Where have you been?

Sorry...

2011-10-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

...but this is now too much work so I'll be bowing out for good. I'll leave this up but will no longer be making any more posts. Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy the photos...

First View of Ct

2011-09-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

Yep, it really is that beautiful in Fall. Summer was pretty darn nice too! This is at one of the local ponds associated with a park. There is abundant water around so many ponds, small lakes, and a few rivers to boot.

My first view of my future work parking lot. The building is completely invisible from the street as are the parking lots.

I was pretty excited about the big houses in the town but now we are even more excited about the big houses out in the countryside. Hopefully in another month I'll be able to post pictures of what will be our future home. Some people haven't gotten the message that during a housing bust period of high unemployment and critically limited spending that house prices go down. Guess it is a hard lesson.

Moving on...

2011-09-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

...in a number of ways. Since moving from England to Poland I made a quick visit back home to California and more recently moved to Connecticut where we are still located. Old friends have gone in place of new friends as have old habits for new. The earrings have gone in place of a tongue ring that is really not that new, got it in 2000, but is still makes people uncomfortable. Finally got that tattoo I always wanted and now I think every time I go to Poland I am getting another one. Trying for kids which probably won't chance much and we are making offers on various houses. Moving on now to more recent photos we'll begin to focus on what exactly Connecticut looks like what they've got here.

Hope you all enjoy.

Short Term

2011-09-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

After being tossed like a salad I quickly grabbed this upscale apartment. It was only a month to month affair which turned out good because much better options quickly came up. This was a four bedroom affair with all of the renters completely independent and more or less isolated. There was one lovely French woman and a British guy who was there every third weekend. The last renter was kind of a dick but fortunately he stayed out of my way for the 2 months I lived there.

Kicked Out

2011-09-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

As mentioned previously all five of us were unceremoniously kicked out shortly before Christmas. Fortunately we were able to get across the untenable position the owner was putting us under by providing such short notice at the holiday season and we forced a bit of a respite. We all went our separate ways eventually but not before the owner could bring in "muscle" to drop the hint once again he wanted us out. I moved briefly into the place shown above. It was nice, and nice and expensive but I was only there until a much better opportunity came about.

Still Live - Garage

2011-08-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

Our Latvian roommate could fix pretty much anything. He is very technically skilled and incredibly patient. Fridges, ovens, cars, and mopeds. Nothing was a problem.

Naturally this talent required space to tear things apart and that ended up being our back yard. These show his 250cc moped in the "pre" condition.

Pink!

2011-08-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

Our flat was a 5/6 bedroom monstrosity. I've already been through some of the pictures, including our funky TV room and our messy ass kitchen. You can access those pictures by clicking on the Cambridge link in the Label column down to the right. All of the posts labeled with Cambridge will be shown.

I was living in what used to be the garage in a huge pink room. It must have been a girls room at one point, I can't see any reason for such a hot pink color. Fortunately it was quite roomy and had plenty of book shelves.

Jamacian Hook up

2011-08-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

Our other full time roommate was this lovely lady from Jamaica. She was good fun but a bit messy. Not sure where she ended up after we got kicked out but I had enough to deal with myself so I never followed up.

Easter Europe Connection

2011-08-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

At Chapman court there was a range of people - all pretty cool and from funky places, at least to an American. Above was our part time roommate from Lithuania. He was in and out quick but I continued to see him on a regular basis as he was buddies with my two other roommates with whom I am still in contact.

My clubbing friend here is also from Lithuania or is it Ukraine. Depends on what day you ask him...

Third roommate and still good buddy, shown here on the right with the two others, is from Latvia. He was the best man at our wedding. All three of them are still in England, two still in Cambridge and the other in London. Good times.

Back to Cambridge

2011-08-06T14:23:00.001-07:00

It has been difficult to get back into blogging after such a long time and I think I am just going to have to power through until I get back into things. Lets continue where we left off years ago with a summary of things in England.

You might remember I lived in Cambridge for two years and worked at the University there. It was a great time and not only did I have a lot of fantastic friends but I also met my wife there.

Part of the fun was the carefree life style I had there. Everything was fairly relaxed and where I lived the people were mostly easy going. We are looking at pictures here (and this pick up just were we left off previously) from my flat from Chapman Court. This place was pretty crazy will all the things that went on and the odd people coming and going but as these show it was also pretty beautiful as well.

I lived there for only maybe 6 months before we were unceremoniously thrown out right before Christmas but that is another story for another day.

Farewell my friend

2011-07-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

Just over a week ago we lost Kobra to renal failure. He was a dear, dear friend for the past four years and we miss him greatly. Thank you to everyone who has sent their condolences. Time heals all wounds but we will never forget our beloved friend.

A few more panoramas

2011-07-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

Joshua Tree National Park in the California desert.

The Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Florida after one of the hurricanes.

