Going back to the Old Country after more than 25 years!

♂

Nov 20, 11, 16:45 #241

I decided to go look for my old dzielnica of Karłowice where I had lived for 5 years. I had long forgotten how to get there. Calling a cab to take me there was not an attractive option, seeing as I wanted to get a more personal feel for how my town had changed. Seeing it from a car window was not my idea of personal. So, off I went in search of my old neighborhood. Here are some of the sights I passed along the way:

The National Museum	buildings on the Oder river
	my favorite bridge taken from its neighboring bridge

♂

Edited by: rybnik Nov 20, 11, 17:27 #242

I kept walking for another 30 minutes recognizing nothing passing these:

great idea!	I couldn't resist
So much fruit; so many vegetables!!	a relic from my day

♂

Nov 21, 11, 02:54 #243

After a lot of walking and pain(plantar faciitis in my right foot) I came to an intersection and I hadn't a clue where I was. Nothing looked familiar. All I knew was that Karłowice is on the river and the river was somewhere to the right of where I was. So, I went right.

This section of Wrocław was very different form the city center. It was grittier, dirtier and exactly how I remember my Wrocław. It was blue-collar town. I felt very much at home. On the way I came across the abandoned Piast brewery. The purveyor of the worst god-awful swill that I had ever tasted!

The old Piast brewey

♂

Nov 21, 11, 03:24 #244

Seeing the browar didn't allay my fears regarding my being lost. I kept walking past the graffiti-sprayed buildings hoping I would come to the river soon. After what seemed like a long time I came upon this:

one of many forks in the river

♂

Edited by: rybnik Nov 22, 11, 03:21 #245

Upon seeing the river I breathed a little sigh of relief because I new I was close. But, I still hadn't the foggiest where I was exactly. Everything looked a little different. Bridges have been painted; road surfaces have been renewed; sound barriers have been installed. All these additions had changed things just enough to make it look almost unrecognizable!

On my way down the bridge I ask a Wroclawianka coming the other way where Karłowice was. She stopped and thought for a moment and answered with a gesture [pointing to my left] saying "it's over in that direction". Dziękuje, I replied, thinking "I hope I can get more dokładny (precise) instructions from someone else". I asked another pedestrian, who luckily, gave me what I needed to get there. I was excited! The thought of walking around my old neighborhood got me very psyched.
I crossed the highway, went through the "hole-in-the-wall" as we called it and came upon the grandest landmark in all of Karłowice, which showed me the way home.

what is this?	the hole-in-the wall
getting closer!	Isn't it beautiful! The greatest landmark in Karlowice

♂

Edited by: rybnik Nov 22, 11, 05:18 #246

I came upon ul Kasprowicza and started walking in the direction of my old apartment. The neighborhood had changed. It appeared cleaner and greener than I remember.......I have to add, that by this time the ever-present grafitti was starting to really bug me. Why these punks had to desecrate as they did all over town was beyond me!

I love this kiosk!	one of the clinics I trained in
	ul Kasprowicza; Luv the bike lanes all over town!

♂

Edited by: rybnik Nov 24, 11, 03:59 #247

More .....

old commie HQ	neighbor
another neighbor	street in the neighborhood

f stopThreads: 33 Posts: 2,861 Joined: Dec 9, 09 ♀	Nov 24, 11, 04:46 #248
rybnik, as much as I appreciate your pictures, your write-ups are infinitely more valuable.

skysoulmateThreads: 41 Posts: 3,039 Joined: Jan 10, 10 ♂	Edited by: skysoulmate Nov 24, 11, 09:12 #249
fstop: rybnik, as much as I appreciate your pictures, your write-ups are infinitely more valuable. Agree. You need a "Mama, I'm coming home" blog. :-) Coming home for a much different reason but I love the song.

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Nov 24, 11, 16:48 #250
f stop: rybnik, as much as I appreciate your pictures, your write-ups are infinitely more valuable. i am enjoying both. i walk the same streets, go by car or tram and see things in the photos that i might not notice otherwise. the write-ups are telling me about a time before i got here, which helps with my understanding of the place.

GregrogThreads: 3 Posts: 114 Joined: Feb 2, 09 ♂	Nov 24, 11, 16:55 #251
rybnik: what is this? Looks like "ekran akustyczny" - Wiki

Zman	Nov 24, 11, 17:15 #252
Let Rybnik do as he pleases. And then we watch..... so pleasing.

pamThreads: 22 Posts: 462 Joined: Oct 11, 11 MEMBER ♀	Nov 24, 11, 17:21 #253
beautiful pictures and lovely commentary rybnik. you obviously had amazing time!

♂

Dec 2, 11, 04:54 #254

Standing there on ul Kasprowicza in the warm Karłowice late-afternoon was one of many surreal moments I experienced during my brief return. The street seemed more "cozy" (przytulny is a better word) than I remember. (It sounds nuts I know but that's how it felt. In my day, grey, hard and cold were the operative adjectives - even in the late Spring! I know most of it was in my head but nevertheless, the contrast was noteworthy). The trees that line the street were definitely bigger and bushier; the road surface appeared new. The sidewalks were undoubtedly newer with wide bike paths!!

