We are leaving Poland tomorrow morning! We have had a very bitter-sweet day, filled with moments of excitement, very sad good-byes and many last times. Oh Poland, you were a real kick in the pants but we will miss you!
I did not get a chance to blog about some of the last trips that we took. I plan to do that when I get home, so if you are interested, continue to check in here.
I am off to bed and hoping for sweet dreams of maple dipped donuts, driving in my van and pulling warm clothes out of my dryer!
See you in Canada!!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Sopot
Sopot is a small city on the Baltic Sea. We went there in the middle of September for a couple of days. We loved it and had a great time! It was a bit cold, but we are Canadians, and we laugh in the face of cold beach weather!
Apparently, in the summer, Sopot is teeming with people. The man working at the information booth even went as far as to say that it is not a good place for children then because of the massive crowds. When we were there, I counted 30 people on the beach, and we were six of them. Not quite so busy in September!
This is a picture of my children seeing the ocean for the first time. They were very excited!
That is, until they got caught by a fisherman, and then the vacation came to an abrupt and tragic end.
Just kidding!
We played at the beach for hours. Quite a bit of that time was spent examining these non-stinging jelly fish.
I even encouraged him to try to learn about them.
However, I must admit, I was totally grossed out when he tried to kiss one!
Okay, so maybe it was a bit cold.
Krista made this lovely castle, despite the help she received from Michael.
My little sand monsters!
Sometimes, when your mom says you shouldn't do something, like stick your whole face in the sand, you should listen to her. Just sayin'.
You know it is getting chilly when the patio at the restaurant has blankets!
Despite the cold weather, Sopot was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Poland.
We played at the beach for hours. Quite a bit of that time was spent examining these non-stinging jelly fish.
I was happy for Owen to hold one.
I even encouraged him to try to learn about them.
However, I must admit, I was totally grossed out when he tried to kiss one!
Really, did you have to put the seaweed on your head?
Okay, so maybe it was a bit cold.
Krista made this lovely castle, despite the help she received from Michael.
My little sand monsters!
Sometimes, when your mom says you shouldn't do something, like stick your whole face in the sand, you should listen to her. Just sayin'.
By the end of our day at the beach, Mike was tuckered out!
You know it is getting chilly when the patio at the restaurant has blankets!
Despite the cold weather, Sopot was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Poland.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Lest We Forget
In Canada, we generally remember WWII, those lost in that conflict and our brave veterans who fought in that war once a year. We are proud of our contribution to the success of the Allies, but don't think much about the war except on Remembrance Day. The ways in which Poland and it's people suffered during WWII are harder to forget. Our apartment is in an area of Warsaw that saw much conflict and sorrow during that time, and consequently there are many monuments and reminders of the atrocities of the war right where we live.
Let me show you:
This is a picture of the monument at Westerplatte. On September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland at this spot near Gdansk which caused the Allies to declare war.
About a year after the German occupation of Poland began, the Nazis established the Warsaw Ghetto. All of the Jewish people living in Warsaw and the surrounding area (approx. 400, 000) were forced to live there. Although they accounted for 30% of the population, the ghetto was only 2.4% of the area of Warsaw. Our apartment is right across the street from where the ghetto was. This picture is of a plaque that shows a map of the ghetto.
A massive wall was built all around the ghetto to cut the Jewish people off from the outside world. This is the only surviving piece of it. During the war, it would have been higher and topped with barbed wire. Across the street from our apartment, there is a replica of the wall which we pass by everyday.
Ulica Prozna is the only street which was inside the ghetto where the houses on both sides of the street are still standing today. We pass by it on the bus every week.
The buildings have remained largely empty since the war, and now they have these haunting images of some of the ghetto inhabitants on them.
Pictures of real people...
...who had real lives...
...and experienced real suffering in the very place we were standing.
In Old Town, there is this monument called the Little Insurgent which commmemorates all the children who fought in the Uprising. Many of them worked as couriers and scouts. Some fought alongside the adults.
One day we took a short cut down an alleyway in Old Town. We saw this monument there.
This was the sign to explain the monument.
...or this one...
...or this one...
Let me show you:
This is a picture of the monument at Westerplatte. On September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland at this spot near Gdansk which caused the Allies to declare war.
About a year after the German occupation of Poland began, the Nazis established the Warsaw Ghetto. All of the Jewish people living in Warsaw and the surrounding area (approx. 400, 000) were forced to live there. Although they accounted for 30% of the population, the ghetto was only 2.4% of the area of Warsaw. Our apartment is right across the street from where the ghetto was. This picture is of a plaque that shows a map of the ghetto.
A massive wall was built all around the ghetto to cut the Jewish people off from the outside world. This is the only surviving piece of it. During the war, it would have been higher and topped with barbed wire. Across the street from our apartment, there is a replica of the wall which we pass by everyday.
There are imprints in the sidewalk, like this one, to outline where the wall would have been. I took this picture right across the street from our apartment.
Ulica Prozna is the only street which was inside the ghetto where the houses on both sides of the street are still standing today. We pass by it on the bus every week.
The buildings have remained largely empty since the war, and now they have these haunting images of some of the ghetto inhabitants on them.
Pictures of real people...
...who had real lives...
...and experienced real suffering in the very place we were standing.
Most of the people in the ghetto were sent to be executed in concentration camps. Initially, they thought they were being sent to labour camps and did not resist. In 1943, however, the Jews who remained in the ghetto learned the truth of the extermination plan and rose up against the Nazis. The Jewish resistence was no match for the Germans, and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was soon crushed. 13,000 Jews and 17 Germans were killed in that particular struggle.
