last few hours back in warsaw

from the movie The Balcony which was filmed in the Saska neighborhood here in Warsaw:

A found the apartment from the movie and we're staying a few blocks away:

random interesting graffiti of Polish artists. There were a few others I missed like Krystyna Feldman. This is an actor, Marian Kociniak:

the symbol of Warsaw is a rusalka or mermaid:

someone's apartment garden:

poppies growing wild on a corner:

in the Łazenki Botanical Gardens:

an old gigantic Quercus robur (oak):

Acorus calamus in the gardens:

my photos were rushed and don't do this place justice. this is another view of Blikl. the first time we are here it snowed!

an imposing building with eagles on top:

approaching the building that was a gift to the people of Poland from Stalin and now houses cultural institutions like theater and dance:

we stopped at the bar in part of the building for our last hurrah snack and to see what it's like inside. the bar:

a lobby:

looking back at the bar:

maybe stairs going to a mezzanine?

here are a couple of views of the building surrounded by the contemporary shopping malls which is such an odd juxtaposition:

this is possibly the entry to the theaters. i went to look for the restroom and it's the room lit up at the end. the glass door is where the spiral staircase is: 

and this is a view one of the huge malls that surround the cultural center: