Monday, 22 May 1978

Fine, very warm, afternoon showers

Breakfast 9.00 am. On the plate a large helping of ham (6 slices), 3 rolls. On the table packets of cheese, jam, butter and syrup drink.

City sightseeing tour.

The Administrative Building in Warsaw

Memorial to the Fallen, Warsaw

Warsaw bombed 1939, badly damaged, destroyed in 1944 on Hitler’s orders.

Large house blocks, wide streets, clear of pedestrians in certain parts. Very fast trams race down past hotel. Complex of pedestrian subways at the intersection.

On river Vistula. Many monuments. Old town reconstructed after the war. Shops, museums, cobbled streets. Market place.

Film shown on the destruction and ordered evacuation of Warsaw. Shows reconstruction of buildings, cathedral rebuilt from pictures. Other buildings restored from pictures. Restored buildings have shop or museum on ground floor – people live in 3 floors above.

Lunch – tongue and salad, soup, pork steak and potato, ice cream with nut and currant.

Wilanaw castle closed, but afternoon tour consisted of a drive out and walked around large gardens.

Chopin monument [Royal Castle, Warsaw] blown up and a replacement copy in large rose garden. Chopin concerts given there.

Monument to Chopin

Rebuilding the Royal Castle

People allowed to travel about within Eastern block countries and Cuba and Mongolia. Av wage 1977 about 3,500 Zloty a month – rents 600-1600 a month according to size and locality.

People may set up a private business and employ up to 25. Cannot have 2 businesses. May buy a flat but cannot rent it to others. Peoples Workers Party rules the country.

Tea: chicken, chips and vegetables and sweet jam roll slice.