I love ethnic music and this is the reason why I’m so happy that my hometown organises a music festival every year. Last year was fun, and the year before too so I’d say that Ethnoport is a great event in my calendar and an important music festival on Europe music festival’s map. Let’s have a look at this year’s 10th edition of this festival. Mari Boine – A Norwegian from Lapland She is famous. She is admired. She is good. It was not her first time in Poland so some people are familiar with her music. Mari uses a traditional Lappish singing technique called joik which is meant to evoke a person, animal or plant. Mari and other traditional artists sing not ‘about something’ but ‘something’. They sing ‘the tree’ not ‘about the tree’. It touches deeply the Lappish tradition and it is hard to explain. In any case, her voice is beautiful. I especially enjoyed the songs with little mastering and modern elements. Her voice and the traditional drum was more than enough. Unfortunately, many songs sounded very modern and detached from the deep north traditional singing. The listeners loved her effort to read the title of every song in Polish. Well done! Maniucha & Ksawery – Traditional Music from Polesie This was the best concert of this edition. Maniucha and Ksawery are two exceptional musicians. He is a bassist with an amazing imagination and a great intuition. She is an anthropologist and she spent a few years driving around Ukraine, searching for the old traditional music in order to register it. She found a small village called Kurczyca where few old ladies sang the traditional songs about marriage, funeral, maternity, changing seasons, about life really. Her story reminds me my own adventure with Luiza – an Italian lady who taught me the traditional cooking. Anyway, Maniucha got friendly with the ladies and she spent some time on registering the songs and practising singing. On her CD Maniucha explains that she practised as long as the ladies said: “yes, you can sing this one”, and she felt as she was given the song and from now on she can share it with the public. Her voice is sweet and deep. It recalls the history and old legends. I enjoyed not only the music and songs in Ukrainian language but most of all their story. I find it deeply inspiring to know that there are people all over the world who are interested in traditional music and make an effort to save it for the next generation. I love the idea of passing the knowledge, skills and stories from one generation to another and as my and Maniucha’s examples show it goes beyond the family ties. If we really love the people, their story and the music, the sky is the limit. Iva Bittova & Cikori – Performance from the US Directly after the concert by Maniucha&Ksawery, the concert by Czech musicians living in the US was much less impressive. I found it odd and awkward. Iva Bittova is widely known for her jazz performances but I haven’t found it appealing. Dakhabrakha – The Ukrainian Power Last but not least, three Ukrainian Ladies: Iryna, Nina and Olena with one Gentleman Marko created an amazing show, something on the edge of the popular music with a strong presence of traditional melodies. The basic instruments here were drums and loud ones. Every song was accompanied by a sharp rhythm that was so loud I felt it in my stomach. People around were enthusiastic and quickly started dancing. The voices of these three girls were not as sweet as Maniucha’s but it still gave an impression of the Ukrainian folk music. Along with very particular dresses and charming smiles, this concert was enjoyable. All in all, I had a great time. If you love ethnic music Ethnoport in Poznan is the best place for you! Consider coming next year and join us. The music and especially folk music is a fantastic adventure. Disclosure: all pictures were taken with my phone, apologies for low quality.  

