//]:# (!worldmappin 52.24937 lat 21.01227 long impressions of Warsaw d3scr)
we left the hotel in plac Zamkowy in Old Town early in the morning and immediately approached Castle Square with the iconic Sigmund's column. the sun was shining and in the fresh and cool air the square was magnificent. so open, spacious and grand. the architecture of the various buildings just works so well together to create a unique atmosphere of history and culture while the morning street life is relaxed and peaceful
the streets are lined with restaurants and cafes and surely there will be a lot of tourists throughout the day but for now the spaciousness feels so luxurious.
we headed for St John the Baptist cathedral. the exterior of the entrance is not typical of other cathedrals we have been to but the interior gives a totally different impression.
i grew up in a small town with church windows by John LaFarge so i am a sucker for quality stained glass. i had to smile when i saw these bold modern portrayals of historic Polish leaders
along side of biblical scenes featuring St John
there's an organ concert later on with works of Chopin and others on the program. count me in.
in the meantime there is plenty to see in Old Town, so much detail and sculptures abound
the house numbers with electric lighting add charm
Warsaw is far from the sea making this ocean going galleon seem curiously out of place above this rococo doorway. there must be a story behind the door.
Market Square is the undisputed town center. the reconstruction of Old Town after world war 2 was an amazing undertaking. it is extremely well done. while everything is so well coordinated it is the polar opposite of monotonous. while i in no way want to belittle the suffering and atrocities that culminated in the total destruction of the area i must say that the citizens of Warsaw have put in such a heroic effort and achieved a remarkable result. it stans as a tremendous improvement that would not have been conceivable had it not been for the ruination during the war.
in the middle of the square stands a statue of a mermaid with a sword and shield in her hands. not sure what that is all about but it obviously is significant given the location
lots of small alleys to explore
outside the fortress walls seems to be where Old Town ends but the streets are cobblestone and the houses equally impressive
the famous Barbican is quite a sight with it's round towers. it looks like it should have been made of stone rather than bricks but all the remnants of the defensive walls are made of brick so maybe i just don't know better. anyway we are anxious to see what's inside and head for what looks to be the entrance
to our amazement there is nothing inside, not even a roof over the central part. but the round form of the top of the wall is a delight
there is virtually no traffic in this entire area. it makes us wonder what it's like living here.
for tourists it's a sort of urban utopia that had been lost in time but then was recently rediscovered, an escape from real life as long as you have the time and money. but what's it like for residents, how do they manage?
there are people living here, they can't all be artists, bohemians and old hippies. many must have jobs outside of tourism, there are groceries to be bought, schools for children and what not.
it was approaching time for that organ concert so we took a different route on the way back to the cathedral. we passed this lovely depiction of what i assume to be the resurrection of Old Town. i love the earthy tones and the relaxed humble postures of the workers. as a retired carpenter i notice the lack of safety features of the scaffolding as a fervent member of the Shadow Hunter community on Hive i particularly liked the shadowing in the mural alongside the real shadow on the wall. and the writing on the wall underneath is perhaps a foreshadowing of the ever changing cycle of growth and decline.
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances and so i shall end here for now but
will conclude this adventure in part 2 soon