Ania and Staszek Stosur in their home in Tarnow. Ania is modeling one of Rita's saris.
Edward & Dana drove us to Staszek's home in Tarnow, and we all visited for a while before they had to leave for the return trip. Staszek's flat (what I would call an apartment or, since he owns it, a condo) has been remodeled since I last saw it 10 years ago, and it seems much larger than I remember. It is about 600 square feet consisting of kitchen, bathroom, study (which doubles as Andy's room) and livingroom (which doubles as Staszek & Ania's room). I understand this is a common size, and I believe Poles are more social than most Americans and are comfortable in what we would consider close quarters. When Roman & Staszek visited me in New Hampshire in the 1980's we gave them each their own room, but they chose to move a 2nd bed into the smaller of the two rooms and share it (the room, not the bed).
Ania and Staszek's son Andy, who was 14 when I last visited, is working full time, and also going to school full time with all his classes crammed into the weekends. On the occasions when he was home, he helped with the more difficult English/Polish translations.
Edward, Staszek, Rita, Dana, Andy (Ania & Staszek's son), and Ania enjoy a snack at Staszek's home.
On Tuesday, we visited the 700-year-old Wieliczca salt mine, then toured the countryside including Nowy Sacz and Krynica, the most popular mountain health resort in Poland.
On Wednesday, we set out for Solinskie Lake by way of the Petroleum Industry Museum. Rita and I spent the day Thursday at a resort in Rajskie where we enjoyed the woods and lake, while Staszek attended a conference. On Friday Staszek gave us a tour of the Bieszczady Mountains in extreme southeast Poland, then we returned to Tarnow and a visit to Staszek & Ania's garden. On Friday night we walked around downtown Tarnow and Staszek helped me find a barber shop where I got my hair cut and my beard trimmed, all for 10 zloty (about $2.50). Staszek, Ania, and Rita sat nearby and supervised the operation - my biggest audience ever for a haircut.
On Saturday, Staszek drove us across the border into Slovakia where we toured along the southern edge of the Tatra Mountains. On the way home we stopped at a war memorial in a rural park consisting of a wind organ and a dedication plaque.
On Sunday we said our goodbyes to Staszek and Ania, and they took us to the Tarnow station where we boarded the train for Wroclaw.
Rita, Ania, and Allen at the Tarnow railroad station.
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Page last updated May 02, 2004