Supraśl, Podlasie, Poland.

There is a pretty little town in Podlasie, it is right next to the capital of the region Białystok, it is called Supraśl (pron. soo-pra-shal). One of the main reasons I like this town other than the oak walk, the pretty buildings and the general idyllic scenery, is the shocked monastery.... shocked monastery? Scroll down, you'll see what I mean. Anthropomorphism at its peak :D

A normal every day style church.

What I call the surprised monastery, surely it is saying "OH!", no?

In this photo it looks like its hands are raised, maybe it is being held up for all its money.

I do like paint peeling.

This is a school, if you can believe it.... compared to some of the state schools we see this is darned impressive.

The lady of the school.

A tough looking walrus.

Being out east the town has some more Orthodox influence.

Eaglet

Street side houses.

The cinema and a nice little restaurant.

Signals for the oak walk where you can follow the trail of some really old beautiful oaks.

A local version of Kiszka ziemniaczana or potato sausage

Tykocin, Podlasie, Poland.

Tickling Tykocin. Tykocin (pronounced ti-ko-chin) is a village/town in Podlasie on the lovely Narew river. It was once a thriving town of around 4,000 people and half of this was a Jewish shtetel (the West side of town). You can read more about them here. After the war, as one can imagine, this town had lost a great many of its population. The Baroque style synagogue is one of the best preserved in Poland and is from the mid 17th Century. It has a tragic history, like much of Poland, but today the town is growing back into a tourism location based on Jewish past as well as the surrounding nature.

The second building with a low roof was a typical shape of a Jewish merchant house in Poland around the 18th/19th Century. You can see these buildings all over Poland, especially in the towns of Podlaskie

The view from the window of our restaurant Galeria Sztuki i Smaku "Opowieści z Narwi "

A podpiwek (pre-beer, meaning a non-alcoholic fermented drink) it is often made as part of the beer making process.

Fried river white bait

Pike with a herb sauce and buckwheat

Perch on spinach

Amazing fresh water lobster pasta!

The bridge over the Narew

The "fake" castle as some locals call it. A re-built castle run as a hotel and function centre based on an original castle that once stood there.

A symbol of the area, the white stork migrates to Podlaskie every year to have babies and then return southwards.

The aforementioned synagogue 

It still needs a little love.

The fields around the area were full of hay bales. Always a fun photograph.

Country bits.

Another trip to the "East side" of Poland. A place that always seems to have been positively changing for 7 years now, even though the living standard, apparently, hasn't improved. Don't tell that to all the BMW, Audi and Volvo drivers out there though. So let's have a look at nature instead.

It is wildflower time!

burdocks to the left of me, burdocks to the right. Stuck in the basket by you.

A quiet country lane.

fun clouds at sunset

pretty flappy friends

home of some bird song

Listen to the birdsong in the above not so fantastic video :)

It is hard to capture the beauty of wildflowers.

Sad fallen bark.

barnset.

down comes the sun on another quick trip.

Happy midsommer - Szczęśliwej nocy swiętojańskej

Midsummer is upon us, so celebrate with flowers and fun. Traditionally the women would make wianki (floral wreaths) from wild flowers. Other traditions include bonfires, which you dance around and jump over to give wishes. For the unmarried womenfolk their wreaths would be floated on a river, often with a candle in the centre. If the wreaths went quickly it meant you would be married soon if they bumped into another wreath this was also a positive sign.

Barszcz with the family.

then wreath making

The flowers were collected from our own łąka (meadow) which is normally harvested for hay for the animals.

some local pixies

all the inhabitants were interested

I do love the colours of Polish wildflowers, and the best thing is that they even pop up in town.

everyone gets involved

Bacchus visited

I declare, wreaths for all.

Then it is always important to round off any celebrations with a firm drink. A mixture of ginger ale, lemon balm, mint, lime and dark rum hit the spot.