Torun

Another very scenic drive along the Vistula again this morning as we headed for Turon. It is amazing to see the size of the river. 

Poser!

A few kilometres before Włocławek we came across the large dam that manages the flow of the Vistula. This has created what is now referred to as the Włocławek Reservoir. 

Włocławek Dam. 

At the dam site was a small memorial to the Catholic priest Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko, who was associated with the workers' and trade union movement Solidarity. He was also a member that was opposed to the Communist regime in Poland, was tortured and murdered by three security police officers, and was thrown into the Włocławek Reservoir, close to the city. His body was recovered from the reservoir on October 30, 1984.

The memorial to Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko. 

Włocławek was our next stop - a city of over 100,000 - but it didn't have much going for it other than a large multilevel Kaufland Shopping Centre! Like many Polish cities there is always a terrible past that emerges as you probe a bit further. Włocławek was the first town in Poland that the Nazis enforced the wearing of the Jewish star by Jews to identify them as being Jewish. By the end of the war the Jewish  population, as in many other places, had all been deported and killed. 

An abbey yard in Włocławek. 

In the afternoon we visited Turon, arguably one of the most beautiful town in Poland. One reason for this is that it has been preserved in its original state and has not been destroyed by war. As a town to visit it was just delightful.

Delightful Torun! Ancient Town Hall with the statue of Copernicus front and centre.

The 17th century town gates. 

Cobbled stone alleyways - now eateries. 

Creative art work in some of the ramparts  of the city. 

A favourite street sculpture of the lady and her dog!

The town is very proud of being the birth place of the great scientist Nicholas Copernicus. It is also proud of the Town Hall and the great merchant houses dotted around the Old Town. Again, the wealth of the town was created by the passing trade along the Vistula. 

The Man!

Street scape ...

... and another!

Having exhausted ourselves by late afternoon we returned to Hilton and drove a few kilometres to the village of Papowo Torunskie for our overnight stop. 

Other photoes from today:

An old lady looking after a piece of garden in one of the back streets. 

We spoke with the KOD members who were collecting signatures to oppose the current governments policies. They are a committee for the defence of democratic government. They oppose the current right-wing government. 

Lech Wałesa was coming to address their meeting. 

The beautiful promenade along the Vistula. 

Town defences and an interesting old warehouse. 

Płock - Czerwinsk

Today we followed the Vistula further along its course as it winds its way to the Baltic Sea. This great river has been the reason the towns and villages we have visited came into existence. Through the river they grew, became wealthy, were fought over and thrived. 

The Vistula River and Plock Castle  and Cathedral in the background. 

We started out by looking for the Modlin Castle ruins. This castle was ordered to be built by Napoleon at the confluence of the Vistula and the Narew rivers. It was later expanded by the Russians in 1830 to accommodate 26,000 men and destroyed during WWII! It seems to be a recently neglected army base by the looks of the rusted weaponary still lying about. 

It wasn't long before we were on our way further along the Vistula to Czerwińsk nad Wisla, the home of an ancient church complex. Czerwinsk was settled by monks in the 12th century, brought in by the King to hurry the conversion of this part of Poland to Christianity. Today the monastery welcomes visitors to look around the property including the very ornate Small Basillica. 

The monastery church at Czerwińsk nad Wisla.

Beautiful mosaic on the outside of the church. 

The township at the bottom of the hill was interesting, with obvious attempts currently at renewal, but it is obvious that this predominately timber building village has seen a lot of history! 

Ancient timber houses around the village of Czerwińsk nad Wisla. 

Our major destination today was the city of Płock. Płock is the oldest urban settlement in this part of Poland, and in the 11th century it became the seat of Polish Kings. So a little pedigree on its side! It flourished with Baltic-bound trade route and important prince-bishops followed the royals into the town. Mid 17th century the Swedes invaded and the Płock felt the full impact with the Bishop's very valuable  library and archives being taken to Sweden where they remain to this day!

The Stare Miasto (Old Town) was relaxing and worth the visit. Its building frontages obviously  don't match those of the much larger cities but, still, they had a charm and attractiveness which was being enjoyed by many. The cobbled stone side streets were the location of many more restaurants and bars being enjoyed by visitors. 

The market square in Płock. 

Stylish merchant houses surround the market square. 

The attractive square in Płock. 

Some buildings have yet to face the renovator!

Attractive sculptures are dotted around the city. Does this resemble a peanut farmer from Queensland?

At the cathedral we came across our first wedding for the day - normally on Saturdays we come across two or rhree weddings. The cathedral was commenced in the 11th century but has been changed  considerably over the centuries. The twelfth century bronze doors are considered to be the high point of interest - given the story of how they went missing for six centuries and only rediscovered in 1970.

Płock's cathedral. 

The cathedral's beautiful stain glass and the panels of the ancient bronze doors. 

