Adding a bit of Polish

I was a bit late starting and this was a relatively long drive. Trundled South through Lithuania but got a bit spooked by the signposts saying Minsk. I have no plans to visit Belarus any time soon: I'm sure it's charming but I am not charmed by it having been taken over by the Kremlin.

The route is a little challenging because you have to avoid Belarus to the East and Kaliningrad, which is really Russia, to the West. I stop and consult my atlas of Europe, bought a few days ago. I have to aim for the Suwalki Corridor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suwa%C5%82ki_Gap

My fear if I go too near to either of these Kremlinettes, Google who probably have a deal with Putin means I will be sucked in and end up as a sausage, as Starmer would put it. So I ignore Satnav and plot my own route. Actually, Google Maps cotton on soon and give me some guidance. After all the Gap is 60Km wide so it shouldn't be too hard. So in line with tradition I ended up on a rally stage and suddenly I saw a sign saying I was entering Poland.

It seemed rather informal but that's fine, I was in.

Then I went around the corner.

To start with they had a customer coming the other way, but the bloke you can see had a baton thing with a red reflector on it which he waved at me. I decided to stop. Then his mate (you can see his knee and head) came out with his Kalishnikov. Good cop (no visible gun) ordered me to open the boot. He found nothing he didn't like. The one with the gun was standing there looking fierce. Good cop told me I could carry on. Fierce cop crouched down urgently by my front left wheel - OMG what has he found. He got up again. He had a tiny kitten in his hands with the Kalishnov. He was obviously worried I would run it over. Kitty ran off into the forest.

Well, that was exciting. Next excitement, I saw the cousin of the chap I pictured yesterday, and he/she were at home.

IT was a narrow, quiet road so I managed to stop and get a picture.

I thought I was heading for Warsaw., but actually it was Warsaw's equivalent of Sevenoaks. I got alarmed on the way because the signs were saying Minsk again. I had to stop and check, but it turns out there are two Minsks, like Stratford, so I was safe.

I ended up in a quiet small town, which was actually a nice change, Gora Kalwaria. The hotel is imposing.

As you can see it's huge, and turns out to be a former barrack for the border guard in the 1930s. There are two identical buildings and a lot more hidden behind and it has some souvenirs of his previous life a couple of Howitzers (didn't know they play cricket) and a tank as well as some pictures.

Nobody asked me to do the assault course but I had a stroll around the town.

Gorgeous flowers with a strong scent.

A good attempt at a balcony

And something that unites UK and Poland: if you want some building done, Arsk a Polish Lad.

Across to Germany tomorrow. A long way but should be faster.