The Town Where I Was Named Peg Leg
Wolkowyja is only a small village with approximately 450 residents, situated in the south-east of Poland; a region full of fascinating sights and contrasts. Unspoilt nature, solitude and wilderness alternate with some outstanding old towns full of historic architecture.
This tiny village can specifically be found 7 kilometres south east of Solina and 17 kilometres south of Lesko which is the beginning (or end) of the Bieszczady loop road, a 160 kilometre route through the beautiful scenery of this south eastern tip of the country.
The village of Wolkowyja and its surrounding area was once a wilderness where wolves roamed freely and howled amongst the beech trees hence its name. The formation of Lake Solena which was created by damming the two rivers; San and Solenka introduced tourists to the area and made the wilderness a touch more friendlier.
The centre of the village is indeed very small consisting of one sklep (shop) selling basic foodstuffs, alcohol, bread, fresh fruit, cooked meats and cheese; a post office, kiosk with an outside beer garden, two restaurants – one serving pizza and some traditional Polish dishes, the other, a restaurant and bar built in a former blacksmith’s shop, serving traditional meals only. Both restaurants are very reasonably priced, the food was home-cooked, hearty and delicious and the staff very friendly.
Although there isn’t a great deal to do in the village itself, it is the gateway to some unspoilt scenery and the outer edge of the Polish Carpathian mountain range. The only bus stop is in the centre of the village opposite the shop and kiosk. From here buses go to towns/villages situated along all shores of Lake Solina. Daily buses also leave for Warsaw, Krakow and Wroclaw. Obviously you have to be in Poland to reach this village and my son and I took the overnight bus from Warsaw which took 10 hours stopping at every town and village on the way. The rest of the family came by car and this journey took around seven hours.
Wolkowyja is very popular with tourists especially Polish visitors from Warsaw and Krakow as well as people visiting the popular resorts of nearby Solina and Polanczyk. Both these resorts are busy and quite touristic so the picturesque village of Wolkowyja is an ideal get away with its solitary walks, rambling river and beautiful conifer and beech woods which are still inhabited by wolves, lynxes and brown bears. If you are lucky you will also spot the odd fox, eagle and stork.
Accommodation wise there are a lot of self catering wooden chalets to choose from. Some are very basic with bedrooms, kitchen consisting of a two ring gas stove, fridge and sink, and a shower and toilet. Other chalets are very luxurious with all mod cons and swimming pools. Our chalet was pretty basic but seeing we were out most days it was adequate. The outside decking with large wooden tables are great to seat all the family when it comes round to barbecue time. Around the sides of the lake are various campsites; some with swimming pools supervised by lifeguards.Not many hotels, if any, but there are several guest houses which are similar to the English B&B. These are very large wooden houses with pretty gardens.
Most of the accommodation can be found about 10 minutes away from the centre situated in a pleasant valley next to a quick flowing river and a very large modern church which later we discovered that the bells are rung three times a day when visitors and residents go to Mass. The modern design of the church which was built in the years 1973-75 is interesting in the way it has been constructed – reminding me of sails on a boat. The design is certainly eye catching and you definitely won’t miss the cream coloured exterior of the church of St Maximilan Kolbe.
Fishing seems a popular activity in the village and there are several fish stocking ponds organised by the Polish Angling Society. I assume the fish are taken from these ponds and then introduced into the lake.
Other activities available are horse riding, trekking, paint balling, sailing and safari trips in 4 wheel drives through the forest. Having trekked up a couple of the mountain paths I would say they are a lot more difficult than the maps suggest. The weather wasn’t too good when we first arrived and the area had already had several days of heavy rain making the paths very slippery and difficult to climb.Consequently, I fell badly and sustained a couple of serious injuries. I made matters worse by insisting on carrying on with the walk not realising that I had another 15 kilometres to walk.The next day I was unable to move at all let alone walk, so my advice is always to wear good strong boots and take a mobile phone in case you get into difficulty. The free emergency number to call is 112.
