Guess what? As scheduled, my knee went through another treatment today, which meant yet another trip to Krakow. The weather was amazing, sunny and hot, and the world looked marvelous through the coach window.
It was a bit worrying to be waiting for the long distance coach to arrive for more than twenty extra minutes, especially that during that time I saw around twenty police vans heading in the direction the coach was to arrive. Never in my life have I seen that many police vans whiz by wailing. No clue where they were going, to a football match maybe?...
Anyway, the countryside looked idyllic. Just see for yourself:
A row of Xmas trees and a big hug for 'Our Man' in The Middle East:
 |
| Checiny Castle on the horizon |
 |
| The Kielce Region Countryside Museum in Tokarnia |
 |
| Ruins of Checiny Castle, southernmost on The Eagle Nests Trail |
 |
| Railway Station in Kielce |
 |
| ;Out of this world' coach station and neo-Gothic Holy Cross Church in Kielce |
 |
| Shopping centre like anywhere else... This one in Kielce |
 |
| These building watched the shopping centre above grow |
 |
| No 'Boris' to provide Kielce dwellers with bikes |
 |
| Countryside between Kielce and Skarzysko |
 |
A view of Pilsudskiego Street where the coach dropped me off
|
In the last picture you may notice a girl in a long white gown, which means she had her First Communion last Sunday. Accompanied by her mother, she is going back from church. They attended a May service held daily throughout the month. All First Communion children are supposed to attend May evening services, for a week (please correct me if I'm wrong), also on the first anniversary of the event.
First Communion is a huge event in a Polish family life as the majority of people are Catholics. On the day itself, which always is a Sunday in May, such a kid is the family celebrity of the day. After a long and elaborate service at church, culminating in a large group of children, each receiving a small flat white wafer flake (that is a piece of holy bread), there is a special, tea-total (at least officially) party to celebrate the occasion. Then comes the moment most kids look forward to: he or she gets PRESENTS! When I was a child common presents were: wrist watches, bikes, little golden or silver necklaces with a little crucifix or money. It must have changed since then.
No comments:
Post a Comment