Wedding wine and glasses at the ready at the rear of the cathedral awaiting the bride and groom. 

Late in the day we drove on a few kilometres to our over night stop in the village of  Soczewka. 

And one last photo from today:

 

Warsaw

I couldn't believe it, but this morning we had the heater on whilst having breakfast! No rain overnight - what a surprise! - but certainly much cooler. 

The beautifully reconstructed Stare Miasto (Old Town). 

Getting into Warsaw early was our goal in order to get a parking spot near the old town - having done some homework on this we were pleasantly surprised to get a parking spot just around the corner from the Barbican and the entrance to the old town.

Plac Zamkowy - Royal Castle on the right and the column of King Sigismund III, the king who made Warsaw his capital. 

The Market Square has been totally reconstructed after being destroyed at the end of WWII. It is reported that some old citizens claim it to be perhaps closer to the Middle Ages centre than pre-war because the plans for the rebuilding were taken from the original baroque plans. 

You can't help but make comparisons when walking around Warsaw, realising that it was totally destroyed at the end of the war on the orders of Hitler. The reconstruction is mind blowing. This is the case for most communities that experienced this level of destruction ie Dresden.

The Royal Castle in 1945 and 2016. 

The Rynek ( Market Square) 1945 and 2016. 

We attended a baroque organ recital at the beautiful St Anne's Church by a Polish virtuoso - the church was particularly enjoyable! 

St Anne's Church, one of the most beautiful in Poland.

Having exhausted ourselves around the Old Town we drove to the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising. I can understand how Poles could remain angry for generations after a history like theirs. The museum is such a moving experience that it can't help but leave a lasting impression. A pattern of human slaughter was perfected by both the Nazis and the Stalinists. 

A view of the museum. 

Everyday Poles going about their business in 1939. 

The politics of the allied forces also leaves a lot to be desired - they basically abandoned the Poles in the hours of need. It is often said that WWII didn't end for the Poles in 1945 but went in for another 45 years! 

It was late Friday afternoon when we left Warsaw - very stupid as we were caught up in Friday afternoon traffic jams on our way to the village of Łomna for our overnight stop. 

Some more images of the day:

A beautiful shop front on the Market Square. 

A small business woman!

Again, some very fine galleries around the city. 

King Sigismund III and his Polish soccer scarf!

Horse and carriage entering the old town through the reconstructed barbican. 

Map of the carve-up of Poland after 1945. 

Some buildings have never recovered. 

A little windy!

Vistula River Jaunt

Today we decided to mosey along the Vistula towards Warsaw. Some interesting experiences along the way - the closer we get to Warsaw the busier it becomes.

The stork is a subject of many European folklore and it is treated regally throughout Poland. Because industrialisation had caused a dramatic decline in stork numbers many European countries now provide nesting poles for the birds. In the picture on the right the power authorities provide an extra platform on their poles for the birds to nest - it also saves on electrical blackouts because of storks building nests on the wires. 

After the torrential rains again last night we were a little slow out of the blocks again this morning. But when we got under way we shopped at Deblin, housing a Polish Airforce base, before following the Vistula to Maciejowice. 

At Maciejowice we sought out the area where the Battle of Maciejowice took place in which the Polish hero 

Tadeusz Kościuszko was finally wounded and captured by the Russians. After this battle the final partition of Poland was enacted and Poland ceased to exist for the next 123 years. 

The now derelict manor house in the grounds where the Battle of Maciejowice took place, plus artefacts from the museum.  

A memorial to Kościuszko where the battle took place. The inscription reads: "Place of the last battle of the head of the Polish nation""

Having found this we then visited the Kościuszko museum in Maciejowice. Although all in Polish it visually told the story of his importance in Polish heritage as well as in American history. 

Kościuszko's bust in the museum. 

We followed the river road where we had some interesting detours because of new road reconstructions, on one detour I don't think I have ever been on a worse road! Finally we emerged at Marianskie Porzecze a little shaken and a little lost.

But you can get lucky: firstly we pulled over in front of this magnificent 18th century wooden church, and secondly a very helpful Pole could see we were questioning our GPS and stopped his car and came over to assist- fortunately he did because there was another detour which we could have missed and ended up goodness knows where.

St Mary's 18th century wooden church. 

The very colourful interior. 

This detour took us through vast estates of Apple orchards. We drive for over 15 km and all we could see were orchards. It appeared to be a fairly recent industry because there were many young trees mixed with older trees. At the end of the drive was one colossal packing shed. 

Some of the acreages of apple orchards. 

New plantings mixed with older trees. 

Along the way were  many heavily laden cherry trees, neither man nor bird seemed interested in them.

We drove on for a few kilometres to the village of Celestynow for our evening stop. 

A day that promised little but delivered an abundance.