[...Wroclaw, Poland October 2011...]

Warm afternoon light falls on my favorite view of Wroclaw - Ostrow Tumski, the cathedral island on the river Oder. This island is the oldest part of the city with 10th-century origins.

I look at Wroclaw like an oyster – you have to get past the rough and scraggly outer shell to get to the pearl inside to appreciate its beauty. And by the pearl I mean the heart of the city that Wroclawians call Rynek, the old market square where one can find the city’s prized possession tucked safely inside four colorful corners.

When I arrived in central Wroclaw by airport bus, I decided to walk from the bus station at Dworkowa Street to take me to the old town where my hotel was. Passing by the old Glowny Station and the busy Swidnicka Street, I found the city on the brink of mid-afternoon rush. There was a vigorous chill in the breeze that swept past me as I walked with one gloved hand inside my pocket and another dragging my luggage behind. It felt unseasonably cold this time of the year, and my decision to pack more layers than I had originally planned was suddenly the smartest thing I’ve done.

There was nothing worth noting about the “outer layers” of Wroclaw – mostly your routine gray buildings, dusty glass-fronted shops, and stacked apartments that look common enough for a city working to be a modern metropolis. I could probably have been anywhere in Poland and would not have known the difference. But why did I choose a lesser-known Polish city over Warsaw or even Krakow as my first Polish city? The bridges have once again sold me.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is the most important place of worship in Wroclaw.

There are 120 bridges in Wroclaw’s river Oder, but don’t let that alarming number fool you into thinking that they’re all magnificent. The river Thames has over 100 bridges as well, but many of these are architectural marvels. Most of Wroclaw’s bridges, however, are your typical structures that merely serve their functions as passageways. There are at least 2 (really 3, but I did not make it to the other one) that I wanted to include in my portfolio: the Tumski and the Grunwalkdzki bridges. These 2 historic structures have great soul and character – something I always strive to capture in a place.

It is safe to assume that since it has this many bridges, it must either have a long river or has many islands. Wroclaw, in fact, is made up of 12 islands and has several streams and canals. Because of this, it is also dubbed as the undiscovered Venice of the North, which leads me to think that every city that has a canal in it seem to inherit a nickname with Venice attached to it, so much so that it diminishes the value of the real Venice. Venice, to me, is still in a league of its own, and a canal city liken to it still pales in comparison.

But even if its canals are not Wroclaw’s biggest draw, the market square makes this city still worth seeing. I’ve seen many of Europe’s market squares, and I think Wroclaw’s Rynek is one of the most colorful and the prettiest that I have seen. It is also strangely lively yet somehow quiet. It actually surprised me how peaceful Wroclaw seem, and by this I don’t mean only the city but also the people – as they are also friendly and helpful. It’s that aspect that I really liked, plus the fact that I found it to be one of the few cities that I felt safe walking around even during dark hours.

They say it’s best to navigate the city on foot, and I usually like to do that but once I had walked the first kilometer going to Plac Grunwaldzki from Ostrow Trumski, I started to think that wasn’t a good idea. Wroclaw is big in a photographer’s point of view. I realized this at magic hour when the speed of light traveled faster than my little feet could and I was rushed to settle down in one location to get my shots. I somehow ended up at the Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia) where I was once again lucky to find that the evening fountain had just started its animated light display and at a perfect time – sunset!

The Multimedia Fountain at the Centennial Hall during an animated show. I had been there early morning and late at night and never saw the fountains stop, much to my disappointment as I also wanted to capture the hall's reflection on a still pool.

It was a peaceful scene that I wished I could’ve savored longer, but I was pleased to find afterwards that other fountains – at least the ones I was interested in the area of Rynek – are kept on and lit through the night, which in a way lengthened my experience.

Water plays a big part in the city, whether it be the river Oder or the fountains, or even the Zen pond they have at the Japanese gardens in Szczytnicki Park.

The Basho bridge during early morning light at the Japanese Garden in Szczytnicki Park.

A product of the 1913 World Expo, the Japanese garden still remains and is only one of the many parks in the city.

I should not forget to mention that not only is Wroclaw known for its colorful market square, but also for its University. It is interesting to note that 1 out of 7 residents of Wroclaw is a student, and that high ratio tells us that the city is being taken over by the young population. As youthful, vibrant and energetic Wroclaw is, it is another surprise to me how on the weekend night that I was there, I saw the people out partying in Rynek, yet somehow the atmosphere remained fairly mellow. I can only speculate that either I was there on an off-night, or this well-poised behavior is typical here. Or, it also could be that the story of Hugo Lederer has set a good warning to the young folks.

The statue of The Naked Fencer by University of Wroclaw's legendary native Hugo Lederer has an amusing story attached to it, which also serves as a great reminder for students to focus on their studies and not on otherworldly vices.

The early mornings and late nights I had spent either behind  or without the camera across the river overlooking the cathedral island of Omstrow Tumski were the most memorable moments for me during my stay here. It was a liberating experience, especially that even as I stood in the dark shadows I felt safe and unthreatened – I found that to be quite rare in my experience traveling. Now I understand why during my research, I had not read many, or if any at all, a bad word about Wroclaw. It is well justified once you discover it on your own.

Perhaps it’s only fitting that Rynek’s slogan is “The Meeting Place.” Although probably not only intended as a literal meaning as it’s supposed to have a more profound symbolism – like a place that bridges the gap of generations and culture. It is a “city that unites” different nations, cultures and religion as how Pope John Paul has once referred to it as.

How a little-known city like Wroclaw achieve that is in itself an attraction and a marvel that even the best of its iconic landmarks can’t possibly top. 

One reason why the Rynek stands out above its European counterparts is this Gothic masterpiece - the Town Hall, seen here on a gloriously sunny day. One Polish novelist has once said that there's no better description for it but "exquisitely beautiful."

Rynek, the old market square, has 13th-century foundations and has developed its style from Gothic to Art Noveau through the years. Much of it was destroyed in WWII, but has been painstakingly restored by the Poles to give us this picture of a vibrant and colorful sawtooth skyline that we can enjoy today.

The Grunwaldzki bridge appears to be busy day or night. It was near impossible for me to cross the street from the other side of the bridge without getting ran over. So I smartened up and learned to use the designated crossing, although not on my planned route, to stay alive.

The Baroque-style Leopoldina Hall at the University is filled with beautiful 17th-century frescoes, stuccos and sculptures.

These tiny bronze sculptures are only about 50cm tall and can be found in unexpected places all over Rynek. They are the work of local artist Tomasz Moczek. The gnomes started appearing in 2005 but have been connected with Wroclaw since the Orange Alternative Movement in the 1980's. Brightly-painted orange gnomes were set up on top of buildings as protest against the Communist regime.

I sampled some Polish cuisine at Karezma Lwowska restaurant right in the heart of Rynek. (L) The PIEROGI are fried dumplings traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit. I had mine stuffed with potato and cream cheese. (R) The Polish NALESNIKI are crepe-like pancakes that can be made thin or thick and may be filled with jam or fruit just like the more-popularly known blintzes.

I did not find a special Polish coffee, but I heard about this place called Chocoffee that serves great chocolate-laced coffee and hot chocolate. It is a treat for the sweet tooth.