Long Beach, California.

Unsolicited Software Plug

2011-07-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Although I have a nice fisheye lens it is sometimes necessary to stitch together a few images. Previously I have been doing it manually using GIMP, my preferred image manipulation program. It took a bit of work and I could make some acceptable panoramic images but no matter how much I tried I could never get it just right. The above as a prime example.

Then a colleague of mine turned me onto Hugin. This is an absolutely fabulous panoramic stitching program. It has built in settings for a number of lenses and effects plus is simple enough to figure out. I have only used the most basic of functionality but the results are fantastic. Using the same source pictures and maybe three clicks of the mouse this picture is the result.

Welcome Back...

2011-07-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Through travel and change life always goes on. In the past two years I relocated from Europe to LA, went unemployed on and off for about 1.5 years, lost my mother to a short battle with cancer, landed my dream job and relocated again but this time to the east coast, and have been looking for a home for my wife and I so we can begin the next stage of our life. Much has changed in that time but still things come one day at a time.

One major thing happening now one day at a time is Kobra's health. Recently he stopped eating which prompted a visit to the vet. Blood work showed major liver and kidney damage and since he has had good days and bad. He is a tough cat and has been fighting for life as best he can and we have tried to help him as much as we can. In the end though all of our time here is finite. Remember to enjoy it one day at a time.

Don't call it a comeback...

2011-05-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

Due to popular demand I'm getting back on-line. Starting July 1st I'll start posting on a regular basis. It will initially be a mix of current events and high lights from the past but where it goes from there is up in the air.

Around the house

2009-12-14T09:04:00.000-08:00

Wow. The deep red lounge. Stuffed with chairs, a coffee table, a sofa, and at one point a TV, this was anything but comfortable. Notice the sliding glass door that leads to...

...another poorly painted inside room. Our teal "dining room" was the old patio between the house and the garage. You can also see the entire kitchen which was, again, surprisingly clean. Although you can't see it there is another sliding glass door opposite the one pictured that leads to what used to be the garage but what was now...

...my bedroom. With the sliding glass door hidden by my closet the room didn't much feel like a garage. It was large but had two different height beds which could not be pushed together. I was separate from the rest of the house by the kitchen/dining room/lounge areas so I could pretty much do what I want and not disturb or be disturbed by anyone in the main part of the house.

A Detailed look at the Kitchen

2009-12-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

My Latvian roommate owned and lived off of a deep fryer. French fries, fish sticks, anything. Some times his dinner would consist of french fries, mayo, and a few pieces of cucumber. Very healthy.

Another roommate had the habit of cooking food and storing it in the pan/pot she used to prepare it. Sometimes the items would go into the fridge, sometimes they would stay out in the open, but never would they be put into some time of storage device - the pan was good enough. Never mind the fact we had limited cookware, it didn't bother her in the least that anyone was inconvenienced by her actions.

Chapman Court

2009-12-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

By far the most interesting place I have ever lived was at Chapman Court in the Arbury area of Cambridge. Just down the street from the infamous Ship pub, we lived in the heart of chav and gypsy country. The first week I was there some of the local lads torched a car in the parking area. The police came to investigate but there was nothing they could really do. I eventually learned that the car was found by a friend of a friend of a friend "abandoned" and eventually ended up in the hands of one of the neighborhood 14 year olds. They played with the car until it stopped working at which point they decided it was a fantastic idea to just burn the car. I assume they thought it would simply burn down to dust and disappear.

Pictured above is my Latvian roommate and our disgusting kitchen which is actually pretty clean in this photo.

1 Tillyard Way

2009-12-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

As I was saying we only lived at Tillyard Way for a few months so I have limited photography of the place. I did spend one evening doing some night photography which is what you see here. Aside from the Citroen we also had bicycles and access to the infrequent city busses.

Where else have I lived?

2009-12-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

1 Tillyard Way in Cambridge was not the first place I stayed but the first place I stayed that was mine. (The first week in England we stayed with friends.) We were only there for a few months but it was a clean apartment. This is not our flat but one exactly like it across the street. This fine automobile is also our Citroen AX 1.1L diesel. Quite the road machine.

The living room had a lovely breakfast nook looking out over the green.

There was also a decorative fireplace which basically means "just for looks".

Picasa Test

2009-11-21T09:50:00.001-08:00

Any one have some good tips for getting Picasa to work well with Blogger?

Polish Tatra Mountains

Help!

2009-11-19T09:23:00.001-08:00

Here is a brief description of the elements, new and old, of my Where have you been? (Whyb?) blog. I hope to eventually have a complete help file but for now I will update this as needed. You will always be able to find help by clicking the "Help" link above in the navigation bar.

Navigation Bar
(blue line with text across the top)

This is an easy way to navigate around Whyb? that will always be available. The names are pretty self explanatory but if you simply move your mouse over one of the words you will find a more detailed description. I hope to vastly improve the gallery and showcase sections but that will have to wait for now.

