We changed hotels and were exploring Warsaw's empty streets before 9 AM. Ther is something special about old European cities on Sunday mornings. The squares and plazas will be packed later but for now only a few regulars sit at the cafe tables smoking and sipping espresso. Warsaw has a historic Old Town and a New Town in addition to the city of today. Starego Miasta, Old Town, dates from the 1200s, Nowego Miasta is barely two centuries younger. Both were heavily damaged by revengeful Nazis after the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 but the Old Town was rebuilt so faithfully - crooked buildings were rebuilt crooked - that is received the coveted UNESCO World Heritage status.
Old Man on Stairs, Sunday Morning
We continued on along the Vistula to the Citadel, built by the Russian czar in the mid-1800s. Poles who opposed the Russian occupation were dealt with at its infamous "Executioner's Gate." The wind off the river had covered the ground with golden maple leaves and we scuffed through them like we did as kids in the 50s.
Royal Castle, after the 1944 Uprising (arcihval photo)
Warsaw's Royal Castle is open to a limited number of visitors free of charge on Sundays. We entered in the midst of two large groups but they soon drifted away. The Castle was also destroyed during the War and was rebuilt in the 1970s as a museum. I wonder what the peasant famers would have thought if they could have seen the spendor their ruler enjoyed while they suffered in theri hovels. The art included a couple of Rembrandts and an entire room of "Canalettos." Bernardo Belotto, the nephew of the Venetian painter Canaletto, is known for his pictures of Warsaw.
Old Town was crowded when we emerged from the Castle. Horse drawn wagons paraded on the square, little kids stumbled on the cobbles and lovers strolled hand in hand. The balloon man was doing land office business, accompanied by an ancient accordion player and ever silent mimes.
the balloon man, Old Town Square
Fortified with wine at lunch we took a long walk across town to the John Paul II Collection at the former Bank of Poland building and the collection of paintings and sculpture, donated to the Catholic Church and the nation by Janina and Zbigniew Carroll-Porczyriski. We had to wait for Eve to gather her wits before we could buy tickets. We were her only customers of the day! The lighting wasn't very good and the signage left a lot to be deisired. But just imagine having 450 works of art by the likes of Reubens, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Joohn Constable, Joshua Reynolds all to yourself. Not to mention a couple of Renoirs, some Dalis, and a disappointing piece by Van Gogh. I feel guilty about sneaking a couple of verboten photos. But not too guilty.
The John Paul II Collection
