Poland has an old and fascinating history, partly cruel and tragical, which makes it interesting to visit. Many of the old towns or villages have a medieval athmosphere.
So far I have visited Poland only once. I made my trip by car so I got good opportunities to explore the polish countryside and some interesting major cities.
I drove from Swinoujscie via Szczein, Torun, Lomza and Bilaystok to the the National Park Bialowieza, at the Belorussian border.
We spent several days in the Park and were able to meet the impressing vicents, the european buffalo, in the old untouched forrests. Once this biotop could be found all over Europe but to day it remains in very few places. Very much depending on that the forrest was used as huntingground for the russian tsars. Here you also can find wild boar, wolf, deer etc We were surprised of the many different spices of birds staying here.
In the Park you find breeding farms trying to preserve the vicents and restoring the heritage of the Tarpan horse, the old polish wild horse.
In Warsaw we were impressed of the restoration of the Old Town, which was almost totally destroyed during the second world war, and built up to the origin stone by stone again.
People who are interested in birdwatching will find a fantastic environment around the Mazurian Lakes. Here you find a lot of different species, among them the black stork.
Around the lakes you can also find some beautiful and impressing churches and monasterys.
On the way back home we made a stop at the ruins after Hitlers warcenter, "The Wolfs Cave" which can be found north of the city Ketrzyn. From here the war against Russia was controlled during a long time.
A city not to be missed, in the northern part of Poland, is Gdansk with its old fantastic houses from the Hansa- period. In the city the struggle for independcence started by the union Solidarice.
A visit to Poland gives you many possibilities to experience biotopes that only can be found in few european countries. Here you also can find old, interesting architecture.
Old houses in Bialowieza
Visents, the european
bison.
Bialowieza
At the border to White Russia
The Old Town in
Warsaw
Old forest in
Bialowieza
Russian market. Hajnowka
The Church in Swietka Lipa
Bialowieza
