Czarny Las – Wroclaw Thursday 10-1-2009

On the road to Czestochowa to see the Black Madonna at the St Stanislaw Kostka Church, Hank Guzevich and John Gora entered us on the bus with trumpet and harmonica. It got even better when John changed to his instrument to a comb with a piece of paper like we did when we were kids.



More entertaining music while traveling on the bus through Poland.



That evening after a long drive we all unwound by playing pool and listening and singing along to music played by Hank and John. Our group drank vodka shots one evening just to keep the potato economy in Poland stimulated.




9-30-09 Czestochowa Poland
On the way to Czestachowa Poland to see the Black Madonna, Eva, our guide told of the many type of fruits and vegetables grown in Poland. Along with blueberries, cranberries and wild strawberries, three types of currents were available; white, red and dark purple. The blueberries are different from those we find in the stores in the US as they are also blue inside and make your teeth blue when you eat them. Poland is a big vodka producer. This is not a surprise as Poland is the largest potato producer in the world. Potatoes are a prime ingredient of vodka.

Photos of the Shrine of the Jasna Gora and home of the Black Madonna in Czestochowa. Also photos of the grounds at the palace we stay overnight at Palac Czarny Las in Wozniki.



Trees along the highway are heavy with apples. One evening at the palace we had an interesting dessert made with a half of a poached apple topped with custard sauce with some fresh raspberries in sauce dribbled through the custard. Yum.


Rolling fields meander over the country side with strips of corn layered next to beans with leaves just turning yellow with the chill of fall. Dairy farmers have really taken a hit lately where the milk prices are less than the cost of producing the products.

I understand that ownership of farms have changed over the years. At one time a three mile strip of land might be owned by one farmer and next to him another by his neighbor making up about 50 acres for each to farm. After World War II when the Soviets defeated the Germans in Poland, big farms were converted to government owned properties and community farmed under communist rule. This community farming didn’t work too well and farms were mostly unproductive as people didn’t have any incentive to really get going on the production. They had housing, heat and a paid job no matter what they did on the farm, so many did nothing to keep the land productive. All the Poland population were considered owners so every one subsidized collective unproductive farms.


Now those PTR (collective communist farms) were bought up by opportunist capitalist for a small percentage of their true value. Many sit with empty buildings and weed filled patches of land unsold and even more unproductive than when the government owned them.


Along the drive through the country windmills generating electricity are common place.
Finally, we arrived at the basilica to view the Black Madonna, dark due to the age of the painting, not the color of the skin. We reverently walked single file along a cordoned off path along the side of the inside of the church, then behind the alter through a narrow hallway and back out along the other side of the church. We could quietly and quickly look up at the painting of the Black Madonna above the alter. Looking up the eyes followed you as you walked quietly by. It was an interesting experience. There is no doubt that this ancient painting is revered and carries some special healing energy. I said a quick prayer just in case there was something to this legion. As we hugged the wall in single file it seemed a little disruptive to others who were worshiping during the mass, but I’m sure they have thought through this situation and found this is the best way to accommodate the needs of the tourists. August 15th there is a pilgrimage where hundreds of thousands walk from Warsaw to Czestochowa to see the Black Madonna and descend on the area.

Itinary for the day:
After breakfast departure for Wroclaw .

1.00 pm. Visit the Brzeg Castle . Built in the 13th century as the Renaissance residence of the Piast Royal Family.

Continue to Wroclaw with a short stop for lunch ( not included ) Arrival in Wroclaw and check in to the Sofitel Wroclaw Hotel Dinner at Restauracja Dwor Polski . Overnight.