Warsaw a changing landscape?

The first thing that hit us as we arrived early evening were the neon lights! Warsaw is very much a modern-day city in the making.

As we strolled around seeing the continuously blue flashing lights, you could think that there was some sort of oppressive enforcement happening. Having said that nobody seemed to be interested and all just carried on almost oblivious to the police presence.  It initially made James feel uncomfortable but it wasn’t until later that we realised that there was a heightened security drive as it was May Day weekend.  The celebrations having already begun and the focus also about the day, 19 years previously on May 1st when Poland joined the EU.

By all accounts, Warsaw was reduced to rubble on Hitler’s command towards the end of the Second World War and had to be completely rebuilt.  In the old town the buildings are truly splendid and based on Warsaw in the 1700s, but it’s clear from many other buildings that these were built in the communism era… plain, concrete and characterless.  However, modern sky-scrapers are transforming the skyline and it’s becoming clear that Poland is striving for a greater western outlook.

We enjoyed our 36 hours in Warsaw. A return? Probably not, although the infrastructure and immense funding going into transport is evident, Warsaw in 10, 20 years time will be a very different place!