Compared to the US, Poles tend to be more environmentally friendly at the stores than we Americans. I don't know when this all began, but all I know is that when I arrived here, reusable grocery bags made of fabric were already being sold and used all over the place. When we traveled to Ireland, one of our first trips, I was taken back by having to pay for a plastic grocery bag at a Tesco in Dublin. The message was clear - plastic is out, fabric is in.
Since then, I have bought my share of these fabric bags. However, my biggest problem is that I never remember to bring them with me to the store. My other problem is that they sell the bags with the store logo. So, what if I bought the bag at Tesco, but I am shopping at REAL. It's like taking your McDonald's meal to Burger King and eating it there.
I don't know about you, but I find plenty of use for those plastic bags. The primary one is using the plastic bags as trash bags for my small wastebaskets. I also send them with Nicholas when he has swimming at school in the hopes that his swimsuit and towels will come back in that bag rather than his backpack. I also use them to make a little "carry me upstairs and put me away" bag for the kids when they leave little toys lying around. I recycle those thing like crazy.
Well, now, stores like Carrefour and Real are making me think twice about not bringing my bags. Actually, they are just making me think about driving the extra 5 miles to Auchan! Carrefour and Real have decided to charge a zloty for each plastic bag you use. Now, not only do I have to bag my own groceries at these establishments, but I have to pay the equivalent of 30-35 cents (USD) per bag for that "pleasure". It's just wrong!
Hello Auchan!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Rules of the Road...what rules?
Sometimes living in a foreign country, you just cannot believe some of the things you see. Today was one of those days.
I left the house to head over to my friend's baby shower. I am about to turn left on a major 6 lane divided thoroughfare. As my double turn lane begins to make its way, I hear an ambulance. So, our turn lane slows. Wish I could say the same for the ongoing traffic trying to cross the street. One car really thought he could beat the ambulance. But, in the end, the ambulance ended up beating him, or should we say his/her car. The ambulance plowed right into the passenger side of the car. There was definitely an impact there. Personally, the idiot deserved it for not giving the ambulance the right of way.
Ok, so I continue driving because there were plenty of onlookers who presumably spoke Polish better than me and could serve as witnesses. I get to the next intersection to make another left. This is the one intersection that requires more patience out of me than any other.
In most places (even in Warsaw) when two cars in opposite directions are making left turns, you align your cars passenger side to passenger side. Simple enough, but not at this particular intersection. For some reason, no matter when I try to turn, drivers insist on aligning the cars driver's side to driver's side. What happen is that if you have more than one car waiting in line to turn left, they literally block the row of cars opposite them trying to make a left. Do you see logic to this because I certainly do not?
While living here, I have been witness and unwillingly taken part in triple car turn lanes that are more often than not made up by drivers rather than the transportation authority. Most recently, I was part of a triple U-turn. I was where I was supposed to be, but my Polish counterparts decided to make a U-turn in synchrony with mine. It is no wonder that they have signs like this one. They actually have signs warning pedestrians that they may be hit by a car! Really, they are for drivers, but no one seems to care. For some of the more amusing road signs, you can read this blog.
I am sure this is one aspect of Warsaw I will not miss. But, then again, I may wish I am back in Warsaw where the rules of the road are really just guidelines when I am stuck in traffic and wishing I could "legally" get ahead.
I left the house to head over to my friend's baby shower. I am about to turn left on a major 6 lane divided thoroughfare. As my double turn lane begins to make its way, I hear an ambulance. So, our turn lane slows. Wish I could say the same for the ongoing traffic trying to cross the street. One car really thought he could beat the ambulance. But, in the end, the ambulance ended up beating him, or should we say his/her car. The ambulance plowed right into the passenger side of the car. There was definitely an impact there. Personally, the idiot deserved it for not giving the ambulance the right of way.
Ok, so I continue driving because there were plenty of onlookers who presumably spoke Polish better than me and could serve as witnesses. I get to the next intersection to make another left. This is the one intersection that requires more patience out of me than any other.
