Wolzstyn off the main line. Steam and History.

Hello Our next stop is to be a town in the Polish countryside. Our goal is to reach a small town near the German border called Wolsztyn.
Our reason for going to the town. We were sitting talking of our journey on a Sunday morning breakfast prior to our dearture with Voitek our friend. He mentioned he had left Poland as a refugee and he had never been back. The town was Wolsztyn.
So we said "we will go and take a look and take a few snaps" So here we go!
We were not prepared. We had no detailed map of Poland to reference. So we visited the rail information centre in Warsaw. They are marvelous. We discussed our itinerary with them and they printed out some scenarios.
Train to Krakow. OK done that.
Then miss breakfast and catch the 7.45 to Lesno. (Missed our paid breakfast but the train station has ladies cooking up rolls and coffee (much more fun))
On the 7.45 to Lesno. Stopping all stations. ETA 3.10. Lots of locals on and off the train.
The country close to Krakow is coal mining centres with heavy industry. Some of it is left from the Soviet era and is derelict. The country is not pretty but I find that interesting as it is the history of Poland. The Germans controlled this area for 250 years as part of Prussia prior to 1914. Therefore the old villages are Germanic in appearance.
After lunch the scenario changed. The country turns into beautiful rolling farmlands with last years hay still in the fields. Beautiful villages with a church steeple and white washed cottages every so often as our train takes its time winding through the country.
We love this style of train travel. Every so often a tea coffee trolley appears with pastries and good coffee. The locals are friendly and inquisitive about our travel and why we are on this train? Too soon it is 5 minutes to Lesno.

Arrive Lesno 3.11 late. Wolsztyn train due to leave 3.15. Six platforms which one?
Pam gets the count on the hand of a sweeper-porter,
Platform 5
Go Go to 5 only problem is huge flights of stairs and we are fully packed with all gear.
Up the stairs and there in front of us is the little rail engine.
The school bus. Wow says I with camera out catching the scene. "Shiiet" says Pam "get on. Put that stupid thing away". The school kids get the giggles and it is all up hill from there.
The country is rolling farmlands with 15 stops to Wolzstyn. The stations are not stations as such but grass platforms.
Further up the track glasshouses and small crops. Deer graze in the fields, an idyllic site. I think to myself it is easy to see why the Mongols, Swedes, Russians, Germans, Austrians last of all the Soviets wanted this land. It grows food and you need food to feed armies and industrial workers. I am a smart Guy! Thanks John
Wolzstyn we see the steam engines before we see the town. 25 or so of the huge machines. The town is a living museum of steam as well as Voitek's birthplace (he did not mention the steam bit). Every May the Rail Buffs that love smell of smoke meet and engines come from all countries to celebrate the age of steam. They say 50 engines turn up for the festival and if you like you can hop up on the plate and drive one of these monsters. Awesome.
We find a hotel and start the search for Voitek's house. This is a town with a long history. Changed flags so many times since 1155 AD.
The main street is dominated by the train station but also a cemetery with headstones of soldiers telling us that a major battle was fought here in Jan - Feb 1945. The soldiers aged between 18 and 24. I, like others, wonder when will we ever learn?
Then we discover a beautiful lake in the centre of town and by the pictures it is a sailing centre in summer.
The buildings in the main town are two storied shop houses, shingled roofs, timber and masonry framed with narrow winding streets. The town is full of charming shops The three churches dominate the skyline Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox.
There is a large house dominating the town square To the right of the large official house is a row of shops and there it is the shop-house as described. Voitek's parent's old shophouse, his birthplace, renovated and looking resplendent.(subject to confirmation by Voitek) Our search is over and it is dark. Decide to photograph in the morning as our train is at 11.45am. Celebration time. I noticed a beaut pub housed in an old building. So in we went and had a real merry Polish evening. The best. We love Wolsztyn! Thanks Voitek. What a bonus.
Next morning. Train to catch. Photographs to take and on to Poznan to connect to the Berlin Express.

Route to travel Berlin a city on the express lane. Then Paris via express\ Then Euro Star to UK and our close friends and the end of the Great Train Journey.

