Monday, July 20, 2009
5:10 PM | 
Posted by
Ryś |
Going around Poland, in 3 days is an extraordinary, fabulous, astonishing piece of... crap. Yes, yes I admit that. If you have 3-days weekend and you want to spend it off, don't follow my route this time. I mean it is extremely boring. And if some of you would think "didn't I say that?", my answer is: "you don't have a bloody idea what does it mean boring". You have to try it on your own to get to know that it is one of the most boring countries I've ever been. And although some people at my house, which apparently are called my family, say that I am spreading defetism, I won't change my mind. Going around Poland in 3 days is useless.
For those who are not familliar with geography of Europe I must explain something about the country where I was born. It covers area more less simillar to Spain and is extremely... flat. Whoa! And what about famous "Polish Alps"? I didn't see any. The train to Zakopane crosses 140 km in 4 hours! It means that I would have to spend whole day to go there, eat their stinky cheese and come back to Cracow, because further on South is just the Slovan country of KIA.
This trip was supposed to take place to show you the real, unknown face of Poland. But I have to be honest - if You want to travel around Poland - ok, go. But if you would like to have fun at the same time, then just go to certain places. That is why I created a list of activities to do. And if You want to:
Have fun...
Go to Wroclaw!
Have more fun...
Go to Wroclaw!
Have a great time...
Go to WROCLAW!
All right there are some other places worth to see in Poland and if You really have nothing to do on summer, just go around them.
Cracow
The perfect city for the morning activities. Wherever you go, the coffee and cracknels (called Obwarzanki) taste the same. What's interesting, Cracow, which for ages has been counted as the biggest city of intellectuals in this part of Europe is the most posh city at the same time. And it appears in quite odd way. The snobbery stands for... being from Cracow. And if you are wearing loosefitting cardigan or sweater, glasses in thick frames, carry books or suitcase infraaxillary and edgily look for cigarettes then defenitely, at least your great-great grandmother had to have romance with some soldier from that city.
However Cracow seems to be great place to live and apart from Wroclaw and Trojmiasto (which I will go further), that is the only one city where you can really party till the break of day and safely go back home. But to not pay the price of being too Cracovian, be careful with showing your likeness to the local football clubs - it's easy to get "injured" if You show off the "colours" of a wrong team.
Lublin
Next on my route was Lublin. But to get there I had to take bus and range the most boring region of whole country. Honestly, I know just one so unattractive place in Europe. They call it Lithuania. You are crossing hundreds of kilometeres and see just fields or forrests... unbelievable sight! Lublin itself is very neglected therby colourful. Entering the Old Town You can quickly notice big heritage and the international influences which keep going also today. Surprisingly, I found the town quite charming. But it was not enough to keep me there for longer. Hence Lublin is not worth going there, unless you are a farmer, admiring the scenery of corn-fields.
Warsaw
Some say, that Warsaw is tolerable only by night, because then you can hardly see its ugliness. Tolerable is too big word actually, anyhow at least by night it is not that much eyecatching. I met in Warsaw with Cajbel, who became my guide in this "most-western Asian city". I am sorry , but I won't surprise you, in my words you will not find anything new. The capital is literaly bumpkinly. There is no style and it seems, that people who come there (still it is hard to find real Warsaw-man) do everything just for show. The night life is concentrated around few clubs, which bring nothing new to the city's atmoshpere. And what is the worst, there is no hope for Warsaw, what makes the capital, unwated but compulsory stop during journeys across Poland.
Some say, that Warsaw is tolerable only by night, because then you can hardly see its ugliness. Tolerable is too big word actually, anyhow at least by night it is not that much eyecatching. I met in Warsaw with Cajbel, who became my guide in this "most-western Asian city". I am sorry , but I won't surprise you, in my words you will not find anything new. The capital is literaly bumpkinly. There is no style and it seems, that people who come there (still it is hard to find real Warsaw-man) do everything just for show. The night life is concentrated around few clubs, which bring nothing new to the city's atmoshpere. And what is the worst, there is no hope for Warsaw, what makes the capital, unwated but compulsory stop during journeys across Poland.