In most places (even in Warsaw) when two cars in opposite directions are making left turns, you align your cars passenger side to passenger side. Simple enough, but not at this particular intersection. For some reason, no matter when I try to turn, drivers insist on aligning the cars driver's side to driver's side. What happen is that if you have more than one car waiting in line to turn left, they literally block the row of cars opposite them trying to make a left. Do you see logic to this because I certainly do not?
While living here, I have been witness and unwillingly taken part in triple car turn lanes that are more often than not made up by drivers rather than the transportation authority. Most recently, I was part of a triple U-turn. I was where I was supposed to be, but my Polish counterparts decided to make a U-turn in synchrony with mine. It is no wonder that they have signs like this one. They actually have signs warning pedestrians that they may be hit by a car! Really, they are for drivers, but no one seems to care. For some of the more amusing road signs, you can read this blog.
I am sure this is one aspect of Warsaw I will not miss. But, then again, I may wish I am back in Warsaw where the rules of the road are really just guidelines when I am stuck in traffic and wishing I could "legally" get ahead.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Leaving Warsaw
It is official. We are returning to the United States. We are actually quite happy to be coming back (especially in time for the holidays). It will be a stressful time, but I am sure everything will work itself out.
I was a bit concerned about how Thing 1 would react to the unexpected news.
Thing 1: "Will the kids in my new school speak English?"
Me: "Yes."
Thing 1: "Yes!"Can my friends visit me?
Me: Of course, but it may not be for a while.
His next concern...
Thing 1: How will Santa Claus know where to find me?
Me: We will send him a forwarding address with your letter.
Thing 1: Ohhh!
So simple at this age.
The other one is not so simple. My pseudo Polish daughter has no idea what awaits her in her home country that she thinks is a "new" country. She keeps arguing with me that she is Polish and it's hard to argue with a 2 year old.
While I have started reading stories about moving, it will mean nothing to her until the movers and boxes arrive in a few weeks. She senses the impending stress and she is throwing tantrums, acting out, etc. Tonight she actually had the nerve to tell me "I losing my patience." "Losing your patience?", I replied. "You don't know what patience is - this is (pointing to self) is losing your patience." The other day she told me "You're being difficult." I think her primary defense mechanism is projection (it may be mine as well).
It is going to be a long month!
So, while the Cat heads out (with our two furry children) to find us a place to live and a vehicle, I will stay behind with my human kids to help them through their last days of schools and oversee the pack out. Instead of decorating for the holidays, I will be spending my days sifting through 2 1/2 years of stuff and trying to get rid of as much as possible so that we stay within our weight limit.
Part of me is sad to leave Warsaw, especially so soon. There are always thing you put off until next time and now there really won't be a next time. I will be very sad to leave all my friends from the Embassy, Mums and Tots and others I met along the way through AFW and ASW. For me, it has been a positive experience overall and I hope to come back in 15-20 years when Poland finally moves out of the "80's" and into the "90's" or even the new millenium!
I was a bit concerned about how Thing 1 would react to the unexpected news.
Thing 1: "Will the kids in my new school speak English?"
Me: "Yes."
Thing 1: "Yes!"Can my friends visit me?
Me: Of course, but it may not be for a while.
His next concern...
Thing 1: How will Santa Claus know where to find me?
Me: We will send him a forwarding address with your letter.
Thing 1: Ohhh!
So simple at this age.
The other one is not so simple. My pseudo Polish daughter has no idea what awaits her in her home country that she thinks is a "new" country. She keeps arguing with me that she is Polish and it's hard to argue with a 2 year old.
While I have started reading stories about moving, it will mean nothing to her until the movers and boxes arrive in a few weeks. She senses the impending stress and she is throwing tantrums, acting out, etc. Tonight she actually had the nerve to tell me "I losing my patience." "Losing your patience?", I replied. "You don't know what patience is - this is (pointing to self) is losing your patience." The other day she told me "You're being difficult." I think her primary defense mechanism is projection (it may be mine as well).
