Poles apart

Poland's past is inextricably linked to the World War. Yet modern Poland has risen above grey shadows of her past, with a colourful and chirpy image

Flip through anyguidebook onPoland and theterms 'destruction'or 'razed tothe ground' arebound to appear more timesthan you can count on yourfingers. While this might addup to a lot of brownie pointsfrom historians, vacationerswould probably give the destinationa miss based on suchdepressing literature alone.But having visited Poland, Iassure you that once there,you'll discover a Poland thatis usually edited out of travelstories; one that has an intoxicatingnightlife, wackymuseums, beautifulcoastlines and warm people.

Warsaw: My Warsawguidebook opens on theUprising of 1944 which saw85 per cent of the citydestroyed. But the determinationof the people sawWarsaw pieced back togetherto its historic form. Littlewonder then that the city ison the UNESCO heritage list.

As I mulled over themagnitude of destruction thecity has seen at the hands ofother nationals, I expectedthe Poles to be suspicious offoreigners. But the first Pole Iinteracted with, myVarsovian guide Grazyna,broke through this clichédimage as she greeted me withnot two, but three pecks onthe cheek in what is a typicalPolish custom.

Grazyna starts the tour inthe heart of the city -- theOld Town. The city centre isbuzzing with activity cafésinviting with the lure of awarm cuppa; bars beckoningwith upbeat tunes etc. Thescene is no different from anymodern city-centre, exceptfor the backdrop -- red brickroofs, quaint houses withmulti-coloured facades, andcobbled pathways. It's likebeing in two different timeperiods, at once!

Some must-see sites in theOld Town include the marketplace where merchants gathered;here fairs too were celebrated,and the odd publicexecution also took placehere! Yet another dominantfeature is the Zygmunt'sColumn, one of the oldest secularmonuments in Europe.Twenty-two metres in height,this column holds a statue ofKing Zygmunt III Wazy. Itwas King Wazy, who in the16th century moved Poland'scapital to Warsaw.

Even if you've checked outall the historic sites, no tourof Warsaw is complete withouta glimpse of the nightlife.The city with a tragic history,today offers many hedonisticoptions -- theatres performances,cabarets and operas,or simply hitting the bars. Iopt for the latter and Grazynaguides me to an upmarketclub which, unlike Mumbai,has no curfew. I was hit bytechno beats, blinking lightsand one too many flavours ofvodka. Having danced tocatchy Polish tunes, downedcherry, raspberry and thesmooth, unflavoured varietyof vodka, I called it a night.

Gdansk and Sopot: If it'sserene beaches you're lookingfor, then head to the portcity of Gdansk which is a roadtrip away from the capital. Itsfantastic location off theBaltic is mesmerising withblue waters that merge intothe sky. Here you can sit backand enjoy a romantic cruise,opt for a café with sumptuousseafood. Or if you're a historybuff, check out the manyplaques that point to the factthat Gdansk is where WorldWar II began.

I chose to head to thefamed Oliwa Cathedral in thesuburbs. Deceptively simpleon the outside, the cathedralholds within a magnificent inbuiltorgan. The organ consistsof 5,000 odd pipes, decoratedwith statues of godsand angels. The musical pipesare manually operated bykeyboards and a foot board.And the melodies they createreverberate through thecathedral. It's impossible tofathom how this intricateinstrument was crafted in the18th century.

Neighbouring Gdansk isthe resort town of Sopot,which, like Warsaw, is famousfor its nightlife. My guidedescribes Sopot, 'as the hippercousin of Gdansk.' Sopotalso boasts of the longestwooden pier in Europe. At515 metres long, it seems tostretch right into the middleof the sea.

Torun: Two hours by roadfrom Gdansk is Torun, thebirthplace of NicholasCopernicus. Or as my localguide described him, 'A manwho stopped the sun!'Because centuries ago,Copernicus proved that theEarth moved around the sunand not vice-versa.

Apart from teachingvisitors about space, Torunalso teaches a lot aboutgingerbread, a local specialitythat has an entire museum inits honour. In fact, the LiveGingerbread Museum isEurope's only fully operatinggingerbread factory tobe established in the16th century.

I walked into the museumto the sweet-spicy aroma ofcardamom mixed with ginger.Next, I participated in ademonstration where aninstructor dressed inmedieval attire showedme how to make 'Torungingerbread'. And now I havean ancient recipe that I replicatein my own desi kitchen.

As my trip comes to anend, I'm glad I discovered aPoland that rarely makes it toprint -- one that takes pridein her past, yet has cast awaythe gloomy image for avibrant vibe. Fact file

Getting there: Fly Lufthansafrom Mumbai to Warsaw witha break of journey/stopover inFrankfurt. As Germany toofalls under the Schengen visalimit, you will not need anadditional visa to enter thecountry.

Best time to visit: May toSeptember

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