Subscribe
(left hand column bottom)
If you like this blog please subscribe by selecting the method of your choice. Chose to be notified when I post or when anyone adds a comment.

Search This Blog
(right hand column top)
If every you want to find a post or photo about a specific topic use this search tool. Simply type your search word and push the button. The results will appear as a box within the blog and you can point and click to see the various hits. If you no longer need the search results box simply close it by hitting the "X" inthe top right corner.

Blog Archive
(right hand column middle)
Interested in looking at past posts? Pick you month and view all of my post from that month. The number indicates how many post were made in that month.

Labels
(right hand column bottom)
Labels are a way for me to organize my posts which are unfortunately pretty unorganized. I have made this available in case you want to see pictures relating to a specific topic. For example if you want to see all of my photos/posts concerning the California beaches click "CaBeach".

Studio Time

2009-11-14T13:41:00.001-08:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to get up to speed with respect to posting again. There have been some difficulties within my family not to mention finding a job. Things are okay in general but I have simply had other things to do than post on my blog.

With that said I wanted to show you our first American apartment. It is a studio apartment located in downtown Long Beach. We are a few blocks from the beach, within walking distance to stores, restaurants, and pubs plus we have our own parking spot - something needed in crowded beach communities.

The top photo shows the view from the front of our apartment building. The beach is just on the far side of the large building with the green roof. The next is of the pool area, very nice. Our apartment is up to the left on the second floor. This bottom one is of the inside of our place. It is not much, just a studio, but it is home for us!

TV Stars

2009-11-04T09:20:00.001-08:00

KCAL 9 Report

A few weeks back we were interviewed by Mark Coogen of KCAL 9. It was the fist time either of us had been interviewed and we became quite stars in our little community. In fact, a lady with the Garnica surname contacted me out of the blue to ask if we were distant relatives.

Back in Business

2009-11-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am gettin' back in the saddle. We moved to Long Beach and things are progressing nicely. So, time to start blogging again. Over the next few months I am going to be testing some new elements so everyone is going to have to bear with me while I sort things out. I hope to add photo galleries, facebook connectivity, as well a few other interesting elements. We'll see...

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-06-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, today is indeed my birthday. I am happy to say I turn 34 today. As a present to myself I am going to take a break from blogging, move to America, find a job, set up a new home for my wife and our cat, return to Poland and pick up my wife and cat, and update the look of OC Photography. All of this will be done by October so see you all then...

The Rest

2009-06-14T00:39:00.000-07:00

And the rest...

Polish Invasion

2009-06-12T00:37:00.000-07:00

Its true, the Polish are taking over England.

Camden Town

2009-06-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

Camden Town is a pretty fun place but I could never really capture that spirit in photography.

My friend and his girlfriend took me to a fantastic vegetarian Thai food place in Camden that was all-you-can-eat for only five pounds. What a deal!

More Skyline

2009-06-08T00:26:00.000-07:00

The London Eye, Parliament, Big Ben.

Saint Peter's.

Sunny London

2009-06-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

Most of my trips to London, except the first one posted below, happened in wonderful weather. This is a beautiful shot down the Thames.

Here is my buddy waiting for his girlfriend to buy some lamp.

And a few more around town. All nice and sunny!

The Palace Guards

2009-06-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Looks like a boring job.

London

2009-06-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

London is basically that massive, overpowering city you would expect. I was only able to visit five or six times but I was never completely comfortable navigating the Tube or narrow streets.

As such a huge city there are naturally people everywhere and it is a very easy place to be anonymous.

"Five or six times" may seem like a lot but before I left for England I assumed the 45 mile trip from Cambridge would be easy on quick train and that I could visit every other weekend. Unfortunately that quick train doesn't really exist plus the cost for a round trip ticket was prohibitive.

Where Cultures Collide

2009-05-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is my buddy Ivan. We lived together at Chapman Court. He is from Ukraine. He turned me onto Hard Techno and taught me what clubbing was really about. He is a great guy.

When you travel you meet unexpected people who change you life in unexpected ways.

The Two Cambridges - Mill Road Folks

2009-05-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

Cambridge is a bit split. On one hand there is the University and all of the posh kids that go along with it. Their bars and discotheques require proper attire. Then there is the Mill Road Cambridge. A bit more grungy but much more accessible.

Classic Cambridge

2009-05-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is just some shop hawking goods to tourists but it looks as if William Shakespeare himself could have lived there (he is actually from Stratford-upon-Avon). England has such a rich and deep history that no matter how much you try you can not escape it.

College Detail

2009-05-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

I saw many of the colleges but I don't know the names.

Many (except for the modern ones) are quite beautiful.

Amazing detail and just like you would expect from the country that produced Harry Potter!

