Will you be visiting any other places in Poland, Don? Except for Bydgoszcz, I mean.
Quote from: MrOsa on May 02, 2007, 02:51:23 PM
Will you be visiting any other places in Poland, Don? Except for Bydgoszcz, I mean.
No, that's about it. We get to Bydgoszcz a couple of days before the wedding and leave for Budapest the morning after the wedding. I hear the wedding is a 12 hour affair that won't end until 5 AM; sounds like some sleeping will be done on the train.
Well, looks like you're in for quite a cultural shock (the wedding party, I mean)... And if the music is going to be anything like the typical Polish wedding party fare - brace yourself! ;D
BTW, that's pretty eccentric - going all that long way only to stay a few days in Bydgoszcz and then straight to Budapest. Not that I have anything against Bydgoszcz, or Budapest for that matter - both lovely cities and all (and probably good idea to humor your son's future in-laws too ;)). But, you know, I wouldn't place Bydgoszcz on the top 20 Polish towns to visit.
You'll be missing so much...
(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_29.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/32)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_30.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_564.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_847.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_835.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_905.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_1054.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_1053.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_1127.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/site_1165.jpg)
Oh, I think I'll just post a few more... ;)
There you go (aren't you lucky that we're on the same forum ;)):
(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0033_0003.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0033_0004.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0033_0002.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0029_0001.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0029_0002.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0029_0003.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0029_0004.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0029_0005.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_0029_0006.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_1165_0003.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_1165_0004.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_1053_0001.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_1053_0002.jpg)(http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/sites/gallery/large/site_1053_0003.jpg)
Some more coming up in the next post ;).
I know I'm not convincing you, Don. These are just for those out there who like looking at nice pictures ("just for fun" in other words)... ;D
The Wieliczka Salt Mine
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pl/thumb/8/80/Wieliczka-saltmine-kinga.JPG/800px-Wieliczka-saltmine-kinga.JPG) (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/fotoblog/0605/06050186A.jpg) (http://www.kopalnia.pl/img/site/13/san2.jpg) (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Wieliczka-daVinci.jpg/800px-Wieliczka-daVinci.jpg)
The Dunes of Slowin National Park (Slowinski Park Narodowy)
(http://www.infoeko.pomorskie.pl/img/103/74/_original/169_eba-ruchome_wydmy_3.jpg) (http://www.podroze.pl/obrazki/obrazki_mdom/ruchomewydmy.jpg) (http://pawlowski.zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/14/226/31/med.jpg) (http://pawlowski.zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/82/210/215/med.jpg) (http://www.filla.pl/polska/leba/leba005.jpg)
(Anything to get my post count up ;))
Wroclaw (Breslau) - I'm going there myself in a couple of days. They also happen to have a great opera house.
(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city5-about.jpg)(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city5-photo4.jpg)(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/91/161/92/med.jpg)
Fortunately for all of us, I don't have all the time in the world either, so these are going to be the two last batches (I'll have to do Warsaw separately):
Malbork (one of the best preserved gothic castles in Europe):
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Marienburg_2004_Panorama.jpg/800px-Marienburg_2004_Panorama.jpg)
(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city52-about.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Marienburg2.jpg/450px-Marienburg2.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Marienburg19001.jpg/800px-Marienburg19001.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Malbork_zamek_zblizenie.jpg)
Gdansk:
(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city3-about.jpg)(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city3-photo4.jpg)
Czestochowa:
(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city18-about.jpg)(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/28/208/56/med.jpg)(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/198/0/95/med.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Jasna_G%C3%B3ra_260506_01.JPG/800px-Jasna_G%C3%B3ra_260506_01.JPG)
Zamosc:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pl/c/c1/Zamosc_rynek.JPG)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Zamosc_29.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Zamosc_46.jpg)
Cracow:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Rynekkrk.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Wawel.jpg/800px-Wawel.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Collegium_Novum_w_Krakowie_2006-06-09.jpg/450px-Collegium_Novum_w_Krakowie_2006-06-09.jpg)
The Tatra Mountains:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pl/thumb/3/38/Panorama-z-Zawratu.jpg/800px-Panorama-z-Zawratu.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Tatra_mountains_western_side_2.jpg/800px-Tatra_mountains_western_side_2.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Panorama-Morskiego-Oka.jpg/800px-Panorama-Morskiego-Oka.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Kamienista_a4.jpg/800px-Kamienista_a4.jpg)
Some more from Wieliczka (perhaps the most amazing place in Poland):
(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/79/234/39/med.jpg)(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/240/119/188/med.jpg)(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/104/85/197/med.jpg)(http://zdjecia.polska.pl/gal/172/156/33/med.jpg)
OK, this is the last batch (I promise! ::)).