So there you have the low down on a very small town in the Bieszczady Mountains. It’s very pretty and serene and a great place to sit back and relax if you want to or if you are a very active person then there are numerous activities available. The weather can be a bit hit and miss but the good thing is – is that the rain doesn’t last for long and when the sun does come out it is very bright and scorching hot.
The local country people are very friendly – much nicer than city folks. Not a lot of English is spoken so it is useful to take a dictionary or Polish phrase book if you don’t know any Polish. Prices for food and drink in bars and restaurants are much cheaper than Warsaw. For a main meal you are looking at around £2 per person and a pint of ale is about 70p. Definitely cheap and cheerful.
Girls’ Guide To Beautiful Skin
As you enter puberty, your naturally smooth, fine-textured skin begins to change. You may notice oiliness on your face, pimples (red bumps that often have a small white center), and blackheads (tiny black dots that are dirt-clogged pores). This is the beginning of acne. Acne is by far the most common skin complaint among teenagers, affecting nearly all of those in the 12-to-17 age frame at least occasionally, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The condition, fortunately, is as treatable as it is common. Taking proper care of your skin before acne becomes serious is the key to keeping skin healthy and minimizing blemishes. As soon as you begin to notice oiliness or get your first pimple, it’s time to make serious skin care a part of your daily life. Memorize these 8 tips and make them your habit and you will have a lifetime of beautiful skin to show for it. Cleanse your face both morning and night. Always. Wash your face first thing in the morning (like in the shower) and before you go to bed. Use a cleanser for oily, acne-prone skin. Use enough cleanser to work up a good lather and make sure to wet your face well with warm (not hot) water before applying. Do not scrub hard or use a rough wash cloth. Be gentle but thorough to clean deeply without irritating your skin which will make breakouts worse. Be sure to use plenty of water to rinse well and remove all cleanser so no residue is left behind. You can rinse your face with cool water to help close pores. Dry your face by patting with a clean towel. Do not rub, which can be irritating and be sure to change your towel regularly. Dirty towels harbor bacteria. Use a toner after you cleanse. This will get any dirt and oil your cleanser left behind. It will also help remove (kill) any bacteria on your skin and close your pores. Simply wet a cotton ball or pad with the toner and swipe across your skin. Pay special attention to your forehead, nose (especially the crevices at the sides), chin, and jaw line. Apply a light, oil-free moisturizer with sunscreen designed for acne-prone skin after cleansing and toning. It should contain an SPF 15 (or higher) to protect your skin from the sun. Too much sun can make the oiliness worse and sun damage is responsible for 90% of aging. You can skip moisturizing at night. You need to keep the skin balanced, not too dry (or skin will overproduce oil). The goal is clean, moisturized, soft skin. Use acne spot treatment regularly (at least daily) for any pimples you have. You can also apply it sparingly to areas that you frequently get pimples on (like your nose or forehead). These treatments usually contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide (which will bleach and permanently stain fabric so be careful!). These are powerful ingredients that have been proven to heal blemishes faster. Use a clay facial mask once a week. This weekly treatment will refine your pores and clean deep down where regular cleansers can’t reach. This step may seem unnecessary but if you make it a habit you will see the rewards are worth the effort. Exfoliate once or twice a week for deep cleaning and removing dead skin cells. This will help resurface the skin and encourage the growth of new, fresh cells. Check your daily cleanser which may already contain exfoliating ingredients. In that case you do not need to exfoliate separately. Anything that touches your face must be very clean. Keep your hair scrupulously clean and off your face. Do not use hair gel or heavy (or too much) conditioner. Dirty or greasy hair can aggravate oily skin. Keep your glasses and sunglasses very clean and bacteria-free. Do not lean your face in your hands or touch your face unnecessarily. Do not lean your face against phones or any other objects. All of these actions can block pores and transfer bacteria from your hands or phone or whatever to your face. Pulling at your skin can also stretch the skin and muscles underneath eventually causing sagging. Always wash your hands before you touch your face, apply lotions, etc. If your face (or some part of it) feels oily in between regular washings, splash your face with warm water alone (no soap) and pat dry gently with a clean towel. Too much washing with soap will over-dry your skin causing irritation and extra oil production. Just rinsing will help remove light dirt and oil, tighten pores, and refresh your skin. If you have skin problems that don’t improve or get worse after you have followed this guide for 4-6 weeks, see a doctor. A dermatologist will definitely be able to help, so don’t be afraid to go to one!
