in honor of Poland and her late President

The funeral for Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria, will be held in the Wawel Cathedral. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Polish people as they remember their First family.

Polish Hero Passes

One of our last ventures outside of Krakow was to the city of Warsaw, January 2009. Today I read on the internet that the last-living leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising 1943, has passed away. His name Marek Edelman, at the age of 90.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33145701/ns/world_news-europe/
He saved many, and has lived in their honor since the end of WWII.
If you are fortunate to go to Warszawa, spend a day at the Warsaw Rising Museum.

no more graffiti

I love the way he looked at me

13 December 1981

memorial to commemorate

the day martial law began in Poland.

Poles endured being cut off from the

rest of the world until 22 July 1983,

when the military rule was lifted.

Piotr Skarga

a preacher for King Sig III

17th century

On the Square

Full Moon in June

St. Andrew's

Wianki

A maiden's wreath.

This past weekend there was the Festival of Wianki. Basically Maidens throw a wreath made of flowers into the river to see what their fate will be. If it sinks, well that's not good. If it comes ashore, the girl will not marry this year, but if it drifts down stream she will marry. Another version has it that if it comes near to her boy friend then he may take her off in his boat, and , well, you know...

Here at the castle there is a night of Wianki, televised all over Poland with conderts and fireworks. We were at a going away party for a guy Keith works with so we missed the

show, but not the throngs of people!

Watching the stage set up.

Strzelecki Park

Monument to Pope John Paul II

snap shots