Jesus Green?

2009-05-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

Why not.

A think called Autumn

2009-05-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

I still don't get the whole "changing of the season" thing but I have photographic evidence none the less. Some people love this season but all it really means is that Winter is coming.

And Winter sucks.

Citadel City?

2009-05-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about Cambridge history but could these be for defense against roving bandits or simply a raging river? Either way this is a great view of the city.

Sleepy Cambridge

2009-05-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

I doubt Cambridge would be much without the University. A small back water with a little stream running through it.

What Lies Beneath

2009-05-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

This picture reminds me of that movie. Spooky!

Down by the River in a Van

2009-05-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

While not exactly vans, British longboats are typically for the artistic types or poor white trash (like live-in vans in America). When you get sick of one city just pick up anchor and head to another.

A cultural note: RVs and mobile homes are typically for Gypsies and Easter Europeans in England.

Churches and Terraced Housing

2009-05-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

I worked in the Chemistry Department at the University. Here are two views from the building.

One of the local Catholic Church and the other of some terraced housing.

Sir David King

2009-05-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

The event at Christ's College was for the group of Sir David King. Not bad eh?

Christ's College

2009-05-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

I helped organize a brainstorming event at Christ's College. Here are just some of the photo from the day.

I took one of my favorite series of shots at this event. You can see a sample of them here.

Punting

2009-05-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

I missed out on Punting too. But it looked like hard work so...

...and it was kind of a posh College activity and not my bag, baby.

The Colleges

2009-05-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

This is King's College.

I don't really know much about this or any of the other twenty odd colleges.

As a member of the Staff at the University I was somewhat excluded from the College scene. That and I avoided it.

Cinco de Mayo Bonanza!

2009-05-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

That's right, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo we are posting every other day in May. Come back and see all of the great sights of the British Isles and live vicariously through OC Photography!

The Sitting Man

2009-04-28T02:11:00.000-07:00

I really like this photo. I imagine his is pondering the meaning of his life, thinking back on the things he has done.

Along the River

2009-04-26T02:04:00.000-07:00

Some pictures taken along the river. The photo on the right is the Mathematical Bridge. Originally it was build without using bolts or fasteners but after it was repaired in the 60's or 70's they were unable to replicate the feat and had to use them.

The River Cam

2009-04-25T01:29:00.000-07:00

Naturally the River Cam runs through Cambridge. Its name, like many streets in Europe, changes at nearly every bend.

Cambridge

2009-04-21T23:47:00.000-07:00

While in England I lived in Cambridge working at the University for two years. Cambridge is both an idyllic University town (as one would expect) as well as a center for research and technology and an great international center hosting people from around the world. I knew people from both Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, the India subcontinent, the Middle East, and the Far East as well.

The top photo is of St John's College while the bottom is of punts on the River Cambs.

Where are We Going?

2009-04-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

All this political talk has got we fired up and thinking of England. (The politicians in England really give it to each other - if they think someone is a cunt they say it) So, we are going to go back in time a bit and look at the photos of England I took while living there. I had a motorcycle and was able to travel quite a bit so you will be seeing nearly the whole spectrum England has to offer.

One last quote from El Rusho (this is specifically for my father). He is talking about how Republicans who are dissatisfied should not, repeat SHOULD NOT, switch allegiance and go for a "third-party". Oh, they are welcome to be dissatisfied and have their own opinion, but if they vote for anyone other than Republicans they are unpatriotic, perhaps even communists. You see, many are starting to think the leaders of the party are out of touch (Who wants to invade Iraq?) and unresponsive to the realities of modern life (Soviet era fear tactics anyone? The Fascists are coming!).

So, to all my Republican friends out there: Please, don't be a hero. Do what your master says and vote Republican.

Rush:
"Now, there are two aspects to this. We've got lots of sound bites coming up. But there are two aspects to this that I do want to share with you. My greatest concern about this is that there are -- I don't want to impugn anybody here -- but there's a possibility that this is going to lead to a third-party movement, and that's death. Third-party candidates succeed in one thing, and that is electing their alternatives. John Anderson, 1980, you had Perot in 1992. The temptation here is to go third party 'cause the Republican Party is not responsive."

Full article:

Tea Parties Were a Great Success, But Resist Third-Party Temptations.

Sour Grapes

2009-04-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Baracknophobia - Obey

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

Political Humor

I love it. "You might be confusing tyranny and losing."

I read Rush's website not because I am a lunatic ultra-conservative but rather because I enjoy listening to the poor loser drone on and on about every little thing. His sour grapes give me pleasure. It resonates especially true with me because many people I love actually believe and support the tripe he spouts. As Mr Stewart says I was the recipient of a "well why don't you stay in Europe then" on a visit to America I took a few years back. Now I can sit back and laugh - how's that shit taco taste buddy?

