Europe Trip 2018 - Lubań, Poland

Lubań is a small (23,000 residents) town in Lower Silesia. Before 1945 it was part of Germany and was called Lauban. The city was destroyed towards the end of WW2.

Town square

Not all facades have been renovated

We visited during a minerals festival - Crystal Days

The town square was full of vendor stalls

The regional museum had a precious stone exposition

A little park near the Bracka Tower

The Bracka Tower info

The Bracka Tower built in 1318

View from the tower

Europe Trip 2018 - Gryfów Śląski

Gryfów Śląski is a small (7,000 people) town in Lower Silesia. Before 1945 it was part of Germany and was called Greifenberg.

Town Hall

This dark green car must be one of the last Fiat 126p in use in Poland. I had an orange one a long time ago and Tom Hanks has a white one. Mine was 8 years old when I bought it from some farmer and it was so bad, that the longest period it ran without anything breaking was 2 weeks. Apart from the typical - "would not start", I had the rear wheel suspension brake when I was on a bridge, another time the engine support broke and the whole engine was hanging on one screw, the gearbox got stuck in 2nd gear, the fuel tank started leaking and I had to replace it...I had this car for one long year.

Town square

Town square - another side

Yet another side

A cheap Żabka (little frog) store in a building that desperately needs renovation.

Fields outside town

Europe Trip 2018 - Czocha Castle, Poland

Czocha Castle is located in Lower Silesia. It was a location of a TV series "Tajemnica twierdzy szyfrów" - The Secret of the Ciphers Fortress.

Past the first gate

In front of the castle

The view from the tower towards the river

The view from the tower towards the entrance to the castle grounds

Interiors

Rooms with secret entrances - this one through a bookshelf

This bed originally had a trap

Stables?

This is an interesting piece of post war history. This a report from 5 Feb 1946 by Polish Army unit protecting the border. It notes 3 cases of people disappearing/escaping: the mayor of Leśna with his wife, Leśna city office worker with his female lover, and the chief of Milicja in Leśna with his deputy. Most likely all escaped to Germany and then further West.

The army report from 1946

Europe Trip 2018 - Wrocław, Poland

Wrocław is the capital city of Lower Silesia voivodeship. It is one of the biggest cities in Poland.

Old town

Old town

Old town

Vega - tasty vegan food right in the old town

Ornamental iron gate

Skoda tram

One of 350+ little krasnals (dwarfs) in Wrocław. The tradition started in 2001 to commemorate the Orange Alternative

New offices

Europe Trip 2018 - Lublin, Poland

A short stop in the biggest town of south-east Poland: Lublin. I drove through Lublin many times before, but this was the first time I actually stopped to look around. There was not enough time to properly explore the city. I will be back...

The Castle Hill. This neo-gothic building is from 1820s and was meant to be a prison.

Old town

Old town

Facade detail

Old town

I like the humour (I assume it is humour) of the white and red shop sign: Real kebab, at a real Pole's. 

Now, this is definitely a humorous sign, right? right?