nPostednMay 2, 2015
n
n
n
n
n Poland’snFlag Day was created only a few years ago (in 2004). Itncelebrates the end of the Battle of Berlin in World War II –nactually, pretty much the end of Nazi Germany. On this date in 1945,nthe Polish Army raised the Polish flag on the Berlin Victory Column.
n
n
n
n
Likenmany national flags, Poland’s flag is a simple two-color design. Andnlike many nations, Poland has had to fight off or overthrow invadersnmore than 40 times from 1600 to modern times! n
Likenmany national flags, Poland’s flag is a simple two-color design. Andnlike many nations, Poland has had to fight off or overthrow invadersnmore than 40 times from 1600 to modern times! nn
n
n
nInnthe late 1700s, Poland was in the forefront of some modern reforms.nFor example, in 1773 King Stanislaw II established the firstngovernment education authority in Europe. A decade later Polandnbecame the first nation in the entire world to prohibit corporalnpunishment (paddling and whipping, for example) in all schools. nFinally, Poland’s May 3 Constitution (1791) was the first set ofnmodern national laws in Europe…But the constitution was only innplace for less than a year and a half before Russian EmpressnCatherine II deemed Poland a problem and started the Polish-RussiannWar.
n
n
n
nHerenare some cool or fun things to know about Poland:
n
n
n
- n
-
n
Notn sure if it’s true, but I read in several places that the averagen grocery store in Poland has larger candy sections than any othern section.n
n
n
n
n
n
- n
-
n
n
n
n
Then Wawel castle was built in the 1300s and currently displays the onlyn piece of the Polish Crown Jewels that still exists: the “Jaggedn Sword.” The sword is called “jagged” because it has a notch orn slit designed to hold a small shield. The blade is not jagged –n it’s smooth and straight.
nn
n
n
 |
| By the way, the awesome Jadwiga, who was crowned KING (not queen) of Poland at age 10, lived in the Wawel castle. |
n
- n
-
n
n
nThen Slowinskin National Parkn is on the Baltic coast, and it has wetlands, wildlife, and movingn sand dunes. One thing people like to do there is sandboard!n
n
n
n
n
n
n
- n
-
n
n
nThen Wieliczka Salt Mine is pretty amazing – there is an undergroundn “city” carved out of the rock salt, including this chapel, whichn is supposed to have better acoustics than any other structure inn Europe! Also, the salt mine is considered one of the oldestn companies in the world, because salt has been mined from itn continuously since the 13thn Century.(Yeah, that’s the 1200s – more than 700 years!)
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nTonbe honest, the salt mining part stopped in 2007, but the companynstill exists – as a tourist attraction!!
n
n
n
- n
-
nThisn cheese is beautifully carved – but apparently still delicious.
n
n
n
n
n
- n
-
n
I’ven mentioned before that mountain beauty is my favorite flavor ofn beauty – and Poland has some very nice Tatra Mountains!n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAlso on this date:
n
n
n
n
n
n
nMaytimenHobby Horses
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nRussiannempress Catherine the Great’s birthday
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAnniversarynof Benjamin Franklin’s study of the Gulf Stream
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nAnniversarynof the modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster
n
n
n
n
n
nNationalScrapbooking Day
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
nPlannahead:
n
n
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
n
- n
-
nMayn holidays
n
-
nMayn birthdays
n
-
nHistoricaln anniversaries in May
n
n
n
n
n
nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
n
- n
-
nJunen holidays
n
-
nJunen birthdays
n
-
nHistoricaln anniversaries in June
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
