Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Warsaw

  • Warsaw – Hoppiness

    Warsaw – Hoppiness

    Another pub on my little craft beer tour of Warsaw, this is a centrally located bar which is well reviewed and a little understated, which I like. It wasn’t particularly busy when I arrived, although a Friday afternoon isn’t perhaps really ever going to be a time when venues are packed out. Other than some Wetherspoons, which seem permanently busy and sometimes I’m never sure where all their customers come from.

    The beer menu was clear, with a well balanced choice of options, all nicely curated. The staff member was friendly and engaging, as well as speaking perfect English.

    The first beer I went for the pastry stout, a beer which had a suitably sweet taste, although no real depth to it. The flavour was though pleasant and the ABV is only 2.5%, so the lack of richness wasn’t surprising. Perfectly acceptable though. As a positive, the bar has placed its beer list on-line, so customers can see what’s available before they come in and they can also see when it was made available.

    I’m not entirely sure what the difference is between an imperial stout and a baltic porter and my main source of information isn’t to hand, but I suspect that they’re similar. However, I decided that I didn’t really need a 8.5% ABV beer in the afternoon, so I switched to the lemon tart sour ale from the Pracownia Brewery in Krakow. This was beautiful, a rich and smooth taste of lemon which ran through the beer, with the beer not tasting too sour. Very drinkable and it didn’t feel like it had a 6.2% ABV, very lovely.

    I then thought that I’d better get food, so I went for the Texan burger which had cheese, bacon and onion rings in it. Pleasingly presented, I liked that I was asked how I wanted the burger cooked, since the best way is always medium in my view. I was also offered a choice of bun, with the food being brought out promptly. The burger itself was way above average, indeed one of the best I’ve had. It might not have been the largest burger patty that I’ve had, but it was tender, full of flavour and cooked just perfectly. The bacon had no uncooked fat on it, so I didn’t have to meticulously pick that off, with the cheese adding that extra bit of taste. The onion rings were fine, albeit generic, and the tomato was unexciting, that mushy type which seems to be almost commonplace now. However, those two minor elements apart, this was an accomplished plate of food (well, tray of food) and everything was hot.

    Overall, I liked this bar very much, so it’s my first entrant into the 2020 Pub of the Year award (that I compile to amuse only really myself). The service was friendly, the food was decent and the beer selection was interesting and appealing. The cost was around £11, for two large beers and the burger & chips, which isn’t unreasonable given that I was in the centre of a capital city. I try not to revisit the same place, given how many restaurants and bars there are to choose from, but I may well come back here, especially if there are some tempting beers….

  • Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Polychrome Statue of Saint Barbara)

    Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Polychrome Statue of Saint Barbara)

    This polychrome wooden statue comes from St. Elizabeth’s Church in Wrocław (a church I’ve visited) and dates to the early fifteenth century. It’s in a good state of repair and represents Saint Barbara, who is usually presented with a tower or chains.

    The church the statue is from is interesting as it was Catholic from when it was built in the fourteenth century until the Reformation in 1525, then Protestant until 1946 when it became Catholic again. History is full of quirks, if Hitler hadn’t started the Second World War then it’s likely that this statue would still be in the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts in Wrocław and the church from where it once came from would likely still be Protestant.

  • Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Legend of Saint Hedwig of Silesia – Triptych Wings from Wroclaw)

    Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Legend of Saint Hedwig of Silesia – Triptych Wings from Wroclaw)

    These triptych wings are in outstanding condition, given that they were originally painted on wooden panels in the 1430s or 1440s. They were constructed to be placed on an altar at the Church of St. Bernardine of Siena in Wrocław, a church which still survives although has been much modified and is now a museum. The monks were ordered to leave the monastery by the town council in 1522, as this was a city that was influenced by the writings of Martin Luther.

    The construction of a church.

    The caring for the ill.

    What entirely puzzles me is how and why these triptych wings survived. Their survival during the Second World War isn’t surprising as they were likely housed in Silesia, part of German then, but they had already made it through over 400 years since they were removed from the church. I assume that they were kept by a Catholic family, but there’s little obvious provenance other than the wings were probably later on housed at the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts, which closed in 1945.

  • Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko)

    Warsaw – National Museum in Warsaw (Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko)

    This is no insignificant painting either in measurement, 10 metres by 4 metres, or in terms of its history and heritage. It was painted by Jan Matejko and is of the battle which took place in 1410 which was seen as an important victory for the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The artist started work on the painting in 1872 and it wasn’t completed until 1878, with its first owner being the Warsaw banker, Dawid Rosenblum.

    The painting is a significant one in Polish history and so when the Germans took over the city of Warsaw during the Second World War, this was an artwork which they wanted to seize and destroy. Joseph Goebbels offered a reward of 10,000,000 Marks for anyone who could locate it, with some Polish citizens dying rather than admit to where it was hidden. It was actually located in a stable near Lublin (although some reports say it was hidden within a library), successfully making it through the war unharmed, although in need of restoration. The Germans did know that the painting was somewhere near Lublin, but they never received anything more precise than that to help them locate it. After the post-war restoration work had been completed, the artwork was placed in the National Museum in Warsaw, where it has been since, other than periods of time when it has been loaned out to other institutions.

    The painting itself is complex and quite cluttered, it’s beyond my historical knowledge to really understand what’s going on. However, it’s a monumental artwork and someone could perhaps look at it for hours before saying that they could really comprehend it. The history of how it survived is though one of the most intriguing elements about this artwork and its placement on an end wall within the gallery gives almost a sense of theatre to the painting.

  • Warsaw – Tchorek Plaques (Solidarności Avenue)

    Warsaw – Tchorek Plaques (Solidarności Avenue)

    Tchorek Plaques are memorials around Warsaw which commemorate those who died and were injured in the city during the Second World War. The text on them reads “a place sanctified by the blood of Poles who died for the freedom of their homeland” and there’s further information which explains their relevance. They’re an important reminder of the city’s past and there are literally hundreds of them around the city.

    The memorial in the above photo marks where on 11 October 1943, forty Poles were shot on the street on the orders of the Austrian Franz Kutschera. He had taken up his new role as SS and Police Leader on 22 September 1943, but his evil meant that the Kedyw, a section of the Polish Home Army, assassinated him on 1 February 1944. The Germans killed 400 innocent Polish people, chosen at random, in retaliation for the murder.

    Located just a few metres away is this memorial, placed on the remainder of a building which once stood here. This memorial also marks killings ordered by Kutschera, with thirty Poles being shot here on 26 October 1943. At the time, this was also the intersection with Rymarska Street, but the road layout has changed and this street no longer exists.

    File:Plac Bankowy w Warszawie przed 1939.jpg

    Rymarska Street, on the right, before the Second World War.

  • Warsaw – Hotel Bellotto

    Warsaw – Hotel Bellotto

    This isn’t the hotel that I’m staying at, since I’m not made of money, but it’s an interesting building. It was originally built in the late sixteenth century and was designed to be used as the residence of the bishop, hence its current name of the Primate’s Palace. Like many things in the city, it was destroyed during the Swedish Wars in the 1650s and its replacement was also damaged during attacks in the early eighteenth century.

    Wings were added on both sides of the main building in the late eighteenth century.

    The building ceased to be used as a residence for bishops in 1795, thereafter being used by numerous governmental institutions. It was damaged badly early on during the Second World War, in September 1939, but was repaired following the end of the conflict. In the post-war period, the building was initially used for civic purposes, but was then turned into a hotel. The transformation into a hotel was recent, in 2015, with the former offices turned into rooms and minimal interior changes were made. The cellars were cleared out, two elevators were installed and twenty rooms and suites were created, with the hotel being five-star rated.

    More about the hotel here.

  • Warsaw – Swinging Chairs on the Royal Route

    Warsaw – Swinging Chairs on the Royal Route

    This is an interesting take on public benches, located along the Royal Route in Warsaw. How very modern.

  • Warsaw – Ibis Warsaw Centrum

    Warsaw – Ibis Warsaw Centrum

    I have quite a few stays in Warsaw planed for the next few weeks, this is the first of them in a hotel located around a 20-minute walk from the old town of the city. The welcome was friendly and engaging, with the staff member speaking perfect English.

