POLAND Lubin

Poland

Alvin's update

Lubin Plains

Log 19

From Warsaw I headed south east, back to the rural plains around Lubin. All my plans to go back to Warsaw changed after the debacle of not remembering my train station. I soon found a mechanic with a Mig welder, on my way out of the city, who fixed the exhaust leak. I snapped on a new fuel filter which has eliminated the fuel leak. My gas supply remains dubious, i have had to put an oversize Polish cylinder in the wardrobe and run the hose via a new hole drilled in the floor of the WR connecting it to the Gas Cupboard . I remain skeptical about the seal and switch the gas supply off when not needed . This has stuffed my Fridge as it runs on Gas during the day and night, it was time to have a throw out anyway.

I have been telling you all the positive aspects of my travels but the negative can be as interesting as well. Towards mid afternoon the sun was real hot, I decided to take advantage of the heat and attend to the most of my clothes washing , It not easy to find a laundry service in this nick of the woods because there are very few tourists. I have not seen another campervan or tourist bus since i left Warsaw. I filled the ballast water tank to the top with H2O and sought a place where i could scrub and hang the clothes to dry . I found a spot just behind a village where they have their weekly market. The towns sewage plant was nearby but I could not detect any pong from there . A small fire was burning about 100 meters away . Rubbish was being burned, there was the strong smell of burnt plastic pervading the air. I decided to tolerate the smell while attended to the washing.

Once started the wind changed and I was getting the full force of the pollutants from the fire but I persevered and soon had the fence covered in Tee Shirts, shirts, trousers, and my undies, I put the sleeping bags out to air. They felt damp after a weeks rain and little ventilation through the van.

I wandered over to the fire and spread it so it would extinguish itself in time which worked after 30 minutes. I had a range of visitors all wondering who and what i was doing. Several teenagers can and sat in close proximity drinking beer and chatting . Probably marking their territory and tying to encourage me to move on. The rain recommenced , my clothing was 80% dry, still too wet to put away . I utilized a small overhang in the market to put the damp clothing and made my evening meal. Cauliflower, potatoes, Peas and Ham, I ripped open a tin of mixed fruit for sweets.

I watched the bird settle for the evening . Starlings,in their thousands, had a massive roosting tree nearby and were flat out catching up with the days news and events with one another. The Jack draws sat high on the power lines The young birds among them occasional squabbling and causing their neighbor to fly off temporarily. High in the sky six cranes flew by . Their flight was slow and direct. The wingspan must have been two meters and were flapped in a slow rhythmical pattern as they headed west. Their long legs acting as a rudder to keep them on course. A farmer bought in his two cows for the night . The old Frisian cows had been tethered in a field nearby . As they waddled past with massive udders it was obvious they were about to be milked . A permanent chain is fastened around the stub of their horns , the chain being about 20 feet long was being dragged along . The old girls had learnt to walk with their heads to one side to avoid treading on the chain.

The remainder of my clothes still hadn't dried so I decided to camp for the night and get an early start in the morning. I was awake at 0530. Made a cuppa and had some toast with tomato's. I got out through the cabin side door and had a stretch and yawn. Grabbed the still damp clothes and made ready to go. I slid the side door shut and went to the drivers side door which was locked . Then began my problem . I had locked the bloody keys inside. The campervan has additional security, all door lock down on the main front door . Stuff it, was standing in a teeshirt trousers and shoes. I pushed and pulled probed and twisted but no way was the van going to let me back in to reach the tantalizing keys hanging in the dashboard.

It would be another two hours before a mechanic would even be thinking of going to work. I walked the village to locate my options. I soon chilled down as the morning was cold and a light breeze soon lowered my body temperature. The locals where about their routines of sweeping up after the rain, feeding animals and taking yesterdays milk in small cans on push bikes to the collection point. I located three mechanics workshops in the first 30 minutes and soon found myself back at the van . I had kept my frustration under control but the sight of the keys dangling just out of reach was getting to me.

At 0700 I spotted a car turn into one of the garages i had identified earlier. I wandered down and explained my predicament with simple sign language. He quickly understood my plight and offered me a coat. His son could speak English and would be at work around 0830am , he would be able to help. He made me a strong black coffee which was hard to swallow but I welcomed the warmth in my stomach. Feeling warmer I wandered across the road to the rivers edge . Fishermen had their lines in since daylight. I thought I'd wander past and have a look into their catch bags to see if and what they were catching.

