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Again today we skirt the border zone, but this time with Belarus.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8372/2...fe6cf9af_z.jpgScreen Shot 2016-08-25 at 20.02.23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The town of Janow Podlaski is know for the very expensive Arabian horses bread here. For me it was the huge box of raspberries for 5 Zloty or about 1.70 CDN$. From here we swooped west as the only direct route north i thru Belarus and we decided the hassle and cost were not with it for us. https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8429/2...c81c75c6_b.jpgBobrowa CC-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8516/2...f35e0823_b.jpgBobrowa CC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8863/2...422cdb1f_b.jpgBobrowa CC-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We rode north to the tiny town of Grabarka and only knew to come here after Rafal told us about the hilltop covered with crosses.
“The Holy Mount of Grabarka is considered to be the holiest location in Poland for Orthodox Christians. It is the site of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and is home to the women's monastery of Ss. Marta and Maria. Worship of this place and tradition of bringing crosses was born in the 18th century. The famous miracle was recorded in 1710 during the cholera epidemics. Decimated by disease, inhabitants of Podlasie region fled the towns and villages for fear of their lives. At that time an old man experienced a revelation that the only way for salvation was to go to the Mountain of Grabarka with a cross. He went there with some other villagers, brought a cross, bathed his face and drank water from the spring spurting at the foot of the hill and prayed. A miracle happened: all those who followed him were cured and saved. To express their gratitude, the people built a wooden chapel on the top of the hill. It was later extended into the Transfiguration Orthodox Church. Pilgrims have been bringing votive crosses to the hill ever since.” https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8200/2...31ae1aeb_b.jpgPoland-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8329/2...ef8a3752_b.jpgPoland-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8238/2...d8e43668_b.jpgPoland-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8501/2...3e14ea73_b.jpgPoland-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We took a side trip into Bialowieza, which is famous for the wild European bison, but we only saw the few in captivity.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8547/2...f6dd597a_b.jpgBobrowa CC-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8469/2...c3df5855_b.jpgPoland-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8243/2...7562bbcb_b.jpgPoland-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8677/2...832d3e6c_b.jpgPoland-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The day ended with a few km on dirt to the village of Bobrowa and hotel in the middle of nowhere! Great place and really good food. https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7789/2...9e331a56_b.jpgBobrowa CC-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had planned to go to the Baltic coast of Poland to the town of Hel. They have kite surfing here, but the forecast there is ok today, but rain for the following few days. So we will ride the planned route west from Bobrowa and recheck the forecast, but we will likely give up this plan and head south where the weather is suppose to be more pleasant. We rode north to the city of Agustow which is the gate way to the Lakeland area of Poland for 321 km.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8514/2...0648960a_b.jpgPoland-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We did bit of a loop thru here past lush farms and dozens of lakes. It is motorcycle touring heaven. https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8213/2...ce751f13_b.jpgUkiel CC-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8014/2...baa36e3f_b.jpgUkiel CC-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8024/2...35a370e3_b.jpgUkiel CC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We stopped at a place with a very full parking lot for lunch and had to try out a few local favourites. https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8503/2...ccc0057a_b.jpgUkiel CC-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8406/2...63cb9fc6_b.jpgUkiel CC-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8409/2...caaffbf1_b.jpgUkiel CC-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The forecast in the north is no better and so we decided to make it south. We are headed to Wroclaw (vrot-swave)), but will go in 2 days. Today we are just booking it south on the main roads and will stop at Poznan.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8217/2...273f4bf0_b.jpgScreen Shot 2016-08-30 at 08.36.03 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This is a fair sized city, but we are staying on the outskirts and will just take a day to rest. https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8702/2...94ce5ee4_b.jpgUkiel CC-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr South again today the weather is still holding and we made a longer route on the small country roads. https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8170/2...38644848_z.jpgScreen Shot 2016-08-30 at 08.37.20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8272/2...d9eecec2_z.jpgScreen Shot 2016-08-30 at 08.43.04 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
At times there were sections with dirt and some cobble roads as well.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8412/2...db12ce4c_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8135/2...d5618f8e_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7532/2...95710c94_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8423/2...e16f00ee_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8224/2...7c3aa5a2_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Many farming towns in Germany will have these hay bale sculptures. https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8075/2...bec5254f_b.jpgPoland-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8431/2...0d318286_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8450/2...0fe22d35_b.jpgPoznan-wroclaw CC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Too bad it was not 955! https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8097/2...8d2eba1c_b.jpgPoland-28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We arrived to the city and were staying just off the market square. This is always a challenge if you stay in the “old town” in any European city as there is often a maze of small streets, one ways, and pedestrian zones which can try the patience of even a saint. The GPS actually makes it worse as it directs you to places you can not go and then reroutes you on some long round about path. Finally we just drove a short way on a pedestrian road to get to the back of the building we were in to access the parking lot.
The main market square if the second largest innEurope after Krakow. The buildings have been rebuild in the old style, but some of the original are still here. https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8770/2...c648e25a_b.jpgPoland-32 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8347/2...4551c5be_b.jpgPoland-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8512/2...04c176b1_b.jpgPoland-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8242/2...903dc86c_b.jpgPoland-30 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7761/2...01a63a28_b.jpgPoland by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
This is the memorial to the victims of the Katyn massacre.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8331/2...626a948a_b.jpgPoland-50 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8252/2...6dcf9bf7_b.jpgPoland-51 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr “The Katyn massacre was a series of mass executions of Polish nationals carried out by the NKVD on Stalin’s orders in April and May 1940. Though the killings took place at several different locations, the massacre is named after the Katyn Forest, where some of the mass graves were first discovered.” This is a very nice city that was almost completely destroyed at the end of the war. https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8442/2...34213596_b.jpgPoland-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8636/2...dc17183f_b.jpgPoland-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8547/2...22c2e20d_b.jpgPoland-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8647/2...3df05ac2_b.jpgPoland-41 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8386/2...62e01887_b.jpgPoland-40 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8114/2...635757a0_b.jpgPoland-39 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We did a bit of a walking tour of the city and on elf the fun things to do is try to find some of the 350 brass Gnomes that are hidden around the city.