Warsaw (my home 8)):
(http://www.staypoland.com/town-img/city1-about.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Warszawa-pano.jpg/630px-Warszawa-pano.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Warsaw8cr.jpg/800px-Warsaw8cr.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/4_Warszawa_23.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/JozefChurch.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/NMPJozefChurch.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/4_Warszawa-Zamek_Ujazdowski_03.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/6_Warszawa_089.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/6_Warszawa_005.jpg/399px-6_Warszawa_005.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/4_Warszawa_39.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Warsaw_church1.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/4_Warszawa-Lazienki_Krolewskie_126.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/4_Warszawa-Zamek_Ujazdowski_03.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/4_Wilanow_24.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/6_Warszawa_384.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/6_Warszawa_399.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/PL_Warsaw_Stare_Powązki_katakumby.jpg/450px-PL_Warsaw_Stare_Powązki_katakumby.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/PL_Warsaw_Stare_Powązki_władysław_podkowiński.jpg/450px-PL_Warsaw_Stare_Powązki_władysław_podkowiński.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/6_Warszawa_145.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/4_Warszawa-Lazienki_Krolewskie_107.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/03923v.jpg/800px-03923v.jpg)
Cheers,
Maciek
Have a great time, Don!
Quote from: Don on May 02, 2007, 08:43:45 AM
My wife and I are vacationing in Europe next month. To say it's an expensive trip is putting it mildly. We'll be going to Poland, Budapest, Prague and Italy.
Quote from: Don on May 02, 2007, 11:44:34 AM
The entire month of June. My son is getting married north of Warsaw near the Baltic Sea. Since we haven't ever been to Europe, it seemed foolish to go to Poland but nowhere else. So we expanded the trip.
My main problem is what to do about smoking, since the air travel takes forever. Maybe I'll just sit on the wing and puff away.
Quote from: karlhenning on May 02, 2007, 11:45:52 AM
Excellent!
Where in Italy are you going?
Quote from: Don on May 02, 2007, 02:05:44 PM
Venice, Florence and Rome.
That last part is where I really envy you. I really love Italy - if I had the chance I'd move there right this minute! 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Have a great time and congratulations to your son once again!
Cheers,
Maciek
(the Harry of tourist photography ;D)
Maciek, these are all wonderful! It must take a couple of months to visit all these places properly.
The picture of the row of houses in Gdansk reminds me of some images in Murnau's Nosferatu!
And what is this salt mine? It looks like a crypt, or a church, and what are these Musikverein-like chadeliers doing there?
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on May 03, 2007, 05:42:36 AM
Maciek, these are all wonderful! It must take a couple of months to visit all these places properly.
Thanks, André. You're probably right - I still haven't properly visited many of them myself.
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on May 03, 2007, 05:42:36 AM
The picture of the row of houses in Gdansk reminds me of some images in Murnau's Nosferatu!
Yes, there's a place around there that looks exactly as if taken from Nosferatu - including old abandoned warehouses... (Creepy, come to think of it...). Two years ago we had lunch with my wife right opposite to it. This is roughly the view we had:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pl/thumb/c/ca/Spichrze-Danzig.jpg/800px-Spichrze-Danzig.jpg)
Gdansk was a Polish-Prussian town so the architecture is very "Germanic". It's one of the most beautiful cities in Poland.
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on May 03, 2007, 05:42:36 AM
And what is this salt mine? It looks like a crypt, or a church, and what are these Musikverein-like chadeliers doing there?
It's the oldest mine in the world to function ceaselessly since the Middle Ages. The pictures are from the "tourist attraction" part created at the end of the 18th century!
Here's some more info:
Quote from: wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_MineThe Wieliczka Salt Mine, in the town of Wieliczka, in Poland's Kraków metropolitan area, has been in continuous operation since the 13th century, and still produces table salt. It is one of the world's oldest operating salt mines (the oldest is at Bochnia, Poland, 20 kilometers from Wieliczka).
