8 Sep 2021
FIFA WC Qualifying Group I
Poland v England
Narodowy Stadium
Warsaw, Poland
We've played the Poles a lot over the years; full record is P21- W12, D8, and L1 but the record away in Poland isn't so good P10 - W3, D6, and L1. We have played them in Poznan x 1, Chorzow x 6 and Warsaw x 3. The loss (0:2) came in Chorzow in 1973 and is folklore in Poland and was a factor why England did not qualify for the WC in West Germany in 1974. I have only seen England play in Warsaw once (this game) because the last time I was here in 2012 the game was abandoned for a water logged pitch (roof gate)
There were no tickets available for England Fans so it was every man for himself. For ease of mind we got our's on line through a Polish ticketing site called Alebilet. All I had to do was create a PESL, as this is a prerequisite for obtaining tickets via the Polish FA. That said, on the day there were plenty of likeminded English fans getting real tickets (not online), like the one above.
My actual ticket with Polish national insurance number
(PESL) = 66071256479😇
The Naradowy Stadium is very impressive and is one of my favourite new stadiums. It holds 58580 and from the old town is located on the other side of the River Vistula but easily accessible by foot, tram, bus and taxi. I've been here 3 times: 2012 - roof gate, 2013 - Roger Waters/Pink Floyd concert and 2021 - Poland v England.
Poland 1 England 1
Attendance 56212
Day 1. After a 5 hour delay on the train from Budapest we eventually arrived at our swanky hotel in the old town, just a stones throw from the main market square of Cracow
Golebia Street leading to the square
The Town Hall Tower
The Adam Mickiewicz statue standing infront of the Cloth Hall. He was a famous Polish poet (one of Poland's Three Bards."
Horses and carriages lining up in the morning sun in front of St Mary's Basilica
St Florian's Gate and the defensive wall
Entrance to the Wieliczka salt mine
Located SE of Cracow it has been active since 11thC
On the visit we descended to depths of 130m with the highlight being the Chapel of St Kinga carved out of rock salt.
On the way back we pop into the Jewish district at Kazimierz and find a nice boozer just off the new square called 'Singer'. What could possibly go wrong!
Day 2. Catching the 1132 to Gdynia via Warsaw
Arriving at Warsaw Central on the fast train in 2 hour 36 mins
The Palace of Science and Culture in all its Stalinist Brutality
After conversing in Russian with the Taxi Driver we eventually arrive at the Castle Hotel in the heart of the Old Town.
The Chopin Room
Amazing views onto the main square
Horse and cart driving right passed our front door
Posing with the stadium in the background
The Royal Castle
My favourite Warsaw restaurant - "Bazyliszek Restaurant" The legend of the Warsaw Basilisk is part of Polish folklore and the story goes that a King of the Serpents had lived in the basements of a ruined mansion on Ulica Krzywe near the old market square.If you looked into its eyes you instantly dropped dead. Eventually he was defeated by a shoemaker who descended the basement armed only with a mirror. The Basilisk was defeated by its own weapon.
The Old Market Square and the statue of 'Syrenka' a fierce mermaid who according to one version of the story is said to have washed up on the banks of the river near the old town. Local fisherman decided to trap her because she was creating waves and releasing the fish but when she sang they fell in love with her. However, a rich merchant trapped and imprisoned the mermaid but the fishermen rescued her. Ever since then the mermaid has been the protector of Warsaw.
The Podwale Beer Company - a great find for our first evening meal
On Podwale Street is the monument of 'The Little Insurgent' (Maly Powstaniec) commemorating all of the child soldiers who fought and died during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.
Janowi Kilinski was a Polish soldier and one of the commanders of the Kosciuszko Uprising in 1794. He was a shoemaker by trade and led the uprising against the Russian garrison stationed in the city
The Royal Palace and the walls of the old town
Castle Square
Royal Palace
Sigismund's Column was erected in 1664 and was felled by the Germans during the Warsaw Uprising, but the actual statue survived with Sigismund only losing his sword. King Sigismund 3 is honoured by the column because in 1596 he moved the capital from Cracow to Warsaw
The Warsaw Palm Tree dominates the city's Charles De Gaulle roundabout. It pays homage to the Jewish community and was originally entered in an art completion named 'Greetings from Jerusalem". It is actually made of steel and is designed to bend in the wind. It even has its own website!
Jan Zachwatowicz is a Polish architect who is credited with restoring many of Poland's and Warsaw's historical buildings which were destroyed during WW2.
Day 3. We walked up to the stadium as per my match day ritual and came across the Solidarity monument. It was unveiled by the Polish president and the leader of the Belorussian opposition (Svetlana Cichanouska) on 4 Jun 21. It shows the 'Solidarity' logo breaking through fragments of the Berlin Wall.
Gate 3 - one of our entrance points for tonights game
The red and white fascia represents the polish flag and at night shimmers as if the flag is being waved
PGE is the new sponsor for the Naradowy Stadium and has the naming rights, so officially it is the PGE Naradowy Stadium
Pano - PGE Naradowy Stadium
View from the Holy Cross Bridge
The Warsaw Mermaid on the banks of the River Vistula
The Warsaw Metro has two lines (M1 and M2). The M1 runs north to south and the M2 east to west. This is the station at Centrum where you alight for the Palace of S&C and downtown shopping
Photo Shoot by the Palace of Science and Culture
Warsaw Selfie No 1
View from the terrace of the Hard Rock Cafe
Under cover in Warsaw with 3 hours to kick off
The 'Drunken Cherry' - this bar only sells cherry liquor which is a very popular drink all over Poland
And a great place to pick up girls
There is absolutely nothing available other than Cherry Liquor
Last drink before we get the tram to the Stadium
Got my Polish girlfriend (Sueski)
Got my Kebab in a box
Through the first perimeter of security
Looking very Polish
Through the last security check
"Come on England"😉
Pano
When in Poland
Let's get this party going
Atmos💥
The famous retractable roof
'Sueski'
1:0 to England following a great strike by Harry Kane, sadly I couldn't jump around through fear of being thrown out.
Smug
More smug
The Poles equalised in the 94th minute - not so smug
Getting back into character to celebrate a famous Polish fight back
The Stadium at night from the Holy Cross Bridge
Day 4. The viewing terrace of the Bell Tower of St Anne's Church. Let's do this!
Amazing views over Castle Square and the Old Town
Selfie No 2
Sigismund's Column
Final walk down the Old Town
View from our favourite restaurant in the Old Market Square
Mobile Music Box
A hearty lunch of Polish Sausage for the journey back.
'Do Widzenia Polsko'
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