The first day of summer

Today is the first day of summer on the Northern Hemisphere. I must say that I am attracted to starting seasons at the first of an appropriate month rather than complicating the issue by using astronomical calendar and concepts of equinox and solstice.

I always had problems with knowing when exactly the seasons start in Europe. There are moveable dates. This year the summer in Poland started today – the 21^st of June. This is the longest day of the year. In Gdansk 17 hours and 14

minutes. It is quite nice when around 10 pm there is still some natural light and shortly after 3 am is getting light again. I am glad that I will be in Sydney when in December the daytime here will shrink to 7 hours.

Midsummer has been celebrated in Slavic and Scandinavian countries as a very special day and a special occasion to dancing, drinking, flirting...

I wonder if this is not dictated by the cold climate and dark winter days. Summer by contrast is so much more special than it is in Australia. The midsummer celebrations are linked to the summer solstice and it was celebrated on the day when Poland was a pagan country. The date of celebrations was changed later for religious reasons to take place two days later at the eve of St John’s day.

The midsummer night was an occasion to find a life partner by the young people who either did not want to marry candidates chosen by elders or did not have anybody selected for them yet.

Young girls were weaving wreaths out of magical herbs and flowers placing a light in the middle. The wreaths were placed on water of  rivers, brooks, creeks and sent down the stream.

                                    

 Young men waited for the wreaths to come their way further down the river.  Their task was to catch a wreath which they particularly liked.  Not all were lucky to catch one, but those who did came back to the girls to find the one whose wreath it was. She was going to be the lucky boy’s wife.

                                      

    

Value of an old friendship

I had a very special visitor for few days. My friend who I met many years ago, at the first uni day.

I come from a rather small town by Polish standards. Inexperienced, unsure of myself going to study in Warsaw, big smoke and big challenge for me. Huge cultural shock. I was provincial and had to catch up. The first day at uni I showed up in a hall full of students. I did not knowing what to do, where to turn and I did not know anyone there. Near me was a pretty girl in a grey suit who smiled at me.  She did not know anyone either. There is love from the first sight, confusing perhaps but it happens. This was something similar – it was a friendship at the first sight. We both managed to get our masters degree at maths but we would be very reluctant to count years of our friendship. We are talking big numbers here.

Barbara and I studied together, laughed a lot together, played bridge especially at the exams time. We shared a lot of interests but we were different, like Sense and Sensibility sisters. She was the Sensibility one. Then we went our separate ways, getting married, Barbara having children and choosing different career streams. I even left the country for many years. The friendship was always there, always important to us even if we would not meet for more than 10 years at a time. We still stayed close in some mysterious way. When we meet we have our jokes, we speak the language which only we understand. We talk shorthand. Looking back, I understand why our old boyfriends were not amused being in our company. They must have felt really out of our conversation. For us though, it was fun.

Barbara just left today, after few days we spent together in Gdansk. This time we had a one year break since the last meeting. When she was here we had the same old fun, we still were saying our updated but still private jokes, and talked our specific language. I feel grateful for having a friend I can trust, rely on, respect, learn from and love. A friend I can meet after many years apart and catch up as no time has passed since the last meeting.

Poland I love, my Poland

We often say „my country”, „My Australia” or it could be any place we love and the place we know from the way back. Childhood, happy times, times of personal growth, typically it is a place of our youth. When I say “my Poland” this is the country I was brought up in. Of course, I think about my childhood with tenderness and nostalgia. I also think about Poland of those times with fondness. At the same time this is not the country of today and not  Poland I love.

Is Poland of today “My Poland” ? Yes, it is more my Poland than the country I remember from the past.

Weekends in Gdansk have proved difficult for me and I decided that I need to make some changes in my weekend routine not to get depressed. Today was time for a new approach and I went to  the Old Town. It is a pleasant  walk through the park with my favourite chestnut tree alley, passing the cranes of Gdansk shipyard and three  crosses of Solidarity. But I will write about it some other time.

 I live next to the Medical University and to my surprise in the small park nearby there was a crowd of people instead of normally empty weekend spaces. The university organised an event for the people of Gdansk to inform about health issues in various medical streams. I have not seen anything like that in the past in Gdansk. Smiling  medical students talking to people of different ages, taking their blood pressure and other more complicated medical tests. A band playing on the stage,  people sitting on the grass, some doing yoga. It may sound normal to an Australian but in Poland this is not a normal view. Some time ago one could not even walk on grass without penalty. And now families sitting down to their picnics! This is Poland I love. Relaxed and caring for its people.

