In Warsaw I traveled only for work many times. And the memories are a puzzle, while the seasons are changing. Summer after work on the main street Novi Świat or an autumn night, accidentally attending a Chopin piano concert in a bookstore. A winter morning, in a taxi seeing the city covered with snow or in spring at food market Hala Koszyki. Warszawa reminded me of Bucharest, that made me a bit melancholic. Polish language is also very different, but some sounds are familiar. I felt as I traveled in time.

Warsaw has seen it all. While on the metro line M2, I was reading about the history of Poland and how, after the war, Warsaw was rebuilt in a beautiful city from saved pictures and old paintings. In an atmosphere as if inspired by the music of Chopin. Some cities are more fortunate than others.

While hearing names of metro stations I couldn’t pronounce as “Świętokrzyska” I started thinking about the beauty of a city – it is our perception, is a team of architects needed? Or is inspired by the mood we have that day or perhaps the people we meet along the way in our journey? Maybe a combination from all with a mix of good weather.

Royal route

Is October. From the hotel in “Muranowska” I arrived in the center of the Old Town (Stare Miasto) and then walked to the Castle Square, where the Royal Route starts.

On street Krakowskie Przedmie, we passed beautiful churches, Royal Castle, Presidential Palace and the Chopin Museum. It’s interesting how I remember the area so well, since the previous summer I went there 5-6 times.

The Fryderyk Chopin Museum is located in the historical Ostrogski Castle. Plus, from May to September on Sunday afternoons piano concerts are enjoyed in the beautiful Royal Łazienki Park at 12 pm and 4pm.

Books and Science

The library of the University of Warsaw (Dobra street 56) was an impressive place to visit. The new building received many design awards, as the outside walls “symbolizes pages of books, present fragments of texts: the old Polish Exposition of the virtues by Jan Kochanowski, the old Russian Novels of the Past, the Greek Phaedrus of Plato, the Arabic Book of Animals by Al-Jahiz, the Hebrew Book of Ezekiel, the Sanskrit Rig Veda and two notations: mathematical-physical and musical” (from the website of the University).

Only 4 minutes away, the science museum Centrum Nauki Kopernik is located, named after the famous Polish mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus.

Business as usual

One evening in the same October I finally visited the Palace of Culture and Science or Pałac Kultury i Nauki. Inspired by Art Deco American style, the building really stands up around all the other skyscrapers. I went up to the 30th floor from where you can see an extraordinary panorama. And I must say I am quite impressed with the business environment in Warsaw. Still feels surreal, after all these years.

FOOD

Food to remember I had at Shipudei Berek – modern Israeli grill, traditional Pierogi (Polish dumplings) at Odwiedź nas and an evening at Hala Koszyki, a food market hall with restaurants and groceries. Bon appetit! And Goodbye, for now.

Simplicity is the highest goal

Chopin