GDAŃSK

Gdańsk is one of Poland's largest and oldest cities. It's located on the Gdańsk Bay of the Baltic Sea, at the mouth of Motława river. Together with its neighbour city Gdynia and spa town Sopot it forms so - called Trójmiasto (the Tricity).

Gdańsk is one of finest examples of modern Poland's multicultural roots. The city's history spans over one thousand years. Gdańsk was part of many different states - it was founded by Poles, then (in 14th century) it was conquered by the Order of Teutonic Knights. It was returned to Poland in the middle of 15th century. After the final Partitions of Poland (in the end of 18th century) it was absorbed by Prussia - and later, by Germany. After World War I it was declared a Free City - and in the aftermath of World War II it became, once again, a part o Poland. Such turbulent history is mirrored by Gdańsk's rich cultural legacy - a mixture of German, Polish and Jewish cultures.

If you plan visiting Poland, Gdańsk is definitely a place to see. I visited Gdańsk once, five years ago. I spent a whole week in this city - and I think it was way too short! Gdańsk simply has so much to offer, so much to experience... There are those beautiful, narrow streets between historical - style buildings. There is Ulica Długa (the Long Street) and Długi Targ (the Long Market) - an incredibly vibrant area in summer, full of tourists, musicians and street artists. There are quite a few old churches to visit - like enormous St. Mary's Church from 15th century (the largest brick church in the world!). There is also Żuraw (the Crane) - an astounding historical lifting device built at the bank of Motława. Near the Crane, on Motława itself, SS Sołdek is anchored - the first ship built in Poland after WW II, which serves now as a museum... You can also visit scenic Adam Mickiewicz Park at Oliwa district, or historical stronghold at Wisłoujście, or Westerplatte - a peninsula where one of the first battles of WW II took place, or...

I think you get the picture... :)

And if you still have doubts about visiting Gdańsk - just look at the photos below :)

A view of Gdańsk - with St. Mary's Church visible

One of the streets

St. Catherine's Church - sadly, it was damaged by fire in May 2006

Gdańsk during winter

Fireworks during New Year celebration

More of Gdańsk during winter

Famous Neptune's Fountain - covered in snow

An example of Gdańsk's architecture

A view of Gdańsk and Motława - to the right, the Crane is visible

All above photos were taken by Taisha (thanks for submitting them!). More of Taisha's extraordinary photos from Gdańsk can be found on her photoblog - we encourage you to visit it!

"Mein Kampf" all over again?

Morning, like every other. I was going to work when I saw it. The front page information of almost every newspaper: Tehran hosts forum for Holocaust deniers. I'm disgusted. Not shocked, oh no, not even surprised. I am just disgusted. I am not a very aggressive person but when I read something like that I want to kick somebody.

I am not Jewish, I am Polish. I used to live in a country where Germans decided to build their concentration death camps. They killed a lot of Jews, Poles, and Gypsies. Nazis hated everybody who was different, not "pure blood". Have you ever read "Mein Kampf" by Adolf Hitler? If this is not enough, read something else. Read Polish literature. The postwar Polish literature was mostly documental. I read all of it and couldn't sleep. I saw people starved to death, burned alive, or killed in gas chambers.

I've never been to Auschwitz, but I saw Majdanek. After reading about these places I finally saw one of them with my own eyes. I saw piles of human bones, I saw the room where they slept, and finally I saw the crematory where they were burned. I was jus 14 then, but I remember the smell of fear and death that was still there.

Don't tell me that Holocaust never happened. Don't even tell me that freedom of speech should protect opinions like that. I have the right not to hear the lies like that; I have the right not to see the kid in Nazi's uniform walking on Halloween.

MIKOŁAJKI

December 6 is a day of minor (but popular) festival called Mikołajki.

Mikołajki originated, in fact, as Christian festival - Saint Nicholas Day. Today, Mikołajki - although its connection to Christian saint is still remembered - is mostly a secular celebration. Mikołajki is a day when many Poles give to other people small gifts, especially to the children. Traditionally, Polish children find their gifts in their shoes. On the night before December 6, before going to sleep, they prepare a shoe, or a boot (i.e. they put it near their beds) - and next day, after waking up, they find it filled with some gifts. There is a legend that it is St. Nicholas who puts those gifts into kids' shoes.

