Poland 9-28-09

Stan and I went to Poland for two weeks to cities, some of which I can't pronounce; Warsaw, Czestochowa, Wroclaw, Zabkowice Slaskie, Bardo, Wadowice, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Zakopane, Slovakia, Sromowce Wyzne and Krakow.

It will take us 9 hours on LOT Polish Airlines from Chicago to Warsaw. Our fun starts on Tuesday afternoon, September 29, 2009.

September 28, 2009
We are on our way to Warsaw Poland via Chicago. As soon as we when through the security gates at the international terminal 5 at O’Hare our world changed. Passports from every country were presented to the security guards and languages changed from mostly English only to hardly any English. Clothes changed to saris and European style shoes. Few Americans had on jeans and tennis shoes. I decided to wear sweats as we would be on the plane for a grueling nine hours arriving early in the morning in Warsaw for a long day of touring. I wanted to have a good chance of sleeping comfortably on the plane.

The plane ride from Denver to Chicago was full up. We had the middle of the plane seats Stan on the aisle with me next to him. When the guy came to sit in the middle, I mentioned that he must have been odd man out to draw the middle seat in the row with five seats to a row. He said he was happy to have made the flight and connections to Chicago. It is amazing how we have learned to settle for anything just to get some place. Remember the days when it was actually fun to fly. The airlines treated us like Kings and Queens bringing us pillows, blankets and cards to play along with anything we felt like drinking. Of course, that was when you didn’t wear sweats to fly. Women dressed up in nylons, heels and little pill box hats and men traveled often in suits and ties.

The guy next to me was busy the whole flight, first reading and answering his blackberry messages, then reading work information on his extra small notebook computer. The paper he was writing down notes was bigger than the size and thickness of his computer.

As we walked through the lengthy corridors of O’Hare I didn’t see anyone really making eye contact with fellow travelers. People were walking through the airport and riding on the trams while busy on their phones and clicking through their PDA messages. It seems we have become a society of zombies always being somewhere else than where we really are. No more stopping to smell the roses. We are all too busy trying to figure out what our friends and work mates are doing across town or half way around the world.

Wedding Singer – We sat down in our seats in row 19, which was the widest row with plenty of leg room due to the aisle that ran though our row. The guy sitting next to me said he always asks for this row as he likes the leg room. We could have a dance there. He was visiting his 86 year old mother in Krakow.

We got to talking about polka dancing and he mentioned that he was a professional dancer for about 14 years before he immigrated to the US and moved to the Chicago area. He told about the Solidarity that was just taking place about the time he moved in 1982. This labor union movement were instrumental along with John Paul in over turning the communist government in Poland. It was still hard for him to immigrate to the US even though his wife was a US citizen. He had to leave his parents, brothers and sisters for long periods of time between his trips back to Poland.

He told us of his passion for music and that he played piano, guitar and sang songs some of which he wrote at weddings and other large celebrations. His gigs were his love, but he didn’t have too much time to book them as his day job is the property manager for over 23 years for one of the largest churches - the 4th Presbyterian Church in Chicago. He rests his vocal cords on singing days and then allows himself no alcohol so he cans stay fresh and sing well. I bet his is good. He sure had a pleasant personality.
The guy told us that sometimes folks in the US don’t really do a proper polka dance as they throw in all kinds of extra steps, bounces and kicks. I can’t wait to see some authentic dancing this week.

Stan had a chat with him about his pending visit with his friends to go hunting for a few days. They both agreed that getting together with their chums was fun, however putting a bullet bambi’s mother is not so fun.

Our hotel is great. They have internet, now working thanks to a speeding technician that stopped by our room. The toilets are like Buenos Aires Argentina - square.




Here is the itinerary for the day,
Warsaw (welcome dinner )
Morning arrival in Warsaw and transfer to hotel . Free time to rest . (Ha - Internet)
1.00 pm. We will meet in the lobby of our hotel and depart for a short drive to Lazienki Park , also called “The Palace on the Water”. The palace is surrounded by delightful parks, perfect for a leisurely afternoon stroll . Then we continue with sightseeing of Warsaw .

6.30pm. Welcome dinner at the “Karczma u Dedka” with folklore show.
Overnight at the Sofitel Victoria Hotel .