Filler - Black Bush and Mr Ditto

2009-04-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know where we are going next with my posts so I need a few more days to think about it. In the mean time here are some political jems I have enjoyed recently although the first is not new. I will be back soon with another series of photos from somewhere around the world so please check back!

I can't get enough of this video. Super funny.

Something else funny was a recent transcript from the ultra conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh's show. A Republican caller wanted to express his dissatisfaction with Limbaugh's show and attitude in general. Naturally the arrogant Rush wasn't having any of it and ended up getting into an argument and insulting not only a voting Republican (his own team) but a war veteran to boot! Well done Rush! Here is the transcript:

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: We're going to go to Chicago. This is Charles. Charles, thank you for waiting and for calling. It's great to have you here. Hello.

CALLER: Thanks, Rush. Rush, listen I -- I voted the Republican, and, uh, I -- I didn't really want to see Obama get in office, but, you know, Rush, you're one reason to blame for this election, for the Republicans losing. First of all, you kept harping about voting for Hillary. The second big issue is that -- was the torture issue. I'm a veteran. We're not supposed to be torturing these people. This is not Nazi Germany, Red China, or North Korea. There's other ways of interrogating people -- and you kept harping about it. "It's okay, or it's not really torture," and it was just more the waterboarding. Some of these -- some of these prisoners were killed under torture. (sic) And it just -- it was crazy for you to keep going on and on like -- like Leveen (sic) and Hannity and you. It's like you're all brainwashed. And my last comment is no matter what Obama does, you -- you will still criticize him because I believe you're -- you're brainwashed. You're just, uhhh -- and I hate to say it, but I -- I think you're a brainwashed Nazi. Anyone who could believe in torture, uh, just, uh -- is -- is -- has got to be -- there's gotta be something wrong with them.

RUSH: You know...

CALLER: And I know Bush wanted to keep us safe and all of that, but we -- we're not supposed to be torturing these people.

RUSH: Charles, if anybody is admitting that they are brainwashed, it would be you.

CALLER: No, no, no, Rush. I don't think so.

RUSH: Charles?

CALLER: You have and Hannity --

RUSH: Charles? Charles? Charles, you said --

CALLER: -- you with and Levin are all brainwashed, and you know it.

RUSH: You said at the beginning of your phone call --

CALLER: Yeah?

RUSH: -- that you didn't want Obama in there --

CALLER: That's right.

RUSH: -- but you voted for him because of me?

CALLER: I didn't vote for him. I voted for, uh, McCain. I voted Republican.

RUSH: Oh.

CALLER: I voted Republican.

RUSH: So you're saying I turned people off.
CALLER: You turned people off with all your -- all this vote for Hillary and all this BS --

RUSH: That was Operation Chaos!

CALLER: You must think people are really stupid.

RUSH: That was to keep the chaos going.

CALLER: Naaaaaaaaah! It didn't work!

RUSH: It was in the Democrat primaries.

CALLER: It didn't work and now we have you, Hannity, Leveen, and you: sour grapes. That's all we have. And believe me, I'm not -- I'm not -- I'm more to the right than I am to the left.

RUSH: Oh, of course you are!

CALLER: I am.

RUSH: Of course you are!

CALLER: And that's the truth.

RUSH: You wouldn't be calling here with all these sour grapes if you weren't.

CALLER: Well, I'm so tired of listening to you go on and on with this sour grapes --

RUSH: Oh, of course you are!

CALLER: You're brainwashed.

RUSH: I don't know of anybody who died from torture. I do not ever --

CALLER: We are not supposed to torture people. You remember World War II, the Nazis in the Newenberg (sic) Trials?

RUSH: I --

CALLER: You remember the Newenberg Trials?

RUSH: Charles?

CALLER: Klaus Barbie? Hah?

RUSH: Barack Obama --

CALLER: What's the matter with you? You haven't seen served in the military!

RUSH: Barack Obama is president --

CALLER: I served in the Marine Corps and the Army.

RUSH: Charles, Barack Obama is president of the United States today because of stupid, ignorant people who think like you do. You pose... You and your ignorance are the most expensive commodity this country has. You think you know everything. You don't know diddly-squat. You call me a Nazi, you call me somebody who supports torture, and you want credibility on this program? You know, you're just plain embarrassing and ludicrous. But it doesn't surprise me that you're the kind of Republican that our last candidate attracted. Because you're no Republican at all, based on what the hell you've said here.
END TRANSCRIPT

And Finally

2009-04-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

I hope my mother and nephew enjoyed their trip and that they have been able to think back to all of the amazing things we saw. Shown here is the Palace of Cluture and Science, previously known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science. Check out its history on Wikipedia.

All in all we saw six UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Baltic coast, a massive castle, several old European city centers, a Nazi prison camp, Polish roads, and my nephew was able to drink legally! It was a fantastic trip IMHO and I hope more of you will visit Poland.

