For the past week and a half I've been
in Wroclaw, Poland visiting my girlfriend Ania, and soaking in the beauty
of the city and the lovely fall weather that I've so missed in
Ukraine. Wroclaw, (pronounce Vrotswav) is sometimes called the Venice
of Poland because of the hundreds of bridges that are scattered
throughout a small area and the waterways that weave through the
city. It is a gem of a city, unbeknownst to many of its existence.
It's so easy to fall in love with this
city as it is every bit charming. Statued gnomes are ever busy in
their undertakings as each is depicted in his own way, dispersed
throughout the city. One wonders if they awaken in the wee hours of
the night as the toys do in Toy Story. The array of old buildings are
like eye candy for the architecture enthusiast. There are plenty of
night clubs and the city certainly has a pulse at night as it is a
college town. With a population just over 600,000, in the off season
the city is quite enjoyable for the visitor as it is yet undiscovered
by hoards of tourists.
The Raclawice Panorama is a sight to
behold. When it was suggested to me to visit it, I thought that it
must be some kind of extraordinary, multi-storied, interactive, 3
(maybe even 4) dimensional diorama of sorts. The line for this place
went out the door and we had to wait for two tour groups to go ahead
of us before our turn. The building that houses this panorama is
huge. After all, the panorama is 15 by 114 meters. When we went up
the steps and I saw that it was merely as the name suggests, a
panorama, I felt a slight sting of disappointment. But then I beheld
what was before me. This thing was huge and every bit realistic. In
the ground space between the viewing area and the painting are props
such as dirt, grass, sticks, military props, branches, etc. At times
the line between prop and painting are impossible to distinguish.
Indeed the viewer finds himself right in the midst of the depicted
battle. I was thoroughly impressed.
There is the botanical garden, which is
simply beautiful. Right in the midst of the city, it blends in so
well. Meandering in the park surrounded by a myriad of plants, seeing
a cathedral in the background doesn't seem at all out of place.
Though a rather small city, Wroclaw
attracts some great cultural exhibitions. Currently there is a guitar
festival which features John McLaughlin. Though sadly, I will miss
him, I was fortunate enough to see Ultra High Flamenco, a band from
Spain. To the layman of world music, I would describe them as a
Spanish Dave Matthews Band without the saxophone and lyrics. The guitarist is of
course heavily flavored by Flamenco. Though the band doesn't quite
play Flamenco, it is a good starting point to appreciate it. The
percussionist didn't use a traditional set but used a cajon as his
primary drum and had a few other drums and cymbals on stands. Each
member of the band was extraordinary and could shine in his own
right. Often their skills were showcased with an extended solo
between their songs. But the whole was much greater than the sum of
its parts as they blended so well together and for lack of better
words created a mindtrip for the ear. A true group of musicians, they
don't work within the confines of conventional music and even played
in different time signatures. Despite their at times boundary-pushing
strokes, they were every bit pleasurable and easy to listen to. I highly recommend their music.
If one doesn't like all the flash and
quick-pace of a city, Wroclaw is ideal as it still has a comfortable
hominess to it. I'm not sure about rent but food prices are
unbelievably cheap. And I thought Ukrainians were like hobbits but
it looks like Poles have hobbit-like tendencies as well:
"What about
breakfast?"
"We've already had it."
"We've had one, yes. What about second
breakfast?"
Poles actually have second breakfast! And about as many
meals throughout the day as hobbits, each with its own name.
For the past week and a half I was
staying with Ania at her cousin Andzrej and his wife Magda's
apartment. They have a baby, Hania, who is adorable. Throughout the
week we would cook meals together, go out and explore the city, play
with Hania, and talk to each other in a strange mix of English,
Polish, and Russian. Now I am in Warsaw. In a couple of days I will fly
to South Korea.
