I would hardly have been brought to Poland).
Anyway, my current countrymen have been to Poland repeatedly, and continue to go there to water parks, go skiing, get dressed or buy food. And may even go to a party to visit your favorite restaurant) But, this is the most desperate).
The purpose of our trip was purely tourist, so we chose for ourselves two cities - Warsaw and Krakow. And, for the first time in our lives, we crossed the border by car.
finding good information on how to move Warsaw in general is difficult, but we found on this website guide.
In the region there are several border crossings of Kaliningrad-Poland. We knew that at the border at the most popular moments, you can stay up to 4-5 hours. We left at 10 a.m., and it was Tuesday - you can count on a small queue.
We used Mamonovo II - Gzhehotki border crossing. On the Russian side, we were let through very quickly, only to check our passports. They are not sorry - leave) At the Polish border had to wait for about an hour and 20 minutes checked us personally. They asked us where we were going, checked hotel reservations, found out how much money we had with us, searched our car, scanned our fingerprints. And finally, we are in Poland).
The first thought that visited me - if we came here by plane from Krasnoyarsk, it would be more exotic for us) In Kaliningrad the same weather, the same nature, the same time zone, the same tui instead of fences, the same brick and plastered private sector. The views from the car window are almost the same. Xyusha summed up my feeling: "It's as if we're going to a new district of Kaliningrad".
There are people with buckets of chanterelles mushrooms for sale on the highway. As in Snezhnitsya).
The same impression continued when we moved into Warsaw. The passers-by are very similar to Kaliningrad citizens. Apparently they dress in the same clothes, and faces do the same) I remember that in Europe there is no such feeling.
This was the first impression. But later, when we looked a little bit, the difference still became visible. And in correspondence with the brother living in Germany and not been in Poland - and what to it to do here?), I have written, that on my sensation Poland yet not absolutely Europe, but already and not Russia) Cities are cleaner, more well-groomed. There are deserted houses, where the plaster flew to the brick, but they remind me of the loft style and look good) In Warsaw, there are even more parks than in Kaliningrad, and they are the same old and neglected - very beautiful. There is a lot of ivy and wild grapes, which have overgrown houses and fences. On the roads, expensive cars are in good condition, which distinguishes Poland from Krasnoyarsk, and even more so from Kaliningrad. Public transport is also new and beautiful; we have never seen such buses or streetcars. However, we did not manage to take them for a ride.
Many roads between cities are two-lane, and they are now widely replaced with wider ones.
A little bit about prices. When in Kaliningrad there was still a MPP (a permit for small border traffic, which allows you to enter Poland without a Schengen visa), and the euro was twice cheaper, many went twice a month for shopping. Now the prices of products are almost equal, but the range is incomparably larger and the quality is better. Clothes and appliances are definitely cheaper.
Gasoline 95 from 73 rubles. In restaurants main course 550-800 rubles. Soup 180-250 rubles In small restaurants you can also find cheaper. Often 10% service is included in the bill. And taxes are also added, which seriously increases the price specified in the menu.
I am asked about the attitude of Poles to us. I can express my opinion - I have not met a single negative look or word. I suppose that there should be people who don't like Russians, but I've never met such people. On the contrary, they were often ready to help.
This is the general impression)
Now a little more... first about Warsaw
From Mamonovo to Warsaw 330 km. This distance in Siberia we would cover in 3-3.5 hours. In Poland, because of the constantly meeting on the way settlements and repair work will not run away, that is, do not drive away) So we drove this way in 5 hours.
Warsaw seemed to me very beautiful.
According to our Russian concepts, the capital of Poland is tiny - it has less than 2 million people. And this population is calm, leisurely, joyful. A little provincial capital) It is very comfortable to be there. There is a subway, which we also did not use.
A little bit about the Old Town. I must say that 85% of the city was destroyed during World War II. Hitler's Germany destroyed Warsaw during the occupation in 1939-1944. And after the surrender, Hitler ordered the city to be completely destroyed, and the museums to be taken to Germany or burned. Therefore, all we see now are restored or newly built buildings.
This is how it is - the Old Town, which appears to us when you drive over the Vistula Bridge.
