Warsaw

Warsaw was an easy city to explore on our bicycles. The streets were broad, the parks clean and tidy. No litter or smelly drains, even though it was over 90 degrees every day. We stayed at a campsite approximately 4km from the old city centre as it was the closest. It was expensive, the attitude of the staff wasn't great and it was in a shoddy state of repair. 
The Market Square at the centre of Warsaw old town had been completely destroyed in World War Two. It has been reconstructed to its original pre war state and given UNESCO  World Heritage Status.  

We didn't know that it was a commemorative day until we arrived at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There was a parade in progress in the surrounding square involving representatives of various armed services, dignitaries and veterans. It was also being filmed for National TV.  A boy scout holding a flag above his head with information written on it told us that it was the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising on August 1st 1944, known as W Day. Warsaw was in a terrible position during the war, many of the people were starving.

Military Parade, commemorating the Warsaw Uprising on 1st August 1944

The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier, Warsaw

At 5pm we were sitting on the steps in the castle square next to the Old Market Place. The band stopped playing  as fire tenders set their sirens off in a long continuous blast which went on for over a minute.  An off duty fireman standing close to us set off a flare and a horse with a carriage nearly jumped out of its skin when it started. 

Smoke from the flare as the sirens sounded

There was a huge shopping mall near our campsite and the next day I visited the Carrefour to buy a few supplies. As I went in I noticed a designated parking space with the outline of a pregnant  lady painted on the tarmac. I thought it would be nice not to have to walk too far to the shops if you were expecting a baby.  As I was ambling around the supermarket I noticed the unmistakable smell of stale urine near the crates of peaches imported from Greece, not really believing these to be the source I then saw an elderly couple with a small basket doing their shopping. I felt sad for them, their basket contained one piece of meat, one piece of cheese and they were looking for something on the dairy counter. I wondered if they were Polish and had been in Warsaw at the time of the uprising. I wished I could communicate with them, what would they think of this vast supermarket? Did they feel overwhelmed by the quantity and choice of food? So  much has changed since that terrible time. They would have been little children then. I completed my shopping and queued for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, I placed my items on the conveyor and a man rushed up to the cashier and spoke rapidly and with urgency. A young woman was let through and I could see that she was pregnant.  I moved my stuff away so she wouldn't have to wait. I was impressed by this duty of care in Polish society and hoped that when the elderly couple arrived at a till they wouldn't have to wait and would be ushered to the head of the queue. 

Statue of Boy Soldier wearing fireman's helmet in Warsaw