29.07.2010
Soooo, we are now in present Germany time and into our first free weekend!! The last little bit in Poland was spent walking around the city visiting various churches that were erected between the 11th and 13th centuries. Each of the three churches we walked to were very quaint and nestled in between houses or businesses on the streets. Gothic style architecture was very prominent during this time and so these churches were constructed in this style. It’s hard to even describe how neat they were! The ornate frescos in each of them were just amazing and the stained glass! It’s amazing to think that these structures were made nearly a thousand years ago!
In the afternoon we were free to roam around the city. Most of us ended up back in the old city to buy last minute souvenirs, dinner, ice cream! Oh, and high on the list was breakfast for the next morning since we had to be up and on the bus by 3:30 am for our flight. That was not fun to get up that early, although I should be used to it by now…
The flights to Germany were probably the worst I’ve had, not in terms of landing but the pressure changes didn’t sit well this time for some reason. Maybe because the flights were too short to really adjust to the change, but either way my ear drums and my head definitely felt like they would surely explode! Even after we landed and were on the road to Altensteig, the pressure in my ears remained. Now, after a few days in the Black Forest, my ears are back to normal.
The Black Forest is just as amazing as I remember!! Much more hilly we where are than when I was in Deiβlingen, but absolutely wonderful. The first few days we were here, we got to lay low for a while, which was heavenly after being on the go for 10-12 hours in Poland. Sleep was a definite part of the routine those few days! The staff at Burg Hornberg gave us a very warm welcome and a short history of this area. They have been feeding us really well also! I almost forgot how wonderful the food is here too!
Our first real day here we received a lecture about the history of management in the Black Forest and Baden-Wuerttemburg’s practices in general. Common knowledge goes that Germany tends to be very utilitarian in many of their practices and kind of machine-like in terms of turning out. Forestry is definitely no exception. Management is practiced with utmost care to the outcome of good profits. In the states, we have this side of forestry as well, but most people tend to associate forests with preservation, especially when thinking of the west. It’s interesting how different our view can be. The trees here are HUGE!!! Some more than 200-300 years old! Natural regeneration of seedlings is also preferred over planting, very different from Poland, and even in the US.
After our lectures we walked down to the nearest village, about five miles away on foot. And when I say down, I mean up and down and in between a few narrow valleys before finally descending into Altensteig. Altensteig is a very quaint little village, actually fairly good sized, not too small or big. All the villages we’ve driven through are sort of isolated, but not at the same time, since roads are connecting them, but each of them are distinct in their own way. It’s neat.
The last few days were spent traipsing through and around the Black Forest at various locations, mostly nature centers and today at the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology along Lake Constance. It was awesome being back to Lake Constance! I only wish the weather was a little nicer. We have been either been drizzled or rained out the last few days. We woke up to raging thunderstorm this morning! I saw the lightning flash behind my eyelids and thought in my dream induced state that someone was taking a picture (not all that uncommon of late) :) The weather managed clear up just in time as we left though!
This is a random thought that I have to get out of my head: SLUGS!! I just have to say a word on slugs because I’ve never been faced with them as often as I have in the last week and a half. You may have seen the blue slug picture? Well, other than the blue slug, there have been 3-5 inch black, brown and orange slugs in between. Maybe I just don’t look hard enough when I’m home, but here I have to dodge them like earthworms on the road!
Well, now that it’s the first of the free weekends we have. I’m taking it easy hanging back at the castle. Oh yes, did I mention we are boarding in a castle? Well, it’s not really a castle. There is the tower that’s left, and then the main building, not quite as old, but still neat! The tower dates back to the 13th century. It has a neat view from the top, once you get there! Anyhow, yes, I’m staying at the castle this weekend to explore around the area and to save a little moola. For or next, longer weekend, a few gals and I are flying to Ireland!! I am super stoked for it and can’t wait! We are going to have an awesome time!
Looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow! Woot! Good night friends!
27 July 2010
Someone,get me off this bus!!
23.7.2010
Ok, pretend we are still in Poland, since this is written as though I am. I’ll make sure to let you know when we’ve switched over to Germany. This day began like any other day: 6:30 wake up, 7 am breakfast, 7:45 get on the bus and drive to our destinations of the day.
