Tram line 38 in Bytom, Poland

1st December 2014


I often use public transport which is well-organized here in Upper Silesia where I permanently live.


Yesterday I was travelling by number 38. The largest tram in Europe.

It is the shortest tram line in Europe 1350 metres only and the journey takes 6 minutes, it was built in 1913 and it still works.

Tram line 38 in Bytom, Upper SIlesia, Poland is a really unbelievable operation. It's a short line running up a hill in a single-track manner without any passing loop, and it's operated with one  2-axle streetcar of type N.

Silesian Interurbans, one of the largest tram (streetcar) systems in the world, has been in existence since 1894. The system is spread over more than 50 kilometres (east-west axis) and covers thirteen towns in the Upper Silesia metropolitan area(Southern Poland) and their suburbs (Katowice, the capital town of the region, Będzin, Bytom, Chorzów, Czeladź, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gliwice, Mysłowice, Ruda Śląska, Siemianowice Śląskie, Sosnowiec, Świętochłowice, and Zabrze), which is densely industrialised (coal, coke, steel and other industries; though decreasing since the 1990s) and inhabited by more than 2 million people.

St Mary's Church - Gdansk, Poland

30th November 2014
I was there last summer. One of my post is about this church. It is masterpiece.




Enjoy a trip..

St. Andrew Day at my place

30th November 2014

In my country, like in many other countries , we celebrate St. Andrew’s Day although it has a different meaning for us, as it took on a part of ancient Polish traditions and customs. The origin of Adrzejki, which is what we call it, is pagan but we applied a Catholic name to be more acceptable for Catholic society. For foreigners this day is a great occasion to experience ancient Polish customs and to fill up with food and drink. But before the fun starts it is always a good idea to know what to expect.

Like in any other Polish celebration there is a feast and it works exactly the same as any other feast in Poland: there is loads of food and drinks (and more). 

  At the weekend which is the closest to 29th of November, nearly every club organizes a party. Andrzejkowe party is different from the ones you have got used to. You will not only dance or drink, but also you will have your future foretold (yes you didn't read wrong).

In the past, the celebration was treated very seriously. It was one of those days when people could see the future (they didn’t have horoscopes in magazines as we do, so they had to find a different way to predict it). On the 29th November, in the middle of the night, the saint’s duty was to help young girls find out who their husbands would be. It was quite useful – girls didn’t waste their time with Maciek, when they knew that their prince charming’s name was Marek. Boys used to have their own predict-my-future-wife day, on the 24th of November (it was St. Katherine who helped them), however, men were more aware of what kind of girl they liked, so this tradition didn’t survive and now we have only Andrzejki used for both genders.

Shoes race – everyone in a group take off their shoes. Your next task is to go to the furthest wall from the doors and by putting one shoe at a time in front of each other in the direction of the door. The first shoe which crosses the doorstep belongs to the person who will soon change their marital status.

 But be careful! If you are a girl you have to meet with just your girl friends, and men – with male friends. Why? If your girlfriend finds out that she won’t be your future wife it may cause a slight problem. 

Predictions of the future using wax - the most well-known divination technique based on pouring wax. You have to melt wax and then pour into cold water. It is not so easy, because the wax must go through the hole in a key. At the end you take the wax figure (or something you just created) and look at the shadow of it, as it is a prophecy for the next year.

Picking (literally) the name of your future husband or wife - take a sheet of paper and write as many names of opposite sex as you can (the paper very often is shaped like a heart). Then turn it back to your friends and let put a pin into the back of the paper. The name which is the closest to the pin is your future husband or wife's name (in some Polish regions you put the pin in the paper yourself). 

I  hope you will enjoy Andrzejki and this day will bring you loads of fun and maybe, who knows, some insight into the future.

I love celebrating Andrzejki and I take part every year. It is a great fun for me..

White-Tailed Eagles in Poland

29th November 2014

The Eagle is a symbol of Republic of Poland. Unfortunately I have never seen this amazing bird in his environment. But I love watching it on the webcam which was installed in his nest. These eagles live in the Central of Poland. In my opinion it is a fantastic and amazing bird.




Have a nice Saturday.

POLAND AND ITS TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Oscypek - the regional mountain cheese which is famous around the European Union.

28th November 2014

I love cheese but I can say I admire oscypek why because it is different from other types of cheese.

Oscypek, is a smoked cheese made of salted sheep milk exclusively in the Tatra 



Mountains region of Poland. Since 2007 Oscypek is a protected trade name under the EU's Protected Designation of Origin geographical indication.

Oscypek is made using salted sheep's milk, with the addition of cow's milk strictly regulated by the protected recipe. Unpasteurized salted sheep's milk is first turned into cottage cheese, which is then repeatedly rinsed with boiling water and squeezed. After this, the mass is pressed into wooden, spindle-shaped forms in decorative shapes. The forms are then placed in a brine-filled barrel for a night or two, after which they are placed close to the roof in a special wooden hut and cured in hot smoke for up to 14 days.

The first mention of cheese production in the Tatra Mountains dates back to the 15th century, in a document from the village of Ochotnica in 1416. The first recorded recipe for oscypek was issued in 1748 in the Żywiec area. which is 70 km from my place.

Help yourself..

Zakopane Sheep in the Foothills of the Tatra Mountains

27th November 2014

A flock of sheep seen from a hiking trail in Zakopane, Poland. These sheep are the source of the famous salted smoked cheese (Oscypek) that is sold everywhere in town and along the trail. The tradition of salted smoked cheese dates back to 1416!.

