Lublin

Lublin, offers everything you need for a perfect short break.  It is a rising star and your next must-visit city break destination.  The city is just 2-hour drive away from Warsaw or two and a half hour flight from major European cities.  But it is still little known.

The list of monuments includes a few dozen points.  They are scattered around all over the city. The most important and outstanding monuments such as the Cathedral,  St. Stanislaus Church and St. Dominican  Convent, the Old Town Hall and the Court Bastion are located in the Old Town area. The Old Town spreads between to city gates: Krakowska Gate and Grodzka Gate.  The second one leads to the Castle Hill, where we find the Castle, the Tower and the Holy Trinity Chapel.  When you are planning your trip make sure to arrange tickets to see stunning frescoes in the Chapel.  They depict both religious and historic scenes.  And one of the Polish-Lithuanian kings is pictured there.  But it is not the only place where you can see frescos.  The frescos with scenes of everyday life were preserved in Fortuna cellar of Lubomirski Palace.  Today the place serves as a museum where multimedia technology is used to tell the story of the city.

There was a Jewish district between Old Town and Castle Hill before the World War II. The Jewish Community and its culture had made part of the city for almost 500 years.  And it presence was so eminent that Lublin used to be described as the Jerusalem of the Polish Kingdom. But during the II World War the Germans completely destroyed the Jewish Quarter.  And its inhabitants were murdered in the fascist’s death camps of Majdanek, Belzec and Sobibor.  There are just a few places associated with Jewish history in Lublin.  But the memory remains strong.

Lublin is also strong academic and cultural center.  A special event is the Night of Culture, which this year (2016) had its 10th edition. And there is a new facility for concerts, performances and exhibitions.  It is an example of modern architecture.  But the construction has a long history behind.

Once you are there visit Tourist and Culture Information Centre at 1/3 Jezuicka Street.  They will assist you with support and information.  If you wish to contact them beforehand there is and e-mail address: info@loitik.eu.

Downtown Los Angeles - worth seeing

Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Universal Studios are the key tourist attractions in Los Angeles.  They visit Kodak Theatre, Rode Drive and stop at one of the beaches and run to see other parts of California.  Nobody bothers to stop downtown Los Angeles and most likely they do not know it exists.

At first sight downtown LA does not seem much different from other American downtowns.  But I think it is worth stopping there for a stroll.  It is definitely a place where history blends with modernity and affluence with poverty.
Let’s start from the beginning - El Pueblo, a place closest to the first settlement. But just a few steps further there is a railway station. Union Station is known as the last of the great railway stations. The building and its interiors have been beautifully restored.  They impress both travelers and visitors.  For full history of the station, visit Amtrak Great American Stations website.

Now let’s move to the center.  It had its best times as business, shopping and entertainment center between 1890 and 1930. Today the city is trying to restore the area to its former glory and life is slowly coming back there. Due to the restoration works buildings regain their splendor.  We can admire examples of beautiful architectural decoration of the epoch. For those interested in how interiors looked like stop by Bradbury Building.

Also theaters regain their former function.  They serve as places for performances and movie screenings, instead of warehouses and stores.
If it is just right time for lunch, stop at the Grand Central Market.  The right place for lunch and shopping for fruit and vegetables.

Sao Paulo for weekend

São Paulo, the symbol of modernity and affluence, is sometimes called New York of South America. The golden age of the city began with the construction of the railway line to the port of Santos.  The main reason for the project was to transport coffee beans from inland to the world.

There are a few historic buildings, mostly churches in the city center.  It may be difficult to spot them as they are squeezed between modern buildings.  Church of St. Anthony (Igreja de Santo Antônio) and Church of St. Francisco (Igreja de São Francisco de Assis) are good examples.  The oldest part of the city is the Patio de Colégio.  It is where São Paulo de Piratininga was founded by the Jesuits Anchieta and Nóbrega. The small building you find there does not look like historic one.  The square is surrounded by Manhattan style buildings.  

It is worth visiting the Mercado Municipal (Municipal Market) for lunch break. There are over 10 restaurant-bars that serve among others local food on the mezzanine. It is true that the definition of locality in the case of Sao Paulo is difficult.  Each cuisine is local in Sao Paulo.
We did not know what's what on the menu. So we discreetly looked at the plates on nearby tables. It was not difficult because tables where set the way they formed one long table. Discretion proved to be indiscreet and after a while a couple sitting next to us offered help. They described what other people were eating. Perhaps we could order any food.  A queue of local people waiting for tables was a proof that it was the right place for trying the local cuisine. And it was good.

Mexico City walk

High expectations and ...

I visualize Mexico with pyramids, exotic pre-Columbian culture and beaches.  Mexico City, also called the District Federal, is a different world. The metropolitan area of Mexico City accounts for approximately 22 million.  It is a huge city for the European standards.

The city was founded on an island on Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs. As the city grew the lake and swamps were dried and filled up to create space for new constructions.  In result today’s city, and in particular its historic part, is gradually sinking.  It is also a seismic zone which suffers for earthquakes every some time. So don’t be surprised with all those leaning buildings, and the best ones to see and feel it, are the Church of St. Francis, the Cathedral and the Shrine of Guadalupe.

A good starting point of a city walk is the Torre Latinoamericana.  It was first Mexican skyscraper. You can see the whole city, including favelas outside the boarder of the city form the platform on 42-nd floor. The admission ticket includes entrance to an exhibition on the 41st floor.  It is worth to have a look at it and get a gist of the city’s history, including the tragic earthquake in 1985.

Across from the Torre Latinoamericana there is the Palacio de Bellas Artes.  The building may remind you of the architecture of Paris. It was an idea of Porfirio Díaz, who wanted to rebuild the capital in Paris style. Opposite Torre there is a building covered with blue tiles, it is the Casa de los Azulejos. Walking down the Francisco Madero Street you can visit the church of Saint Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco). Here you can see what effects have both sinking and earthquakes on city’s architecture. Right next door you will find the Palacio de Iturbide. Beautifully decorated patio and interiors, of the 18th century palace, serve as an exhibitions hall.
Madero Street ends at the Constitution Square (Plaza de la Constitución), known as Zócalo. Here we find the Cathedral and the Palacio Nacional.  The square itself does not stand out from many others. But, if you are Bond movie lover you may recognize it in "Spectre".   There is an article in Condé Nast Traveler for those who are interested in film production sights.