Tarnow Take Two

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Clunegapyears

30/08 – 01/09/2023

We exercised before leaving our riverside pitch. And no ill effects from our vodka tasting of the previous night. Lucky, methinks.

A 3.5 hour drive to get to Tarnow, with a lunch stop. Had to buy a few bits from a supermarket for lunch … with no f/f, I am really missing my homemade soup, which I portion up and freeze … normally.

We were both tired on arrival at Tarnow. Now, that might have been the vodka effect! Or it could have been the morning’s exercise. We pushed ourselves out for a quick wander and cold drink before heading off to the intended overnight. However, a leaflet from the TIC showed a few sights worth staying overnight for.

*The car park was half empty when we arrived. Full when we walked back, but cleared when the heavens opened. And a full moon.*

Our city tour proper started with the Roma museum the next morning. The founder was Roma, so it was ‘Roma’nticised but interesting. I hadn’t realised they originated from North India. Only recently have their dialects been moulded into one official language and books in Roma printed. A sign declared that Roma may be cheats and thieves, but they’ve never set off bombs or started wars. Fair point.

*Various men have simultaneously declared themselves King of all Roma!*

300-500,000 Roma were exterminated by the Germans in WW2; about half the Roma European population. It was not initially recognised, mourned, or recompenced, like the Jewish murders, as there was no central Roma organisation. Until 1971, when the first international Roma conference was held in …. Orpington, Kent. A flag and a hymn were presented. With time, the World Roma Union was represented at the United Nations.

*Not how we imagine romany caravans and you couldn’t* *stand up inside.*

*Another attractive large town square and wide surrounding streets. Tarnow historic centre is medieval.*

*Stunning painted interior of a small wooden church*

*Monument* *to the intelligentsia murdered by Stalin at Katyn and other places.*

*This Jewish cemetary contains over 4000 headstones. Much more crowded than Christian cemeteries.*

*Tarnow’s Jewish population had been nearly 50%. The Germans destroyed* *huge synagogue*. *All that remains is this tower from where the Torah was read.*

*In recognition, some manholes have the Star of David*

A short drive away was zany Zalipie. A straggling village of homesteads. About a hundred years ago, inhabitants started painted the interior and exterior of houses, barns and fences with folk art. To keep it going, a competition has been held since 1948 for the best painted house. We saw a film where school children were being ‘forced’ (with smiles) to paint in the traditional style. We visited a homestead museum of a famous local painter and then drove around the village, spotting other painted properties. Bit of a samey zany style, to he honest.

*Not the healthiest* *of lunches!* *But neither* *of us could* *finish.*

Our overnight was Lake Tarnobrzeg. We drove past the beach and bar area to a viewpoint. Nice and quiet, we thought. I took Corrie for a walk to another viewpoint. Saw an estate car parked up with its boot open. Didn’t think anything of it. Why would I? Broad daylight in a public park. Once I realised what the young couple were up to, I veered off … fast! At 9pm, a disco across the water started. Fortunately, the music wasn’t offensive. Unfortunately, it didn’t finish till 1pm. Could have been worse, but then cars were in and out of our car park – probably to engage in similar activities to what I’d stumbled upon earlier. So, not the best night’s sleep. And not in a good way!

Bieszczady National Park

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Clunegapyears

30/08/2023

It rained last evening. I rained during the night. It rained this morning. So we stayed in bed until until 10.30!!! The rain had stopped and despite the forecast of only 22°C, shorts went back on.

We’d been told not to miss this area. Our opinion: It isn’t as pretty as the Carpathian Mountains further west. And not as stunning or as high as the High Tatras when we were in Slovakia last summer. If you can stay and get out to walk, it would be a great place. We did stop at a few parkings to read the information boards, but bear warnings and very clearly signed No Dogs. Poor Corrie was confined to the van.

*One of these loped across the road in front of us.*

So it is pretty, but not stunning. Rolling hills rather than peaks. Pretty haystacks and wooden houses.

