[Leica] Nathan's PAW 41 & 42: Poland

[dlridings at gmail.com (Daniel Ridings)]

Nathan,

I've always appreciated your PAW's and their introduction to places
I've not been to, or your take on places that I have been to.

This one is no exception. Probably because I have a strong desire to
visit Poland. I didn't make it to Krakow this summer, but I'll be
going there later as a guest to a friend. She lives here in Sweden,
but comes from Krakow.

Also makes me consider carrying my digital around more ... :-)

Best,
Daniel

On 10/24/05, Nathan Wajsman <nathan.wajsman@planet.nl> wrote:
> I took a brief trip to Poland earlier this month, and as it spanned both
> weeks 41 and 42 (and I took a lot of pictures), I can get some mileage
> from it by covering two weeks' worth of PAW. All of the images here were
> made with my newly acquired Canon 1D Mark II. Lenses and speeds are
> noted as always below the thumbnails table.
>
> WEEK 41
>
> For week 41, I give a selection from Wroclaw, the city where I was born
> and where my sister lives. My sister lives in the tall 60s-era apartment
> blocks at the end of this street close to the city center:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41.jpg
>
> This is Ostrow Tumski, site of the city's cathedral and numerous other
> church buildings:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt1.jpg
>
> This is the view from my sister's balcony. The open air bazar in the
> foreground has been there forever; it was there also during Communist
> times. But soon it must give way to the new Poland, as a big shopping
> center is being constructed right behind it:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt2.jpg
>
> Just outside the open air market, a vendor who is not able to or does
> not want to pay the fee for having an official stall, is setting up shop
> on the sidewalk:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt3.jpg
>
> Another symbol of the new Poland: yet another advertising billboard is
> being put up:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt4.jpg
>
> Poland had parliamentary and presidential elections during the past
> couple of months, and the city is full of political billboards. Those
> parties unwise enough to buy billboards at street level suffered various
> indignities, since politicians are not held in high esteem in Poland.
> Here is one for a left-wing populist party. The original text reads "A
> man with character" but through one simple addition someone has turned
> it into "A man with the character of a moron":
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt5.jpg
> And here is somewhat more primitive political commentary:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt6.jpg
>
> Finally, a couple of children looking at the fountain on Wroclaw's
> beautiful central square, Rynek:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_41alt7.jpg
>
> WEEK 42
>
> My theme for week 42 is the strong influence of the Catholic Church.
> Poland is easily the most religious country in Europe, comparable to the
> Deep South in the US, and the Catholic church is probably the strongest
> social force in the country.
>
> Here is Wroclaw's cathedral as seen at sunset from my sister's balcony:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42.jpg
>
> Religious symbols are everywhere, such as this cross in front of an
> apartment building:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42alt1.jpg
>
> We went for a drive and happened across this procession. They were on
> their way to a small town called Trzebnica which was celebrating some
> religious event. The distance they were walking was 20 km:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42alt2.jpg
>
> We drove on to the town. The Poles may be very religious, but they are
> also very commercially oriented, so of course there was a market. The
> late Pope was everywhere:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42alt3.jpg
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42alt4.jpg
>
> Another shot from the market, traditional Polish bread rolls:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42alt5.jpg
>
> And to finish off the series, this is the central square of Milicz,
> another small town near Wroclaw, renowned for its fish ponds:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/paw/2005/2005_42alt6.jpg
>
> The complete PAW index is at:
> http://www.nathanfoto.com/indexpaw2005.html
> and comments and critique are always welcome and appreciated.
>
> Nathan
> --
> Nathan Wajsman
> Almere, The Netherlands
>
> General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com
> Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com
> Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman
> http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507
> Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com
>
>
>
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