Poland / Polska

Lipiec to czas urlopu. Kagaytrip przebywa więc w Polsce. Poza odpoczynkiem i odwiedzinami, to czas zwiedzania pięknych zabytków historii i kultury Polski.  To dla mnie taki mały polski „powrót do źródeł.” To rownież okazja, aby przybliżyć niektóre ciekawe zakątki Polski moim przyjaciołom poza krajem, a w szczególności na Filipinach.
Często bowiem pytają o Polskę. Ten rozdział mojego blogu jest więc zadedykowany głównie dla nich i dlatego napisany jest po angielsku.

 

It is a holiday time. Kagaytrip has been docked in Poland for a few weeks. It is a good time to take some rest with my family and enjoy with my friends. It is also a good opportunity for me to visit again the most famous and my favorite sites in the country.

Below there are a few pictures of the places I visited so far during my holiday.

Regards from Poland. 

Warszawa - old town

 

Warszawa - new city

Warszawa is the Capitol of Poland. The city, like Manila, was completely destroyed during the II WW but was built again on the ruins of the old Warsaw. It is modern and beautiful city now. It is also a place where the SCJ polish provincial resides. I spent the first few days of my vacation there.

Syrena with sword - symbol of Warsaw

Palace in Wilanow

 

This year Poland was a host of Euro Cup in soccer. This is one of the biggest and important sport events in Europe. Four new stadiums were built specially for this occasion. On the picture below: together with my family in front of the National Soccer Stadium in Warsaw.

 

Stadniki is the “heart of the Polish Province.” It is a place where the WSM (mission seminary) was build. Every SCJ had to undergo formation and finish study there. At present, there are just a few students that live in this large building.

Kraków – city of the late pope John Paul II; it is very old city with many historical monuments. City of students and “cultural capitol of Poland.” When you come to Poland, Kraków must be on the list of your itineraries. On the picture below: Wawel – cathedral and a castle where the polish kings used to resides. 

 

Zakopane is considered as “winter capitol of Poland.” Place of many winter sports. It is a little town located in the Tatra Mountains. It attracts tourists throughout entire year. And the sceneries are so beautiful there (see below). I had a chance to spend a few days with my my brother and his family.

Poznań – oldest capitol of Poland. It was here, over 1000 years ago, in Ostrow Tumski, where polish tribes were united and baptized by first Polish King: Mieszko I. Today Poznań is important trade and business city. It is also a city of Szmon. I had a chance to visit him there. Thank you for hospitality and nice welcome.

Poznan - Old Market Square

City Hall with famous Billy-goats (symbol of Poznan)

Ostrów Tumski

Underground of the Cathedral in Ostrrów Tumski: Baptistery where Mieszko I & his Royal Family was baptized (966AD). It is considered as "Baptism of Poland" and beginning of the Country.

 

Gdańsk – city of Solidarnosc. In 1983 the change of the political system and liberation from the communist system started here and was spread throughout Central and Eastern Europe. It is old and beautiful city on the cost of Baltic Sea. Together with Sopot, it is a very attractive tourist spot. I had a chance to travel there with my family. 

Neptun - Lord of the Sea & sumbol of Gransk

Sopot - Old Light House

Gdansk - new soccer stadium. From distance it looks like a huge amber...

With Ola & Ania my nieces

 

 

Łysiec & Holy-Cross Mountains – The oldest mountains in Europe. Started to grow 417 mil years ago. The name of mountains came from the monastery of Benedictine Order which was established in year 1006 by 1st Polish Royal king – Bolesław Chrobry. The legend says that Saint Emeryk brought to that place relics (pieces) of Holy Cross on which Jesus died. This is the reason why the hill where the monastery is established (595 meters – the 2nd highest hill in that mountains) is called from that moment Holy Cross (Święty Krzyż) and whole mountains: the Holy-Cross Mountains (Góry Świętokrzyskie). The sanctuary on the Łysiec Mountain has been the most significant center of the Holy Cross relic cult for centuries. It is a beautiful place for walk and meditation. 

Relict of the Holy Cross

In front of Holy Cross Sanctuary; with Antek, Frania, Kuba, Jan & Aga.

Holiday time is a time to meet friends. Some of them you should know. Perhaps you met them in the Philippines. Some of them have been in the Philippines for a few times. Best Regards from them…

My Parents with Ola & Ania

Karolina my cusine & Company...

Sister Gosia & her husband

With Kazimierz and Zdzislaw in Kluczbork

My sister Ewa & her husband

With Jan, Lea & Frania in Lichen

On beach of the Baltic Sea (Gdynia)

Ania