Reykjavík Grapevine - 15.06.2007, Side 24

30_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 08_007_TRAVEL/POLAND RVK_GV_08_007_TRAVEL/POLAND_31
“You need a special car for Poland – we don’t
have any cars for Poland,” repeats the stern-
looking woman at the budget car hire counter
in Berlin Tegel airport. Some insistence that we
had provided details of our Poland trip days
earlier is all that is needed – we are eventually
told that a car is on its way. The “special” car
in question is a shiny new Opel station wagon,
and we eagerly load our baggage and excessive
food supplies in the car and part with Berlin
for four days of excitement in Poland.
Day 1 – The Very Long Drive From Berlin
After several wrong turns, we find what we
think is the correct route. An hour or so later
we collectively and ingeniously decide that
we thought wrong and now it’s time to get
out the map.
When that doesn’t seem to help we stop
to ask the way. The look of utter shock on the
poor German’s face is universally understood
in our car – we are lost, very lost. I am thrilled
to find out that the likely reason for this is that
my travel companions, largely responsible for
the navigation side of things, are using a late
19th century map. A 19th century map?! That’s
more than a hundred years old! Sure it looks
pretty but... I should have known not to trust
my friends – both graphic designers trained in
the arts of typography, visual aesthetics and
page layout – when it came to choosing the ap-
propriate map. (In all fairness, the lack of road
signs isn’t helping matters much either.)
One of the reasons for our trip to Poland is
to visit the town of Giżycko where my friend
Micha’s grandmother was born. But that was
a while back, when parts of Poland and Ger-
many existed as Prussia – surely the map has
changed since then. And Bismarck no longer
sits in the Reichstag. As if we needed any
confirmation that we are lost, my other friend
Ngaire exclaims: “We’ve been driving for four
hours and we’re only one hour from Berlin!”
At least someone is airing their frustration.
After our unplanned tour of northern Ger-
many, passing windmills, country houses and
old Soviet style factories, we finally arrive at the
border with Poland. Our Australian passports
cause some visible excitement among the bor-
der officials, but contrary to expectation the
process is quick and we are left to go on our
way. My travel companions’ last experience
crossing borders in this part of the world left
them with a few stories to tell.
Across the Border
Once across the border, the surrounding area is
crowded by roadside stalls selling furniture and
food at a cheaper price than on the German
side of the border. These stalls, and the many
pharmacies that we pass, are apparently aimed
exclusively at the many Germans who cross
into Poland to take advantage of the reduced
prices. A personal favourite was a stall selling
a wide range of rifles and army paraphernalia,
situated near the shopping mall ATM, where
we withdraw some Zloty.
Having just come from Iceland, the abun-
dance of leafy green trees that line the Polish
streets is a welcome change from Reykjavík,
devoid of such greenery most of the year
round. The construction work that seems to
cover every inch of available space is appar-
ently in preparation for the 2012 UEFA Cup
finals, which Poland will co-host with Ukraine.
Poland’s accession to the European Union on
May 1, 2004 also gave it access to EU structural
funds designed to help less developed mem-
bers, such as Poland itself, achieve economic
cohesion in the EU.
After more than twelve hours of driving
we finally arrive in the Baltic seaport town of
Gdańsk. We are greeted by a furious hotel
manager who, we understand, is yelling Polish
profanities at us. We can only assume it is for
not having parked in the appropriate place while
trying to gather our luggage from our car.
The cracked glass door of the hostel
shows signs of several large objects having
been aimed at the building. This, combined
with the extensive warnings entitled “How
to protect yourself – a few hints” on the lo-
cal tourism website, is unsettling. Obviously,
Gdańsk’s tourism board has a slightly different
approach to good marketing: give potential
visitors as many reasons as possible to avoid
the place – either that or we really have arrived
in the crime-ridden and dangerous town that
is described.
The twenty or so reasons used to discourage
sensible-minded tourists include:
– “Do not make acquaintance with incidentally
met people.
– Leaving your car remember to activate your
alarm; apply other anti-theft devices you
have.