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Music is an important element of the culture, no doubts about it. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy participating in various music festivals all over the world. The festival I’m introducing you to today is even more special: not only it promotes aesthetic values but most of all it protects the heritage of the region that I come from. This is also why this post is published under ‘Home City’ category rather than the general one. The Story This festival, called Musica Sacromontana, has been established only 10 years ago and there is an important motive behind. Let me start with a short description of the place, where the festival takes place. The Basilique is run by the fathers of The Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri and it is dated back the sixteenth century. The new sanctuary was approved by the bishop of Poznań then (Lubrański), and in the following centuries, the place played an important role in the life of the region, becoming a prominent center of the St. Mary worshiping and the musical archive. Making the long story short, this place of worship survived against the odds until the middle of the seventeenth century when the parish was given to the monks from the Congregation of St. Philip Neri, who has been known and still are, as the great supporters of music and liturgical songs. The turbulent history of this place is fascinating to me mainly because it shows what my country and my region went through in the last 300 years. This was a tireless effort of the local aristocracy and ordinary people in supporting the construction of the church and the monastery. It was against the wars, conflicts, plagues and a variety of other adversities. I love reading about it because I like to believe that my ancestors were brave, wise and determined in order to establish a place to develop their culture and faith. The disaster came with the Prussian Partition. The Prussians shut the place down. The Music Before the confiscate of the order in this place in 1876, the members of the congregation supported by the wealthy people of the region successfully collected an impressive archive of the musical works. The local library held a substantial collection of sacral music scripts of a great value. With the Prussian invasion, almost all of them got lost. Just as our favorite writer J.R.R. Tolkien says: “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost“. It took almost 150 years until musicians and monks started recovering the scripts. It takes a huge effort and great organizational skills to search for the collection scattered in libraries throughout Europe. The Importance The association called Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Muzyki Swiętogórskiej im. Józefa Zeidlera established about ten years ago runs a large-scale research in Polish ecclesiastical archives and European libraries in order to recover the scripts and scores and bring them back to Gostyń. Some of the pieces found are of a great value. Along this difficult research, a wonderful idea of a festival came to life. Every year the audience of this festival is privileged to listen to one of the recently found scores. The works of this association are especially focused on one of the composers connected with the place: Józef Zeidler. His concerts, litanies, vespers, and other works are examples of classical music of the highest level. This is the reason why the association and the festival are of great importance to this area, the local culture and the history of the whole country. People who work in this association make an effort to save our heritage, or better say, the small pieces that were left. The festival Sacromontana has been enthusiastically received by the critics and throughout the years it was awarded by a variety of institutions in Poland and abroad (Srebrny Mikrofon Radia Merkury in 2007, Fryderyk in 2008 for The Best Album of Choral and Oratory Music, Les Orphées d’Or de l’Académie du Disque lyrique in 2015, and many others). The Concert Quite possibly you might think that the classical music is boring, and in worse case scenario, you might completely neglect it saying it is much too difficult to enjoy. I’m not going to argue it is otherwise. Indeed, to enjoy the classical music you need a certain background and experience. This is the reason why you should come to this festival. Musica Sacromontana gives you a smooth introduction to classical music. If you have never listened to classical music before this it a very good place to start. The association makes an effort in preparing a well-balanced repertoire and the musicians invited are excellent. The music played in this concert was easy to listen. It all started with three pieces by Górecki, followed by a lovely Divertimento by Mozart and concluded with Mass D-dur by Zeidler. Don’t get discouraged by the fancy names! This music is full of harmony. You will find there some strong emotions, but the classical music makes them easy to understand and experience. It is very suggestive and powerful which guarantees an evening full of excitement. Eventually, classical music is an important part of the European heritage and if you have never listened to any classical concert you miss quite a large part of the European culture. Here is my advice: if you wish to listen to the classical concert played by the celebrities in an outstanding environment, Musica Sacromontana festival is the best place to start. There is a free entrance to all concerts and the festival is organized annually in the last weekend of September and the first weekend of October. Save the date! My Experience I was lucky and I feel privileged: not only I lived in a big city with all cultural commodities but also my parents were smart enough to introduce these values to me in a very early age. For me, every concert of the classical music I listen to brings wonderful memories. I remember that an evening at the opera or a concert hall was a...

