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Poland 2002 - Warsaw  Warsaw is an awesome city; if you're in Poland you should have no reservations about visiting it. Many people attempted to dissuade us from going, but the city was an absolute pleasure. Without a doubt, our greatest regret was that we didn't spend another night in Warsaw.
Much of the city was reconstructed after World War II, so you're not going to find many authentically old buildings. But how many of you reading this are art historians or architects? I thought so. So there's no reason for you to skip Warsaw. The reconstructed buildings are beautiful. The old town section is a joy to walk through. The Park is a great place to go dancing, and there are cafes and bars galore to sample, so go! Warsaw is also relatively easy to get around. The public transportation is pretty straightforward. For more on this, visit the Useful Information page. The Stadium was our greatest shopping adventure in Poland. It is a huge, outdoor bazaar where you can buy anything. It is called The Stadium because it borders a soccer field. Rumor has it that a polar bear was sold at The Stadium. Even if the rumor is only that, this should tell you something about the mystique of this fabulous place.  The vendors set up their wares on makeshift tables. A stream of traffic moves steadily through. There is much shoving and the potential to lose one's balance (and also, rumor has it, your wallet, so be careful). Among the items for sale are tons of contraband CD's, video games, and DVD's. These have been copied from originals and packaged in laser or ink-jetted covers that almost match the originals in quality. Let the buyer beware— some of the CD's I bought were of pretty poor quality, but at $2.50 a pop the risk is negligible.
Oh, and much of this is illegal, too. So, every once in a while a sort of prairie dog town warning whistle goes up, at which point the vendors peddling their illegal CDs roll a strip of foam on top of their merchandise, then throw socks or shoelaces on top of the foam, as if to suggest to the police that the thousands who go to The Stadium each day are braving the crowds for cheap shoelaces. After buying contraband Tatu CD's, top 20 Eurodance CD's, Jan Wayne's abysmal (but at $2.50 tolerable) Back Again!, and a polar bear, DJ Cyberian Tyger and I were satiated. Introduction to our Poland trip Krakow (1) Kryjowka, Krakow Auschwitz Lublin (1) Lublin (2) Warsaw The Park, Warsaw Some interesting information Some useful information
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