On 10 July, I visited Gdańsk at the invitation of the organizers of Baltic Sail - a festival of tall ships, an event with a long-standing tradition. Promotion of sailing in the city is the idea of Mateusz Kusznierewicz! Crowds of people arrived to watch the event, not only enthusiasts of this sport. We admired beautiful sailing ships and watched the regatta – I am very grateful for giving me an opportunity to return to sailing, even for a moment.It doesn’t matter that I stumbled when I was entering the scene and I presented the some of the awards barefoot. What really matters is that the  Amber Cup was awarded to a team with a sailor from Ustka J  http://www.balticsail.pl/?co=news&id=25&offset=0

I went straight from Wielkopolska to Warsaw. There, on 16 June, I was a guest of Empik Junior and National Geographic Polska. Among the guests, I recognised several people who have participated in previous meetings, yet they still wanted to hear my story one more time. Thus, we could experience my adventure together once again... Return to my most precious memories made me shed a tear or two... It was so nice to sail around the world once more! I do miss it a bit, now.  photo. National Geographic video in Polish:

Three days later, on 14 June, I visited Opatówek near Kalisz. I was invited by the Director of the local History of Industry Museum. This dynamic museum is the pride of the region and it houses, among other, a permanent exhibition of over fifty 19th and 20th century pianos. It was in the Piano Room where I met with the citizens of Opatówek and several representatives from Kalisz. Number of guests, including school children, who came to meet me exceeded organisers’ expectations. It was a pleasure to tell them about my dreams and my cruise. For me, the visit to Opatówek was an opportunity to make a personal journey in time and space – my family comes from this area. It was wonderful to be there again, even if just for a short while. I strongly recommend it: http://www.muzeum.opatowek.pl/

11.06.2010 On Friday, 11 June, I visited Bydgoszcz. It was a special occasion – the start of the 3-day event ‘Ster na Bydgoszcz’ (Set course for Bydgoszcz). It makes me jealous seeing how much is being done for water in this city. If you can reach Berlin by water from Bydgoszcz, it is possible to reach the sea too. That is why city authorities and the citizens of Bydgoszcz want to build a proper marina. Theoretically, we are talking about a city in central Poland, but sails are present here in everyday life to a much greater extent than in other Baltic cities. Try to imagine that the citizens of Bydgoszcz will soon have the opportunity to catch some sun on a beach made of real Baltic sand! Keep it up, give a big hand for city authorities and sailors from Bydgoszcz.  I was welcomed heartily. I met with the Mayor, I visited the fair, attended a photo contest and a post-cruise meeting. My presentation was intertwined with a performance by Adam Mordka and Friends...

2.06.2010 I was very pleased today to receive a call with information that I was placed in the first ten of 150 people nominated to the title of The Man of the Year in the plebiscite conducted by the Dziennik Bałtycki daily newspaper. It is a great honour and I am grateful for it. Today, I also had a meeting in the Wodociągi Słupsk company, which was a friend of my cruise. I thought that ever since I came back to Poland, my home has been always full of fresh flowers... it is very, very nice! Thank you!

Miejska Górka, 30 May 2010 From Wrocław, I went straight to Miejska Górka – a town about 70km away from Wrocław. I went there at a special invitation of Ms Ania Lisek and the school she works in. I have been staying in touch with its pupils ever since my stop at Cape Town, where I received their first beautiful letter, full of pictures, poems, a photo, best wishes and angels, which were to protect me... I was deeply touched by the letter and the presents. Ladies from the Polish Association in Cape Town bought them a hundred South African key rings. We got fond of each other and I was honoured with an invitation to a family festival – a May picnic. The entire room was decorated with photos from my journey, songs were sung and we ate cakes. I was given so many presents that it was difficult to pack all those things on my way back:) I’ve got a painting of Miejska Górka (still wet), my portrait, drawings, handmade teddy bears and flowers, as well as a special issue of a...

29.05.2010  I was invited to Wrocław by two sailors: Kasia and Marek (www.mojjacht.com). I’ve met their friends there and children from a local orphanage. It was a great pleasure to listen to stories about travelling and sailing to places that I have not been to, such as Libya or Israel... Kasia and Marek welcomed me so warmly, as if we had known each other for years. But in fact, it was the second time we have met. They are semi-professional sailors but also normal people who know how to share their passion and who invite amazing children onto their yacht – I am happy that there are people like these two out there. Kids, even though shy, were willing to answer questions – it was nice to see their smiling faces. Now, I would like to send my sailor greetings to Wiktor.

24.05.2010 I visited Warsaw University of Life Sciences by invitation of their Sailing Club. It was very, very nice. A large group of young people with a keen interest in the world amazed me with their smiles and very accurate questions. I wish I could have been there for the songs sung to a guitar... Maybe next time!?

22.05.2010 Today, I took part in something truly exceptional: I rode my bike for money! :) During the  „Masa na Autyzm” social campaign, The Orange Foundation paid PLN 5 for every kilometre for early diagnosis of autistic children and their treatment. More than a thousand people took part in this ride, I invited my friends, and we had a really great time together Our cycling adventure started in a park, where many attractions were waiting for us. We painted a sail, kids learnt how to use the Morse alphabet, knot ropes... We rode along the streets of Warsaw, I met great people then, whole families were on their biked, with kids in small carts pulled by their parents, one gentleman had a dog in the basket! I wouldn’t have thought that a 12-kilometre route is so short! :) Health, sport, and a good cause - it is a great combination! Moreover, there were attractive prizes at the end, such as watches, theatre tickets, spa vouchers and ... new bicycles! Emotions...

On 8 May, I met people of Ustka in the Town Hall. It is hard to believe, but it was so ‘crisp’ that people came wearing woollen hats and scarves.    photo. E. Zając Then, I went to Łódź. I visited students from Liceum nr 1 (a high school) and the scouts from  Drużyna Wodniacka.