The mine reaches down to a depth of 327 meters, and is over 300 km long.
The Wieliczka salt mine features a 3.5 km tourist route that includes statues of historical and mythical figures, all sculpted by miners out of the rock salt. Even the crystals in the chandeliers are made of salt. Also featured are beautifully carved chambers, chapels, an underground lake, and exhibits that illustrate the history of salt-mining. The salt mine is justly referred to as "the underground salt cathedral of Poland."
Some 800,000 visitors view the mine every year.
Over the centuries, visitors to this site have included Nicolaus Copernicus, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Alexander von Humboldt, Dmitri Mendeleyev, Bolesław Prus, Ignacy Paderewski, Robert Baden-Powell, Jacob Bronowski (who filmed segments of The Ascent of Man in the mine), Karol Wojtyła (the later Pope John Paul II), former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and crowned heads.
During World War II, the salt mine was used by the occupying Germans as housing for war-related production plants.
The awe-inspiring, ancient labyrinthine salt mine helped inspire the Labyrinth scenes in Bolesław Prus' 1895 historical novel, Pharaoh.
In 1978 the Wieliczka salt mine was placed on the original UNESCO roster of World Heritage Sites.
Maciek
Maybe you should visit this place also,named Oswiecim.
This happen there in May-June 1944. To the right,slave
labor; to left, gas chambers.
Quote from: carlos on May 03, 2007, 08:07:52 AM
Maybe you should visit this place also,named Oswiecim.
This happen there in May-June 1944. To the right,slave
labor; to left, gas chambers.
You're a cheery guy, Carlos.
Maciek, What stunning photos....all in the best light and weather conditions. I have long had the salt mine on my list of places I NEED to visit.....my appetite is whetted. This summer we are bound for Finland and Estonia. Jane wants her Venice fix in the autumn, a friend has asked me to Barcelona next March then Jordan to see Petra in April....all I need is money, good health and to lock my son into a cupboard each time we leave on holiday. Not much to ask really.
Mike
Quote from: carlos on May 03, 2007, 08:07:52 AM
Maybe you should visit this place also,named Oswiecim.
This happen there in May-June 1944. To the right,slave
labor; to left, gas chambers.
(Actually, you're confusing Oswiecim and Auschwitz. Those are two different places. The Auschwitz camp was next to Oswiecim.)
Yes, I was thinking about that too - it's on the UNESCO list as well (as is the Warsaw old town, Cracow old town, Wieliczka, Zamosc etc. etc.). Only, since it's not a Polish site, I didn't think it would fit. (You could just as well make a small detour and visit one of the Soviet concentration camps, or maybe the Katyn forest. And there are more Nazi concentration camps on the way to Hungary and also in Italy.) Also I don't think it would go very well with a wedding party - it's a really depressing place, absolutely ghastly. I don't know a single person who has been there that wouldn't be depressed for a couple of weeks. What are your thoughts/impressions about that, Carlos?
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 09:15:05 AM
What are your thoughts/impressions about that, Carlos?
Splenetic no doubt.
Mike
Quote from: knight on May 03, 2007, 09:19:02 AM
Splenetic no doubt.
When his tour bus stopped at Niagara Falls, he hopped in a cab for Love Canal.
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 03:55:43 AM
Well, looks like you're in for quite a cultural shock (the wedding party, I mean)... And if the music is going to be anything like the typical Polish wedding party fare - brace yourself! ;D
BTW, that's pretty eccentric - going all that long way only to stay a few days in Bydgoszcz and then straight to Budapest. Not that I have anything against Bydgoszcz, or Budapest for that matter - both lovely cities and all (and probably good idea to humor your son's future in-laws too ;)). But, you know, I wouldn't place Bydgoszcz on the top 20 Polish towns to visit.
Well, Bydgoszcz is where the wedding takes place, so that's where I'll be. Nothing eccentric going on here. We have a tour that starts in Prague and ends in Rome. There are just six days between the wedding and tour. We wanted to spend that time in Vienna, but it didn't work out. Budapest was our second choice, and we'll get to Prague a couple of days early to see the sights.
Maciek, thanks for posting those fabulous pictures.
I was already planning a side-trip to Cracow on my next C.Europe jaunt. Now I'm thinking I should spend longer & venture further North.
