No matter how organized one strives to be prior to leaving on vacation, there are simply a multitude of things that -- by sheer necessity -- get squeezed into the last 48 hours. Pam returned from an intense choral conference in St. John's on Wednesday, so our last 48 hours prior to departure were particularly frenetic. But somehow -- as it always does, as it always
must -- it all got done, and we made our way to Halifax Airport on Friday night, thanks to the wheels of our good friends, Mel and Juliet Whalen.
We had organized a 24-hour stopover in St. John's to visit our parents, before heading across the poind. Our Westjet Encore flight to St. John's late Friday night was easy and on-time. But BRRR, the Newfoundland wind and chilly temperatures that greeted us felt more like April than July.
I spent Saturday in Clarke's Beach with my parents, while Pam spent the day with her mom, and visited with some friends and took in a lobster supper with family. We met up again for our flight to Dublin on Saturday evening. The Westjet flight to Ireland was our first transatlantic experience with Westjet - and our first trans-oceanic on a narrow-body Boeing 737. The plane was packed. We tried to sneak in a few zzz's during the 4½-hour hop, but it wasn't easily done.
Arriving in Dublin at 7AM, we cleared cleared customs, got our bags, and checked in for our Ryanair flight to Warsaw. Feeling peckish, we stopped for breakfast at the Dublin Airport Executive Lounge, then headed to the gate. Another packed flight, another screaming baby next to us, but on time! Ryanair is about as 'budget' as it gets: they've even taken out the seat pockets to save on weight, the on-board security card is printed on the seat-back, and ads adorn every overhead bin. But no biggie, as the flight time was perfect for our schedule.
We arrived at Warsaw's secondary airport - in the town of Modlin, 35 km north of Warsaw's city centre - around 1:30PM, and got a cab to our hotel, which is located near the main airport. After checking in, we caught a city bus to Old Town and started our exploration.
Warsaw in a modern vity of 1.75 million. But to understand it, one must step back and realize that 85% of its buildings were destroyed by the Nazis, and 700,000 of its residents were killed in the War. A massive rebuilding effort started just after the end of WWII by the Russian-backed Communists, and the result speaks for itslef in the photos below.
This evening, we simply nibbled around the edges of all Warsaw has to offer. Tomorrow will be our true opportunity to see the sights of Poland's capital. 'Tis good to be here!
 |
| Up and away on Friday night, enroute to St. John's -- our 'familiar detour'. |
 |
| Europe is a land of history, culture and priceless treasure. But Newfoundland's rugged sights - like this mountain range down the road from my parents' place - remind me that one doesn't have to 'cross the pond' to be awed. |
 |
| The dramatic cliffs of Conception Bay. More specifically, the entrance to Bay Roberts, where I grew up. |
 |
| And everywhere in early July you find lupins in bloom. |
 |
| My gardening heroes: my mom and dad! They can pull ANYTHING out of the Newfoundland soil! |
 |
| Making landfall in Ireland. A quick 4½ hour jaunt across the Atlantic on Westjet. |
 |
| This sign in the Dublin Airport made me laugh. Yes, being Irish is indeed a world-reknowned superpower! |
 |
| Ryanair is to Ireland what Tim Horton's is to Canada. You get what you pay for, but they do deliver you. |
 |
| Safety cards printed on the seat-backs - an example of how Ryanair has created a cheep-skate flying experience. |
 |
| The Polish countryside is an artistic patchwork of farmers' fields. |
 |
| A typical example of the public administration buildings the Polish government rebuilt after WWII's devastation on the city. |
 |
| Monument to Adam Mickiewicz - he was to Poland what Shakespeare was to England. |
 |
| The Carmelite Church. |
 |
| This is Radziwill Palace, where the President lives. |
 |
| The Royal Way is a 4km stretch from Old Town's Royal Castle to the massive Lazienki Park. Think masses of tourists and endless cafes and ice cream stands -- a great way to spend the day. |
 |
| St. Anne's Church and bell tower, one of Warsaw's most ornate churches. Great views of the Royal Way and beyond. |
 |
| More of the Royal Way - Warsaw's great pedestrian play area. Bear in mind: those buildings are all recreations since WWII. |
 |
| The main gateway to Old Town is Castle Square. We ate dinner near the monument on the left-hand side of the photo. |
 |
| The Royal Castle was just a pile of rubble after WWII. It was restored between 1971 and 1984. The monument recognizes Sigismund III Vasa, who is credited with moving the capital city from Kracow to Warsaw. |
 |
| A sampling of many different kinds of Polish 'pierogi'. |
 |
| Hands-down, the BEST soft-serve ice cream ANYWHERE. |
 |
| This is Warsaw's football stadium. The Rolling Stones are playing there tonight! |
 |
| Teatr Wielki, or the Wielki Theatre, is Warsaw's grand theatre, and home to three companies: the Polish national Opera, the Polish National Ballet, and a theatrical company. |
Comments
Post a Comment