The first was to the Olkusz Forest outside of Krakow, where we were given lectures on the history of the area, the significance of it, and what they are doing to preserve and to afforest the landscape. This particular area near Krakow, and all of southern Poland in general, was greatly affected by rapid industrialization and pollution as I mentioned earlier. This was very problematic for the forests, especially because of acid rain, which has all but decimated the landscape in the last few decades.
Regeneration and afforestation is one of the main environmental concerns in forests and trying to rebuild what was lost. I found all of this to be very interesting. It’s one thing to read about the decimation, but it’s completely another to actually see it and walk through it. The soils are mostly sandy, very acidic and contain large amounts of heavy metals that have virtually transformed large areas of the forests into deserts. It was neat to see how impacted the forest really was in weird sort of way. It put reading and listening about this catastrophe into perspective I guess you could say.
It was amazing to see how much their efforts have impacted the forest growth. We also visited a “state” nursery of sorts where Norway spruce, European beech and Scots pine are regenerated from seeds before they are planted on the landscape. Scots pine is the dominant species all over Poland and especially in this forest because it is fast growing and can withstand harsher conditions. There was also an experiment with Austrian spruce since that species can also withstand harsh soil conditions, but it proved to be unsuccessful.
Before this next part, I should mention that today was beastly hot and humid! And being on a bus with 43 other hot bodies is no picnic! We kept getting on and off the bus with little stops we made to the nursery and in the forest, so there was no time for the air conditioning to circulate through the bus. Every time we got off the bus it was literally like a breath of fresh air!! There was at least a 20 degree difference between the inside of the bus and being outside. The time spent on the bus in between little stops (only about 15-20 minutes mind you) was enough to have sweat beading and dripping on every exposed surface of our arms, legs, face, neck, back…it was torture or close to it.
The intensity of the heat inside the bus was so much that we couldn’t make it to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp today, much to my great dismay. As morbid as it sound I was really looking forward to going to it. Most of you probably know that I’ve had a very weird obsession with the Holocaust and WWII in general for the longest time. Auschwitz has been the one concentration camp I’ve been looking forward to for the longest time, so I’m a bit bummed that we couldn’t make it. But it was either elevate the risk of heat stroke/exhaustion along the way or go back to Krakow.
Long story short (sort of), we ended up going back to Krakow in a new bus entirely. Our former bus driver dropped us off at a McDonalds (I know) and a Wal-Mart type store in the closest village, where we waited for the next bus to come pick us up. The bus, when it came, was like a knight in shining armor! It was such a relief and almost too cool. I actually got cold on the way back, but that was probably because of the drying sweat!
So, by far, this was not the best day of the journey, but it definitely could have been worse. Tomorrow is the last day in Krakow, which is very saddening because I have felt at home in Poland so far! Mom, I’m seriously putting off graduation in order to do another study abroad!
Ok, pretend we are still in Poland, since this is written as though I am. I’ll make sure to let you know when we’ve switched over to Germany. This day began like any other day: 6:30 wake up, 7 am breakfast, 7:45 get on the bus and drive to our destinations of the day.
The first was to the Olkusz Forest outside of Krakow, where we were given lectures on the history of the area, the significance of it, and what they are doing to preserve and to afforest the landscape. This particular area near Krakow, and all of southern Poland in general, was greatly affected by rapid industrialization and pollution as I mentioned earlier. This was very problematic for the forests, especially because of acid rain, which has all but decimated the landscape in the last few decades.
Regeneration and afforestation is one of the main environmental concerns in forests and trying to rebuild what was lost. I found all of this to be very interesting. It’s one thing to read about the decimation, but it’s completely another to actually see it and walk through it. The soils are mostly sandy, very acidic and contain large amounts of heavy metals that have virtually transformed large areas of the forests into deserts. It was neat to see how impacted the forest really was in weird sort of way. It put reading and listening about this catastrophe into perspective I guess you could say.
It was amazing to see how much their efforts have impacted the forest growth. We also visited a “state” nursery of sorts where Norway spruce, European beech and Scots pine are regenerated from seeds before they are planted on the landscape. Scots pine is the dominant species all over Poland and especially in this forest because it is fast growing and can withstand harsher conditions. There was also an experiment with Austrian spruce since that species can also withstand harsh soil conditions, but it proved to be unsuccessful.