A second uprising took place in Warsaw in 1944. This time, those who rose up were part of a home army in support of the exiled Polish government. The Germans decided that the best way to convince the insurgents to stop fighting was to slaughter civilians. In the end, both the Germans and the home army lost around 15, 000 fighters each. 200,000 civilians were killed.
In Old Town, there is this monument called the Little Insurgent which commmemorates all the children who fought in the Uprising. Many of them worked as couriers and scouts. Some fought alongside the adults.
One day we took a short cut down an alleyway in Old Town. We saw this monument there.
This was the sign to explain the monument.
After the Nazis regained control of the city, they burned what was left to the ground. 923 out of 987 historical buildings were destroyed. "Warsaw has been destroyed, the past and the soul of Poland has been incinerated. After its loss we are nationally, culturally and spiritually impoverished" wrote Stanislaw Cat-Mackiewicz. It is estimated that 80% of Warsaw was destroyed after the Uprising. We live on the 19th foor, and from our apartment you can look out the window and see the odd pre-war building like the one above...
...or this one...
...or this one...
...or this one. They are surrounded by communist apartment blocks and modern skyscrapers. Truthfully, if you counted them, they would probably account for 20% of the buildings in this area. I mentioned to our Polish tutor that I can't figure out why nobody has knocked them down yet, except thta they serve as a reminder of that horrible period. But why would the Communists have cared enough to preserve them as part of Polish history? She pointed out that after the war, even these burned out, falling down buildings were better than none if you had nowhere to live, and that many of the Communists were Polish too. I hadn't thought of that.
Truly, I have told you only a part of what we have learned. There are more buildings, more monuments and more stories than I have time for here. I left out many of the gory and political details. Learning more about WWII, and from such a different perspective, has really been the most interesting part of being here for me. I would highly recommend the movie The Pianist if you would like to learn more. It is about the life of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Jewish man living in Warsaw during WWII. Watch it. You won't regret it.
Yellow Raspberries
Have you ever had a yellow raspberry?
We had never seen them before...
...and now we have!
So good!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Visitors!
We had our first and only visitors from home last Saturday. Okay fine, they weren't really here to see us, but we got to visit with them nonetheless.
This is a picture of us with Les and Noreen Trombley, my sister's in-laws.
Thanks for a great afternoon (not to mention the pancake mix and Halloween candy)!
This is a picture of us with Les and Noreen Trombley, my sister's in-laws.
Thanks for a great afternoon (not to mention the pancake mix and Halloween candy)!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
A Great Day
After having stayed inside the apartment for the better part of a week because of Owen being sick and having hives, we were pretty excited to get out of the house. Gord happened to have the day off, so we went as a family to Old Town. The Old Town area in Warsaw was totally destroyed by the Nazis in 1944, and then meticulously rebuilt in the 1970's with an amazing level 
of authenticity. We visited the Barbican, which had some really interesting pictures of Old Town before the war and afterward. The area we were standing in had been totally destroyed. One thing you can say about the Poles is that they are a very resilient people.
In the centre of Old Town is the Square which is home to the Warsaw Mermaid (who has her very own legend).
It seems that we have developed a tradition on this trip that every time you leave the house for more than four hours you need to treat yourself to an ice cream cone.
Also in Old Town is the Royal Castle (this is a view from the back). Like the rest of Old Town, it was burned to the ground by the Nazis, and then rebuilt.
We played for a long time in the hedge maze behind the Castle. I took this picture of Julia to show how big the hedges are.
Also in the garden where the hedge mazes are was this random sculpture of headless sand people...
...and a giant fake rock.
After running around the mazes we went across the street (or under it, to be precise) to check out the Vistula River. It is dirty and kind of smelly, but looks nice in this picture!
I am not sure I can convey in words how much I dislike all of the graffiti in Warsaw. Generally the only good thing about it is that it is in Polish and my kids can't read it. However, I did enjoy this particular section near the river.
After we walked back to Old Town from the river, we went to this great Indian restaurant.
We left the house around noon and got back around 9 pm. By the end of the day, Michael was getting a little punchy!
of authenticity. We visited the Barbican, which had some really interesting pictures of Old Town before the war and afterward. The area we were standing in had been totally destroyed. One thing you can say about the Poles is that they are a very resilient people. 
In the centre of Old Town is the Square which is home to the Warsaw Mermaid (who has her very own legend).
It seems that we have developed a tradition on this trip that every time you leave the house for more than four hours you need to treat yourself to an ice cream cone.
Also in Old Town is the Royal Castle (this is a view from the back). Like the rest of Old Town, it was burned to the ground by the Nazis, and then rebuilt.
We played for a long time in the hedge maze behind the Castle. I took this picture of Julia to show how big the hedges are.
Also in the garden where the hedge mazes are was this random sculpture of headless sand people...
...and a giant fake rock.
After running around the mazes we went across the street (or under it, to be precise) to check out the Vistula River. It is dirty and kind of smelly, but looks nice in this picture!
I am not sure I can convey in words how much I dislike all of the graffiti in Warsaw. Generally the only good thing about it is that it is in Polish and my kids can't read it. However, I did enjoy this particular section near the river.
After we walked back to Old Town from the river, we went to this great Indian restaurant.
We left the house around noon and got back around 9 pm. By the end of the day, Michael was getting a little punchy!
On our walk home, I took this picture of the Barbican at night. It was a lovely end to a lovely day!
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