I had lunch in the Old Town in a restaurant called Kokieteria – Coquettish at the bank of Motlawa.  The weather was beautiful, the view as well and not too many tourists yet. In a couple of weeks there will be a continuous stream of people passing by.

 The service was perfect, timely, friendly and knowing their menu very I typically have one glass of wine with my meals but this time the waiter came up to ask – would you care for another glass? - in such a perfect moment that I could not give any other answer than – yes, it would be nice. And it was.

Maybe the salmon was not of the perfect pink colour in terms of My Kitchen Rules judges but risotto made of millet groats was beautifully creamy and well spiced. The crust on the salmon was delightful. I enjoyed the scenery, the food and the chat with Pan Tomasz who was taking care of  my meal and enjoyment  in the restaurant.

Asked if I would like tea or coffee after the meal, I ordered coffee not expecting anything to write home about, after all it was a hotel restaurant. To my surprise my espresso was fantastic, so was the subject  knowledge of Pan Tomasz . He knows about coffee more than many baristas and this is not even his job. And again – This is Poland I love. Friendly and professional.

Talking to Pan Tomasz I found out things about Polish life which is perhaps challenging, but I left believing that the new generation of Poles will make the country really special and successful. And not in too distant future.

This is Poland I love. Giving me hope that the country will be soon a really good place to live.

On my way back home I passed one of many small bridges of Gdansk with locks attached to its lace. The locks were put there by couples in love. I guess they symbolise permanence of their feelings. I wonder what was said and felt by people who decorated the bridge in such a way.  This is Poland I love. A romantic country.

June is a season for strawberries in Poland and Poles are very patriotic about this particular fruit. In Gdansk everybody believes Kashubian strawberries are the best in the world.  Kashuby is this the northern part of Poland.

The fruits are not sold in punnets here. If you want to buy them in a container, you need to buy 2 kg thing like the ones on the picture.

Otherwise you buy them by kilos for about 1- 2 dollars  in season. And again this is Poland I love.  It has fantastic strawberries.

Jacek

Today was my day to work on establishing my coaching business. I had been working on my values, purpose, self-actualisation, strength, natural gifts, passions, contribution and life goals. I came to some conclusions and I was pleased with the results. My life purpose is it to help others to engage in  jobs/occupations leading to self-actualisation.

 Beautiful, isn’t it?

I felt I achieved a lot for the day so I decided to go for a walk.

My contacts with Poland, after many years of hardly visiting the country, re-started nine years ago. It was a different Poland then to what it is now after being a part of EU for nine years. I see it now as an affluent country, sophisticated, cultured, elegant and beautiful in spring. Maybe somewhat bigoted but democratic.

Nine years ago to see a “yesterday’s” men and women in streets was quite common. What I mean by “yesterday’s” describes people making their way home the next day after drinking that much that they could not recollect the time after their last drink and the time they started to make their way home. They looked dishevelled, smelled horrible and their gate was unsteady.  They needed to seek help of nearby fences, walls or more steady people to walk home. The saying “drunk as a Pole” was clearly demonstrated by them.

I thought those times have passed as I have not seen such views in  the last few years. Now I am not that sure anymore. Maybe this is not that visible any more but tragedies of drunken lives still exist.

I met Jacek nine years ago. He was a young man, a boy really. Sweet face, flashed with rather cute blush, smiling broadly and collecting money for the next bottle of something which would help him and his companions forget the reality and maybe even pain of living.  He had a good technique of asking for money and he was rather liked by his benefactors. He would say : Hello boss, would you have a coin, we are collecting for bear (or supper). The wording depended on Jacek’s assessment of the situation . All “ bosses” knew that he was collecting for vodka to buy in the neighbouring shop.

Jacek was never a well boy, I think, he may suffer from tuberculosis. Today I found out that he has epilepsy as well. He would say he has an allergy and today he collects money for medications. Officially, I mean. In reality it is still about alcohol.

I never had friends in Gdansk I could meet in streets so I will always remember how few years ago somebody standing in open door of a tram shouted in my direction : Hello boss, how are you?   Jacek was beaming his friendly smile at me obviously pleased that we met. He was not collecting money at that time. He just liked me and wanted to let me know about it.

As I was walking this afternoon, I thought about him, wondering if he was still alive. I knew that he was not well and that he spent winters in some sort of hostel with medical support but without possibility to drink alcohol. Spring was always his time to return to his old territory and his companions and to have an illusion that he is not alone.

He was standing in his old place, in front of the shop where he could buy bear or vodka to help him forget. He looked older, a bit dirty as he lives in the streets in warmer parts of the year. His smile was not there anymore. I stopped to have a chat. I always liked him and cared for him and never knew how to help him. Maybe he always has been beyond help or maybe I never was capable of loving enough to help him.