Back in Warsaw

2009-04-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

After Jasna Gora we headed back for Warsaw and the final few days of their vacation.

We spent the time relaxing and reflecting on the place we had seen.

We also did some last minute sightseeing and shopping.

Around the Grounds

2009-04-06T04:43:00.000-07:00

The outside is equally beautiful if a bit less decorated.

Not much less but less.

Catholic Churches

2009-04-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

Regardless of what one thinks of the Church organization it must be admitted Catholics know how to do ornate (and sometimes gaudy) churches. American Catholic churches are tame by European standards, a standard which is set in Poland!

The Black Madonna

2009-04-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

The Black Madonna herself. Well, actually this one is a replica.

This is the original one from the sixteen hundreds. It is the motivation for hourly services which are attended by the faithful.

An Odd Art Gallery

2009-03-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

The Monastery is a bit strange in that it is both an active holy site and tourists attraction at the same time. There were many of the faithful praying quietly while the sightseers (like us) were snapping photos, pointing, and gawking in general.

As such I felt quite comfortable wandering the grounds looking to see what there was to see. In one area we found a pictorial history of the Black Madonna (which is where the replica is situated).

In another area there was a sort of library/book store with both historic books as well as knicknacks.

In another area there was a surprisingly modern art gallery. It presented Jesus and his cross suffering alongside victims of Nazi Germany - many in child form. Strange.

Jasna Góra Monastery

2009-03-31T04:31:00.001-07:00

After Tyniec we continued on to the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa. It is the home of the famed Black Madonna of Częstochowa and destination for hundred of thousands of pilgrims yearly. Jasna Góra is my favorite place in Poland thus far, slightly edging out Malbork Castle. For more information check out the Monastery homepage (click the British flag for English), the Sacred Destinations site, and the Wikipedia page.

This picture makes me laugh - what a motley crew!

Please Dress Appropriately

2009-03-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

We had left the return trip plans till the last minuted because we were unsure how motivated we would be after several days of hardcore tourist action. As such the trip to the Abby and Jasna Góra (photos to be posted next) were unplanned and we were somewhat "unready" to go there. This is clear from the funky clothing we all have - all inappropriate for holy religious sites. Above you see me in my camo/orange shirt rave outfit.

Here is my wife in her new Iron Maiden shirt.

And here is my nephew in his normal yet strange clothing.

Archways

2009-03-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

A few shots of the archways in the Abby. Here with one of the monks passing through.

Here with my mom and wife nearby.

Benedictine Abbey from 1044

2009-03-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Second place we stopped was Tyniec, home to a 11th century Benedictine Abbey. My wife knew about it and said it was very old and very beautiful. She was right on both accounts and as the weather continued to be perfect we once again had a nice stop.

The wall towards the left (with the cross in front of it) is part of the original structure build in 1044. As with other European building the Abby has been destroyed at various points in time due to disuse and war.

It is built on the bend of a river and has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.

Kraków-Płaszów Concentration Camp

2009-03-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

On the trip home from Kraków we went the long way and stopped at few tourists sites. The first place was stopped was the Kraków-Płaszów camp site. We had seen it on our way to the salt mines the day before and my nephew wanted to check it out before we left the area. It was just a hill and some monuments but the weather was good so it was a nice stop.

What we didn't realize at the time was that this was the camp that the movie Schindler's List is based on. Check out the Wikipedia page here.

Mexican Food

2009-03-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

One night we decided to go for European "Mexican" food. My mom and nephew were not as disappointed as I was. Probably because they were able to fly back a week later to real Mexican food.

Another night we left my mom at home and went out drinking. We actually started at home and then headed to an interesting place on Saint Katherine Street. Not exactly a strip club but for sure some place my nephew will not forget. We ended up back on the Market Square at one of the combo pub/night clubs.

Market Square

2009-03-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am told that the Market Square is exactly the same size as the largest Pyramid in Giza. Could be...there are certainly lots of pubs, discos, and restaurants and it is a very popular with the tourists at night.

More night time photography of Kraków.

Kraków at Night

2009-03-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

We were only able to really tour the old town of Kraków at night when it was not raining. It seemed like a really nice place but a day trip is definitely recommended.

Us in front of some church.

The Rest of the Mine

2009-03-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

We were only able to see three other room on the short versions of the tour. Combine that with the low light/no light atmosphere and it doesn't make for good photography. So, there were some nice shots of the main chapel but little more. It is an interesting place and well worth the visit. We hope to return and go on one of the special extended tours. Someday...

Us around the Room

2009-03-12T00:05:00.000-07:00

My sweetie in front of The Last Supper.

The guide was nice enough to take our picture but not nice enough to make it a good one.

My nephew taking a break in the wheelchair. Please notice the floor tiles, all salt.