From down the river a bit i seen the mechanic and two others drive down to the van and commenced trying to open the lock. I hurried after them, needing to travel 500 meters, and arrived to find they had put and inflatable bag, like a BP Cuff, into the door jam and puffed it up straining the door probably hoping the catch would burst open . I soon put a stop to that stratagie, Their next act was to try to trip the lock mechanism by inserting a wire down the glass of the drivers window . Unsuccessful also.

One of the buggers climbed up onto the roof using the bike rack on the back . He began pulling and lifting the skylights which I knew were only locked down with flimsy plastic catches . Before he would listen to my protestation he had snapped a securing plastic clip which will be hard to replace. He soon understood my stronger language. "Get down off the F****** Thing" . I resolved to cut the rubber round the front drivers quarter window to gain entry before these bugger demolished my van. The mechanic was able to get a second hand rubber surround for about £20.00 . We soon had the new one installed and I was pleased to give him back his coat and point the van towards Lubin.

I wonder what will happen next

POLAND Warsaw

Poland Warsaw

070807

Log 1.

You sometimes do some silly bloody things when you are traveling alone. Yesterday I drove towards Warsaw. I had been warned to "Not Drive in Warsaw"and "Parking very Difficult" so I found a spot by the railway about 10 km out of town. I had arrived at midday therefore had the afternoon to orientate and find the spots to interest me tomorrow in the city.

After my cuppa and small meal of smoked chicken and left over Spuds and Cold Corn, ( I still cook to many each meal so have spud left overs most days ) I walked to the train station only 500 meters away.

The lady at the Kase couldn't understand a word i was saying and couldn't sell me a ticket to Warsaw for some unknown reason. I chanced it and jumped on the express to town. I seemed to arrive at Central in a flash, Gratis of the Polish Rail. Centralna Station Warsaw is big even by London standards. All the station is underground, a maze of tunnels. The signs are excellent if you can understand Polish. I headed for the daylight.

The most imposing of the buildings in Warsaw is the 40 story Palace of Culture and Science . I spotted a sign to the lookout, paid my dues at the Kasi and proceeded to the lifts. From the top, I looked out over post war construction, Glass towers, New Hotels and a substantial financial district. Away in the distance new housing tower blocks dot the skyline in all directions , uniform in height about 10 stories tall. About 2 km on the edge of the Vistula river was the Old Town. I have seen enough Museums to do me for a month or so but I was sure to find some food and sights to entertain me for the afternoon in the Old Town.

I chose the underground, another option was to walk or take a bus or tram which seemed to be going in the general direction. Down in the bowels of Warsaw I had the same dilemma, no signs in English. I bought a 24 hrs ticket for 7.50 Zoloty about £1.20 and charged through the barriers as if i knew what i was doing and where i was going. One stop on the tube, seemed to be about 2 KM of rattling and shaking so I pounced off and headed for the daylight. As I was going up the stairs i was asked direction from a fellow Aussie traveler who it would appear, had the same range of anxieties that i had. I must have looked confident anyway.

The Royal castle is the biggest building in the Old town, It was deliberately destroyed on Hitlers Orders. Put back together between 1971 & 84. Inside are 20 or so paintings from Canalleto who's paintings recorded Warsaw's architecture in such detail that they were able to be utilize in the reconstruction of the cities monuments and buildings. A temporary exhibition was currently available, swords, knives, shields and Armour . They wanted extra money, so i moved on to walk the old town, earwigged a English speaking tours whenever i could. I found that i was getting too much superfluous info and began wandering on my own.

The buildings, only 50 years old, looked old especially with broken plaster work and shonkie paintwork to add age to their appearance, The streets were well patronized with tourists buying trinkets , fake fur hats, postcards and an array of novelty items pertaining to Warsaw and Poland. A particular blue grey fox fur hat took my interest, Christ knows where ill get to wear it its not cold enough on New Zealand . The bargaining began soon as a went to walk away the price dropped by 500 down to 450. I asked for his calculator so i knew the conversion to UK pounds . I offered 200 and received an indignant look, I lingered for a moment but no response other than "Very, Very, Good Fox" . The deal remained, not done.

A walking tour from my LP, took me to most of the highlights of the old town. I was very curious about the 'Monument to the Warsaw Uprising' a significant event that happened towards the end of the war, 1944. The short version goes like this. The Poles hoped for more help to liberate their city especially from the British forces who had encouraged oppositional actions and from the Red Army which had advanced to within view of the conflict and were camped across the Vistula river, they wanted them to join and Ousting the Germans. This did not happen and after lengthy struggle and severe bombing the Germans took control , thousands where killed.

