Lunch time! We had scoped out some places on the guided walk with the guide, but when we went back to get a seat, the outdoor patio area is completely full and we’re just not ready to sit inside if at all possible. So, off we go to try to find another suitable lunch spot. Just by luck, we see a sign for Gosciniec, a local restaurant with many outlets in the city that Ieva recommended, pointing away from the main pedestrian lane, through an alleyway. Good move! Turns out, we luck into a table right on the walk, and not only have a great traditional Polish meal of Pierogis, Zurek soup (the sour soup Ed loves) and, oh my, fried beets! This could be heaven. Plus, the table affords us a great spot to people (and carriage) watch all through lunch. 

Back out on the street, we reverse course through the alley and head back to the Royal Palace, which we didn’t have a chance to visit last time. Totally awesome. Beautiful courtyard, amazing rooms full of all sorts of art, including an original statue of Atlas, the King’s throne (of course), his desk, fireplaces, grand halls, receiving rooms, a cool lion stenciled on the wall, frescoes and well, just priceless opulence.

Now it is time for a walk. We want to visit the Pawiak Prison across town – this was where political prisoners and resistance prisoners were held and executed from 1838 to 1944. It is an easy 30 minute walk through residential Warsaw, passing apartment buildings, parks and lovely blossoming trees.

While a re-creation (as is virtually everything in this city) since the prison was destroyed by the Germans as they were leaving the city at the end of the WWII occupation (to hide and destroy evidence of their war crimes), the museum still packs a punch. The exterior has an excellent display of iron sculptures reclaimed and included in the wall, along with other artifacts from the era.

the interior of course is the main event, even though the actual displays consist of only one long hallway with a representation of the cells that held prisoners, an actual original cell door saved from the ruins and then a large museum area with a miniature of what the entire prison looked like before it was destroyed. It was huge – much bigger than the impression you get from just this museum.

The museum itself was equally fascinating, in a horrifying lesson to be learned way. But still. Artwork and sketches created by prisoners while imprisoned, their clothing, rings made from hair, photos of the prisoners, playing cards. Just amazing.

But the most amazing exhibit has to do with the famous elm tree, the Pawiak tree, sitting outside the entrance. That tree and the prison gate were the only two things to survive the destruction in 1944. It became a memorial to those who perished here and was covered with signs and posters listing the names of those to be remembered. The Pope even blessed it. Sadly, it dies in 1984 of blight, but the conservationists professionally restored it with reinforced concrete so the memorial could remain. 20 years later, the concrete tree was leaning precipitously and there were fears it would fall. A faithful replica was made of bronze, which is what stands in the space today, still adorned with plaques of those who perished and should never be forgotten. Shivers.

This visit certainly gives us something to think and talk about on our 45 minute walk back to the hotel. A little more than halfway there, we decide to stop for refreshments at a place called “The Mexican Restaurant.” Yeah, not big on creativity in these parts. We wouldn’t normally stop here, it looks sort of chain-ish, but it has a huge outdoor seating area under cover, which is a priority as it is clouding up pretty rapidly here. After a fairly long wait for service, I find they have Moldavian wine! Cool – wine from where my ancestors were born. Had no idea there was a wine region there, and, bonus, it is quite good. So fun stop – even if longer than we had planned.

Reaching the hotel, freshening up and catching up with the world, we plot our strategy for dinner and decide to forgo traditional Polish food and go with – are you ready – Vietnamese!  Hey, what can we say? We’ve had Polish cuisine this afternoon, tomorrow lunch and dinner are on our own, so we’re going Polish. We figured why not? Might as well change it up so we landed at La Ban, a couple blocks down from our hotel. Turns out to be an excellent choice, as this place is fabulous and totally authentic. We had Bun Cha, which we’ve not had since Hanoi, and it was out of this world.  Also had some shrimp fried spring rolls, beer and wine, and well, we were thoroughly happy!

Another successful day comes to completion. On to Krakow we go.