Toruń On the map of Poland

Regulary is asked where Toruń is situated on the

<-------Polish map.

Follow the arrow and you see it above the name of the country: Polska

Toruń Dutch flag

During my stay in Poland I hardly think of Holland.

But when I was going to the centre of Toruń I saw a walking Dutch flag - red white blue- in front of me.

Her friend shall not be aware that she wears the colours of the flag of Finland :)

Indeed, why should she....

Toruń Renovation Szeroka

In 2008 the local government started the renovation of Szeroka.

The renovation should be finished at the end of 2008.

The project overruns now months and months.

Timeconsuming was also the time that archeologists needed to search for traces when suddenly workmen encountered a big part of the castle that has been built by the Teutonic knights.

Toruń Popiełuszko

Yesterday was Fr. Jerzy's name's day!

Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko was killed 25 years ago by the communists in the neighbourhood of Torun in the direction of Włocławek.

In Toruń a memorial stone, that is visited by a lot of people, is erected.

Popiełuszko was a staunch anti-communist, and in his sermons, interwove spiritual exhortations with political messages, criticizing the Communist system and motivating people to protest.

During the period of martial law, the Catholic church was the only force that could voice protest comparatively openly, with the regular celebration of Mass presenting opportunities for public gatherings in churches.

The Służba Bezpieczeństwa arrested him in 1983, but he was released on intervention of the clergy and received amnesty.

A car accident was set up to kill Jerzy Popiełuszko on October 13, 1984, but he escaped it.
On October 19 1984 he was kidnapped and murdered by Security Police officers.

His body was dumped in the Wisla Water Reservoir near Włocławek and found on October 30, 1984

Toruń Eastern

Like this an Easter table may look like.

Eastern is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.

It requires a complicated calculation to predict when Eastern will fall.

That’s why it is easier to say that Eastern falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring.
Next year, in 2010, it will be the 4th of March.

He….. that’s not after March 21 when spring starts!
That's right. At March 21 starts the astronomic spring. The calculation of Eastern however is based on the meteorological calendar and that means that spring is from March 1 till the end of May.

Toruń Easter basket

One of the traditions around Eastern is the blessing of the Easter basket on Easter Saturday.
The idea behind it is that the people celebrate the end of the fast period.

A small basket is filled with at least an egg, bread, salt, and a polish sausage.
You can add other food that you like to eat at breakfast like sweets, ham and whatever you like.

Then the children and elder people go to the church what is always a nice sight, seeing people from all directions with their decorated baskets.

In the church a priest blesses the baskets with holy water.
Mostly there are several shifts, often every half an hour.

The tradition is that all family members start the Easter breakfast by eating
something out of the blessed basket before they continue to eat the rest of their tasteful breakfast.

Toruń Urząd Skarbowy

The office of the tax authorities in Torun is called the Urząd Skarbowy, in the Szosa Chełmińska street close to the centre.

As in many countries, also in Poland the tax form, called PIT, has to be filled in before the first of April. That's a time of stress and caculating :).

From the income tax 1% will be used for a good cause that you can mention on your tax form. The other 99% goes to the national government :(

Toruń Lunch

If I am in Toruń I really like to have lunch at the Queensland Cafe in the shopping centre Dom Towarowy.

Especially if I have the opportunity to sit near the window and have a look down at the Copernicus statue which is the main meeting point of the city.

My favorite lunch here is tosti and cappuccino. Simple, quick and tasty. And it looks more tasty by the beautiful light on the table.

Toruń Prison Okrąglak

Almost at the corner of the Fosa Staromiejska and Piekary street is a lamp-post with signs with the names of five of the many hotels in Toruń.
The signs point to the direction in which the hotels are situated.

It’s strange that one "hotel" is not mentioned, namely the ”hotel” that you see behind the signs. It’s the Toruń “Government Hotel” :) or better the city prison, built in the XIX century.

In 1992 the prison, called Okrąglak for it has been built like a rotunda, was renovated and

after that still in use.

Before the renovation I have seen how women and children had contact with the prisoners during their break. By sign language and screaming they bridged the distance between the high windows of the prison and the street. Slanging matches seemed to take the best part of the time.

Nowadays the windows are hermetically closed and that is the end of the lively street theatre.

Toruń Nieuwjaar / New Year 2009

No better start for the New Year then this picture on Stary Rynek in Toruń.

Geen mooiere start voor het Nieuwe Jaar dan deze foto op de Stary Rynek in Torun.

This blog will mainly be updated when I am in Toruń

Deze blog zal voornamelijke bijgewerkt worden wanneer ik in Toruń ben.