Before this next part, I should mention that today was beastly hot and humid! And being on a bus with 43 other hot bodies is no picnic! We kept getting on and off the bus with little stops we made to the nursery and in the forest, so there was no time for the air conditioning to circulate through the bus. Every time we got off the bus it was literally like a breath of fresh air!! There was at least a 20 degree difference between the inside of the bus and being outside. The time spent on the bus in between little stops (only about 15-20 minutes mind you) was enough to have sweat beading and dripping on every exposed surface of our arms, legs, face, neck, back…it was torture or close to it.
The intensity of the heat inside the bus was so much that we couldn’t make it to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp today, much to my great dismay. As morbid as it sound I was really looking forward to going to it. Most of you probably know that I’ve had a very weird obsession with the Holocaust and WWII in general for the longest time. Auschwitz has been the one concentration camp I’ve been looking forward to for the longest time, so I’m a bit bummed that we couldn’t make it. But it was either elevate the risk of heat stroke/exhaustion along the way or go back to Krakow.
Long story short (sort of), we ended up going back to Krakow in a new bus entirely. Our former bus driver dropped us off at a McDonalds (I know) and a Wal-Mart type store in the closest village, where we waited for the next bus to come pick us up. The bus, when it came, was like a knight in shining armor! It was such a relief and almost too cool. I actually got cold on the way back, but that was probably because of the drying sweat!
So, by far, this was not the best day of the journey, but it definitely could have been worse. Tomorrow is the last day in Krakow, which is very saddening because I have felt at home in Poland so far! Mom, I’m seriously putting off graduation in order to do another study abroad!
26 July 2010
I'm thinking I'm gonna need to buy water soon
22.July.2010
So here is another update! Woot! Now we are in Krakow (this was a few days ago, but pretend it wasn’t!) We are staying in a hostel that caters to international students at Jagiellonian University called the Piast. It has a typical dorm feel to it, the small boxed sized rooms, narrow beds, desks, etc. We had a balcony as well. Great to stand out on for a breeze though. We had to sleep with the windows open the whole time, being on the seventh floor. It also happened to be three of the hottest days of the trip so far. We survived though!
On the first day we visited Jagiellonian University and sat for two lectures given by our same host professors who were with us in Czorsztyn. Katarzyna’s lecture about the environmental situation was very interesting. She talked about the rapid industrialization of Poland after WWII and the Black Triangle in Germany, Poland, and Slovakia in terms of the amount of pollution received by and created by Poland. Her main area of study concerns human health problems associated with the environmental pollution created during that time after the war: air pollution, groundwater and river contamination. Drinking water from a faucet is still unsafe, so bottled water is the only way to go.
Despite there being pollution still present, Poland has already done a lot in terms of cleaning up after the fall of communism. It’s amazing really, how much they have done and the plans they have. Since Poland has been a member country of the EU, there are environmental standards that need to be met by every country in the EU. The only hindrance at present is funding. They are still rebuilding their economy, which definitely takes time!
The afternoon after our lectures, we went to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. I have never been in any kind of mine or underground cave of any sort and I definitely found this to be one of the highlights of my trip thus far! I can’t really even begin to describe how cool it was! Just getting down to the first level of the mine was really neat! About 38 staircases traversed going down a very narrow wooden staircase!
The salt mine itself was just plain awesome, walking through all the shafts, seeing excavation sites, still life representations, all the chapels, restaurants. Yes, chapels and restaurants! It was literally an underground city. Of course, it’s been modernized, but many parts of the mine are still in-tact and have been rebuilt over the centuries it’s been utilized. If I remember correctly, the mine itself has been operating since about the 13th century and was instituted by Kasimir the Great. (He also founded the Jagiellonian University—fun fact!) The mine also has the largest underground cathedral—every sculpture carved from salt. Actually almost everything in the mine was made from salt, sculpture-wise, with the exception of the still-lifes.