(And yes, I was planning to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. But visiting Dachau - grim though it is - didn't lessen my love for Munich.)
Quote from: knight on May 03, 2007, 09:10:38 AM
I have long had the salt mine on my list of places I NEED to visit.....my appetite is whetted.
I think the only other place in the world where they have a salt mine "similar" to the one in Wielicka (with salt sculptures and so on) is situated in Colombia. I have been to Wielicka and it was really nice (the air should be good for asthmatic people), but so far I have not visited the one in Colombia. It has been a bit out of the way so far - due to the civil war.
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 09:15:05 AM
(Actually, you're confusing Oswiecim and Auschwitz. Those are two different places. The Auschwitz camp was next to Oswiecim.)
Auschwitz is situated very close to Oswiecim, and I think Auschwitz is the German name for Oswiecim. Creepy place, and I think the most depressing thing from a visit it to see the sheer SIZE of the area of Auschwitz 2 - Birkenau. It must be difficult to have a home adress like Oswiecim nowadays - a friend of my wife has.
Well, my point was that the extermination camp was never ever called Oswiecim. Auschwitz is the name of the camp. Oswiecim - the name of the town next to it. I have a friend living in Oswiecim too, BTW.
Quote from: carlos on May 03, 2007, 08:07:52 AM
Maybe you should visit this place also,named Oswiecim.
This happen there in May-June 1944. To the right,slave
labor; to left, gas chambers.
Carlos, you're a real party pooper... 8)
Q
There are many beautiful places in Poland, and I usually go there a couple of times per year as my wife is Polish. Most of the times I only go to Cracow (where she is from).
Last year I also attended a Polish-American wedding in Cracow. It was really some of the most extravagant things I have been to. It lasted for 2 days, and it was a real feast of food and drink. The wedding itself took place in the very beautiful St. Marys church in Cracow, and after the ceremony several people in Polish folkloric costumes threw flowers at the couple. Then there was a parade through the city with jugglers and so on. Many people were standing in the street and watching this parade. It ended in the Arqueological musem next to the castle where the was a reception, party, entertainment and a MASSIVE dinner.
The day after they had something like a poolside barbecue with dancing in their property close to Czestochowa (Alexandria). It looked like what I see in an American movie (hanging around the pool :)). As the father owns a butchery there were a lot of excellent steaks and sausages. That wedding was really an experience.
There are many nice places in Poland. I especially love Zakopane due to the nature/mountaineous surroundings, and Krakow as it is the only major city unharmed by the war (with a lot of historical buildings and sites). Wroclaw is also a very nice city as well as Gdansk. Warsaw is the big city that was severely damaged by the war, and it really is amazing to see how the old town has been rebuilt. The cultural palace next to the railway station is a fascinating building (the George Orwell like Russian gift). I can highly recommend a visit to Poland.
Hope you have a lovely time Don.
Quote from: knight on May 03, 2007, 09:10:38 AM
Maciek, What stunning photos....all in the best light and weather conditions.
Actually, not a single one of those photos was taken by me... But, OK, I can take the credit, yes I think I can take it: Thank you very much for the compliment! :D
Quote from: knight on May 03, 2007, 09:10:38 AM
I have long had the salt mine on my list of places I NEED to visit.....my appetite is whetted. This summer we are bound for Finland and Estonia.
Well, Estonia is close enough. Just add Latvia and Lithuania to your list (there's some great stuff to see there too, particularly in Lithuania) and you can go straight to Malbork ;D.
Quote
Jane wants her Venice fix in the autumn, a friend has asked me to Barcelona next March then Jordan to see Petra in April....all I need is money, good health and to lock my son into a cupboard each time we leave on holiday. Not much to ask really.
I think we badly need that
Mike thread where you could share impressions from your travels!
As for the photos, my main source was Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page). I found the pictures they had were much better than the ones on most tourist sites. Other major sources were: the UNESCO pages (http://whc.unesco.org), zdjecia.polska.pl (http://zdjecia.polska.pl) and www.staypoland.com (http://www.staypoland.com).
Maciek
Quote from: Don on May 03, 2007, 09:28:26 AM
Well, Bydgoszcz is where the wedding takes place, so that's where I'll be. Nothing eccentric going on here. We have a tour that starts in Prague and ends in Rome. There are just six days between the wedding and tour. We wanted to spend that time in Vienna, but it didn't work out. Budapest was our second choice, and we'll get to Prague a couple of days early to see the sights.