*I had a quick look at one of the wooden churches.*

The main even was the touristy cable car ride at Solina. We would have liked to walk at the top or walk down, but no paths. Just a kiddies theme park and a restaurant. We shared an indifferent plate, and neither of us finished it. Our first not good Polish meal. We had paid £2 to take Corrie up in the cable car, but she nearly wasn’t allowed down. She needed a muzzle! But we weren’t told that at the bottom! You’ll have to carry her. But she’s 13kgs and doesn’t like being carried! We compromised on keeping her on a short lead.

*The dam planning started in 1921 but the dam* *wasn’t built* *until* 1968. Little information *on how much hydro* *electricity* *is produced.*

We decided to stay at the same riverside parking as last night.

*The flavoured vodkas were sampled. We like them all!*

*And watched the mist come up over the field.*

Zagorez Monastery and Lesko

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Clunegapyears

29/08/2023

Having been told by two sets of people that we’d skipped the prettiest part of Poland. And that we would be fine in most of it with dogs. We back tracked along the road to Samok and then south into the Bieszczady area.

*A booze store … alkoholes are everywhere, so to speak! A lovely young lady helped us to select vodkas for sampling.*

We are really not seeing tourists and their coaches now … relief. The large carpark at Zagorez was empty. An intetesting walk to the Monastery. Alongside a railway track. Overgrown, so I said to J that I didn’t think it was in use. Then we heard the train horn! Corrie was back onto the lead, and we got out of the way as a works engine slowly trundled past. Three small children were playing at the level crossing … The Railway Children? A gentle climb up to the Monastery, passing first the Ten Commandments in stone and then the very beautiful and floral 12 stations of the cross. With increasingly lovely views. If the monastery was a waste of time, it wouldn’t have mattered as the walk was so lovely.

The cashier didn’t speak English and called a colleague who had limited English who offered a choice of tours. We opted for the full package. Initially, there was a film placing the monastery historically in context, with English sub titles. Then, a virtual reality tour of how the monastery would have looked before it crumbled and how the monks lived and worked. Our guide showed us a scale model, artefacts, and a mock-up of a cell… using the excellent translation services of a fellow visitor. I did ask if the Barefoot Carmelite order were, in fact, barefoot? No, they wore shoes, but no socks.

*Perhaps Corrie would have liked her own VR experience*

*EU funding has helped restore and build the visitor centre. More fundin*g *needed* *to protect the frescoes and excavate the cellars. All wor*k *done very sympathetically*. *And* *a tower for views.*

Lesko was not far. I left J napping whilst I set off to explore, armed with a map from the handsome Tourist Information chap.

*Lesko’s Jewish population was a third of the town. The synagogue tower was used by the Germans as a prison to inter Jews.* *Badly destroyed by the Germans. It was rebuilt inside, but just as a gallery for local artists.*

The most interesting part of Lesko is the Jewish cemetary. It had not been reclaimed by nature but did seem uncared for. The grass at least was cut. However, all the headstones were either listing or fallen. There are over 2000 headstones, making it one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Poland.

*Covered in* *moss,* *but* *I could still* *make out* *some* *ornate* *carving*s

*A few modem tombstones. This one was erected by the family of a Rabbi who knew an ancestor was buried here, but they* *couldn’t* *find his grave.*

The World War I cemetery was much smaller. A real mix of nationalities had been buried here in 1915: Russians, Poles, Ukrainians, Slavs, Austrians, Czechs, Croatian, Bosnian etc. And with different religions.

We moved to a fabulous riverside parking. The River San again, but much narrower than at Sanok and Przemysl. We watched families picnicking and paddling. A few cars forded the river. We BBQd and just got the meat cooked before the storm chased us inside. The heatwave is over. Much lower temperatures and rain on the long-range forecast.

Finding Coleslaw in Jaroslaw

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Clunegapyears

28/08/2023

I’d read an online article about Przemysl, which described a worthwhile train excursion to a nearby town called Jarslow. And we’d have lunch out, again.

