old tiger's Blog

Czestochowa is South from Warzawa...direction Katowice..
Marian had an aunt who was a nun in a convent there...
we could sleep for free there..nice convent..the hospitability..
of the Polish people was simply astonishing..so..this place..
is famous for the black Madonna..which is to be seen..
in the monastery Jasna Gora..which is a real pilgrimage place..
Poles are very devout people..let me tell you about this Madonna..
we went very early morning..best time actually..because afterwards..
huge crowds gather..Poles and tourists...the Madonna is kept into a
chapel..it's a picture to which are miracles are attributed to..
the picture shows the Madonna with the child Christ...it dates from
very ancient times..probably late 1300's..it looked more like an icon
to me..in august..there's a big pilgrimage every year..it's often very
difficult to see the picture then..when we were there...it was O.K.
old devout Polish ladies on their knees crawling around the picture..
the monastery Jasna Gora..is certainly worth a visit..a religious spirit..
is always in the air if you visit this place...we stayed 2 nights..
after that..we were gonna travell by train towards Krakow..
which is my favorite place of all the places we visited in Poland..
I'll try to get a link on the Black Madonna..
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/poland/czestochowa-jasna-gora.htm
Tiger

Next day..visit of Poznan..some churches..a nice town square..
next day..we set off by train to Warsawa..via Konin and Kutno..
the countryside of Poland..viewed from our train window..
was lovely..finally we reached Warzawa..capital of Poland..
Marian got us in a nice hotel..this town..is on the Vistula river..
few bridges=most..we stayed 2 nights there..decent hotel..
first thing we saw was the palace of culture and science building..
it's Warsawa's idea of a skyscraper..tallest building in Poland??
anyway..prestige project of the communistic era??
the old town=Stare miasto..is full of historic buildings..
the old town square was called rynek??I recall some buildings..
but town squares in eastern Europe resemble each other a bit..
we went to Wilanow parc..with a nice laid out garden..and palace..
few musea in that place as well..don't recall the exact names..
Warzawa is full of nice restaurants,pubs,bars,little shops...
I still like Krakow more..to me..it got more charm..anyway..
we took some food in some restaurant..next day...strolled around Warzawa again..
and prepared a trip to Czestochowa=the black Madonna..
very famous place for religion...Poles are very Catholic..
trip to Czestochowa was done by train again..in fact..Marian payed
our fare..nice dude..the Polish..I can tell you...are very warmhearted..
http://www.warsawtour.pl/index.php?id=5&olang=5
http://www.virtourist.com/europe/warsaw/index.html
Tiger

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

Next day...taxi towards Palam international airport...
see to it..you always keep some Indian roepies..
for departure taxes..flight was in time..Boeing 747..
Air India..an 8 to 9 hours flight..via Moscow..
Air India serves good inflight food..what I did not like..
was the stop in Moscow airport..it was bloody cold..
airport looked cold...very Sowjetlike..anyway..we did not get down..
usually lots of flights to India take the gulf state route..
like Dubai etc..later on..I made a stop once in Dubai airport..
hehe...what a luxury there..we touched down in Amsterdam..
after a good flight..exept for Moscow..then hopping flight to Brussels..
we were back home..my wife came home 1 month later..
surprise was...she met a young Polish student doctor in New Delhi airport..
he gave his adress to her..and invited us..
for a visit..to Poland..Marian was from Poznan..
that's my next trip..Poland..from Belgium..by train...
via East Berlin(DDR)to Poland..fascinating country..
these days..it was still not as free as today..
I'll tell you about our adventures in Poland....
Tiger

The pink city express is a fast train..between Jaipur-Delhi..
lots of tourists take this train..it was not a night train..
it reaches Old Delhi late evening..we were bloody lucky..
when we reached Delhi...to get a retiring room in Old Delhi station.
the rooms there..must have looked like a jail cell for my brother/wife..
it's not a simple thing to reach old Delhi at 22.30 p.m..
and go out to find a decent hotel..I could have..
if I was on my own..no problem..you can't put newly weds..
in a sleazy hotel room..NO way..but the only option..
was this retiring room..O.K. for one night..I did not sleep to well...
but al least..got a bed..a shower..next morning..we took breakfast..
in the railway station..damn cheap..I liked always these waiters..
with their Indian caps..so polite..yes Sur,yes Madam...India,you know...
after breakfast..we went to Janpath..my brother wanted some privacy
with his wife..shopping etc..I said O.K...I'll meet you two at Connaught
Radial road nr.6=L block..Nirula's restaurant..at 6 p.m..
I got a place in a Sikh temple..near G.P.O..free...
food included..if I wanted..it's called *langar*in Sikh religion..
nothing more then chappati/dal...I strolled around bit on Janpath..
they get these Tibetan stalls there..or book stalls...I did'n't get bored..
met my brother/wife at Nirula's..good food..very nice desserts..
Nirula is a fast food restaurant..ice cream was excellent..
my brother/wife had done a conducted sightseeing tour on their own..
told me about places in New Delhi..I had never seen before myself..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi
next day..flight back home...with a stop in Moscow airport...
about 8 or 9 hours to fly..so...we went early to bed..
long day before us next day..
Tiger..