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Last Sunday, I spent at a music festival in Poznan called Ethnoport. This festival, organized for the 8th time, is focused on a promotion of ethnic music from all over the world. Every time, the organization committee is very successful in getting involved the musicians from a variety of countries who are experts in their ethnic music. I had a wonderful time at this festival last year so when the time came I bought a one day ticket. I’ve learned few important things at this festival that I wish to share with you. You don’t need to travel to see the world This might sound controversial, but it is he truth! Depending on where you live there are thousands of initiatives that bring the world to you. From food festivals, through street theatre ending with music festivals. So many of us simply cannot move around because of work or family businesses and there are plenty of opportunities to see the world close to you. Poznan city is quite successful in creating a good climate so artists from distant places come and visit us. I urge you to get involved in your local initiatives! Just to give you one word of encouragement I’ll tell you a story. Last year I walked the Camino. For over two weeks, I walked through three regions in the north of Spain: Castille and Leon, Asturias and Galicia. One may think that walking slowly a certain area will bring you close to the people and the culture of this area. And, generally speaking, it is the truth: the slower you go the closer you get, but in a case of the Camino the situation was different. A status of a pilgrim somehow excludes you from an extensive contact with the country. A few elements of culture, like local food, gets to you but as you are focused on a pilgrimage per se, learning the country is limited. I walked the Camino and I haven’t had any opportunity to listen to a traditional music. I eventually listened to it…in Poznan! Ethnoport brought a traditional band from Galicia – one of the regions I walked through. And for the first time I listened to this amazing sounds! Ethnic music is touching No matter from which country the band comes from, the traditional music is deeply touching. I find it hard to explain, but being exposed to a variety of ethnic music for the whole day (5 concerts in a row) I got the impression that this music is authentic. And through its authenticity it touches you at a very deep level. The tempo, the rhythm, and the melody combined together in a simple song tells you a lot about people who created it. Ethnicity through music is easy to experience. Stories, dances, instruments – it is all strictly connected to the region where it comes from. I felt wonderful at a concert by Máirtín O’Connor Band from Ireland. The musicians were talking about their homeland and for me this was very special because I went to this region twice and I loved it! A traditional Irish music is so joyful that people left their chairs and started dancing. For the artists, this was an amazing view and it looked like we all had fun.  Human body is the best music instrument It is interesting to watch the original instruments brought by artists. Some of them were created in a very specific conditions and are unique. The most common instrument, however, is a human body. If you listen to the sounds that artists are able to make, you will be stunned. My personal favorite is throat overtone singing. It is spread in Asia and in many other countries so I find it amusing that so many people were singing it for so long! Practical issues Did I convince you to participate Ethnoport in Poznan? Well, if I did I hope you’ll join us next year. The festival is organized annually at the beginning of June so save the date! The best way to experience the world music to the fullest is to stay at the festival for the whole day. I spent a Sunday there and listened to as many as 5 concerts, but I think it was worthy! If you need any precise information about the festival or if you wish to share your experience comment this post below. What is your way to learning the world when you are not traveling?   

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Ladies and gentlemen! From now on I am officially a marathon runner! I made it. I completed the full distance of 42 km 195 meters. Running (sort of). And here is how I did it. Good Start As you well remember I completed a half – marathon last June. I continued the training throughout the summer and was pretty well prepared before the main run. On Sunday, October 12, I was at the starting line of the 15th Poznań Marathon. The excitement just before the start was all over the place. Over 7,000 runners were squeezed in one of the main streets of the city. Every participant had a number on his T-shirt and smile on his face. Some runners were already running well before the official beginning, warming up, laying down, drinking water, covering their body with a plastic bag (I was told it was a good way to warm up), listening to the music, discussing strategy with a stranger: it looked like a huge and very busy crowd. Finally, the race began. It took me almost 5 minutes to even cross a start line! Slowly, the street was less and less crowded and each of runners could find a space and rhythm. At 6th kilometer there was a very attractive thing to do: we all run across the football stadium! First 10 km were just fine. Until a well known to all runners guest came: Mr Crisis. Crisis It is still not clear to me what mistake I made. I suddenly realized how hard I was breathing, I couldn’t find my favorite pace and before 14th kilometer started I felt completely exhausted. The music on my mp3 didn’t do any good and I felt confused and angry. It was so bad I thought about quitting.  For next 10 kilometers! A real struggle. Eventually, I switched the music off and using my recent experience from camino I focused on the nearest kilometer. 