KAZIMIERZ DOLNY

Today, some more photos :)

Here are some pictures taken in Kazimierz Dolny - a town in eastern Poland. It's a small town, but quite popular with tourists. For 11 years, it was also home for well-known film festival, Lato Filmów (Cinema Summer).

A view of Kazimierz Dolny

A view of the market square

Old houses in Kazimierz Dolny

Ruins of Kazimierz Dolny's castle

Three Crosses Hill

All photos were taken by Marta Rusek.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

November 11 is one of the most important Polish national holidays - Independence Day.

It commemorates the rebirth of independent Poland after 123 years of Partitions. In 1795, Polish state was dismantled by Russia, Austria and Prussia. Since then, Poles struggled to regain their freedom. This objective was finally achieved in the aftermath of World War I.

Independence Day was instituted in 1937. The choice of its exact date may be seen as somewhat arbitrary, as Poland's rebirth was a long process impossible to tie to one single event - actually, it started well in 1916. In fact, Independence Day is a commemoration of November 11, 1918 - the day when Regency Council (Polish semi-independent government created in 1917 with permission of Germany and Austria) gave up the command of Polish troops to Józef Piłsudski. A few days earlier (on November 7) Regency Council declared Poland's independence - and few days later (on November 14) Council transferred all its authority to Piłsudski, who became Poland's Governor of the State. It also worth to note that November 11, 1918 was the day that Germany and the Allies signed the armistice that ended World War I.

Somewhat ironically, two years after Independence Day's institution, World War II broke out and Poland lost its independence again. After WWII, the communists took control of Poland - and Independence Day on November 11 was abolished (the communist party instituted new Independence Day on July 22). It was reinstituted half a century later, in 1989, after the fall of communism.

All Saints (or Day of the Dead, as I prefer to call it)

Day of the Dead is celebrated in Poland on November 1st. as a national holiday. In the past it was a religiouls custom, but now it is the day when all Poles visit the graves of loved ones. They place this special, long lasting candles, and flowers on the graves. Sometimes we travel all over the country just to light this symbolic candle and meet our families on this special day. Cementaries glow with thousands of this candles, and are really crowded this day. Most cities provide special transportation to the cementaries.

Although this is not a very happy holiday I really miss it away from home. It gives some kind of relief to those who lost their loved ones.
Below one of my favorite poems by W. Szymborska.


Cat in an empty apartment

Dying--you wouldn't do that to a cat.
For what is a cat to do
in an empty apartment?
Climb up the walls?
Brush up against the furniture?
Nothing here seems changed,
and yet something has changed.
Nothing has been moved,
and yet there's more room.
And in the evenings the lamp is not on.

One hears footsteps on the stairs,
but they're not the same.
Neither is the hand
that puts a fish on the plate.

Something here isn't starting
at its usual time.
Something here isn't happening
as it should.
Somebody has been here and has been,
and then has suddenly disappeared
and now is stubbornly absent.

All the closets have been scanned
and all the shelves run through.
Slipping under the carpet and checking came to nothing.
The rule has even been broken and all the papers scattered.
What else is there to do?
Sleep and wait.

Just let him come back,
let him show up.
Then he'll find out
that you don't do that to a cat.
Going toward him
faking reluctance,
slowly,
on very offended paws.
And no jumping, purring at first.

WARSAW'S OLD TOWN

One of most atmospheric and beautiful areas of Warsaw (Poland's capital) is called Old Town. It's the oldest part of the city, established in 13th century. Currently it serves as popular meeting place, full of restaurants and cafes. It's also one of Warsaw's greatest tourists attractions, featuring (among others) historical city walls and barbican, 600 years old St. John's Cathedral, Sigismund's Column (a monument commemorating king Simismund III Vasa) and the Royal Castle - the official residence of Polish kings since 1596.

Here are some photos from Warsaw's Old Town:

A view of the Castle Square - with Sigismund's Column visible

The Royal Castle

Another view of the Castle

Old Town's Market Square during a jazz concert - in the back, a statue of the Mermaid (a symbol of Warsaw) is visible

A view of old houses at the Market Square

Leaving Market Square

Musicians playing in front of one of Old Town's restaurants

All photos were taken by my friend, Marta Rusek (thanks for submitting them, Marta!)