Poland

18 days have passed since when I came to Poland. Today, I crossed over the border to Lithuania.Poland is one of a memorable country of this journey.

The first day in Poland, I was from High Tatora in Slovakia, that was raining and very cold. When it started to rain, I escaped to a bus stop, then few minutes later a lot of children in a kinder garden also tried to avoid the rain in the same bus stop. There were full of children and their chatting.

The second day was that the weather was still not so good. The sky was full of cloud and it would started to rain. I woke up early in the morning and headed for Krakow, one of the beautiful city in Poland. Most of building in Krakow haven't destroyed during the first and second world wars. I stayed at nice apartment with some French guys. The next day, I went to sightseeing and made some sushi for the party. Surprisingly, I could buy some Japanese rice and frozen fish in a shopping mall, that was quit expensive. There were a lot of people come to the party, most of all from Poland, but some people from other eastern Europe and others were from UK and the States. When I tried to speak in a group, I couldn't hear what they were talking about because of their speed. Still I have enough room for improvement I felt that night.

After enjoyed two days in Krakow, I went to Katowice after visited to Auschwitz as I told you before. I stayed with a house of Pawel, who hosted me for one night and brought me to Wroclow, I saw a lot of German archtecture in the city, with his friends. I was overslept because I drunk too much beer.

The next day was one of a hard day of my journey. I passed over 150km per day even if I overslept. When I woke up at 10 in the morning and eat some breakfast and then I left for Kielce. I estimated the distance between two cities about 120km. But it was too far than I thought. So, I forced to bike over 20km at once. Around 9 p.m after sun set, I finally arrived at Kielce. The host at Kielce was gay. Actually, I was afraid that I have never met gay in my life, but he changed my sence of value. He was really nice and gentleman. Though I arrived at late evening he never say to anything about it. Furthermore, he made a nice meal with rice and brocoli, that was really tasty so I took a rest for my legs.

Because of the long distance of the day before, my legs like a stick and be in a mustle pain. I believed that the best solution of this pain is moving my mustle, so I started to go to Radom. At Radom, Kamil and their family hosted me. I ate some tradisional food of Poland, that was really good. At his friend house, I tasted vodka, that was my first vodka in my life, the taste was a bit sweet but strong one. It was no time to be drunk. I talked about this trip one of his friend, he was really interested person and bike lover. Those friends are totally student and the culture of student is almost the same in everywhere in the world I felt. I enjoyed as a student.

One of unforgettable eveperience was Pionki. the host was a family of Adrine, he hosted me at Pecs in Hungary. He still studied in Hungary and I vsited his hometown. Unfortunately, his parents couldn't speak English and my Polish was poor, so we can communicate only when Adrine translated us to communicate with each other through Skype on the internet. Lunguage is important when I talk with someone who I meet first time.

The time in Pionki was really cool, I could enough rest and ate a lot of meat and sweet to have a energy to go to Warszawa.The capital was really huge and it was hard to find a place where I wanted to go. Not everyone could speak in English and I didn't have any detail map, I should bought it before. Anyway, I got to the central station in Warszawa and came across a great meeting to Rafal in the afternoon. The place when I stayed at two night was a student dorm at Warszawa university. The day was a beginning of long weekend and a lot of student going to their hometown. I couldn't have a lot of time to talk with my host, she has studied in Japan at Aoyamagakuin and will go to Japan next year.And she also came back to her hometown, so I stayed with one of her friend.The next day I spend my time with Rafal at the central area in Warszawa by bike, that old town was really beautiful even if that was destroyed during WWII. And I decided to go Gdansk with him. At night I talked with some African student who lives next door of my dorm. I asked them if they have a time to talk with them and they accepted to me to talk. They were from Cameroon and I asked him about his country but he didn't want to talk too much. So I tried to explain why I wanted to talk with you including my study and future plan, and then he opened his mouth about his country. According to his information, the problem in Cameroon is government, that was the same when I heard in Tanzania. Government in African countries are one of a key to success of their development I thought.

From the next day to three night we, I and Rafal enjoyed our trip to Gdansk.

After when I reach Gdansk I was wondering if I go to North or West and then I decided to North. Rafal was back to train to Warszawa for his job in the last day of our trip. At Gdansk, I was stayed at student dorm as well, the host, Gosia was a student of arts and graphic designer. Because of the examination she didn't have enough time to spend to me, but I really appreciate with her offer in her hard schedule.

The next day, I moved to Gdynia to visit Magda. From Gdansk to Gdynia, there is a beautiful coast exist. The sea is not so clear but the situation was really nice. People are easy access to the beach and a lot of people spend their time near the beach for a walk and to play something.I slept in the beach for a while. Magda and her family hosted me that much I talked about a lot what I experienced and where I will go. Even if I do everyone who I hosted me, their reaction to my trip are totally different, that is a interesting point when I try to talk with them.

As for the changing of my route, I turned back to Gdansk and then I headed for east part of Poland. When I arrived at the central area in Gdansk, I met a person who sell a Japanese character written in Katakana of each person's name. Actually, he is half between Japan and France. Because of his education of his father he could speak Japanese but his identity is from French as he told me because he grown up in France. We talked about Japanese culture and what was Japan by Japanese. I really enjoyed because it was hard to find a person who can speak Japanese or who interested in Japan. Additionally, his writing work was very popular not only for a tourist but also for Polish. The day I reach Elblag, the place I stayed with a Finnish guy. As I told you before he made a plan from Finland to Praha for wedding of his brother. And Ewa and her sister was our host. I really enjoyed sharing our different culture. But unfortunately, I forgot my flag at her home, which I bought in Krakow for the purpose to show my country. Maybe, she will deliver me when she come to Japan I thought.

After the day, I crossed over some hills to Olsztyn. The weather was not so good and it was started to rain in the afternoon. Regardless of the distance about 100km, I was really tired. The host was a cheerful guy, Szymon, and his girl friend was totally nice. I got some information about Nordic countries and I might go to the North cup, that is the northern point in Europe.

After the day, they made me some sandwich and a beer for the purpose of rainy day. The road from Olsztyn to Gizycko is really beautiful and easy to going except for rain. The host, Gosha is interesting person and we talked about politics, history, economy and humanism. I haven't a lot experience to talk with a woman this kind of topic in Japan, that experience was fresh and I understood what Polish people thought. At the same time, I felt that I need to study more and more if I try to understand this country as well as global society. Additionally, I never drunk a beer when I ride on a bike.

The last night was in a tent by alone. That was a second time in Poland. Only two, first and last night in Poland I slept in a tent by alone. A lot of people shared with me in their time. Because of the cooperation of those people I came here to live long enough. I really appreciate it those people who had kindly attention to me.

And today, I crossed a border to Lithuania. From now on, I am heading for Helsinki through three Baltic countries. I haven't any research for these countries but I will learn of their history and culture with communicate in English as well as internet.

PS. The host of today, Linas he studied at Waseda University as a exchange student for one year. He also interested in Japanese culture like anime.

POLAND NO MINASAN DOUMO ARIGATOU.

Yuji @Jakiskiai, Lithuania