6 minutes and 40 seconds, 1000 meters – this was a distance I was able to focus on. And it finally helped me to find my pace. Until another well known element of each long distance run occurred: pain. I’m Turning Into Pain… la, la, la. After crossing the important point of 21km, which is half of the marathon distance and before reaching another important milestone of 30 km my joints and muscles were hurting quite badly. I stopped once to get help from medic he was kind enough to spray my knees and kill the pain. For a while, at least. What a relief! Slowly, however, every inch of my body hurt. And it was even worse when I stopped! So the only way to deal with this pain was to continue the run!  By the time of half distance all runners were helping each other: positives messages were flying around. “You can do it! It’s not that far! The finish line is just around the corner.” And my favorite banner carried by the fans was saying: “And you could have chosen chess!“. Well, I could have but I didn’t. And so I was running. I had two amazing men with me: my husband and my dad. At some point their encouragement was the only thing I could stick to. We run this marathon together and this was a real team work. Nicely done, boys! Finish Line After over 5 hours I finally crossed a finish line. I was crying like a baby out of joy I finally made it! The mixture of exhaustion, proud, joy, excitement, surprise and satisfaction was fantastic! There is nothing in this world to be compared with the emotion of crossing a finish line of your first marathon run! The very same day I could hardly walk. The day after was similar. But after 48h I was feeling great again. So what am I going to do now is to run a marathon in 2015! You didn’t have any doubts, did you? Marathon. The Real One! A conclusion of my marathon story was epic: 10 days after I completed my first ever marathon I went to Greece. To a small village called Marathon, to be precise. It is situated about 40 km from Athens and it is a mythical place of a great battle between Greeks and Persians. I went to Marathon with an Association of  Licensed Tourist Guides kindly arranged by the Tbex team. This was a guided tour that took us first to the Marathon battle fields, then to the Marathon Museum and eventually to the beach and very tasty lunch. The weather was excellent and we had a lovely time. The Battle of Marathon was a historical event but it became later a theme for various myths and legends. Apart of its military importance and crucial role in defending Athens Marathon is especially known for a legend of Pheidippides. He is said to have run from Marathon to Athens in full military outfit to share the news about the Athenian victory. Just as all marathon runners I was aware of this exhausting run ended with death of the runner but it was new to me to know that he run in with full equipment which, at that time, was heavy and very uncomfortable. He run with his shield which was extremely heavy not to be seen from a distance and not to be considered a coward. In order to fulfill his duty he run in extreme heat with full armament. Although there are two legends mixed here and nothing is certain thinking about it is uplifting. Human bravery, dedication and determination is something that touches me deeply. And as a marathon runner I know more about than I used to. Jenny who was with me and who recently completed 4 marathons described the story in profound so if you are interested in hearing more about Battle for Marathon click here.  

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This year edition of Dancing Poznań is over. The last workshop took place last Saturday and I’m still thinking about it. How was it? – everybody asks. And I don’t know what to tell them. Seriously. There are so many words that describe how it was, starting with challenging, interesting, funny, hard, awesome … but none of these words describes it ALL. So, it looks like you need to read the whole story to know how Dancing Poznań was for me. False start It started rather unpleasantly to me: I woke up at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday to be there on time and just when I arrived to the city center, when our classes took place, I got informed it all starts the next day. Right. So all I did that day instead of dancing was to return home. The information provided by organizers was somehow unclear to me which was the reason of my mistake. There are things to improve here. The first pancake is always spoiled. No worries. I had still a positive mindset before next day. Warm welcome Sunday morning, 7:00 a.m. again and this time I was in the right place at the right time (despite the beginning of roadworks, or 3 different ones along my route, and huge traffic jams to be precise). On site I met my friend who encouraged me to participate in this whole thing, a bunch of enthusiastic ladies of all ages, and a tutor: Bill. Now, I think that if you have ever thought about dancing choose your tutor wisely. Bill was totally awesome. You could tell from the first minute he enjoys both: dancing AND teaching, which I think is crucial. From this point of view I was really lucky! And the most important characteristics of a tutor to all beginners is his patience. No shouting, no making fun of you, no making scenes. It was really a huge comfort to work with Bill, who has a long teaching experience and probably dealt with less accomplished students throughout his career. Difficult start First lesson reminded me why I hated dance so much: the task of rising my RIGHT hand and LEFT leg at the same time and then switch quickly was absolutely impossible. I got so frustrated! I thought that if I started learning to dance after a long brake the coordination will come naturally. Apparently not. Lesson learnt? PROBLEM never goes away just because of WAITING and DOING NOTHING. Right. So there I was: with my frustration and a total disbelieve that this time I would finally deal with this issue. All Bill said to me, watching my desperate attempts of making it right, was: “Trust me. By the end of this course you WILL dance“. I thought: “No way“, and said nothing. Progress By the end of the third lesson I got familiar with the music of warm up and first three steps of our group choreography we suppose to dance at the end of the course. Not much as for the middle of the course, is it? I must say the third day was really tough. Only