    The bar area, which didn’t shut until 01:00, with food being served until around 23:00.

    To keep things simple, which I like, the hotel has listed the drinks which are included with the voucher for members of the loyalty scheme. The complimentary beer options were though extremely limited, although I suspect that this will start to gradually change over the next few years. There is a wider selection of beers on the regular drinks menu, but it’s still relatively limited.

    I went for the Żywiec, which took a little longer than expected as the barrel needed changing, but it tasted like it was meant to.

    The room, which was clean and comfortable with everything working as it should. It was on the sixth floor, so my usual plan to use the stairs was partly abandoned.

    The welcome amenity, fruit and breadsticks.

    The breakfast area.

    The salad items, although it’s the pickles which I particularly like.

    The breakfast area didn’t feel busy, even at what was probably one of their busier times of the morning, so all very relaxed. There were hot dog sausages, cold meats, cold cheeses, breads, cereals and machines serving coffees and juices.

    The only minor flaw I found with the hotel was they hadn’t cleaned the room by around 17:00 when I got back, although there was some clattering about outside a few minutes later, so I don’t think they’d forgotten and it was just being down later on. At this juncture, I put the privacy sign on the door so as to avoid traipsing downstairs whilst they cleaned the room (it’s very awkward trying to sit in a room being cleaned, as it’s near impossible not to be in the way). Although, if I had known this in advance, I’d have left the privacy sign up throughout the day and claimed the 100 Accor points which are available for guests who don’t want the room cleaned.

    I thought I’d have a little look on TripAdvisor for some of the more intriguing reviews. This one amused me:

    “Although we believed this was rated as 4* it was in fact no better than a hostel. The clue was a table football machine in the lobby. The room was clean but small and very basic. I towel per guest. No soap. Minute sized single pillows.
    Breakfast was adequate but overpriced. The staff in the main were helpful. It is situated on a semi main road by the side of tram tracks and therefore can be noisy. There are no facilities close other than a small supermarket next door and a bar within walking distance.. For what is offered this is too expensive. The clincher was the free bottled water but without a bottle opener.”

    Must have been galling for the staff to read this, although they replied professionally. Especially since Ibis self-declares itself as a two-star hotel and I’m not sure many mid-tier hotels offer soap any more, it’s nearly always liquid shower gel and soap. I’m intrigued about the lack of facilities since the hotel has its own restaurant and bar, perhaps some guests want a football stadium within the hotel. I was amused at the bottled water comment, as I momentarily pondered this, until looking at them and seeing that they were twist tops……

    “There was no English Breakfast – it was all salad and ham!! There was no Beans, Mushrooms, Fried Tomatoes, no hash browns or bacon.”

    No English breakfast in Poland, whatever next…..

    Overall, the hotel staff were all friendly, the room was clean and it was a peaceful and relaxed environment. Reasonably priced and just a short walk to the centre of Warsaw.

  • Warsaw – Krzyż Papieski (Papal Cross)

    Warsaw – Krzyż Papieski (Papal Cross)

    This is the site in the centre of Warsaw, at Piłsudski Square, where Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass on his first Papal pilgrimage to Poland. The Pope was instrumental in the transition of Poland from a communist influenced country to a fully fledged democracy. It was when the Pope said:

    “I cry out from the depths of this millennium – let your Spirit descend and renew the face of the earth. The face of this land.”

  • Warsaw – Cafe Kafka

    Warsaw – Cafe Kafka

    Located near to the Chopin Museum, this is a literary cafe and that’s something which I don’t think should be readily ignored….

    Books, which can be purchased either individually or by paying 10zl (around £2) per kilo.

    The cafe’s interior, all clean and comfortable.

    The coffee was well presented and had a richness of taste to it. There’s not table service here, or at least I ordered at the counter, with the staff members being helpful and friendly. As per usual, I ordered in Polish and the staff member replied in English with the price, so my accent is obviously coming along beautifully.

    Raisins? The little gingerbread figure was an agreeable touch.

    Anyway, very lovely and reasonably priced. There’s also a nice lawned area to the side of the cafe, ideal for sitting outside during the warmer months of the year.