- The city centre of Warsaw suffered a lot during World War II, and signs of the war can be seen anywhere in the city. The Polish made an effort to rebuild the city centre, trying to stick as closely as possible to its original beauty. While I am not in a position to judge whether they succeeded or not, I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I walked around the old streets and alleys in Stare Miasto, or Old City.
- Reminding me sometimes of Prague, the Stare Miasto certainly has a specific touch to it. And perhaps it was the time of the year (December), the area was extremely quiet. The sound of pigeons was everywhere, windows shutting, doors opening, and sometimes some footsteps tapping on the street stones. But in general, a very welcome silence.
- When I reached the central square, I marvelled at the many colours coming from all sides. Houses are brilliantly painted. My ears were struck by a sound coming from the centre of the square: it seemed like a bathtub was being emptied. On closer inspection, it appeared to be a special kind of fountain which was equipped with an opening to let the water go down. A familiar sound in an unexpected place!
