Kevin's Photoblog

I am back in Szczecin after a few days in Warsawa, and am giving a tour to a fellow Fulbright, Ryan.  The weather is not too good, so did not take many pictures, but here is a group of four from a little park area near a church in the central area of Szczecin.  The four picture are intended to paint a picture:

1. Pretty view, church in the background, fountain in the foreground
2. to my immediate right, one of the nice old German buuildings
3. to my immediate left, fine architecture from the communist occupation.  This style is popularly known as “Stalinist Gothic” and you see it everywhere in eastern Europe and Russia.  Raw cement slab sides that does not weather well, but makes a good background for graffiti (and the graffiti does make this look better).
4. this is the pavement, also common in Eastern Europe.  Squared cobble-sized rocks, looks quite nice though not you would want to walk around on in high heels.

Adama Mickiewiszka is the national poet for Poland (also Lithuania and Belarus).  His poetry and Chopin’s music kept the flame of Polish nationalism alive during the long 120 years of partition between the Russian, German and Austrian Empires.  This monument was destroyed by the Nazis, but the pedestal is original, and still shows its pullet holes.  (I live on Mickiewicza Ulica in Szczecin)

Very pretty storefront selling amber.  There are a lot of such amber stores in Warsawa (and Polish tourist locations in general).

These are two pictures from the Warsawa City Center, taken from the same location but pointed in two separate directions.

I visited a Saturday morning flea market in Warsawa.  If I did not have to worry about taking things on the airplane, and Kate’s reaction upon my arrival, I would have bought a lot of stuff.

Also at the Science and Technology Museum was a display of mining that included this uniform worn by a professional geologist.  The Russians liked (probably still like?) to militarize everything.  Everyone had uniforms, with fancy military style hats, buttons, ribbons and epauletts.  I cannot resist sharing a picture!  The second picture is a display of geologist hammers.

Those who know me know that I study early aviation history.  This is an original Lilienthal glider, in original fabric.  Very Rare!

World War II Russian-built (but in Polish post-war markings) airplanes on the grounds of the Army Museum.  The museum itself has an incredible collection of body armor, plus uniforms and improvised weapons from the Polish Uprising.

Me dressed down for the moment, with my friend George.  There are also monuments to Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Hoover (the latter did great work in Poland in the early 1920s when the area faced severe starvation).

Here are three pictures from the entrance to the University of Poland; first is the entrance gate, then the building beyond that gate, then the clock at the top of the building ticking down the 55^th day before the 200^th anniversary of the University.