While Mark's been away...

Mark flew back to the US/Texas last Saturday and so I have spent a whole week in Poland without Mark...I would much rather have him here but I have been actively engaged and the week has flown by....I'm so happy he is returning home tomorrow!

Last Saturday I participated in a "Walk Warsaw" event sponsored by the International Women's Group I joined a few weeks ago. Since Mark was gone early on Sat. I invited one of Mark's co-workers, Claire to come with me. She is a single young adult from Scotland...she said "yes" to the invite and enjoyed seeing a few other Marathon employees on the tour also.

We toured the historical street.... Krakowskie Przedmiescie....the Royal Route that leads in one direction to Old Town and in the other to the King's Palace in Wilanow.

We began at the Copernicus statue. Copernicus was Polish though he never lived in Warsaw...but the owner of the building behind it thought a statue of him would honor him nicely.

Here is our guide...her name is Kasia (short for Katarzyna - a very popular Polish name). She is pointing to the street we will be walking on...this picture shows the street hundreds of years ago.

The large church to the left is the Church of the Holy Cross. Inside this church is a urn containing the heart of Fryderyk Chopin. Below is a monument to him that is in the church.

The University of Warsaw is the largest and most prestigious institution in Poland....only some of the buildings are situated on this street.

Church of the Visitation (below)

Another beautiful church...at times Chopin would play the organ at this church when he visited Warsaw. The original organ he played is pictured above.

There was once a public bath at this location...now it has been turned into a restaurant and boutique...the original tiles are still on the walls, and the pool above is where one of the baths was. This was one of my favorite spots to see...

I'm standing next to the statue of the mermaid in Old Town...the mermaid is a symbol of Warsaw, Poland and there are a number of mermaid statues throughout the city. The weather was perfect and I loved learning more about this historical city and area!

I am starting to take Polish language lessons twice a week. I have now had 4 lessons...I am beginning to recognize many more words when I see and hear them. I take the Metro, then walk for about 20 min. My class is located on the 4th floor in a historical part of town.

I pass a few of these buildings close to where my class in located.

When I leave my class I see this palm tree in the middle of a major intersection. Actually, it is an artistic creation - it's plastic. It's on a street I walk down named Al. Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Avenue). In 2002 the artist was inspired by her visit to Israel and wanted to create something that would remind the people of Warsaw of the origin of the street's name. This area used to be a Jewish community during the 18th century.

To get to my Polish class, I enter the building and go up to the 4th floor in this tiny elevator...the first time I came this door was closed and it did not look like an elevator...I climbed the 4 flights of stairs. Maybe you can fit two people inside...and then we are standing very close to one another.

Earlier I shared there are cobblestone sidewalks and streets everywhere. On my walk to class this week I saw someone actually creating a new sidewalk stone by stone. Here is one pile of stones.

Here the stones are delivered on pallets.

A few days later I saw progress had been made on this sidewalk.

While Mark was away I also ventured to a new post office that Mark said was near our home. Everywhere people talk negatively about the post offices (even in the travel books of Poland). I was not too excited to go...but since the last time I went to a Polish post office was in Feb. I thought it was time to try.

I wanted to mail a birthday card and didn't see a place to drop it off. It took me 5 min. to walk here and 20 min. of waiting. I had practiced my Polish and the postal worker said in Polish "very good"! I was happy! I only wished I had practiced saying "I need to buy stamps" because no one was in line behind me.

The post office is not in a new location...Mark said there used to be a ski jump on top of this building and they recently removed it. The post office is no bigger than my kitchen but if they have the services I need then it will be good to use.

I have started Nordic Walking once a week...I have now gone twice. It is another "small group" from the International Women's Group. I take the Metro and get off at the southern most stop...walk a bit, join the group and then we walk for a little over an hour...about 5.5 Kilometers. We walk through a forest and it is so beautiful! I feel I am getting a great aerobic workout. Nordic walking consists of using hiking poles that resemble ski poles.... and it's amazing what the poles do to your walking pace and rhythm. I paused to snap this picture...where we are walking it is SO green...the leaves are starting to turn colors and lots are starting to fall to the ground. I am not in this picture as I am taking it. :)

I decided to "reward" myself for doing so well since Mark was away...also because I had worked on some big family projects and I'm starting to see progress...what better way to treat myself than to find another Polish pottery shop! What a surprise when I found a little one tucked away one Metro stop away from where I live! I bought these 3 serving pieces...I will most definitely

be returning to this quaint 22+year-old shop.

Report without pictures - Today (Saturday) I participated in a service project for our church congregation (Warsaw II Branch). The project consisted of cleaning the building where we hold our services. I had organized it and it was successful...I forgot to take any pictures though. 23 people were in attendance, serving and working together.

I have had a good week...and I am so very glad Mark returns home tomorrow!!!