During the past few weeks we've been trying to revisit all of our favorite haunts in Warsaw, as well as to visit several of the many intriguing museums, restaurants, clubs, and neighborhoods that we still had not seen. We also took the time to enjoy the weather in other parts of Poland, even as the sun set on our time in his diverse and beautiful country. We spent a week in Olsztyn, a small city in the Northeast, which was a wonderfully relaxing time for us. We got to see a slower speed of life in Poland, but also experienced how much pride, passion, and joy is displayed by Poles in smaller cities. A quick side trip via country bus brought us to Lidzbark Warmiński, Dantiscus' capital and castle during his time as a bishop, one of the coolest (at least by Bryan's estimation) 4 hours we've spent here. We made a second trip up to Gdańsk and Sopot on the Baltic coast, taking in as much of these vibrant cities as we could in 2 days and enjoying the seaside one last time. Then, this past Saturday, we accompanied Zach and Agata to Swiebodzin, a small city in western Poland outside of which Agata's grandfather lives. We briefly got to experience life in a 100-person village and have a real Polish home-cooked obiad (luncheon), before heading back to Warsaw.
When you move from a great city in which you've lived, you mourn it in many ways - sights, smells, tastes, people. We've tried to fill our final days in our adopted home city with each of those things to make leaving easier, most notably...
1. St. Paul's English Speaking Parish of Warsaw - A deceptively unassuming but much beloved Father Wiesław ties together this multinational community with his humor, bigheartedness, and persistent pastoral care. We also found out at the Parish End-of-the-Year Picnic that he can really rock out. We loved this Catholic community that we found with friends from Poland, Brazil, India, the UK, Ireland, and the Philippines, and had a few get-togethers to say goodbye to all.
2. Fun summer events - Warsaw has come alive as the summer weather has set in, with almost every restaurant offering outdoor seating, the beaches and barge-bars along the river opening up, and the city's summer festivals occupying almost every weekend. Poles' countenances seem to follow the weather, and the summer weather has truly demonstrated how lively, passionate, and fun-loving Poles are, from high school students all the way to senior citizens. We've loved checking out the hoppin' outdoor patios and food stands to free concerts in the parks and impromptu gatherings (for open drinking) next to the Wisła. Thanks to Poland's s (so far) success in the Euro Cup and Poles' corresponding enthusiasm for their national team - we've attended several large viewing parties and have cheered right along with the national cheer "Polska, biało-czerwoni!!" (Poland, white and red!).
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| Sangria Fest (at Aioli) |
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| Street Fashion Show |
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| Outdoor Viewing of EuroCup 2016 match |
3. Food - very close to our hearts (and stomachs). We could never get enough.
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| Freshly baked pączki |
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| Naleśniki with beza (meringue) |
4. Drinks - kiedy w Polsce / when in Poland
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| The "Last Night in Warsaw" Challenge |
5. Views
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| Taras Widokowy (Viewing Terrace) over Stare Miasto (Old Town) |
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| "Kocham Warszawę / I love Warsaw" on the Samsung Building |
Bonus - Emily's cousin, Alix, arrived on a business trip from Amsterdam. So glad to show her the city yesterday (and that her trip was not next week!!)
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