The Rest of the Story

​We had two or three smaller stops, just to taste certain food items (Polish snacks) or to pick up items for later (dessert donuts😆). Our first stroll was through the winter market next to the train station. We had one of the famous slabs of bread, topped with a hefty slathering of lard (yes, lard 😂), topped with pickles, and sprinkled with crispy fried onions.  Keep in mind the bread was toasted (warmed, so not hard or crunchy) over an open flame (grill), so the lard melted down into it. It was quite an interesting texture, and of course, the taste was just perfectly wonderful. ☺️

We went on to our second stop just beyond the perimeter of the winter market, where Kuba picked up the traditional and famous Polish donuts. These were for later. I wasn’t snapping pictures yet because I was a bit chilly. (I had pulled off my additional layer of warmth before we left the hometel, and I was regretting it by this point.  But do not despair for me… I warmed up right quickly after the vodka sip.😂😂😂)

After the milk bar, we proceeded onto for our first sit-down stop…a lovely restaurant near Stalin’s palace, which is a story to follow.

Poland’s version of German schnitzel. Apparently traditional schnitzel in Germany is veal, but in Poland they use pork. 😊 This was by far my favorite item on the table!  And it is nestled on a layer of simmered kraut. 

I can’t remember what Kuba called this, but they reminded me of pigs in a blanket.☺️ And of course, everything is served with the proverbial potato, kraut, or pickles😂😂! 

The bratwurst plate, on a bed of sautéed sauerkraut, and surrounded by all the yummy accompaniments. I’d have to say that Polish mustard is about the best I’ve ever had! And that dark one there?  Blood sausage. 😬

This was marinated herring, which is considered an appetizer. I didn’t care for this at all, but I did taste it. I’m not sure if the herring was cooked or not, so the texture was a bit off-putting for me.

All in all a wonderful experience here, and a nice chance to warm up. After this stop, we sat down at a local bar where we sampled another vodka. This time inside and entirely legal.😂

I hadn’t realized vodka production had gotten so creative over the years. Kuba explained that the communists (a.k.a. Russians) figured if they could keep the people warm and relaxed, they would be happier and less likely to revolt. That, and the plentiful supply of potatoes in Poland, made it easy to mass produce. I don’t think the Polish got creative with it until the communists were long gone.

Throughout the tour and the stroll through the town, Jakub showed us pictures of pre-war Warsaw and post German occupation Warsaw. The differences were stark, and much of city was leveled prior to the Germans leaving because they wanted to destroy everything in their path. Hopefully we will make it to the war museum today and I can snap some pictures there.

Jakub also explained that there were TWO uprisings…the first being an uprising with the remaining Jews who were able to avoid deportation and hide in the ghetto (in sewers and tunnels dug under destroyed and abandoned buildings). It was either die at the death camps, or die fighting for freedom. All perished during the uprising at the hands of the Nazis.😔

The second was an uprising between the Polish citizens and the communists trying to take over their country. I believe this one lasted 66 days. Again, the Polish were defeated, and the communist regime established. This is the one that is referred to as the Warsaw Uprising. Such a sad, sad history here, but I am grateful to hear the history from a Polish perspective. Their resilience in light of a tragic past is inspiring. 💕