On my way south driving to Warsaw, I camped up a side road in a nice secluded spot. I read my Lonely Planet as i settled for the night . Further up the road 10 km was the site of Treblinka 2 the extermination camp. Unlike Auschwitz nothing remains other than the Huge Granite Monument and some interpretation panels showing the layout . Somewhere beneath the grass , mingled with the sand , lies the ashes of some 800,000 thousand human being. ( 3 times the population of Christchurch )

Horse and traps clip clop around the cobbled streets . The horses are shod with special shoes with rubber across the heel to reduce the noise levels in the narrow streets. I noticed they have bags permanently slung under their tails to catch the used oats and chaff as it is ejected . I only suppose that if it was left to drop on the cobbled streets it would be very difficult to remove, stink like hell and by catching it in the bag the shit is able to be recycled and also eliminates the hazard posed to tourists who generally look up not down.

Wandering back towards the central train station I suddenly had a shot of adrenaline when i realized I had not taken note of the station where i had left the campervan at midday. I thought it was Pembertoski or something like that . Stuff it, I should have written it down , Bev would been more diligent but she was on the other side of the globe, asleep. At the central station I found the Kasi and asked for a train to Pembertoski.. The ticket clerk looked at me blankly, she obviously could not understand my language or a station mis pronounced or non existent. I stood out of the que with reluctance to gather my thoughts, looking for someone who might speak the English. Four people just shrugged and walked on , they had a home to go to, unlike me. Two others said there isn't or never was a station called Pembertoski.

I went back up to daylight. tramps, vagrants and other lost souls had begun to select their spots on the park benches. I was looking round to find a lame, weak, clean tramp that i could wrestle his overcoat off. Probably a very rare commodity. In that way I would a least be warm, while aimlessly wandering looking for the camper-van. I retraced my steps to the platform that I thought i had exited the express. It dawned on me that I had about seven or so stops back across the river towards the south. One of the stops was Pradg, the southern suburb of Warsaw. If I watched out for the womens prison that i noted on my way in then i was getting closer to my destination .

I found a train map. Bugger, there was an added complication, Metro, intercity or Tram services , all had different stops. No such name as Pembertoski. Then i spotted the one i needed the sixth stop on the intercity,the one I needed was Sulejowek. How could i have forgotten something so simple.

The sun is shining today, the first fine days for a week . The van is damp from the rain, I need to attend to my house work , clothes washing, replenish the tucker, fix the exhaust which has developed leak after i drove into a road side pothole much bigger than anticipated. Then i need to track down a fuel leak which seems to be getting worse.

I can't get my usual gas bottles refilled in Poland so Ill have to adapt and hope. If the gas connection leaks it will be one sure way of getting a good nights sleep.

I wonder what will happen next

Alvin

POLAND Bailowieza

Poland Bailowieza National Park

Log Number 17

The Bailowieza National Park is the oldest in Poland . Established back in 1921. It's history goes back a long way further because the Tsar's and Kings kept this forest for their private hunting region. A super big palace, hunting lodge was built along with all the associated gardens support staff accommodation and stables.

During WW1 millions of cubic meters of timber was extracted from the park and the gradual colonization of the perimeter has diminished the eco system . Originally there was a full range of european animals including brown bear but these were eliminated to keep the domain for the European Bison for hunting purposes. The total area of the NP is only 10500 Ha which is small compared to most but it is coupled with the adjoining National Park of Belarus, Russia, which is slightly bigger more than doubles the size of lowland forest with NP Status.

There are two special aspects to this NP. One being an area of 47 sq Kilometers of Pristine Primeval lowland forest set between two rivers and the reintroduction of the European Bison which was at the brink of extinction with only a few remaining in Zoos around the world in 1929. Two were bought back to Bailowieza Park to their origin's. Now about 400 live wild in the forest with several hundred more in captive breeding programs around Poland and in other countries.

The pristine primeval lowland Forest is designated a 'Strictly Protected Area' within the surrounding NP. No motorized vehicles are allowed and access is by permit and with a guide. Trees falling across the tracks have to be removed by manual means rather than using chainsaws. There was a break in the weather while I was at Bailowieza, but no groups where booked to go to the SPA. I could have and English speaking guide for about £35.00 , the best investment/ value for money available.