– In case of burglary report it at the nearest
police station or to the first police officer you
meet immediately. [details of how to go about
this are also listed]
– Try not to doze off while travelling on public
transport.
– Never accept an offer of a snack or drink
from strangers – they might add a pinch of
sleep-inducing drug.
– Keep a particularly keen eye on your luggage
and check your pockets when getting off and
on the public transport.
– Make sure you keep an eye on your bags
and eye-catching jewellery.”
Day 2 – Gdańsk
Over breakfast an Australian couple tells us
about their spoilt plan to visit the nearby town
of Kaliningrad just over the Russian border. Ap-
parently, the current political tensions between
Poland and Russia over US President George
Bush’s plans to have a missile defence shield
built in Poland have caused the tour company
to give their trips a second thought.
Gdańsk, or Danzig as it is known in Ger-
man, lies in northern Poland on the Baltic Sea.
With a population of 500,000, it is Poland’s
sixth-largest city, premier seaport and centre
of the sea trade. Gdańsk has a long bloody
history of occupation. In modern times, during
the 1930s, the town saw a mounting wave of
Nazism. On September 1, 1939 Germany at-
tacked Poland with military assaults on Danzig,
marking the outbreak of World War II. Gdańsk
was also the scene of a mass Soviet offensive
which began in January 1945. Many who had
been trying to flee the advancing Red Army
were killed when the ships they were travelling
on were sunk by the Soviets. After enduring
several months of heavy bombardment by both
the Allied Forces and the Soviets, the city was
eventually captured by the Soviets and left in
ruins. The last five decades have been devoted
to the rebuilding effort.
With no eye-catching jewellery in posses-
sion, a full stomach and a safe place to leave
the car, we head off along the banks of the
Motlawa River to explore the old town of
Gdańsk. We have arrived pre-tourist season,
and the area near the early 15th century-built
Crane harbour gate used for putting up ships
masts and raising heavy cargo, seems overrun
by Polish school children on an excursion.
The colourful houses on Mariacka Street
are typical of Gdańsk. Their narrow facades
topped with intricately designed gables or
parapets are worthy of close inspection. The
nearby indoor food markets sell local delicacies
including a range of cheese, pickles and vari-
ous meats. But it’s the outdoor food market
that is the real treasure. Stall after stall of fresh
produce selling everything from the brightest
red radishes to plump aromatic strawberries.
Towards Giżycko
We leave Gdańsk and make our way towards
the eastern border with Belarus.
The winding country road passes farmhous-
es, endless fields of yellow rapeseed (canola)
flowers and children riding home from school.
A group of old men enjoying a cigar stand
huddled together by the roadside. A tractor
moves along slowly in front of us, blocking
the road.
A nearby field of yellow flowers amongst
an area of farmhouses makes for an idyllic spot
to enjoy the relaxed pace of country life. We
sit down to a picnic of Russian chocolate cake,
bread with Polish cheese spread, and pickles.
Back on the road we continue our jour-
ney. We pass through the beautiful lake side
town of Ostroda. A roadside stall selling locally
Four days in Northern Poland
Text and photos by Zoë Robert
I should have known
not to trust my friends
– both graphic design-
ers trained in the arts of
typography, visual aes-
thetics and page layout –
when it came to choosing
the appropriate map.
produced honey proves tempting. Flat yellow fields are
replaced with rolling green hills and tree lined lakes as
we enter the picturesque Masurian Lakes district. Our
destination for the night is the small town of Giżycko
close to Poland’s north-eastern border with Belarus.
We enjoy a dinner of Pierogi (the Polish version of
an Eastern European style ravioli dish), fish soup and
a tomato-cucumber salad along the scenic waterfront
which attracts thousands of visitors during the summer
months, earning Giżycko the title of “summer capital
of Poland.” Meanwhile, fishermen stand patiently on
Lake Niegocen’s edge waiting for the sun to set.
Day 3 – Giżycko to Toruń
The morning’s itinerary involves visiting the local grave-
yard in search of Micha’s grandmother’s grave. But we
soon learn that the graves of all Germans who died in
Giżycko have been moved elsewhere.
