20.11.2014
Well, you can’t live in Lower Silesia and not visit the city of Bolesławiec, famous for its pottery. The fine pottery and stoneware produced in the town are characterized by an indigo blue polka dot pattern on a white background or vice versa and have become one of Poland's unofficial cultural symbols. The art originated in the late Middle Ages, but it fully developed in the 19th century and has continued ever since. Bring a wallet because it’s impossible to resist a little bit of shopping.
Andrzej
02.11.2014
One of the things I love most about living in Jelenia Góra is the plethora of interesting places to visit, all within a short drive. You can see churches, abandoned ruins, old fortresses and castles, restored palaces, and so much more. The area is actually known as the Valley of Palaces and Gardens. And you can't miss visiting Noah's Ark! Lol, only in Poland.
Shona
25.10.2014
Książ Castle is Poland's 3rd largest castle and is a must-see for anyone visiting the Lower Silesia region. The castle perches on hill overlooking the gorge of the Pełcznica river, and provides plenty of photo opportunities, both inside and out. There has been a fortress on this site since at least the 13th-century, and the current complex is the 3rd edition, dating back to the 16th-century. The site has a rich history including Nazi and Soviet occupation, but is now one of Poland's top tourist attractions, owned and run by the local administration. I highly recommend visiting in the fall when the colours are really popping.
Shona
10.10.2014
Frydlant - a small, touristy town in the north corner of Czechia (5 km from Polish border), famous for a spectacular castle complex. The complex consists of the Gothic castle with a high tower and a Renaissance chateau. There are some exhibits, such as ones about Albrecht von Wallenstein, the Thirty Years' War, and an armoury of 1,000 weapons used for military and hunting. The castle includes the Chapel of Saint Anne, the Knights' Hall, rooms for the count and countess, and a working kitchen. The castle is believed to be the source of inspiration for The Castle (1926) by Franz Kafka (from Wiki).
Andrzej
30.09.2014
We've really been enjoying sightseeing in the region around Jelenia Góra, this year. Most notably was our recent day trip to Gorlitz, in Germany. The city lies right on the border with Poland, only just over an hour's drive from where we live. The city is absolutely gorgeous and we had perfect fall weather for pictures. The city boasts well-preserved architecture from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Art Nouveau periods. Well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.
Shona
16.09.2014
The Sudeten Mountains, shared by Germany, Poland and Czechia, are divided into the following three sections: Western Sudetes (D, CZ, PL - Mount Śnieżka, 1603 m), Central Sudetes (CZ, PL - Mount Velka Destna, 1115 m) and Eastern Sudetes (CZ, PL - Mount Praded, 1491 m).
Recently I managed to spend a few days sightseeing and hiking in the central and eastern part of the range. The area is very interesting, with a long and complicated history, picturesque towns, rolling hills, and forest-covered mountains. Not as commercialized and developed as the western part, it is a hiking and biking paradise for people looking for solitude and trying to escape from crowded trails.
Andrzej
30.08.2014
Two extremely intense but successful weeks in the Caucasus Mountains are behind me. As part of the Polish Alpine Club team, despite very challenging weather conditions, I managed to climb two very famous and demanding five-thousanders: Mount Kazbek (5054 m), located at the Russian-Georgian border, and Mount Elbrus (5642 m) - the highest mountain in Caucasus and considered by some the highest mountain in Europe, located entirely in Russia.
More pictures in
Caucasus 2014 gallery.
Andrzej
16.08.2014
More pictures from the Karkonosze Mountains. Due to school vacation the hiking trails are extremely crowded, so be careful.
More pictures in
Karkonosze gallery.
Andrzej
20.07.2014
I managed to survive another mountain half-marathon, this time the Izerska Grand Loop in Szklarska Poręba. The day was extremely hot and the trail very demanding. Definitely not my best run, hahaha. My time: 02h, 17m, 11s.