On the road again on the road again. Like a band of Gypsies we go down the highway We're the best of friends

Insisting that the world keep turning our way

Willie Nelson

Image 1 Rail Motor School Bus

image 2 Derelict station

Image 3 Station on the line

Image 4 Big Wheels

Image 5 Wolsztyn station

Image 6 Headstones

Image 7 Lake at Sunset

Image 8 Local with his dog

Image 9 Voitek's birthplace house (with rolled arches and dormas)

Krakow a medieval city. Schindlers factory. Poland

Hello we moved along fairly quick from Warsaw as we wanted to get out of the big cities and visti some more rural areas. Our train the 15.10 express was due in Krakow by 18.30

Its historic centre was inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites as the first of its kind.^[3] Situated on the Vistula river (Polish: Wisła) in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century.^[4] Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural and artistic life, and is one of Poland's most important economic centres. It was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596 source www.wikipedia.com

The cost in human life in Krakow has been immense. During WW2 the Nazis reputedly murdered 3500 Jews and the work of one Krakow man to save lifes is immortalized in the movie Shindlers List. There is a stirring memorial in the city where the Ghetto once stood to the people who will never return, the factory of Shindler still stands and operates.

1945 saw the country taken into Stalin's Soviet State and 1994 saw the independence from Russia and the work of rebuilding a modern country. Poland is now part of the EU community.

In the walled medieval city you will find art galleries, university, opera house. Bars, wine bars, restaurants, music bars, in every street.

The city has an annual tourist visit of between 7 - 9 million. Students mingle with tourists and trams trundle up and down the streets. The shops are modern and well stocked with all top labels available. It is near picture perfect.

But all the art is not in the galleries. We found interesting paintings on the streets and graffiti in the most unusual places.

I met the bird man of Krakow and he was feeding the knights of the realm as the legend goes.

Krakow is interesting refined and very very proud.
Image 1 Town Square
Image 2 Opera house
Image 3 Horse and carriage tourist transport
Image 4 Bird man feeding the Knights of the realm (legend)
Image 5 Penelope Cruz reconfigured.

Next stop Woltzsyn.
Steam trains and the birthplace of our dear friend Voitek Biskup

On the road again on the great train journey.

Warsaw Poland, a city reborn

Hi We had to forsake our journey to Tallin in Estonia (15th century medieval town) and catch a plane direct to Warsaw.

As it turns out our decision was opportune as Polish railway had cancelled

the train from Vilnius Lithuania to Warsaw. We would have been stranded and had to take a bus. Oh No!!

Warsaw, a town completely rebuilt into its original form. After Adolf peronally supervised the dynamiting the whole of the city after the unsuccessful uprisinging in 1944 by the citizens of Warsaw. It is stated that Warsaw was the biggest brick pile in Europe.

The human figures are staggering. 350,000 Jews lived here prior to WW2. Today there are 2000. Auschwitz, Treblinka are all close by.

We are told the bricks to rebuild the city came from Wroclaw. So they demolished one city to build another. The result is astounding. The city is vibrant, full of art, coffee shops and hope.

They also completely recreated the Hotel Bristol (6 stars). Queen Elizabeth opened it and stayed in the penthouse. Beautiful building.

Building work is still going on as there is scaffolding everywhere. Here comes the Poles into the 21st century.

Flowers everywhere. Malcolm got carried away. Even taken on a personal tour of one of the shops.

Modern trams offer an quick and efficient way to get around to all parts of the city. Pity help you if you are not hanging on when they take off.

The Science Museum was a gift from Stalin to the city but he did not live to see it finished. The locals do not like it. What do you reckon?

It is 20 years since the fall of the Communist government. The Government are working to

make the city the Shanghai of Europe. We hope they do.

We had 3 days in the city walking and discovering wonderful places.

Off to Krakow on 16.05 Express. Krakow

only town in Poland not to suffer major damage during WW2. "On the road again!!"

Image 1 Stalin's gift The Science Museum

Image 2 Warsaw station

Image 3 Flowers everywhere

Image 4 Hotel Bristol

Image 5 Warsaw tram