Departure!
Alitalia flight AZ490 departing from Rome destination Warsaw. Flight on time and pleasant journey, even if on a flight so long (about 2.2 hours) I would have expected a fuller flight service (including payment of course). But you can not have everything in life, right? We arrived at Warsaw airport where we expect a cloudy weather with 7 degrees. Yes, I must say that the climate issue was one of the reasons for the initial fears and was the only one to be fully confirmed: in Poland is a cold but is certainly not in North Africa so it is normal that the climate has not yet "Spring." The first fear (or rather the first one) is to:
1) Change the money. I recommend you also read the numerous reviews on the web, do not change a lot of money in the airport because the exchange rate is very unfavorable. Conversion rate 1 € = 3.40 PLN (ie, that the Polish zloty, poor things, probably will leave in 2012 to make way for the euro). In town we have quietly changed to 3.75 and 3.80 near the central train station. So we changed a twenty euro just enough to go to town
2) Take a taxi or public transport. We read of alarmism about various taxi drivers in Warsaw (Poland and in general) but we are in Rome, where there is no doubt in the honesty category runaway ... and then we rely on taxis, carefully choosing one of those officers that we radiotexi said to be only the ones with the phone number on the side. To be more sure before you leave we ask candidly what it takes to get to our hotel and the driver says, "more or less than 35 PLN. That reassures me more or less and enter just turn on the meter and distrust silly now. The first change in a long line. Anyway at the airport you will find many people who quietly ask you if you need a taxi politely declined because I read that you will ask no less than 100 PLN.
The ride lasts no more than 15-20 minutes and the airport is 10 km from downtown. We head to our hotel, the Sofitel Victoria tower block with a frightening way mirrors located very close to the real road. We check in and gave us a beautiful double bedroom 5th floor directly overlooking the square of the Unknown Soldier just on the busy (so to speak) Królewska Ul. The room is very large with a sofa and armchair, TV with 32 international channels including 2 Italians, free internet access both wired and wi-fi, two bottles of mineral water and free tea and coffee throughout your stay. The accessories are safe and complete with all the need for the bathroom. Ah, the bathroom is brand new, big and clean. Everything is really perfect that even the cleaning lady every night leaves us with two chocolate Easter bunnies on the table.
We head straight for the center because the languor is felt (it's almost 14) but before we move from the hotel concierge for a map of the city (free): it tells us right away, not a little discouraging, that we will find everything closed by Easter. We are then told that the card bus is unnecessary (and will be right) because all the interesting things are close. We are heading towards the Old Town (Stare Miasto) on the prestigious Royal Road (Krakowskie Przedmiescie). The impact is very good, elegant, neat and clean ... but we are desperate for something to put under your teeth and we understand that will be hard ... everything is closed, chiusissimo. The end is a kiosk that sells hot dogs and pizza and we refresh. On the Castle Square (Plac Zamkowy) are witnessing a fight between a bunch of people ... to hit a pillow! Take a pillow, under the watchful eye of police, until it is just one! Incredible, we did not know if it is a tradition of Easter, or if it impromptu. We walk in the Old Town, very pretty and nice feature with the colorful houses, seems to be in a crib in Naples. The impressive thing is that in reality all of Old Town (and also most of the new one) was full completely rebuilt after World War II when the Nazis have completely destroyed all its houses and monuments. Incredibles, are buildings that have 60 years and seem to have at least 300 ... were great. This is one of the reasons why I think again: a nation at once, die-hard who has made great courage and is allocated to the good!. We walk and we see long queues outside the Church: they are all lined up patiently to bless the eggs for Easter. All colored boiled eggs and placed in wicker baskets covered with tiny crocheted fabrics. An incredible sight, moving that lasts until the evening when the churches close to the 22. On churchyards are however thousands of candles lit by the faithful who will stay there all day on Easter Monday. In the evening the temperature drops and fatigue starts to bite, and then we go to eat. We choose a Polish restaurant that had hit inside because it was rather austere and furnished with ancient armor, and because it proposed a couple of dishes that we wanted to try duck honey duck with blueberries. The place is called and is located at Ul Zapraszmay Szeroki Dunaj 11 in the old town. We ate well, drank vodka bison Zubrowka classic, made with herbs that feed the bison. We spent about € 22 a head including beer and a cake in two rivers. Then to bed.
Easter sunday
On Easter morning we have breakfast in your room or do-it-yourself using the free coffee and croissants and two that we bought in a bakery open. The fact breakfast is not included in the price of the room and honestly the price seemed really over: 16 € per person per day when the chamber has cost € 70 in two ... we head, having beautiful sunny day at the two parks citizens that we really read a lot of good. So we take the royal road and head on the opposite side of the old city to Ujazdòw Park where there is the eponymous castle until Lazienki Park. This is a real gem: a landscaped park, tree-lined streets, lawn and dozens of squirrels that come to eat acorns from your hands (try it). Inside the park, the Palace on the unmissable, an ancient royal residence but also the Belvedere was home to a historical character Poland, Marshal Josef Pilsudski. The park is filled with people dressed in elegant walk: many are the elders of the family and everyone has left the mass. It 'an incredible sight. At the park you can eat at the restaurant of Belvedere (rather expensive) or close to the moated castle you can buy waffles with above all else: cream and fruit, whipped cream and chocolate and hazelnut ice cream ... amazing variations. It is a bit 'in a row but then the result is guaranteed: a caloric bomb that will accompany you until the evening. From our hotel to get to the park took us half an hour but the day was really beautiful it deserved a nice walk. After being refreshed we headed to the train station to buy train tickets to Krakow, the destination of the day on Easter Monday. We take the opportunity also to see the Palace of Culture and Science which is located just opposite the station. The Palac Kultury i Nauki is a gift from Stalin to the Polish population. With his 200 passing yards and is currently the tallest building in Poland, but unfortunately, due to the Easter holidays is closed because otherwise you can climb to the top to admire the panorama of Warsaw from above. Too bad. At the station struggled just to make us understand and especially to overcome the mistrust of the lady of tickets that will not make us the tickets! Day because he says that "Krakow and worth the ticket cost a lot." Luckily I had printed from the website of the Polish railways with the route daily and the number of the train and then I offer you sheets and you, rather than raised, copy diligently. The intercity train, it takes 2.5 hours for 300 miles and costs a bang of money (the lady was right!): As many as 60 € a / ra person. Incredible! After a ride to the hotel for a well deserved rest we go downtown to dine and find so many people still walk and eat on the street that late hour (for them!) At 21.00 in the restaurants ... all inside to eat. We go to an inn serving Bavarian cuisine (Restauracja Bawarski) where we eat a good goulash (but a little poor). When the waiter asks us nice "dessert?" We respond with a "bratwurst" or two 20 cm sausages with sauerkraut and fried potatoes! We close with vodka and unfailing greetings