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POLSKA 93


Our journey to Poznan was to begin at Baltimor&s BWI Airport. but a last-minute change by KLM caused us to board at Dulles, many miles away. We planned for two days in Amsterdam and then a train ride to Antwerp, where we were met by Ronny van Waardhuizen. After a very pleasant overnight stay at Ronny and Alice’s beautiful home, we started out on the 8-hour motor trip to Poznan. Betty sent the sandwiches and drinks up to the driver and navigater and we made it with only one pit stop. On the beltway near Berlin, Ronny pointed out the original concrete Autobahn that was built in the 1930’s. Still in use, after sixty years! (in our country, the concrete is designed to give up after five years, requiring bi-annual layers of asphalt.

Traffic moved smoothly until we neared the Polish border. The photo shows both the concrete roadway and the lines of cars and trucks. The latter represented cargo from all over Europe, and we were told that a two-day wait is not unusual for trucks. However, the private cars were allowed to move quickly after construction on a German bridge ended, and the Polish border guard wasn’t even interested in seeing passports. Within another couple of hours, we were in Poznan. What are Polish roads like9 In most cases, they are well-paved two-lane types, with a small bicycle/horsecart/passing lane on either side. Some radar speed guns were apparent, and it is wise to keep within the limits. One question was, with such stringent drunk-driving laws in effect, how could there be a road house bar every mile or so? But there are.

In the city,we stopped at the Orbis Poznan to inquire about a B&B type lodging, and, with help from Ronny’s stamp-dealer friend from Warsaw, Mark Staskiewicz, we were soon bouncing in a

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 80 - July - August - September - 1993, Page 15.