Project statement | participants | exhibitions | funny to know | links & interaction | contact | home |
1. Poland |
Charming Hospitality The
first country we visited more then just transit is Poland. Once a great
European power, but probably therefor also mangled between bigger powers
in the years thereafter. Now I see Polish people work very hard in western
Europe. We arrive in Warzawa to pick up musicians of Troitsa that will travel with us. At the trainstation we see the first Dutch influences; a bank company is reconstructing the center, building office buildings. I can not surpress the idea that Holland is full of empty officebuildings and while having European integration in mind, I truely hope this does not mean exporting failure proven mass construction projects to these 'new European states'. Eindhoven , for example has up to 30% officebuildings empty) If there is EU subsidized money to make this kind of activity profitable, the Polish have one more reason to reconsider if they would like to join the Union. Because polish people are very busy finding out what's going on. What
do the Polish people think about the European integration? At first, almost
all people said, the recent referendum was a non choice. "As if we
could decide not to be part of Europe?" Some mentioned that Polish
are forgetting there history, just copying western modernism and creating
a virtual facade. Wojtiech, our great and funny and gentle host in Poland,
mentioned that if Polish people would like to get to know their history,
they just have to travel to Belarus, once Polish territory, now a place
where time seems to stand still. Our Belarus guests did not catch this
remark. But Polish people, although hardly able to spend some time with you (because of the rush), are most friendly and hospitable. We have recieved meals, accommodation and even fee for concerts we have never asked for. The bus driver is sorry because I can not buy a ticket in the bus, but offers me to take the one in the dustbin just behind his seat. It turnes out to be a expired month ticked for disabled people, but he smiles at me and nodds; 'there you have your ticked, bon voyage'. See
some impresions of our visits
|