"I think its awesome," ... "It's great to see the employees interact in a fun, competitive way."
So, what is this Warsaw? Warsaw is a city like any other. It has flats and houses, shops and restaurants, pubs and clubs. People walk in the streets, do their things, talking and drinking coffee.
Our inhabitant wakes up in the morning, cuts the bread for breakfast, opens the windows, makes the bed and leaves the house.
Who does he or she meet on the street? Other inhabitants of Warsaw, of course, but who are they? Is our Varsovian someone born here or is he or she here for work? Or neither? Or maybe simple we are all “Warszawiacy” (Varsovians). There is no division between Warsaw and the rest of Poland. Poland is Warsaw and Warsaw is Poland.There is nothing we can be jealous of because everything is ours.
The centre is around the Palace of Culture. It’s ugly – some may say. So what? It is standing, so lets keep it standing. This is a landmark. You can like it just because it is so Varsovian. Don’t sleep, don’t yawn, just visit!
But the most inspiring is what is happening around the Palace. It’s a meeting place for the most prominent “freelancers” (in all their forms). They wake up whenever they want, stand up and take a few steps then lie down again. Dressed or naked, it doesn’t matter. They are “free.” Sometimes they sit with friends on the bench and wait for someone to throw them a coin or two. When they collect a few of them they run to the shop for a beer. After that back to their daily resting place of choice and back to freedom. Enjoy the delightful summer rays of sun. Oh it feels so good! “Freelancers” from around of the Palace are probably the least stressed social group in the country. The vapour of their creativity floats over all sides of the city.
The bars that aspire to be artistic places might seem a bit ugly. In ugly and dirty areas. Many of them are rather pathetic imitations of other great places. Meaningless connections. Strange, but because of this lovely. It shows us that each matters, every forgotten corner can be used. That’s creativity!
Not everyone has great sympathy for this city, not everyone shares the need to move here and not everyone can realise themselves here. But if you like to be here it doesn’t mean you are a snob. Warsaw is not worse than other cities or better, it’s just the same as any other. There is everything in it, history and modernity, Northern Poland and Southern Poland, elegance and kitsch, ugliness and beauty. Artistic chaos. Sense of humor, nonsense. Rebellion.
Thousands of little worlds in one big city. But it’s ok because we are all together. We can find ourselves in this chaos. We are at home. And like in every home each of us has our own mess. The most important is to know how to find yourself in it.
Winding up, I eagerly repeat Monika Brodka’s song “Varsovie:”
“I fell in love with the city
At first sight it looked pretty
We used to share the same love for grey”