During 1945 Giżycko was occupied by the Soviet
Union’s Red Army. When the town was placed under
Polish administration after the war ended, the German-
speaking populace who had not already evacuated were
expelled westward.
We drive to Hitler’s bunker city in nearby Gierloz. The
complex, dubbed Wolfsshanze (Wolf’s Lair), served as
Hitler’s military headquarters for the Eastern Front during
the years 1941–1944. It was also the site of the Von
Stauffenberg’s 1944 failed bomb plot. Stauffenberg’s
unsuccessful plot to kill the leader of the German Nazi
Party led to the arrest of 5,000 people, the execution of
about 200 people and the destruction of the resistance
movement.
Hitler’s Ghost
We walk through the forest to the remains of the hidden
bunker city which, in its time, included a sauna, barber
and casino rooms. Some of the bunkers and fortified
buildings bear significant damage with pieces of them
lying 20 or so metres away. The majority of Hitler’s
personal bunker remains intact, but an adjoining wall
is fully destroyed. The Nazi’s attempted to demolish the
complex in the fear of it being used by the retreating
Soviets. More than sixty years since the end of World
War II, the site exists as an open air museum and also
houses a hotel, today guested by a busload of Russian
tourists.
Despite a sign reading “Dangerous area – sightseeing
only along marked routes,” all of the remains of explo-
sives were reportedly removed by the Polish army in the
mid 1950s. Apart from the swarms of mosquitoes which
plague the site, the area is remarkably peaceful.
We take a few steps into Hitler’s bunker – a strong
draft blows through the main corridor.
We arrive in the central Polish city of Toruń around
9 pm where our host Kristof – Micha’s old housemate
from Berlin – has gathered together some friends from
Gdańsk for a Kredens (a house-warming party/welcome
party). The recently constructed apartment building is
so new that it is mostly empty, the construction of the
lift is not complete and the building smells of paint.
On entering Kristof’s new home his friends and
girlfriend welcome us with an array of local delicacies,
including cheeses, salamis and pickles. A range of sup-
posedly low alcoholic vodka drinks are offered, including
a homemade version and a concoction known as ‘Angry
dog’ made from vodka, sweet berry syrup, Tabasco sauce
and pepper. Kristof offers a simple recommendation:
“This one is necessary to drink all at once.” It’s then time
for our much feared initiation into the Polish clubbing
scene – as relatively unseasoned clubbers this experience
can only be described as interesting.
Day 4 – Toruń
We begin our final day in Poland with a breakfast of
savoury and sweet pancakes in the town centre. The
streets are crowded with people enjoying the local
Health Day marathon and Sunday entertainment. We
climb Mariachi (Mary’s church) to get a view of the
Gothic buildings that earned Toruń its World Heritage
Site designation in 1997.
Toruń lies on the banks of the Vistula River and marks
the site of the intersection of an important ancient trade
route. The layout of the streets in the Old Town has
not been changed for centuries and areas of the 13th
century-built Castle of the Teutonic Knights (German
crusading military order) and other medieval fortifica-
tions including the fortress, tower dungeons, gates and
moats remain.
We stop at one of the many stores selling Katarzynka
– traditional decorative gingerbread. I chat with our
newly made Polish friends about their country’s future
and their thoughts on adopting the Euro. While the un-
employment rate, currently at 13%, is decreasing, they
seem to have mixed opinions about Poland’s entry into
the EU and the government’s partly EU-paid spending
spree. One of our friends explains that while she, like
many Poles, has studied and worked abroad she now
intends on staying in Poland.
To the sound of Polish folk songs on the radio, we
drive off into the afternoon sun on the highway back
to Germany. The natural beauty, stunning architecture,
and kind hospitality of the Polish people have earned
our sure return.
You could be here!
Glacial hiking and ice climbing trips
on the breathtaking Sólheimajökull
glacier only 90 minutes from Reykjavík.
Guranteed departures every Saturday
and Monday at 8:30. Call to enqiuer
about other departures.
Call us on +354-562-7000, meet us at
Laugavegur 11 in the Cintamani Center
or ask for us at your hotel or nearest
tourist information center.
www.adventures.is | +354-562-7000