European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Warsaw s old City much of it destroyed during world War ii has been carefully rebuilt. A amps Leah Larkin today a Poland caught Between two worlds a woman examines cuts of meat among Market items sold from tables and backs of trucks. A amps Sharon Kilday by Edward r. Silverman new Day the sights and sounds could easily have been confused with a new York Flea Market music blared from Boom boxes leather jackets Hung from wooden stalls packed with apparel the Aroma of fresh sausage wafted through the air. It but in Warsaw Poland a place just starting to learn about capitalism the bustling outdoor Market was a startling sight. And so was its location in front of Warsaw s towering Palace of science and culture a bureaucratic nerve Center erected by soviet Leader Josef Stalin As a gift to a still War ravaged Poland. The Market was Only one disorienting Factor for me during a recent trip to Poland. From the moment we set foot in Warsaw s Airport we knew we had entered what was and still seems to be the East bloc. The conveyor belts were old and rickety. The floor and Walls were Gray and pea Green. Several women were wearing Babushka. There were armed soldiers in conspicuous places. No one spoke English. Throughout our nine Day trip which encompassed Warsaw Cracow and the Rural Southeast we encountered Eye watering air pollution from Many huge smokestacks and nearly every automobile a frustrating Telephone system and a form of poverty not seen in America these Days a with peasants in dirty old carts pulled by horses. Yet these realities did t detract t from our adventure. Our primary purpose was to visit a Small town not far from the soviet Border where my wife s maternal grandparents lived nearly a Century ago. Having heard so much about the graveyard Poland became during world War ii and subsequent Rule by the soviets we also wanted to see for ourselves what kind of country Poland might have become a thanks to its newfound freedoms. Since neither of us Speaks polish we arranged for interpreters before leaving Home. For this we turned to our roots a jewish tourist Bureau in Warsaw that specializes in helping people dind information about their Anc Estral towns. This proved to be a Good move. In Warsaw we were accompanied by Matthew an inquisitive 19-year-old jew who was As eager to ask us questions about jewish life in America As we were to learn of jewish life in Poland. In Cracow our interpreter was a Young woman named Margaret who traces her roots there Back several generations. Although not jewish Margaret was very familiar with jewish sights in the area. She d Learned a great Deal from an israeli Friend with whom she s restoring two abandoned jewish cemeteries about an hour s ride outside Cracow. With or without an interpreter getting around Warsaw is fairly easy. For those in a Rush there s the trolley which poles Call the Tram. Although tar from being a shiny modern example of mass transit the Tram is cheap just 1,200 zlotys about 13 cents. The Downside is that the trains Don t run frequently especially at night. You can cover a lot of ground simply by walking. This is recommended if you want to see As much As possible trom the glittering new Christian dior shop on Busy Nowy Swiat to the drab soviet built apartment houses that define the City. Long walks also helped us better appreciate the care and precision that went into rebuilding Warsaw s i harming and colourful old City with its Market Square and elaborate architecture All destroyed by the nazis. Sadly one Way to remember the degradation of the Many polish jews who died is to walk. We traced the same route they were forced to March from what used to be the jewish ghetto during the holocaust to the urn so Hla Platz a waiting spot Tor trains that went to the death Camps. Known As memory Lane the walk takes about 30 minutes through a quiet mostly residential