Friday 21 September - A somewhat leisurely day today exploring part of old Warsaw, with particular deference to Chopin. We settled into our studio apartment last night (we didn’t gain access until about 5.30pm) and had a home-cooked meal of Polish sausage, gnocci and salad. This morning we caught up with family on Skype (and saw how much Rachael has grown over the past week!), did a bit of shopping, then set out to explore the historic quarters of Warsaw. We spent two glorious hours in the Chopin Museum, a marvellous interactive display covering all aspects of his life and music, as well as putting his life in the broader context of Poland at the time. From there we moved on to St Josephs Church, where Chopin played the organ and met his lifelong love Konstantine, to the Basilica of the Holy Cross, where portion of his heart is contained in an urn mounted into a column, then to the wing of the Czapski Palace, where Chopin lived with his family as a young boy. We visited a few other churches, stood under the statue of Copernicus, and ended our day with a visit to the Saxon Gardens to enjoy the beautiful gardens and fountains and to pay our respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We are in a very good location here; close to all the major historical sites so we haven’t had to think about jumping on a bus or a tram yet.
Tomorrow: not sure yet; probably a trip out of town, perhaps to Chopin’s birthplace.
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