46. Savoring

After a week in Russia, we were all ready to be back in Western culture. I, personally, was stoked, because I was hungry. Packing lunch from the grocery store was certainly getting old. And, frankly, I can lump Scandinavia into this deepening hunger for a good meal, because I hadn't had a truly well-balanced meal since Berlin. So. Hungry. And Poland had so many options! Adding to this was the fact that we were all savoring out last few days as a group. Awww.

And Warsaw did not disappoint! After WWI, Warsaw was flattened. It is shocking the rebound that this beautiful city has made. The old town area was rebuilt using paintings, drawings, sketches, and writings about the area. Mike recounted a tale about his first time in Warsaw, telling us that he asked a local where he should buy a ticket for the tram, garnering the response that no one in Warsaw pays for the tram. When he insisted, she told him to stop at a magazine stand, which he did and the vendor, when asked for a ticket for the tram, leaned over the counter and said, "You know you don't actually have to buy one, right?"

The Chopin Museum was really, really cool, even if my friends didn't seem to think the same. I--shocker--was really engaged by the library. The Uprising Museum was a favorite among all that went, and I think that it was a good way to come to understand exactly what went on in Poland. It was very interactive and there were plenty of engaging videos, and information about how the allied powers put Poland on a back burner and also used Poland's plight to rally troops. The dichotomy was truly intriguing.

Another highlight was the Warsaw Public Library. Before you judge me--the roof of the building is a garden. but not your typical roof garden, a lovely, large, engaging sprawling maze of a garden. I adored it!

On our last night out as a group, we headed out on the town, starting at a classic cocktail bar. They had an extensive cocktail list and everything was about the same price, so there was no sense in ordering my standard--plus I had had enough vodka for quite some time and this seemed like a good opportunity for a change. Singapore Sling it is! And the bartender took his job very seriously. Very seriously. I just about got my money's worth by watching him make it. I had forgotten what showmanship there can be in cocktail mixing at a nice Western establishment. Warsaw was a fantastic opportunity to savor Western food and drink that we had been missing, and to savor the last moments of togetherness before we all headed our separate ways the following morning.