The coolest part of the mine..? It was interactive!! We were given the opportunity to put ourselves in the miners (and horses’ shoes) and do what they used to do as they mined and transported the salt from one level of the mine to the next. There are also places where you could lick the walls as part of the tour. Kind of gross, considering everyone who’s licked it before you, but well, it’s all a part of the experience!
We ended the day with a little sightseeing in Krakow, walking down into the Main Square, which served as the main market square in the medieval times. The square is still covered with various vendors, as well as restaurants and lots of outdoor seating. Carriage rides around the square were also a big touristy thing to do. Regretfully, we did not take part in it :(
I forgot to mention up to now that we also have the nicest and down to earth guide with us: Kasia!!(pronounced like Kasha) She was the guide for the Europe group last year as well. She is one awesome gal and just plain fun to be around and do stuff with. Very knowledgeable about everything: history, cafes, the layout of the whole city, good and bad places to go, finding the best deals for anything really.
OK, on that side note, the square is very popular with students, especially with all the clubs, discos, and of course pubs! It’s also a big shopping district, so naturally, it’s always swarming with people. Speaking of clubs, I decided to go for the experience, which was not bad. A lot of fun with good music, people, and well, other good stuff! Before all of us decided which club to go to, we walked around the square surveying where all the best bargains were. All throughout the afternoon and early evening, there are people always handing out promotions for certain specials they have. In any case, we found a good deal and had a great time! A lot different than clubbing in Denver, that’s for sure!
More to come soon! Hopefully in the few days!!
So here is another update! Woot! Now we are in Krakow (this was a few days ago, but pretend it wasn’t!) We are staying in a hostel that caters to international students at Jagiellonian University called the Piast. It has a typical dorm feel to it, the small boxed sized rooms, narrow beds, desks, etc. We had a balcony as well. Great to stand out on for a breeze though. We had to sleep with the windows open the whole time, being on the seventh floor. It also happened to be three of the hottest days of the trip so far. We survived though!
On the first day we visited Jagiellonian University and sat for two lectures given by our same host professors who were with us in Czorsztyn. Katarzyna’s lecture about the environmental situation was very interesting. She talked about the rapid industrialization of Poland after WWII and the Black Triangle in Germany, Poland, and Slovakia in terms of the amount of pollution received by and created by Poland. Her main area of study concerns human health problems associated with the environmental pollution created during that time after the war: air pollution, groundwater and river contamination. Drinking water from a faucet is still unsafe, so bottled water is the only way to go.
Despite there being pollution still present, Poland has already done a lot in terms of cleaning up after the fall of communism. It’s amazing really, how much they have done and the plans they have. Since Poland has been a member country of the EU, there are environmental standards that need to be met by every country in the EU. The only hindrance at present is funding. They are still rebuilding their economy, which definitely takes time!
The afternoon after our lectures, we went to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. I have never been in any kind of mine or underground cave of any sort and I definitely found this to be one of the highlights of my trip thus far! I can’t really even begin to describe how cool it was! Just getting down to the first level of the mine was really neat! About 38 staircases traversed going down a very narrow wooden staircase!
The salt mine itself was just plain awesome, walking through all the shafts, seeing excavation sites, still life representations, all the chapels, restaurants. Yes, chapels and restaurants! It was literally an underground city. Of course, it’s been modernized, but many parts of the mine are still in-tact and have been rebuilt over the centuries it’s been utilized. If I remember correctly, the mine itself has been operating since about the 13th century and was instituted by Kasimir the Great. (He also founded the Jagiellonian University—fun fact!) The mine also has the largest underground cathedral—every sculpture carved from salt. Actually almost everything in the mine was made from salt, sculpture-wise, with the exception of the still-lifes.
The coolest part of the mine..? It was interactive!! We were given the opportunity to put ourselves in the miners (and horses’ shoes) and do what they used to do as they mined and transported the salt from one level of the mine to the next. There are also places where you could lick the walls as part of the tour. Kind of gross, considering everyone who’s licked it before you, but well, it’s all a part of the experience!