*The very ornate train station to reflect* *the once* *importance* of *Przemysl*. *Grace* (*dinner last night)* *described* *how* *it was full* of *beds* *at the start of the* *Ukraine* *war.* *Locals* *supporting* *the refugees with clothes,* *toys, books and food.*

*Our first Polish train. Corrie spent some of it on my lap as she didn’t like the jolts and whistle blowing at so many stations.*

The first stop on arrival was an ice cream. For some people, it’s coffee. Each to their own. We wandered the very quiet streets and square. Some interesting buildings but no museums open. Apparently, there are not one but two underground cellar tours. We couldn’t find them. And I’d done the one in Przemysl yesterday.

*The inside of the Collegiate Church was impressive. And immaculate … not the conception, but being repainted!*

The monastery of the Benedictine Sisters was a huge complex, built in 1614. Dissolved under Emperor Josef II in 1782. It became warehouses and military barracks. During the German occupation, it was used as a prison and an execution site. It has gone full circle as the Benedictine Nuns returned in 1991.

We had noticed a lack of restaurants and enquired at the Benedictine monastery cafe, but they could only offer pork chop and potatoes.

Our food quest saw us sit at one place and peruse the menu … only cakes and more ice cream. Fine in principal, but we do need one proper meal once a day. Google saved the day … restaurants open near me. And down a side street to an Italian trattoria.

*J had pasta, but I had potato pancake with* *pork goulash with a coleslaw side … again. Might be my new favourite* Polish dish.

Corrie was happy as the return train was a fast, modern and smooth train. We were happy as it had effective air con.

Back at our camper stop, we showered and I washed the sticky clothes we were stood in. Don’t think I’ve ever done laundry three days in a row!

Staying Put in Przemysl

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Clunegapyears

28/08/2023

We coughed up another £7.40 for the camper stop. I did another load of laundry. Then we wandered into town. You’d never guess, but Przemysl is prnounced shirmish, as in skirmish! As well as the guide books, I’d found an online article about the town so had the main attractions pinned on a map. We attempted to climb to the castle, but a sweaty 36C real feal defeated us.

*During WW2 the town was split into two along the River San. This is one of the Russian defence bunkers … the Molotov Line … Stalin’s N S defensive line before taking on Germany*

*One third* *of the population* *had been* *Jewish.* *This* *is one of the two surviving* *synagogues*. In *a bad* *state of repair.*

*Nothing remains of the Jewish cemetery. Totally reclaimed by nature as no surviving families to tend* *to it.*

*Cathedral belfry. We tried twice to see the cathedral and crypt. First a service and then a wedding.*

*Award winning ice cream parlour and raspberry lemonade refreshment stop*

*I did the newly opened underground tour … through cellars of the square and* *then along 150m of sewers. Not much to look at, but* *lots of* *interactive* *screens* *and* *a very* good *audio* *guide.*

*A bear is the city emblem and apparently* *bears* do *live* *in the woods not too far* *away.*

We’d been recommended a restaurant so joined the queue. Got chatting to mother and son, Grace and Nick. They asked if we’d like to share their table. They had emigrated 30 years ago, whilst the USSR didn’t issue passports. Who you know and a brown envelope sorted passports. Grace with two small children didn’t relax until the plane took off. Over a couple of bottles of wine (French), we asked questions.

Poland had been partitioned for 123 years by Russia, Germany and Austria, and I wondered how Polish culture and national identity had survived. They still spoke Polish, and underground schools taught history, etc. A very Catholic country, where abortion is still illegal. 3 women have recently died from sepsis as doctors were not allowed to abort foetuses that had died. An election is due on 15th October, and it’s expected that the right-wing government will be ousted. Rental property and hotels here are full. Journalists covering the war and Ukrainian families live here have pushed up prices. Similar to Germany, many Ukrainians come once a month to collect their refugee monies and then go back to the Ukraine to spend it. Poland does produce some wine, but it’s generally sweet. The availability of medical care was compared between Canada, Poland, UK and Greece. Poland is no longer a poor country, but has a positive GDP and is attracting a lot of investment. A memorable meal … one of those moments in time.

Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels

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