Bible Stories

2009-03-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Other works of art in the chapel.

The Last Supper

2009-03-08T23:55:00.000-07:00

According to our tour guide the amateur sculptors improved through trial and error and the main chapel was their masterpiece. I couldn't agree more and IMHO their master work was a recreation of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. The perspective they were able to create is amazing.

Here is me in front of The Last Supper just to show you its true size.

On Tour

2009-03-06T23:51:00.000-08:00

Due to the wheelchair access that we required it was necessary for us to hire a private guide. It was a bit expensive but the lady was very nice and was a really great guide. Unfortunately we had to do a short version of the tour because the long one requires you to walk down something like 800 stairs. Not very doable in a wheelchair.

The Pope Too

2009-03-04T23:42:00.000-08:00

Here is Pope John Paul the second. He was the Archbishop and then Cardinal of Kraków before becoming Pope.

My mom, nephew, and our tour guide in front of his holiness.

Everything from Salt

2009-03-02T23:38:00.000-08:00

Everything in the rooms is made of salt (except the benches) including the floor and chandelier. Our guide said that it is okay to lick the walls but recommended that we don't lick the floor!

No, Seriously?

2009-02-27T06:58:00.000-08:00

Seriously. The miners are a religious and superstitious bunch in Poland. Because they would spend hour upon hour in the mine they decided to build themselves chapels underground so when they took breaks they could nip off for a quick prayer.

Naturally a place of worship should reflect the divine and ultimate nature of God and should be decorated accordingly.

What you see in these pictures represents this feeling. There are several chapels deep underground and all of them contain masterful salt sculptures depicting Jesus, Mary, Pope John Paul the Second, as well as various stories from the Bible. It is because of these chapels and the dedication and effort necessary to produce them completely from salt that the Mine is an international tourist destination as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A Salt Mine?

2009-02-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

Yeah, a salt mine. Doesn't sound so interesting huh? Here we see the elevator and associated levers and switches we used to descend down into the mine. Interested yet?

Wieliczka Salt Mine

2009-02-25T06:42:00.000-08:00

After the sobering experience of Auschwitz and a nice lunch in the city of Oświęcim, we headed back to Kraków to prepare for our evening trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This mine, another UNESCO site, is one of the oldest operating mines in Europe having started in the 13th century. There is not much of a story to tell about the mine itself, it is rather something you have to experience. I recommend you take a second to look at the Wikipedia page for some background.

One thing for sure about the mine is that it is located in Poland, complete with beautiful women everywhere. Here we can see my nephew hinting that I should take a picture of the woman selling us tickets because, well, she was super hot like the rest of them.

Strictly Business

2009-02-24T03:25:00.000-08:00

The two main areas where the killing took place included the gas chambers/crematorium shown above and a wall used as a backstop for firing squad executions shown below

The Fence

2009-02-22T03:22:00.000-08:00

A few shots of the fencing that surrounds the camp.

Some of the Buildings

2009-02-21T03:11:00.000-08:00

A history of the camp and vital statistics can be found on the its Wikipedia page. The camp now is a self-guided museum that shows not only what the camp was all about but also gives a bit of history surrounding the peoples who were most affected.

Much of the camp was rather benign and a bit boring in fact. A few displays, however, were quite dark and ominously depicted the true nature of the camp. One such was a registry of the murdered. There was a large book with the names listed but it was too painful to browse the hundreds of pages. Another example was a large ball of hair that had been collected from the female victims.

Oświęcim?

2009-02-19T02:36:00.000-08:00

From Kraków we made a day trip to the infamous WWII prison camp Oświęcim. Never heard the name Oświęcim? Neither had I. It is the name of the Polish town which under German control was know as and home to the Nazi death camp Auschwitz. Poles have a somewhat justified paranoia that the world is out to get them and many of them believe there is a conspiracy to pin the ownership and operation of Auschwitz on them. This manifestation of paranoia is somewhat confusing to me because outside of a few nuts in Iran and America I have never heard anyone say the Polish people supported the Nazi invasion of their country let alone that they operated a death camp. I think it is a self-perpetuated paranoia (in this specific case) because not a single Pole I know referrers to the camp as Auschwitz, everyone calls it by the Polish name for which it was never known.

Anyway, lets put this to rest - Auschwitz was a Nazi death camp. It was located in German controlled Poland but operated by Germans. Towards the beginning of the war more Poles were victims of the camp than any other group of people. Much like the Dachau camp in Munich, the Auschwitz entrance gate has the welcoming mantra of "Arbeit Macht Frei" which means "Work will set you free." Naturally we know this is a base lie, just like the idea that Poles ran Auschwitz.

Rain, Rain, and more Rain

2009-02-14T05:40:00.000-08:00

Although we were able to unpack in dry conditions we were not able to see old town Kraków without an unfair share of rain. We visited Wawel Castle but it was raining quite hard on and off which prevented us from loitering around the property much. We did get to tour the inside but there was no photography allowed and therefore no pictures to post here.