We ended the day with a little sightseeing in Krakow, walking down into the Main Square, which served as the main market square in the medieval times. The square is still covered with various vendors, as well as restaurants and lots of outdoor seating. Carriage rides around the square were also a big touristy thing to do. Regretfully, we did not take part in it :(
I forgot to mention up to now that we also have the nicest and down to earth guide with us: Kasia!!(pronounced like Kasha) She was the guide for the Europe group last year as well. She is one awesome gal and just plain fun to be around and do stuff with. Very knowledgeable about everything: history, cafes, the layout of the whole city, good and bad places to go, finding the best deals for anything really.
OK, on that side note, the square is very popular with students, especially with all the clubs, discos, and of course pubs! It’s also a big shopping district, so naturally, it’s always swarming with people. Speaking of clubs, I decided to go for the experience, which was not bad. A lot of fun with good music, people, and well, other good stuff! Before all of us decided which club to go to, we walked around the square surveying where all the best bargains were. All throughout the afternoon and early evening, there are people always handing out promotions for certain specials they have. In any case, we found a good deal and had a great time! A lot different than clubbing in Denver, that’s for sure!
More to come soon! Hopefully in the few days!!
There ain't no mountain high enough
Goodbye Poland, hello Germany! We made it safely and arrived at Burg Hornberg about one yesterday afternoon.
Where to begin? Where to begin? So much in just the last few days! First things, first: Major, major apologizes once again for the delay! In our hostel, internet connection is almost non-existent! We had one Ethernet cable to share and now only one to use this time in Germany!
Ok, now onto the goods…
Our last day in Czorsztyn, we made the trek to Tatra National Park. The park was absolutely awesome! It was brimming with both wildlife and mosaics of wildflowers, and of course, mountains! It made me miss Montana that much more! The Tatras are the highest peaks within the whole Carpathian Mountain range. You could equate the height of the Carpathians to that of the Appalachians along the east coast in that they are not the tallest in the world, yet still breathtaking. Along with us on our hike was, Tomasz (Toe-mak), who was probably the most interesting, exciting, and entertaining guide we could have asked for. Tomasz is one of the rangers in the park and so, was very enthusiastic about everything, not to mention, fit to leave us all in the dust on the way up the mountain!
Polish national parks, or at least this one, are somewhat different from U.S. parks in that everywhere you looked, turned, or walked there were always about 5-10 people headed in your direction. According to Tomasz, Tatra is one of the most visited parks in Poland, mostly because that is the only place where the good skiing in the winter is! On top of that it IS a very beautiful park. The trails were also very unique and different that what we’re used to as we hike, which is basically a gravelly path. In Tatra and other parks, the trails are made entirely of stones fitted together. The purpose of this was to help prevent erosion since the slope is very steep as you climb. Every trail in the park was this way and crossed over wide streams and rivers, so you are playing hopscotch and trying not to slip on the wet stones!
The overall hiking in the park was great! The change in elevation was fairly gradual until we reached a small alpine lake about half way up. After that it went up! Straight, straight up!! Literally. The trail was made up of stepping stones almost the entire way, save for a few spots of actual climbing! I had to catch my breath quite a few times along the way up to the top, which made me question what I was doing, but there was never a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t go in the first place. I’m very glad I did it, even when I had minor heart palpitations at brief moments of slippage.
Ironically getting up was the easy part of the journey. Going up you can see exactly where to place your feet, which was crucial at some points when there were loose stones. Coming down was almost a nightmare. It was much more difficult seeing where to place your feet, and it began to rain just as we starting climbing down. The pressure on the knees also killed, but despite all the obstacles we all (the 28 of us who climbed to the top) made it back down safely.
From Tatra, we went to Krakow and spent a few days exploring the city there! More to come on that!
Again, sincere apologies. There will be a string of updates soon hopefully! We have learned we will be getting very limited time to use the internet! Trouble when people are trying to plan weekend trips... Are there pictures flashing across the top?
Where to begin? Where to begin? So much in just the last few days! First things, first: Major, major apologizes once again for the delay! In our hostel, internet connection is almost non-existent! We had one Ethernet cable to share and now only one to use this time in Germany!