Inflation hit him as well. His collection went from 1 zloty nine years ago to 10 today.  I could have given him the money, it is an equivalent of about 3 dollars but I was painfully aware that this is not the way to help him.  I felt awful, a coach who wants to help people to live better lives,  faced with real life problems and wonders what to do: buy some food for the boy or give him some money to further hurt himself. Eventually I bought him cigarettes as the least harmful and possibly attractive to him. Obviously an inadequate solution.

The irony and sadness of the situation overwhelmed me.

Corpus Christi in Gdansk

This is my time to stay few months in Poland so I am preoccupied with Polish ways which are fascinating for me to revisit after so many years thinking of myself as an Australian. Memories from childhood come back and now I can understand some things better than when I was very young. They get new meaning for me. Like Corpus Christi holiday celebrated yesterday in all towns and villages of Poland. I did not pay much attention to the day in the past, I just knew that processions were going through all towns and villages from one altar to the next with believers singing religious songs as they walked behind a priest and his assistance. This time I wanted to know more.

Corpus Christi holiday has been observed  in the Catholic world since 1246. It is a movable holiday taking place on a Thursday, 60 days after Easter.  During the day, in Poland, body of Christ present in consecrated bread is carried ceremoniously through towns in the most beautiful monstrance the place may have. Processions stop at four altars where four fragments of Evangelias connected with Eucharist are read by priests.

Gdansk has a very special monstrance made of amber. This is a piece of art created by M.Drapikowski who lives in Gdansk since 1984. His sacral art is displayed among other European museums also in the Vatican. The Gdansk monstrance is huge, weights 30 kilograms and its pieces of amber are of exceptional beauty, colour and sizes.

                                        

During this year procession, the monstrance was carried by four workers of the Gdansk Shipyard. This had symbolic meaning as the Gdansk Shipyard was the place where the demise of communism started.

                                         

While the main procession took place in the Old Town of Gdansk, there were many local ones organised by smaller churches. Traditionally one of the altars in the part of the town I live in is in front of my house. I can observe the procession and the celebrations at one of the altars from my windows. This is what it looked like this year.

                                 

                               

Henry Strassburger - The Man of Style

I have met Henry many years ago, not long time after I came to Australia. It must have been 1980. At that time we both worked for IBM. Henry as an editor of the IBM magazine THINK and I as a trainee programmer. Very different backgrounds except for Polish roots.  Henry spent in Poland only his first 8 years but he felt some affinity with me, a Polish migrant. I remember being invited to lunch by Henry who introduced me to his friends so I could  feel more at home in the new country. That was the first time I met with Henry and his kindness.

We were not close friends those days, but each time I met Henry it was memorable. Henry loves picnics and as a person with Polish roots he knows and understands about forest mushrooms. I have been invited several times to Henry’s  mushroom picking parties and picnics. The Sutton forest was a perfect place for that. One could find Boletus mushrooms there.

This is how Boletus mushrooms look like

In European forests there are many types of wilde mushrooms and one has to know how to recognise edible from poisonous ones. Henry knew his Boletus  and I  also was considered an expert having some wild mushrooms picking  experience from my childhood.

There is a story about Henry bringing forest mushrooms to a home of his friends and insisting on preparing a meal out of them. He was given a reluctant permission but nobody was game to try the special dish. Henry was the only person in the company who, after elaborate preparations, ate the meal. The rest of the company watched him with real concern, looking for first signs of Henry being poisoned. There was an emergency number and a phone ready to use in case of decline in Henry’s wellbeing. Of course, Henry was in no danger and any Pole would understand that. The story had a happy ending and convinced some Australians that there are edible mushrooms in forests.

I have to add that any mushrooms picked by Henry had to be presented in friendly kitchens or in picnic environment on fronds of forest ferns. After all Henry is a man of style.

Forest ferns for mushroom presentation

One of many Henry’s talents and interests is cooking. And I mean this is serious cooking and serious interest. Henry was one of  the members of a very elitist group called Escoffier Society in IBM. The group was named after Auguste Escoffier.

Georges Auguste Escoffier

(pronounced [ʒɔʁʒ ɔɡyst ɛskɔfje]; 28 October 1846 – 12 February 1935) was a French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer who popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods. He is a legendary figure among chefs and gourmets, and was one of the most important leaders in the development of modern French cuisine. Much of Escoffier's technique was based on that of Marie-Antoine Carême, one of the codifiers of French haute cuisine, but Escoffier's achievement was to simplify and modernize Carême's elaborate and ornate style. Referred to by the French press as roi des cuisiniers et cuisinier des rois ("king of chefs and chef of kings"^[1]—though this had also been previously said of Carême), Escoffier was France's preeminent chef in the early part of the 20th century.