It is going to be a long month!
So, while the Cat heads out (with our two furry children) to find us a place to live and a vehicle, I will stay behind with my human kids to help them through their last days of schools and oversee the pack out. Instead of decorating for the holidays, I will be spending my days sifting through 2 1/2 years of stuff and trying to get rid of as much as possible so that we stay within our weight limit.
Part of me is sad to leave Warsaw, especially so soon. There are always thing you put off until next time and now there really won't be a next time. I will be very sad to leave all my friends from the Embassy, Mums and Tots and others I met along the way through AFW and ASW. For me, it has been a positive experience overall and I hope to come back in 15-20 years when Poland finally moves out of the "80's" and into the "90's" or even the new millenium!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Captain Underpants
We went to dinner the other night at the Pizza Hut at Arkadia Mall. Don't know why, but that is my favorite mall here with the exception of its screwed up parking garage layout. I don't know how anyone gets out alive.
Anyway, Christmas is in full swing here. The stores are all decked out in their window displays. I still can't used to the season starting this early, but I guess they don't really have a Thanksgiving to mark the occasion. They get started after their Independence Day.
Pizza Hut is conveniently located next to Smyk, the children's clothing and toy store. So, of course, my little people wanted to visit after seeing the huge teddy bear dressed like Santa that moved. Because you know we have never been to Disney World and seen a large animated character!
Most stores in this chain have some sort of tunnel like jungle gym (like those at Chuck E Cheese) that leads to a slide that dumps you in a ball pit. So, the kids wanted to climb up there. So off they go while the Cat and I stand there watching. All is well for a few minutes until I start paying attention to the kids running in and out of this thing. I had to do a double take: there was a boy, older and bigger than Thing 1, running around in his black UNDERWEAR! I mean if it was Batman I would get it. If it were summer, it might be less creepy. But it is like 30 degrees outside - where are his pants??? Is it that I am so NOT European that I am a bit weirded out by this? I promptly asked the kids to put on their shoes so we could leave.
Anyway, Christmas is in full swing here. The stores are all decked out in their window displays. I still can't used to the season starting this early, but I guess they don't really have a Thanksgiving to mark the occasion. They get started after their Independence Day.
Pizza Hut is conveniently located next to Smyk, the children's clothing and toy store. So, of course, my little people wanted to visit after seeing the huge teddy bear dressed like Santa that moved. Because you know we have never been to Disney World and seen a large animated character!
Most stores in this chain have some sort of tunnel like jungle gym (like those at Chuck E Cheese) that leads to a slide that dumps you in a ball pit. So, the kids wanted to climb up there. So off they go while the Cat and I stand there watching. All is well for a few minutes until I start paying attention to the kids running in and out of this thing. I had to do a double take: there was a boy, older and bigger than Thing 1, running around in his black UNDERWEAR! I mean if it was Batman I would get it. If it were summer, it might be less creepy. But it is like 30 degrees outside - where are his pants??? Is it that I am so NOT European that I am a bit weirded out by this? I promptly asked the kids to put on their shoes so we could leave.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Polish Independence Day Parade (or How Not to Put on a Parade)
Today is Veteran's Day in the US and Independence Day in Poland. Polish Independence Day is not connected to WWII, but more like the end of WWI when the country that had been partitioned by Prussian, Germany and Austria took that land back and once again became present day Poland. It's a big to do here with different celebrations throughout the country. So, we decided to get together with friends and check it out.
Maybe I should have watched the Polish news channel, but I figured that running a search for "Polish Independence Day parades in Warsaw" would be sufficient to bring me some information about the festivities, location and time. But, not in Poland. I didn't even care if the information was in Polish, i just wanted some info. Nope. The best I could find was the site for a local college that mentioned some festivities (in English). I forgot to ask friends before the holiday and by the time I e-mailed everyone, they were all off for their long holiday weekends. So, we decided to wing it and take the tourist bus downtown and go where everyone else was going.
