Celebrating Maria's birthday in Polish southern country-side by her favorite activity : eat, eat and eat

Feeling not enough time to enjoy Krakow move, we went back to Katowice to meet Beata to go to her parents' village house in southern Poland. We like village life a lot because of natural scenery, natural food, slow pace and ethnicity. This trip is a good celebration of Maria's birthday. It's worth the effort of detour.

We took the train together from Katowice to Pszczyna ("pis-Si-na", we were laughed at by finding it so difficult to pronounce that presumably one vowel word), where we met her father Jaroslaw. He was very friendly and could speak English well. On our way to the village we brought some food in the supermarket  as we like to make some Chinese dishes; also went to home renovation store where Jaroslaw bought some material for the village home. He was the home improvement guy, and enjoys it a lot.

He was so nice to bring us to Zywiec beer brewery. It had been owned by the Hapsburg family and now still running after two centuries. We knew how to make beer but enjoy seeing their set-up of the old streets and old bar, with old-styled bowling that the kids were crazy at playing. I was concerned why children went for beer tour (just like San Miguel beer tour visited by kids in Hong Kong); wouldn't that encourage alcoholism ? At the end we could drink the beer, I like the clear briskness. When we left the brewery it was raining very heavily (after a long week of hot weather, including the hottest day of the season). 

After another hour of car journey we finally got over some rugged road and arrived the village house near the border town Zwardon. We were welcomed by the favorite German Shepard Rex. Beata's mother Marione and grandmother Kristina treated us nice warm soup for the rainy cold night. 

We had a room by ourselves at the top of the house. It was cozy and comfortable.

In the next morning we had our first breakfast viewing the foggy mountains (we were either lucky or unlucky to see that unclear view at that time). Also we had a good look of the living and kitchen. Kristina was making meatball for dinner the other night. Tonight we made dinner.

After lunch we went out for a short walk, it was foggy around. We did not do much walk and came back to the house quickly. It was good to be wet with the hope that there may be some mushrooms.

In that evening we made our Chinese dishes, including their favorite sweet and sour pork (shanghai style). We also had campfire. On Sunday morning we went to church. It was a great sunny day and also Maria's birthday. She got a bunch of flowers and a pair of thick socks, a good present for her because all her socks were thin and short. 

Her favorite birthday activity came, we went around the forest to pick and eat blackberries along the way. We picked a lot that we later made a berry sauce for steam buns. Rex was a bit put off by our enthusiasm and did not want to walk that far with us. We had to keep giving him encouragement and rest so he could work on. He was a city dog and felt more comfortable lying at home.

The next morning we left with good memories and hoped that one day we could come again and visit this beautiful countryside.

Top five attraction in Katowice, Poland

We love exploring cities without tourists and Katowice is a place skipped by most guidebook. Our couchsurfing friends took us around during our 3 days' stay and we are happy to explore something special about this small city.

1) Miners Quarter

There is a small town called Nikiszowiec where miners used to live and the windows are distinguished by a yellow frame. You will then know, they are miners. In the residential complex itself, they are all brick buildings with red frames, where artists move in, and brides take pictures with.

 

2) gallery near miners quarter - Galeria Szyb Wilson

The miners are actually talented artists. The gallery displayed artwork by amateur artists, including talented miners. 

3) stadium that played third encounter music at 7pm every evening

In the city centre, there is a stadium playing "the five notes" of the movie "Close encounter of the third kind" every evening. My friend didn't realized what it was until they talked about this familiar tune.

 

4) horrible Le Corbuersier high rise complex for 2000 residence

I am a big fans of organic design, like Gaudi, Hunderwasser. Le Corbuersier had this aweful high rise complex built in the middle of the city to suffocate individualism, this kind of compacted high rise apartment is also a characteristic of the once communistic society and a mark of horror to me.

5) bar area - 

drinking in the street is illegal but there are bar area which is popular to this university town. youngsters would be sitting near the square for a drink and hide their bottle if a police pass by. Polices are known to prosecute those who drink in the street and deliberately avoid big guys street fighting on the other end!