Poland 3

The Choreographer for the Mazowsze Polish Folk Song and Dance Ensemble left his car double parked in front of the hotel, as he rushed in to greet us.  A bouquet of flowers for my Mother, a turquoise shawl for me. “What kind of tour is this that you are already leaving Warsaw?” he asked.

Accustomed to traveling around Poland on my own, a guided tour was a concession made for my Mother, who had never been to this country before.  Together with a pleasant group of travelers, we visited all the popular sites, including the Wieliczka Salt Mines, with it’s carved statues and chapels; Jasna Góra, home of the Black Madonna – Our Lady of Częstochowa; Mariacki church in Kraków, with it’s golden altar; and Zakopane, where we took a cable-car up the mountains.

There, in a local karczma (tavern), we were entertained by a Góralski kapela (Highlander band), whom I immediately recognized as Andrzej Obrochty-Bartuś, my favorite !!  In fact, I had just that day purchased a couple of their CD’s, so I asked for their autographs.  I am sure they were surprised that an American even knew who they were.

See also: Poland 1, Poland 2, Poland 4, Poland 5, Poland 6.