trip to Poland...

So..my wife came back from India..winter went by..
and we planned a trip to Poznan..booked train tickets..
return Li?ge(Belgium)to Poznan..train goes to Warsawa..
in these days...not so easy to get into Poland..
visa restrictions etc....money went with vouchers..
which had to be changed in Poland itself..into zloty's..
so..one fine evening..we set off for Li?ge..
our train...was departing after midnight from Li?ge..
trip went via Germany..up to Berlin..through the DDR..
customs checked up our visa etc..but not our luggage..
we crossed easily..but..when we were gonna come into East Berlin..
something fishy happened..up till Berlin..
we were almost in an empty train compartiment..
after Berlin..some Polish joined us..they work in Berlin..
cross over for week-end trips home...in these days..
fruits like bananas..were non existing in Poland..toilet paper as well..
the Poles under the communistic regime...were not as free as us..
DDR was even worser..the Stasi secret police of Honecker..got into
any private matter..houses were bugged..a paranoia situation..
so..the customs asked us to get out of our compartiment...
they closed the curtains...and were deliberating with the 4 Poles inside..
took about 15 minutes...then we were allowed back in..
so..what happened..these Poles..took goods into Poland..
which were in fact forbidden..kind of a smuggling game???
the custom officers dealed with it...accepting bribes..money game??
anyway..not our business..we went as tourists..border crossing..
was in Frankfurt a.d.Oder..no hassle..we got Polish money..
via our vouchers..we travelled with U.S.dollars..they told us..
black market would given more..but dangerous to do it..
Poznan was reached..Marian was waiting for us..
he had a small Fiat car..and took us to his home..
his parents were both teachers..and were on holiday to Hungary..
he got a sister...and 2 younger brothers..and grandmother(baboeska)
we were very much welcomed..Polish folks are very hospitable..
food was served..typical Polish..then Marian opened a cupboard..
and said..care for a little vodka..damn..maybe 10 different kinds..
I preferred the Wyborowa..or the Zubrowka..this last one..
got some blade of grass in it..on which the bison feeds..
I learned my first Polish words like dziekuje bardzo=thank you..
prosze=please..dzien dobry=good morning..do widzenia=goodbye..
funny language..but I picked up on it..I was always good at languages..
in the evening..we went to a family friend of Marian..they were quite
impressed to welcome visitors from Belgium..they were so damn curious..
next day..little visit of Poznan..nice town..but I prefer Krakow..
I'll try to get a link Poznan..I do hope you peeps enjoy my journal..
http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/poznan/tourinf.html
P.S..click the blue links..on bottom..
Tiger