Having been to other so called parades in Warsaw. I didn't have high expectations for these festivities. I actually had a bit of deja vu because everyone was getting off at the same area (Nowy Swiat/Aleje Jerozolimskie) where the last Polish "parade" that I tried to attend supposedly took place. But, we got off anyway, since we saw large crowds of people and some Polish tanks. It was a gorgeous fall day. Temps didn't get above 55 F which is fairly warm when you consider that two years ago we had already had our first snow.
We walked down the route that has become so familiar to us over our years here. I asked a police officer where to find the parade and he told me to walk towards Plac Zamkowy. Another guy told me that the parade would come down toward Nowy Swiat from Old Town starting at noon. Great! Finally, some info.
We packed lunches in backpacks since we are always warned that everything is closed on holidays. Some restaurants were open, but I was glad we packed lunches because the crowds were a bit much. We found some open benches on the street around 11:30 and everyone had their sandwiches before we moved on.
We walked towards the Copernicus monument where there was lots of hoopla going on, but it had nothing to do with a parade. It was the Independence Day 10K Run. We climbed up on the monument (yes this is allowed in Poland) and watched thinking that after the runners take off the parade would come through.
Uh....NO! We notice that the crowd is moving towards Old Town. So, we start following. My friend asked a lady about the parade and was told that it would be coming down this way at 1:30. That was almost an hour away! So, we stake a spot on the sidewalk. Mind you, there is no roped off area. If I had just arrived and was wandering the streets of Warsaw, I would have no markers to indicate that some parade or procession would soon be coming through (although I would have found the massive amounts of people odd for winter).
This is my biggest pet peeve about Polish festivals and parades. It is very disorganized. You can't tell where anything is taking place. This is the reason that this my 3rd Independence Day here, yet only the first and last that I have attended. Having an area roped off to view the parade would have been a great help in just indicating the parade route and, much more, in staking out a spot and in keeping other people out.
But, despite this, we waited. Here is where it gets dicey. I love my Polish friends - really, they are nice, polite, and very decent people. But, I can't say the same of the strangers I saw today. Get a group of Poles together (especially strangers) and it is a clusterf***. It's like the few Americans that give the USA a bad reputation. Only this was on a much larger scale.
We were on the edge of the sidewalk where we were "supposed" to be had a rope been drawn around the parade route. This did not stop large group of Poles from creating their own area in front of us, thereby blocking the view that we had arrived early to get. The police? Not very useful and you can tell that the people really had no respect for their authority. All I could think of was how orderly parades must have been when the Communists were in control. It is sad that people can't be self disciplined unless they have a gun or the threat of being shot before them.
So, our nice little spot on the sidewalk was taken over by people who really should not have been there in the first place. Finally, we hear a band playing. They march right up to within feet of us and stop. And they wait. The entire crowd that had created the fake parade route viewing area, now turns around and is made to move further away because they were looking the wrong way. Furthermore, they were blocking the street. Part of this parade is horse drawn carriages, military tanks, vehicles and personnel marching in formation. But, really the way these folks had positioned themselves, it was hard for anyone to get through.
So what do they do? They pretend they didn't know that they were in the wrong spot and proceed to come over to the real parade route viewing area (where we are) and squishing into us as if we weren't even there. People were very upset about this, but the ones that managed to squeak their way in were really jerks. People were standing shoulder to shoulder and if one person moved, you could easily topple the crowd. I could barely get my arm up to snap a picture.
Then, the procession begins with the band and as the band moves on the music fades. No music through speakers here. The band was followed by different branches of the military dressed in different military uniforms representing different eras of the Polish military. This was followed by vehicles and small scale tanks.
