| Page Views: 8,285 Last Visit to Warsaw: September, 2004 | Warsaw Rising by AcornMan - last update: Jun 23, 2005 |
| Warsaw's symbol, the mermaid |
From August 20-September 4, 2004 I participated in a Habitat for Humanity Global Village trip to Poland to help build a six-unit apartment complex for families who could not otherwise afford decent housing of their own. We spent most of our time (12 days) in Warsaw, but even with the work schedule we still had a chance to see a lot of the city.
Warsaw was much more interesting and fun than I had anticipated. Although much of the city, especially the older parts, was almost completley destroyed during World War II, it has been almost completely rebuilt with an eye toward historical accuracy. A visitor who did not know about Warsaw's tragic past would probably have no idea that most of the historically significant buildings standing today are in most cases no more than 50 years old, and in many cases much younger than that even.
Today Warsaw is a city in transition. While memories of the Nazi occupation and subsequent communist control are still fresh in people's minds, the city is also home to gigantic shopping malls with all the latest products and clothing styles. A broad variety of pubs, clubs, restaurants, and cafes adds to the modern atmoshpere by providing an entertaining nightlife no matter what your tastes.
For westerners Warsaw is still clearly a second or even third-tier destination, but that could easily change if word gets out about everything this city has to offer (and the incredibly good bargains to be had for food, drinks, hotels, and tourist activities). I have to concede I never would have considered a visit to Warsaw if it hadn't been for the Habitat for Humanity trip, but I'm grateful that my eyes have been opened to this wonderful city and I'd love to return someday to visit my new friends there and explore the places I didn't have a chance to see during my first trip. |
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| Pros: | "Rich history, lively old town, excellent public transportation, inexpensive, terrific night life, and lots of great parks." | | Cons: | "None" | | In A Nutshell: | "Truly one of Europe's best kept secrets" |
AcornMan's Warsaw Travel Tips
AcornMan's Warsaw Travelogues | | | |
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Comments for AcornMan about Warsaw | | | | |
uglyscot Tue Mar 25, 2008 08:00 UTC Lots of useful tips here | embi40 Wed Jan 30, 2008 19:41 UTC Great page. My 11 yr old and I are going to Warsaw in March and your page/tips helped me out a lot. If nothing else, I feel like I'll know what to do and what to look for when we get there. | omidamini Sat Nov 3, 2007 07:43 UTC Warsaw , mmmmm , really is very nice VT page , thanks , i hope see you in My country Iran | CyberCroat Thu May 24, 2007 14:08 UTC Habitat fH idea looks like a great help to people in need. Nice of you to travel around and do stuff. Warsaw from your story looks appealing. |
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