FROschTOsch

by Marta Milczarek (LOG)

Gostynin – a small town in central Poland. It is a place where people know each other very well. There are only a few interesting places like cafes, clubs or restaurants where people especially teenagers can meet, however they are really worth going to.  Besides there is one building, a very old one, famous all over Poland – a castle in Gostynin.

The Castle was built in the fourteenth century by the dukes of Mazovia. Originally it was a tower, which performed the defensive and residential functions. In the next years the castle was rebuilt several times, its look changed. In 1611 the castle became a place of detention of the Russian Tsar Vasily Shuiski and his brothers: Ivan and Dmitri and his wife Catherine. The Castle was destroyed in the years 1655 – 1660 during Potop Szwedzki – it was a war between Poland and Sweden and later by the troops of Catherine II in 1769. The castle was burned down but in the next few years it was built again. In 1825 the building was converted into evangelical church and then it was a Roman Catholic church. Now the castle has been renovated and now it is a very elegant hotel and restaurant.

Although the castle was renovated, its appearance has changed but many people are not satisfied with the function of which it is now. A lot of people think that the hotel it is not a good alternative. They think that it is a  place with rich history and it should be a museum. But other people think that it is good that the Castle was renovated.

The Castle in Gostynin is the most interesting place in our town. It is a place whose history is very interesting. Everyone knows a few things about it. Although it is a hotel, it is a magical and beautiful place and every tourist should visit it.

by Natalia Linska (LOG)

The place where I live is small. It is called Zwoleń and it is situated seven kilometres from Gostynin.  There are not many kinds of entertainment  like  a sports centre , a department store  or the theatre, but life here is calm and relaxing. There are a lot of green forests and beautiful lakes. Many people from the city come here on holiday to rest and relax.

There are a lot of holiday resorts and hotels nearby forests and lakes. In these resorts you can rent water equipment during holidays.

There are also stud farms, where everyone can learn to ride a horse or borrow a carriage with two horses and a driver to go on a horse trip.

You can go here for a long walk, breathe fresh air and if you are lucky  you can meet some wild animals e.g. deer, elk, fox, wild bear, badger, pine marten and many others. Occasional appearance of so many different  types of  animals makes perfect conditions for hunting. In summer  you can also pick up some berries, or in autumn if you wish to spend some time stepping on rustling leaves covering the forest bed you can go mushrooming.

My region is perfect for holiday. When the weather is fine and the sun is shining everybody  goes to the beach . They swim in the lake, sunbathe, build sandcastles, sail, catch fish, paddle a canoe or collect stones or pebbles.

On the fields grow beautiful and colourful flowers. You can collect them, make a bouquet and later in the privacy of your home admire their ephemeral beauty and scent.

My village is wonderful  for people who want  to get in touch with nature and spend holiday in a tranquil and peaceful place.