Zamosc Poland

Zamosc is a town of 65,000 people in Southeast Poland. My Grandmother Sophia Bartnik Ferenc was born there about 1898 and immigrated to Canada just after WWI. It took me a 7 hour bus ride to get there which was pretty funny since I got on the bus not knowing when were supposed to arrive in Zamosc. And with no map outside of a Poland level map in Lonely Planet. I was tracking the sunset to make sure I wasn't heading the wrong way.

Thought I would go out on a limb and show up without a hotel reservation - living on the edge. Unfortunately, the edge was sharp and the Lonely Planet was off in both pricing and availability on weekends. Thank goodness a very kind taxi driver who spoke not a word of English hung in there and got me into a cheesy motel 2 km from the town square. It was kinda fun -forced me to walk to the town square the next day so I got to getup close to the real everyday Poland rather than just the.... MAGNIFICENT TOWN SQUARE. The Polish Chancellor, Jan Zamosky, founded Zamosc in 1580 as a last defense from against them there Tartars. He engaged an Italian civic architect from Padua - and the results are amazing - Italianate Renassaince architecture in eastern Poland.

Here are some pics of the square. The little girls were adorable - they kept talking on the lip of a garden set in the square - and spontaneously hugged at one point.The guy in the first picture was wearing a Chicago Bears Shirt - but was Polish, not American. Must have relatives off Milkwaukee Ave.

Had dinner at a nice restaurant on the square when I saw that a concert was going to happen - thought it would be an classical orchestra so grabbed a table. Heard Mozart Mozart etc in the intro - but no Mozart! But a lovely Polish couple joined me at the table and I ended up chatting up the wife. Actually, she ended up chatting with me with quite good English. For my part, there was alot of miming in Polish - Jean K would be proud of me. When I asked to take a pic and whipped out George,she started laughing and saying Hospital Hospital. Not sure if that was a reference to ER or that George left her weak in the knees.

This trip reminded me that every city is a small town. Here are some observations:

1. Full employment - cities or states think of creative ways to make jobs. In Oregon, you can't pump your own gas. In Poland, you have to pay a sometimes cranky polish man or woman who sits in or outside the toilet (who wouldn't be cranky!) 30 cents to use the facilities.

2. Young lovers love parks - especially in towns with cramped parental apartments. Lots of young couples in the park (the Planty) that surrounds the old town.

3. Chicago sports team have world mindshare! Besides seeing this gent in Zamosc with a Bears shirt, I have seen a kid in Tanzania with a Bulls hat (remember Monique, Scott and Dad?

Sorry for the hack job tonight - gotta run to catch a night train to Prague. I reserved a sleeper car - which means I might share with 2 other women. I have no idea what I am getting into - can I keep my rolling bag with me? Is there a bathroom in the car or a shared one with the whole car (yuck!). Do I sleep in jammies? Does the door lock? All I know is I am sleeping with my money belt on!

Later gators!