In footsteps of St John Paul II and final thoughts

My final post about Poland.

I miss my family and kids miss them too. Kubus already asked me few times when are going again. I think sooner than in eight years!
My friends announced that there is no way we can wait eight years again. That would take us to our fifties!!! How does this time flies! And not long ago we were in high school, like about twenty four years and we haven't changed; not one bit:-)

On our final trip we went to Wadowice - St John Paul II birthplace and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska -  a shrine not far away, one of late pope's favorite place to visit during his childhood.

But Kalwaria is also a special place for me and Andrzej and a lot of young people. At the end of summer there is (or at least was when we were young ) a youth gathering in that place. Thousands of faithful youngsters came to pray and to fellowship; and they were full of life and hope and love for  God and each other!
I really felt nostalgic and sad about passing time but at the same time happy to have those memories and share them with my kids!

Shrine at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

 

Beautiful and peaceful, isn't it?

Andrzej was telling the kids how 26 years ago I and him were sitting somewhere around here during the youth gathering.

Real mammoth bones!

 

In Wadowice - "papieskie kremowki", favorite St. John Paul's II pastry.

Andrzej couldn't resist a little bit of typical Polish business ; a note "zaraz wracam" - "I am coming back soon", during busy  hours! Not good for business!

A sign that says that this is the place where "our" pope enjoyed his favorite pastry.

Church in Wadowice where he was baptized.

Paintings on the ceiling representing all the pope's encyclicals. Here is one of them.

Pope's baptismal font.

Of course a picture with our saint!

The museum - childhood home of St John Paul II. It closes on the last Tuesday of the month; and guess when we came to visit? Yeah, the last Tuesday of the month!

On the way back home we visited reconstructed prehistoric village. Fun place, not fun getting there!

 

 

See you again in few years Poland!

 Kinga.



Back in Poland

One of the places that we wanted Kateri to visit and experience was Nazi's concentration camp Auschwitz/Birkenau .
This past year Holocaust was a subject in her classes. We thought that it would be a great lesson in history of the times when humanity lost its face.
She said she is glad that she visited this place, and no lesson or books or museums in USA could compare with seeing the brutality and reality of Auschwitz in person. It left its mark on her mind and soul...

 

Kinga.



The beach

 



We have discovered a new beach for us. Perfectly accessible for everybody after 4pm. A lot of water, grass, shade and enough sand for digging. No waves and not too many people. Nearby clam cakes and lobster stand; and best of all 20 minutes form home! My kind of a beach :)

Kinga.

Lighthouse, camp and a bunny!



 

 

 

Kiki had been enjoying herself at camp Pocasset this past week.

She had a lot of fun, new friends and very busy time. She got a sunburn ( too lazy to put properly a sunscreen on ), she had a talent show, which was a comedy show, and after biking Martha's Vineyard, she jump off the bridge 11 feet below into a river! It was supervised, but I saw a video of her jumping and it is a good thing that I was not there.

 

We took a ride today to pick her up, but on the way there we stopped at the old lighthouse in Scituate MA.

I do like lighthouses, they bring such a character to the coastal places. 

 

We also stopped to get a new bunny, which kids begged for since the previous bunny's passing...

We surprised Kiki at the camp, and the rest of the group of young ladies was also taken with a it.

 

The bunny is a girl and I honestly think it should be named Bunny, because everybody just calls her that; and after our very short and sad experience with Ash a year ago, we are really hopeful that this time Bunny is going to stay we us for good :)

 

Kinga.