You must try Oscypek it is fantastic ....

Tomorrow will be about Oscypek - fantastic cheese

Enjoy nature of Tatra Mountains

27th November 2014





Tatra Mountains are very popular with tourists. The nature is amazing and live here a lot os unique species of animals. As a city person I love walking there. Mountains are beautiful but dangerous.

Have a nice day.

Krupowki the most fashionable street in Zakopane.

26th November 2014

I love walking this Krupowki street it is lovely every day but very popular with tourists.

Traditional mountain homemade cheese

 We  reach Krupówki street - the main pedestrian zone of Zakopane, full of shops and restaurants. 

 This is where the post office, banks as well as exchange offices are situated.

Krupówki street gets particularly crowded in bad and rainy weather, when people search for alternatives to outdoor activities.

There is some snow in Zakopane now but luckily not at my place..

Beautiful souvenirs made by local people. In the season the place gets extremely crowded, and we find it hard to believe that as late as at the very beginnings of the 19th century this street was nothing more than just a narrow bitten path joining central parts of the village with the iron works in Kuźnice (this is where the cable car is today). 

Lake"Morskie Oko"In Polish Hi Mountains

Lake Morsie Oko in Zakopane

25th November 2014

Morskie Oko is arguably the most beautiful of the Tatra lakes, and it is certainly the largest. It covers about 35 hectares in all, stretching some 860 metres in length, and 566 in breadth. The lake is entered through a small pass, and once inside, you are entirely surrounded by the mountains. It is very much as if you are in a huge crater, and hence the name, the eye of the sea.

 I always visit this lake when I am in Zakopane. It is very popular with tourists.

Morskie Oko Lake

Morskie Oko has delighted travellers since the region was first discovered one hundred and fifty years ago, and it remains amongst the most popular places to visit in the Tatras. It is also one of the most easily accessible, with a swift route from Lysa Polana (accessed by bus) followed by a walk of about one and a half hours. There is now even an asphalt turf running along this short stretch - a reality that will leave many hikers feeling crestfallen. However there are other routes, and the final goal is certainly a marvel of nature.

Zakopane and Tatry Polish mountains

24 th November 2014

Zakopane is located in southern Poland near the border with Slovakia. It lies in a valley between the Tatra Mountains andGubałówka Hill. It can be reached by train or bus from Kraków, which is about two hours away.

Zakopane has an elevation of 800-1,000 meters above sea level. The town is centered at the junction of Krupówki and Kościuszko Streets.

Zakopane it is a great place and we always have a great time there. But negative aspect of visiting it is a huge crowd there ..

A Day Trip To Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains of Southern Poland

My favourite mountains in Poland 250 km from my place. It is going to be our next trip.


Have a nice Sunday.Gosia

King of trees in the local park..

22nd November 2014

During my staying in my summer house I love walking as you know. Last time when we were at our summer place ( 10th November) I decided to visit local park which is very old. There are different species of trees there but the most impressive are oaks. In Poland oaks are called "king of trees" because they are very strong and live very long definitely much longer than people.

 The oaks are over 100 years old they were planted by the owners of the big mansion which is located in the park. In the beginning of the 20th century this mansion belonged to a very rich family. After WWII Polish government took care of it. And since 1950 secondary school is located here.

Secondary school 

The statue of Saint Mary which was built in 1896 by the owner of mansion

The local park is not so big but so friendly and well-maintained by local authorities.

Birds love my garden

21st November 2014

I love birds but I can't observe them every day because I live in the big city. So I love  watching my garden when I am at my summer house.

Especially I love magpies which visit my garden very often.

And jackdaw ...

In my opinion magpie is very beautiful bird but it is so greedy it loves stealing fruit 

The birds love when we cut our lawn... so they can collect insects..

We are ready for Christmas

20th November 2014

Lifestyle has changed at my place because when I was a child we decorated Christmas tree on 24th December. Now since 2nd November every shopping mall is decorated and ready for Christmas.  A lot of people start doing Christmas shopping and decorate their Christmas trees in the beginning of December. I can say we feel Christmas in the air but is a long time 5 weeks ahead..

Shopping mall is ready for Christmas customers

 This year we have decided to decorate two Christmas trees - the first one at home ( our summer house where we usually spend Christmas) and the second one outside our house.We  planted a spruce  in 2007 when we have bought a house. There is a spruce in front of the house next to fence. So we believe it will look fantastic for Christmas.

Our Christmas tree which we are going to decorate 20th December

So we have already bought Christmas decorations and lights. It will be colourful Christmas tree but mostly red and silver..

November I don't like very much

19th November 2014
which I don't like very much firstly because I am an allergic person secondly because almost every year I have caught a sinus infection and I have to take some antibiotics and I have to work. It is definitely not comfortable situation at my work but you know in Europe it is a race rat ( I believe in each corner of the world it is the same) the work is the most important.

It is November the month of the year 

Jedlicze the town where I have my summer house..

And Bytom my permanent place of living..

All photos are taken in Jedlicze on 10th November 2014

Local vineyard in Jedlicze

  And what is more the days are getting shorter and shorter I start work in the morning and finish in the evening it means 3.30 p.m. and then I work in the evening school. But luckily we have a very long holidays for Christmas since 20th December to 6th January it is very positive aspect of my job. So only 22 school days to Christmas wonderful message.. and we spend it in my summer house and we are going to ski in the mountains. But the winter is in the USA,,..not in Europe..

Now I am waiting for Santa Clause.. and then for Christmas..