because I was desperate to stay until the very end to write this summary for you kept me going. Oh, and Bill’s attitude too. So with dancing, like with everything else, the progress is SLOW. And you need to be patient. There is no other way. When fourth day came I was so into this course that I was humming the lead soundtrack all day long and had steps in front of my eyes when I was falling asleep. Thank God I was so busy watching my own feet it was already forth day when I started to look around. Then I saw few ladies who were much better than I was, simply because it was 4th, 7th or even 11th time for them. The worst you can do is start comparing yourself with other. DON’T. It’s useless and it drains you out of self confidence. “Focus – I was telling myself – right leg, step, left hand, rock step, turn a-round, and raise your hands”. Over and over again. The forth day brought a break through: when I concentrated hard enough I was able to follow about half of the whole group choreography. So far, so good. Music Last two days I started to actually hear the music. I swear! Before that I was so focused on my own feet and counting I was not hearing anything else. And that day Bill said: “Now you need to relax and enjoy yourself while dancing“. Easier said then done. But there I was and there was no way back. I was lucky again because the music Bill chosen was fantastic: a real swing jazz performed by the best band, with very strong beat and easy to hear sequences matched with steps. And eventually, the very last day and very last tryout I danced from the very beginning to the very end WITHOUT one mistake! Lesson learnt? BILL WAS RIGHT. No, seriously, I’ve learnt a lot and I’m not thinking about steps. It was all about learning myself. Lesson learnt I was really surprised how good my body reacts to this sort of exercises. I am a long distance runner with highly developed resistance to effort rather than a ballerina but intense stretching was excellent supplement to my daily training. True: I was more tired than when exercises were limited to the usual running but it was bearable. Second thing that really surprised me were other participants of this course. All girls were smashing! They never protested when I was doing some photos or videos, they were always enthusiastic and very determined. A company of such positive people made me feel good! Joy I haven’t participated in the final show. I know, I know, I should have. But even though I repeated all steps’ sequence with my group I felt I was not ready to participate a public show. I’m not there yet. But I will, eventually. And I am...

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I have a confession to make: I have never been a good dancer. In fact, dancing is not my favorite activity and I rarely do it. Normally people like dancing as a sort of pleasant activity that helps you to deal with stress. But not me! When I think about going out and dance….well, that’s actually the last thing I would consider a relaxing activity. It was always difficult to go on and dance in front of the others. And there is a reason for it. Bad experience When I was in primary school my parents enrolled me to a dance classes. Not sure why, there was very few boys and many girls. So, I had a bad luck to play a male role in a dance from the very first day. I learnt all steps of waltz, rock’n’roll, samba, cha-cha and rumba as if I was a man! I got it all wrong from the beginning! This very unfortunate event made me a horrible dancer: every time I was dancing it was almost impossible to leave a lead to a dancing partner. Later in my life, there were very few occasions to dance so I didn’t bother to deal with it. Few years ago I focused on long distance running as a main physical activity and thought I simply don’t need to dance. I simply stopped bothering. Not all people are designated to it, right? That’s what I thought. Until one day a year ago. One of my friends – ah, did you notice how many things actually happens because of friends? – told me about her participation in a workshop called Dancing Poznan. My friend is a very talented person and she loves dancing. So even though I knew she has participated the workshop for years I never considered myself fit enough to try. But last year she showed me few videos on youtube and watching other dancers made me think that perhaps I should try. Do you know the feeling when you watch somebody and you wish it was you? Sooo badly! This workshop takes place once a year, every August so I had plenty time to think before the enrollment in May. Expectations When time came I was pretty determined to join. I felt in a good shape after intense training for half and full marathon so I thought that even if I can’t dance I’ll be still able to follow the warm up. Now it’s one week before this year 21st edition is launched and I have few expectations I’ll share with you. I would like to stop neglecting dance once for all! I would love to gain more confidence in the way I move and dance. Dropping the obsession for a leading part in dance would be awesome! And if I enjoyed dance that would be even more than I imagined. Do you think it is too much to expect out of a professional 1 week intense dance course? I would love to hear about your experience with dancing! If you have any encouraging words you can share please do! I’ll need it! Dancing Poznan It’s official name is “21st international workshops of contemporary dance”. Participants attend dancing lessons everyday and at the end of the course they are able to perform a short group dance. As many as 40 different dance techniques are provided and I picked up swing jazz! Dancing Poznan is not the only festival that is organized in Poznan! So many of them! Starting with widely known Malta Festival that for over 20 years has created amazing space for street, alternative and off theatres to perform art in our city. It’s been organized for so long that people of Poznan can feel it in the air just before it begins. Every June the city turns into a huge stage and people willingly participate in all events related to it. Further, we have two exceptional movie festivals: Animator focused on short animation movies, and much younger but already widely known  Transatlantyk, a high profile event focused on contemporary cinematography and film music. I’ll probably participate in the later festivals too but I’m especially excited about Dancing Poznan. Will I succeed? Will I learn anything? Or maybe it will all end up with frustration? Instead of empower myself I’ll find dance too complicated to enjoy? Follow this blog to find out. If I can do it, you can do it! Come back for more next week! I’ll share my experience directly after the workshop has been completed! Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  

