Travel Photos

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:36:22 PM

I'm starting this thread to post a few photos from my trip to Wroclaw (Wrocław). I got back today. Lousy weather, so we stayed indoors a lot (which was part of the plan anyway, as I was visiting my family). The pics aren't very good either (not the best lighting conditions). But here are a few, for what they're worth.

My general impression of Wroclaw was not as good as I expected (most of my friends who've been there rave about it). However, one part of the visit was truly outstanding. It turned out my aunt (with whom we stayed) lives very close to a 19th-early 20th century Jewish Cemetery. One of the most beautiful cemeteries I've ever been to. Warsaw has at least 2 outstandingly beautiful cemeteries - Powazki and the Jewish Cemetery. Yet the Jewish Cemetery in Wroclaw, even though it's much, much smaller than the one in Warsaw, really stands out - it's at least as beautiful as Powazki.

Here are some photos taken there (unfortunately, we couldn't give it a really thorough visit, as it started to rain yet again while we were there).

(Well, I'm sure most would prefer to start threads of their own but if anyone ever wants to post some pics from their travels and doesn't feel like starting a new thread they're welcome to post them here.)

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:38:49 PM

More.

(Heard that before, haven't you?)

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:41:55 PM

More.

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:45:50 PM

Penultimate cemetery batch.

Harry · May 14, 2007, 01:46:50 PM

Could we have more please!

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:48:53 PM

Here you go, Harry! (I have even more but I also want to post photos from other places

)

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:52:04 PM

On a (slightly) similar note (serene, beautiful place), we also visited a Japanese Garden, with surprisingly many flowers in bloom.

Harry · May 14, 2007, 01:53:13 PM

This is really outstanding! Next time I go to Poland it will be longer and I will visit this cementary.
What beauty, how many lives, lying there mostly forgotten.
If they would rise, what stories would they tell us.
Fine pictures my friend.

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 01:58:38 PM

Quote from: Harry on May 14, 2007, 01:53:13 PM
What beauty, how many lives, lying there mostly forgotten.

Unfortunately, you are right about that, Harry. You can't see that well on these pictures but some parts of the cemetery are in really terrible shape...

It's still beautiful, though.

Back to my itinerary:

The Japanese Gardens are right next to the Centennial Hall (Jahrhunderthalle) - an early 20th century exhibition hall which has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List last year. It is in surprisingly bad shape, definitely in need of a general face-lift.

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:00:55 PM

And now some photos from the city itself:

pjme · May 14, 2007, 02:01:40 PM

beautiful photographs Maciek. It looks like a very special place....
I was recently in Wales and the South of England ( Lyme Regis , Weymouth, Rye...Chichester, )
In Wells the cathedral bells were rung for ca 30 mins and created an intoxicating and incantatory music I had never experienced before.

Stunning scenery - wild, rugged coastline in Wales - lovely ,"pastoral" landscapes in Somerset & Devon. Fossils. fresh fish.

Great concert in Cardiff - with the BBC Welsh SO - Jac Van Steen conducted stravinsky's Scherzo à la Russse, Barry Douglas gave a good performance of Bartok's second pianoconcerto and the orchestra showed its discipline in Prokofiev's Fifth symphony....

the "chalk figures" ( the Uffington horse, the Cerne Abbas Giant and
the Long man in Wilmington) are ancient and mysterious .

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:06:11 PM

Thanks for that, Peter. Looks like a great trip. (I didn't go to any concert myself, unfortunately - but I saw lots of Saariaho coming up in a couple of days at the Wroclaw Philharmonic...)

And from me there's more, of course...

pjme · May 14, 2007, 02:08:29 PM

The long man.

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:11:56 PM

And more from me...

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:15:06 PM

And penultimate batch from me... 0:)

pjme · May 14, 2007, 02:18:21 PM

rockpools (tide-pools) are wonderful places to find strange seacreatures.

The National Botanic Garden of wales combines the old & the new in a very succesful way .

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:20:15 PM

And I end this photo-tour with 1) a photo from the area of my aunt's house (an early 20th century water tower with an extremely expensive restaurant inside), 2) a photo from the inside of my aunt's house - the bed we slept in (my uncle was an antique collector) - you might even make out my daughter inside it. Note the lions' heads.

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:22:33 PM

Quote from: pjme on May 14, 2007, 02:18:21 PM
rockpools (tide-pools) are wonderful places to find strange seacreatures.

The National Botanic Garden of wales combines the old & the new in a very succesful way .

Great photo of that anemone - it looks like an abstract painting!

Maciek · May 14, 2007, 02:29:11 PM

Also, I really like that Charmouth1 picture. Wonderful feeling of space. Would like to go there one day...

knight66 · May 15, 2007, 07:37:16 AM

Thanks, I always enjoy photos of places I don't know. Poland is already now on my list.

Mike