For years now I have been visiting the Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka. And to be honest, it is one of my favorite museums in Poland.
Also today I went there, just as soon as my group entered the Salt Mine. I was anxious to see their rearranged exhibition of the salt shakers. And, it really is a charming one.
Here are some photos. (unfortunately I did not have my camera with me).
Enjoy 😊
I have never been to the Babie Doły beach… Hard to believe? In my case it is. But until now, there really was no reason for me to go so far into “nowhere”… I have visited the navy aviation base there, and that was enough. Or so I thought…
Finally, I had to visit… As I plotted against myself 😉
From time to time, a wonderful group of retired people come from Greater Poland to visit Gdynia. I have shown them everything worth seeing here, so now, came the time for the further vicinities.
And so I decided to show them Babie Doły torpedo station.
It was built by the Germans during the war. Here was a good location as in Germany all the military facilities were at risk of allied bombing. So here, in Gdynia, just outside the town, the Nazis decided to build two torpedo stations. Just off the shore.
Caissons were sunk about 300 meters from the beach, and a special pier was built to transport the torpedoes. The construction was to serve as a huge assembly hall. At the same it was to be a warehouse. Also a tower was constructed so as to enable the observation of the torpedo testing in the Gulf of Gdańsk. Magnetic and accoustic torpedoes tested there counted as the Nazi wonder weapon. There were two such sites on the Gulf of Gdańsk.
As we know, Hitler did not manage to change the fate of war. And Gdynia returned to Poland. Some of the military objects were incorporated into the rebuilt navy, others, unused, fell into disrepair, or were blown up.
According to the informator from the very interesting TriCyty Biking site, during WW2, the torpedo base was part of the Luftwaffe training ground. As such it demanded the construction of a large military airport with all needed infrastructure, so that also the heavy aircfraft could land there.
This was developed into the biggest in this part of Europe torpedo training center. And everyday about 200 torpedoes were launched here. Including the
“combat version of the German F5b aerial torpedo, which was then used in many activities of the German naval aviation”.
And then came May 1945, which brought the end to the German Nazi dream about the rule over the world. Most of the German troops from Oksywie and Babie Doły evacuated themselves to the Hel peninsula. Leaving the station Begin. The Soviet troops looted the area, leaving destruction everywhere behind. However, for some time, the Babie Doły station served the Polish Navy, then was simply abandoned. It is quite ruined now, but definitely appears to be an attraction for explorers.
I was asked sometime ago, why don’t I travel anywhere further than Prague or the Netherlands. My answer is simple: I’ve seen a lot. I’ve been to places… But I still don’t know my beautiful country well.
Here are some snapshots from Poland.
I never liked baroque. Neither in art nor in architecture. And suddenly some 16 years ago I had to change my mind. A guide has no right to express own opinion, said my teacher at the guides’ training. A guide is to objectively present objects.
Ok….
But how on earth could I be objective if I truly disliked baroque.
Soon the remedy came. I passed state exams for guiding in Poland’s Warmia-Mazury Region (former East Prussia). Besides splendid medieval castles and exceptional medieval churches, there also is a lot of… baroque there. So whether I liked it or not, I had to became at least neutral in my perception of this style.
Only after I started to study this over the top ornamented style, I found how many beautiful (!) variations of it we have in Poland.
Below are a few photos of the Częstochowa church (famous for being the Black Madonna Shrine).
Next photos are soon to come 😊
Dear All,
I have been silent for quite a while… It all is due to the fact, that life is rushing so much, that I scarcely have time for anything. But I promise – as the season has come to the end, I am going to post some new posts here…
Until I do so, please allow me to wish you all a very good New Year of 2017.
May it be a year of good life, happiness, and prosperity. I wish you all – little happinesses, and great joys, time to cherish memories, good time with Friends and Relatives, and most of all – I wish everyone and each of you – good health 🙂
Here are some photos I have taken during the short three days visit to Lübeck.
It is a pity, that out of 2000 photos, only less than 1700 cpuld stay, as relatively good quality ones. I had no tripod, so especially in bad light the pictures taken – turned out to be somewhat out of focus… But – still those, which I have seem to be a fine memory of an interesting trip.
I just had to post this very interesting blog entry. It is a pity I did not know all this when visiting the Westminster Abbey.
Since I don’t like writing wishes of any kind, as I never have an idea for anything original… I take the opportunity to use the benefits of the Internet, and therefore I am addressing this post to all my Dear Readers …
(present and future, and those who dropped in here by accident or mistake)
I wish you all…:
Happy Easter
And may spring be in your hearts for the rest of the year…
Have a nice celebration of laziness with:
In other words – have a good time with few days off from the everyday haste
😀
I found a suitable picture in the web – which I am pasting here 🙂
And may the New Year 2012 be so energetic as the below 🙂
and may it bring only good events 🙂
and may it bring luxury of ignoring stupidity 🙂
and may it bring meetings with dear Friends 🙂
and may it bring everything good we might wish 🙂
