Warsaw

Our first time using Wizz air where you spend longer on the runway bus waiting to be taken to the plane than you do on the actual plane. Still it was a straightforward flight and we arrived at our apartment where we were shown around by a Polish bloke who explained everything in Polish. There's a lot to be said for pointing, whoever said it was rude obviously didn't realise how useful it is in foreign! The apartment is very smart, 2 floors, a big TV and tiger print bedding, grrr!
The next day we had to brave the public transport to get to the city. The bus driver tutted and shooed us away when we tried to pay so we ended up with a free ride (he was a right grump).
Arriving in the old town we learn about the legend of the mermaid and find out that there is a mermaid hunt, yey! James picks up a tour book and I find a tour book for Children (which turns out to be much more useful), yey! Warsaw seems to be full of legends. There is the legend of the stone bear (who is a prince waiting for a kiss from his true love), the legend of the golden duck (a trapped princess who will make you rich) and the legend of the Basilisk which guards the treasures in a cellar and yes this was all written in my children tour book heehee!

The mermaid - protector of Warsaw (surely a difficult job for her on land)

The Basilisk (guarding a tasty restaurant)

Trying to wake the bear (it didn't work thankfully for James)

We decide to do a tour of the old town and learn all about the impressive buildings and monuments. Stopping for food we treat ourselves to pea soup with sausages which is served in a mini cauldron, yum yum. We finish the tour just as it is getting dark and finish the day with a hot beer in Polyester bar where a Manchester couple were telling the barmaid that they want to open a bar there that serves English Breakfasts and shows Sky Sports, she looked very unimpressed but more so when their drunk friend tried to flirt with her (and fails miserably). We decided to leave when they chose to play a  Coldplay album. Torture.

Memorial to the children who helped in the war

All smiles in historic Warsaw 

Pea soup and sausage, yum!

The Warsaw Rising monument

Time for another tour, this time the historic tour of Warsaw which takes us around more of the city and to the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier where we watched the changing of the guards. Making our way to the newer part of Warsaw we spot Darth Vader having a stroll which makes James very giddy but not as giddy as me when I spot huge DONUTS!! We buy 20 and pig out in front of a film.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

James gets excited to meet Nikolas Copernicus

Darth goes out for a stroll

Christine gets Christmassy!

Mmm...donuts

Day 4 and we feel like we're running out of things to do. We go to the PNiK building which has a small science museum inside and then go to the teeny tiny Christmas market before finding a downstairs bar called Zakatek where we sample our first Polish vodka!

PNiK - A 'gift' from Stalin. Unfortunately it's not actually a space rocket

An original Enigma machine! Very cool.

Fun in the human kaleidoscope 

The boredom is definitely kicking in so walking around aimlessly and stopping for a drink now and again is our plan for the next few days before we discover the Science Discovery Centre. There are loads of hands on exhibitions, we go into a theatre to watch a robot play and a robotic arm draws our portraits for us. A brilliant place to visit and we don't leave until we get kicked out. If only we'd gone there sooner - definitely the most fun place in Warsaw!

Robotic Arm James

Robotic Arm Christine