Streets ahead

Some more street snaps when out and about.

Gotta love the blow energy. Who was the copywriter there?

Matchy matchy

Strutting in big heels

Hitting the streets

Loved this old blokes pants, and they matched his tie too!

Shadowy gate

Nothing like wrapping your lips around a icecream, no matter how old you are.

munchy munchy

She told me to walk this way

Eating icecream can be dangerous, you can get icecream headaches helmets can prevent long term damage.

After the festival

So after our time over in Praga we decided that it would be nice to pop back into the old town to see how the world was progressing on the West Bank. It does sounds a little like we should be fighting in Gaza when we say the West Bank, but it is a way that people often refer to the Warsaw of the left side of the Vistula (Wisła) River. We jumped on a tram that was relatively empty and got off at the bottom of the Royal Castle, where I took the escalator for the first time in my life to the street level of Krakowskie Przedmieście, the Northern extension of Nowy Swiat. From here we saw some lovely clouds bubbling away over head and a nice afternoon sum warming the Palace's Western flank.
I noticed the nice combination back across the Vistula to the new Stadium with the newest bridge spanning in front of it like some modern take on Warsaw.
I think Warsaw is the most Modern of cities. By that I partly am being a smart arse in saying that it is really only for the most part 60 years old, as it had to be rebuilt after WWII and also that because of the Grey Generation, no not my favoured grannies, but the children of socialism/communism are now opening their eyes, hearts and wallets to a new way of life. Where as in other cities it has been generation upon generation that has enjoyed a free flowing movement of goods from their own countries and further abroad only just now are the Poles really getting into a more continental lifestyle.
That includes using your city centre for people and informing the population of their countries past, good, bad and sometimes just bizarre. I loved this huge photo, let's face it I am a sucker for both black and white photos as well as massive moustaches. If my darling wife didn't worry I would certainly love to get one that I can wax up into some fantastic handle bars. Alas, that shan't occur in the near future.

As we strolled down Krakowskie Przedmieście we walked past the disastrous cross in front of the palace with people trying to lay more flowers and candles which were snatched up the second they let them rest on the ground. As we got into Nowy Swiat, I noticed people with glasses of wine. I looked around for a bar manager or security staff chasing them to ask for the glasses back, but instead of seeing this I saw more and more glasses. People quaffing away, swirling, swilling and willing to ask for more. It for me was an amazing thing for many different reasons.

Firstly, Vodka is the national drink, secondly beer is the most popular as can be seen here in this article, but thirdly and most importantly is that it is actually illegal to drink on the streets. So I was pleasantly surprised when we came across a booth and then another then about a total of 10 where they were selling wine by the bottle and the glass as a "World of Wine" display.
So we decided to treat ourselves to some delightful drops. There really isn't a better end to a day of multiculturalism than to sit in some pleasant weather and drink a few glasses of wine. We tried things from Hungary, Australia, the Czech Republic, and Italy. We even ended up buying a couple of bottles as we do tend to enjoy a good tipple.

After finishing our wines we sauntered off to get to the Metro to go home. We passed many other stands with regional foods, cheese, pickles, hams, sausages and numerous other things. All of a sudden I felt like a beer, but I am not sure why.......... anyone else?
Someone told me it was the breast beer in Poland. Hmmm Freudian slip there?
After having our fill we headed home to have some great beans prepared earlier from our regular Saturday morning shop along with some fresh basil and our ham mans ham. I do need to take a photo of him and his smallgoods one day!

The very best of the best of Warsaw #5

#5 Nowy Swiat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie
The main thoroughfare in town, and by thoroughfare, I mean that on the weekends they actually close this street to traffic! It has come into itself even in the last 20 months or so that I have lived in this city. They regularly have fairs of food, regional handicrafts or even wine tasting!
It is really a connection between what is considered by some to be the cutural and business centre, i.e. Centrum and the Palace of Culture, and the historical and sentimental heart the Old Town.
The buildings were recreated from paintings after their destruction by the Germans in WWII and some are really well preserved like the Presidential Palace and the other government buildings and, of course, Poland's very wealthy church is also well represented with at least 4 churches along here from memory. However, there are some buildings that need a good steam cleaning on the outside and facades that could do with some plaster in parts. It is said that Nowy Swiat is the most expensive piece of real estate in Poland, it is about a quarter of the price of Pitt St, Sydney, so not too bad when you compare it against average earnings.
During the week you will see lots of students milling about, as the main Warsaw campus is located here, along with many faculties along the road as well.
Also you may see a celebrity or political figure staying at the Bristol Hotel (the most expensive in Warsaw) or a granny grumbling about something as they wait for a bus as many buses flow down the street on weekdays. But, it is the weekends where it thrives best, as I already mentioned it gets closed to most traffic with a few exceptions. The streets also offers some great little side streets to duck off to, and you will find the greatest donuts in the world on Chmielna, you can be funky in the cafes and resturants that line the street or just Promenade like in the Mediterranean climes. If you are a people watcher, this is the place to come on weekends. You will see the Polish women in all their finery. The do love to parade as they think looking good is not just natural but an artform that should be shown to others. This said and labels abound, you can also still eat at a Milky bar or even buy an obnoxiously noisey lovebird at the pet store like we did.

Always a nice place to stroll if you have the time.