 

The gentlemen  met monthly for a dinner cooked by the members, wines were carefully selected to accompany dishes in a most appropriate way. After each dinner a general discussion on merits of each of the dishes was held and their contributors were either leaving in full glory or promising themselves to do much better the next time. I must add that the group was active in the 80ties. They were precursors of professional business man cooking for fun.

It may be easy to understand that each time I was inviting Henry to dinner I was close to a nervous breakdown.  But Henry is a very kind man and I never found out from him about shortcomings of my cooking.

Henry cooking for his friends

There are many stories about Henry and his  elegant and original style. I will continue telling them for a while. So stay tuned.

Why I like and respect the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

I have written this post a long time ago and it turned out to be my most frequently read post. I understand that the reason for its popularity is Mr. Tusk rather than my insightful writing. It would be nice to get any comments from my readers, critical or complimentary. 

Today is the time of local election in Poland. Won by Mr. Tusk's party opposition. I hope this is not going to turn into a problem for Poland some time from now. It is time for change in Poland, of course and I will be watching from afar with keen interest and best wishes for my country of origin. I am also curious how Mr. Tusk career will develop on the international ground. And I hope he will make a positive mark on European politics. He  is definitely capable of that.

Some time ago while talking to one of my Australian friends, Polish Prime Minister came into the conversation. I like Donald Tusk and to me he is the best Polish politician in the last years. I was asked to justify my opinion; this was an unfamiliar territory for me. I tried to answer and made complete mess out of my argument. I did not convince of merits of Polish Prime Minister as an outstanding politician.

 My old uni professors Miss Szmuszkowicz (aren’t Polish names fascinating?) would think – that's right, I thought Anna wouldn’t know such things. Before one of the exams she expressed her view that I did not look like one who can know much and certainly not about analysis in maths. Presumably I represented a blond image. I did pass the exam though. Regarding Donald Tusk I gave a really dumb answer: He is handsome, 56 years old and plays soccer. When I ponder on what I said, I am amazed how I could come up with such a line and not much more else. As an excuse I might say that many journalists would voice similar opinion not adding much more.

Feeling bad about not giving Donald Tusk justice I want to try again as I really admire the man.

He is all of that what I had said. To me it is important even on reflection. His age tells you that he is experienced and at the same time young enough to stay in politics for a while.

Handsome and cultural is also positive in politics, the first impression and image is important. There is still some stigma attached to Eastern European countries. This will change if the countries are no longer represented by Nikita Khrushchev look alike. You may still remember him accentuating arguments with help of shoe banging in the United Nations.

.

Poland is sometimes painted with the same brush even if such type of behaviour among Eastern politicians is well in the past and Donald Tusk stands out among European politicians as a true statesman in many respects.

He has a good presence, he has energy and experience. He is intelligent, very sharp, extremely good speaker – relaxed, friendly manners, open, respectful of others, polite. He comes across as a genuine and honest man. This maybe only is an impression, he is a politician after all, but in my opinion he is convincing even that way.

                        

What particularly impressed me about the Prime Minister was his behaviour after the tragedy of 2010 when 96 Polish politicians and the plane crew died in the air crush near Smolensk, Russia. The Prime Minister was everywhere where he was needed, visibly moved but composed, supporting in an exceptional way families of those who died. I will always remember the coffins coming to the Warsaw airport, placed on the runway where they were individually farewelled by Donald Tusk. It lasted hours and it was tremendously sad and moving. Donald Tusk had something warm and personal to say about each of the departed people. His enemies were addressed with the same warmth and respect as his friends. This is long forgotten and distorted by the opposition, he is even unjustly considered to be responsible for the death of the 96 people.

The following positives of Polish situation I attribute to the current government and leadership of Donald Tusk.

Poland has not been much affected by the economical crises in Europe and so far came through with increased gross national product.

The foreign politics with respect to Germany and Russia has improved significantly and the relationship with France moved up another level with Polish President even being a part of celebrations in Paris of WWII Victory in Europe as equal to President Hollande.

                         

In the last few points I am really out of my depth and would not like to confabulate.

I would like to say that I feel more proud of being associated with Poland since Donald Tusk took over the government of the country.

I am afraid that this will be the last term of the Donald Tusk and his government. Maybe after 8 years it is time to move on to take an important role in EU. Many say that this is on the cards.