My first day (and night) in Warsaw.
The bus to Warsaw is delayed and then delayed again. And then again.
I’m not in any particular rush so it doesn’t bother me save for when I look up at the status board to see that the bus has left. I walk into the Flixbus booth to ask after its location. The attendant tells me that it’s just about to arrive. I turn to look and there it is.
We stop in Kielce to drop off and pick up passengers. Looking up I’m immediately struck by the design of the station; it’s shaped like a UFO. Designed by Edward Modrzejewski, it’s became a tourist attraction upon its opening in 1984, and has since been declared a momument as a “unique and novel example of People's Republic of Poland-era type of architecture.”
From the bus station in Warsaw I take an Uber to the Old Town where I am staying, my driver a man from Tajikistan. He had arrived three years before and is learning English by talking to passengers. I’m all too happy to oblige.
He drops me off at the edge of the main square. He tells me he could drop me off slightly closer to my apartment, but this is a far better introduction to the city. He’s right.
While walking through the square I spot a Bollywood film crew. I don’t think to ask what they’re filming but reading about films that were shooting in Warsaw at the time I see articles for King, an action thriller starring Shah Rukh Khan and his daughter Suhana Khan set to release in 2026.
Had I known then I would have lurked around the filming locations to see if I could have caught a glimpse of the actor. Unlikely, but you never know. It’s been a while since I’ve seen an SRK film and now I’ll be on the lookout.
I have a difficult time figuring out the shower system in the apartment and have to email the owners. Almost as soon as I hit send I figure it out.
Not having eaten the night before I decide to treat myself to something nice, but not too nice. I have dinner reservations tomorrow at hub.praga having scored a last minute reservation.
Checking the map for places I had saved, I find kontakt, a bistro and wine bar a little over an hour’s walk away. I hadn’t planned on walking so far, but I’m new in town with lots to see and the menu looks interesting. Warsaw also seems to have a penchant for restaurants with lower-case names.
From the Old Town I walk down Krakowskie Przedmieście, a beautiful wide street that leads south towards the center of town. It’s a plethora of historic buildings and churches. Along the way I pass the Visitationist Church, the Presidential Palace, the Potocki Palace, the Carmelite Church. Further on there’s the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Warsaw and the Staszic Palace.
Ultimately, I’ll visit few of them, save for the Pałac Czapskich-Krasińskich to catch the 29th International Poster Biennale on one of my last days in the city, a day I decide to leave my camera at home. The biennale is fantastic and inspiring and makes me miss for a moment designing book covers.
Continuing my walk I near Ujazdów Park and am surprised to see a monument to Ronald Reagan on a corner just before reaching it. Designed by sculptor Władysław Dudek and proposed by the chairperson of the Ronald Reagan Foundation, the city authorities were not consulted about the construction of the monument, though the location was approved by the city council. It sits across from the US Embassy.
At his feet lie anti-war protest symbols and banners. His right side looks a little like it’s melting into its base.
I continue walking alongside the park for a bit before turning away from the river and walking diagonally towards the restaurant. Had I more time in Warsaw (and a bicycle) I’d love to cycle through the park to find a grassy spot to picnic and read my book.
At the restaurant I ask if they can do half portions (they can) and ask for suggestions, ending up with three starters, a main, and dessert, paired with a delicious white wine from Domaine Danjou-Banessy.
I debate taking a cab home, but it’s still light out and I could do with a constitutional. I start walking back the way I came and then turn north on a randon street to see a little more of the city on the way back to my apartment.
Approaching the Central Square I take the underground passage to cross under the wide Al. Jerozolimskie. On the other side the Palace of Culture and Science rises above me, in Tyrian purple, the color reflected in the dusky skies.
A crowd has assembled at the base of the tower for a summer film series. It reminds me of the same conducted in Bryant Park back in New York City. Stop Making Sense is on the bill and there’s a line running down the side of the plaza to get in.
Reaching the Old Town I find it lit up beautifully. The cafes running along one side are bright and the castle and monument are spotlit.
I don’t feel quite like being home yet, though I am tired from the walk and the wine and spend a little time exploring the area, passing the Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist en route to the Rynek Starego Miasta (Old Town market square). My apartment is just off of the southeast corner and if I lean out from my windows I can catch a glimpse.
On the far side of the square the movie crew is hard at work converting a cafe into a MacDonald’s. I wonder if they’ll work through the night in order to be ready for the morning’s call sheet, and I wonder how many minutes (seconds?) of run time will be spent on the set.
I’m constantly amazed that movies ever get made, let alone brilliant ones. There’s so much time and effort involved, so much to coordinate and so many moving parts to consider and shape. Hats off to all the movie crews making the magic happen! 🇵🇱