Looks like you'll have a really good trip! Budapest and Prague are very beautiful, and they shouldn't be as crowded in June as they are in July and August.
Quote from: Choo Choo on May 03, 2007, 09:31:28 AM
Maciek, thanks for posting those fabulous pictures.
You're welcome. :D
Quote
I was already planning a side-trip to Cracow on my next C.Europe jaunt. Now I'm thinking I should spend longer & venture further North.
(And yes, I was planning to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. But visiting Dachau - grim though it is - didn't lessen my love for Munich.)
Not that it would lessen your love for anything - just that it's not the sort of place for everyone. I know people who were literally sick for many days after their visit. So I could recommend it only to those who are really sure of themselves. I'm sure most (or all) of the folks on GMG are quite sensitive people and not everyone will want to go through something like that. It's "interesting" and a very "memorable experience" but there are those who will want to avoid it.
Maciek
Quote from: rubio on May 03, 2007, 10:06:30 AM
There are many beautiful places in Poland, and I usually go there a couple of times per year as my wife is Polish. Most of the times I only go to Cracow (where she is from).
Last year I also attended a Polish-American wedding in Cracow. It was really some of the most extravagant things I have been to. It lasted for 2 days, and it was a real feast of food and drink. The wedding itself took place in the very beautiful St. Marys church in Cracow, and after the ceremony several people in Polish folkloric costumes threw flowers at the couple. Then there was a parade through the city with jugglers and so on. Many people were standing in the street and watching this parade. It ended in the Arqueological musem next to the castle where the was a reception, party, entertainment and a MASSIVE dinner.
The day after they had something like a poolside barbecue with dancing in their property close to Czestochowa (Alexandria). It looked like what I see in an American movie (hanging around the pool :)). As the father owns a butchery there were a lot of excellent steaks and sausages. That wedding was really an experience.
That wedding sounds like a really great experience! Though not exactly a typical one. A traditional wedding should theoretically last 2 to 3 days but it's seldom done nowadays. Most people can't afford it. My wife's cousin had a second wedding party on the afternoon after the wedding - but that's the only thing of that sort I ever attended. Anyway, the one you went to was obviously in quite good taste. But the typical Polish wedding party is just lots of noise and tons of alcohol, with everyone getting completely drunk an hour or two after the party starts. Not exactly my idea of fun, as I don't drink much and it really is uncomfortable to be the only sober person in a room full of raving drunk lunatics... ;D
Quote
There are many nice places in Poland. I especially love Zakopane due to the nature/mountaineous surroundings, and Krakow as it is the only major city unharmed by the war (with a lot of historical buildings and sites). Wroclaw is also a very nice city as well as Gdansk. Warsaw is the big city that was severely damaged by the war, and it really is amazing to see how the old town has been rebuilt. The cultural palace next to the railway station is a fascinating building (the George Orwell like Russian gift). I can highly recommend a visit to Poland.
Thanks for those impressions. Actually Cracow was bombarded a tiny little bit... by the Red Army. Gdansk is a town that was left more or less unharmed by the Germans. But then the Russians came in and (after German capitulation!) destroyed about 80% of the historical part... Thankfully, many of the smaller towns of great historical significance (Zamosc, for instance) came out of the war relatively unharmed.
I like Zakopane very much too. But I love Bieszczady (another mountainous region) even more.
Maciek
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 01:08:30 PM
Thanks for those impressions. Actually Cracow was bombarded a tiny little bit... by the Red Army. Gdansk is a town that was left more or less unharmed by the Germans. But then the Russians came in and (after German capitulation!) destroyed about 80% of the historical part... Thankfully, many of the smaller towns of great historical significance (Zamosc, for instance) came out of the war relatively unharmed.
I like Zakopane very much too. But I love Bieszczady (another mountainous region) even more.
Maciek
I think our next longer trip to Poland will be to the Eastern part including Zamosc and maybe Lublin. I would also like to go to the large forest region in the North East with the bisons (I don't remember the name right now). This has to be combined with a visit to Lvov. I find it amazing to have learnt that the German population of Wroclaw was replaced by the Polish population of Lvov after the war. Stalin was totally crazy at that time. I was also surprised to find out that Wroclaw (festung Breslau) fell 1 month (?) after Berlin. The Germans staying there must have been incredibly fanatic :o.