Ok, now onto the goods…
Our last day in Czorsztyn, we made the trek to Tatra National Park. The park was absolutely awesome! It was brimming with both wildlife and mosaics of wildflowers, and of course, mountains! It made me miss Montana that much more! The Tatras are the highest peaks within the whole Carpathian Mountain range. You could equate the height of the Carpathians to that of the Appalachians along the east coast in that they are not the tallest in the world, yet still breathtaking. Along with us on our hike was, Tomasz (Toe-mak), who was probably the most interesting, exciting, and entertaining guide we could have asked for. Tomasz is one of the rangers in the park and so, was very enthusiastic about everything, not to mention, fit to leave us all in the dust on the way up the mountain!
Polish national parks, or at least this one, are somewhat different from U.S. parks in that everywhere you looked, turned, or walked there were always about 5-10 people headed in your direction. According to Tomasz, Tatra is one of the most visited parks in Poland, mostly because that is the only place where the good skiing in the winter is! On top of that it IS a very beautiful park. The trails were also very unique and different that what we’re used to as we hike, which is basically a gravelly path. In Tatra and other parks, the trails are made entirely of stones fitted together. The purpose of this was to help prevent erosion since the slope is very steep as you climb. Every trail in the park was this way and crossed over wide streams and rivers, so you are playing hopscotch and trying not to slip on the wet stones!
The overall hiking in the park was great! The change in elevation was fairly gradual until we reached a small alpine lake about half way up. After that it went up! Straight, straight up!! Literally. The trail was made up of stepping stones almost the entire way, save for a few spots of actual climbing! I had to catch my breath quite a few times along the way up to the top, which made me question what I was doing, but there was never a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t go in the first place. I’m very glad I did it, even when I had minor heart palpitations at brief moments of slippage.
Ironically getting up was the easy part of the journey. Going up you can see exactly where to place your feet, which was crucial at some points when there were loose stones. Coming down was almost a nightmare. It was much more difficult seeing where to place your feet, and it began to rain just as we starting climbing down. The pressure on the knees also killed, but despite all the obstacles we all (the 28 of us who climbed to the top) made it back down safely.
From Tatra, we went to Krakow and spent a few days exploring the city there! More to come on that!
Again, sincere apologies. There will be a string of updates soon hopefully! We have learned we will be getting very limited time to use the internet! Trouble when people are trying to plan weekend trips... Are there pictures flashing across the top?
20 July 2010
Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...
Good news friends! After a grand total of about 21 hours spent en route for the much anticipated trip we've landed in Krakow and made it safely to Czorsztyn (pronounced CHORE-stin)! The only things aching are my neck and droopy eyelids. This is going to contain bits from our day of arrival and the second day. Time was taken out to get back on a normal sleep schedule. :)
We landed at about 10 am Sunday morning after an uneventful flight. I was seated next to a tiny elderly Polish woman on her way home from visiting family I imagine considering it was a nonstop flight from Chicago to Krakow. We didn't speak much, neither of us knowing much of each other's native tongue, but we smiled amiably. Hand gestures do wonders also!
Upon reaching Krakow, we met up with two of our host professors from Jagiellonian University who are guiding our stay in Poland. They accompanied us on the two hour bus ride south to the hostel we are claiming as home for a few days. We had our first lecture on the bus ride consisting of some of the geography and history of the particular area of the Carpathian mountains we are in. I had a particularly difficult time paying close attention to the professor, mostly due to looking out the window, but also from the jet lag.
Poland is beautiful!! At least the part we are experiencing! Working our way into the mountains and watching all the villages as we passed through them reminded me a lot the Black Forest when I went abroad to Germany in high school. The houses are almost exactly the same also, with the exception of sod roofs (have yet to see any of those yet)! They are situated very close together, most looking the same as the next one. Yards are also very similar, consisting of large vegetable gardens and containing many chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, or a few cows.
So far, we’ve been booked solid with lectures and field trips—four alone on the same afternoon after we made it to Czorsztyn! I feel horrible to say that I barely managed to stay focused for those lectures, since they were interesting! It’s very obvious the points where I began to nod off, since my writing became much sloppier and slanted. There were also random words inserted at various places. Today’s lectures went much better after a good night’s rest and filling breakfast. We went on a nice hike into the Gora National Park in the mountains for field exercises, surveying vegetation and invertebrate species. Tomorrow we are going to ID all of the bugs we caught!
