Readers give you so much energy that in spite of tiredness, you want to write. I am talking about our readers who read articles about European Championship and then, they write their opinions to me. I have decided to gather all my writings and to publish a book. After arriving in Tbilisi, I will make these small articles larger. Thanks to god, I have a lot of readers…
I walked in the streets of Warsaw when I had spare time. It is a really beautiful city, especially Old Warsaw (see photos, I took them for you) but there are nothing old left there…
-I have spent all my life in wars. I have seen many destroyed cities but I have never seen such destruction, - said American general Dwight Eisenhower (later he became president of America) after World War II. I have seen old photos of Warsaw 1944. The city looks like Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Only three buildings were saved in the city. I was showed one of the buildings and took photo of it. Million Polish people died because of Germans barbarism and Russians indifference in one month. I will write about it later but now I want to tell you about my walking in Warsaw.
The city has a beautiful legend – a fisherman called “Var” threw a net in Wisla river and this net brought a mermaid. Var fell in love with the mermaid and called her “Vasha”. This mermaid became like a normal woman and lived with Var happily. They founded Warsaw… I was told this legend. Like other post-Soviet cities, there are boom of high skyscrapers in the city. Cutting tree is a crime here and there are many green trees in the city. The city has good transport. There are not traffic jams.
All houses were rebuilt or restored in Warsaw. There are memorial boards almost on each house – hundred (two hundred, three hundred) Polish was executed here… Warsaw was restored by old photos and pictures by famous Italian painter Bernardo Bellotto and the city looks like Old Warsaw. Each house is 60 years old… But the most remarkable is a gift of Stalin to Poland – Palace of Culture where ballot of championship was held in 2009. On February 7, 2010, ballot was held at Palace of Culture and Science which was projected by favorite architect of Stalin – Lev Rudnev.
After World War II, countries which united against NATO needed a huge building. So, Stalin built building of 230 meters on the biggest square of Europe (Parade Square is 600 meters in length and 400 – in width!). The palace was finished after the death of Stalin. In 1952-1955, 3500 workers worked on this building and unfortunately, 16 of them died there… The palace was named after Stalin till 1956, before speech of Khrushchov. Polish people told me that a man needs 7 years to visit all rooms of this palace!!!
I will finish talking about this palace with that several years ago, people started committing suicide by jumping from the 30th floor (114 meters high!) but soon Polish people insured this crazy people by nets… Today, a huge fan-zone is situated there and fans without tickets are coming here to watch matches…
P.S. It was Sunday and Christians were going to church to attend liturgy. My friend from Warsaw and I went to the church. We walked in old block called Prada. Before that we took pictures at statues of two great Polish Nicolaus Copernicus and Adam Mickiewicz. Liturgy was held in Russian and Polish languages at St. Mary Magdalene church. There was Russian parish and I mentioned icon of St. Grigol Peradze on the wall. After the end of the liturgy, father Wlodzimej Trusevic asked Lasha if I was Georgian too. When he found out that I was Georgian, he looked happy, blessed me and talked about brilliance of Georgia. Father Anatol Shidlovki also talked warmly about Georgia. He told that Georgia has the most possibilities in Europe and he hopes to see blossomed Georgia soon. Father Wlodzimej knew Georgian football well. He distinguished Giorgi Sichinava from old players and Kakha Kaladze from new ones. He remembered taste of Georgian Borjomi. I promised to bring him many bottles of Borjomi if I arrive in Warsaw in future. You, reader, if you go to Warsaw, visit St. Mary Magdalene church where icon of St. Grigol Peradze blesses you and father Wlodzimej and father Anatoli ask god for brilliance of Georgia with poor Russian…
UEFA media-officer Mamuka Kvaratskhelia, specially for worldsport.ge from Warsaw
Photos by author