Bieszczady, is that the mountain range closer to Nowy Targ (w/Dunajec)? Do you have any nice villages/places to recommend visiting in this region?
Quote from: rubio on May 03, 2007, 01:37:43 PM
I think our next longer trip to Poland will be to the Eastern part including Zamosc and maybe Lublin. I would also like to go to the large forest region in the North East with the bisons (I don't remember the name right now).
Park Bialowieski (they call it "Białowieża Park" on the UNESCO pages). I've never been there... :( Lublin is my wife's favourite Polish town. It's really beautiful! 8)
QuoteThis has to be combined with a visit to Lvov. I find it amazing to have learnt that the German population of Wroclaw was replaced by the Polish population of Lvov after the war. Stalin was totally crazy at that time. I was also surprised to find out that Wroclaw (festung Breslau) fell 1 month (?) after Berlin. The Germans staying there must have been incredibly fanatic :o.
Yes, the history of Wroclaw (and of Lvov!) is quite fascinating, though quite tragic.
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Bieszczady, is that the mountain range closer to Nowy Targ (w/Dunajec)? Do you have any nice villages/places to recommend visiting in this region?
Nowy Targ is still Podhale (the same region as Zakopane), though the mountains are called Gorce. Bieszczady are more to the east, so you could easily link that with your trip to Zamosc etc. They are much gentler mountains than the Tatras - more like hills than mountains, actually. But there is true wilderness there, which is even a bit scary at times because of the wild animals (at least that's what my wife says, I don't find it scary at all ;D). You can spend a whole day hiking and not meet a single other person! We went there for 2 weeks last summer. We stayed in Kalwaria Paclawska (OK, that's not exactly Bieszczady yet but it's very close) - that's near Przemysl, another very beautiful town! There's a Fransciscan monastery there and they keep a "Dom Pielgrzyma" (Pilgrim's House) which is a sort of hotel actually. The standard was really decent, and it was extremely cheap. Here's what it looks like:
(http://www.dp.franciszkanie.pl/dp07.jpg)(http://www.dp.franciszkanie.pl/dp02.jpg) (http://www.dp.franciszkanie.pl/)
You can also hire a room in the village, and that's even cheaper. I've got somewhere a leaflet from one of the houses.
The slopes are not very steep and the mountains aren't very high but for us that was perfect because we went there with our little daughter and I had to carry her on my back everywhere. ;D There are many antique wooden Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches in the area. And the nature is amazing: my wife almost stepped on a "zmija" (a sort of poisonous snake/viper/adder - Vipera berus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_berus)), there were 2 bears roaming in a nearby valley (so we couldn't go there), some deer were making a terrific noise (sounds pretty much like a bear, actually) in the evenings. There are these unbelievable, gigantic green meadows ("połoniny"). We saw cranes, European Tree Frogs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_tree_frog), Fire Salamanders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Salamander), Fire-Bellied Toads (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire-bellied_toad). Etc., etc., etc. We're now both in love with the region and we'll definitely go at least once more. :D
Here are 2 photos of Przemysl (from wikimedia commons):
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Poland_Przemysl_-_cathedral.jpg/800px-Poland_Przemysl_-_cathedral.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Przemyśl_Panorama_23-07-2006.jpg/800px-Przemyśl_Panorama_23-07-2006.jpg)
And this is the Kalwaria Paclawska sactuary:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pl/thumb/3/32/Paclawska.JPG/180px-Paclawska.JPG)
And some views from Bieszczady:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Rownia_orthodox_church.jpg/800px-Rownia_orthodox_church.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Poland_Hoszow_-_wooden_church.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/SALINA2005.jpg/800px-SALINA2005.jpg)(http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Rabia_skala.JPG)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Halicz1.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Poland_Polanczyk_-_Solinskie_Lake.jpg)(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Oslawa_Fluss.jpg/596px-Oslawa_Fluss.jpg)
Maciek
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 02:43:51 PM
There are these unbelievable, gigantic green meadows ("połoniny").
Just in case you were wondering what that means exactly, here are 2 photos taken from roughly the same spot in two opposite directions. You'd need at least half a day to walk across this.
Beautiful, Maciek!
