Traveling around Poland - our photo stories with very personal commentary

I can give you exact numbers if you are interested, but it's true that only a minority came from historical Eastern Poland.
The majority moreover came from rural areas, which also affected the city.

i doubt that. after speaking to people here over twenty years, more than a few claim roots in the east or ukraine.

Contrary but true :-) Probably it depends which date after WWII is taken into account. Here is actaully nice info:




Let just say that this statue is not the best example of art ;)

Shet. This is really crazy. It has been raining since morning and for the last two weeks. And similar weather, maybe only a little better, is forecast for August, too.

It seems we can kiss goodbye to our annual trip to the seaside. It would be a complete waste of time and money to tool 700 kilometers from Krakow to Hel Peninsula.

Pity. We have been looking forward to it all year long. Fortunately, in August we are going to the mountains again and lakes.

Now I can only look through the old photos from the last year`s trip to the seaside. Consolation. :(:(:(:(

Everybody admires sunsets on the beach, don`t they?

Fresh fish is good for you.

Sometimes the beach is empty

Sometimes people lie on each other.

But water is crystal clear

A dozen or so lighthouses along the Polish coastline offer a good view.

Seal Aquarium in Hel

A lot of souvenirs are waiting for customers, especially precious Amber.

Going on a sea cruise is cheap fun.

Apart from old architecture

There is also modern though funny

History is also important for us - Hel Peninsula defended the longest in 1939 campaign against Germans - till 2 October.

Today`s monuments

and remnants of fortifications

which you can explore but at your own risk:

Last but not the least, a symbolic grave to sailors from Hel, fallen in storms and sea disasters, whose bodies weren`t given back by the sea:

Pawian I'm really enjoying your photo essays. I show them to my wife and daughter, who have yet to visit Poland. Thank you and keep 'em coming!

I agree, rybnik. Pawian is an excellent contributor to the forum. He is keeping things right on track here and who doesn't like photos?

Thank you. :):):) I am glad our Travel photo stories thread here is so popular.

Oops, how old is your daughter? :):):):)


I will, unless we go on holiday.


:):):) Thank you. One photo=1000 words. I don`t like writing too much.

Absolutely, pawian. Your photos are expressive and might also be useful for first timers who have an altogether different perception of Poland in mind. Trust me, many Westerners have highly skewed perceptions of Poland if they haven't been here.

I fully realise this. That is why I start such threads as this one or Rich man, Poor man - todays`s Poland. I am an educator, after all. By vocation. :):):)

One recognises the other very clearly :) :) Good work, ma man :)

The old buildings happen to be one of my favorite features in Poland. Thanks for the wonderful photos ;)

I promise to contribute more oldies and other stuff when we come back. I am fed up with waiting for better weather, we are leaving anyway and going to spend most of August out of this horrible city. :):):):):):)

I will try to be in touch between trips.


Just like now.

When we don`t go too far on vacation, we still leave the city and visit the neighboorhood. Krakow`s area offers plenty of oportunities.

You can go to Niepołomice Forest

Aurochs got extinct in Poland in early 17 century.
By the 13th century A.D., the aurochs' range was restricted to Poland, Lithuania, Moldavia, Transylvania and East Prussia. The right to hunt large animals on any land was restricted to nobles and gradually to the royal household. As the population of aurochs declined, hunting ceased but the royal court still required gamekeepers to provide open fields for the aurochs to graze in. The gamekeepers were exempted from local taxes in exchange for their service and a decree made poaching an aurochs punishable by death. In 1564, the gamekeepers knew of only 38 animals, according to the royal survey. The last recorded live aurochs, a female, died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest, Poland from natural causes. The skull was later looted by the Swedish Army during the Swedish invasion of Poland (1655-1660) and is now the property of Livrustkammaren in Stockholm. The causes of extinction were hunting, a narrowing of habitat due to the development of farming, climatic changes, and diseases transmitted by domestic cattle.

More history in Niepołomice:

Jewish decrepit cemetery

and monument to Polish residents exterminated in WW2.

people call it 'little Wawel"...

thanks for the photo stories, pawian! :)

Inside, the courtyard resembles Wawel Castle, indeed.

Pawian, next time come to Gdansk. I hope the weather will be warmer next summer.

I promise I will next year.

Does Dark Cave have any stalactites or stalagmites? Reminds me of Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.

Are these going to be continued? I won't moan about needing photoshop or other critiques. :)

Shyt, I haven`t been in the mood for showing new photos because I thought hardly anybody is interested.

But if you are, I will go on.

What about tomorrow? The schools have broken up for Christmas holiday so I will have more time at my disposal.

Stop fishing for compliments. People here have already said they are one of the best aspects of this forum.

continue with photos pawian, they are lovely and breath of fresh air on here. can you tell me if first photo is of a sand lizard?

The Responsibility of Those Who Have Become the Root

Pam answered, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to Pawian, who am I but dust and ashes.
Suppose five of fifty righteous are lacking? Wilt thou destiny the whole thread for lack of five? ... Suppose forty are found there... Suppose thirty are found there... Suppose twenty are found there."

Pawian answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it."

Then pam said, "Oh let not pawian be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose one is found there. Me."

Pawian answered, "For the sake of one, you, I will not destroy this thread."


Nope, the photo wasn`t taken in the desert. It is the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viviparous_lizard which
lives in damp places or near water, including meadows, swamps, rice fields, by brooks and in damp forests. In the northern part of the range the species is also found in lowlands, where it occurs in drier environments, including open woodland, meadows, moorland, heathland, fens, dunes, rocks, roadsides, hedgerows and gardens. It lives mainly on the ground, although it may climb onto rocks, logs and low-growing vegetation.

i live in the uk, and sand lizards are pretty rare here. i have a pond in my garden and found what my lokator said is a sand lizard . they normally like heathland and are more common further south than here. it definitely wasnt a newt. he told me it was a sand lizard because of the colour of its belly.this was about 6 months ago now...and sadly no sign of more...sand lizards dont only live in the desert

Your photos are really great Pawian, maybe I'll try to find some time and go to polish bieszczady. I hope that you got some more photos to show us ;)

Visiting and collecting WW1 cementaries is a fashionate hobby. Thanks of it every Austrian cementary was counted and repaired.
There is some places in Beskid Mały you can reach only by a gravel roads and fords to see Orthodox or Greek churches, abandoned cementaries or extinct villlages.

Thank you very much, again, more great work.

Valpomike

Pawianku!
Great fotki along with your always appealing commentary. Now I so want to vist with my wife and daughter!
Thanks again

As always really lovely pics Pawian!

Thanks, guys. Your appreciation is appreciated as it is going to give me significant motivation to work. I will finish 2011 vacation series today!!!

Love the tree with the roots!