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I have never thought I will write this: I completed a half marathon! And I feel great abut it. It’s not that it was always my dream or something. At some point my regular running has naturally turned into a challenge. I spent 3 months on training with large gaps in between, I must admit. But today here I am: I have officially joined a club of runners. What is the story here? Well, it all starts and ends with travels here! And obviously light jogging I started 5 years ago was caused by a plan of autumn trip to Lapland. I enjoyed both very much: preparations and travel. And so I decided to continue the training. At first it was only for pleasure and for getting fit. Later it became a powerful regulator of my daily routine. Motivation? Many people say that they find it difficult to run regularly but there is an awesome trick for that: you need to repeat an action for 21 days in a row to turn it into a habit. 21 days is bloody long but if you endure then after that everything is much easy! You can’t run long distances everyday so you need to start either with slightly short distances or wait a bit longer until your body will get used to it. Why long distance running? For many reasons. First, I am lousy in sprints ;-) I shared my 15 reasons why I do jogging here and I must say it is pretty much the same after over a year. Why compete? You can obviously limit your running to a daily routine, do it alone and enjoy long term results in solitude. In fact, I was doing it for a long time. And although I had no motivational problems my running was somehow frozen. At some point I was running my favorite distance of 6 km and haven’t been doing anything else. Endurance and fitness is being built through progress in distance and speed not by doing the same thing over and over again. The day you’ll run a half or full marathon with hundreds of other athletes you will understand why this is so cool. What is the difficulty? Just recently I met a marvelous person who is skilled and experienced runner (ciao Maurizio!). He told me that there are 3 basic elements that decide whether you will complete the marathon or not: your physical condition, nutrition and mental status. Of these three mental status seems to play a crucial part. It all happens in your head! And long distance running is simply for tough guys! Maurizio completed over 10 marathons, 3 ultra marathons (100 km long) and just recently a 202 km run so I guess he knows what he’s talking about. 3 best things about half marathon… The best thing about it was a local community gathered along the route. It was touching when habitants of small villages were greeting the runners, creating a drizzle with their garden hoses, clapping their hands and shouting loudly: “You can do it!!!” Awesome! Other runners were the second best thing about this marathon. There was no aggressive competition at all. Rather a smooth cooperation to cross the finish line. I enjoyed short dialogues with other runners and smiles exchanged along the way. I felt great about my training and I finally fully appreciated my regular effort. It was the last fantastic thing about this run! I completed it not excessively tired nor exhausted and it made me really proud of myself. …and 3 less fantastic things The weather was absolutely terrible! From one day to another it has completely changed and I had no time to get used to the heat. For the Italians +30C might not the warmest temperature but since I live in the north it was to me! And believe me: the further I run the warmer it became. Second thing I hated was the time of start. It was 10:00 instead of 9:00 or even 8:30! With +30C degrees the earlier the better but unfortunately this was not the case. And because of the heat the last 5 km were tough. And lastly the track of this half marathon was a bit hilly. Too many ups and downs drained my strengths. All in all, however, this was a totally awesome experience and I can’t wait the full marathon this autumn! The one in Poznan sounds really tempting! I’m sure that half of my problems are already cut away: there is no chances for a warm weather in October in Poland. It should be nice and cold and this sounds already really good. Besides the time of start is as early as 9:00 a.m. which is just perfect! I would like to thank everybody who believed and supported me throughout the whole preparation time, at the marathon day and who were happy enough about my success to like my pics on FB. You are fabulous guys! Thanks for being with me! Poznan 15th marathon Straight away a half marathon completed I enrolled myself to participate in full marathon in Poznan. It’s a 15th edition this year with fantastic track throughout the city. Marathon in Poznan has a relatively short history but this is an important event that people are used to. It is currently a mass events, gathering almost 10 000 runners from all over the world. October the 12th, 2014 I’m going to be at the start line of this run. Where else I should run a marathon if not in my Home City? This is not the only sport event that is being organized in Poznan every year! In fact, there are many more. Few weeks ago a Enea Poznań Triathlon took place. This September a new event called Poznań Business Run takes place. We’re looking forward to it! Especially that this sport event involves collecting money for charity. Lastly, Wings For Live another initiative that gathers athletes to help less fortunate folks.  Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my...

