From Smołdzino we made our way westwards, taking a circuitous route to have a gander at the countryside and towns on the way. Would anything be suitable for us? Affordable? Close enough to town? If so, which town? The first town we came to of any size, on the way to Smołdzino, was Słupsk and we left as quickly as we could. Despite having a reputation for some fine churches, the traffic system and centre of town was horrendously confusing and very busy. It was with some relief that we left the place behind (we would encounter the sign-free, Manchester-like centre on the way back and curse it some more), only calling at a Leclerc supermarket to stock up on bread, sausages and fruit juice before high-tailing it out to the coast.
As with Łeba, Darłowo, and its outlet to the sea, Darłowek, were empty windswept and freezing. A drive round Darłowo revealed a closed town centre and a visit to the beach consisted of a brisk walk, hiding behind a wall to look at the waves crashing over the harbour wall and then a sharp exit. Tree branches littered the roads and huge puddles made driving difficult, especially when a Kubice wannabe thought it ok to over-take on a blind bend.
From Koszalin we took a very nice winding road, lined with trees showing off their amazing autumnal colours: from green to yellow, orange to red and brown. We had decided to stay on what was advertised on their website as a ‘farm’ in Rekowo, about 20km south of Koszalin. When we arrived, the family were in the middle of preparing for a wesele and we were quickly shown a room as far from the house as possible. Luckily the heating was on and we were able to dry off slightly. I can honestly say this is the first time I have taken a pair of slippers and a pair of wellies on holiday and was glad of them both at different times while we were away. Our room had two single beds and two sets of bunk beds and was next to the ‘bathroom’ and ‘kitchen’. Agnieszka had to go and ask for both a gas bottle and a couple of pans as otherwise we’d have had nothing to cook with or on. For most of the time we were there, we played swat the mosquito and follow the cobweb as the place was rampant with both. Bare walls and draughty floors completed the authentic rustic ambience.
I wanted to stay here because their website said they kept goats and I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk to people about living and working in rural Poland. Unfortunately, the herd of goats turned out to be one old nanny with wonky tits, half a dozen geese, a small paddling of ducks, six damp sheep and a flock of mangy-looking hens. None of these seemed to be particularly cared for, the geese and ducks struggling to cope with the high sides of a makeshift pond and the hens being kept in until dinner time. Even the sheep weren’t very friendly, with one individual intent on staring me out every time I looked out of the window.
To add to this, we asked on arrival, and on leaving, for twaróg but couldn’t get any (‘I wish you’d asked yesterday’) and got excited about some home-made plum jam that turned out to be off. While it was a lovely setting and the houses / buildings very nice, I got the feeling they were half-arsed about all the did there and only kept the animals because it was a draw for school groups in the summer. Maybe they are different people in the summer, with some bright sun and long days; in October they were as miserable as sin and a disappointment of a place to stay.
Out for a walk in the forest nearby, we got caught in (yet another) brief but very heavy shower. After it had cleared the light was lovely. On the way back to the digs, we met a couple of young scallywags heading towards the forest, one with a loaded duvet cover slung over his shoulder. Inside, we assume, was the knock-off chandelier that we were offered. Quite what we'd do with it out in a field was a mystery, but we think a large house is now without any lighting in their main room.
In contrast, Koszalin was a very pleasant town. Admittedly it was Sunday and, as such, deserted (except for the church of course) but it had a nice feel and looked like a fairly nice place to live. The square was a bit of a let down as I had expected a few cafés and shops but on one side is the main road, on the other the town hall and flats on the remaining two.
Still, it was a very enjoyable wander for a few hours. It has everything we want from a town: shops, opportunities for work, a cinema, a station, and is not too far from the sea or forests. The countryside round about is rolling and rural, with plenty of forests and fields and the occasional lake. Prices too are reasonable once you get out of the centre of Koszalin. I warmed to it and was nicely surprised. Anywhere that has a 'potato institute' (whatever that is) is fine by me.
But, that said, we still had a long way to go and lot more places to see and any decisions will have to wait for a while yet, and if this is all there is to do on a Sunday, I'll need a pointy stick...
No comments:
Post a Comment