We had enough by the time the vehicles started rolling out. We started heading back, walking quite a bit through a street with horse manure (because their horses don't even have those bags that are attached to horses in the US to prevent such droppings) towards our Embassy to try to catch a bus that didn't look like a can of sardines on wheels. Like Thing 1's friend said "it was the worst parade ever!" But, coming from the US where parades are very well done, how can Poland compete. Anything that doesn't measure up is bound to be a disappointment.
Overall, we did have a nice time with our friends. It would have been much harder to get through that mess on our own. If you happen to stumble across this blog and wonder if you really want to go, I would recommend going at least once just for the insane experience. But leave your high expectations at the bus stop!
Maybe I should have watched the Polish news channel, but I figured that running a search for "Polish Independence Day parades in Warsaw" would be sufficient to bring me some information about the festivities, location and time. But, not in Poland. I didn't even care if the information was in Polish, i just wanted some info. Nope. The best I could find was the site for a local college that mentioned some festivities (in English). I forgot to ask friends before the holiday and by the time I e-mailed everyone, they were all off for their long holiday weekends. So, we decided to wing it and take the tourist bus downtown and go where everyone else was going.
Having been to other so called parades in Warsaw. I didn't have high expectations for these festivities. I actually had a bit of deja vu because everyone was getting off at the same area (Nowy Swiat/Aleje Jerozolimskie) where the last Polish "parade" that I tried to attend supposedly took place. But, we got off anyway, since we saw large crowds of people and some Polish tanks. It was a gorgeous fall day. Temps didn't get above 55 F which is fairly warm when you consider that two years ago we had already had our first snow.
We walked down the route that has become so familiar to us over our years here. I asked a police officer where to find the parade and he told me to walk towards Plac Zamkowy. Another guy told me that the parade would come down toward Nowy Swiat from Old Town starting at noon. Great! Finally, some info.
We packed lunches in backpacks since we are always warned that everything is closed on holidays. Some restaurants were open, but I was glad we packed lunches because the crowds were a bit much. We found some open benches on the street around 11:30 and everyone had their sandwiches before we moved on.
We walked towards the Copernicus monument where there was lots of hoopla going on, but it had nothing to do with a parade. It was the Independence Day 10K Run. We climbed up on the monument (yes this is allowed in Poland) and watched thinking that after the runners take off the parade would come through.
Uh....NO! We notice that the crowd is moving towards Old Town. So, we start following. My friend asked a lady about the parade and was told that it would be coming down this way at 1:30. That was almost an hour away! So, we stake a spot on the sidewalk. Mind you, there is no roped off area. If I had just arrived and was wandering the streets of Warsaw, I would have no markers to indicate that some parade or procession would soon be coming through (although I would have found the massive amounts of people odd for winter).
This is my biggest pet peeve about Polish festivals and parades. It is very disorganized. You can't tell where anything is taking place. This is the reason that this my 3rd Independence Day here, yet only the first and last that I have attended. Having an area roped off to view the parade would have been a great help in just indicating the parade route and, much more, in staking out a spot and in keeping other people out.
But, despite this, we waited. Here is where it gets dicey. I love my Polish friends - really, they are nice, polite, and very decent people. But, I can't say the same of the strangers I saw today. Get a group of Poles together (especially strangers) and it is a clusterf***. It's like the few Americans that give the USA a bad reputation. Only this was on a much larger scale.
We were on the edge of the sidewalk where we were "supposed" to be had a rope been drawn around the parade route. This did not stop large group of Poles from creating their own area in front of us, thereby blocking the view that we had arrived early to get. The police? Not very useful and you can tell that the people really had no respect for their authority. All I could think of was how orderly parades must have been when the Communists were in control. It is sad that people can't be self disciplined unless they have a gun or the threat of being shot before them.
So, our nice little spot on the sidewalk was taken over by people who really should not have been there in the first place. Finally, we hear a band playing. They march right up to within feet of us and stop. And they wait. The entire crowd that had created the fake parade route viewing area, now turns around and is made to move further away because they were looking the wrong way. Furthermore, they were blocking the street. Part of this parade is horse drawn carriages, military tanks, vehicles and personnel marching in formation. But, really the way these folks had positioned themselves, it was hard for anyone to get through.