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This is a very particular museum. It has been recently opened to public and it has already gained a ‘must see’ label. I have heard enough enthusiastic comments on it to plan a visit as soon as possible. Just last week I hosted few Italian friends and it seemed a perfect excuse to finally go there. Due to heavy rain and cold weather it was an awesome idea to spend our afternoon. What this is all about? Porta Posnania (pl. Brama Poznania) is an innovative museum focused on the beginning of settlement in the area currently occupied by city of Poznan. Using the most recent electronic gadgets it takes you for a journey into deep past of the place. Basic on the artifacts found and using most recent scientific research the exhibition has an ambitious aim of familiarizing the visitors with the ancient history of Poland. The location and a building itself – a sharp modern concrete cube – is impressive. Not only it occupies space that it further reveals in front of your eyes but also participate in revitalization of long neglected area: Śródka. The cube located at the eastern bank of Warta river is connected with the oldest part of the city: Ostrów Tumski (a island where cathedral is located). The museum located on the island hosts few exhibition rooms where currently a modest display of photos takes place (pl. Śluza Katedralna). One of the photos’ authors is Erik an owner of a charming little cafe in the city center. Through a glass and stain covered bridge you enter the building and it really makes a great impression. If you are fan of modern architecture you will appreciate it. What to expect? Right at the entrance a large hall with all facilities welcomes you. After a ticket purchase you get a small electronic pocket guide with headphones with a short explanation on how to use it. Here, your adventure begins. What I like the most about these little devices was that after entering exhibition rooms it automatically gives you an overview. What my Italian friends did not like was lack of the italian language version (still, german, french and spanish seems handy). The interior of the museum is kept in black colors. There are no windows along the whole itinerary apart of the glass corridor that splits the building to two halves. I think it all helps to keep the visitors’ attention on information given. So far, so good. There are four basic parts of the exhibition focused on particular events chronologically. What is missing, I think, is a consistent narrative along the way. There are tens of designated sites where by clicking on your device you get more information about a particular artifact, building, event, etc. It is however not shown how to proceed. Picking the spots randomly you might find yourself in a chaos. Likes and dislikes Most of all this museum is like no other. Heavy usage of modern technologies makes the ancient history alive. A variety of multimedia including videos showing reconstructed workshops, settlement and fortification is impressive. Also, an itinerary dedicated for the kids and a room with child friendly objects is really nice. One of the best features in my opinion are displays showing important parallel events from all over the world. It was something that was always missing at the history lessons. Impressive illumination of particular elements was also eye catching. Although the whole experience is intriguing there are some things I did not like. Scattered narrative is one of the things that lowers the educational value of this place. You can go through the exhibition and still do not have a clue on the Poznan and Polish history. Perhaps the particular spots that contain important information should be highlighted. A distinction among basic facts, important elements of narrative and short anecdotes might be a good idea. This museum is a prove that even the most ancient history can be exhibited in an attractive way. I am pretty sure that being so modern is a huge advantage. It meets the tourists’ expectations, I think. Also a modern building in this very special place will hopefully melt in the area providing valuable meetings with art and culture. I will be looking at its activity and events organized throughout a year. A nearby area of Śródka has already experienced side effects of the recent construction of a bridge for pedestrians and the museum opening. There are at least three new coffee shops and restaurants along the street stretching from the museum towards Malta artificial lake. Few years ago it would be useless to open a cafe here but now it seemed a great idea. My favorite one is called Cafe La Ruina and I took my Italian friends there. Apart of brilliant interior design and board games to play they offer amazingly good home made cakes. The best conclusion of our itinerary! Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  

