Poland in winters!
The sheer thought of it makes you shiver in cold. Isn’t it?
The day I landed in Warsaw was quite warm according to the locals. The maximum temperature that day was 5 degrees Celsius whereas generally it is between -10 to -15 degrees!
No doubt it was breezy and cold when I stepped out of the airport, but I could manage. The joy of stepping in a new country is always overwhelming. In the afternoon the Sun had also come out to make me smile.
In reality, more than the weather it was the warmth and hospitality of its people which won over that cold.
Here is a photo feature of this beautiful country to show you a glimpse.
WARSAW:
What a colorful treat to our eyes! Town square at Warsaw.
I visited three towns in Poland… Warsaw, Krakow and Zakopane. Each of them is unique in its own way, you just can not afford to miss anyone. The first was Warsaw, the capital of Poland.
It was cold and windy with clouds hovering over us. Hands were refusing to come out of pockets, let alone holding a camera steadily. It was not even 5 PM in the evening and the temperature sub-zero. We were standing near the river Vistula. Then I saw the beautiful St. Florian’s Cathedral glowing on the other side of the river. I had to click it with my freezing hands.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier houses an unidentified body of a young soldier who fell during the Defence of Lwów. It is constantly lit by an eternal flame which you can see between the two guards. The changing of the guard takes place every hour daily. On certain state holidays (May 3, August 15, November 11), the 12:00 noon change of guard is done in solemn manner accompanied by some high rank officials. Is it not something similar to our own Amar Jawan Jyoti?
Look at the intricate work in this Church!
ZAKOPANE:
Vast expanse of pristine white…. such serene beauty!
Zakopane means ‘covered’ & here’s what it means in winters… covered in snow! Even in sub-zero temperature the town was quite lively; people and children had come out and were enjoying the outdoors. There were a few surprises for me which I’ll talk about later in a separate article.
The highlight and most enthralling experience in Zakopane was 2 & 1/2 hours of Snow mobile…. driving down the slopes of the mountains in that freezing temperature and exploring the real Zakopane! Wait for my post on this ride.
KRAKOW:
Wawel Castle along the river Vistula in Krakow. Clicked from moving bus.
While Warsaw was about skyscrapers, expensive hotels and big department stores, I found Krakow more historical. Krakow is also more interactive and warm. It is about lively Christmas markets, mulled wines & cheese, cafeterias and street musicians and of course the Castle and Salt museum.
Can you tell me what these sculptures are made of?
Drinks anyone?
A street artist attired in a Polish Hussar’s costume.
So, which photo is your favorite?
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