Tips to Wrap Gifts Beautifully
There are many occasions in which you will need to give a gift. Make those occasions fun and festive with a beautifully wrapped gift. No matter what the occasion, these tips will help you decide ways of presenting gifts to your loved ones that will look amazing. So the next time you have a birthday party or baby shower to go to, pull out this guide and get to wrapping.
Try using old materials like wallpaper or newspaper comics to wrap your gifts. Other materials that work well are photo print offs and maps. Use these things in place of your wrapping paper or along with it to add some flair to your gifts.
Use fresh greenery when topping your already wrapped gifts. I suggest going seasonal to help keep plants and flowers alive for a longer period of time. You can use ivy for ribbons, and small flower arrangements for toppers. A good sprig of mistletoe or a poinsettia work very well for wrapping Christmas gifts.
If you are giving more than one gift, or can wrap things separately, try to have a matching theme for all of your gifts. This will help the receiver know who things are from or what gifts may go together and, best of all, your gifts will look amazing. Coordinate your papers, and try stacking gifts for a festive effect.
Toppers are always a great finishing touch to your gifts. Try something unique by using tassels, and cord for ribbon, smaller boxes that are gift wrapped with smaller gifts in them, or just a smaller gift that is not wrapped.
Tagging your gifts can be a very creative aspect of gift wrapping as well. Try cutting out scenes from greeting cards or other small pictures, write on the back and hang them from your gifts with ribbon. For Christmas try using glass ornaments, just write on them with paint pens. Stickers are another fun and simple way to make your gift tags more creative.
Storing these supplies can also be simple. After all, you don’t need a ton of stuff for gift wrapping. Just set up a small tote or a box somewhere in the house that is cool, dry, and out of the way. Section the storage container in two and stand your paper rolls in one side and other supplies you have in the other side.
Tags: Beautifully, Gifts, Tips, Wrap
Outdoor Inflatable Halloween Decorations
Outdoor inflatable Halloween decorations are an easy and fun way to decorate your yard. These airblown inflatable yard decorations have grown into a huge variety of decorations. Today’s inflatable decorations have advanced to include lights, sound and animated inflatable decor.
Shower your favorite inflatable with small lights so your family and neighbors can enjoy outdoor Halloween decorations even in the darkest of nights.
Whether you are looking for that “haunting” look or Winnie The Pooh, there is an outdoor Halloween inflatable decoration that will fit the look that your are trying to achieve in your yard. If your yard is large or small, you can still decorate with a great Halloween theme using inflatables. They are easy to to set up and put away and can easily be done by one person.
Inflatable Yard Decorations are huge balloons and are anywhere from 6 to 10 feet high. They are are made of heavy duty vinyl or nylon and are manufactured to withstand the outdoor weather, including snow, sleet and rain as well as varying temperature variations.
Storage is easy, you just deflate your balloon and store for next year’s holiday season.
Airblown Yard Inflatables come in all different sizes, shapes, characters, holiday’s, and themes.
All inflatable decorations include a pump which is similar to an inflatable mattress pump. The nozzle of the pump attaches to the values in the inflatable. Once the pump is turned on air flows into your inflatable Halloween decoration. Continue to inflate until the inflatable reaches full size.
Once your inflatable decoration reaches full size, the inflatable is attached to the ground with stakes. Since inflatables are different sizes and shapes, make sure to follow the manufacturers directions on the placement of stakes and tie downs.
Ann Cohen is a wife, friend and mom who loves the holidays. Just click to view a great selection of Outdoor inflatable Halloween decorations
Tags: Decorations, Halloween, Inflatable, Outdoor
