Warsaw, POLAND

On August 1, 1944, as Soviet armies approached the city (to liberate it from the Germans), the citizens of Warsaw rose against the Germans and fought for 63 days before they were finally defeated with some 160,000 fatalities. After the uprising, German troops deported the remainder and deliberately destroyed what remained of the city. Soviet and Polish troops liberated Warsaw in January 1945.

Shortly after the end of the war, the rebuilding of Warsaw started. In my opinion, Old Town Warsaw is one of the most beautiful "Old Towns" in the world - probably second to my favourite - Cartagena, northern Colombia in South America.

Tonight I am taking the 10 hour bus north to the former USSR controlled Vilnius, Lithuania.