“One of Wrocław’s most popular, memorable and iconic attractions is not a cathedral, not a castle or monument, but a legion of little people: Gnomes. In Wrocław’s city centre these merry munchkins are simply ubiquitous - dotting doorways, alleyways and street corners; constantly underfoot but only seen by the observant. You may well overlook the first few that cross your path, but inevitably – and often literally - you will stumble upon these popular local residents. Keep your eyes peeled and you’re bound to notice the little fellas engaged in a variety of activities about town – from guarding public space to passed-out drunk. Although it sounds like little more than a tourist gimmick, gnomes have long held a place in Polish folklore, and their current iconic incarnation as symbols of Wrocław actually has a direct correlation to the political climate of the 1980s. Under communism gnomes became the absurdist calling card of the 'Orange Alternative' movement – an underground protest movement that used absurdity and nonsense to stage peaceful, yet subversive protests.” https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8652/2...2137b5be_b.jpgPoland-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8197/2...868b61db_b.jpgPoland-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8364/2...d5e397ec_b.jpgPoland-18 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7784/2...3268e80f_b.jpgPoland-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8832/2...0b9a4212_b.jpg https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8819/2...3efdda67_b.jpgPoland-46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8154/2...f2667d25_b.jpgPoland-44 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8329/2...94719132_b.jpgPoland-42 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8270/2...94415e0d_b.jpgPoland-58 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8504/2...d45f657d_b.jpgPoland-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8053/2...45958810_b.jpgPoland-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8558/2...6368428e_b.jpgPoland-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Leaving Wroclaw we are going south today to the Czeck Republic to hit country number 60! It is a 280 km drive and takes 4 1/2 hours.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8158/2...006a7345_b.jpgScreen Shot 2016-09-04 at 21.56.08 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This means we can have a late start and still wander around on some of the small country roads. We started south west to the city of Swindica and then took a small detour to visit the picturesque Ksiaz Castle, which is perched on a hill top. It is reached by a small road with a very unusual name! https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8545/2...9ce4a70c_b.jpgPoland-33 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8062/2...fd1f4725_b.jpgCzeck Republic-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8245/2...46521149_b.jpgPoland-31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr From here we decided on another small detour to see the ruins of another hill top castle Zamek Ksiazecy Chojnik. https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8404/2...798df409_b.jpgScreen Shot 2016-09-04 at 21.55.58 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Then we made for the “border”. We found a motorcycle shop and bought some air filter cleaner and oil so we can do the filters tonight.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8337/2...d60de7bd_b.jpgPrague CC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7471/2...cec725aa_b.jpgCzeck Republic-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The ride south west from here is very nice over the mountains and curving along the river. The last bit is on the main highway. https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8828/2...f79d8822_b.jpgPrague CC-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Arriving to the city we ended up in the very long tunnel system, which made finding our exit a bit of a problem. So now we are stuck in the tunnel (GPS now non functional) and there is a lot of traffic and we are supposed to meet some friends here tonight for drinks and dinner and it is now already 530. Well we finally managed to get out of the tunnel, get turned around, fight the bumper to bumper traffic, get back in the tunnel and get the correct exit at 2.3 km and not called at all what it is on the GPS. We arrived to the hotel, which is one of the few in the city with free parking (most charge 25-30 Euros) and it was 70% off! It is located about 500 m from the Prague castle and you then can walk thru the castle grounds to access the “lower city”, the bridges, and the old town.
We are meeting Tadd and Gaila from Motostays. We have a number of friends in common, we have both been at each others homes, but we have never met. It is Gaila’s birthday today so we did a bit of celebrating. https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8330/2...0884c8e7_b.jpgCzeck Republic by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8505/2...d3debae2_b.jpgPoland-55 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Today we are spending the day touring the city on foot. We started with the castle grounds and the ornate cathedral. There must be a monk convention in town as we saw dozens.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8294/2...354e5715_b.jpgCzeck Republic-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8257/2...5f9d0257_b.jpgCzeck Republic-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8218/2...203e3627_b.jpgCzeck Republic-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8796/2...e4575c57_b.jpgCzeck Republic-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8444/2...d2ff603b_b.jpgCzeck Republic-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8519/2...c7f9d580_b.jpgCzeck Republic-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8478/2...b3ab837c_b.jpgCzeck Republic-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8088/2...9061dee9_b.jpgCzeck Republic-20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We then made for the Mala strana or lower city. This area lies at the foot of the castle hill and is mostly tourist shops and restaurants along the cobbled streets.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8154/2...05fa99d7_b.jpgCzeck Republic-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We stopped to see the John Lennon wall and then headed to Kampa “island" for lunch and some views of the city from the shores of the Vltava River. https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8885/2...8d13dfdd_b.jpgCzeck Republic-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8362/2...59f927df_b.jpgCzeck Republic-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8381/2...87a0386f_b.jpgCzeck Republic-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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