During one of the brief breaks in rain some of the people gathered headed out to the magical center of Wawel Castle to pray or absorb the magic vibes. I have been told that there are three or four magical centers in Poland where people can experience, well, I am not really sure what. But my students assure me there are magic place in Poland.

Kraków Guest House

2009-02-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

The next day we drove with my wife down to Kraków. It was absolutely pouring for the first two hours which was actually kind of fortunate because it caused the otherwise reckless Polish drives to slow down a bit. By the time we got to Kraków and found our place the rain had mostly stopped and we were able to unload without too much stress. We were quite please with how nice the place was too. Here is a vew of the stairway up to our flat.

Sopot Guest House

2009-02-10T05:29:00.000-08:00

Our trip to the north is finished but before we go here is a quick view of the place we rented. It was very nice but right next to the train tracks. Fortunately the trains stopped around 11:45PM.

After a long hard drive we relaxed back at home with a few video games.

Malbork After WWII

2009-02-08T05:26:00.000-08:00

I spoke about this before, much of the castle is rebuilt. You can see why now.

The Glory of Marienburg

2009-02-04T05:07:00.000-08:00

It is obvious why this castle is on the UNESCO list. So beautiful.

Grand Master of the Knights

2009-02-02T04:59:00.000-08:00

Although the Jagiełło tomb was a replica the leaders of the Teutonic Knights were actually entombed at Malbork. One example was the Grand Master Heinrich Dusemer whose tomb cover we can see here. I think this is the actual tomb cover which was undoubtedly damaged during WWII.

More on King Jagiełło

2009-01-31T04:13:00.000-08:00

Jagiełło was actually the Grand Duke of Lithuania (and therefore Lithuanian) prior to converting to Christianity, marrying Queen Jadwiga of Poland, and thus becoming the King of Poland. He lead a untied Poland and Lithuania against the Teutonic Order which resulted in the decisive victory at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. Interestingly enough there is a statue of King Jagiełło in Central Park in NYC. Here is a sweet 360 degree view of it.

There is a dragon wrapped around the King's feet on his tomb because he was a member of the Order of the Dragon. The tomb at Malbork is merely a replica of the real thing which is located at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków.

King Władysław Jagiełło

2009-01-28T04:09:00.000-08:00

This is the tomb of King Władysław Jagiełło of Poland (1386-1434).

The description of the tomb (in Polish).

This document details the mourning rituals that were common at Malbork castle.

Whore of Babylon

2009-01-26T04:08:00.000-08:00

We have properly identified this picture as relating to the myth of the Whore of Babylon. For the story see Wikipedia here.

Templar Outfit

2009-01-25T03:55:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the outfits the Templar Knights wore.

This is perhaps one of the religious books (prayer book or bible) of the Templars. My wife was not around and the descriptions were only in Polish.

Amber Treasures

2009-01-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

Inside the castle there are rotating (or perhaps evolving is a better word) displays. Medieval weapons, fruity medieval music, and "Life in a Castle" displays to name a few. In Malbork there is a grand collection of trinkets made from amber as well. Amber, as we remember, originates from the Baltic coast which was controlled for many years by the Knights of Malbork.

The last time I posted about Malbork (last year) I bored you with several photos of the treasures. This time you just get a quick reminder. Above top we see a small nautical collection and below the ubiquitous Crucifixion of Christ.

So what do you do?

2009-01-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

I bet there is no better way to pick up chicks than to tell them you play the flute at Malbork Castle while dressed in period clothing.

WTF

2009-01-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

This picture, and several just like it, line one of the corridors a wing of the castle. I remember them from my first visit but I still have no idea what they represent and what purpose they served in the castle. I am sure it would help if I could read Polish...

Red Brick

2009-01-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of red brick. Although this castle is entirely of red brick, and therefore even overkill for me, it does have a sort of charm that other castles lack. Here is a view of one corner of the courtyard.

Here is another fireplace (also done in red brick) including some amazing wall paintings. Notice the floor as well, very nice.

And finally one of many arched entrances. The doors were simply massive.

My Nephew

2009-01-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my nephew around the castle. This one shows him in one of the large halls. He is standing next to a huge fireplace that would burn two or three full size couches at once.

Here is one of him in the upper-level chapel. As you can tell from the condition it was badly damaged during WWII but has yet to be restored.

More Purple Pants

2009-01-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

Here are more photos of my mother in her purple pants and MATCHING white sweater. We were very lucky and had excellent weather the entire trip so this getup was plenty warm. This is her and my nephew sitting bored listening to the Polish speaking tourist guide.

Her waiting by one of the many gates in the castle grounds.

And another of my mom and nephew bored of the tour they could not understand.