Roaming Free

Many thanks to RT for a splendid day out around Sokolka. We found the European Bison surprisingly easily, thanks to his superlative local knowledge and took a few shots from a respectful distance. There was no fence. KF and I had managed to leave on time and found our way via Gorczyca, Lipsk and Dabrowa B. to Sokolka without problems.

R told us all about the remarkable sect that once inhabited this area at the centre of the world which was then otherwise Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim. One or two remaining adherents to the religion may still be alive, but nobody is quite sure. Pre-war, the Jewish community here would have been large and vibrant, sadly there isn't much evidence of that today. It would be so interesting to see what a shtetl looked like.

The unmetalled road was probably more comfortable than usual, since the layer of ice had mostly filled in the potholes. We went to the Tartar village of Kruszynany for an excellent meal at Tatarska Jurta which left us feeling rather too full to want to move. Charming people and another quite unique experience. You can inspect the menu yourselves if you like. I recommend the Sea Buckthorn juice. It was already a bit too late to visit the functioning mosque.

We were stopped by at least a good humoured border guard on the way back. He was entitled to keep us waiting at the roadside for ages, but mercifully he didn't. R and K had a beer and I made do with fizzy water before the journey back along the now dark Molotoff Ribentrop line.

What a day!