Welcome to Boleslawiec, Poland... home of the beautiful Polish Pottery!
and welcome to the Blue Beetroot hotel!
Spur of the moment (and the last weekend before school begins), I joined three friends on a quick adventure to the Polish Pottery Festival in Boleslawiec, Poland! We were lucky enough to get the last room in the Blue Beetroot hotel- a fabulous stay with a country-home feel- it was equipped with an excellent staff, high-end acommodation, and tasty meals!
After a good night sleep, our first stop Saturday morning was at Andy's ceramics- highly suggested by our hotel staff! With many wonderful designs and delicate ceramic patterns I walked out of here with a coveted, egg plate, 2 egg cups (a new and British way to enjoy soft-boiled eggs), new coffee mugs (and not just for myself....), and a few wine toppers... the photo below shows our trunk after just one stop!
After Andy's we spent the majority of our day at the Polish Pottery Festival in the town center.
The square was bustling with local pottery shops selling their hand-painted pottery, hand-made special crafts and the streets were lined with antique and other street vendors. Below are just a few images of the many treasures to be found on this sunshine day in Poland...
Ceramic flowers...
Outdoor planters...
Antiques...
...antiques...
...and more antiques!
It was all really old and very interesting stuff. I bought an antique coffee grinder which I will put on my kitchen shelf as decor... (photos of my coffee grinder available soon!)
We also located some interesting food at the festival... a flat, thick-cut, grilled bread with sausage, onions, and topped with pickles- a large amount of pickles to be honest!
Actually quite tasty... and easily washed down with a cold glass of polish beer!
After many hours wandering the festival, lots of shopping, and stopping for a bite to eat we quickly unloaded our second round of bags into the car before the parade began... stop #2 for the day and the boot is nearly full!
The parade was titled Gliniada... not sure what that translates to but the sub-title translated reads,"we all come from the same clay." Those are beautiful words... Below are photos of the parade participants dressed in a variety of costume but all sporting the same color clay to symbolize the significance of "being made from the same clay"!
... and there was this incredible drummer who was pulled around on a trailer... everyone was dancing in the streets and having a great time- together!
I have been to this Polish town before- last November, when the weather was cooler and the town, despite the pottery shooppers seemed rather empty. But this weekend, I experienced the life of this little town first hand! It was fascinating to be a part of such a diverse cultural celebration. This small Polish town was not onu full of talent and creativity, but also diversity- it was a celebration of life... it was the essence of coming together- of culture and community- and it was magical!
"we are all made of the same clay"... - Love, Nikki
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