Thanks, Karl! :D I've been to quite a few places (I lived in Africa for a part of my childhood) but currently that is my favorite place on Earth. I mean that meadow exactly... Talk about "green meadows"! ;D 8)
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 02:43:51 PM
There's a Fransciscan monastery there and they keep a "Dom Pielgrzyma" (Pilgrim's House) which is a sort of hotel actually. The standard was really decent, and it was extremely cheap.
And in case you'd like to know what I meant by "really decent" standard. Here are 2 pics of our rooms. We changed rooms halfway through our stay. The second one was much larger (with I think 6 beds), quite enjoyable to stay in a thing like that with a family of 3. ;D (They might give you a large room like that if the smaller ones are taken - you still pay as if it was a small one though.)
Nice pics. I will promise to post pics of my trip to Alaska (in a week I am driving from Tucson to Anchorage-surfing most of the way up). The drive through the NW USA and Canada should be beautiful. I am going to take lots of photos (REAL FILM, BOYS) with my Graflex camera and my Holga (4x5 format and 120mm respectively). Yes, I will have a digital too, plus an underwater camera as well.
It is no Europe. But it should be beautiful.
jared
Oh, yes, please, please do. I'll show them to my sister in law who is mad about Alaska. (But do post the others as well, not just Alaska ;).) BTW, I envy your equipment, if I may say so... 0:) (Not that the names really mean anything to me - I just envy the fact that you have so much of it. ;D)
Real film? I've heard of it.
You mean that stuff that you have to stir the milk to keep from forming? 8)
Quote from: MrOsa on May 04, 2007, 06:02:28 AM
Oh, yes, please, please do. I'll show them to my sister in law who is mad about Alaska. (But do post the others as well, not just Alaska ;).) BTW, I envy your equipment, if I may say so... 0:) (Not that the names really mean anything to me - I just envy the fact that you have so much of it. ;D)
Are you referring to the cameras? The thing about these old cameras is that you are really limited to amount of shots. The Graflex I have will only shoot 6 photos before I have to go into a dark place to reload film into the individual film holders. It is quite a pain in the arse, but if it was good enough for Ansel Adams, I guess it is good enough for me. You just have to really think about what you are shooting before you do so.
I have a brick of 120 film to shoot on the holga. At least I get about 10-12 shots with that one.
Maciek,
Thank you very much for these pictures and information. I'm sure we will go there some day, as my wife really liked those sceneries. I'm also surprised that you could even hear some bears in the nearby valley. That doesn't even happen often in Norway (except for Svalbard where there are 3000 polar bears). How poisonous is that viper snake?
But my next visit will be for a few days to Crakow in June, and I think 1 day shopping some CD's in Warszawa.
Quote from: rubio on May 04, 2007, 09:06:22 AM
1 day shopping some CD's in Warszawa.
The best part of any holiday, I suppose. ;D
Sorry, forgot to answer your questions...
Quote from: rubio on May 04, 2007, 09:06:22 AM
I'm also surprised that you could even hear some bears in the nearby valley.
Actually we didn't hear the bears (or did we? ;)) - we were simply told by the locals that there were two bears roaming around there. Some of the people said it wasn't much of a problem and that we could safely go there anyway but others advised against it, and we finally decided that there was too much to see anyway (considering the number of days we had). We only heard the deer. But the noise they make is a sort of roaring sound, so we imagined the bears might sound similar... ???
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How poisonous is that viper snake?
According to what we've read, there's no reason for concern if a healthy grownup gets bitten - he may not feel very well afterwards but he should live through it. However, it can be deadly for children and the elderly, and also for people with heart conditions. It is advised to take the serum in all cases...
Maciek
Quote from: MrOsa on May 03, 2007, 04:58:43 AM
Cracow:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Rynekkrk.jpg)
And today, while browsing for some info on the Wroclaw Market Square, I learnt from wikipedia that the Cracow Market Square is
the largest medieval market square in Europe! :o
Of course, it's not the size that counts... 0:)
Very nice pic, Maciek! Last year I visited Maastricht and was very impressed by the town's Market Square. As luck would have it, it was market day, and it was so full of people that one couldn't embrace it all at once. But large it was. We don't have that here in North America :-\
Thanks, André! Unfortunately, I didn't take it - just stole a link from wikipedia commons...
Maciek
(Guess you could say I did take it. I took it from wikipedia commons. Ha ha ha.)