So what do they do? They pretend they didn't know that they were in the wrong spot and proceed to come over to the real parade route viewing area (where we are) and squishing into us as if we weren't even there. People were very upset about this, but the ones that managed to squeak their way in were really jerks. People were standing shoulder to shoulder and if one person moved, you could easily topple the crowd. I could barely get my arm up to snap a picture.
Then, the procession begins with the band and as the band moves on the music fades. No music through speakers here. The band was followed by different branches of the military dressed in different military uniforms representing different eras of the Polish military. This was followed by vehicles and small scale tanks.
We had enough by the time the vehicles started rolling out. We started heading back, walking quite a bit through a street with horse manure (because their horses don't even have those bags that are attached to horses in the US to prevent such droppings) towards our Embassy to try to catch a bus that didn't look like a can of sardines on wheels. Like Thing 1's friend said "it was the worst parade ever!" But, coming from the US where parades are very well done, how can Poland compete. Anything that doesn't measure up is bound to be a disappointment.
Overall, we did have a nice time with our friends. It would have been much harder to get through that mess on our own. If you happen to stumble across this blog and wonder if you really want to go, I would recommend going at least once just for the insane experience. But leave your high expectations at the bus stop!
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Name Game
Polish is a very confusing language. It is even more confusing when it comes to names. In the USA, at most, you may have a nickname. In Miami's Cuban society, you can add "ito" or "ita" to anyone's name and you have an affectionate Spanish name. But neither is really complicated. Not so in Poland!
In Polish, you say a person's name different based on the context of what you are saying to them. I have no clue which is which even after lengthy explanations by the Polish teacher. The given name "Anna" which is very common here ( I know like 4 different Anna's) is said "Ania" ( with the "n" sounding link the spanish "ñ". Then on top of that, depending on how you use it, you say "Anio" or "Aniu." And your gender matters not...I have heard classmate called Nathan as "Nathana." You should see the face on any given American man when a Pole pronounces their name in this way.
Thing 2 is quite impressionable when it comes to names. They have to be pronounced the right way or else. Her little French friend is named Marie, but I am not allowed to say that with my American accent - I must strive to say it with the French pronunciation or she will make sure I know I am doing it wrong.
Thing 2's name doesn't have ending changes because it is a relatively new name - she is probably the only girl living in Poland at the moment with this name. So, people make one up. The most common one is "Mischa" or "Mischu" which I think is cute.
I have no problems with this. But, she will have to wait until she is 18 to legally change it. At least, it's not Princess Banana Hammock ala Phoebe Buffay on FRIENDS!
In Polish, you say a person's name different based on the context of what you are saying to them. I have no clue which is which even after lengthy explanations by the Polish teacher. The given name "Anna" which is very common here ( I know like 4 different Anna's) is said "Ania" ( with the "n" sounding link the spanish "ñ". Then on top of that, depending on how you use it, you say "Anio" or "Aniu." And your gender matters not...I have heard classmate called Nathan as "Nathana." You should see the face on any given American man when a Pole pronounces their name in this way.
Thing 2 is quite impressionable when it comes to names. They have to be pronounced the right way or else. Her little French friend is named Marie, but I am not allowed to say that with my American accent - I must strive to say it with the French pronunciation or she will make sure I know I am doing it wrong.
Thing 2's name doesn't have ending changes because it is a relatively new name - she is probably the only girl living in Poland at the moment with this name. So, people make one up. The most common one is "Mischa" or "Mischu" which I think is cute.
I have no problems with this. But, she will have to wait until she is 18 to legally change it. At least, it's not Princess Banana Hammock ala Phoebe Buffay on FRIENDS!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A beautiful autumn.......Day of the Dead!