Eric had only recently passed his competency in speaking English but had been a guide to the forest for the last four years. Prior to this he was a forester in another area of Poland so he had a bundle of knowledge about the forest and its inhabitants. He went though his spiel about the history of the park pointing out important monuments to past great Tsars who had boasted of their daily bag of 42 Bisons. He showed me pictures of the hunting lodge before it was deliberately destroyed by fire on Hitlers direct instructions. All that remains is the Main Gates and the stables which has been converted to student accommodation and a Learning Centre.

The Royal Park on the edge of the NP has a garden set out with great vistas towards the SPA. Trees have been brought from all round the world. There have reached the age of 160 yrs and are grand specimens. The walk we went on into the SRA was a total of 7 km . He pointed out all the different trees species mainly Oak, Elm, Spruce, pine and an array of other types.

What was strikingly obvious was the amount of dead wood on the forest floor . In managed forests these may be up to 20% dead wood 80% live wood . In the SPA however this is reversed. The amount of rotting timber and vegetation allows a range of animals to survive where they could not otherwise find enough food source.

The Height of the forest canopy averaged between 60 and up to 85 meters for the tallest Spruce .500 year old Oaks had gun-barrel straight trunks for the first 30 mts before the first branch, They think the trees don't grow past 600 yrs old in this forest because of the Humidity, Fungi and stem to root ration. In England oaks are generally low and sprawling with massive root structures enabling them to have over a thousand birthdays. The Spar Pine was over one meter at breast height and straight and true up to 40 mts to the first branch. This type of tree was very sort after when sailing ships where all the go.

Woodpeckers have found paradise here. There are twelve species of woodpecker some small some colorful and the largest black woodpecker has a body the size of your fist . His holes into dead spruce stand out. Eric pointed out how carefully they are constructed. The top of the hole has a hood or porch and the bottom has an incline from the bottom of the hole back up into the center to drain any water that runs down the tree away from the nest site. Clever Birds.

Given the mass of undergrowth and rotting wood , there is a myriad of Bug, Insects, Worms, Fungi that kept Eric's presentation interesting and informative. There has been traces of ancient neolithic pottery found and traces of ancient human activity and grave sites. Honey bee keeping was a small activity that was allowed by the Tzar's up until the turn of the century. Bee keepers made caver ties high up in the massive trees to encourage bees to build hives. The Brown Bear also likes honey and the keepers devised a method to help deter the Bear from robbing the honey . They dangled heavy Oak Posts from points higher up the tree so that it required the bear to push it way to gain entry to the hive. This would frustrate the bear and he would strike at the post sending it out of the way . This would have to effect of either deterring or cause the bear to fall to the ground. Spiked poles were placed strategically at the base of the tree for any such eventuality.

My three hour personalized guided tour was fabulous. I asked him about the Tsar who claimed to have killed 42 Bison in one day. To me it was impossible in the type of forest as one shot would have scattered the Bison herd for miles and would have made them very gun shy. Eric enlightened me that evidence of several corals had been found . On the side of the coral had a large wooden platform for the Fat Tsar to sit up in comfort. The animals where probably lured into the enclose with food and then driven past the shooting platform so the Tsar could have a safe shot at close quarters. More like a slaughter house than natural hunting.

The undergrowth had nettles and a stinking plant called wound-wart. It smelt like a dead decomposing mouse, a pungent pong that you could get a whiff of every now and again . A light rain added to the ambiance of the forest, light was able to penetrate down to the undergrowth especially where spruce trees had died off after an infection of Spruce beetle attack. Woodpeckers could be heard tapping at trees. We could see where the woodies had been placing pine cones in crevices on the Oak trees for their winter food supply.

I visited the Museum of the National Park, again i had to pay for a guide to show me around. The stuffed animals which are presented in their natural surroundings, Beaver,Otter, Pine matins, Wolves, elk, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Bears and Wild Boar to name a few. Last year was a good year for oaks and there was an abundance of acorns therefore a lot of the young wild boar survived to adulthood. The forest dwelling birds are a subject on their own but I'm sure you will have had enough of my rabbiting on .

One more thing . Timber is cut in the fall / autumn and left until the ground freezes that way it will slide across the ground with minimal impact on the vegetation and a pair of draught horse can easily pull either a slay or the individual logs. Two things, the rare black stork lives on the river edge in the SPA they have different diet needs to the common white stork who live on frogs and insect in close proximity to human populations. Enough Rabbiting, I enjoyed the National Park being a Verderer myself

I wonder what will happen next.

Alvin