The houses were all well-looked after with abundant landscaping. LANDSCAPING! (I don't know how many times I did a double-take and shook my head in disbelief). In Karłowice I did a lot of both.

All this was very, very nice indeed but it did not detract from the fact, that I, for all intense purposes, was lost. I knew there was a street I needed to turn right on but what was the name? Hell if I knew. I just kept walking. I knew that I needed to walk away from the water tower(thank God for that tower-saved me in the old days; it's saving me now). So walk away I did. Suddenly, as if on cue, a sign caught my gaze. That was it - MY STREET!

I found it!

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 2, 11, 05:22 #255

I found it! I was good now. From here I could find my way to the tram rondo and get back to Plac Grunwaldski and beyond. This was great! I made the right onto Wincentego Pola (the same right I made a thousand times before under very different circumstances) and continued my trip down memory lane.

Again, the first thing I noticed was the sidewalks (which were clean and free from that greyish sediment that was everywhere in my day) and the houses with their clean facades and pampered lawns. (PAMPERED LAWNS! I still can't get this out of my head).....To my chagrin I came upon an old neighborhood spożywczy, where we used to get milk, mineral water (Grudziska - Delicious!) and ground meat in better days. It was abandoned and the front was overgrown. I wonder why? This was a bit disturbing for me. In my day this was the local "barber shop", where locals hung out and plotkowali ie gossiped. I have nothing but warm memories of this place. Here is where my neighbors and I bonded. After my first year, thanks to this local joint and the people I was able to meet and befriend here, I was no longer the American but "Pan Herbert the Polonia from New Jersey studying Medicine" - a big difference and a major upgrade in status.

my old hangout - a victim of the times

♂

Dec 2, 11, 05:50 #256

From the old Spo (that's what we called the sklepy spożywczy) it was literally a few steps to my old apartment. The one I lived in for 5 years. But for the life of me I couldn't remember the name of the street. All I knew was that it was a long name....A few steps from the store and there it was - my street ul Goszczynskiego! And there was my old place - wow! A flood of emotions overwhelmed me. I needed to take some time through this - so many memories.

the old spo	my street!
in its day it was quite a looker!	it's kind of sad looking I think

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 2, 11, 06:02 #257

another view

my bedroom window the one on the right

looking at ul Wincentego Pola; the bunker and Kino Ognisko are behind the camera

pamThreads: 22 Posts: 462 Joined: Oct 11, 11 MEMBER ♀	Dec 2, 11, 22:36 #258
f stop: rybnik, as much as I appreciate your pictures, your write-ups are infinitely more valuable. have never even been to your home town rybnik, but you write with so much passion and enthusiasm about it. please upload more pics. this is really interesting!

♂

Dec 3, 11, 05:02 #259

I was hanging around so long I began to worry someone might call the cops! I was seriously thinking about knocking on the door, explaining myself and asking to take a look inside my old apartment. After some inner deliberation, I decided not to. I'm such a coward......................
Saying goodbye to my old digs I continued on ul Goszczynskiego towards the tram rondo
passing the old Nazi bunker and the Kino Ognisko (this place was a godsend back in the day. Here I watched all the recently-released American films of the day. The movies played a big part in curbing the homesickness and helping us feel we were keeping current at least when films were concerned)....It was very sad to see the place empty, without purpose and covered in grafitti.....Oh well, change is unavoidable I guess.

Walking towards the river I passed the old przychodnia (walk-in medical clinic) that I used to shadow the docs in during my last year in Med School. It appears to be a private clinic now.

the bunker-there used to be a playground on this spot	the Kino Ognisko - sad looking
the local medical clinic	on the way to the river

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 3, 11, 05:22 #260

The walk back to the Odra was short and uneventful. I came upon the river bank and recognized almost immediately, that all the high grass had been cut so that now one could walk all the way to the river's edge. In my day that would've been very difficult. You needed to hack your way through all the reeds and undergrowth. This I liked. What I didn't like, however, was the lack of park benches. Why did they get rid of them, I wondered? One of my fondest memories of Karłowice was the lazy afternoons spent sitting in one of those benches, drinking beer purchased from the local "mordownia" as the locals called it and watching life go by. I loved those times! I was looking forward to sitting in one of those benches (or an updated version) and to reminisce. But alas, it was not meant to be(time marches on and all that).
I spent about 20 minutes looking around on the riverwalk and this is what struck me:

one of the bridges into Karlowice	"my" segment of the Oder river
the "defoliated" riverwalk	I saw this curious "fad" on TV back home but didn't expect to see it!