After days of rain in Berlin, Warsaw has been a welcome sight. No rain for a change and temperatures that we should have experienced in September! It is almost as if September and November switched. To put things in perspective, on 11/1/2006, our first day Day of the Dead (a major family holiday here in Warsaw) it was snowing. Today the high was 63 Fahrenheit.
It was a beautiful day today and everything was closed as it happens when every major Polish holiday. We slept in after last nights candy craze and after waking up we got ready and headed to the park.
The photo shoot I had scheduled earlier in October fell through due to all the other things going on with school, projects, etc. So, the Cat brought along the tripod and we had our own amateur photo shoot along with some time on the playground. We brought our dogs and got some great pictures of the kids with the dogs as well as family pictures.
We came home around 2, had a late lunch and waited. Waited for night to fall so we could go to a Polish cemetery to witness the Day of the Dead Polish style. The last time I actually did this was in Mexico where they go all out and make their celebration a bit more macabre.
So, we went to Cmentarz Powązkowski the oldest and most famous cemetery in Warsaw. It is famous because a lot of famous Polish people are buried there. I don't know any of them.
There were cemeteries closer to us, but several Polish friends had told us to go to Cmentarz Powązkowski. What they failed to tell us was the massive swarms of people that would be there. We drove and had to find parking. Had they recommended the bus, I would have taken our Bus line from the house that ends at the cemetery.
Day of the Dead is a big deal in most countries other than America. Every country I have visited thus far during this day, celebrates it to a certain degree. The Poles out do themselves with this one. The reason people like me (who don't have any relative buried there and don't know any of the famous people there) go is for the experience of seeing thousands of tombs lit up with candles (kept burning by candle holders they call znicze). People also lay flowers and wreaths, but what makes this different is all the candles.
We walked around for a while admiring the displays. Tradition has it that you light up the grave of loved ones and if you find a grave that has no candle, you light one on that grave on behalf of family that either could not come to this cemetery or that are no longer living themselves. Luckily for me, I was not the only tourist there. There were plenty of people with cameras and tripods. I left the tripod at home, but I certainly joined the others in taking pictures. Here is a sampling of what it was like:
It was a beautiful day today and everything was closed as it happens when every major Polish holiday. We slept in after last nights candy craze and after waking up we got ready and headed to the park.
The photo shoot I had scheduled earlier in October fell through due to all the other things going on with school, projects, etc. So, the Cat brought along the tripod and we had our own amateur photo shoot along with some time on the playground. We brought our dogs and got some great pictures of the kids with the dogs as well as family pictures.
We came home around 2, had a late lunch and waited. Waited for night to fall so we could go to a Polish cemetery to witness the Day of the Dead Polish style. The last time I actually did this was in Mexico where they go all out and make their celebration a bit more macabre.
So, we went to Cmentarz Powązkowski the oldest and most famous cemetery in Warsaw. It is famous because a lot of famous Polish people are buried there. I don't know any of them.
There were cemeteries closer to us, but several Polish friends had told us to go to Cmentarz Powązkowski. What they failed to tell us was the massive swarms of people that would be there. We drove and had to find parking. Had they recommended the bus, I would have taken our Bus line from the house that ends at the cemetery.
Day of the Dead is a big deal in most countries other than America. Every country I have visited thus far during this day, celebrates it to a certain degree. The Poles out do themselves with this one. The reason people like me (who don't have any relative buried there and don't know any of the famous people there) go is for the experience of seeing thousands of tombs lit up with candles (kept burning by candle holders they call znicze). People also lay flowers and wreaths, but what makes this different is all the candles.
We walked around for a while admiring the displays. Tradition has it that you light up the grave of loved ones and if you find a grave that has no candle, you light one on that grave on behalf of family that either could not come to this cemetery or that are no longer living themselves. Luckily for me, I was not the only tourist there. There were plenty of people with cameras and tripods. I left the tripod at home, but I certainly joined the others in taking pictures. Here is a sampling of what it was like:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