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Architecture in Poznan is far from trivial. Despite the devastating World War II there is number of interesting buildings spread throughout the city. My favorite style of the city houses is art nouveau found in one of the city districts: Jeżyce. Not as magnificent as buildings in Barcelona, Paris or Brussels it is still fascinating to walk around this area and know the history behind it. It all started with a flood in 1888 which, causing a considerable damage of the ancient fortifications, convinced the authorities to expand the city towards the west. In a place where today you find a vibrant city there were small villages only 120 years ago! What I find most striking was a tight tie with Berlin that is so clearly visible in architecture of these times! Back then, Poznan was under Prussian rule (1793–1918) with authority in Berlin. All buildings, streets squares and avenues were conceptually driven by the mainstream trends from Berlin rather than Warsaw. Architectural style of art nouveau introduced in Poznan had few particular features. The houses were bigger than previously constructed in the city center but in terms of internal division of space it did not change significantly. The main characteristics of art nouveau is found in rich decorations of facade, stained glass windows, abundant stucco and excessive usage of floral motifs. Also oval windows were a novelty and beautifully crafted balcony railings. A fairytale like elements were introduced in all newly constructed buildings, which were numerous. In late 19th century construction sites popped up like mushrooms after a few days of rain. As many as over 800 planning permissions were issued and within next few years wonderful and stylish houses were constructed. Here is something extra for you: Poznan seen by a foreigners. An Australian family visited Poznan and here is what they found interesting in our city! Jezyce might not be a touristic center of Poznan, however, it is heavily used by the locals. So if you wonder how is life of the local people you should walk around this area. Here is my itinerary of one sunny early morning I spent in Poznan. ROOSEVELT STREET – KRASICKIEGO STREET – MICKIEWICZA STREET – POZNANSKA STREET – STRZAŁKOWSKIEGO STREET – DĄBROWSKIEGO – JEZYCKI SQUARE – KRASZEWSKIEGO STREET – SŁOWACKIEGO STREET back to MIECKIEWICZA STREET. Quite naturally just like very other city district Jezyce has its own problems. Heavy traffic, lack of parking space and city noise are only few of them. Nevertheless, this area has amazing charm and beauty. If you come here in early morning, walk around and look up you will connect with the past of this city. Watching newly renovated houses but also the ones that were less fortunate and show a visible damage you will think about the difficult history of this place. Some of the details found in the streets of Jezyce are stunning. There are some good cafes to sit in too. A recent revival of cafes along Szamarzewskiego street is worthy to pay a visit. Also an interesting one is called Sweet Surrender and is found at Krasińskiego Street, just behind a theater building. A perfect place to play chess with your friends! Every fan of art nouveau will find this place delightful! Far from crowded touristic spots there is a very unique and interesting piece of modern architecture. This is just perfect for a lazy morning walk and a photo tour! Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  

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There are few food markets in the city: Rynek Wielkopolski, Jeżycki, Wildecki, Plac Bernardyński and few others. A common characteristics is their names impossible to pronounce. The idea behind is pretty straightforward: local producers come to the market and in a dedicated space they can sell their products. People of Poznan use this opportunity every day. The quality of products is excellent, everything is fresh and looks tempting! My favorite time to visit this place is late spring and early summer. All booths are full of fresh vegetables, the smell of fennel, tomatoes, berries and cucumbers is overwhelming. Colors are vivid and people who sells these goodies encourage buyers to pick up their products. Very friendly folks! Not only colors and smells are intense here: also public debate on a variety of issues is quite lively. People discuss the latest events, gossips and news. If you do your shopping at this market regularly you will know other customers and buyers and after a while you will fervently discuss the braking news. Food markets all over the world gather local community. People meet not only to buy fresh stuff but also to stay together, to follow the local events and complain their misfortunes. A person who is interested in general attitude of citizens should spend every morning here! I think that the local market says a lot about the area and people. Whether it is a vibrant floating market in Vietnam or magnificent bazaar of Tabriz it shows how people treat commerce, what is the level of private initiative and what are the common difficulties and life hardships. People would do the very same thing on markets around the world: meet to exchange goods, opinions and fears. Every time I travel I always visit a local market and it gives amazingly precise information on how do people live like. Even though you probably do not understand Polish you should visit one of the city markets to see people in everyday life situation. This will tell you a lot about us! From a food market it’s not that far to Jeżyce – a fascinating place where the troubled past meets present. Follow me! Disclosure: this post was kindly supported by City of Poznan, however, all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.  

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