Green Europe Our visit to Chełm,Poland from10 th June to 16 th June 2006

Day 1 Our hosts came to welcome us

Agniezska and Teresa were our guides round Chełm. Our first steps were to the beautiful park on one side of the hill. The hill used to be the original site of the town and one of the first names of the town was “Mala Górka” The Small Hill.

Our hosts and we in front of the old gate opening the way to the cathedral close.

Cathedral of The Birth of the Virgin Mary, the largest and the most important Catholic church in Chełm.

Other holy places in the park round the cathedral.

After a good walk in the park we went to the main square of the town. In the middle of the square there was the well that has replaced the remains of the original one.

In the evening the hosts took us us to the wonderful stylish restaurant for a delicious meal. Then our girls went to their host families´ homes for their first night in Poland.

Day 2 We went on the all-day trip with the school staff. Our first stop was Chateau Puławy, situated in the garden park.

In the park we could enter an old mine. We borroved the torches and at the end of one gallery there was a stone altar.

The next stop was town called Nałęczów a quiet spa town with a large park surrounded by wooded hills in which you can walk.

Stare Łazienki (The Old Baths) were built in 1820 and a park and lake created along with it. A well known Polish professor, Professor Piotr Celiński, had visited the site in 1817 and pronounced the water good for the body, inside and out. Many famous Poles have stayed in the town including the writers Stefan Zeromski and Boleslaw Prus (pict. 4).

Day 3 The third day morning we were invited to the school. At first we were shown the school building with the new gym.

Then we met the headmistress and the teachers of the school. We could see the exhibitions of the photos and pictures winning the winter and spring project competitions and the photos of the project visit of Italian, Turkish, Czech and Polish friends.The students with their teachers have prepared the drama preformances for us. One in English (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) and the second in Polish language (Carina a tree or a flower?).

In the afternoon we went on a trip to the nature reserve Bagno Serebryskie The Swamp Serebryskie. The reserve is unique because it lies on the chalk subsurface. Therefore there are many endemic plant and animal species.

On our way back we came to the Didactic centre where we were given a lecture on endangered animal and plant species and then we had a campfire and we could roast the sausages and spent the pleasant evening with the Polish colleagues and friends.

Day 4 After watching some lessons at school we went on exploring Chełm. We visited Parish Church dedicated to Spreading of St. Apostles and former Piarist school, The Chelm Museum - the historic and natural exhibitions and the Chalk Underground haunted by Bieluch, who is, actually, a very kind-hearted ghost.

Day 5 We went to Lublin, the county town. In the first picture you can see the Lublin castle, picture 2 is The Lublin Cathedral, picture 3 is the castle yard with the old defensive tower which dates from the 13th century and the last picture is the gate to Lublin´s downtown.

After doing some sightseeing we watched the puppet show “Andersen´s Glasses“ in the H. Ch. Andresen´s Theatre in Lublin.

After the theatre we went to the open air museum of historic houses near Lublin. In the picture you can see the windmill of Netherland style which means that the top part of the construction can be turned around according the direction of the wind blowing. The windmill can still work.

In the afternoon there was Lublin´s Botanical garden on the programme. We could see a lot of exotic plants as well as some very common ones e.g. parsley or garlic plants which are grown for scientific study.

Day 6 It was a holiday and our colleagues took us to The White Lake, the popular holiday resort of the Poles from all over the country.

Sobibor the Nazi Death Camp Memorial

Some animal species we met in Sobibor Landscape Park - the nature reserve. §EUROPE POND TORTOISE, the endangered species §LIZARD

Day 7 GOOD BYE The very last day of our visit. In the morning we all met at school. The Polish friends have prepared the performances, latino and disco dances. Then we thanked them for their hospitability and the great care and we had to say our goodbyes.

Good bye Chełm´s friends and we are so much looking forward to seeing you in Michalovce