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 3, 11, 19:34 #261

It was approaching 6pm. I was starving and it was getting dark. Hopped on the tram hoping I would remember when to get off. Luckily I made it back to "Marche" where I enjoyed a kotlet schabowy, kapusta smażona (very good, I highly recommend it) some obligatory ziemiaczki and a couple of cold Pilsners. That good, simple yet delicious food put me in such a great frame of mind. I was happy to be alive and grateful to the gods for allowing me to return to my Wrocław enjoying myself so. Life was good. I made it back to my hotel sated and contented planing in my head what I would see tomorrow.........It was one hell of a day!

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 4, 11, 02:55 #262

The next morning was announced abrubtly by two Germans arguing in the hallway directly in front of my room. Naturliche!..........Too bad I didn't understand any of it. It was a very animated "discussion" , so much so, that the receptionist had to threaten calling the police if they didn't stop "right now". Luckily they stopped and an international incident was avoided.
This was going to be my last day in Wrocław and I was beginning to get lonely. Also I was most eager to met my new-found cousins and aunt from Zabrze. After the typical "continental" breakfast, I went out for one more exploration expedition this time to Ostrów Tumski.
When I was in school I came to visit my ex-wife's retired uncle, the "wujek ksiądz" nearly every week for 4 years . He had it great. The diocese gave him room and board for the rest of his life. The nuns even came to clean his room once a week! Anyway, I became quite attached to this place and couldn't wait to see it again.
The weather was starting to turn cold and overcast (showers in the forecast for the next day). In spite of the ominous sky, the churches, streets and other buildings all sparkled - just as I remember. During the PRL-days this place was like an oasis amidst the PZPR-nonsense that was going on outside this island outpost.
Everything was clean and well-swept as I remembered. As I approached the Most Tumski I saw something that did not exist back in the day: the bridge was covered in locks! What the....? I came closer to the locks and saw that each and every one had a date and 2 names inscribed on them. Is this some sort of wedding tradition? It looks awesome.

interesting	it's actually ornamental in a weird way
is this a Wroclaw wedding tradition?	next time I'll bring my inscribed padlock

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 4, 11, 03:08 #263

(ooops I double-dipped) Here's the 4th bridge pic and a street and a statue top:

	clean and sparkling
no gold in my day

♂

Dec 4, 11, 03:57 #264

More pics from/of Ostrów

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 4, 11, 07:38 #265

There was this quiet place overlooking the river where I sat and watched a riverboat go by. It was very peaceful. The only thing interrupting the tranquility were two German tourists talking over a cigarette. I left after a while heading back towards Plac Dominikańska. Once over the bridge and across the highway I passed a building I had not entered once during my six years in Wrocław: the Hala Targowa.
I went inside to colorful panoply of sight and sound. There was all this fruit and vegetables alongside florists putting together grave covers and wreaths for the upcoming All Soul's Day.

riverboat	Hala Targowa circa early 1900's
	I was still shocked by the bountiful fruit and vegetables stalls!

♂

Dec 4, 11, 08:01 #266

On the way back

"rent-a-bike" rack	I love this architecture!
much too small

♂ [Moderator]

Dec 4, 11, 13:04 #267

rybnik:

Is this some sort of wedding tradition?

it is for lovers. they kiss under the centre arch, which has mistletoe hanging from it. then attach a padlock and throw the key in the river. i believe it's a tradition from the far east.

did you notice the biggest change ? there were no steeples on the cathedral when you were last here.

rybnik:

I was still shocked by the bountiful fruit and vegetables stalls!

hala targowa is still the best place to go for fruit and veg.

♂

Edited by: rybnik Dec 4, 11, 15:15 #268

Wroclaw:

it is for lovers. they kiss under the centre arch, which has mistletoe hanging from it. then attach a padlock and throw the key in the river. i believe it's a tradition from the far east.

I love it! Here's Wrocław's new slogan: "Wroclaw is for lovers" :)

Wroclaw:

did you notice the biggest change ? there were no steeples on the cathedral when you were last here.

OMG that's it!!!! No I didn't notice while there but something was "bugging" me when I looked at the cathedral. Now that I'm taking another look at it, you're absolutely right! LOL..................too funny - obvious.

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,974 Joined: Oct 31, 06 ♀	Dec 4, 11, 17:59 #269
rybnik: I was still shocked by the bountiful fruit and vegetables stalls! Now I am going to the fruit market.. all your fault :) oh, but I would love to be in that market.. Nothing around here looks like that!

rybnikThreads: 29 Posts: 1,229 Joined: Jan 16, 11 ♂	Dec 4, 11, 18:08 #270
Patrycja19: Now I am going to the fruit market.. all your fault :) lol Patrycja19: oh, but I would love to be in that market.. Nothing around here looks like that! I know. I regret not having taken a peek inside back when I was a student. As a result, I had no point of reference :(

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Unanswered \| Archives
POLAND . The Unofficial Guide	Welcome to Poland!	Witamy, Guest \| PF Members \| Gold Members

Home \| Unanswered \| Archives \| Random \| Statistics	Time in Poland: 08:31 / May 26
About Us \| Contact Us \| Rules, Privacy \| Poland Advertising	© 2005-12 PolishForums.com