Food is another topic altogether!! In addition to all the awesome experiences I was looking forward to when I came here, food was most definitely at the top of the list! I love food, love to eat, love all the smells associated with the whole dining experience! And so far, I have yet to be disappointed, and doubt I will be. Tonight we had a cook out behind our villa and huge bonfire afterward. There is nothing like supper cooked over the fire! And the bread! I could an entire loaf in one sitting. I should stop here, because I could go on and on forever about food! :D
Today we visited the Czorsztyn Castle and dam, both of which were awesome. We also has sun for the first time today! The castle was built in the 14th century by Kasimir the Great and on the other side of the reservoir it looks over is the Niedzica castle. When they were first built, the reservoir was the border between the old boundaries of Hungary and Poland so they served as a customs station of sorts. The Czorsztyn Dam is also a spectacular sight. It’s an earthen dam so one side of it is completely covered in trees and wildflowers.
Well, there will be more to come. Apologies for the late update. Internet at our villa is somewhat limited! Pictures to come soon!
Do widzenia!
We landed at about 10 am Sunday morning after an uneventful flight. I was seated next to a tiny elderly Polish woman on her way home from visiting family I imagine considering it was a nonstop flight from Chicago to Krakow. We didn't speak much, neither of us knowing much of each other's native tongue, but we smiled amiably. Hand gestures do wonders also!
Upon reaching Krakow, we met up with two of our host professors from Jagiellonian University who are guiding our stay in Poland. They accompanied us on the two hour bus ride south to the hostel we are claiming as home for a few days. We had our first lecture on the bus ride consisting of some of the geography and history of the particular area of the Carpathian mountains we are in. I had a particularly difficult time paying close attention to the professor, mostly due to looking out the window, but also from the jet lag.
Poland is beautiful!! At least the part we are experiencing! Working our way into the mountains and watching all the villages as we passed through them reminded me a lot the Black Forest when I went abroad to Germany in high school. The houses are almost exactly the same also, with the exception of sod roofs (have yet to see any of those yet)! They are situated very close together, most looking the same as the next one. Yards are also very similar, consisting of large vegetable gardens and containing many chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, or a few cows.
So far, we’ve been booked solid with lectures and field trips—four alone on the same afternoon after we made it to Czorsztyn! I feel horrible to say that I barely managed to stay focused for those lectures, since they were interesting! It’s very obvious the points where I began to nod off, since my writing became much sloppier and slanted. There were also random words inserted at various places. Today’s lectures went much better after a good night’s rest and filling breakfast. We went on a nice hike into the Gora National Park in the mountains for field exercises, surveying vegetation and invertebrate species. Tomorrow we are going to ID all of the bugs we caught!
Food is another topic altogether!! In addition to all the awesome experiences I was looking forward to when I came here, food was most definitely at the top of the list! I love food, love to eat, love all the smells associated with the whole dining experience! And so far, I have yet to be disappointed, and doubt I will be. Tonight we had a cook out behind our villa and huge bonfire afterward. There is nothing like supper cooked over the fire! And the bread! I could an entire loaf in one sitting. I should stop here, because I could go on and on forever about food! :D
Today we visited the Czorsztyn Castle and dam, both of which were awesome. We also has sun for the first time today! The castle was built in the 14th century by Kasimir the Great and on the other side of the reservoir it looks over is the Niedzica castle. When they were first built, the reservoir was the border between the old boundaries of Hungary and Poland so they served as a customs station of sorts. The Czorsztyn Dam is also a spectacular sight. It’s an earthen dam so one side of it is completely covered in trees and wildflowers.
Well, there will be more to come. Apologies for the late update. Internet at our villa is somewhat limited! Pictures to come soon!
Do widzenia!
15 July 2010
Getting Closer....
We leave tomorrow! Or at least the tentative plan is for Mo mere and I to leave for Chicago on the flip side, early afternoonish. That way there will be a little down time before flight take-off. Possibly explore more of the little known gems in the city. Mom is always talking about all sorts of random places she recalls from previous excursions... Either way it will be an adventure and one to remember!
My mind is still traveling wildly in all directions. I've been a busy bee today making lots of phone calls, visits, last-minute trips to various places for forgotten items. Tomorrow, there may be another mad dash! Scratch may! There will be, knowing me!