Andrzej
18.06.2014
It's always fun (ok, not always) to try new things so I got myself into being an extra in a movie production. I'm not kidding, hahaha.
The movie "Valley of Palaces and Gardens" (Dolina Pałaców i Ogrodów) it's a semi-documentary production about the history and architecture of Jelenia Góra Valley, tightly connected to the history of The House of Schaffgotsch, an old and influential Silesian noble family which dates back to the thirteenth century.
In one scene I’m playing one of the noblemen witnessing the execution of Hans Ulrich von Schaffgotsch, in the other one I’m a part of a group of angry peasants rebelling against feudal lords and the church.
It was quite an extraordinary experience and an inside view of a movie production. The most surprising things for me as an extra were the number of times each scene is being repeated and how much time is being wasted just waiting, hahaha.
Andrzej
15.06.2014
II Night Half-marathon in Wrocław, an innovative way to see the city at night. Too bad that, due to a light rain, the cobblestones in the historic centre were wet and slippery, so watching your feet was the only option, hahaha. My time: 01h 48m 49s.
Andrzej
12.06.2014
We decided to spend our anniversary in Liberec, Czechia, a city about an hour and a half from Jelenia Góra. It's a nice city to wander around, with a well-preserved, historic centre. The area was first settled around the 11th or 12th century so it has a rich and interesting history, as does the whole region. An enjoyable getaway!
Shona
25.05.2014
A short sight-seeing trip to Legnica, the third biggest city in the Lower Silesia region of Poland. The city is an important centre for copper and nickel industries, it houses plants belonging to KGHM Polska Miedź, one of the largest producers of copper and silver in the world. Legnica has a long history (it was first mentioned in chronicles dating from the year 1004), interesting architecture, and lively cultural scene, but it’s definitely lacking the charm of Jelenia Góra.
Andrzej
04.05.2014
I just run the II Half-marathon in Jelenia Góra. After such a good time last year (personal best), I was hoping at least to match that result. Well, I was 2 minutes slower, but I’m happy with that, hahaha. My time: 01h 45m 16s.
Andrzej
23.03.2014
VII Half-marathon Ślężański, my third time in Sobótka. This time the weather was cooperating and the familiar, picturesque route was dry and pleasant. My time: 01h 59m 44s.
Andrzej
28.02.2014
The World Polonia Games are a multi-sport event held annually for the Polish diaspora (Polonia) and Polish minorities living outside of Poland. Held annually and alternating between summer and winter games each year, the games bring in 1000 participants from around 25 to 30 countries worldwide.
The first World Polonia Games were held in 1934 in Warsaw, with 381 athletes from 13 countries. Following a four decade break, the games were revived in 1974 in Kraków and have been held more regularly since. Seventeen different host cities throughout Poland have hosted an installation of the event (from Wiki).
Believe it or not the Karkonosze region was the 2014 host, so I did not have any excuse for not participating, hahaha. It was a lot of fun and surprisingly, representing Canada, I won a gold medal in my age category in mountain Nordic walking. Yay me!
Andrzej
25.01.2014
A few pictures from my latest hikes in the Karkonosze Mountains. The weather is not too bad, trails are in good condition, so Mount Śnieżka, Szrenica and all the classics are waiting for you.
More pictures in
Karkonosze gallery.
Andrzej
18.01.2014
Go Canada Go! Wow, a sea of red and white in Jakuszyce ...kind of hard to stand out with another red and white flag, lol! We went to a World Cup Cross Country Ski race, taking with us our big Canadian flag (and I, of course wore my Canadian Olympic Team mittens), not even thinking how we would blend into the crowd. Eventually the commentator did notice us, however, and asked us who we thought would win. I, of course, said Alex Harvey ...and wouldn't you know it ...he won! A chilly afternoon but tons of fun. Polish fans are very enthusiastic and they were nice and welcoming to the lone Canadian fans in the crowd.
Shona
