get quite overwhelming because of it. I recommend a guided tour if you really want to get a good perspective on things. At this point, I was suffering from a bad case of war fatigue. I can’t even imagine what the people of Europe and the U.K. went through during the war. I’m burned out, and I’m just visiting museums and historic sites. They had to live with this nightmare on a daily basis for years on end. We just have to worry about the potential endgame of nuclear war that could come about through system failures, human error, or the actions of a madman. This is a worry that is showing no sign of being resolved in our lifetimes.

 

FDR and Winston Churchill cozy up to the other great monster of the 20th. Century. Joseph Stalin is considered to be responsible for the deaths of at least 20 million people during his reign of terror.

TIME MARCHES ON…..

 

                                                Lazienki Park

 

 

STATUE OF FRYDERYK CHOPIN

FERENC LISZT – 1811-1886

LAZIENKI PALACE

 

ON THE BRIDGE TO THE PALACE

 

BACK OF THE PALACE

 

 

BEAUTY ON ITS FLANK

 

 

Lazienki Park leading away from the palace.

Utilizing the metro in yet another European capital to return to my neighborhood.

Polish Academy of Sciences

NICOLAUS COPERNICUS

He is the astronomer that came up with a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of our planetary system. A serious quantum shift in perspective.

 

HOTEL BRISTOL

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

 

 

                                Old Town on my Last Night