I say that there will be another (or several) trips to where ever it is I might need to go, but surprisingly I have made progress in acquiring and finding most of what I need...at least I think I have...Inevitably there will be some things left and more unfortunately, things forgotten. Alas, that is how it goes, no? That and trying to decide what's essential and what's not. That is the hardest part and packing things just so. The trick will be leaving extra space for stowaways in between countries and come the end of the trip :)
On a similar note, packing is such a bore!!!! It's one of those things you're excited for, but when you get down to it, it feels like a chore, so you skirt around doing it for as long as possible. I'm still not entirely done.
No surprise there...I've found lots of other little things with which to occupy my time: recharging and updating the iPod, taking ridiculous pictures of the mess that has become my room, rereading favorite parts in old books, email, googling random places and things.You know, doing all the things that have nothing to do with packing, but yet are seemingly much more important. :) I know! It's doesn't make sense, but it gives a little insight to how easily I can be distracted....or amused.
There will be more to come for sure!!
My mind is still traveling wildly in all directions. I've been a busy bee today making lots of phone calls, visits, last-minute trips to various places for forgotten items. Tomorrow, there may be another mad dash! Scratch may! There will be, knowing me!
I say that there will be another (or several) trips to where ever it is I might need to go, but surprisingly I have made progress in acquiring and finding most of what I need...at least I think I have...Inevitably there will be some things left and more unfortunately, things forgotten. Alas, that is how it goes, no? That and trying to decide what's essential and what's not. That is the hardest part and packing things just so. The trick will be leaving extra space for stowaways in between countries and come the end of the trip :)
On a similar note, packing is such a bore!!!! It's one of those things you're excited for, but when you get down to it, it feels like a chore, so you skirt around doing it for as long as possible. I'm still not entirely done.
No surprise there...I've found lots of other little things with which to occupy my time: recharging and updating the iPod, taking ridiculous pictures of the mess that has become my room, rereading favorite parts in old books, email, googling random places and things.You know, doing all the things that have nothing to do with packing, but yet are seemingly much more important. :) I know! It's doesn't make sense, but it gives a little insight to how easily I can be distracted....or amused.
There will be more to come for sure!!
11 July 2010
Pre-Trip Jitters....or Welcome to this humble slice of the web!
So, here it is: the beginning of the musings....still on the state side of the pond, that is. This a test for myself to attempt to keep everyone abreast of all the action happening while I am away. I will most likely be without the phone for the most part, which I am okay with. This is the alternative. Hopefully all will bode well!
Currently we are t-minus six days until take off and my mind is running in a thousand different directions It feels the way a Jackson Pollock painting looks at first glance....I look at the state of my room and shake my head. The tornado in Wadena surely made its way into my room!
It is an utter mess, laundry hanging from every possible surface to dry, books strewn everywhere in piles along the perimeter of the room, bed all in a disarray, various odds and ends poking out of little niches. The poor little fans are working their hardest in the sauna I call my room. I'm thinking I may camp in the kitchen tonight! That or something cold to consume is becoming a fast necessity! From any angle one looks at it, there is still much to be done, and very little time in which to get it all done. Wish me luck!
If for any reason I begin to lag in updates, tell me! It's bound to happen, being the scatterbrain I am :) Now, time to tackle the room...well, maybe just a corner of it! Or maybe ice cream is in order!
Bis dann!
Currently we are t-minus six days until take off and my mind is running in a thousand different directions It feels the way a Jackson Pollock painting looks at first glance....I look at the state of my room and shake my head. The tornado in Wadena surely made its way into my room!
It is an utter mess, laundry hanging from every possible surface to dry, books strewn everywhere in piles along the perimeter of the room, bed all in a disarray, various odds and ends poking out of little niches. The poor little fans are working their hardest in the sauna I call my room. I'm thinking I may camp in the kitchen tonight! That or something cold to consume is becoming a fast necessity! From any angle one looks at it, there is still much to be done, and very little time in which to get it all done. Wish me luck!
If for any reason I begin to lag in updates, tell me! It's bound to happen, being the scatterbrain I am :) Now, time to tackle the room...well, maybe just a corner of it! Or maybe ice cream is in order!
Bis dann!
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