Toruń
The city well known as the place of life of Nicolas Copernicus (Mikołaj Kopernik), yes yes... he was Pole. And like this I could finish the description of that town. I went there because I thought I would get some inspiration, as the famous astronomist got, but nothing. The Earth will be still going around Sun and nothing seems to be changed in this matter. At least I didn't discover anything yet. However Torun - rich with very "German" Old Town is famous with one more hero. The controversial priest, who has built there his own media centre - radio, press, tv with mobile network ending (so far) - can be proud with 4 mln audience. What is not that noticable on the streets.
Trójmiasto (Tri-city)
Gdańsk
There are 3 cities in Poland, where I could live. Wroclaw, Cracow and Gdansk. And it is not only because they are beautiful, you just feel that in these cities, you will feel like at home. And they all are living cities, although with Gdansk things look a bit different. Crowds of tourists, millions of ambers and dozens of artists performing on the streets. That is the Old Town. Streets coming from the harbour to the main Street "Dlugi Targ" seem to look as hundreds years ago. And as few centuries in the past, they are very international. I think, the proportions of foreign and domestic tourists are equal. But what does it mean domestic in the city which for some time has been a separate republic? Gdansk is very special. Not by accident, in this city communism has been - the first time in Europe - overthrown and also before - here started the 2nd World War. Germans knew very well, where to hit, to knock Poland cold. But coming back to kem, wrong is the person, who thinks, that as in Wroclaw or Cracow, Gdansk has its nightlife. Pubs are open till late, but at 9-10 pm all the party life moves to Sopot. 
Sopot
The favourite town of Adolf Hitler, efervesces in Summer. All the hotels, apartments and private rooms are booked with 3 months of notice. Not only because of the beautiful beach and monumental mole (where by the way everyone is flirting with newly met "summer loves", and whereabout many people have began their prenatal lives), but mainly by reason of 3 big festivals taking place in the Forest Opera. In the past there was just one - international pop music festival. Nowadays all the big tv-networks decided to have their very own and very one of kind festivals. And as result every year, the same artists performs the same songs in front of the same audience, three times during summer and as you can conclude, it must be very exceptional experience. There is however very one and very special event taking place in Tricity on Summer. It's called Heineken Open'er Festival and by many people from all the world it is higher rated than Glastonbury.
To not to bore with praises to Tri-city just one last notice. In that region lives minority of Kaszubians. It's widely spread among Pomeranian Voivodeship and interestingly, quite popular. To Kaszubian origins claim among the others - Polish Prime Minister - Donald Tusk, or Nobel-prize winning German - Gunter Grass.
Szczecin
Unfortunatelly I came to Szczecin one week after the Tall Ship Races event. City changes then unrecognizable. But everyday's Szczecin, although a harbour, seems to be very quiet and polite. Again I must use this term - the city is very "German". I got to know Szczecin from academic point of view. Surprisingly many intellectuals from wide range of science settled there down and perhaps that is the main reason, why Szczecin is hosting the best high school in whole country. To not to get bored with noisy city, I reccomend to go for a cruise to the most Northern-West town in Poland - Swinoujscie where apart from the beach, you can see the dead U-boots basin.
Sleeps in the night. Nothing to tell. During the day festivals, concerts, etc. But time was running, hence I couldn't enjoy.
But to not to throw down your arms, there is a solution for a summer trip in Poland. Just get to Cracow, take the soonest bus to Zakopane, enjoy the majestic sight of Polish mountains and crowds on the routes. Next, when you get bored with sheep's cheese (thank's God there is the E.U., which told shephards the proper way of doing that, while for ages their fore fathers were apparently producing Oscypki badly...) take the "cinema train" to Sopot, watch for the upteenth time Juno and go to the seaside, where Polish youth won't let you fall asleep easily.
Mazury
The other solution can be Mazurian Lake region - this time I skipped it on purpose, because honestly crossing that region I wouldn't be able to hurry. You can not just pass by Mazury. This is one of the very few regions in Europe, where you can chill out. I am going to write about Mazury an individual article, so be patient.
The other solution can be Mazurian Lake region - this time I skipped it on purpose, because honestly crossing that region I wouldn't be able to hurry. You can not just pass by Mazury. This is one of the very few regions in Europe, where you can chill out. I am going to write about Mazury an individual article, so be patient.
An in the very end one more notice - in Poland there are really working mobile sweat boxes! They call them public transport and let you feel massive discomfort when it's summer. And to be clear. It's not a complain, it's an observation.
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