Day 3 - Wasienki Park & Streetball Tournament

(Chels)Headed out to Wasienki Park today to watch the Chopin concert they do every Sunday. It was pretty sunny so I think everyone got their fair share of sun today....even my citizen eco drive watch (solar powered) so it was VERY happy. Wasienki was gorgeous. It is a King's palace, or summer home I believe and the grounds are now a public park for the people. It's not your typical American park. No sport fields, just well manicured grounds with a palace on a lake, statues, peacocks, weeping willows etc. After the park we took a bus into downtown and went to see a Polish streetball tournament my mom's godson Kuba was in. It was actually really cool because it was in old Warsaw at a high school were unless you took the back streets you would never know it was there. We got to watch a Slam Dunk tournament as well...All white Polish boys, and yes, they could dunk....Dad has some videos so hopefully we can upload them soon. We also stopped at a coffee place on Nowy Świat in Old Warsaw to get some piwo (beer) and lody (ice cream)....GREAT combination! Took the buses back home afterwards and came home as usual to a Thanksgiving style dinner - large and good! Still had left over Borsch with nalesniki (crepes) filled with a meat mixture and spices that Babcia (Grandma) made for us. It was good as usual. I also think all the walking helped also, but probably not enough for what we are eating.

Day 2 - Adventure into Warsaw

(Joe)Today we went to the market early in the morning to get water, because the water is not good to drink out of the tap we had to get bottled. We had to get more bottles because everyday we need to fill them at the city well. We bought fruit juices as well which are sold in one liter bottles which is not to surprisingly but still all the same different. An elderly woman asked me where something was today and of course I had no idea how to respond luckily we got Chelsea's grandpa to help her. But I felt pretty good being mistaken for a true polish native definitely but a smile on my face.

On to Old Warsaw we went, we took a tram there which was my first experience on one, much like a subway but still above ground. It was a pretty cool experience however very hot no air conditioning. And i learned one thing don't rest your arm on the window sill or you'll get a nice grease mark all over your arm that will eventually end up on your new white t-shirt and khaki pants lol. Oh well I suppose that's what laundry is for. Old Warsaw was amazing to see all the old buildings and structures was incredible, even the buildings that had been destroyed in WWII were rebuilt using paintings from the period so just seeing the history was a thrill. Got to eat lody (ice cream to you and me) and had a beer in the town square it was all in all a great experience. Saw the wall that used to surround Warsaw as well to protect it from invaders that was very cool, can't believe something that old is still standing. Even saw a church from the 13th century, you just don't see that everyday in the US. After a couple hours of walking home it was time to return home for dinner (aka lunch).

The soup of the day was borsch (beet soup) to be honest I was so scared to try it but it was the best, so good had home made tortellini in it filled with beef and pork so good, I could've eaten it forever. I found that a lot here that things I'm very scared to try and eat end up being one of my favorite new foods. After dinner and hanging out for a while we ended up walking to the local shop to pick up a plug adapter. However just watching the cars on the busy street is a thrill, they speed up as if it's a race to every traffic light, just made me think how quickly they must use up brakes in Poland lol. It is bumper to bumper driving with redline speeds and white knuckle intensity, I thought our interstate was like NASCAR shit they should just film Polish rush hour for NASCAR it's much more entertaining. Well I got to sign off here time for bed up early tomorrow to see a Chopin concert, which is Poland's national composer keep you updated.

Day 1 - bardzo zmęczony (very tired - Polish)

(Chels)Got into Warsaw Fryderyk Chopin Airport safely! Everyone clapped with our safe landing!
(JOE) Something we don't see everyday on American airlines. LOT pilots know how to touch down better than the continental pilots"... Also I got to eat my first inflight meal today, granted it was at 1 am and I was totally incoherent due to the recent dose of dramamine lol.
(Chels) At least you didn't have Danielle (aka Mono-breath, {inside joke}) drooling on your shoulder....and continuously changing position...Joe and dad felt they had to be the ones to pull off the luggage off the conveyer belt so mom snapped some candids and yes, they ARE candid shots...
(Joe)The taxi ride to grandmothers house was quite an experience never thought I would have so many small heart attacks. The taxi drivers are really good at their job and know how to navigate traffic but they definitely make your heart go into to your throat in the process.
(Chels)Wait till you drive w/ Grandpa....he doesn't have that "skill" the taxi drivers seem to have.....should have had you ride home w/ from the getgo! lol
More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51474578@N02/http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v346/isthenite/Warsaw/