More Warsaw

We spent most of our afternoons walking around Warsaw. This time of year the sun is setting around 4 pm and it was REALLY cold out.

There's a Hard Rock Cafe in Warsaw. The sign out front says "Choppers Parking Only." We thought the two scooters parked there were pretty funny. (Polish for Choppers?)

Maybe it is because I like family history so much, or maybe I am just weird... but I think cemeteries are massively interesting. This is the Catholic part of a cemetery in Warsaw-- dating back to at least the 1500s.

This is part of the Jewish cemetery in Warsaw. It just goes on and on for as far as you can see. (And for at least 2 tram stops, which is how far we had to go to get to the entrance from the Catholic side.)

Maybe if you click on the photo you can read the bottom- but it says, "In memory of one million children murdered by Nazi German barbarians 1939-1945."

Charlotte was desperate to make a friend in Poland. Newel teased her that she came to the wrong country for making friends... but she ADORED Karolina. So see! She did make a friend in Poland. ;)

Toby relaxing in the kids play area at the hotel.
He's just so cute, I had to include this photo.

Rob & Newel pushing the strollers.
We took Super Scrabble with us and one afternoon Rob and Newel had a quiet game while Karolina and I took the kids shopping and to the playground. It was nice to relax and visit with family and let the kids play. It was a non-traditional Thanksgiving for sure, but thank you for spending it with us!

Did I mention that it was REALLY cold?? ;)

We saw Warsaw!

Poland has really had it hard, ya know? Even just in the past hundred years, they've been trampled on first by the Nazis and then by the Soviets. They've only really been independent again for the past 20 years. I thought Warsaw was really interesting-- especially with Newel & Karolina to show us around. And it was great to meet our littlest nephew- Jack. :)

This is what I imagined Warsaw would look like... and this also happens to be the view from our hotel room.

One of the first places that we went was Lazienki Park. The grounds were beautiful and scattered with buildings from past rulers. (Rebuilt post-bombing, as is most of Warsaw.)

Toby & I in front of the Palace on the Water.

The Warsaw Andersons- Karolina, Newel, and Jack.

Scary playground equipment is not just a German thing.

Charlotte and Toby both loved scattering the pigeons.

Frederic Chopin was from Warsaw- did ya know that? They really, really like him there. Here is his statue in the park. The airport is also named after him, among other things. (Also, FYI, Marie Curie was from Warsaw.)

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be freedom fighters.

The Warsaw Rising Museum was our one museum stop on this trip and it was a good one! They have a "Little Insurgents Room" where we let the kids play while the grown-ups took turns learning about two months in 1944 when the Varsovians fought back against the Nazis. (Sadly they ultimately lost and then the Soviets moved in.) The displays were really interesting and movingly presented. Their website is good too- http://www.1944.pl.

Charlotte poking the Hitler puppet's eyes. ;)

This is the Palace of Culture and Science, an infamous "gift" from Stalin that the Poles have a love-hate relationship with. Mostly now it just has office space.

We happened to be at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier just as the guard changed. No band or fanfare, but it was very precisely done.

THIS is what I didn't expect to see in Warsaw, but was happy to! The Old Town has been restructured and was colorful and busy and they even had the Christmas Market up and running. :)


Christmas tree, shopping kiosks, live music, and crowds.

Sadly, this was the food we got at the Christmas market. This is Polish for pizza-- carrots, green beans, corn, and onions on a crust and covered in KETCHUP! Ugh. We did have some good food in Poland though- I liked the Pierogorie- a restaurant totally devoted to pierogies- awesome. And our last meal in Warsaw was at The Sphinx- which had yummy middle-eastern-ish food. But, mostly the food was not thrilling and we ate from both Pizza Hut and McDonalds on this trip.

Mr. Toby Tobias

If you're ever feeling blue, you can borrow Toby (but only for a little while!) I don't know how anyone could spend time with our "little man" and not smile. :)

Trunk or Treat

On Friday night we took our kids to a Trunk-or-Treat at our church. There was a Halloween party and soup/chili cook-off and bake-off inside. After that the parents all opened up our car or van trunks in the parking lot and decorated them a bit and handed out candy to the kiddos. :) Yes, once again, I failed to take many pictures at the event. BUT, this time I planned on that happening and took some pictures of the kids before we left the house. :D

(I sooooo wish I had a picture of Rob and Gilles dancing to Thriller in the parking lot!!! Maybe next year?)

Carving our Jack-o-lantern on Wednesday. Seems like (for now at least) I'm the only one who actually enjoys this tradition.

Bumblebee with a 'tude.

There's our cute girl! (With Little Polar as usual.)

Toby did not like wearing his costume... but he stopped crying long enough to blow me some kisses. Awww, he is the sweetest little monster. ;)

My Pumpkin Cake.
It was a pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting that I made to look like a pumpkin. (har har) It was good too! It even won 2nd place in the bake-off. ;)